powre And left his whelps their kingdomes to deuoure And where is that same great seuen headded beast That made all nations vassals of her pride To fall before her feete at her beheast And in the necke of all the world did ride Where doth she all that wondrous welth nowe hideâ— With her own weight down pressed now shee lies And by her heaps her hugenesse testifies O Rome thy ruine I lament and rue And in thy fall my fatall ouerthrowe That whilom was whilst heauens with equall vewe Deignd to behold me and their gifts bestowe The picture of thy pride in pompous shew And of the whole world as thou wast the Empresse So I of this small Northerne world was Princesse To tell the beawtie of my buildings fayre Adornd with purest golde and precious stoneâ— To tell my riches and endowments rare That by my foes are now all spent and gone To tell my forces matchable to none Were but lost labour that few would beleeue And with rehearsing would me more agreeue High towers faire temples goodly theaters Strong walls rich porches princelie pallaces Large streetes braue houses sacred sepulchers Sure gates sweete gardens stately galleries Wrought with faire pillours and fine imageries All those ô pitie now are turnd to dust And ouergrowen with blacke obliuions rust Theretoo for warlike power and peoples store In Britannie was none to match with mee That manie often did abie full sore Ne Troynouant though elder sister shee With my great forces might compared bee That stout Pendragon to his perill felt Who in a siege seauen yeres about me dwelt But long ere this Bunduca Britonnesse Her mightie hoast against my bulwarkes brought Bunduca that victorious conqueresse That lifting vp her braue heroïck thought Boue womens weaknes with the Romanes fought Fought and in field against them thrice preuailed Yet was she foyld when as she me assailed And though at last by force I conquered were Of hardie Saxons and became their thrall Yet was I with much bloodshed bought full deere And prizde with slaughter of their Generall The moniment of whose sad funerall For wonder of the world long in me lasted But now to nought through spoyle of time is wasted Wasted it is as if it neuer were And all the rest that me so honord made And of the world admired eu'rie where Is turnd to smoake that doth to nothing fade And of that brightnes now appeares no shade But greislie shades such as doo haunt in hell With fearfull fiends that in deep darknes dwell Where my high steeples whilom vsde to stand On which the lordly Faulcon wont to towre There now is but an heap of lyme and sand For the Shriche-owle to build her balefull bowre And where the Nightingale wont forth to powre Her restles plaints to comfort wakefull Louers There now hauÌ„t yelling Mewes whining Plouers And where the christall Thamis wont to slide In siluer channell downe along the Lee About whose flowrie bankes on either side A thousand Nymphes with mirthfull iollitee Were woâ—t to play from all annoyance free There now no riuers course is to be seene But moorish fennes and marshes euer greene Seemes that that gentle Riuer for great griefe Of my mishaps which oft I to him plaiâ—ed Or for to shunne the horrible mischieâ—e With which he saw my cruell â—oes me pained And his pure streames with guiltles blood oft stained From my vnhappie neighborhood farre fled And his sweete waters away with him led There also where the wingâ—d ships were seene In liquid waues to cut their fomie waie And thousand Fishers numbred to haue been In that wide lake looking for plenteous praie Of fish which they with baits vsde to betraie Is now no lake nor anie fishers store Nor euer ship shall saile there anie more They all are gone and all with them is gone Ne ought to me remaines but to lament My long decay which no man els doth mone And mourne my fall with dolefull dreriment Yet it is comfort in great languishment To be bemoned with compassion kinde And mitigates the anguish of the minde But me no man bewaileth but in game Ne sheddeth teares from lamentable eie Nor anie liues that mentioneth my name To be remembred of posteritie Saue One that maugre fortunes iniurie And times decay and enuies cruell tort Hath writ my record in true-seeming sort Cambden the nourice of antiquitie And lanterne vnto late succeeding age To see the light of simple veritie Buried in ruines through the great outrage Of her owne people led with warlike rage Cambden though time all moniments obscure Yet thy iust labours euer shall endure But whie vnhappie wight doo I thus crie And grieue that my remembrance quite is raced Out of the knowledge of posteritie And all my antique moniments defaced Sith I doo dailie see things highest placed So soone as fates their vitall thred haue shorne Forgotten quite as they were neuer borne It is not long since these two eyes beheld A mightie Prince of most renowmed race Whom England high in count of honour held And greatest ones did sue to gaine his grace Of greatest ones he greatest in his place Sate in the bosome of his Soueraine And Right and loyall did his word maintaine I saw him die I saw him die as one Of the meane people and brought foorth on beare I saw him die and no man left to mone His dolefull fate that late him loued deare Scarse anie left to close his eylids neare Scarse anie left vpon his lips to laie The sacred sod or Requiem to saie O trustlesse state of miserable men That builde your blis on hope of earthly thing And vainly thinke your selues halfe happie then When painted faces with smooth flattering Doo fawne on you and your wide praises sing And when the courting masker louteth lowe Him true in heart and trustie to you trow All is but fained and with oaker dide That euerie shower will wash and wipe away All things doo change that vnder heauen abide Aâ—d after death all friendship doth decaie Therefore what euer man bearst worldlie sway Liuing on God and on thy selfe relie For when thou diest all shall with thee die Hâ— now is dead and all is with him dead Saue what in heauens store house he vplaid His hope is faild and come to passe his dread And euill men now dead his deeds vpbraid Spite bites the dead that liuing neuer baid He now is gone the whiles the Foxe is crept Into the hole the which the Badger swept He now is dead and all his glorie gone And all his greatnes vapoured to nought That as a glasse vpon the water shone Which vanisht quite so soone as it was soughtâ— His name is worne alreadie out of thought Ne anie Poet seekes him to reuiue Yet manie Poets honourd him aliue Ne doth his Colin carelesse Colin Cloute Care now his idle bagpipe vp to raise Ne tell his sorrow to the listning rout Of shepherd groomes which woÌ„t his songs to praiseâ—
Praise who so list yet I will him dispraise Vntill he quite him of this guiltie blame Wake shepheards boy at length awake for shame And who so els did goodnes by him gaine And who so els his bounteous minde did trie Whether he shepheard be or shepheards swaine For manie did which doo it now denie Awake and to his Song a part applie And I the whilest you mourne for his decease Will with my mourning plaints your plaint increase He dyde and after him his brother dyde His brother Prince his brother noble Peere That whilste he liued was of none enuyde And dead is now as liuing counted deare Deare vnto all that true affection beare But vnto thee most deare ô dearest Dame His noble Spouse and Paragon of fame He whilest he liued happie was through thee And being dead is happie now much more Liuing that lincked chaunst with thee to bee And dead because him dead thou dost adore As liuing and thy lost deare loue deplore So whilst that thou faire flower of chastitie Dost liue by thee thy Lord shall neuer die Thy Lord shall neuer die the whiles this verse Shall liue and surely it shall liue for euer For euer it shall liue and shall rehearse His worthie praise and vertues dying neuer Though death his soule doo from his bodie seuer And thou thy selfe herein shalt also liue Such grace the heauens doo to my verses giue Ne shall his sister ne thy father die Thy father that good Earle of rare renowne And noble Patrone of weake pouertie Whose great good deeds in countrey and in towne Haue purchast him in heauen an happie crowne Where he now liueth in eteâ—nâ—ll blis And left his sonne â—'ensue those steps of his He noble bud his Grandsires liuelie hayre Vnder the shadow of thy countenaunce Now ginnes to shoote vp fast and flourish fayre In learned artes and goodlie gouernaunce That him to highest honour shall aduaunce Braue Impe of Bedford grow apace in bountie And count of wisedome more than of thy Countie Ne may I let thy husbands sister die That goodly Ladie sith she eke did spring Out of this stocke and famous familie Whose praises I to future age doo sing And foorth out of her happie womb did bring The sacred brood of learning and all honour In whom the heauens powrde all their gifts vpon her Most gentle spirite breathed from aboue Out of the bosome of the makers blis In whom all bountie and all vertuous loue Appeared in their natiue propertis And did enrich that noble breast of his With treasure passing all this worldes worth Worthie of heauen it selfe which brought it forth His blessed spirite full of power diuine And influence of all celestiall grace Loathing this sinfull earth and earthlie slime Fled backe too soone vnto his natiue place Too soone for all that did his loue embrace Too soone for all this wretched world whom he Robd of all right and true nobilitie Yet ere his happie soule to heauen wâ—nt Out of this fleshlie goale he did deuise Vnto his heauenlie maker to present His bodie as a spotles sacrifise And chose that guiltie hands of enemies Should powre forth th' offring of his guiltles blood So life exchanging for his countries good O noble spirite liue there euer blessed The worlds late wonder and the heauens new ioy Liue euer there and leaue me here distressed With mortall cares and cumbrous worlds anoy But where thou dost that happines enioy Bid me ô bid me quicklie come to thee That happie there I maie thee alwaies see Yet whilest the fates affoord me vitall breath I will it spend in speaking of thy praise And sing to thee vntill that timelie death By heauens doome doo ende my earthlie daies Thereto doo thou my humble spirite raise And into me that sacred breath inspire Which thou there breathest perfect and entire Then will I sing but who can better sing Than thine owne sister peerles Ladie bright Which to thee sings with deep harts sorrowingâ— Sorrowing tempered with deare delight That her to heare I feele my feeble spright Robbed of sense and rauished with ioy O sad ioy made of mourning and anoy Yet will I sing but who can better sing Than thou thy selfe thine owne selfes valiance That whilest thou liuedst madest the forrests ring And fields resownd and flockes to leap and daunce And shepheards leaue their lambs vnto mischaunce To runne thy shrill Arcadian Pipe to heare O happie were those dayes thrice happie were But now more happie thou and wetched wee Which want the wonted sweetnes of thy voice Whiles thou now in Elisian fields so free With Orpheus and with Linus and the choice Of all that euer did in rimes reioyce Conuerâ—est and doost heare their heauenlie layes And they heare thine and thine doo better praise So there thou liuest singing euermore And here thou liuest being euer song Of vs which liuing loued thee afore And now thee worship mongst that blessed throng Of heauenlie Poets and Heroes strong So thou both here and there immortall art And euerie where through excellent desart But such as neither of themselues can sing Nor yet are sung of others for reward Die in obscure obliuion as the thing Which neuer was ne euer with regard Their names shall of the later age bâ— heard But shall in rustie darknes euer lie Vnles they mentiond be with infamie What booteth it to haue been rich aliue What to be great what to be gracious When after death no token doth suruiue Of former being in this mortall hous But sleepes in dust dead and inglorious Like beast whose breath but in his nostrels is And hath no hope of happinesse or blis How manie great ones may remembred be Which in their daies most famouslie did florish Of whome no word we heare nor signe now see But as things wipt out with a sponge to perishe Because they liuing cared not to cherishe No gentle wits through pride or couertize Which might their names for euer memorize Prouide therefore ye Princes whilst ye liue That of the Muses ye may friended bee Which vnto men eternitie do giue For they be daughters of Dame memorie And Ioue the father of eternitie And do those men in golden thrones repose Whose merits they to glorifie do chose The seuen fold yron gates of grislie Hell And horrid house of sad Proserpina They able are with power of mightie spell To breake and thence the soules to bring awaie Out of dread darkenesse to eternall day And them immortall make which els would die In soule forgetfulnesse and nameles lie So whilome raised they the puissant brood Of golden gâ—rt Alâ—mena for great merite Out of the dust to which the Oetaean wood Had him consum'd and spent his vitall spirite To highest heauen where now he doth inheritâ— All happinesse in Hebes siluer bowre Chosen to be her dearest Paramoure So raisde they eke faire Ledaes warlick twinnes And interchanged life vnto them lent That when th' one dies th' other then beginnes
To shew in Heauen his brightnes orientâ— And they for pittie of the sad wayment Which Orpheus for Eurydice did make Her back againe to life sent for his sake So happie are they and so fortunate Whom the Pierian sacred sisters loue That freed from bands of impacable fate And power of death they liue for aye aboue Where mortall wreakes their blis may not remoue But with the Gods for former vertues meede On Nectar and Ambrosia do feede For deeds doe die how euer noblie donne And thoughts of men do as themselues decay But wise wordes taught in numbers for to runne Recorded by the Muses liue for ay Ne may with storming showers be washt away Ne bitter breathing windes with harmfull blast Nor age nor enuie shall them euer wast In vaine doo earthly Princes then in vaine Seeke with Pyramides to heauen aspired Or huge Colosses built with costlie paine Or brasen Pillours neuer to be fired Or Shrines made of the mettall most desired To make their memories for euer liue For how can mortall immortalitie giue Such one Mansolus made the worlds great wonder But now no remnant doth thereof remaine Such one Marcellus but was torne with thunder Such one Lisippus but is worne with raine Such one King Edmond but was rent for gaine All such vaine moniments of earthlie masse Deuour'd of Time in time to nought doo passe But fame with golden wings aloft doth flie Aboue the reach of ruinous decay And with braue plumes doth beate the azure skie Admir'd of base-borne men from farre away Then who so will with vertuous deeds assay To mount to heauen on Pegasus must ride And with sweete Poets verse be glorifide For not to haue been dipt in Lethe lake Could saue the sonne of Thetis from to die But that blinde bard did him immortall make With verses dipt in deaw of Castalie Which made the Easterne Conquerour to crie O fortunate yong-man whose vertue found So braue a Trompe thy noble acts to sound Therefore in this halfe happie I doo read Good Melibae that hath a Poet got To sing his liuing praises being dead Deseruiug neuer here to be forgot In spight of enuie that his deeds would spot Since whose decease learning lies vnregarded And men of armes doo wander vnrewarded Those two be those two great calamities That long agoe did grieue the noble spright Of Salomon with great indignities Who whilome was aliue the wisest wight But now his wisedome is disprooued quiteâ— For he that now welds all things at his will Scorns th' one and th' other in his deeper skill O griefe of griefes ô gall of all good heartes To see that vertue should dispised bee Of him that first was raisde for vertuous parts And now broad spreading like an aged tree Le ts none shoot vp that nigh him planted bee O let the man of whom the Muse is scorned Nor aliue nor dead be of the Muse adorned O vile worlds trust that with such vaine illusion Hath so wise men bewitcht and ouerkest That they see not the way of their confusion O vainesse to be added to the rest That do my soule with inward griefe infest Let them behold the piteous fall of mee And in my case their owne ensample see And who so els that sits in highest seate Of this worlds glorie worshipped of all Ne feareth change of time nor fortunes threate Let him behold the horror of my fall And his owne end vnto remembrance call That of like ruine he may warned bee And in himselfe be moou'd to pittie mee Thus hauing ended all her piteous plaint With dolefull shrikes shee vanished away That I through inward sorrowe wexen fainâ— And all astonished with deepe dismay For her departure had no word to sayâ— But sate long time in sencelesse sad affright Looking still if I might of her haue sight Which when I missed hauing looked long My thought returned greeued home againe Renewing hâ—r complaint with passion strong For ruth of that same womans piâ—eous paine Whose wordes recording in my troubled braineâ— I felt such anguish wound my feeble heart That frosen horror râ—n through euerie part So inlie greeuing in my groning brest And deepelie muzing at her doubtfull speach Whose meaning much I labored foorth to wreste Being aboue my slender reasons reach At length by demonstration me to teach Before mine eies strange sights presented were Like tragicke Pageants seeming to appeare 1 I saw an Image all of massie gold Placed on high vpon an Altare faire That all which did the same from farre beholde Might worship it and fall on lowest staire Noâ— that great Idoll might with this compaire To which th' Assyrian tyrant would haue made The holie brethren falslie to haue praid But th'Altare on the which this Image staid Was ô great pitie built of brickle clay That shortly the â—oundation decaid With showres of heauen and tempests worne away Then downe it fell and low in ashes lay Scorned of euerie one which by it wentâ— That I it seing dearelie did lament 2 Next vnto this a statâ—lie Towre appeared Built all of richest stone that might bee found And nigh vnto the Heauens in height vpreared But placed on a plot of sandie ground Not that great Towre which is so much renownd For tongues confusion in holie writ King Ninus worke might be compar'd to it But ô vaine labours of terrestriall wit That buildes so stronglie on â—o frayle a soyle As with each storme does fall away and flit And giues the fruit of all your trauailes toyle To be the pray of Tyme and Fortunes spoyle I saw this Towre fall sodainlie to dust That nigh with griefe thereof my heart was brust 3 Then did I see a pleasant Paradize Full of sweete flowres and daintiest delights Such as on earth man could not more deuize With pleasures choyce to feed his cheerefull sprights Not that which Merlin by his Magicke slights Made for the gentle squire to entertaine His fayre Belphoebe could this gardine staine But ô short pleasure bought with lasting paine Why will hereafter anie flesh delight In earthlie blis and ioy in pleasures vaine Since that I sawe this gardine wasted quite That where it was scarce seemed anie sight That I which once that beautie did beholde Could not from teares my melting eyes with-holde 4 Soone after this a Giaunt came in place Of wondrous power and of exceeding stature That none durst vewe the horror of his face Yet was he milde of speach and meeke of nature Not he which in despight of his Creatour With railing tearmes defied the Iewish hoastâ— Might with this mightie one in hugenes boast For from the one he could to th' other coast Stretch his strong thighes and th'Occaean ouerstrideâ— And reatch his hand into his enemies hoast But see the end of pompe and fleshlie pride One of his feete vnwares from him did slideâ— That downe hee fell into the deepe Abisse Where drownd with him is all his earthlie blisse 5 Then did I see a Bridge made all
in Greeks fleete to haue tynde For Ida selfe in ayde of that fierce fight Out of her mountaines ministred supplies And like a kindly nourse did yeeld for spight Store of firebronds out of her nourseries Vnto her foster children that they might Inflame the Nauie of their enemies And all the Rhetaean shore to ashes turne Where lay the ships which they did seeke to burne Gainst which the noble sonne of Telamon Opposd ' himselfe and thwarting his huge shield Them battell bad gainst whom appeard anon Hector the glorie of the Troian field Both fierce and furious in contention Encountred that their mightie strokes so shrild As the great clap of thunder which doth ryue The ratling heauens and cloudes asunder dryue So th' one with fire and weapons did contend To cut the ships from turning home againe To Argos th' other stroue for to defend The force of Vulcane with his might and maineâ— Thus th' one Aâ—acide did his fame extend But th' other ioy'd that on the Phrygian playne Hauing the blood of vanquisht Hector shedd He compast Troy thrice with his bodie dedd Againe great dole on either partie grewe That him to death vnfaithfull Paris sent And also him that false Vlysses slewe Drawne into danger through close ambushment Therefore from him Laërtes sonne his vewe Doth turne aside and boasts his good euent In working of Strymonian Rhaesus fall And efte in Dolons slye surprysall Againe the dreadfull Cycones him dismay And blacke Laestrigones a people stout Then greedie Scilla vnder whom there bay Manie great bandogs which her gird about Then doo the Aetnean Cyclops him affray And deep Charybdis gulphing in and out Lastly the squalid lakes of Tartarie And griesly Feends of hell him terrifie There also goodly Agamemnon bosts The glorie of the stock of Tantalus And famous light of all the Greekish hosts Vnder whose conduct most victorious The Dorick flames consum'd the Iliack posts Ah but the Greekes themselues more dolorous To thee ô Troy paid penaunce for thy fall In th' Hellespont being nigh drowned all Well may appeare by proofe of their mischaunce The chaungfull turning of mens slipperie state That none whom fortune freely doth aduaunce Himselfe therefore to heauen should eleuate For loftie type of honour through the glaunce Of enuies dart is downe in dust prostrate And all that vaunts in worldly vanitie Shall fall through fortunes mutabilitie Th' Argolicke power returning home againe Enricht with spoyles of th' Ericthonian towre Did happie winde and weather entertaine And with good speed the fomie billowes scowre No signe of storme no feare of future paine Which soone ensued them with heauie stowre Nereis to the Seas a token gaue The whiles their crooked keeles the surges claue Suddenly whether through the Gods decree Or haplesse rising of some froward starre The heauens on euerie side enclowded bee Black stormes and fogs are blowâ—n vp from farre That now the Pylote can no loadstarre see But skies and seas doo make most dreadfull warre The billowe striuing to the heauens to reach And th' heauens striuing them for to impeach And in auengement of their bold attempt Both Sun and starres and all the heauenly powres Conspire in one to wreake their rash contempt And downe on them to fall from highest towresâ— The skie in pieces seeming to be rent Throwes lightning forth haile harmful showres That death on euerie side to them appeares In thousand formes to worke more ghastly feares Some in the greedie flouds are sunke and drent Some on the rocks of Caphareus are throwne Some on th' Euboick Cliffs in pieces rent Some scattred on the Hercaean shores vnknowne And manie lost of whom no moniment Remaines nor memorie is to be showne Whilst all the purchase of the Phrigian pray Tost on salt billowes round about doth stray Here manie other like Heroës bee Equall in honour to the former crue Whom ye in goodly seates may placed see Descended all from Rome by linage due From Rome that holds the world in souereigntie And doth all Nations vnto her subdue Here Fabij and Dâ—cij doo dwell Horatij that in vertue did excell And here the antique fame of stout Camill Doth euer liue and constant Curtius Who stifly bent his vowed life to spill For Countreyes health a gulph most hideous Amidst the Towne with his owne corps did fill T' appease the powers and prudent Mutius Who in his flesh endur'd the scorching flame To daunt his foe by ensample of the same And here wise Curius companion Of noble vertues liues in endles rest And stout Flaminius whose deuotion Taught him the fires scorn'd furie to detest And here the praise of either Sâ—ipion Abides in highest place aboue the best To whom the ruin'd walls of Carthage vow'd Trembling their forces sound their praises lowd Liue they for euer through their lasting praise But I poore wretch am forced to retourne To the sad lakes that Phoebus sunnie rayes Doo neuer see where soules doo alwaies mourne And by the wayling shores to waste my dayes Where Phlegeton with quenchles flames doth burne By which iust Minos righteous soules doth seuer From wicked ones to liue in blisse for euer Me therefore thus the cruell fiends of hell Girt with long snakes and thousand yron chaynes Through doome of that their cruell Iudge compell With bitter torture and impatient paines Cause of my death and iust complaint to tell For thou art he whom my poore ghost complaines To be the author of her ill vnwares That careles hear'st my intollerable cares Them therefore as bequeathing to the winde I now depart returning to thee neuer And leaue this lamentable plaint behinde But doo thou haunt the soft downe rolling riuer And wilde greene woods and fruitful pastures minde And let the flitting aire my vaine words seuer Thus hauing said he heauily departed With piteous crie that anie would haue smarted Now when the sloathfull fit of lifes sweete rest Had left the heauie Shepheard wondrous cares His inly grieued minde full sore opprest That balefull sorrow he no longer beares For that Gnats death which deeply was imprest But bends what euer power his aged yeares Him lent yet being such as through their might He lately â—lue his dreadfull foe in fight By that same Riuer lurking vnder greene Eftsoones he gins to fashion forth a place And squaring it in compasse well beseene There plotteth out a tombe by measured space His yron headed spade tho making cleene To dig vp sods out of the flowrie grasse His worke he shortly to good purpose brought Like as he had conceiu'd it in his thought An heape of earth he hoorded vp on hie Enclosing it with banks on euerie side And thereupon did raise full busily A little mount of greene turffs edifide And on the top of all that passers by Might it behold the toomb he did prouide Of smoothest marble stone in order set That neuer might his luckie scape forget And round about he taught sweete flowres to growe The Rose engrained in
chalenge for her meed If vnder heauen anie endurance were These moniments which not in paper writ But in Porphyre and Marble doo appeare Might well haue hop'd to haue obtained it Nath'les my Lute whom Phoebus deignd to giue Cease not to sound these olde antiquities For if that time doo let thy glorie liue Well maist thou boast how euer base thou bee That thou art first which of thy Nation song Th' olde honour of the people gowned long L'Envoy Bellay first garland of free Poësie That France brought forth though fruitfull of braue wits Well worthie thou of immortalitie That long hast traueld by thy learned writs Olde Rome out of her ashes to reuiue And giue a second life to dead decayes Needes must he all eternitie suruiue That can to other giue eternall dayes Thy dayes therefore are endles and thy prayse Excelling all that euer went before And after thee gins Bartas hie to rayse His heauenly Muse th' Almightie to adore Liue happie spirits th' honour of your name And fill the world with neuer dying fame FINIS MVIOPOTMOS Or The Fate of the Butterflie By ED. SP. Dedicated to the most faire and vertuous Ladie the Ladie Carey LONDON Imprinted for VVilliam Ponsonbie dwelling in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Bishops head 1590. To the right worthy and vertuous Ladie the La Carey MOst braue and bountifull La for so excellent fauours as I haue receiued at your sweet handes to offer these fewe leaues as in recompence should be as to offer flowers to the Gods for their diuine benefites Therefore I haue determined to giue my selfe wholy to you as quite abandoned from my selfe and absolutely vowed to your seruices which in all right is euer held for full recompence of debt or damage to haue the person yeelded My person I wot wel how little worth it is But the faithfull minde humble zeale which I beare vnto your La may perhaps be more of price as may please you to account and vse the poore seruice thereof which taketh glory to aduance your excellent partes and noble vertues and to spend it selfe in honouring you not so much for your great bounty to my self which yet may not be vnminded nor for name or kindreds sake by you vouchsafed beeing also regardable as for that honorable name which yee haue by your braue deserts purchast to your self spred in the mouths of al mē vvith vvhich I haue also presumed to grace my verses vnder your name to cōmend to the vvorld this smal Poëme the vvhich beseeching your La to take in vvorth and of all things therein according to your vvonted graciousnes to make a milde construction I humbly pray for your happines Your La euer humbly E. S. Muiopotmos or The Fate of the Butterflie I Sing of deadly dolorous debate Stir'd vp through wrathfull Nemesis despight Betwixt two mightie ones of great estate Drawne into armes and proofe of mortall fight Through prowd ambition and hartswelling hate Whilest neither could the others greater might And sdeignfull scorne endure that from small iarre Their wraths at length broke into open warre The roote whereof and tragicall effect Vouchsafe O thou the mournfulst Muse of nyne That wontst the tragick stage for to direct In funerall complaints and waylfull tyne Reueale to me and all the meanes detect Through which sad Clarion did at last declyne To lowest wretchednes And is there then Such rancour in the harts of mightie men Of all the race of siluer-winged Flies Which doo possesse the Empire of the aire Betwixt the centred earth and azure skies Was none more fauourable nor more faire Whilst heauen did fauour his felicities Then Clarion the eldest sonne and haire Of Muscaroll and in his fathers sight Of all aliue did seeme the fairest wight With fruitfull hope his aged breast he fed Of future good which his yong toward yeares Full of braue courage and bold hardyhed Aboue th'ensample of his equall peares Did largely promise and to him forered Whilst oft his heart did melt in tender teares That he in time would sure proue such an one As should be worthie of his fathers throne The fresh yong flie in whom the kindly fire Of lustfull yonght began to kindle fast Did much disdaine to subiect his desire To loathsome sloth or houres in ease to wast But ioy'd to range abroad in fresh attire Through the wide compas of the ayrie coast And with vnwearied wings each part t' inquire Of the wide rule of his renowmed sire For he so swift and nimble was of flight That from this lower tract he dar'd to stie Vp to the clowdes and thence with pineons light To mount aloft vnto the Christall skie To vew the workmanship of heauens hight Whence downe descending he along would flie Vpon the streaming riuers sport to finde And oft would dare to tempt the troublous winde So on a Summers day when season milde With gentle calme the world had quieted And high in heauen Hyperions fierie childe Ascending did his beames abroad dispred Whiles all the heauens on lower creatures smilde Yong Clarion with vauntfull lustie head After his guize did cast abroad to fare And theretoo gan his furnitures prepare His breastplate first that was of substance pure Before his noble heart he firmely bound That mought his life from yron death assure And ward his gentle corpes from cruell wound For it by arte was framed to endure The bit of balefull steele and bitter stownd No lesse than that which Vulcane made to sheild Achilles life from fate of Troyan field And then about his shoulders broad he threw An hairie hide of some wilde beast whom hee In saluage forrest by aduenture slew And rest the spoyle his ornament to bee Which spredding all his backe with dreadfull vew Made all that him so horrible did see Thinke him Alcides with the Lyons skin When the Naemean Conquest he did win Vpon his head his glistering Burganet The which was wrought by wonderous deuice And curiously engrauen he did set The mettall was of rare and passing price Not Bilbo steele nor brasse from Corinth fet Nor costly Oricalche from strange Phoenice But such as could both Phoebus arrowes ward And th'hayling darts of heauen beating hard Therein two deadly weapons fixt he bore Strongly outlaunced towards either side Like two sharpe speares his enemies to gore Like as a warlike Brigandine applyde To fight layes forth her threatfull pikes afore The engines which in them sad death doo hyde◠So did this flie outstretch his fearefull hornes Yet so as him their terrour more adornes Lastly his shinie wings as siluer bright Painted with thousand colours passing farre All Painters skill he did about him dight Not halfe so manie sundrie colours arre In Iris bowe ne heauen doth shine so bright Distinguished with manie a twinckling starre Nor Iunoes Bird in her ey-spotted traine So manie goodly colours doth containe Ne may it be withouten perill spoken The Archer God the sonne of Cytheree That ioyes