grasp the Sceptre and usurp his place Could they once get Henry of Valois down Then King and last of that Illustrious Race A Prince in Prudence and in Arms as great As Europe boasted in a Regal State. VII Three were the ruffling Brothers that durst rise In opposition to the Royal Line The First and Chiefest Hâ—nry Duke of Guise To whom the others Charles and Lewis joyn Lewis a Cardinal more Bold than Wise Charles Duke of Mayne Third in this great Design In League Compacted so they call'd their Cause Against Obedience and her sacred Laws VIII Nor was their Pow'r so trivial as to be Crusht by the Kings Authority or force So well 't was strength'ned by the Papal Sea Whence 't is conceiv'd this Faction had its Source But must be undermin'd by Policy For this engaged Crown the only Course So great and many the Confed'rates were Who stood in favour of this haughty Peer IX Wherefore the King did in his Prudence chuse The help of Policy where Arms were vain And knew so well his wary Councels use That Duke and Prelate at his Foot lay slain When from his Juster Fate the Third broke lose Did then sole Head of the whole League remain Employing all his Courage and his Art To seal his Vengeance on his Prince's Heart X. And in his Enterprize was gone so far The King was forc't to call into his Cause Henry of Burbon then King of Navar His true Successor by the Salique Laws Who then against him made defensive War Him to his Service by command he draws So soon can Vertuous Princes learn t' obey And humbly bow when they have Pow'r to sway XI The Royal Arms thus reinforc't begin In conduct of these Princely Generals To take the Field some Towns and Pris'ners win No Force resists them no Design forestals Till at the last they shut the Leaguers in And lay close seige to Paris spatious Walls In whose Defence and Strength the Duke at last His latest refuge and his safety plac't XII Nor were those Walls or the Parisians aid True to the League but treach'rous to the State Enough to stop the Power did invade Or to divert a Rebels juster Fate Had not the League by Combination made On Henry's Life a foul Assassinate Who in the Centre of his own command Fell by the stroke of an ignoble Hand XIII Then at the Helm alone great Burbon stood Undoubted Heir unto the Crowns of France Great in his Name in Arms and great in Blood Though something shaken by the King's mischance For why the Peers serve nor obey him would Unless he would the Roman Faith advance Too hard a Contract for a King to make Though Life and Honor lie engag'd at Stake XIV His just repulse to their unjust demands Soon chang'd the Scene beyond all humane aim For though he won some honest Hearts and Hands T' acknowledge and assist his lawful claim Yet in few days so lessen'd were his Bands To his Abandoners Eternal Shame That he was forc'd his Conquest to decline And build his Fortunes on some new Design XV. T' were tedious to relate the Battails Fought The Towns beleaguer'd and the Cities won The hauhgty Rebels to subjection brought By this brave Leader Honors Eldest Son Acts that indeed exceed belief or thought By mature Councels and great Courage done The dangerous paths to Honor and Renown He trod before he could atchieve the Crown XVI Nor falls it in the Sphere of my design To mention each of Boâ—rbon's noble Acts So high attempts I humbly shall decline And leave those Annals to their better Tracts Who me and my poor Muse as far out-shine As Henry in his Celebrated Facts The lesser sparks of Honor does out-flame And swallows all their Titles in his Name XVII One day there was wherein his Valour shone A Pyramid of inextinguish'd Fire Wherein Immortal Glory or there 's none By dint of Sword he bravely did acquire To that one days great History alone This Poem impotently shall aspire A day above the Trophies of the Pen A Prince above the Characters of Men. XVIII Many the Conflicts were various the Chance Betwixt the Seige of Paris and the Fight In Yvry-Plain that goar'd the Womb of France With Fire and Blood betwixt the Wrong and Right E're both the Armies to that Field advance One to Pursue t'other Pretending flight Their num'rous odds had raised the League so high As to pursue him that could never fly XIX Two Nights before these angry Armies met Th' uncertain chance of Bloody War to try All-seeing Heav'n his dire portents had set Oraculous Symptoms in the troubled Sky The naked Surface of the Earth was wet With Storm and Tempest and a Prodigy Succeeded in the Air to shew the King How to his aid Heav'n did assistance bring XX. Two Puissant Armies in the Sky appear'd To shoot in Thunder and with Lightning kill In color like the Comets streaming Beard Which great events in Battail ushers still By most Men doubted and by many feared All were suspended at th' Almighty's will Yet such their Leader was their Cause so Just They unto Providence and Valour trust XXI The Slothful Sun rose to his daily round All Night disturb'd with riots in the Air When both the Hosts his drowsy Eye had found Imploring Conquest in diff'rent Pray'r And now they both march to the destin'd Ground Where Fate their different Fortunes does prepare Both Arm'd for the Disasters and the Harms That still attend th' uncertain chance of Arms. XXII The Field where this great Game was to be try'd In a round Form does a large Plot contain A Stage of Honor spatious and wide Where Souldiers may Eternal Glory gain Two little Towns did bound the Royal side And on the Dukes a Grove shut up the Plain Towards the West the lodging of the Sun The River Eure in a deep vale doth run XXIII A place so form'd by Nature as not Art Could smooth it plainer to so brave an end In which no craggy or deform'd part Could either side advantage or offend Save that a little dimple in the Heart Did with a gentle fall it self extend A worthy Theatre whereon to play The Tragick entrys of a Bloody day XXIV â—â—ustrious Bourbon was the first that took â— brave Possession of the Fatal place â—et down in Destiny's eternal Book â—o his Renown and to the Duke's Disgrace â—ho in the King 's victorious Arms mistook â—s of a flying Foe pursu'd the Chase So far did Fate and Odds seem to combine In help and favour of his black Design XXV â—or the Royal Muster did appear â—ght thousand Foot and but three thousand Horse â—he League above double the Number were â—â—ch inequality was in their Force â—he Rebel Crew were more that crowded there â— number better but in Courage worse For they with Henry who so oft had fought So far from Fear were they disdain'd to doubt XXVI Now on the Plain the Royal Standard stands Waving the
His own true Merits with the publick Voice Had won throughout the Isle as his just claim Above whatever past a gen'ral Choice A Man so perfect none could disapprove Save that he could not or he did not love IX Books were his Business his Diversion Arms His Practice Honor his Atchievements Fame He had no time to love nor could the Charms If any Cyprian Nymph his Blood enflame He thought the fairest print of Womankind Too small a Volume to enrich his Mind X. He lov'd the tawny Lyon's dang'rous Chace The spotted Leopard or the tusked Boar Their bloody Steps would the young Hunter trace And having lodg'd them their tough Entrails gore Love was too soft to feed his gen'rous Fire And Maids too weak to conquer his Desire XI In all his intervals of happy Truce Knowledge and Arts which his high Mind endow'd Where still his Objects and what they produce Was the brave Issue of his solitude He shun'd dissembling Courts and thought less Praise Adhear'd to Diadems than Wreaths of Baies XII Although betwixt him and the youthful King Who at this time the Paphian Scepter sway'd A likeness in their Manners and their Spring Had such a true and lasting Friendship made That without him the King did still esteem His Court a Cottage and her Glories dim XIII One was their Country one the happy Earth That to its Glory these young Heroes bred One year produc 't eithers auspicious Birth One space matur'd them and one councel led All things in fine wherein their Vertues shone Youth Beauty Strength Studies and Arms were one XIV This so establish't Friendship was the cause That when this modest Prince would fain retire From the fond World's importunate applause Oft crost the Workings of his own Desire And made him with a Fav'rites love and skill Devote his Pleasures to his Master 's Will. XV. But once his Presence and Assistance stood In ballance with this hopeful Monarch's Bliss Love's golden Shaft had fir'd his youthful Blood Nor any Ear must hear his Sighs but his Artiphala his Heart had overthrown Maugre his Sword his Sceptre and his Crown XVI From her bright Eyes the wounding Light'ning flew Through the resistance of his Manly Breast By none but his Philoxipes that knew Each motion of his Soul to be exprest He must his Secrets keep and Courtships bear Conceal them from the World but tell them her XVII This held him most to shine in the Court's Sphere And practise Passion in another's Name To dally with those Arms that levell'd were His high and yet victorious Heart t'enflame He sight and wept expressing all the Woe Despairing Lovers in their Frenzy shew XVIII And with so good Success that in some space The magick of his Eloquence and Art Had wrought the King into this Princess Grace And laid the passage open to her Heart Such Royal Suiters could not be deny'd The whole World's Wonder and one Asia's pride XIX The King thus fixt a Monarch in his Love And in his Mistriss's fair surrender crown'd Could sometimes now permit his Friends remove As having other Conversation found And now resign him to the Peace he sought To practise what the wise Athenian taught XX. Solon that Oracle of famous Greece Could in the course of his experience find None to bequeath his knowledge to but this This glorious Youth blest with so rich a Mind So brave a Soul and such a shining Spiriâ— As Vertue might by lawful claim inherit XXI It was his Precept that did first distil Vertue into this hopeful young Man's Breast That gave him Reason to conduct his Will That first his Soul in sacred Knowledg'd drest And taught him that a wise Man when alone Is to himself the best Companion XXII He taught him first into himself retire Shunning the greatness and those gaudy Beams That often scorch their Plumes who high aspire And wear the splendor of the World's extreams To drink that Nector and to tast that Food That to their Greatness make Men truly Good. XXIII 〈◊〉 his unerring Eye had aptly chose â— place so suited to his Mind and Birth 〈◊〉 the sweet Scene of his belov'd Repose â—s all the various Beauties of the Earth Contracted in one plot could nere outvie To nourish Fancy or delight the Eye XXIV From the far fam'd Olympus haughty Crown Which with curl'd Cypress Periwigs his Brow The chrystal Lycus tumbles headlong down And thence unto a fruitful Valley flows Twining with am'rous Crooks her verdant Was 't that smiles to see her Borders so embrac't XXV Upon whose flowry Banks a stately Pile Built from the marble Quarry shining stood Like the proud Queen of that Elizean Isle Viewing her front in the transparent Flood Which with a murm'ring Sorrow kis'd her base As loth to leave so beautifulâ— a place XXVI Lovely indeed if tall and shady Groves Enamel'd Meads and little purling Springs Which from the Grots the Temples of true Loves Creep out to trick the Earth in wanton rings Can give the name of Lovely to that place Where Nature stands clad in her chiefest Grace XXVII This noble Structure in her Sight thus blest Was round adorn'd with many a curious piece By ev'ry cunning Master's hand exprest Of famous Italy or Aâ—tick Greece As Art and Nature both together strove Which should attract and which should fix his love XXVIII There whilst the Statue and the Picture vie Their shape and colour their design and life They Value took â—rom his judicious Eye That could determin best the curious strife For naught that should a Prince's Vertues fill Escap't his knowledge or amus'd his skill XXIX But in that brave Collection there was one That seem'd to lend her light unto the rest Wherein the mastry of the Pencil shone Above whatever Painter's Art exprest A Woman of so exquisite a Frame As made all Life deform'd and Nature lame XXX A Piece so wrought as might to Ages stand The work and likeness of some Deity To mock the labours of a humane hand So round so soft so airy and so free That it had been no less than to prophane To dedicate that Face t' a mortal Name XXXI For Venus therefore Goddess of that Isle The cunning Artist nam'd this brave Design The Critick Eyes of Wond'rers to beguile As if inspired had drawn a Shape divine Venus Vrania Parent of their bliss Could be exprest in nothing more than this XXXII And such a power had the lovely Shade Over this Prince's yet unconquer'd Mind That his indiff'rent Eye full oft it stay'd And by degrees his noble Heart enclin'd To â—ay that could this Frame a Woman be She were his Mistriss and no Fair but she Caetera desunt â—To Mr. Alexander Brome EPODE NOW let us drink and with our nimble Feet The Floor in graceful measures beat â—ever so fit a time for harmless Mirth Upon the Sea-guirt spot of Earth The King 's return'd Fill Nectar to the brim And let Lyaeus proudly swim Our Joys are full
behind XLVI The Leaguers Force thus order'd gently moves Scorning in such a Glorious hour to breathe The Mother Earth spurn d by the armed Hooves In dire ostent mournfully Groans beneath Whilst each like Fire by agitation proves Prompter to snatch from others head the Wreath Then Face to Face both Armies in Array Stand to attempt the Fortune of the Day XLVII And now Heav'ns Lamp unwilling to behold The bloody Conflict prest to be begun Shading with Clouds his Locks of burning Gold Stept into Night before his course was run The dusky Hemisphere in darkness roll'd Withheld the tryal until the Morning Sun When each in equal favour of the light Might have the day bright Umpire of their Fight XLVIII â—â—aightway succeeding night 'gan to arise â—b mists of darkness to possess the Sky â—â—ntling the Warriours in her dark surprize 〈◊〉 Valiant could not fight the Coward fly 〈◊〉 in her Sables clad ermin'd with Eyes 〈◊〉 in a mourning Vail of Tragedy Black as the Face of Sorrows blackest hue To solemnize the Funerals to ensue XLIX 〈◊〉 Camps withdrawn into their Quarters make â—at Fires that each may see the others Care 〈◊〉 to their Safety they are both awake 〈◊〉 each of others bold Attempts aware 〈◊〉 wary Guards them to their Posts betake 〈◊〉 and Centinels well planted are Upon occasion to report th' Alarm And prompt their Leaders when and where to arm L. The Lorain Duke retir'd into his Tent During this respite does a Counsel keep To which the heads of ev'ry Regiment Summon'd appear in Consultation deep Kept waking all by Bourbon's brave intent When Death stands Centinel 't is no time to sleep There every one and all maturely weigh The State wherein their Lives and Honors lay LI. Himself a Friend to secure Counsels first Deliver'd what he thought best to be done Not like a Prince in forward action nurs't Which fires brave Minds where Honor 's to be won But like a subtle Fox that hardly durst With all his odds a Battail's hazzard run He thus in Counsel to his daring Friends The common State of their Affairs commends LII â—Most noble Friends in the Results of War Wherein the glorious Soul of Conquest lies The safest Counsels most successful are Nor is that Man less valiant who is wise Whereas precipitous resolves impair The worthy number of such brave supplies As these of yours who nobly thus advance Your dreaded Ensigns for dismember'd France LIII Whose wounding Adversaries pounded lye Into this Angle frighted by your Fame Compell'd to fight because they cannot fly Their desp'rate ruin and their certain shame Yet with this poor half vanquish'd Enemy â—Tis best we wisely play a certain Game That is to husband what our Swords have won And end in safety what in blood begun LIV. For though the Foe be by your Valours brought To his last Cast that is to fight and dye And that he is as soon o'recome as fought To conquer without loss is Victory When from the desp'rate Conquest 's dearly bought The Victors surest Friend is Policy By whose advice we may on cheaper terms Purchase the Triumphs that attends our Arms. LV. The lost Nobility that assist Navarre In his vain Quarrel at their own Expence Will fall away by a protracted War Leaving his Power as weak as his Pretence And when their Furnitures all wasted are Want will reduce them to a better Sense So that by spinning out the War in length We without Battail shall o'recome his Strength LVI This said Count Egmont instantly arose His sparkling Eyes with Resolution shone Wherein Disdain and Valour did disclose â—ow much he scorn'd such abject thoughts to own â—â—fore he spoke he threatn'd to oppose The mean Resolves their General put on At last he with a Souldiers Grace exprest The nobler sense of his more noble breast LVII â—My Lord said he I was not hither sent â—Nor into France these approv'd succors bring â—To vanquish without Arms nor with intent â—To wast the Treasure of the Cath'lick King Nor must his Mony and his Men be spent In doing nought or some ignoble thing Advantage gives the Signal now to go And end the Quarrel with one Manly blow LVIII Nor suits it with our Honors or your Cause To wave a Fight whereto they are compell'd And suffer such an Enemy to pause Because he is with Blood-shed to be quell'd So shall their Story with the Worlds applause Be writ in Triumph and we Cowards hâ—ld And in the splendor of â—heir Leaders Famâ— Will be eclips't the Glory of your Name LIX Therefore my Lord let not the rising Sun Behold a slothful Camp that dares not rise To end what they so daringly begun A wretched Army that the Conquer'd flies And dreads the glorious Wreath their Swords haâ— won But add unto our famous Victories This one which only for the Morning stay T' impale our brows with Oak the Souldieâ— bays LX. â—impatient Captains all at one approv'd â—h'unhappy Count 's Advice and all aloud â—ith equal ardour the stay'd Gen'ral mov'd â—o reap the crop for which their Swords had plow'd â—ho paus'd then told them that he dearly lov'd â—he Zeal and Valour their brave Minds endow'd And was resolv'd the day's event to try To conquer with such Friends or fighting dye LXI â—hus then resolv'd each Officer repairs 〈◊〉 his brave charge against the Morn to come â—rming their Limbs in Steel their Souls with Prayers 〈◊〉 to prevent or to preserve their doom 〈◊〉 less th' Heroiâ—k King his Men prepares â—ho but through danger had no high way home Spending those hours in diligence and care That interpos'd 'twixt him and conquest were LXII At last th' unwilling Morn 'gan weeping rise T' illuminate the Theatre of Death And like a tender Virgin hid her Eyes From the sad Objects to succeed beneath So that she shone but did not guild the Skies Even asham'd to grace the Victor's Wreath Who at the price of native blood at best Must win that Honor to his daring Crest LXIII No sooner peept she from her Eastern Seat Through the Clouds of sorrow vail'd her Face Than the loud Instruments of War did greet The Light so long'd for such a tedious space They sound their Trumpets and their Drums thâ— beat Whilst each side takes possession of their place In the same order that before when nighâ— By interposing had defer'd the Fight LXIV The valiant French whose Flames that day inroll'd To prov'd posterity spur'd about the Plain To chear the Coward and confirm the bold No thought of Fear could their true Metals stain â—ach in his constant Looks to his foretold â—hey should the Honor of the Field obtain Thus by their Leaders brave Exemple taught On Conquest only ev'ry Souldier thought LXV â—â—eat Henry mounted on a large bay Steed Who as he knew the Royal Weight he bore â—ampled the Earth where Thousands were to bleed â—heir tribute to that Parent whence before â—hey had deriv'd the matter of their seed 〈◊〉 to that