Clusters of grapes full rypened with the heat Nor smaller timber builded up on height Fall not so fast as persons that are great Loosing their honours bruised with their weight But fewer means the faster I did rise And to be king I fortune did dispise My thoughts ambitious spread began to flie And I a Crowne did followe with full wing My hope was small but yet I meant to trie I had no right yet long'd to be a king Feare or suspect amaz'd me not at all If I were crost the worst was but to fall The Lyon fearce dispoyled of his praie Runnes not with speed so fast as did my thought My doubtfull minde forbad me long to stay For why a kingdome was the thing I sought Now was the tyme when this was to be done Or blame my thoughts because they it begun My brother dy'd and left two Sonnes behind Both under age unfitte to guyde the land This right fell out according to my minde For now these two were ruled with my hand Englands great Lord the subjects did me call And I was made protectour over all But as the Wolfe defends the harmelesse sheepe Whose bloodie mouth can hardlie bee content Vntill he spoile what he was set to keepe And sillie beast be all to peeces rent So still a crowne did hammer in my head Full of mistrust till both these two were dead The elder sonne with speed to London came And walles forsooke where he had liv'd before London the place of greatest strength and fame The I lands treasure and the English store For him Lord Rivers was appoynted guyde The Kings owne uncle by the mothers fide Rivers was vvyse but him I could not brooke I well foresawe what harme there might ensew This to prevent with speed I counsell tooke And as I thought so did I finde it trewe For if that Rivers should obtaine his minde my hearts desire then hardlie could I finde Rivers and Graie of treason I accus'd And tolde the Prince what both they did intend My tale was false and I the king abus'd Thus both their lives unjustlie did I end The King was yong the greater was their griefe And needs my words did urge him to beleefe Not long this past but hasting to the Queene A post wast sent to showe what did befall And who the actors of this fact had bene That Lord protector was the cause of all The Queen amaz'd did woonder at this newes And skarse did think it yet she could not choose Possest with feare foure daughters and her sonne She thence convayd into a sacred place Supposing ' true the harme but now begun And that I thought to murther all her race She Yorks Archbishop did entreat for aide Who in the Abbay not farre distant laide The Bishop came and mourning found the Queene Who did lament the fortune of her sonne The realmes distresse the lyke before not seene Her owne misfortune and the state undone Thus sigh'd the Queene and wisht her state were lesse And prayde that heavens would give the king successe My Lord she said my thoughts presage some ill And mournfull sorrowe seazeth on my heart This suddaine newes with griefe my soule doth fill And I for feare doe quake in everie part In this distresse we cannot hope to live Except this sacred place some safetie give He then reply'd dread Soveraigne doe not faint A causelesse feare in wisdome do withstand Yeeld not to soone with griefe to make complaint When no such cause approaching is at hand For feeble minds through weaknes coyne new feares When stronger hearts true griefe more wisely bears Aud if they crowne some other not your sonne A thing unlyke yet feare what may befall Then shall the same unto this child be done Whom brothers right by dew a king shall call But tyrants force will hardly be so bold During the tyme the other is in hold Then more advis'd he told her what he thought She and her sonne some causes had to feare And Englands seale he therefore with him brought Which by his place he customd was to beare Thus he resolv'd to leave the Seale behind Till wiser thoughts straight altered had his mind The Bishop home returned in all haste And sadly sate suspecting what might fall But then my comming made them all agast And for the Bishop I did straightway call I knew his deede and blam'd him to his face And for the Seale another had his place Thus tyrant hate possest me for a Crowne My minde the Anvill of a thousand harmes I rais'd my friendes my foes I cast them downe This made the subjectes flocke to me in swarmes My will was strong I made it for a Lawe For basest mindes are ruled best by awe I cal'd the Counsell and did straight perswade From mothers side to fetch the other Sonne My drift was further then they well could wade I gave them reasons why it must be donne The King a play-mate wanted for his yeeres And could not well be fitted with his Peeres The Cardnall went on message to the Queene And us'd perswasions for her other chyld He plainely sayd her feare had causelesse bene Nor neede she dout by me to be beguyld I was Protector chosen by consent With counsell grave all treason to prevent And I protest quoth Cardnall on my life For so indeede the Cardnall did suppose Your Sonne with safetie shall cut off this strife And you nor place nor land nor Sonne shall loose Dread soveraigne graunt and let your Sonne be free If he have harme then set the fault on me The Queene was mov'd and quaking did reply A mothers love doeth breede a mothers feare And loth I am those mischiefes for to try With doutfull hazard of a thing so deare I dout my Lord the neerest of his blood In true intent scarce wisheth any good The lawes doe make my Sonne his mothers ward Religion bids I should not slacke my care And nature bindes mine owne for to regard These and his health my Lord good reasons are To make my feare no smaller then it is Whylst feare perswades what harme may come of this Yet take my sonne and with my sonne take all Come kisse me sonne thy mothers last fare-well Thy yeeres sweete boy suspect not what may fall Nor can my tongue for teares thy fortune tell But hardly crownes their kindred will discerne As you sweete child I feare yer long shall learne God blesse thee sonne and I my sonne thee blesse Thy mothers comfort and thy brothers life Nay weepe not sonne God send thee good successe And safe defend thee from that tyrants knife Cardnal farewell be carefull of my sonne For once I vow'd this never to have done I and the counsell in Starre-chamber weare To whome the Cardnall did in haste resort Who brought the child which ended all my feare The mothers care he briefely did report I kist the child and tooke it in my arme Thus none did thinke I meant it any harme Then as the Wolfe halfe famisht for his pray Or hungrie Lyon that a lambe hath got My thirsty minde I ment his blood should stay And yet the wisest not perceive my plot To'the Towre in haste I sent him to his brother And there with speed I both at once did smother Nowe two there was but living in my way Buckingham and Hastings both to crosse my mind The one was headed straight without delay The other favours did unto me bind To match our children I did him perswade And Earle of Herford he him selfe be made Nowe as the Sea before a storme doeth swell Or sumes arise before we see the flame So whispering Brute began my drifts to tell And all Imparted unto babbling fame I dem'd it danger speech for to despice For after this I knew a storme would rise Londons Lord Major I used for my turne And caus'd him speake what treason had bene done I by these meanes the peoples hearts did turne And made them eye me as the rising Sunne Thus whilest I ment the Iland to bring under The peoples heads on newes I set to wonder Then at the crosse I caus'd a Doctor preach To tell the subjectes what I wisht them know The man was cunning and had skill to teach Out of my braine I made his Sermon flow Thus every where I did such notice give As all did crie Heavens let King Richard live So did I live and called was a king Friendes swarm'd as fast as Bees vnto the hive Thus basest means the highest fortunes bring The crowne obtaind did cause my thoughts revive I scorn'd my friends and those did most despyse That vvere the means by vvhich I did aryse Blood and revenge did hammer in my head Vnquiet thoughts did gallop in my braine I had no rest till all my friends vvere dead Whose helpe I usde the kingdome to obtaine My dearest friend I thought not safe to trust Nor skarse my selfe but that perforce I must Nor speake I novv as if I did repent Vnlesse for this a crovvne I bought so cheap For meaner things men vvittes and lives have spent Which blood have sovvne and crovvns could never reap Live Richard long the honour of thy name And scorne all such as doe thy fortune blame Thus have I told hovv I a crovvne did vvin Which novv torments me that I cannot sleep Where I doe end my sorrovv did begin Because I got vvhich long I could not keep My verse is harsh yet reader doe not frovvne I vvore no garland but a golden Crovvne FINIS With 〈◊〉 eye
LICIA or POEMES OF LOVE IN HOnour of the admirable and singular vertues of his Lady to the imitation of the best Latin Poets and others Whereunto is added the Rising to the Crowne of RICHARD the third Auxit musarum numerum Sappho addit a musis Faelix si saevus sic voluisset Amor. Ad Amorem SI Coelum patria est puer beatum Si verò peperit Venus benigna Si Nectar tibi Massicum ministrat Si Sancta Ambrosia est Cibus petitus Quid noctes habitas diesque mecum Quid Victum face supplicemque aduris Quid longam lachrimis sitim repellis Quid nostrae dape pasceris medullae Overè rabidum genus faerarum Odomo stige patriaque digne Iam levis sumus umbra quid lacessis Ad Lectorem NON Convitia nec latrationes Nec Ronchos timeo Calumniasvè Nec ullos obelos severiores Non quodjudicio meo Poëta Sim tantus nihil ut queat reprehendi Sed quodjudicio meo Poëta Sim tam rediculus parùmque doctus Vt nullum fore judicem eruditum Meos carpere qui velit labores Nam quis Aethiopem velit lavare To the reader COurteous Reader for my owne fault I referre thee to my Preface but for the Printers I crave pardon The excuse is just if thou knew the cause I desire thee therefore to correct the greater thus the lesse of thy selfe and to pardon all Thue to the Read pag. 3. lin 20 Thus. Gracelesse pag. 1. lin 3. Gracefull You pag. 3. lin 6. Such O. pag. 8. lin 14. Sonne Hands pag. 4. lin 7. 0. My pag. 17. line 12. Thy. Make pag. 36. lin 12. 0. Singers pag. 58. lin 20. fingers Fciend pag. 69. lin 19. friend TO THE WORthie Kinde Wise and Vertuous Ladie the Ladie Mollineux wife to the Right Worshipfull Syr Richard Mollineux Knight HOwsoever in the settled opinions of some wise heads this trifling labor may easily incurre the suspicion of two evils either to be of an idle subject and so frivolous or vainly handled and so odious Yet my resolute purpose was to proceed so farre as the indifferent Reader might thinke this small paines to be rather an effect then a cause of idlenesse and howsoever Love in this age hath behaved himselfe in that loose manner as it is counted a disgrace to give him but a kind looke yet I take the passion in it selfe to be of that honour and credite as it is the perfect resemblance of the greatest happinesse and rightlie valued at his just price in a minde that is syncerely truly amorous an affection of greatest vertue and able of him selfe to aeternize the meanest vassall Concerning the handling of it especially in this age men may wonder if a Scholler how I come by so much leasure if otherwise why a writer Indeede to say trueth though I can not justly challenge the first name yet I wish none to be writers save onely such as knowe learning And whereas my thoughtes and some reasons drew me rather to have dealt in causes of greater weight yet the present jarre of this disagreeing age drive me into a fitte so melancholie as I onely had leasure to growe passionate And I see not why upon our dissentions I may not sit downe idle forsake my study and goe sing of love as well as our Brownistes forsake the Church and write of malice And that this is a matter not so unfitte for a man either that respecteth him selfe or is a scholler Peruse but the writings of former times and you shall see not onely others in other countryes as Italie and France men of learning and great partes to have written Poems and Sonnets of Love but even amongst us men of best nobilitie and chiefest families to be the greatest Schollers and most renowmed in this kind But two reasons hath made it a thing foolishly odious in this age the one that so many base companions are the greatest writers the other that our English Genevian puritie hath quite debarred us of honest recreation and yet the great pillar as they make him of that cause hath shewed us as much witte and learning in this kinde as any other before or since Furthermore for all students I will say thus much that the base conceit which men generally have of their wants is such as I scarce terme him a scholler that hath not all the accomplyments of a Gentleman nor sufficiently wise that will not take oportunitie in some sort to shew it For I can say thus much that the Vniversitie wherein I lived and so I thinke the other hath so many wise excellent sufficient men as setting their learning aside wherein they are most excellent yet in all habilliments of a Gentleman they are equall to any besides This woulde that worthie Sidney oft confesse and Haringtons Ariosto which Madame was respected so much by you sheweth that his abode was in Kinges Colledge Yet nowe it is growen to this passe that learning is lightly respected upon a perswasion that it is to be found every where a thing untrue and unpossible Now in that I have written Love sonnets if any man measure my affection by my style let him say I am in Love no greate matter for if our purest divines have not bene so why are so manie married I mislike not that nor I would not have them mislyke this For a man may be in loue and not marrie and yet vvise but hee hee cannot marrie and not be in love but be a mere foole Nowe for the manner we will dispute that in some other place yet take this by the waie though I am so liberall to graunt thus much a man may write of love and not bee in love as well as of husbandrie and not goe to plough or of witches and be none or of holinesse and be flat prophane But wise and kinde Ladie not to trouble your eares with this idle discourse let this suffice I fonnd favours undeserved in such manner as my rude abilitie wautes meanes to make recompence and therefore in the meane time I request you to accept this If I had not so woondred at your admirable and rare vertues that my hearte was surcharged with the exceeding measure of your woorthinesse I had not written you are happie everie way and so reputed live so and I wish so you may live long excuse me favour me and if I live for I am loth to admire without thankefulnesse ere long it shall be knowne what favours I received from wise Sir Richard to whome in all kinde affectes I reste bound For the Reader if he looke for my letters to crave his favour he is farre deceived for if he mislike anie thing I am sorie he tooke the paines to reade but if he doe let him dispraise I much care not for praise is not but as men please and it is no chiefe felicitie for I have hearde some men and of late for Sermons at Paules crosse and for other paines so commended by all excepting
all the wrong That broke his arrowes and did binde his tong Sonnet XXII I might have dyed before my lyfe begunne When as my father for his countries good The Persians favour and the Sophy vvonne But yet with daunger of his dearest blood Thy father sweet whome daunger did beset Escaped all and for no other end But onely this that you he might beget Whom heavens decreed into the world to send Then father thanke thy daughter for thy lvfe And Neptune praise that yeelded so to thee To calme the tempest when the stonnes were ryfe And that thy daughter should a Venus be I call thee Veâ—â—e sweet but be not wroth Thou art more chast yet seas did favour both Sonnet XXIII My love was maskt and armed with a fanne To see the Sunne so carelesse of his light Which stood and gaz'd and gazing waxed wanne To see a starre himselfe that was more bright Some did surmize she hidde her from the sunne Of whome in pride she scorn'd for to be kist Or fear'd the harme by him to others done But these the reason of this woonder mist Nor durst the Sunne if that her face were bare In greatest pride presume to take a kisse But she more kinde did shew she had more care Then with her eyes eclypse him of his blisse Vnmaske you sweet and spare not dimme the sunne Your light 's ynough although that his were done Sonnet XXIIII When as my love lay sicklie in her bedde Pale death did poste in hope to have a praie But she so spotlesse made him that he fledde Vnmeet to die he cry'd and could not staie Backe he retyr'd and thus the heavens he told All thinges that are are subject unto me Both townes and men and what the world doth hold But let faire Licia still immortall be The heauens did graunt a goddesse she was made Immortall faire unfit to suffer chaung So now she lives and never more shall fade In earth a goddesse what can be more strange Then will I hope a goddesse and so neare She cannot chuse my sighes and praiers but heare Sonnet XXV Seven are the lights that wander in the skies And at these seven I wonder in my love To see the Moone how pale she doeth arise Standing amaz'd as though she durst not move So is my sweet much paler than the snowe Constant her lookes those lookes that cannot change Mercurie the next a god sweet tong'd we know But her sweet voice doth woonders speake more strange The rising Sunne doeth boast him of his pride And yet my love is farre more faire than he The warlike Mars can weildles weapons guide But yet that god is farre more weake than she The lovelie Venus seemeth to be faire But at her best my love is farre more bright Saturne for age with groans doth dimme the aire Whereas my love with smiles doth give it light Gaze at her browes where heaven ingrafted is Then sigh and sweare there is no heaven but this Sonnet XXVI I live sweete love whereas the gentle winde Murmures with sport in midst of thickest bowes Where loving Wood-bine doth the Harbour binde And chirping birdes doe eccho foorth my vowes Where strongest elme can scarce support the vine And sweetest flowres enameld have the ground Where Muses dwell and yet hereat repine That on the earth so rare a place was found But windes delight I wish to be content I praise the Wood-bine but I take no joye I moane the birdes that musicke thus have spent As for the rest they breede but mine annoye Live thou fayre Licia in this place alone Then shall I joye though all of these were gone Sonnet XXVII The Chrystal streames wherein my love did swimme Melted in teares as partners of my woe Her shine was such as did the fountaine dimme The pearlike fountaine whiter than the snowe Then lyke perfume resolved with a heate The fountaine smoak'd as if it thought to burne A woonder strange to see the colde so great And yet the fountaine into smoake to turne I searcht the cause and found it to be this She toucht the water and it burnt with love Now by her meanes it purchast hath that blisse Which all diseases quicklie can remoove Then if by you these streames thus blessed be Sweet graunt me love and be not woorse to me Sonnet XXVIII In tyme the strong and statelie torrets fall In tyme the Rose and silver Lillies die In tyme the Monarchs captives are and thrall In tyme the sea and rivers are made drie The hardest flint in tyme doth melt asunder Still living fame in tyme doth fade away The mountaines proud we see in tyme come under And earth for age we see in tyme decay The sunne in tyme forgets for to retire From out the east where he was woont to rise The basest thoughtes we see in time aspire And greedie minds in tyme do wealth dispise Thus all sweet faire in tyme must have an end Except thy beautie vertues and thy friend Sonnet XXIX Why dy'd I not when as I last did sleepe O sleepe too short that shadowed foorth my deare Heavens heare my prayers nor thus me waking keepe For this were heaven if thus I sleeping weare For in that darke there shone a Princely light Two milke-white hilles both full of Nectar sweete Her Ebon thighes the wonder of my sight Where all my senses with their objectes meete I passe those sportes in secret that are best Wherein my thoughtes did seeme alive to be We both did strive and wearie both did rest I kist her still and still she kissed me Heavens let me sleepe and shewes my senses feede Or let me wake and happie be indeede Sonnet XXI When as my Lycia sayled in the seas Viewing with pride god Neptunes stately crowne A calme she made and brought the merchant ease The strome she stayed and checkt him with a frowne Love at the stearne sate smiling and did sing To see howe seas had learnd for to obey And balles of fire into the waves did fling And still the boy full wanton thus did say Both poles we burnt whereon the world doeth turne The rownd of heaven from earth unto the skies And nowe the seas we both intend to burne I with my bowe and Licia with her eyes Then since thy force heavens earth nor seas can move I conquer'd yeeld and doe confesse I love Sonnet XXXI When as her lute is tuned to her voyce The aire growes proude for honour of that sound And rockes doe leape to shewe howe they rejoyce That in the earth such Musicke should be found When as her haire more worth more pale then golde Like silver threed lies waffting in the ayre Diana like she lookes but yet more bolde Cruell in chase more chaste and yet more fayre When as she smyles the cloudes for envie breakes She Iove in pride encounters with a checke The Sunne doeth shine for joye when as she speakes Thus heaven and earth doe homage at her becke Yet all these