pure streames of bloud gusht forth from azurd vaines the foode of life distild Wisedome loue faith renowne and honor both were all at once thus hackt thus chopt thus kild There was a sight to send forth sorrowes floud A Swanny whitenes wrapt in robes of bloud But thinke you saw him and for his sake Then let your teares woes period make Thus masacard in strength of lusty youth was Englands Earle whose worth the world admir'd His life till now had prou'd his honors truth vntimely was his fatall death conspir'd If any read whose hand was stain'd therein Let some vild death make known his damned sin The rest that mourne let sorrowes tide Make honors fame in triumph ride Go to the Courts of Denmarke France Spaine and sadly tell his dolefull tragicke seane And marke what sighs your words will entertaine and see what teares from honored eies will streame In any place within earths compasse round This tale but told may sighs and teares be sound Faire Ladies they with drownd vp eies To honors fame will sacrifice And when report hath tolde his sorrowes story his life and death and actions done by him Then reard vp hands will wonder at his glory each hearer seemes in sorrowes flouds to swim And then they say would not his Queene forgiue His fault that such a peerelesse prince might liue Yes had she knowne asmuch as they He had not then beene cast away Her Royall brest was falsly oft accusde of cruell deeds but She was mercies childe For honors death She well may be excus'd by priuate tales rough worke was smoathly filde Could he but once Her glories sight haue gaind And vnto Her his wrongs and woes complaind Then had he liu'd and that they knew Whose hate her hart from him withdrew But could her eyes these weeping lines peruse her princely teares would show hir sorrows griefe Her selfe would say they did hir grace abuse that in that action were the actors chiefe And truth to say I thinke her Maiesty Was chiefest mourner in that tragedy Though now a fluent nimble wit Can bouldly play the polliticke I doe not striue Inuectiuely to speake nor haue I will a wilfull harme to doe A peace confirm'd I would by no meanes breake yet can I not like fawning flatterers woe Let truth be truth and free the dead from wrong And blame him not that sings this sorrowes song For him who did a souldier loue Whose death a souldiers griefe doeth moue Vnto his Country his honours bloud he gaue which for his Country more better had bin spent Vnkinde his Country that worthy bloud to craue which was for her and for her seruice bent His mother England hauing slaine her sonne The world will say it was vnkindly done Though iustice may with this dispence It wanted mercies influence This Yron world hath Angell mercy left worlds worldlings they that vertue hence haue driuen This rotten age is of that grace bereft that mercy now is onely plac'd in heauen And thither is the ghost of honor fled Through ayerie orbes by heauenly angels led Vnto that place where ioye excels And there the soule of honour dwels Where God and Christ and holy ghost combinde inuironde are with glory more then if Ten hundred thousand sunnes at once all shinde and clearly should their radient splendence guise Amidst that glory the soule of Essex stands In endlesse ioy vpheld by Angels hands Then mourne no more heauen hath his spirit Whose life on earth such praise did merit But now heauens God King Queene Prince and state inuiron roūd within thy loues protection Let Britons Monarch like the worlds triumphe rate rule still in peace rulde by thy lawes direction His Nobles blesse and let no priuate hate Procure the meanes our peace to ruinate And thus my Muse his farewell giues And tels the world Fames honour liues Upon the Author and his subiect THou that true Honor from the graue doest raise And on Fames golden wings doest make it flie Who with thy Pen the neuer dying praise From ground doest lift vp to the Starrie skie Of that braue Earle whose life the greatest glory Whose death to Britaine yeeldes the saddest storie Oh giue me leaue thy faithfull hart t' admire Which suffrest not thy loue with him to dye But with thy Muse doest make affections fire To shine most bright now he intomb'd doth lye And as thy sword while he inioy'd his breath So now thy Pen doth serue him after death Thy worke I cannot say doth match his worth For heauen and earth doth equall that no more T is praise for Prickets Pen if it pricke forth Some gowned Muse his fortunes to deplore Schollers and Souldiers both were to him bound Why should they not be both like thankefull found All those braue Romaines whom the world admir'd So much for their high magnanimitie With morrall vertues were not more inspir'd Besides his cleere light of Diuinitie All his lifes morne he like a Romaine led At noone like a Diuine went to deaths bed Epita There sleepes great Essex dearling of mankinde Faire Honors lampe foule Enuies pray Artes fame Natures pride Vertues bulwarke lure of minde Wisdomes flower Valoures tower Fortunes shame Englands sunne Belgias light Frances star Spaines thūder Lysbones lightning Irelands clowde the whole worlds wonder Ch. Best Arm.
HONORS FAME IN TRIVMPH RIDING OR THE LIFE AND DEATH OF THE LATE HONORABLE EARLE OF ESSEX LONDON Printed by R. B. for Roger Iackson and are to be solde at his Shoppe in Fleet-streete neere the Conduit 1604. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE EARLES OF SOVTHHAMPTON and Deuonshire and the Lord KNOVLES Baron of Grayes R. P. wisheth all increase of honor and endlesse happinesse RIght honorable and worthily renowmed Lords such is the mutabilitye of times vnconstant motion as that things wel done cannot challenge to themselues the certainty of their euent nor without suspect of euill misconstrued inputation build their hope And when the wel meaning actions of mighty men cannot in permanent stability stand cleared from the after-rays'd-vp misty Meteors which may encomber them what then shoulde I expect being no other then pouerty it selfe but that this work by me aduentured should with my self dangerously run vpon vncertaine hopes although the vprightnes of my conscience vowes I haue not herunto bin lead by any particular inuectiue spleen or turbulent affection only a priuate consideration made me thinke that it might now be a time in which the praise of honours worthines might haue his place and not any longer by a violent imposition be taxed with vndeserued euill It were inhumane tyranny to forbid the vertues of the dead to be cōmended and no lesse cruelty to charge the deceased with vncōmitted offences There are certain polititians in this age not vnlike the Grecian Orators which Diogenes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrise double men their tongues and pens are miserably valiant they may well be tearmed three times thrise double minded men theyr ayery statiōs tottering stands aloft like windmils placed vppon a mountayns top whose sayles can turne themselues to imbrace the benefit of each variable blast but being climbd vnto an extraordinary height are oft times by an vnexpected storme sodainly throwne headlong downe and broken at the mountains foote leauing their recuerlesse ruines to remayne vnmoaned monuments of their presumptuous mounting Some goulden mony mouthed eloquence that vseth a detractors Oratry may stop the vnequall current of his fine wits most grosse ingendred flux by fetching from the Tyrant Nero a very wel prescribed documēt For plainly thus his affirmation sayth that it is no part of a wise man thence to drawe credit to himselfe from whence proceedeth discredit to his friend Is it not maruell that a rhetoricall politician should be lesse wise then wicked Nero was that his sentence shoulde directly call him foole yet thus it happeneth when with the change of time Time seruers vse to say Hac non successit alia aggrediendum est via When honor and vnstaind nobility by ill aduise and inconsiderate thoughts vntimely falls into some daungerous accident then though the lawe in robes of iustice armd with quick pursuite doth follow euils amisse yet should no minde on such dependance dwell as if his wisht for time of triumph were imbrac't when he might glory in honored vertues fall and like a lumpe of proude degenerate brasen insolence euen in the gall of enuie hate and malice steept scornefully impugne the honor of a Lands renowmed noblenesse God with my soule an vncontrowled witnes beare I not desire to speake against the iustice of the lawe nor any honorable magistrate in place of Councel or of gouernment only my words may neerly glance at such whose proud demeanour insulting violence made to the world an apparant demonstration that they were most ioyfull actors in a mournefull tragedy but now the iustice of the heauens decree hath most iustly throwne themselues vnto the stroke of the selfe same iudgement And now my honorable Lords when I looke back vnto my owne vnworthinesse my Muse doth sound retrayte and bids me stay the further occurrence of some other thinges which wold most willingly be issuing forth And for this little worke already done by me with lowe submission I intreate your pardon and do solemnly protest that the vnfained loue I beare vnto the late Honorable and yet still honored Earle of Essex hath with an ineuitable force caused me to make this briefe description of his life and death And though I desire to be freed from a Poets name yet because the musick of a mourning verse doth best consort with sorrowes passion I haue made choyse thereof in hope your L L. will be pleased to excuse my vnpolisht rough vnsmoothed Poetry My greatest studie with religious care hath sought to build my words vpon the ground of truth hauing brought my labor to an end I knew not better vnto whome to dedicate the same then to your Honors Not for my sake then but for his whose vertues I desire should liue be pleased to receiue this well meaning worke into your loues protection and thus with all submissiue humblenesse a souldier humbly throwes his liues seruice at your Honors feet Yours in all dutifull obedience R. P. To the Reader health ALthough right courteous Reader my former writings haue not so imbouldned me as that I should againe aduenture to bring my selfe vnto so miserable a punishment as the third time to indure the presse yet choosing rather to dy then not to manifest my loue vnto an honorable deceased Earle I haue out of the affectiō of an honest mind desired to set before your eyes the fame of honor in his Triumph riding and doe hope that for his sake whose liuing vertues I labour to commende this worke of mine shall bring it selfe into your kinde acceptance And as you desire that the plants of honor now established shoulde florish with a glorious dignity doe not choose out any one particular whose fame and prayse you will desire to follow with the generality of a popular estimation nor inuolue the person of a noble man in the ayerie cloudes of your intemperate Aue least the honour which you most desire to preserue bee vntimely poysoned by your breath of which euent this after following briefe description contaynes a mournefull spectacle Reade therefore with re spectiue diligence and haue greate regarde you do no iniurie by setting any imposition in his wrong place which you shall directly doe if you beare my wordes against any which doe now continue in place of honour honorablye deseruing for vnto them the Authour doth ascribe all honourable estimation Thus the good opinion of eache well affected reader he desireth whose hearte preferreth theyr content before his owne whose life is readie in a souldiers place vnto the last article of death to manifest the vnfayned loue he beareth vnto his countries publick benefite Vale. Honors fame in Triumph riding FRom forth the dust my lines desire to rayse bright honors fame in triūphs state to ride Whose liuing worth did so adorne his prayse as that his glory shall to the world abide The only Mirror of a valiant mind Whose Honors thoughts not to base wealth inclin'd Doe make him liue though long since dead And crownes with bayes his buried head
Bounty scorne That largely bare frō him great sheaues of corne Such tricks as these Time-seruers vse What Vertue will they not abuse He faythfull was and constant to his friend In Loue and Iustice alwayes permanent His Honours Word who did thereon depend Found that true Action with his Promise went No purse nor pocket could that Lord contayne Who giues most Fy he scorn'd such hateful gain No partiall eye made bad things good T'wixt both that Prince vprightly stood He was not hollow like the Vaults of hell His soundnesse fled from base hypocrisy He fetcht no rules from hel-borne Machiauel His learning was diuine Philosophy His word and deed without a false intending In Honors Lyst went on the Truth commending His vertues steps to Truth enclinde Close subtile falshood vnderminde In deeds of Warre he was a Souldier tryde True Fortitude dwelt in his valiant brest The hope of England on his Sword relyde Amongst our Worthies let him stand for best When he was armde in warres Habilliments His Glorie seemde a matchlesse Excellence His person as his vertues rare Might Peerelesse with the world compare His Wisdome Learning and his Eloquence His well-grac't speech and flowing vtterance His quicke conceit and Wisdomes comprehence All these rare Gifts his honour did aduance And made him liue the Mirrour of our time Beyōd whose worth no worthier step could clime God and Nature did consent To make his Substance excellent He was not proud but humble courteous meeke Ambitious then who rightly terme him can From Articke Pole to the Antartike seeke But neuer finde a brauer Gentleman Crosse all the Zoans and in no Clymate dwells A Vertue that his Vertues worth excells But he is dead yet shall he liue Fame to his praise shall honor giue Where 's now the heart of Flint or Marble stone That mournes not for the losse of him so deare The Flower of a Kingdomes pride is gone No Time no land brought foorth a worthyer Peere No King nor Queen a better seruant had No Subiect more did make his countrey glad And for his fault to mourne with mee Millions of weeping eyes I see Who so beheld the choise of natures arte with noble presence and Maiestick steps When from his chamber honor did depart to place preparde a fatall death to fetch Might there haue seene shine in a princely eye The beames of honour and nobilitie Valiant prowesse resolution rare Vndanted thoughts to death did beare He like himselfe in roabes of honor clad with countnance cleare and lookes heroicall Went on as if in heart he had beene glad to meete his friends at some great feastiuall His noble minde the path of death did tread As if it did vnto some triumph lead And thus by this thinke in thy thought Thou see'st him to the scaffold brought Nay weepe not yet reade on an Earle behold as constant as is heauens celestiall frame See how he mounts with valiant courage bold in bloud to write the letters of his fame Vpon the scaffold see him walking now To deaths spectators doth he humbly bow Oh her 's a sight yet comes a worse To make the world that time to curse The oracle of godly wisdome then with siluer sound these speeches forth did send My Lords and all you worthy Gentlemen that comes to see the period of my end I not denie but this confesse I must My triall hath beene honourably iust And so the lawe my cause did trie As iustice doom'd me thus to die Yet in the presence of that all Creators sight before whose throne I presently shall stand Against the state I neuer bent my might nor gainst my soueraigne reard a traitors hand Some priuate foes my sword would haue displast By whom I thought my honour was disgrast From that intent grew my amis For which offence death welcome is With things below I haue not now to deale my peace twixt God and conscience must I make And that my Christ his woūds my woūds may heale pray all with me that God for Christ his sake Would in his death intombe my sinnes most vilde That dying I may dye his faithfull childe So kneeling downe zeale sorrow faith To God a heauenly praier saith Not any tongue more heauenly graces spake not any hart more godly sorrow felt Not any Prince a wiser prayer could make not any soule with God and conscience delt More plainely nor made better testament That from this world his soule to glorie went With gracious spirit he begins And gratiously his prayer ends Then rising vp with vnstainde glorie still he doth himselfe for stroake of death prepare Off goes his gowne and with an humble will his band throwne hence his neck holeaueth bare His doublet next his honoured selfe layes by with smiling lookes and cheerefull maiestie To read and weep is order kept With him that sigh'd and writ and wept The hand that then should send him to his graue he calles to see feare playes the hangmans part But Noblenesse a noble welcome gaue my friend said he why faints thou in thy hart Resolue to doe thy office cheerefully The deaths man kneeling doth for pardon crye Honor bids rise why shouldst thou feare Thou art but Iustice minister Thus nobly did the life of honors breath a conqueror like all worldes respects subdue So did he triumph in the gates of death as if he then no such like danger knew Oh let his fame vnto the world be spred Whose fortitude was neuer conquered Let thy conceit his action see And reade and sigh and weepe with me Now takes heleaue of all the standers by his comely grace was vertues ornament Griefe then drownd vp each sad beholders eye whilst his blest soule was wrapt in sweet content Then kneeling downe all prostrate flat he lies With neck on block his bloud to sacrifice And to his deaths man say he did Strike when thou seest my armes are spred There might you see how Honour downe was throwne and yet his eyes from earth to heauen ascends His youth was like a lofty Ceder growne but now his death his soule to heauen cōmends My Christ saith he I come thy armes vnfolde My soule do thou in thy imbracements holde And thus he bids the world adue And then his armes abroad he threw Stay pawse thinke sigh weepe first then read on now comes a sight to rend woes hart in sunder No mournefull eye did euer looke vpon a wofull worke perform'd with greater wonder Resolued honour now perceiue you may All fearles for the stroake of death doth stay His eyes his lookes to heauen commends The place to which his soule intends Base wretch whose hand true honors bloud should spill deaths axe did first into his shoulder strike Vpreard againe he strikes a blow as ill nor one nor other were directed right Honor ne're moou'd a third blow did deuide The body from the worlds admired pride Was that the way to lose a head To haue an Earle so butchered From gaping wounds