shall yeeld more suppliments Being well imploy'd then Kings can well exhaust This golden meadow lying ready still Then to be mow'd when their occasions will 40 Fauour like pitie in the hearts of men Haue the first touches euer violent But soone againe it comes to languish when The motiue of that humour shall be spent But being still fed with that which first hath beene The cause thereof it holds still permanent And is kept in by course by forme by kinde And Time begets more ties that still more binde 41 The broken frame of this disioynted State Being by the blisse of thy great Grandfather Henry the seauenth restor'd to an estate More sound then euer and farre stedfaster Owes all it hath to him and in that rate Stands bound to thee that art his successor For without him it had not beene begunne And without thee we had beene now vndone 42 Hee of a priuate man became a King Hauing indur'd the weight of tyrannie Mourn'd with the world complain'd knew the thing That good men wish for in their misery Vnder ill Kings saw what it was to bring Order and Forme to the recouery Of an vnruly State conceiu'd what cure Would kill the cause of this distemp'rature 43 Thou borne a King hast in thy State indur'd The sowre affronts of priuate discontent With subiects broiles and euer beene inur'd To this great mystery of gouernment Whereby thy Princely wisedome hath allur'd A State to peace left to thee turbulent And brought vs an addition to the frame Of his great worke squar'd fitly to the same 44 And both you by the all-working prouidence That fashions out of dangers toyles debates Those whom it hath ordained to commence These first and great establishments of States Came when your aide your powers experience Which out of iudgement best accommodates These ioynts of rule was more then most desir'd And when the times of need the most requir'd 45 And as he lay'd the modell of this frame By which was built so strong a worke of State As all the powers of changes in the same All that excesse of a disordinate And lustfull Prince nor all that after came Nor Childe nor stranger nor yet womens fate Could once disioynt the couplements whereby It held together in iust Symetry 46 So thou likewise art come as fore-ordain'd To re-inforce the same more really Which oftentimes hath beene but entertain'd By th' onely stile and name of Maiestie And by no other councells oft attain'd Those ends of her inioy'd tranquilitie Then by this forme and by th'incumbrances Of neighbor states that gaue it a successe 47 That hadst thou had no title as thou hast The onely right and none hath else a right We yet must now haue beene inforcde t' haue cast Our selues into thy armes to set all right And to auert confusion blood-shed waste That otherwise vpon vs needes must light None but a King and no King else beside Could now haue sau'd this State from being destry'd 48 Thus hath the hundreth yeare brought backe againe The sacred bloud lent to adorne the North And here return'd it with a greater gaine And greater glory than we sent it forth Thus doth th'all-working Prouidence retaine And keepe for great effects the seede of worth And so doth point these stops of time thereby In periods of vncertaine certainty 49 Margaret of Richmond glorious Grandmother Vnto that other precious Margaret From whence th' Almightie worker did transferre This branch of peace as from a roote well set Thou mother author plotter Councellor Of vnion that didst both conceiue beget And bring forth happinesse to this great State To make it thus intirely fortunate 50 O couldst thou now but view this faire successe This great effect of thy religious worke And see therein how God hath pleas'd to blesse Thy charitable Councels and to worke Still greater good out of the blessednesse Of this conioyned Lancaster and Yorke Which all conioyn'd within and those shut out Whom nature and their birth had set without 51 How much hast thou bound all posterities In this great worke to reuerence thy name And with thee that religious faithfull wise And learned Mourton who contriu'd the same And first aduis'd and did so well aduise As that the good successe that thereof came Shewdwel that holy hands cleane thoughts cleare harts Are onely fit to act such glorious parts 52 But Muse these deare remembrances must be In their conuenient places registred When thou shalt bring sterne Discord to agree And bloody warre vnto a quiet Bed Which worke must now be finished by thee That long hath layne vndone as destined Vnto the glory of these dayes for which Thy vowes and verse haue laboured so much 53 Thou euer hast opposed all thy might Against contention fury pride and wrong Perswading stil to hold the course of right And Peace hath beene the burthen of thy Song And now thy selfe shalt haue the benefite Of quietnesse which thou hast wanted long And now shalt haue calme peace and vnuion With thine owne warres and now thou must go on 54 Onely the ioy of this so deare a thing Made me looke backe vnto the cause whence came This so great good this blessing of King When our estate so much requir'd the same When we had neede of powre for the well-ord'ring Of our affaires neede of a Spirite to frame The world to Good to Grace and worthinesse Out of this humour of Luxuriousnesse 55 And bring vs backe vnto our selues againe Vnto our ancient natiue modestie From out these forraine sinnes vve entertaine This loathsome surfets ougly Gluttony From this vnruly and this idle vaine Of wanton and superfluous brauery The wracke of Gentry spoile of Noblenesse And spare vs by thy temp rate Sobernesse 56 When Abstinence is fashion'd by the Time It is no rare thing to be abstinent But then it is when th' Age full fraught with crime Lies prostrate vnto all misgouernment And who is not licencious in the prime And heate of youth nor then incontinent When out of might he may he neuer wil No power can tempt him to that taste of ill 57 Then what are we t' expect from such a hand That doth this sterne of faire example guide Who will not now shame to haue no command Ouer his lusts Who would be seene t' abide Vnfaithful to his vowes to infringe the band Of a most sacred knot which God hath tide Who would now seeme to be dishonoured With th' uncleane touch of an vnlawfull bedde 58 What a great checke wil this chaste Court be now To wanton Courts debaucht with Luxurie Where we no other Mistresses shall know But her to whom we owe our loyaltie Chaste Mother of our Princes whence doe grow Those righteous issues which shall glorifie And comfort many Nations with their worth To her perpetuall grace that brought them forth 59 We shall not feare to haue our wiues distain'd Nor yet our Daughters violated here By an Imperiall lust that
cunning this Which so imbroyles the state of truth with brawles And wrappes it vp in strange confusednesse As if it liu'd immur'd within the walls Of hideous termes fram'd out of barbarousnesse And forraine Customes the memorials Of our subiection and could neuer be Deliu'red but by wrangling subtiltie Whereas it dwells free in the open plaine Vncurious Gentile easie of accesse Certaine vnto it selfe of equall vaine One face one colour one assurednesse It 's Falshood that is intricate and vaine And needes these laborinths of subtilnesse For where the cunningst cou'rings most appeare It argues still that all is not sincere Which thy cleere ey'd experience well discries Great Keeper of the state of Equitie Refuge of mercie vpon whom relies The succour of oppressed miserie Altar of safegarde whereto affliction flies From th'eger pursuite of seueritie Hauen of Peace that labourst to withdraw Iustice from out the tempests of the Law And set her in a calme and euen way Plaine and directly leading to redresse Barring these counter-courses of delay These wasting dilatorie processes Ranging into their right and proper ray Errors demurs essoines and trauerses The heads of Hydra springing out of death That giues this Monster malice still new breath That what was made for the vtilitie And good of man might not be turn'd t' his hurt To make him worser by his remedie And cast him downe with what should him support Nor that the State of Law might loose thereby The due respect and reu'rence of her porte And seeme a trap to catch our ignorance And to intangle our intemperance Since her interpretations and our deedes Vnto a like infinitie arise As be'ng a Science that by nature breeds Contention strife and ambiguities For altercation controuersie feeds And in her agitation multiplies The field of Cauell lying all like wide Yealds like aduantage vnto eyther side Which made the graue Castillian King deuise A prohibition that no Aduocate Should be conuaid to th' Indian Colonies Lest their new setting shaken with debate Might take but slenderroote and so not rise To any perfect growth of firme estate For hauing not this skill how to contend Th'vnnourisht strife would quickely make an end So likewise did th'Hungarian when he saw These great Italian Bartolists who were Call'd in of purpose to explane the Law T' imbroyle it more and make it much lesse cleere Caus'd them from out his Kingdome to withdraw With this infestious skill someother-where Whose learning rather let men farther out And opened wider passages of doubt Seeing euen Iniustice may be regulare And no proportion can there be betwixt Our actions which in endlesse motion are And th'Ordinances which are alwayes fixt Tenne thousand Lawes more cannot reach so farre But Malice goes beyond or liues immixt So close with goodnesse as it euer will Corrupt disguise or counterfeite it still And therefore did those glorious Monarchs who Deuide with God the Stile of Maiestie For being good and had a care to do The world right and succour honestie Ordaine this sanctuarie wherevnto Th' opprest might flie this seate of Equitie Whereon thy vertues sit with faire renowne The greatest grace and glory of the Gowne Which Equitie being the soule of Law The life of Iustice and the Spirite of right Dwell's not in written Lines or liues in awe Of Bookes deafe powres that haue nor eares nor sight But out of well-weigh'd circumstance doth draw The essence of a iudgement requisite And is that Lesbian square that building fit Plies to the worke not forc'th the worke to it Maintaining still an equall paralell Iust with th' occasions of humanitie Making her iudgements euer liable To the respect of peace and amitie When surly Law sterne and vnaffable Cares onely but it selfe to satisfie And often innocencie skarse defends As that which on no circumstance depends But Equitie that beares an euen raine Vpon the present courses holds in awe By giuing hand alittle and doth gaine By a gentle relaxation of the Law And yet inviolable doth maintaine The end whereto all constitutions draw Which is the well-fare of societie Consisting of an vpright pollicie Which first being by Necessitie compos'd Is by Necessitie maintain'd in best estate Where whenas Iustice shal be ill dispos'd It sickens the whole body of the State For if there be a passage once disclos'd That Wrong may enter at the selfe-same gate Which serues for Right cladde in a coate of Law What violent distempers may it draw And therefore dost thou stand to keepe the way And stoppe the course that malice seekes to runne And by thy prouident Iniunctions stay This neuer ending Altercation Sending contention home to th' end men may There make their peace whereas their strife begun And free these pestred streets they vainely weare Whom both the State and theirs do need elsewhere Lest th'humor which doth thus predominate Conuert vnto it selfe all that it takes And that the law grow larger then debate And come t' exceede th' affaires it vndertakes As if the onely Science of the State That tooke vp all our wits for gaine it makes Not for the good that thereby may be wrought Which is not good if it be dearely bought What shall we thinke when as ill causes shall Inrich men more and shall be more desir'd Then good as farre more beneficiall Who then defends the good who will be hir'd To intertaine a right whose gaine is small Vnlesse the Aduocate that hath conspir'd To pleade a wrong be likewise made to runne His Clients chaunce and with him be vndunne So did the wisest nations euer striue To binde the hands of Iustice vp so hard That lest she falling to prooue Lucratiue Might basely reach them out to take reward Ordaining her prouisions fit to liue Out of the publike as a publike Guard That all preserues and all doth entertaine Whose end is onely glory and not gaine That eu'n the Scepter which might all command Seeing her s' vnpartiall equall regulare Was pleas'd to put it selfe into her hand Whereby they both grew more admired farre And this is that great blessing of this land That both the Prince and people vse one Barre The Prince whose cause as not to be withstood Is neuer badde but where himselfe is good This is that Ballance which committed is To thy most euen and religious hand Great Minister of Iustice who by this Shalt haue thy name still gratious in this land This is that seale of pow're which doth impresse Thy Acts of right which shall for euer stand This is that traine of State that pompously Attends vpon thy reu'rent dignitie All glory else besides ends with our breath And mens respects scarse brings vs to our graue But this of doing good must out-liue Death Aud haue a right out of the right it gaue Though th' act but few th' example profiteth Thousands that shall thereby a blessing haue The worlds respect growes not but on desarts Powre may haue knees but Iustice hath
our harts TO THE LORD HENRY HOWARD ONE OF HIS MAIESTIES PRIVIE COVNCEL PRaise if it be not choice and laide aright Can yeeld no lustre where it is bestowde Nor any way can grace the giuers Arte Tho'it be a pleasing colour to delight For that no ground whereon it can be shew'd Will beare it well but Vertue and Desart And though I might commend your learning wit And happy vttrance and commend them right As that which decks you much and giues you grace Yet your cleere iudgement best deserueth it Which in your course hath caried you vpright And made you to discerne the truest face And best complexion of the things that breed The reputation and the loue of men And held you in the tract of honestie Which euer in the end we see succeed Though oft it may haue interrupted bin Both by the times and mens iniquitie For sure those actions which do fairely runne In the right line of Honor still are those That get most cleane and safest to their end And passe the best without confusion Either in those that act or else dispose Hauing the scope made cleere whereto they tend When this by-path of cunning doth s'imbroile And intricate the passage of affaires As that they seldome fairely can get out But cost with lesse successe more care and toile Whilst doubt and the distrusted cause impaires Their courage who would else appeare more stout For though some hearts are builded so that they Haue diuers dores whereby they may let out Their wills abroad without disturbancie Int'any course and into eu'ry way Of humour that affection turnes about Yet haue the best but one t' haue passage by And that so surely warded with the Guarde Of Conscience and respect as nothing must Haue course that way but with the certaine passe Of a perswasiue right which be'ng compard With their conceipt must thereto answere iust And so with due examination passe Which kind of men rais'd of a better frame Are meere religious constant and vpright And bring the ablest hands for any ' effect And best beare vp the reputation fame And good opinion that the Action 's right When th'vndertakers are without suspect But when the bodie of an enterprise Shall goe one way the face another way As if it did but mocke a weaker trust The motion being monstrous cannot rise To any good but falls downe to bewray That all pretences serue for things vniust Especially where th' action will allow Apparancie or that it hath a course Concentrike with the Vniuersall frame Of men combind whom it concerneth how These motions turne and intertaine their force Hauing their being resting on the same And be it that the vulgare are but grosse Yet are they capable of truth and see And sometimes gesse the right and doe conceiue The Nature of that text that needes a glosse And wholy neuer can deluded be All may a few few cannot all deceiue And these strange disproportions in the traine And course of things do euermore proceede From th'ill-set disposition of their minds Who in their actions cannot but retaine Th'incumbred formes which do within them breede And which they cannot shew but in their kindes Whereas the wayes and councells of the Light So sort with valour and with manlinesse As that they carry things assuredly Vndazeling of their owne or others sight There be'ng a blessing that doth giue successe To worthinesse and vnto constancie And though sometimes th' euent may fall amisse Yet shall it still haue honour for th' attempt When Craft begins with feare and endes with shame And in the whole designe perplexed is Vertue though luckelesse yet shal skape contempt And though it hath not hap it shall haue fame TO THE LADY MARGARET COVNTESSE OF CVMBERLAND HE that of such a height hath built his minde And rear'd the dwelling of his thoughts so strong As neither Feare nor Hope can shake the frame Of his resolued powres nor al the winde Of Vanitie or Malice pierce to wrong His setled peace or to disturbe the same What a faire seate hath he from whence hee may The boundlesse wastes and weilds of man suruay And with how free an eye doth he looke downe Vpon these lower Regions of turmoyle Where all these stormes of passions mainely beate On flesh and blood where honor power renowne Are onely gay afflictions golden toyle Where Greatnesse stands vpon as feeble feete As Frailtie doth and only great doth seeme To little mindes who do it so esteeme He lookes vpon the mightiest Monarchs warres But onely as on stately robberies Where euermore the fortune that preuailes Must be the right the ill-succeeding marres The fairest and the best-fac't enterprize Great Pyrat Pompey lesser Pyrates quailes Iustice he sees as if seduced still Conspires with powre whose cause must not be ill He sees the face of Right t' appeare as manyfold As are the passions of vncertaine man Who puts it in all coulours all attires To serue his ends and make his courses hold He sees that let Deceit worke what it can Plot and contriue base wayes to high desires That the all-guiding Prouidence doth yet All disappoint and mockes this smoake of wit Nor is he moou'd with all the thunder crackes Of Tyrants threats or with the surly brow Of power that prowdly sits on others crimes Chardg'd with more crying sinnes then those he checks The stormes of sad confusion that may grow Vp in the present for the cumming times Appall not him that hath no side at all But of himselfe and knowes the worst can fall Although his hart so neere allied to earth Cannot but pittie the perplexed State Of troublous and distrest mortalitie That thus make way vnto the ougly birth Of their owne sorrowes and doe still beget Affliction vpon imbecilitie Yet seeing thus the course of things must run He lookes thereon not strange but as foredun And whilst distraught Ambition compasses And is incompast whil'st as craft deceiues And is deceiu'd whil'st man doth ransack man And builds on bloud and rises by distresse And th' inheritance of desolation leaues To great expecting hopes he lookes thereon As from the shore of peace with vnwet eye And beares no venture in impietie Thus Madame fares the man that hath prepar'd A rest for his desires and sees all things Beneath him aud hath learn't this booke of man Full of the notes of frailtie and compar'd The best of glory with her sufferings By whom I see you labour all you can To plant your heart and set your thought as neere His glorious mansion as your powres can beare Which Madame are so soundly fashioned By that cleere iudgement that hath caried you Beyond the feeble limits of your kinde As they can stand against the strongest head Passion can make invr'd to any hew The world can cast that cannot cast that minde Out of her forme of goodnesse that doth see Both what the best and worst of earth can bee Which makes that whatsoeuer here befalles You in the