whose walls VVere made of clay his whole ambition falls Into a graue death onely can declare How base the bodies of all mortals are The lying Greekes perswade vs not to doubt That Persian Nauies sailed round about The Mountaine Athos seuer'd from the Maine Such stuffe their fabulous reports containe They tell vs what a passage framed was Of ships that wheeles on solid Seas might passe That deepest Riuers failed we must thinke VVhose Floods the Medians at one meale could drink And must beleeue such other wond'rous things VVhich Sostratus relates with moyst'ned wings But that great King of whom these tales they frame Tell me how backe from Salamis he came That barb'rous Prince who vs'd to whip the VVinds Not suff'ring strokes when Aeolus them binds He who proud Neptune in his fetters chain'd And thought his rage by mildnesse much restrain'd Because he did not brand him for his slaue VVhich of the Gods would such a Master haue But how return'd he with one slender bote VVhich through the bloody waues did slowly flote Oft stay'd with heapes of carkases these paines He as the fruits of long-wisht glory gaines Giue length of life O Ioue giue many yeeres Thou prayst with vpright count'nance pale with feares Not to be heard yet long old age complaines Of great continuall griefes which it containes As first a foule and a deformed face Vnlike it selfe a rugged hide in place Of softer skin loose cheekes and wrinkles made As large as those which in the wooddy shade Of spacious Tabraca the mother Ape Deepe furrow'd in her aged chaps doth scrape Great diff'rence is in persons that be young Some are more beautifull and some more strong Then others but in each old man we see The same aspect his trembling limbes agree With shaking voyce and thou may'st adde to those A bald head and a childish dropping nose The wretched man when to this state he comes Must breake his hard bread with vnarmed gummes So lothsome that his children and his wife Grow weary of him he of his owne life And Cossus hardly can his sight sustaine Though wont to flatter dying men for gaine Now his benummed palate cannot taste His meate or drinke the pleasures now are past Of sensuall lust yet he in buried fires Retaines vnable and vnfit desires What ioy can musicke to his hearing bring Though best Musicians yea Seleucus sing Who purchase golden raiments by their voyce In Theaters he needs not make his choice Of place to sit since that his deaf'ned eare Can scarce the Corners and the Trumpets heare His Boy must cry aloud to let him know Who comes to see him how the time doth goe A Feuer onely heates his wasted blood In eu'ry part assaulted with a flood Of all diseases if their names thou aske Thou mayst as well appoint me for a taske To tell what close adulterers Hippia loues How many sick-men Themison remoues Out of this world within one Autumnes date How many poore confederates of our State Haue been by griping Basilus distrest How many Orphanes Irus hath opprest To what possessions he is now preferr'd Who in my youth scorn'd not to cut my beard Some feeble are in shoulders loynes or thighes Another is depriu'd of both his eyes And enuies those as happy that haue one This man too weake to take his meate alone With his pale lips must feede at others hands While he according to his custome stands With gaping iawes like to the Swallowes brood To whom their hungry mother carries food In her full mouth yet worse in him we find Then these defects in limbes a doting mind He cannot his owne seruants names recite Nor know his friend with whom he supt last night Not those he got and bred with cruell spots Out of his will his doubtlesse heires he blots And all his goods to Phialè bequeathes So sweet to him a common Strumpet breathes But if his senses should not thus be spent His childrens fun'ralls he must oft lament He his deare wiues and brothers death bemones And sees the vrnes full of his sisters bones Those that liue long endure this lingring paine That oft they find new causes to complaine While they mishaps in their owne house behold In woes and mournefull garments growing old The Pylian King as Homers verses show In length of life came nearest to the Crow Thou thinkst him blest whom death so long forbeares Who on his right hand now accounts his yeeres By hundreds with an ancient num'rall signe And hath the fortune oft to drinke new wine But now obserue how much he blames the law Of Fates because too large a thread they draw When to Antilochus last Rites he came And saw his beard blaze in the fun'rall flame Then with demands to those that present are He thus his gre'uous mis'ry doth declare VVhy should I last thus long what hainous crime Hath made me worthy of such spatious time Like voyces Peleus vs'd when he bewail'd Achilles whom vntimely death assail'd And sad Laertes who had cause to weepe For his Vlisses swimming on the deepe When Troy was safe then Priam might haue gone With stately Exequies and solemne mone T' accompany Assaracus his ghost His fun'rall Herse enricht with Princely cost VVhich Hector with his other brothers beares Amidst the flood of Ilian womens teares VVhen first Cassandra practis'd to lament And faire Polyxâ—na with garments rent If he had dy'd ere Paris plac'd his sayles In ventrous ships see what long age auailes This caus'd him to behold his ruin'd Towne The swords and fiers which conquer'd Asia drowne Then he a trembling souldier off doth cast His Diademe takes armour but at last Falls at Ioues Altar like an Oxe decai'd VVhose pittifull thinne necke is prostrate laid To his hard Masters knife disdained now Because not fit to draw th' vngratefull plow Yet dy'd he humane death but his curst wife Bark't like a Dog remaining still in life To our examples willingly I haste And therefore Mithridates haue orepast And Croesus whom iust Solon bids t' attend And not to iudge men happy till the end This is the cause that banisht Marius flies That he imprison'd is and that he lies In close Minturnaes Fennes to hide his head And neere to conquer'd Carthage begs his bread VVise nature had not fram'd nor Rome brought forth A Citizen more Noble for his worth If hauing to the view his captiues led And all his warlike pompe in glory spred Then his triumphant soule he forth had sent VVhen from his Cimbrian Chariot downe he went Campania did for Pompeyes good prouide Strong Feuers which if he had then espy'd What would ensue were much to be desir'd But many Cities publike vowes conspir'd And this so happy sicknesse could deface Reseruing him to dye with more disgrace Romes and his fortune onely sau'd his head To be cut off when ouercom'n he fled This paine the Traytor Lentulus doth scape Cethegus not disfigur'd in his shape Enioying all his limbes vnmaimed lyes And
sauage Feudes and shall those lets deface Which keepe the Bordrers from a deare imbrace Both Nations shall in Britaines Royall Crowne Their diffring names the signes of faction drowne The siluer streames which from this Spring increase Bedew all Christian hearts with drops of peace Obserue how hopefull Charles is borne t' asswage The winds that would disturbe this golden age When that great King shall full of glory leaue The earth as base then may this Prince receiue The Diadem without his Fathers wrong May take it late and may possesse it long Aboue all Europes Princes shine thou bright O Gods selected care and mans delight Here gentle sleepe forsooke his clouded browes And full of holy thoughts and pious vowes He kist the ground assoone as he arose When watchfull Digby who among his foes Had wanderd vnsuspected all the night Reports that Richard is prepar'd to fight Long since the King had thought it time to send For trusty Norfolke his vndaunted friend Who hasting from the place of his abode Found at the doore a world of papers strow'd Some would affright him from the Tyrants aide Affirming that his Master was betray'd Some laid before him all those bloody deeds From which a line of sharpe reuenge proceeds With much compassion that so braue a Knight Should serue a Lord against whom Angels fight And others put suspicions in his minde That Richard most obseru'd was most vnkind The Duke awhile these cautious words reuolues With serious thoughts and thus at last resolues â—f all the Campe proue traytors to my Lord Shall spotlesse Norfolke falsisie his word Mine oath is past I swore t'vphold his Crowne And that shall swim or I with it will drowne It is too late now to dispute the right Dare any tongue since Yorke spred forth his light Northumberland or Buckingham defame Two valiant Cliffords Roos or Beaumonts name Because they in the weaker quarrell die They had the King with them and so haue I. But eu'ry eye the face of Richard shunnes For that foule murder of his brothers sonnes Yet lawes of Knighthood gaue me not a sword To strike at him whom all with ioynt accord Haue made my Prince to whom I tribute bring I hate his vices but adore the King Victorious Edward if thy soule can heare Thy seruant Howard I deuoutly sweare That to haue sau'd thy children from that day My hopes on earth should willingly decay Would Glouster then my perfect faith had tryed And made two graues when noble Hastings died This said his troopes he into order drawes Then doubled haste redeemes his former pause So stops the Sayler for a voyage bound When on the Sea he heares the tempests sound Till pressing hunger to remembrance sends That on his course his housholds life depends With this he cleares the doubts that vext his minde And puts his ship to mercy of the winde The Dukes stout presence and couragious lookes Were to the King as falls of sliding brookes Which bring a gentle and delightfull rest To weary eyes with grieuous care opprest He bids that Norfolke and his hopefull sonne Whose rising fame in Armes this day begun Should leade the vantguard for so great command He dares not trust in any other hand The rest he to his owne aduice referres And as the spirit in that body stirres Then putting on his Crowne a fatall signe So offer'd beasts neere death in Garlands shine He rides about the rankes and striues t' inspire Each brest with part of his vnwearied fire To those who had his brothers seruants been And had the wonders of his valour seene He saith My fellow Souldiers though your swords Are sharpe and need not whetting by my words Yet call to minde those many glorious dayes In which we treasur'd vp immortall prayse If when I seru'd I euer fled from foe Fly ye from mine let me be punisht so But if my Father when at first he try'd How all his sonnes could shining blades abide Found me an Eagle whose vndazled eyes Affront the beames which from the steele arise And if I now in action teach the same Know then ye haue but chang'd your Gen'ralls name Be still your selues ye fight against the drosse Of those that oft haue runne from you with losse How many Somersets dissentions brands Haue felt the force of our reuengefull hands From whome this youth as from a princely floud Deriues his best yet not vntainted bloud Haue our assaults made Lancaster to droupe And shall this Welshman with his ragged troupe Subdue the Norman and the Saxon line That onely Merlin may be thought diuine See what a guide these fugitiues haue chose Who bred among the French our ancient foes Forgets the English language and the ground And knowes not what our drums trumpets sound To others minds their willing othes he drawes He tells his iust decrees and healthfull lawes And makes large proffers of his future grace Thus hauing ended with as chearefull face As Nature which his stepdame still was thought Could lend to one without proportion wrought Some with loud shouting make the valleyes ring But most with murmur sigh God saue the King Now carefull Henry sends his seruant Bray To Stanly who accounts it safe to stay And dares not promise lest his haste should bring His sonne to death now pris'ner with the King About the same time Brakenbury came And thus to Stanley saith in Richards name My Lord the King salutes you and commands That to his ayde you bring your ready bands Or else he sweares by him that sits on high Before the armies ioyne your sonne shall die At this the Lord stood like a man that heares The Iudges voyce which condemnation beares Till gath'ring vp his spirits he replies My fellow Hastings death hath made me wise More then my dreame could him for I no more Will trust the tushes of the angry Bore If with my Georges bloud he staine his throne I thanke my God I haue more sonnes then one Yet to secure his life I quiet stand Against the King not lifting vp my hand The Messenger departs of hope deny'd Then noble Stanley taking Bray aside Saith Let my sonne proceede without despaire Assisted by his mothers almes and prayre God will direct both him and me to take Best courses for that blessed womans sake The Earle by this delay was not inclin'd To feare nor anger knowing Stanleyes mind But calling all his chiefe Commanders neare He boldly speakes while they attentiue heare 〈◊〉 is in vaine braue friends to shew the right â—hich we are forc'd to seeke by ciuill fight â—ur swords are brandisht in a noble cause â—o free your Country from a Tyrants iawes â—hat angry Planet What disastrous Signe â—irects Plantagenets afflicted Line â—h was it not enough that mutuall rage 〈◊〉 deadly battels should this race ingage â—ill by their blowes themselues they fewer make And pillers fall which France could neuer shake But must this crooked Monster now be found To lay rough hands on
sibi somnium quid audet Altum effare noëma bello-montis Effatum euge Poëma Bello-montî est Dium castalium nitens politum Libatum salibus lepore tinctum Decurrens velut amnis alti monte Feruet delicijs ruit profundo Beaumontus latice Altiùs resultat Fertur nec tenui nec vsitatâ Pennâ per liquidam aetheram biformis Hic Phoebi deus est decus cohortis Summum Palladiae iubar sororum Ipse flos Venerum resurgo legi Ph. Kin. Vpon the Honored Poems of his Vnknowne Friend Sir Iohn Beaumont Baronet I Knew thee not I speake it to my shame But by that cleare and equall Voyce of Fame VVhich with the Sunnes bright course did ioyntly beare Thy glorious Name about each Hemisphere VVhiles I who had confin'd my selfe to dwell VVithin the straite bounds of an obscure Cell â—oke in those pleasing beames of VVit and VVorth VVhich where the Sunne could neuer shine breake forth VVherewith I did refresh my weaker sight â—hen others bath'd themselues in thy full light â—â—t when the dismall rumour was once spred â—â—at struck all knowing soules of Beaumont dead Aboue thy best Friends 't was my benefit 〈◊〉 know thee onely by thy liuing VVit And whereas others might their losse deplore Thou liu'st to me iust as thou didst before In all that we can value Great or Good VVhich were not in these cloathes of flesh and blood Thou now hast laid aside but in that mind That only by 〈…〉 could be confin'd Thou liu'st to me and shalt for euer raine In both the issues of thy Blood and Braine Ia. Cl. Bosworth Field WITH CERTAINE OTHER POEMS c. THe Winters storme of Ciuill warre I sing Whose end is crown'd with our eternall Spring Where Roses ioyn'd their colours mixe in one And armies fight no more for Englands Throne Thou gracious Lord direct my seeble Pen Who from the actions of ambitious men Hast by thy goodnesse drawne our ioyfull good And made sweet flowres Oliues grow from blood While we delighted with this faire release May clime Parnassus in the dayes of peace The King whose eyes were neuer fully clos'd Whose minde opprest with feareful dreames suppos'd That he in blood had wallow'd all the night Leapes from his restlesse bed before the light Accursed Tirell is the first he spies Whom threatning with his dagger thus he cries How darst thou villaine so disturbe my sleepe Were not the smother'd children buried deepe And hath the ground againe been ript by thee That I their rotten carkases might see The wretch astonisht hastes away to slide As damned ghosts themselues in darkenesse hide And calles vp three whose counsels could asswage The sudden swellings of the Princes rage Ambitious Louell who to gaine his grace Had stain'd the honour of his Noble race Perfidious Catesby by whose curious skill The Law was taught to speake his Masters will And Ratcliffe deepely learn'd in courtly Art Who best could search into his Sou'raignes hart Affrighted Richard labours to relate His hideous dreames as signes of haplesse Fate Alas said they such fictions children feare These are not terrors shewing danger neare But motiues sent by some propitious power To make you watchfull at this early hower These proue that your victorious care preuents Your slouthfull foes that slumber in their tents This precious time must not in vaine be spent Which God your helpe by heau'nly meanes hath lent He by these false coniectures much appeas'd Contemning fancies which his minde diseas'd Replies I should haue been asham'd to tell Fond dreames to wise men whether Heau'n or Hell Or troubled Nature these effects hath wrought I know this day requires another thought If some resistlesse strength my cause should crosse Feare will increase and not redeeme the losse All dangers clouded with the mist offeare Seeme great farre off but lessen comming neare Away ye blacke illusions of the night If ye combin'd with Fortune haue the might To hinder my designes ye shall not barre My courage seeking glorious death in warre Thus being chear'd he calles aloud for armes And bids that all should rise whoÌ„ Morpheus charmes Bring me saith he the harnesse that I wore At Teuxbury which from that day no more Hath felt the battries of a ciuill strife Nor stood betweene destruction and my life Vpon his brest-plate he beholds a dint Which in that field young Edwards sword did print This stirres remembrance of his heinous guilt When he that Princes blood so foulely spilt Now fully arm'd he takes his helmet bright Which like a twinkling starre with trembling light Sends radiant lustre through the darksome aire This maske will make his wrinkled visage faire But when his head is couer'd with the steele He telles his seruants that his temples feele Deepe-piercing stings which breed vnusuall paines And of the heauy burden much complaines Some marke his words as tokens fram'd t' expresse The sharpe conclusion of a sad successe Then going forth and finding in his way A souldier of the Watch who sleeping lay Enrag'd to see the wretch neglect his part He strikes a sword into his trembling heart The hand of death and iron dulnesse takes Those leaden eyes which nat'rall ease forsakes The King this morning sacrifice commends And for example thus the fact defends I leaue him as I found him fit to keepe The silent doores of euerlasting sleepe Still Richmond slept for worldly care and feare Haue times of pausing when the soule is cleare While Heau'ns Directer whose reuengefull brow Would to the guilty head no rest allow Lookes on the other part with milder eyes At his command an Angell swiftly flies From sacred truths perspicuous gate to bring A crystall vision on his golden wing This Lord thus sleeping thought he saw and knew His lamblike Vnkle whom that Tiger slew Whose powerfull words encourage him to fight Goâ—â—n iust scourge of murder vertues light The combate which thou shalt this day endure Makes Englands peace for many ages sure Thy strong inuasion cannot be withstood The earth assists thee with the cry of blood The heau'n shall blesse thy hopes and crowne thy ioyes See how the Fiends with loud and dismall noyse 〈◊〉 Presaging Vultures greedy of their prey On Richards tent their scaly wings display The holy King then offer'd to his view A liuely tree on which three branches grew But when the hope offruit had made him glad All fell to dust at which the Earle was sad Yet comfort comes againe when from the roote He sees a bough into the North to shoote Which nourisht there extends it selfe from thence And girds this Iland with a firme defence There he beholds a high and glorious Throne Where sits a King by Lawrell Garlands knowne Like bright Apollo in the Muses quires His radiant eyes are watchfull heauenly fires Beneath his feete pale Enuie bites her chaine And snaky Discord whets her sting in vaine Thou seest said Henry wise and potent Iames This this is he whose happy Vnion tames The
blocke prepar'd But worthy Ferrers equall portion shar'd Of griefe and terrour which the pris'ner felt His tender eyes in teares of pitty melt And hasting to the King he boldly said My Lord too many bloody staines are laid By enuious tongues vpon your peacefull raigne 〈◊〉 may their malice euer speake in vaine Afford not this aduantage to their spite None should be kill'd to day but in the fight â—our Crowne is strongly fixt your cause is good â—ast not vpon it drops of harmelesse blood His life is nothing yet will dearely cost â—f while you seeke it we perhaps haue lost Occasions of your conquest thither flie Where Rebels arm'd with cursed blades shall die And yeeld in death to your victorious awe Let naked hands be censur'd by the Law â—uch pow'r his speech and seemely action hath â—â— mollifies the Tyrants bloody wrath And he commands that Stranges death be stay'd The noble Youth who was before dismay'd At deaths approching sight now sweetly cleares His cloudy sorrowes and forgets his feares As when a Steare to burning Altars led Expecting fatall blowes to cleaue his head â—s by the Priest for some religious cause Sent backe to liue and now in quiet drawes The open ayre and takes his wonted food And neuer thinkes how neere to death he stood The King though ready yet his march delayd To haue Northumberlands expected ayde To him industrious Ratcliffe swiftly hies But Percy greetes him thus My troubled eyes This night beheld my fathers angry ghost Aduising not to ioyne with Richards host Wilt thou said he so much obscure my shield To beare mine azure Lion in the field With such a Gen'rall Aske him on which side His sword was drawne when I at Towton died When Richard knew that both his hopes were vaine He forward sets with cursing and disdaine And cries Who would not all these Lords detest When Percy changeth like the Moone his crest This speech the heart of noble Ferrers rent He answers Sir though many dare repent That which they cannot now without your wrong And onely grieue they haue been true too long My brest shall neuer beare so foule a staine If any ancient blood in me remaine Which from the Norman Conqu'rours tooke descent It shall be wholly in your seruice spent I will obtaine to day aliue or dead The Crownes that grace a faithfull souldiers head Blest be thy tongue replies the King in thee The strength of all thine Ancestors I see Extending warlike armes for Englands good By thee their heire in valour as in blood But here we leaue the King and must reuiew â—â—ose sonnes of Mars who cruell blades imbrue Riuers sprung from hearts that bloodlesse lie â—nd â—â—aine their shining armes in sanguine die â—â—re valiant Oxford and fierce Norfolke meete â—nd with their speares each other rudely greete â—bout the ayre the shiuerd pieces play â—â—en on their swords their noble hands they lay â—â—d Norfolke first a blow directly guides 〈◊〉 Oxfords head which from his helmet slides â—pon his arme and biting through the steele â—flicts a wound which Vere disdaines to feele 〈◊〉 lifts his fauchion with a threatning grace â—nd hewes the beuer off from Howards face â—his being done he with compassion charm'd â—etires asham'd to strike a man disarm'd 〈◊〉 straight a deadly shaft sent from a bow VVhose Master though farre off the Duke could know â—ntimely brought this combat to an end â—nd pierc'd the braine of Richards constant friend VVhen Oxford saw him sinke his noble soule VVas full of griefe which made him thus condole â—â—rewell true Knight to whom no costly graue â—â—n giue due honour would my teares might saue â—â—ose streames of blood deseruing to be spilt 〈◊〉 better seruice had not Richards guilt â—â—ch heauy weight vpon his fortune laid 〈◊〉 glorious vertues had his sinnes out waigh'd Couragious Talbot had with Surrey met And after many blowes begins to fret That one so young in Armes should thus vnmou'd Resist his strength so oft in warre approu'd And now the Earle beholds his father fall VVhose death like horri'd darkenesse frighted all Some giue themselues as captiues others flie But this young Lion casts his gen'rous eye On Mowbrayes Lion painted in his shield And with that King of beasts repines to yeeld The field saith he in which the Lion stands Is blood and blood I offer to the hands Of daring foes but neuer shall my flight Die blacke my Lion which as yet is white His enemies like cunning Huntsmen striue In binding snares to take their prey aliue VVhile he desires t' expose his naked brest And thinkes the sword that deepest strikes is best Young Howard single with an army fights VVhen mou'd with pitie two renowned Knights Strong Clarindon and valiant Coniers trie To rescue him in which attempt they die For Sauage red with blood of slaughter'd foes Doth them in midst of all his troopes inclose VVhere though the Captaine for their safetie striues Yet baser hands depriue them of their liues Now Surrey fainting scarce his sword can hold VVhich made a common souldier grow so bold To lay rude hands vpon that noble flower Which he disdaigning anger giues him power â—ects his weapon with a nimble round â—â—d sends the Peasants arme to kisse the ground â—â—is done to Talbot he presents his blade â—â—d saith It is not hope of life hath made â—â—is my submission but my strength is spent â—nd some perhaps of villaine blood will vent My weary soule this fauour I demand â—â—at I may die by your victorious hand â—ay God forbid that any of my name Quoth Talbot should put out so bright a flame As burnes in thee braue Youth where thou hast err'd 〈◊〉 was thy fathers fault since he preferr'd Tyrants crowne before the iuster side â—â—e Earle still mindfull of his birth replied wonder Talbot that thy noble hart â—ults on ruines of the vanquisht part 〈◊〉 had the right if now to you it flow â—â—e fortune of your swords hath made it so â—euer will my lucklesse choyce repent â—or can it staine mine honour or descent 〈◊〉 Englands Royall Wreath vpon a stake â—â—ere will I sight and not the place for sake â—nd if the will of God hath so dispos'd â—â—at Richmonds brow be with the Crowne inclos'd â—hall to him or his giue doubtlesse signes â—hat duty in my thoughts not faction shines The earnest souldiers still the chase pursue But their Commanders grieue they should imbrue Their swords in blood which springs froÌ„ English vein The peacefull sound of trumpets them restraines From further slaughter with a milde retreat To rest contented in this first defeate The King intended at his setting out To helpe his Vantguard but a nimble scout Runnes crying Sir I saw not farre from hence Where Richmond houers with a small defence And like one guilty of some heynous ill Is couer'd with the shade of yonder hill The Rauen almost famisht ioyes not more VVhen restlesse billowes tumble to the shore A heape of bodies shipwrackt
it is an odious thing To let thy banner flie against thy King VVith scorne he throwes the Standard to the ground VVhen Cheney for his height and strength renown'd Steps forth to couer Richmond now expos'd To Richards sword the King with Cheney clos'd And to the earth this mighty Giant fell'd Then like a Stag whom fences long with-held From meddowes where the Spring in glory raignes Now hauing leuell'd those vnpleasing chaines And treading proudly on the vanquisht flowres He in his hopes a thousand ioyes deuoures For now no pow'r to crosse his end remaines But onely Henry whom he neuer daines To name his foe and thinkes he shall not braue A valiant Champion but a yeelding slaue Alas how much deceiu'd when he shall find An able body and couragious minde For Richmond boldly doth himselfe oppose Against the King and giues him blowes for blowes VVho now confesseth with an angry frowne His Riuall not vnworthy of the Crowne The younger Stanley then no longer staid The Earle in danger needs his present aide VVhich he performes as sudden as the light His comming turnes the ballance of the fight So threatning clouds whose fall the ploughmen feare VVhich long vpon the mountaines top appeare Dissolue at last and vapours then distill To watry showres that all the valleys fill The first that saw this dreadfull storme arise VVas Catesby who to Richard loudly cries No way but swift retreate your life to saue This no shame with wings t' auoide the graue This said he trembling turnes himselfe to flie And dares not stay to heare the Kings replie VVho scorning his aduice as foule and base Returnes this answer with a wrathfull face Let cowards trust their horses nimble feete And in their course with new destruction meete Gaine thou some houres to draw thy fearefull breath To me ignoble flight is worse then death But at th'approach of Stanleyes fresh supply The Kings side droopes so gen'rous Horses lie Vnapt to stirre or make their courage knowne Which vnder cruell Masters sinke and grone There at his Princes foote stout Ratcliffe dies Not fearing but despairing Louell flies For he shall after end his weary life In not so faire but yet as bold a strife The King maintaines the fight though left alone For Henries life he faine would change his owne And as a Lionesse which compast round VVith troopes of men receiues a smarting wound By some bold hand though hinder'd and opprest With other speares yet shghting all the rest Will follow him alone that wrong'd her first So Richard pressing with reuengefull thirst Admits no shape but Richmonds to his eye And would in triumph on his carcase die But that great God to whom all creatures yeeld Protects his seruant with a heau'nly shield His pow'r in which the Earle securely trusts Rebates the blowes and falsifies the thrusts The King growes weary and begins to faint It grieues him that his foes perceiue the taint Some strike him that till then durst not come neare With weight and number they to ground him beare Where trampled down and hew'd with many sword He softly vtter'd these his dying words Now strength no longer Fortune can withstand I perish in the Center of my Land His hand he then with wreathes of grasse infolds And bites the earth which he so strictly holds As if he would haue borne it with him hence So loth he was to lose his rights pretence FINIS An expression of Sibylls Acrostichs 〈…〉 signe that Iudgement comes the Earth shall sweat 〈…〉 times behold the Prince whose might 〈…〉 censure all within his Kingdome great 〈◊〉 â—rue and faithfull shall approach his sight 〈◊〉 feare this God by his high glory knowne 〈◊〉 â—â—â—bin'd with flesh and compast with his Saints 〈◊〉 words diuiding soules before his Throne 〈◊〉 â—eeme the world from Thornes and barren taints 〈◊〉 vaine then mortals leaue their wealth and sinne â—â—â—ong force the stubborne gates of Hell shall tame â—he Saints though dead shall light and freedome winne â—word thriue not wicked men with wrathfull flame â—pprest whose beames can search their words and deeds â—o darkesome brest can couer base desires â—ew sorrow gnashing teeth and wailing breeds â—â—empt from Sunny rayes or Starry quires 〈◊〉 â—eau'n thou art roll'd vp the Moone shall die â—â—om vales he takes their depth from hilles their height â—â—eat men no more are insolent and high 〈◊〉 Seas no nimble ships shall carry weight 〈◊〉 thunder arm'd with heat the earth confounds â—weet Springs and bubbling Streames their course restraine 〈◊〉 heau'nly trumpet sending dolefull sounds â—pbraydes the worlds misdeeds and threatens paine 〈◊〉 gaping earth infernall depths are seene Our proudest â—â—ngs are summon'd by his call â—nto his seate from heau'n with anger keene â—euengefull floods of fire and brimstone fall VIRGIL VIRGIL ECLOG 4. CIcilian Muses sing we greater things All are not pleas'd with Shrubs lowly Spâ—â—â— More fitly to the Consull Woods belong Now is fulfild Cumaean Sibyls Song Long chaines of better times begin againe The Maide returnes and brings backe Saturnes raiâ—â— New progenies from lofty Heau'n descend Thouchaste Lucina be this Infants friend Whose birth the dayes of Ir'n shall quite deface And through the world the golden age shall place Thy brother Phoebus weares his potent Crowne And thou O Pollio know thy high renowne Thy Consulship this glorious change shall breed Great moneths shall then endeuour to proceed Thy rule the steps of threatning sinne shall cleare And free the earth from that perpetuall feare He with the Gods shall liue and shall behold With heauenly spirits noble soules enroll'd And seene by them shall guide this worldly frame Which to his hand his fathers strength doth tame To thee sweet Child the earth brings natiue dowâ— The wandring Iuy with faire Bâ—cchars flowres â—nd Colocasia sprung from Egypts ground With smiling leaues of greene Acanthus crown'd â—he Gotes their swelling vdders home shall beare The Droues no more shall mighty Lions feare For thee thy cradle pleasing flowres shall bring Imperious Death shall blunt the Serpents sting No herbes shall with deceitfull poyson flow And sweet Amomum eu'ry where shall grow But when thou able art to reade the facts Of Worthies and thy Fathers famous acts To know what glories vertues name adorne The fields to ripenesse bring the tender corne Ripe Grapes depend on carelesse Brambles tops Hard Oakes sweat hony form'd in dewy drops Yet some few steps of former fraudes remaine VVhich men to trie the Sea with ships constraine VVith strengthning walles their Cities to defend And on the ground long surrowes to extend A second â—â—phys and â—ew Argo then Shall leade to braue exploits the best of men The warre of Troy that Towne againe shall burne And great Achilles thither shall returne But when firme age a perfect man thee makes The willing Sayler straight the Seas forsakes The Pâ—â—e no more the vse of trade retaines Each Countrie breeds all fruits the earth disdaines The Harrowes weight and Vines the
measures erre not with a faulty line That all within be solid lest some blow Should by the sound the empty vessell show Ere he to gentle sleepe his eyes will lay His thoughts reuolue the actions of the day What houres from me with dull neglect haue runne What was in time or out of season done Why hath this worke adorning-beauty lackt Or reason wanted in another fact What things haue I forgotten why design'd To seeke those ends which better were declin'd When to the needy wretch I gaue reliefe Why was my broken soule possest with griefe In what haue my mistaking wishes err'd Why profit more then honesty preferr'd Could my sharpe words another man incense Or were my bookes compos'd to breed offence How comes it that corrupted nature-drawes My will from disciplines amending lawes Thus going slowly through his words and deeds He from one eu'ning to the next proceeds Peruerting crimes he checkes with angry frownes Straight leuell'd Vertues he rewards with Crownes Claudians Epigram of the old man of Verona THrice happy he whose age is spent vpon his owne The same house sees him old which him a child hath known He leanes vpon his staffe in sand where once he crept His mem'ry long descents of one poore cote hath kept He through the various strife of fortune neuer past Nor as a wand'ring guest would forraine waters taste He neuer fear'd the seas in trade nor sound of warres Nor in hoarse courts of law hath felt litigious iarres Vnskilfull in affaires he knowes no City neare So freely he enioyes the sight of heau'n more cleare The yeeres by seu'rall corne not Consuls he computes He notes the Spring by flowres and Autumne by the fruits One space put downe the Sunne and brings againe the rayes Thus by a certaine Orbe he measures out the dayes Remembring some great Oke from small beginning spred He sees the wood grow old which with himselfe was bred Verona next of Townes as farre as India seemes And for the ruddy Sea Benacus he esteemes Yet still his armes are firme his strength vntam'd and greene The full third age hath him a lusty Grandsire seene Let others trauaile farre and hidden coasts display This man hath more of life and those haue more of way Vpon the two great Feasts of the Annunciation and Resurrection falling on the same day March 25. 1627. THrice happy day which sweetly do'st combine Two Hemispheres in th'Equinoctiall line The one debasing God to earthly paine The other raising man to endlesse raigne Christs humble steps declining to the wombe Touch heau'nly scales erected on his Tombe We first with Gabriel must this Prince conuay Into his chamber on the marriage day Then with the other Angels cloth'd in white We will adore him in this conqu'ring Night The Sonue of God assuming humane breath Becomes a subiect to his vassall Death That Graues and Hell laid open by his strife May giue vs passage to a better life See for this worke how things are newly styl'd Man is declar'd Almighty God a Child The Word made Flesh is speechlesse and the Light Begins from Clouds and sets in depth of night Behold the Sunne eclips'd for many yeeres And eu'ry day more dusky robes he weares Till after totall darkenesse shining faire No Moone shall barre his splendor from the Aire Let faithfull soules this double Feast attend In two Processions let the first descend The Temples staires and with a downe-cast eye Vpon the lowest pauement prostrate lie In creeping Violets white Lillies shine Their humble thoughts and eu'ry pure designe The other troope shall climbe with sacred heate The rich degrees of Salomons bright seate In glowing Roses feruent zeale they beare And in the Azure Flowre de lis appeare Celestiall contemplations which aspire Aboue the skie vp to th' immortall Quire Of the Epiphany FAire Easterne Starre that art ordain'd to runne Before the Sages to the rising Sunne Here cease thy course and wonder that the cloud Of this poore Stable can thy Maker shroud Ye heauenly bodies glory to be bright And are esteem'd as ye are rich in light But here on earth is taught a diff'rent way Since vnder this low roofe the Highest lay Ierusalem erects her stately Towres Displayes her windowes and adornes her bowres Yet there thou must not cast a trembling sparke Let Herods Palace still continue darke Each Schoole and Synagogue thy force repels There pride enthron'd in misty errours dwels The Temple where the Priests maintaine their quite Shall taste no beame of thy Celestiall fire While this weake Cottage all thy splendor takes A ioyfull gate of eu'ry chinke it makes Here shines no golden roofe no Iu'ry staire No King exalted in a stately chaire Girt with attendants or by Heralds styl'd But straw and hay inwrap a speechlesse Child Yet Sabaes Lords before this Babe vnfold Their treasures off'ring Incense Myrrh and Gold The Cribbe becomes an Altar therefore dies No Oxe nor Sheepe for in their fodder lies The Prince of Peace who thankfull for his bed Destroyes those Rites in which their blood was shed The quintessence of earth he takes and fees And precious gummes distill'd from weeping trees Rich Metals and sweet Odours now declare The glorious blessings which his Lawes prepare To cleare vs from the base and lothsome flood Of sense and make vs fit for Angels food Who lift to God for vs the holy smoke Of feruent pray'rs with which we him inuoke And trie our actions in that searching fire By which the Seraphims our lips inspire No muddy drosse pure Min'ralls shall infect We shall exhale our vapours vp direct No stormes shall crosse nor glitt'ring lights deface Perpetuall sighes which seeke a happy place Of the Transfiguration of our Lord. YEe that in lowly valleyes weeping sate And taught your humble soules to mourne of laâ—â— For sinnes and suff'rings breeding griefes and feares And made the Riuers bigger with your teares Now cease your sad complaints till fitter time And with those three belou'd Apostles clime To lofty Thabor where your happy eyes Shall see the Sunne of glory brightly rise Draw neere and euer blesse that sacred hill That there no heate may parch no frost may kill The tender plants nor any thunder blast That top by which all mountaines are surpast By steepe and briery paths ye must ascend But if ye know to what high scope ye tend No let nor danger can your steps restraine The crags will easie seeme the thickets plaine Our Lord there stands not with his painefull Crosse Laid on his shoulders mouing you to losse Of precious things nor calling you to beare That burden which so much base worldlings feare Here are no promist hopes obscur'd with clouds No sorrow with dim vailes true pleasure shrowds But perfect Ioy which here discouer'd shines To taste of heauenly light your thoughts inclines And able is to weane deluded mindes From fond delight which wretched mortals blinds Yet let not sense so much your reason sway As to desire for euer
on which perdition waites But when thine eyes the prickly thornes haue past See in the circle boundlesse ioyes at last Pilgrim These things are now most cleare thee I imbrace Immortall Wreath let worldlings count thee base Choyce is thy matter glorious is thy shape Fit Crowne for them who tempting dangers scap̄e An act of Contrition WHen first my reason dawning like the day Disperst the clouds of childish sense away Gods Image fram'd in that superior Tow'r Diuinely drew mine vnderstanding pow'r To thinke vpon his Greatnesse and to feare His darts of thunder which the mountaines teare And when with feeble light my soule began T' acknowledge him a higher thing then man My next discourse erected by his grace Conceiues him free from bounds of time or place And sees the furthest that of him is knowne All spring from him and he depends of none The steps which in his various workes are seal'd The doctrines in his sacred Church reueal'd Were all receiu'd as truths into my mind Yet durst I breake his lawes O strangely blind My festring wounds are past the launcing cure Which terrour giues to thoughts at first impure No helpe remaines these vlcers to remoue Vnlesse I scorch them with the flames of loue Lord from thy wrath my soule appeales and flyes To gracious beames of those indulgent eyes Which brought me first from nothing and sustaine My life lest it to nothing turne againe VVhich in thy Sonnes blood washt my parents sinne And taught me waies eternall blisse to winne The Starres which guide my Bark with heau'nly calls My boords in shipwrack after many falls In these I trust and wing'd with pleasing hope Attempt new flight to come to thee my scope VVhom I esteeme a thousand times more deare Then worldly things which faire and sweet appeare Rebellious flesh which thee so oft offends Presents her teares alas a poore amends But thou accept'st them Hence they precious grow As liuing waters which from Eden flow VVith these I wish my vitall blood may runne Ere new Eclipses dimme this glorious Sunne And yeeld my selfe afflicting paines to take For thee my Spouse and onely for thy sake Hell could not fright me with immortall fire VVere it not arm'd with thy forsaking ire Nor should I looke for comfort and delight In heau'n if heau'n were shadow'd from thy sight In Desolation O Thou who sweetly bend'st my stubborne will VVho send'st thy stripes to teach and not to kill Thy chearefull face from me no longer hide Withdraw these clouds the scourges of my pride I sinke to hell if I be lower throwne I see what man is being left alone My substance which from nothing did begin Is worse then nothing by the waight of sin I see my selfe in such a wretched state As neither thoughts conceiue or words relate How great a distance parts vs for in thee Is endlesse good and boundlesse ill in mee All creatures proue me abiect but how low Thou onely know'st and teachest me to know To paint this basenesse Nature is too base This darknesse yeelds not but to beames of grace Where shall I then this piercing splendor find Or found how shall it guide me being blind Grace is a taste of blisse a glorious gift Which can the soule to heau'nly comforts lift It will not shine to me whose mind is drown'd In sorrowes and with worldly troubles bound It will not daigne within that house to dwell Where drinesse raignes and proud distractions swell Perhaps it sought me in those lightsome dayes Of my first feruour when few winds did raise The waues and ere they could full strength obtaine Some whisp'ring gale straight charm'd them downe again When all seem'd calme yet the Virgins child On my deuotions in his manger smild While then I simply walkt nor heed could take Of complacence that slye deceitfull Snake When yet I had not dang'rously refus'd So many calls to vertue nor abus'd The spring of life which I so oft enioy'd Nor made so many good intentions voyd Deseruing thus that grace should quite depart And dreadfull hardnesse should possesse my heart Yet in that state this onely good I found That fewer spots did then my conscience wound Though who can censure whether in those times The want of feeling seem'd the want of crimes If solid vertues dwell not but in paine I will not wish that golden age againe Because it flow'd with sensible delights Of heauenly things God hath created nights As well as dayes to decke the varied Globe Grace comes as oft clad in the dusky robe Of desolation as in white attire Which better fits the bright celestiall Quire Some in foule seasons perish through despaire But more through boldnesse when the daies are faire This then must be the med'cine for my woes To yeeld to what my Sauiour shall dispose To glory in my basenesse to reioyce In mine afflictions to obey his voyce As well when threatnings my defects reproue As when I cherisht am with words of loue To say to him in eu'ry time and place Withdraw thy comforts so thou leaue thy grace In spirituall comfort ENough delight O mine eternall good I feare to perish in this fiery flood And doubt lest beames of such a glorious light Should rather blind me then extend my sight For how dare mortals here their thoughts erect To taste those ioyes which they in heau'n expect But God inuites them in his boundlesse loue And lifts their heauy minds to things aboue VVho would not follow such a pow'rfull guide Immid'st of flames or through the raging tide VVhat carelesse soule will not admire the grace Of such a Lord who knowes the dang'rous place In which his seruants liue their natiue woes Their weake defence and fury of their foes And casting downe to earth these golden chaines From hels steepe brinke their sliding steps restraines His deare affection flies with wings of haste He will not stay till this short life be past But in this vale where teares of griefe abound He oft with teares of ioy his friends hath drown'd Man what desir'st thou wouldst thou purchase health Great honour perfect pleasure peace and wealth All these are here and in their glory raigne In other things these names are false and vaine True wisdome bids vs to this banquet haste That precious Nectar may renew the taste Of Edens dainties by our parents lost For one poore Apple which so deare would cost That eu'ry man a double death should pay But mercy comes the latter stroke to stay And leauing mortall bodies to the knife Of Iustice striues to saue the better life No sou'raigne med'cine can be halfe so good Against destruction as this Angels food This inward illustration when it finds A seate in humble and indiff'rent minds If wretched men contemne a Sunne so bright Dispos'd to stray and stumble in the night And seeke contentment where they oft haue knowne By deare experience that there can be none They would much more neglect their God their end
If ought were found whereon they might depend Within the compasse of the gen'rall frame Or if some Sparkes of this Celestiall flame Had not ingrau'd this sentence in their brest In him that made them is their onely rest An Act of Hope SWeet Hope is soueraigne comfort of our life Our Ioy in sorrow and our Peace in strife The Dame of Beggers and the Queene of Kings Can these delight in height of prosp'rous things Without expecting still to keepe them sure Can those the weight of heauy wants endure Vnlesse perswasion instant paine allay Reseruing spirit for a better day Our God who planted in his creatures brest This stop on which the wheeles of passion rest Hath rays'd by beames of his abundant grace This strong affection to a higher place It is the second vertue which attends That soule whose motion to his sight ascends Rest here my mind thou shalt no longer stay To gaze vpon these houses made of clay Thou shalt not stoope to honours or to lands Nor golden balles where sliding fortune stands If no false colours draw thy steps amisse Thou hast a Palace of eternall blisse A Paradise from care and feare exempt An obiect worthy of the best attempt Who would not for so rich a Country fight Who would not runne that sees a goale so bright O thou who art our Author and our end On whose large mercy chaines of hope depend Lift me to thee by thy propitious hand For lower I can find no place to stand Of Teares BEhold what Riuers feeble nature spends And melts vs into Seas at losse of friends Their mortall state this Fountaine neuer dries But fills the world with worlds of weeping eies Man is a creature borne and nurst in teares He through his life the markes of sorrow beares And dying thinkes he can no off'ring haue More fit then teares distilling on his graue We must these floods to larger bounds extend Such streames require a high and noble end As waters in a chrystall Orbe contain'd Aboue the starry Firmament are chain'd To coole the fury of those raging flames Which eu'ry lower Spheare by motion frames So this continuall Spring within thy head Must quench the fires in other members bred If to our Lord our Parents had been true Our teares had been like drops of pleasing dew But sinne hath made them full of bitter paines Vntimely children of afflicted braines Yet they are chang'd when we our sinnes lament To richer Pearles then from the East are sent Of Sinne. WHat pensill shall I take or where begin To paint the vgly face of odious sinne Man sinning oft though pardon'd oft exceeds The falling Angels in malicious deeds When we in words would tell the sinners shame To call him Diuell is too faire a name Should we for euer in the Chaos dwell Or in the lothsome depth of gaping hell We there no foule and darksome formes shall find Sufficient to describe a guilty mind Search through the world we shall not know a thing Which may to reasons eye more horrour bring Then disobedience to the highest cause And obstinate auersion from his Lawes The sinner will destroy God if he can O what hath God deseru'd of thee poore man That thou should'st boldly striue to pull him downe From his high Throne and take away his Crowne What blindnesse moues thee to vnequall fight â—ee how thy fellow creatures scorne thy might Yet thou prouok'st thy Lord as much too great As thou too weake for his Imperiall seate Behold a silly wretch distracted quite Extending towards God his feeble spite And by his poys'nous breath his hopes are faire To blast the skies as it corrupts the aire Vpon the other side thou mayst perceiue A mild Commander to whose Army cleaue The sparkling Starres and each of them desires To fall and drowne this Rebell in their fires The Cloudes are ready this proud Foe to tame Full fraught with thunderbolts and lightnings flame The Earth his Mother greedy of his doome Expects to open her vnhappy wombe That this degen'rate sonne may liue no more So chang'd from that pure man whom first she bore The sauage Beasts whose names his Father gaue To quell this pride their Makers licence craue The Fiends his Masters in this warlike way Make sute to seaze him as their lawfull prey No friends are left then whither shall he flie To that offended King who sits on high Who hath deferr'd the battell and restrain'd His souldiers like the winds in fetters chain'd For let the Sinner leaue his hideous maske God will as soone forgiue as he shall aske Of the miserable state of Man IS man the best of creatures growne the worst He once most blessed was now most accurst His whole felicity is endlesse strife No peace no satisfaction crownes his life No such delight as other creatures take Which their desires can free and happy make Our appetites which seeke for pleasing good Haue oft their wane and full their ebbe and sloud Their calme and stormes the neuer-constant Moone The Seas and nimble winds not halfe so soone Incline to change while all our pleasure rests In things which vary like our wau'ring brests He who desires that wealth his life may blesse Like to a Iayler counts it good successe To haue more pris'ners which increase his care The more his goods the more his dangers are This Sayler sees his ship about to drowne And he takes in more wares to presse it downe Vaine honour is a play of diuers parts Where fained words and gestures please our hearts The slatt'red audience are the Actors friends But lose that Title when the Fable ends The faire desire that others should behold Their clay well featur'd their well temperd mould Ambitious mortals make their chiefe pretence To be the obiects of delighted sense Yet oft the shape and hue of basest things More admiration moues more pleasure brings Why should we glory to be counted strong This is the praise of Beasts the pow'r of wrong And if the strength of many were inclos'd Within one brest yet when it is oppos'd Against that force which Art or Nature frame It melts like waxe before the scorching flame VVe cannot in these outward things be blest For we are sure to lose them and the best Of these contentments no such comfort beares As may waigh equall with the doubts and feares VVhich fixe our minds on that vncertaine day When these shall faile most certaine to decay From length of life no happinesse can come But what the guilty feele who after doome Are to the lothsome prison sent againe And there must stay to die with longer paine No earthly gift lasts after death but Fame This gouernes men more carefull of their name Then of their soules which their vngodly taste Dissolues to nothing and shall proue at last Faire worse then nothing Prayses come too late When man is not or is in wretched state But these are ends which draw the meanest hearts Let vs search
deepe and trie our better parts O knowledge if a heau'n on earth could be I would expect to reape that blisse in thee But thou art blind and they that haue thy light More clearely know they liue in darksome night See man thy stripes at schoole thy paines abroad Thy watching and thy palenesse well bestow'd These feeble helpes can Scholers neuer bring To perfect knowledge of the plainest thing And some to such a height of learning grow They die perswaded that they nothing know In vaine swift houres spent in deepe study slide Vnlesse the purchast doctrine curbe our pride The soule perswaded that no fading loue Can equall her imbraces seekes aboue And now aspiring to a higher place Is glad that all her comforts here are base Of Sicknesse THe end of Sicknesse Health or Death declare The cause as happy as the sequels are Vaine mortals while they striue their sense to please Endure a life worse then the worst disease When sports and ryots of the restlesse night Breede dayes as thicke possest with fenny light 〈◊〉 oft haue these compell'd by wholsome paine Return'd to sucke sweet Natures brest againe And then could in a narrow compasse find Strength for the body clearenesse in the mind And if Death come it is not he whose dart VVhose scalpe and bones afflict the trembling heart As if the Painters with new art would striue For feare of Bugs to keepe poore men aliue But one who from thy mothers wombe hath been Thy friend and strict companion though vnseene To leade thee in the right appointed way And crowne thy labours at the conqu'ring day Vngratefull men why doe you sicknesse loath VVhich blessings giue in Heau'n or Earth or both Of true Liberty HE that from dust of worldly tumults flies May boldly open his vndazled eyes To reade wise Natures booke and with delight Surueyes the Plants by day and starres by night We need not trauaile seeking wayes to blisse He that desires contentment cannot misse No garden walles this precious flowre imbrace It common growes in eu'ry desart place Large scope of pleasure drownes vs like a flood To rest in little is our greatest good Learne ye that clime the top of Fortunes wheele That dang'rous state which ye disdaine to feele Your highnesse puts your happinesse to flight Your inward comforts fade with outward light Vnlesse it be a blessing not to know This certaine truth left ye should pine for woe To see inferiours so diuinely blest With freedome and your selues with fetters prest Ye sit like pris'ners barr'd with doores and chaines And yet no care perpetuall care restraines Ye striue to mixe your sad conceits with ioyes By curious pictures and by glitt'ring toyes While others are not hind'red from their ends Delighting to conuerse with bookes or friends And liuing thus retir'd obtaine the pow'r To reigne as Kings of euery sliding houre They walke by Cynthiaes light and lift their eyes To view the ord'red armies in the skies The heau'ns they measure with imagin'd lines And when the Northerne Hemisphere declines New constellations in the South they find Whose rising may refresh the studious mind In these delights though freedome shew more high Few can to things aboue their thoughts apply But who is he that cannot cast his looke On earth and reade the beauty of that booke A bed of smiling flow'rs a trickling Spring A swelling Riuer more contentment bring Then can be shadow'd by the best of Art Thus still the poore man hath the better part Against inordinate loue of Creatures AH who would loue a creature who would place His heart his treasure in a thing so base Which time consuming like a Moth destroyes And stealing death will rob him of his ioyes Why life we not our minds aboue this dust Haue we not yet perceiu'd that God is iust And hath ordain'd the obiects of our loue To be our scourges when we wanton proue Go carelesse man in vaine delights proceed Thy fansies and thine outward senses feede And bind thy selfe thy fellow-seruants thrall Loue one too much thou art a slaue to all Consider when thou follow'st seeming good And drown'st thy selfe too deepe in flein and blood Thou making sute to dwell with woes and feares Art sworne their souldier in the vale of teares The bread of sorrow shall be thy repast Expect not Eden in a thorny waste Where grow no faire trees no smooth riuers swell Here onely losses and afflictions dwell These thou bewayl'st with a repining voyce Yet knew'st before that mortall was thy choyse Admirers of false pleasures must sustaine The waight and sharpenesse of insuing paine Against abused Loue. SHall I stand still and see the world on fire While wanton Writers ioyne in one desire To blow the coales of Loue and make them burne Till they consume or to the Chaos turne This beautious frame by them so foully rent That wise men feare lest they those flames preuent Which for the latest day th' Almightie keepes In orbes of fire or in the hellish deepes Best wits while they possest with fury thinke They taste the Muses sober Well and drinke Of Phabus Goblet now a starry signe Mistake the Cup and write in heat of wine Then let my cold hand here some water cast And drown their warmth with drops of sweeter taste Mine angry lines shall whip the purblind Page And some will reade them in a chaster age But since true loue is most diuine I know How can I fight with loue and call it so Is it not Loue It was not now O strange Time and ill custome workers of all change Haue made it loue men oft impose not names By Adams rule but what their passion frames And since our Childhood taught vs to approue Our Fathers words we yeeld and call it loue Examples of past times our deeds should sway But we must speake the language of to day Vse hath no bounds it may prophane once more The name of God which first an Idoll bore How many titles fit for meaner groomes Are knighted now and marshal d in high roomes And many which once good and great were thought Posterity to vice and basenesse brought As it hath this of loue and we must bow As States vsurping Tyrants raignes allow And after ages reckon by their yeeres Such force Possession though iniurious beares Or as a wrongfull title or foule crime Made lawfull by a Statute for the time With reu'rend estimation blindes our eies And is call'd iust in spight of all the wise Then heau'nly loue this loathed name forsake And some of thy more glorious titles take Sunne of the Soule cleare beauty liuing fire Celestiall light which dost pure hearts inspire While Lust thy Bastard brother shal be knowne By loues wrong'd name that Louers may him owne So oft with Hereticks such tearmes we vse As they can brooke not such as we would chuse And since he takes the throne of Loue exil'd In all our Letters he shall Loue be stil'd But if true
fires Whose heate the Greeke and Roman works inspires Pure phrase fit Epithets a sober care Of Metaphors descriptions cleare yet rare Similitudes contracted smooth and round Not vext by learning but with Nature crown'd Strong figures drawne from deepe inuentions springs Consisting lesse in words and more in things A language not affecting ancient times Nor Latine shreds by which the Pedant climes A noble subiect which the mind may lift To easie vse of that peculiar gift Which Poets in their raptures hold most deare VVhen actions by the liuely sound appeare Giue me such helpes I neuer will despaire But that our heads which sucke the freezing aire As well as hotter braines may verse adorne And be their wonder as we were their scorne To the glorious memory of our late Soueraigne Lord King Iames. WEepe O ye Nymphes that from your caues may flow Those trickling drops whence mighty riuers flow Disclose your hidden store let eu'ry Spring To this our Sea of griefe some tribute bring And when ye once haue wept your Fountaines dry The heau'n with showres will send a new supply But if these cloudy treasures prooue too scant Our teares shall helpe when other moystures want This I le nay Europe nay the World bewailes Our losse with such a Streame as neuer failes Abundant floods from eu'ry letter rise When we pronounce great Iames our Soueraigne dies And while I write these words I trembling stand A sudden darkenesse hath possest the Land I cannot now expresse my selfe by signes All eyes are blinded none can reade my lines Till Charles ascending driues away the night And in his splendour giues my Verses light Thus by the beames of his succeeding flame I shall describe his Fathers boundlesse Fame The Grecian Emp'rours gloried to be borne And nurst in Purple by their Parents worne See here a King whose birth together twines The Britan English Norman Scottish lines How like a Princely Throne his Cradle stands White Diadems become his swathing bands His glory now makes all the Earth his Tombe But enuious Fiends would in his Mothers wombe Interre his rising greatnesse and contend Against the Babe whom heau'nly troopes defend And giue such vigour in his childhoods-state That he can strangle Snakes which swell with hate This conquest his vndaunted brest declares In Seas of danger in a world of cares Yet neither cares oppresse his constant mind Nor dangers drowne his life for age design'd The Muses leaue their sweet Castalian Springs In forme of Bees extending silken wings Wiâ—h gentle sounds to keepe this Infant still While they his mouth with pleasing hony fill Hence those large Streames of Eloquence proceed Which in the hearers strange amazement breed When laying by his Scepters and his Swords He melts their hearts with his mellifluous words So Hercules in ancient â—ictures fain'd Could draw whole Nations to his tongue enchain'd He first considers in his tender age How God hath rays'd him on this earthly Stage To act a part expos'd to eu'ry eye With Salomon he therefore striues to flie To him that gaue this Greatnesse and demands The precious gift of Wisdome from his hands While God delighted with this iust request Not onely him with wondrous Prudence blest But promis'd higher glories new encrease Of Kingdomes circled with a Ring of Peace He thus instructed by diuine commands Extends this peacefull line to other Lands When warres are threaten'd by shril Trumpets sounds His Oliue stancheth bloud and binds vp wounds The Christian World this good from him deriues That thousands had vntimely spent their liues If not preseru'd by lustre of his Crowne Which calm'd the stormes layd the billowes down And dimm'd the glory of that Roman wreath By souldiers gain'd for sauing men from death This Denmarke felt and Swethland when their strife Ascended to such height that losse of life VVas counted nothing for the dayly sight Of dying men made Death no more then night Behold two potent Princes deepe engag'd In seu'rall int'rests mutually enrag'd By former conflicts yet they downe will lay Their swords when his aduice directs the way The Northerne Climates from dissention barr'd Receiue new ioyes by his discreete award When Momus could among the Godlike-Kings Infect with poyson those immortall Springs Which flow with Nectar and such gall would cast As spoyles the sweetnesse of Ambrosiaes taste This mighty Lord as Ruler of the Quire With peacefull counsels quencht the rising fire The Austrian Arch-duke and Batauian State By his endeuours change their long-bred hate For twelue yeeres truce this rest to him they owe As Belgian Shepherds and poore Ploughmen know The Muscouites opprest with neighbours flie To safe protection of his watchfull eye And Germany his ready succours tries When sad contentions in the Empire rise His mild instinct all Christians thus discerne But Christs malignant foes shall find him sterne What care what charge he suffers to preuent Lest Infidels their number should augment His ships restraine the Pirates bloody workes And Poland gaines his ayde against the Turkes His pow'rfull Edicts stretcht beyond the Line Among the Indians seu'rall bounds designe By which his subiects may exalt his Throne And strangers keepe themselues within their owne This Ile was made the Sunnes ecliptick way For here our Phoebus still vouchsaf'd to stay And from this blessed place of his retreat In diff'rent Zones distinguisht cold and heate Sent light or darknesse and by his Commands Appointed limits to the Seas and Lands Who would imagine that a Prince employ'd In such affaires could euer haue enioy'd Those houres which drawne from pleasure and from rest To purchase precious knowledge were addrest And yet in learning he was knowne t' exceed Most whom our houses of the Muses breed Ye English Sisters Nurses of the Arts Vnpartiall Iudges of his better parts Raise vp your wings and to the world declare His solid Iudgement his Inuention rare His ready Elocution which ye found In deepest matters that your Schooles propound It is sufficient for my creeping Verse His care of English Language to rehearse He leades the lawlesse Poets of our times To smoother cadence to exacter Rimes He knew it was the proper worke of Kings To keepe proportion eu'n in smallest things He with no higher titles can be styl'd When Seruants name him lib'rall Subiects Mild. Of Antonines faire time the Romans tell No bubbles of ambition then could swell To forraine warres nor ease bred ciuill strife Nor any of the Senate lost his life Our King preserues for two and twenty yeeres This Realme from inward and from outward feares All English Peeres escape the deadly stroke Though some with crimes his anger durst prouoke He was seuere in wrongs which others felt But in his owne his heart would quickly melt For then like God from whom his glories flow He makes his Mercy swift his Iustice slow He neuer would our gen'rall ioy forget VVhen on his sacred brow the Crowne was set And therefore striues to make his Kingdome
our hearts extend our voyce To shew with what affection we reioyce VVhen friends or kinsmen wealth and honour gaine Or are return'd to freedome from the chaine How shall your seruants and your friends my Lord Declare their ioy who find no sound no word Sufficient for their thoughts since you haue got That Iewell Health which Kingdomes equall not From sicknesse freed a Tyrant farre more fell Then Turkish Pirates who in Gallies dwell The Muses to the friend of Musicke bring The signes of gladnesse Orpheus strikes a string VVhich can inspire the dull can cheare the sad And to the dead can liuely motion adde Some play some sing while I whose onely skill Is to direct the organ of my Quill That from my hand it may not runne in vaine But keepe true time with my commanding braine I will bring forth my Musicke and will trie To rayse these dumbe yet speaking Letters high Till they contend with sounds till arm'd with wing My featherd pen surmount Apollo's strings We much reioyce that lightsome calmes asswage The fighting humours blind with mutuall rage So sing the Mariners exempt from feare When stormes are past and hopefull signes appeare So chaunts the mounting Larke her gladsome lay When night giues place to the delightfull day In this our mirth the greatest ioy I finde Is to consider how your noble minde Will make true vse of those afflictions past And on this ground will fix your vertue fast You hence haue learn'd th' vncertaine state of man And that no height of glitt'ring honour can Secure his quiet for almighty God Who rules the high can with his pow'rfull rod Represse the greatest and in mercy daignes With daug'rous ioyes to mingle wholsome paines Though men in sicknesse draw vnquiet breath And count it worst of euils next to death Yet such his goodnesse is who gouernes all That from this bitter spring sweete riuers fall Here we are truly taught our selues to know To pitty others who indure like woe To feele the waight of sinne the onely cause Whence eu'ry body this corruption drawes To make our peace with that correcting hand Which at each moment can our liues command These are the blest effects which sicknesse leaues VVhen these your serious brest aright conceaues You will no more repent your former paine Then we our ioy to see you well againe To the memory of the faire and thrice vertuous Gentlewoman Mistris Elizabeth Neuell ANymph is dead milde vertuous young faire Death neuer counts by dayes or mon'ths or yeeres Oft in his sight the Infant old appeares And to his earthly mansion must repaire VVhy should our sighes disturbe the quiet Aire For when the flood of Time to ruine beares No beauty can preuaile nor parents teares VVhen life is gone we of the flesh despaire Yet still the happy soule immortall liues In heauen as we with pious hope conceiue And to the Maker endlesse prayses giues That she so soone this lothsome world might leaue VVe iudge that glorious Spirit doubly blest VVhich from short life ascends t' eternall rest Of the truly Noble and Excellent Lady the Lady Marquesse of Winchester CAn my poore lines no better office haue But lie like Scritch-Owles still about the graue VVhen shall I take some pleasure for my paine Commending them that can commend againe VVhen shall my Muse in loue-sicke lines recite Some Ladies worth which she of whom I write VVith thankfull smiles may reade in her owne dayes Or when shall I a breathing woman prayse Oneuer Mine are too ambitious strings They will not sound but of eternall things Such are freed-soules but had I thought it fit T' exalt a spirit to a body knit I would confesse I spent my time amisse VVhen I was slow to giue due praise to this Now when all weepe it is my time to sing Thus from her ashes must my Poem spring Though in the race I see some swiftly runne I will not crowne them till the goale be won â—ill death ye mortals cannot happy be VVhat can I then but woe and dangers see If in your liues I write now when ye rest I will insert your names among the blest And now perhaps my Verses may increase Your rising fame though not your boundlesse peace Which if they euer could may they make thine Great Lady further if not clearer shine I could thy husbands highest Styles relate Thy Fathers Earledome and that Englands state VVas wholy manag'd by thy Grandsires brow But those that loue thee best will best allow That I omit to praise thy match and Line And speake of things that were more truely thine Thou thought'st it base to build on poore remaines Of noble bloud which ranne in others veines As many doe who beare no flowres nor fruite But shew dead stocks which haue beene of repute And liue by meere remembrance of a sound Which was long since by winds disperst and drown'd While that false worth which they suppose they haue Is digg'd vp new from the corrupting Graue For thou hadst liuing honours not decay'd With wearing time and needing not the ayd Of Heraulds in the haruest of whose art None but the vertuous iustly clayme a part Since they our Parents memories renew For imitation not for idle view Yet what is all their skill if we compare Their paper works with those which liuely are In such as thou hast been whose present lookes If many such were would surpresse all bookes For their examples would alone suffice They that the Countrey see the Map despise For thee a Crowne of Vertues we prepare The chiefe is Wisdome in thy Sex most rare By which thou didst thy husbands state maintaine VVhich sure had falne without thee and in vaine Had aged Paulet wealth and honours heap'd Vpon his House if strangers had them reapt In vaine to height by safe still steps he climes And serues fiue Princes in most diff'rent times In vaine is he a Willow not an Oke Which winds might easly bend yet neuer broke In vaine he breakes his sleepe and is diseas'd And grieues himselfe that others may be pleas'd In vaine he striues to beare an equall hand 'Twixt Somerset and bold Northumberland And to his owne close ends directing all Will rise with both but will with neither fall All this had been in vaine vnlesse he might Haue left his heires cleare knowledge as their right But this no sonne infallibly can draw From his Descent by Nature or by Law That treasure which the soule with glory decks Respects not birth-right nor the nobler Sex For women oft haue mens defects suppli'd VVhose office is to keepe what men prouide So hast thou done and made thy name as great As his who first exalted Paulets seate Neere dew yet not too neere the thunders blow Some stood 'twixt Ioue and him though most below O well waigh'd dignity selected place Prouided for continuance of his race Not by Astrologie but Prudence farre More pow'rfull then the force of any Starre The Dukes are
gone and now though much beneath His Coronet is next th' Imperiall Wreath No richer signe his flowry Garland drown's Which shines alone aboue the lesser Crownes This thou inioyd'st as sicke men tedious houres And thought'st of brighter Pearles and fairer flowres And higher Crownes which heau'n for thee reserues When this thy worldly pompe decayes and starues This sacred seruour in thy mind did glow And though supprest with outward state and show Yet at thy death those hind'ring clouds it clear'd And like the lost Sunne to the world appear'd Euen as a strong fire vnder ashes turn'd Which with more force long secretly hath burn'd Breakes forth to be the obiect of our sight Aimes at the Orbe and ioynes his flame with light Vpon his Noble Friend Sir William Skipwith TO frame a man who in those gifts excels Which makes the Country happy where hee dwels We first conceiue what names his Line adorne It kindles vertue to be nobly borne This picture of true Gentry must be grac'd With glitt'ring Iewels round about him plac'd A comely body and a beauteous mind A heart to loue a hand to giue inclin'd A house as free and open as the Ayre A tongue which ioyes in Language sweet and faire Yet can when need requires with courage bold To publike eares his neighbours griefes vnfold All these we neuer more shall find in one And yet all these are clos'd within this stone An Epitaph vpon my deare Brother Francis Beaumont ON Death thy Murd'rer this reuenge I take I slight his terror and iust question make Which of vs two the best precedence haue Mine to this wretched world thine to the graue Thou shouldst haue followd me but death too blame Miscounted yeeres and measur'd age by Fame So dearely hast thou bought thy precious lines Their praise grew swiftly so thy life declines Thy Muse the hearers Queene the Readers loue All eares all hearts but Deaths could please and moue Of my deare Sonne Geruase Beaumont CAn I who haue for others oft compil'd The Songs of Death forget my sweetest child VVhich like a flow'r crusht with a blast is dead And ere full time hangs downe his smiling head Expecting with cleare hope to liue anew Among the Angels fed with heau'nly dew We haue this signe of Ioy that many dayes While on the earth his struggling spirit stayes The name of Iesus in his mouth containes His onely food his sleepe his ease from paines O may that sound be rooted in my mind Of which in him such strong effect I find Deare Lord receiue my Sonne whose winning loue To me was like a friendship farre aboue The course of nature or his tender age Whose lookes could all my bitter griefes asswage Let his pure soule ordain'd seu'n yeeres to be In that fraile body which was part of me Remaine my pledge in heau'n as sent to shew How to this Port at eu'ry step I goe Teares for the death of the truly Honourable the Lord Chandos LEt him whose lines a priuate losse deplore Call them to weepe that neuer wept before My griefe is more audacious giue me one Who eu'ry day hath heard a dying grone The subiect of my verses may suffice To draw new teares from dry and weary eyes We dare not loue a man nor pleasure take In others worth for noble Chandos sake And when we seeke the best with reasons light We feare to wish him longer in our sight Time had increast his vertue and our woe For sorrow gathers weight by comming slow Should him the God of life to life restore Againe we lose him and lament the more If Mortals could a thousand liues renew They were but shades of death which must insue Our gracious God hath fitter bounds assign'd And earthly paines to one short life confin'd Yet when his hand hath quench'd the vitall flame It leaues some cinders of immortall fame At these we blow and like Prometheus striue By such weake sparkes to make dead clay aliue Breath flyes to ayre the body falls to ground And nothing dwels with vs but mournfull sound O might his honor'd Name liue in my Song Reflected as with Ecchoes shrill and strong But when my lines of glorious obiects treate They should rise high because the worke is great No Quill can paint this Lord vnlesse it haue Some tincture from his actions free and braue Yet from this height I must descend againe And like the calme Sea lay my Verses plaine When I describe the smoothnesse of his mind Where reasons chaines rebellious passions bind My Poem must in harmony excell His sweet behauiour and discourse to tell It should be deepe and full of many Arts To teach his wisdome and his happy parts But since I want these graces and despaire To make my Picture like the patterne faire These hasty strokes vnperfect draughts shall stand Expecting life from some more skilfull hand Vpon the vntimely death of the Honourable hopâ—full young Gentleman Edward Stafford Sonne and Heire to the Lord Stafford DEad is the hope of Stafford in whose line So many Dukes and Earles and Barons shine And from this Edwards death his kinred drawes More griefe then mighty Edwards fall could cause For to this House his vertue promist more Then all those great Ones that had gone before No lofty titles can securely frame The happinesse and glory of a Name Bright honours at the point of Noone decay And feele a sad declining like the day But he that from the race of Kings is borne And can their mem'ries with his worth adorne Is farre more blest then those of whom he springs He from aboue the soule of goodnesse brings T' inspire the body of his Noble birth This makes it moue before but liuelesse earth Of such I write who show'd he would haue been Complete in action but we lost him greene We onely saw him crown'd with flowres of hope O that the fruits had giu'n me larger scope And yet the bloomes which on his Herse we strow Surpasse the Cherries and the Grapes that grow In others Gardens Here fresh Roses lie Whose ruddy blushes modest thoughts descry In Flowre-de-luces dide with azure hue His constant loue to heau'nly things we view The spotlesse Lillies shew his pure intent The flaming Marigold his zeale present The purple Violets his Noble minde Degen'rate neuer from his Princely kind And last of all the Hyacinths we throw In which are writ the letters of our woe To the Memory of the Learned and Religious Ferdinando Pulton Esquire AS at a ioyfull Marriage or the birth Of some long wished child or when the earth Yeelds plenteous fruit and makes the Ploughman sing Such is the sound and subiect of my string Ripe age full vertue need no fun'rall Song Here mournefull tunes would Grace Nature wrong VVhy should vaine sorrow follow him with teares VVho shakes off burdens of declining yeeres VVhose thread exceeds the vsuall bounds of life And feeles no stroke of any fatall knife The Destinies enioyne their
wheeles to run Vntill the length of his whole course be spun No enuious cloud obscures his struggling light VVhich sets contented at the point of night Yet this large time no greater profit brings Then eu'ry little moment whence it springs Vnlesse imploy'd in workes deseruing praise Most weare out many yeeres and liue few dayes Time flowes from instants and of these each one Should be esteem'd as if it were alone The shortest space which we so lightly prize VVhen it is comming and before our eyes Let it but slide into th' eternall Maine No Realmes no worlds can purchase it againe Remembrance onely makes the footsteps last VVhen winged Time which fixt the prints is past This he well-knowing all occasions tries T' enrich his owne and others learned eyes This noble end not hope of gaine did draw His minde to trauaile in the knotty Law That was to him by serious labour made A Science which to many is a Trade VVho purchase lands build houses by their tongue And study right that they may practise wrong His bookes were his rich purchases his fees That praise which Fame to painefull works decrees His mem'ry hath a surer ground then theirs VVho trust in stately Tombes or wealthy Heires To the immortall memory of the fairest and most vertuous Lady the Lady Clifton HEr tongue hath ceast to speake which might make dumbe All tongues might stay all Pens all hands benâ—â—â— Yet I must write O that it might haue beene While she had liu'd and had my verses seene Before sad cries deaf'd my vntuned eares When verses flow'd more easily then teares Ah why neglected I to write her prayse And paint her Vertues in those happy dayes Then my now trembling hand and dazled eye Had seldome fail'd hauing the patterne by Or had it err'd or made some strokes amisse For who can portray vertue as it is Art might with Nature haue maintain'd her strife By curious lines to imitate true life But now those Pictures want their liuely grace As after death none can well draw the face We let our friends passe idlely like our time Till they be gone then we see our crime And thinke what worth in them might haue beene known What duties done and what affection showne Vntimely knowledge which so deare doth cost And then beginnes when the thing knowne is lost Yet this cold loue this enuie this neglect Proclaimes vs modest while our due respect To goodnesse is restrain'd by seruile feare Lest to the world it flatt'ry should appeare As if the present houres deseru'd no prayse But age is past whose knowledge onely stayes On that weake prop which memory sustaines Should be the proper subiect of our straines Or as if foolish men asham'd to sing Of Violets and Roses in the Spring Should tarry till the flow'rs were blowne away And till the Muses life and heate decay Then is the fury slak'd the vigour fled As here in mine since it with her was dead Which still may sparkle but shall flame no more Because no time shall her to vs restore Yet may these Sparks thus kindled with her fame Shine brighter and liue longer then some flame Here expectation vrgeth me to tell Her high perfections which the world knew well But they are farre beyond my skill t' vnfold They were poore vertues if they might be told But thou who faine would'st take a gen'rall view Of timely fruites which in this garden grew On all the vertues in mens actions looke Or reade their names writ in some morall booke And summe the number which thou there shalt find So many liu'd and triumph'd in her minde Nor dwelt these Graces in a house obscure But in a Palace faire which might allure The wretch who no respect to vertue bore To loue It for the garments which it wore So that in her the body and the soule Contended which should most adorne the whole O happy Soule for such a body meete How are the firme chaines of that vnion sweete Disseuer'd in the twinkling of an eye And we amaz'd dare aske no reason why But silent think that God is pleas'd to show That he hath workes whose ends we cannot know Let vs then cease to make a vaine request To learne why die the fairest why the best For all these things which mortals hold most deare Most slipp'ry are and yeeld lesse ioy then feare And being lifted high by mens desire Are more perspicuous markes for heau'nly fire And are laid prostrate with the first assault Because our loue makes their desert their fault Then Iustice vs to some amends should mooue For this our fruitelesse nay our hurtfull loue We in their Honour piles of stone erect With their deare Names and worthy prayses deâ—â—â—â— But since those faile their glories we rehearse In better Marble euerlasting verse By which we gather from consuming houres Some parts of them though time the rest deuoures Then if the Muses can forbid to die As we their Priests suppose why may not I Although the least and hoarsest in the quire Cleare beames of blessed immortality inspire To keepe thy blest remembrance euer young Still to be freshly in all Ages sung Or if my worke in this vnable be Yet shall it euer liue vpheld by thee For thou shalt liue though Poems should decay Since Parents teach their Sonnes thy prayse to say And to posterity from hand to hand Conuay it with their blessing and their land Thy quiet rest from death this good deriues Instead of one it giues thee many liues While these lines last thy shadow dwelleth here Thy fame it selfe extendeth eu'ry where In Heau'n our hopes haue plac'd thy better part Thine Image liues in thy sad Husbands heart Who as when he enioy'd thee he was chiefe In loue and comfort so is he now in griefe Vpon the death of the most noble Lord Henry Earle of Southampton 1624. WHen now the life of great Southampton ends His fainting seruants and astonisht friends Stand like so many weeping Marble stones No passage left to vtter sighes or grones And must I first dissolue the bonds of griefe And straine forth words to giue the rest reliefe I will be bold my trembling voyce to trie That his deare Name may not in silence die The world must pardon if my song bee weake In such a case it is enough to speake My verses are not for the present age For what man liues or breathes on Englands stage That knew not braue Southampton in whose sight Most plac'd their day and in his absence night I striue that vnborne Children may conceiue Of what a Iewell angry Fates bereaue This mournefull Kingdome and when heauy woes Oppresse their hearts thinke ours as great as those In what estate shall I him first expresse In youth or age in ioy or in distresse When he was young no ornament of youth Was wanting in him acting that in truth Which Cyrus did in shadow and to men Appear'd like Peleus sonne from Chirons Den While through
this Iland Fame his praise reports As best in martiall deedes and courtly sports When riper age with winged feete repaires Graue care adornes his head with siluer haires His valiant feruour was not then decaide But ioyn'd with counsell as a further aide Behold his constant and vndaunted eye In greatest danger when condemn'd to dye He scornes th' insulting aduersaries breath And will admit no feare though neere to Death But when our gracious Soueraigne had regain'd This Light with clouds obscur'd in walls detain'd And by his fauour plac'd this Starre on high Fixt in the Garter Englands azure skie He pride which dimms such change as much did hate As base deiection in his former state When he was call'd to sit by Ioues command Among the Demigods that rule this Land No pow'r no strong perswasion could him draw From that which he conceiu'd as right and Law When shall we in this Realme a Father finde So truly sweet or husband halfe so kinde Thus he enioyde the best contents of life Obedient Children and a louing Wife These were his parts in Peace but O how farre This noble soule excell'd it selfe in VVarre He was directed by a nat'rall vaine True honour by this painefull way to gaine Let Ireland witnesse where he first appeares And to the fight his warlike Ensignes beares And thou O Belgia wert in hope to see The Trophees of his conquests wrought in thee But Death who durst not meete him in the field In priuate by close trech'ry made him yeeld I keepe that glory last which is the best The loue of Learning which he oft exprest By conuersation and respect to those Who had a name in Artes in verse or prose Shall euer I forget with what delight He on my simple lines would cast his sight His onely mem'ry my poore worke adornes He is a Father to my crowne of thornes Now since his death how can I euer looke Without some teares vpon that Orphan booke Ye sacred Muses if ye will admit My name into the roll which ye haue writ Of all your seruants to my thoughts display Some rich conceipt some vnfrequented way Which may hereafter to the world commend A picture fit for this my noble Friend For this is nothing all these Rimes I scorne Let Pens be broken and the paper torne And with his last breath let my musick cease Vnlesse my lowly Poem could increase In true description of immortall things And rays'd aboue the earth with nimble wings Fly like an Eagle from his Fun'rall fire Admir'd by all as all did him admire An Epitaph vpon that hopefull young Gentleman the Lord Wriothesley HEre lies a Souldier who in youth desir'd His valiant Fathers noble steps to tread And swiftly from his friends and Countrey fled While to the height of glory he aspir'd The cruell Fates with bitter enuy fir'd To see warres prudence in so young a head Sent from their dusky caues to strike him dead A strong disease in peacefull Robes attir'd This Murd'rer kills him with a silent dart And hauing drawne it bloody from the Sonne Throwes it againe into the Fathers heart And to his Lady boasts what he hath done What helpe can men against pale Death prouide When twice within few dayes Southampton dide IVVENAL SAT. 10. IN all the Countries which from Gades extend To Ganges where the mornings beames ascend Few men the clouds of errour can remooue And know what ill t' auoide what good to loue For what doe we by reason seeke or leaue Or what canst thou so happily conceiue But straight thou wilt thine enterprise repent And blame thy wish when thou behold'st th' euent The easie gods cause houses to decay By granting that for which the owners pray In Peace and Warre we aske for hurtfull things The copious flood of speech to many brings Vntimely death another rashly dyes While he vpon his wondrous strength relyes But most by heapes of money choked are Which they haue gather'd with too earnest care Till others they in wealth as much excell As British Whales aboue the Dolphins swell In bloody times by Neroes fierce commands The armed troope about Longinus stands Rich Senecaes large gardens circling round And Lateranus Palace much renown'd The greedy Tyrants souldier seldome comes To ransack beggers in the vpper roomes If siluer vessels though but few thou bear'st Thou in the night the sword and trunchion fear'st And at the shadow of each Reed wilt quake When by the Moone light thou perceiu'st it shake But he that trauailes empty feeles no griefe And boldly sings in presence of the thiefe The first desires and those which best we know In all our Temples are that wealth may grow That riches may increase and that our chest In publike banke may farre exceed the rest But men in earthen vessels neuer drinke Dyre poysons then thy selfe in danger thinke When cups beset with Pearles thy hand doth hold And precious Wine burnes bright in ample gold Do'st thou not now perceiue sufficient cause To giue those two wise men deseru'd applause Who when abroad they from their thresholds stept The one did alwaies laugh the other wept But all are apt to laugh in euery place And censure actions with a wrinkled face It is more maruell how the others eyes Could moysture find his weeping to suffice Democritus did euer shake his spleene With laughters force yet had there neuer been Within his natiue soyle such garments braue And such vaine signes of Honour as we haue What if he saw the Pretor standing out From lofty Chariots in the thronging rout Clad in a Coate with noble Palme-trees wrought A signe of triumph from Ioues Temple brought And deckt with an imbrodred purple Gowne Like hangings from his shoulders trailing downe No necke can lift the Crowne which then he weares For it a publike seruant sweating beares And lest the Consull should exceed in pride A Slaue with him in the same Coach doth ride The Bird which on the Iu'ry Scepter stands The Cornets and the long officious Bands Of those that walke before to grace the sight The troope of seruile Romans cloth'd in white Which all the way vpon thy Horse attends Whō thy good cheare purse haue made thy friends To him each thing he meets occasion mooues Of earnest laughter and his wisdome prooues That worthy men who great examples giue In barb'rous Countries and thicke ayre may liue He laught at common peoples cares and feares Oft at their ioyes and sometimes at their teares He in contempt to threatning Fortune throwes A halter and his scornefull finger showes We rub the knees of gods with waxe to gaine From them such things as hurtfull are or vaine Pow'r subiect to fierce spite casts many downe Whom their large stiles and famous titles drowne The Statues fall and through the streets are roll'd The wheeles which did the Chariots weight vphold Are knockt in pieces with the Hatchets stroke The harmelesse Horses legs are also broke The fires make hissing sounds