loue denies delay And by the high imperiall seate of Iouâ— So am I forc'd by Cupid for to sweare Account I must of thee my Turtlâ—-doâ—e Of thee that Times long memorie shall outweâ—re Me by thy stedfast truth and faith denying To promise any hope on thee relying My passions are a hell and death to me Vnlesse you feele remorce and pitie me My sweetest thoughts sweet loue to thee I send Passions deeply ingrafted vnremouable Are my affections and I must commend A stedfast trust in thee most admirable Hell round enwraps my bodie by disdaine And then a heauen if thou loue againe Death haunts me at the heeles yet is affraid To touch my bosome knowing thou lou'st me Me sometimes terrifying by him bâ—traid Vnlesse sweete helpfull succour come from thee You well I know the honor of mine eie Feele some remorcefull helpe in miserie Remorce sits on thy brow triumphantly And smiles vpon my face with gentle cheere Pittie loues gracious mother dwâ—ls in thee Me fauouring abandoning base feare Death is amazed viewing of thy beautie Thinking thy selfe perfect eternitie My purest loue doth none but thee adore My beartie thoughts arâ— ' thine I loue no more My comfortable sweete approued Mistris Purest of all the pure that nature framed Loue in the height of all our happinesse Doth tell me that thy vertues are not named None can giue forth thy constancie approued But I that tride thy faith my best beloued Thee in the temple of faire Venus shrine Adore I must and kneele vpon my knee My fortunes tell me plaine that thou art mine Heartie in kindnesse yeelding vnto me Thoughts the much-great disturbers of our rest Are fled and lodge in some vnquiet brest Thine euer vnremou'd and still kept word I pondred oftentimes within my mind Loue told me that thou neuer wouldst afford None other grace but that which I did find More comfortable did this sound in mine eare Then sweete releasement to a man in feare I do resolue to loue no loue but thee Therefore be kind and fauour none but me I sometime sitting by my selfe alone Do meditate of things that are ensuing Resolue I do that thou must end my mone To strengthen Loue if loue should be declining Loue in thy bosome dwels and tels me still No enuious stormes shall thwart affections will Loue hath amaz'd the world plac'd in thy brow But yet slauish disdaine seekes for to crosse Thee and my selfe that haue combin'd our vow Therefore that monster cannot worke our losse Be all the winds of Anger bent to rage Kind shalt thou find me thus my hart I gage And from my faith that 's vnremoueable Fauour be seated in thy maiden eie None can receiue it loue more acceptable But I my selfe waiting thy pittying mercie Me hast thou made the substance of delight By thy faire sunne-resembling heauenly sight Ah quoth she but where is true Loue Where quoth he where you and I loue I quoth she were thine like my loue Why quoth he as you loue I loue Ah thou imperious high commaunâ—ing Lord Quoth he to Cupid gentle god of Loue He that I honor most will not accord But striues against thy Iustice from aboue Where I haue promist faith my plighted word Is quite refused with a base reproue True louing honour this I onely will thee Loue thy true loue or else false loue will kill me Where shall I find a heart that 's free from guile Quoth Faithfulnesse within my louers brest He at these pleasing words began to smile Where Anguish wrapt his thoughts in much vnrest You did with pretie tales the time beguile And made him in conceited pleasure blest I grac'd the words spoke with so sweet a tong Loue being the holy burden of your song I grac'd your song of Loue but by the way Quoth true Experience sit and you shall see She will enchaunt you with her heauenly lay Were you fram'd all of heauenly Pollicie Thine eares should drinke the poison of Delay Like as I said so did it proue to be My Mistris beautie grac'd my Mistris song Loue pleasd more with her Eyes then with her Tong. Why then in deepenesse of sweete Loues delight Quoth she the perfect Mistris of Desire He that I honor most bard from my sight As a bright Lampe kindles Affections fire You Magicke operations worke your spight Loue to the mountaine top of will aspires I chalenge all in all and this I sing Loue is a holy Saint a Lord a King Ah Loue where is thy faith in sweete loue Why loue where hearts conioyne in true loue Why then my heart hopes of thy Loues loue Else let my heart be plagu'd with false loue Why art thou strange to me my Deare Not strange when as I loue my deare But thou esteem'st not of thy deare Yes when I know my dearest deare Why is my Loue so false to me My loue is thine if thou lou'st me Thee I loue else none contents me If thou lou'st me it not repents me Ah quoth he wher 's faith in sweete loue Why quoth she conioynd in true loue Ah quoth he I hope of thy loue Else quoth she I le die a false loue Ah my Deare why dost thou kill me No my deare Loue doth not will me Then in thine armeâ— thou shalt enfould me I my deare there thou shalt hold me And holding me betweene thine armes I shall embrace sweete Louers Charmes Though death from life my bodie part Yet neare the lesse keepe thou my hart Though some men are inconstant fond and â—ickle Deaths asâ—ie count'nance shall not alter me From glasse they take their substance being brittle Life Heart and Hand shall awaies fauour thee My Pen shall write thy vertues registrie Bodie conioyn'd with bodie free from strife Part not in sunder till we part our life Yet my soules life to my deare lifes concluding Nere let Absurditie that villaine theefe The monster of our time mens praise deriding Lesse in perseuerance of small knowledge chiefe Keep the base Gate to things that are excelling Thou by faire vertues praise maist yeeld reliefe My lines are thine then tell Absurditie Hart of my deare shall blot his villanie Where hearts agree no strife can be Where faithfulnesse vnites it selfe with loue Hearts pin'd with sorrow cannot disagree Agree they must of force for from aboue No wind oppressing mischiefe may we see Strife is quite banisht from our companie Can I be sad no Pleasure bids me
now called Chester The Citie of Cambridge built in the dayes of Gurguntius the son of Beline by one Cantaber a Spaniard brother to Partholony or as some write by Gorbonian * * Rithmi gratia * * Lacus Miâ—â—ae * * Cupid 〈…〉 Pittie me that dies for thee My life you saue if you I haue Do thou by me as I by thee Voutsafe to thinke how I do pine In louing thee that art not mine My destinie to thee is knowne Cure thou my smart I am thine owne Ore my heart your eyes do idolatrize I had rather loue though in Vaine that face then haue of any other grace What euer fall I am at call I had rather loue though in vaine that face then haue of any other grace Disgrace not me in louing thee I had rather loue thoâ—gh in vaine that face then haue of any other gracâ— My selfe and mine are alwayes thine The darting of your â—yes may heale â—r wound Let not empiring lookes my heart confound You are my ioy be not too coy For you I die being absent from my eye Send me your heart to ease my smart Seeing you haue mine let me haue thine Within thy brest my hart doth rest O let me heare from thee my deare My Phoenix Phoenix rare is all my care I would I might be thy delight If I you haue none else I craue Be you to me as I to thee You are the first in whom I trust You are the last my loue shall taste If you I had I should be glad Though placâ— be far my heart is nar My thoughts are dead cause thou art sped I send my heart to thee Where gladly I would be If you me iust haue known Then take me for your owne My heart I send to be your friend I haue no loue but you my doue I will not change though some be strange Thoughts keepe me waking Seeing that my heart made choise of thee Then frame thy selfe to comfort me My heart is bound to fauour thee Then yeeld in time to pittie me I ioy to find a constant mind My heart by hope doth liue Desire no ioy doth giue Death shall take my life away Before my friendship shall decay Let truth report what heart I beare To her that is my dearest deare Seene hath the eie chosen hath The heart firme is the faith And loth to depart Nâ— woe so great in loue Not being hard nor plague so great in loue being long deferd And if my loue shal be releeu'd by thee My heart is thine and so account of me My passions are a hell and death to me vnlesse you feele remorce and pittiâ— me My porest loue doth none but Thee adore my heartie thoughts are Thine I loue none more I do resolue to loue no Loue but thee therefore be kind and fauour none but me Ah quoth he but where is true loue Where quoth he where you and I loue I quoth she were thine like my loue Why quoth he as you loue I loue Though death from life my bodie part Yet nere the lesse keepe thou my heart Where hearts agree no strife can be Thy vowes my loue and heart hath wonne Till thy vntruth hath it vndonne Time shall tell thee how well I loue thee Most deuine and sacred haue I found your loue vnspotted The want of thee is death to me I loue to be beloued I scorne if I be scorned The heart 's â—n paine that loues in vaine What greater ioy can be then this Where loue enioyes each louers wish * * Differentia Deorum hominum apud Senecam sic habet nostri melior pars animus in illis nulla pâ—rs extra animum * * The Turtle * * The Phoenix
sing Be blessed for sweete Loue 's a happie thing Thy vowes my loue and heart hath wonne Till thy vntruth hath it vndonne Thy true vnspeakable fidelitie Vowes made to Cupid and his faire-fac'd mother My thoughts haue wonne to vertuous chastitie Loue thee alone I will and loue none other And if thou find not my loues secrecie Heart faâ—oting thee then do thou Fancie smother Hath all the world such a true Bird as I Wonne to this fauour by my constancie Till that leane fleshles cripple pale-fac'd Death Thy louely Doue shall pierce with his fell dart Vntruth in my faire bosome nere takes breath Hath any loue such a firme constant heart It is thine owne vnlesse thou keepe it still Vndone shall I be cleane against my will Time shall tell thee how well I loue thee Time the true proportioner of things Shall in the end shew my affection Tell thee from whence all these my passions spring Thee honoring that of loue haue made election How often I haue made my offerings Well knowne to Venus and her louely sonne I to the wide world shall my passions runne Loue is a Lord of hearts a great Commander Thee chalenging to be my chiefe defender Most deuine and sacred Haue I found your loue vnspotted Most reuerend Mistris honor of mine eie Deuine most holy in religious loue And Lord it selfe of my hearts emperiâ— Sacred in thoughts admitted from aboue Haue in remembrance what affection willeth I it reuiues the mind and the mind killeth Found haue I written in your skie-like brow Your neuer ceasing kind humilitie Loue for your sake to me hath made a vow Vnspotted shall I find your constancie And without staine to thy pure stainlesse beautie Shall my hearts bosome offer vp his dutie The want of thee is death to me The day shall be all night and night all day Want of the Sunne and Moone to giue vs light Of a blacke darknesse before thy loue will stay Thee from thy pleasure of thy hearts delight Is not Affection nurse to long Delay Deaths Messenger that barres me from thy sight To be in absence is to burne in fire Me round enwrapping with hot Loues desire I loue to be beloued I do acknowledge of all constant pure Loue is my true thoughts herrald and I le sing To be of thy thoughts closet firme and sure Be the world still thy vertues deifying Beloued of the most yet most of many Affirme my deare thou art belou'd of any I scorne if I be scorned I being not belou'd by my affection Scorne within my thoughts such bad disgrace If thou of me do make thy firme election I to none other loue will giue my place Be thou my Saint my bosomes Lord to proue Scorned of all I le be thy truest loue The heart 's in paine that loues in vaine The griefe poore louers feele being not beloued Hearts anguish and sad lookes may testifie In night they sleepe not and in day perplexed Paine of this sorrow makes them melancholy That in disdaine their silly minds are vexed Loues terror is so sharpe so strong so mightie In all things vnresistable being aliue Vaine he resists that gainst loues force doth striue What greater ioy can be then this Where loue enioyes each louers wish What may we count the world if loue were dead Greater in woe then woe it selfe can be Ioy from mans secret bosome being fled Cannot but kill the heart immediatly Because by ioy the heart is nourished Then entertaine sweete loue within thy brest This motion in the end will make thee blest Where two harts are vnited all in one Loue like a King a Lord a Soueraigne Enioyes the throne of blisse to sit vpon Each sad heart crauing aid by Cupid slaine Louers be merrie Loue being dignified Wish what you will it shall not be denied Finis quoth R. Chester HEREAFTER FOLLOVV DIVERSE Poeticall Essaies on the former Subiect viz the Turtle and Phoenix Done by the best and chiefest of our moderne writers with their names subscribed to their particular workes neuer before extant And now first consecrated by them all generally to the loue and merite of the true-noble Knight Sir Iohn Salisburie Dignum laude virum Musavetat mori MDCI. INVOCATIO Ad Apollinem Pierides GOod Fate faire Thespian Deities And thou bright God whose golden Eies Serue as a Mirrour to the siluer Morne When in the height of Grace she doth adorne Her Chrystall presence and inuites The euer-youthfull Bromius to delights Sprinckling his sute of Vâ—rt with Pearle And like a loose enamour'd Girle Ingles his cheeke which waxing red with shame Instincts the senslesse Grapes to do the same Till by his sweete reflection fed They gather spirit and grow discoloured To your high influence we commend Our following Labours and sustend Our mutuall palmes prepar'd to gratulate An honorable friend then propagate With your illustrate faculties Our mentall powers Instruct vs how to rise In weighty Numbers well pursu'd And varied from the Multitude Be lauish once and plenteously profuse Your holy waters to our thirstie Muse That we may giue a Round to him In a Castalian boule crown'd to the brim Vatum Chorus To the worthily honor'd Knight Sir Iohn Salisburie NOblest of minds here do the Muses bring Vnto your safer iudgements tast Pure iuice that flow'd from the Pierian springs Not filch'd nor borrow'd but exhaust By the flame-hair'd Apollos hand And at his well-obseru'd command For you infusde in our retentiue braine â—s now distild thence through our quilles againe Value our verse as you approue the worth And thinke of what they are create No Mercenarie hope did bring them forth They tread not in that seruile Gate But a true Zeale borne in our spirites Responsible to your high Merites And an Inuention freer then the Times These were the Parents to our seuerall Rimes Wherein Kind Learned Enuious al may view That we haue writ worthy our selues and you Vatum Chorus The first THe siluer Vault of heauen hath but one Eie And that 's the Sunne the foule-maskt-Ladie Night Which blots the Cloudes the white Booke of the Skie But one sicke Phoebe feuer-shaking Light The heart one string so thus in single turnes The world one Phoenix till another burnes The burning SVppose here burnes this wonder of a breath In righteous flames and holy-heated fires Like Musicke which doth rapt it selfe to death Sweet'ning the inward roome of mans Desires So she wast's both her wings in pâ—teous strife The flame that eates her seedes the others life Her rare-dead ashes fill a rare-liue vrne One Phoenix borne another Phoenix burne Ignoto
And taught the lawes of Armes in equipage To after time her skill she did engage Apollo was her deare begotten sonne In Abrahams time she liu'd till life was donne Semiramis Queene of Assiria Was second worthie of this worlds great wonder She conquered large Aethiopia And brought the Necke of that stout Nation vnder Wasting the Countries of rich India Her dayes of Honor and of Regiment Was in the time of Isaacks gouernment The third and chiefest for Audaciousnesse And Enterprises that she tooke in hand Was Tomyris full of true Noblenesse Queene of the North as I do vnderstand From forth her eyes she lightned Honors Brand And brandished a Sword a sword of Fame That to her weake Sexe yeelded Hectors name When she receiued newes her sonne was dead The Hope and Vnderprop of Scithia She put on Armour and encountered The Monarch Cyrus King of Persia And Gouernor of rich Getulia Slue him in sight her Fame for to renew Two hundred thousand Souldiers ouerthrew Amongst the Hebrew women we commend Iahel the Kenite for the first in bountie Whose vncomprehensible valour in the end Did free and set at large her captiu'd Countrie Oppressed with tyrannicall Miseriâ— From dangers imminent of â—irie Warre By killing hand to hand her foe great Sisar Debora an Hebrew worthie the second place She fortie yeares did gouerne Israel In peace preseru'd her Land her land of Grace Where honest sportiue Mirth did alwaies dwell Her holy holinesse no tongue can tell Nations astonied at her happinesse Did grieue to loose her Wisedomes worthinesse Iudith the third that redeliuered The strong besieged Citie of Bethulia And when the prowd Foe she had vanquished And ouercame hot-spur'd Assiria Bringing in triumph Holofernes head She got a great and greater Victorie Then thousand Souldiers in their maiestie The first of Christians was faire Maud the Countesse Countesse of Aniow daughter to a King Englands first Henry Almaines Empresse Heire in dubitate and her Fathers ofspring She titles to the English Crowne did bring She ne're desisted from the warlike field Till that vsurped Stephen of Blois did yeeld And condiscended to her sonnes deare right That war-like Maude had reobtain'd by might The second was Elizabeth of Aragon Queene and wife to honorable Ferdinando She stoutly fought for propagation Of Christian Faith brought to subuersion The forsaken infidels of Granado Reducing that pâ—oud prouince all in one To follow Christs vnspotted true Religion The last was Iohane of Naples true borne Queene Sister to Ladislaus King of Hungarie A woman that defended as t was seene Her countries great and gracious libertie By force of laudable Armes and Chiualrie Against the Sarasins inuasion And proud hot warres of princely Aragon Thus haue I in the honor of their worth Laid ope their Progenie their Deedes their Armes Tâ—eir ofspring and their honorable Birth That is a Lanthorne lightning their true Fames Which Truth can neuer burne in Enuies flames Worthie of wonder are these three times three Folded in brazen Leaues of memorie Windsor a Castle of exceeding strength First built by Aruiragus Brytaines King But finished by Arthur at the length Of whose rare deedes our Chronicles do ring And Poets in their verse his praise do sing For his Round-table and his war-like Fights Whose valiantnesse the coward Mind affrights This Brytish King in warres a Conquerer And wondrous happie in his Victories Was a companion of this noble Order And with his person grac'd these Dignities Great dignities of high exceeding Valour For he himselfe the selfe-same Honor tooke That all his following States did euer brooke This Paragon whose name our time affrights At Windsor Castle dubbed in one day One hundred and iust fortie valiant Knights With his keene trustie Sword and onely stay Cald Dridwin that his Loue did ouersway And with that Sword the very day before He slue as many Saxon foâ—s or more But English Edward third of Memorie In blessed and religious zeale of Loue Built vp a Colledge of exceeding glory That his kind care to England did approue This Colledge doth this Castle beautifie The Honor of the place is held so deare That many famous Kings are buried thâ—re But one rare thing exceeding admirable That to this day is held in great renowne And to all Forreiners is mâ—morable The Name of which makes Englands foes to frowne And puls the pride of forreine Nations downe Knights of the Garter and Saint Georges Crosse Betok'ning to the Foe a bloudie losse Here followeth the Birth Life and Death of honourable Arthur King of Brittaine To the courteous Reader COurteous Reader hauing spoken of the first foundatâ—on of that yet renowned castle of Windsor by Aruiragus king of Britain finished by that succeeding prince of worthy memory famous king Arthur I thought good being intreated by some of my honourable-minded Friends not to let slip so good and fit an occasion by reason that there yet remaines in this doubtfull age of opinions a controuersie of that esteemed Prince of Brittaine to write not according to ages obliuioÌ„ but directed onely by our late Historiographers of England who no doubt haue taken great paines in the searching foorth of the truth of that first Christian Worthie and wheras I know not directed by what blindnes there haue bene some Writers as I thinke enemies to truth that in their erronious censures haue thought no such maÌ„ euer to be liuing How fabulous that should seeme to be I leaue to the iudgement of the best readâ—rs who know for certaine that that neuer dead Prince of memory is more beholding to the French the Romane the Scot the Italian yea to the Greekes themselues then to his owne Country-men who haue fully and wholly set foorth his fame and liuelyhood then how shamelesse is it for some of vs to let slip the truth of this Monarch And for more confirmatioÌ„ of the truth looke but in the Abbey of Westminster at Saint Edwards shrine there shalt thou see the print of his royal Seale in red wax closed in Berrill with this inscription Patricius Arthurus Gallie Germaniae Daciae Imperator At Douer likewise you may see Sir Gawins skull and Cradocks mantle At Winchester a Citie well knowne in England his famous round Table with many other notable monuments too long to rehearse Besides I my selfe haue seen imprinted a french Pamphlet of the armes of king Arthur and his renowmed valiant Knights set in colours by the Heraulds of France which charge of impression would haue been too great otherwise I had inserted them orderly in his Life and Actions but gentle Reader take this my paines gratefully and I shal hereafter more willingly striue to employ my simple wit to thy better gratulation I haue here set downe turned from French prose into English meeter the words of the Herald vnder the arms of that worthy Brittaine King Arthur in his warlike Shield did beare Thirteene rich Crownes of purified gold He was a valiant noble Conquerer As ancient Memorie hath
broade plaine When first these hautie Giants he doth spie The Britaines scorne for to retire againe But either winne the honor or else die Courage quoth Arthur better die with fame Then yeeld or turne to our immortall shame At length they meete and meeting cope together As when two sauage Boares are full of iâ—e The Victorie as yet inclin'd to neither But from their Creasts and Shields did sparckle fire Inkindled Wrath from Arthurs breast hath sprong That he made passage through the thickest throng The King of Giants Arthur meetes withall And copes with him for in his strength did stand His Kingdomes great aduancement or his fall His Subiects peace his quietnesse of land But this renowne to Britaine doth remaine The Giant Arthur hand to hand hath slaine When he was downe the rest did faint for feare Which when the British armie had espied Their true-borne valour did they not forbeare But all the greene grasse with their bloud they died And made such slaughter of these monstrous men That after-time hath registred agen After this Conquest is King Arthur minded With all his royall power to march to Rome And with his Lords he hath determined This gallant Resolution and this Doome To crowne himselfe by warre their Emperour And ouer all a mightie Gouernour And had not Fortune and Rebellion Stir'd vp his Cousin Mordreds hautie mind At home to make ciuill inuasion Who sought King Arthurs glory for to blind With honour had he re-inkindled fire To burne the wals of Rome to his desire But O false Mordred thou deceitfull Kinsman Begot of Treasons heyre thus to rebell Against thy noble Nephew who hath wonne Cities and peopled Townes that did excell And all he did was for to glorifie His Royall kindred and his Noble countrey But thou some base-borne Haggard mak'st a wing Against the Princely Eagle in his flight And like a hissing Serpent seek'st to sting The Lion that did shield thee from despight But now being wakened by his Countries wrong With warre he meanes to visite you ere long The newes of this proud Rebell in his Land Was like deepe piercing arrowes at his hart Intemperate Rage did make them vnderstand King Arthurs furie and fond Mordreds smart Who vow'd reuengement most vnnaturall On him that sought to bring his friends to thrall He sounds Retraitâ— with heart-swolne heauinesse That he must leaue faire Rome vnconquered And marcheth through the Land in quietnesse To be reueng'd on the Vsurper Mordred At this sweet newes of his departing thence The Romaines praise the Rebels excellence King Arthur heard at his returne towards Brytaine How Mordred had proclaim'd himselfe there King Those that resisted he by force hath slaine Vnto their Countries ground a gentle offring And to the Saxon Cheldricke is allide Who landing to their lawfull King denide By force they â—riue King Arthur from the shore And like rebellious Monsters kill his men Which when he viewes he striueth more and more And his great pâ—issant strength renewes againe And maugre all the power they withstand At Sandwich Noble Arthur taketh Land And ioyning battell with his enemâ—es The traytrous Rebels are discomfited And Mordred all in hast away he flies By treasons bloudie Traine murther led To gather Power to renew the fight Vrg'd forward by the Saxon Cheldricks spight The Noble Arthur in this conflict lost Some of his followers whom he lou'd too deare The death of gentle Gawen grieu'd him most As by his outward sorrow did appeare This Gawen was proud Mordreds lawfull brotheâ— Legitimate by father and by mother O mirrour of true borne gentilitiâ— Faire mappe of Honor in his gentle blood That rather chose to loue his noble counâ—rie And seeke the meanes to do his life Liege good Then to defend his kindred by that warre That made the Sonne and most kind Father iarre Kind Gawen trustie worthie Gentleman Belou'd of Arthur as deseruedly Recording Time thy faithfulnesse shall scan And loyall Truth wrapt vp in memorie Shall say in thy Kings quarrell being iust At last thou diâ—dst not in thy Brothers trust Thy gentle King prepaâ—d thy Funeral And laid thy bodie in a Sâ—pulchre Inthine owne country richly done and royall At Rosse whose auncestrie shall still endure And like a Nephew mourn'd and wept for thee Grieuing to loose Brytish Nobilitie But to proceede in this vnluckie fight King Angusel was slaine whom Arthur loued A man in whom his countrie tooke delight That ne're with home-bred Treacherie was moued In false-faith'd Scotland was his bones interd To which before King Arthur him preâ—erd That vniust Mordred Mischiefes nourisher Times â—ad infamer Traitor to the State Of his whole Countrie bounds the chiefe perturber Whose name to this day mongâ—t them growes in hate Fled from the battell getting ships he saild Westward towards Cornwail wheÌ„ his force was quaild But when King Arthur heard of his departure Causing the refuse Rebels for to flie To make the way of his defence more sure With speed he re-inforst his royall armie With new supplie of hardie men at Armes Whose Resolution fear'd no following harmes With his whole force he marcheth after him Where all the Kentish men reioyce to see King Arthurs Colours whose rich pride doth dim The faire-fac'd Sunne in all his Maiestie Not resting till he came vnto the place Where Mordred was incamped for a space By Winchester a Citie of renowne The Traitorous armie of this Mordred lay On whose proud gather'd troupe the Sunne did frowne Fore-shewing to his men a blacke-fac't day And so it prou'd before the selfe-same night Mordred and his best friends were slaine in fight At Camblane was this bloudie battell ended Where fame-aâ—thieuing Arthur sore was wounded With gallant Britaine Lords being attended Whose sword cald Pridwin manie had confounded Yet Fortunes vnseene immortalitie Sometime cuts downe sprigs of a Monarchie At this dayes dolefull stroke of Arthurs death The glorious shining Sunne lookt pale and wanne And when this Monarch losed forth his breath The Britaines being amaz'd about him ranne And with their nailes did teare their flesh asunder That they had lost their King the worlds great Wonder Ouer this litle Iland he had raigned The full iust terme of sixe and twentie yeares When twelue most famous battles he obtained As in our auncient Chronicles appeares And in the Church-yard of faire Glastenburie They held King Arthurs wofull obsequie And in the time of second Henries dayes Betweene two pillars was his body found That in his life deseru's immortall praise Layd sixteene foote deepe vnderneath the ground Because his Saxon foes whom he did chase Should not with swords his liuelesse corps deface In the last yeare of Henries royaltie More then sixe hundred after his buriall By the Abbot of the house of Glastenburie At last they found King Arthurs funerall Henry de Bloys the Abbots name they gaue Who by the Kings commaund did find the graue The principall and chiefe occasion That moou'd King Henry for to seeke the
place Was that a Bardth in Welsh diuision Recorded Arthurs actes vnto his Grace And in the foresaid Church-yard he did sing That they should find the body of the King And those that dig'd to find his bodie there After they enterd seuen foote deepe in ground A mightie broade stone to them did appeare With a great leaden Crosse thereto bound And downwards towards the corpes the Crosse did lie Containing this inscripted poesie Hic iacet sepultus inclytus Rex Arthurus in Insula Aualoniae His bodie whose great actes the world recorded When vitall limitation gaue him life And Fames shrill golden Trump abroad had sounded What Warres he ended what Debate what Strife What Honor to his countrey what great Loue Amongst his faithfull subiects he did proue Was not interd in sumptuous royaltie With funerall pompe of kindred and of friends Nor closde in marble stone wrought curiously Nor none in mourning blacke his King attends But in a hollow tree made for the â—once They do enter King Arthurs princely bones Their outward habite did not shew their mind For many millions of sad weeping eies In euery streete and corner you might find Some beating their bare breast and some with outcries Cursing and Banning that proud Mordreds soule That did by warre his princely life controule The Kings that were attendant on his traine Forgot their kingdomes and their royall crownes Their high proud hautie hearts with griefe were slaine Strucke in amaze with Fortunes deadly frownes For they had lost their Scepter Seate and all By princely Arthurs most vnhappie fall The trunke being opened at the last they found The bones of Arthur King of Brytanie Whose shin-bone being set vpon the ground As may appeare by auncient Memorie Reacht to the middle thigh within a spanne Of a tall proper well set bigge lim'd Man And furthermore they found King Arthurs skull Of such great largenesse that betwixt his eyes His foreheads space a spanne broad was at full That no true Historiographer denies The forenam'd Abbot liuing in those daies Saw what is written now to Arthurs praise The print of tenne wounds in his head appeared All growne together except onely one Of which it seemes this worthie Brytaine died A true Memoriall to his louing Nation But that was greater far then all the rest Had it bene lesser Brytaine had bene blest In opening of the Tombe they found his wife Queene Guiniuere interred with the King The Tresses of her haire as in her life Were finely platted whole and glistering The colour like the most pure refin'd gold Which being toucht straight turned into mould Henry de Bloyes at the length translated The bones of Arthur and his louely Queene Into the great Church where they were interred Within a Marble toombe as oft was seene Of whom a worthie Poet doth rehearse This Epitaph in sweete Heroicke Verse Hic iacet Arthurus flos regum gloria regni Quem mores probit as commendant laude perenni Iohannis Leylandij antiquarij Eâ—comion funerale in vitam facta mortemque Regis Arthuri inclitissiâ—i SAxonicas toties qui fudit marte cruento Turmas peperit spolijs sibi nomen opimis Fulmineo toties Pictos qui contudit ense Imâ—osuitque iugum Scoti ceruicibus ingens Qui tumidos Gallos Germanos quique feroces Pertulit Dacos bello confregit aperto Denique Mordredum è medio qui sustulit illud Monstrum horrendum ingens dirum seuumque tyrannum Hoc iacet extinctus monumento Arthurius alto Militiae clarum decus virtutis alumnus Gloria nunc cuius terram circumuolat omnem Aetherijque petit sublimia tecta tonantis Vosigitur gentis Proles generosa Britannae Induperatoriter magno assurgite vosiro Et tumulo sâ—cro Roseas inferte Corollas Officij testes redolentia muncra vestri Thus Englished He that so oft the Saxon Troupes did foile And got a name of worth with richest spoile He that with brandisht sword the Picts destroyed And yok'd the Scots their stubborn necks annoyd He that the loftie French and Germaines fierce did 〈◊〉 And Dacians force with Warre did vanquish quite He lastly which cut off that monster Mordreds life A cruell Tyrant horrible mightie full of strife Arthur lyes buried in this Monument Warres chiefest garland Vertues sole intent Whose Glorie through the world stil swiftly flies And mounts with Fames wings vp to the thundring skies You gentle Off spring of the Britaines blood Vnto this puissant Emperour do honours good And on his Tombe lay Garlands of sweete Roses Sweete gifts of Dutie and sweete louing posies Finis Epitaphij No. Arth. The true Pedigree of that famous VVorthie King Arthur collected out of many learned Authors TWelue men in number entred the vale of Aualon Ioseph of Arimathea was the chiefest we confesse Iosué the sonne of Ioseph his father did attend on With other ten these Glaston did possesse Hilarius the Nephew of Ioseph first begate Iosue the Wise Iosue Aminadab Aminadab Castellors had by fate Castellors got Manael that louely Lad And Manael by his wife had faire-fac'd Lambard With another deare sonne surnamed Vrlard And Lambard at the length begot a sonne That had Iâ—rene boâ—ne of his wife Of this Igrene Vter the great Pâ—ndragon Begot King Arthur famous in his life Where by the truth this Pedigree dâ—th end Arthur from Iosephs loynes did first descend Peter Cousin to Ioseph of Arimathea Being sometimes King of great Arcadia Begat Erlan that famous worthy Prince And Erlan gat Melianus that did conuince His neighbour foes Melianus did beget Edor and Edor Lothos name did set That tooke to wife the sister of King Arthur A Virgine faire chaste louely and most pure Of whom this Lotho had foure louely boyes Their fathâ—rs comfort and their mothers ioyes Walwanus Agranaius Garelus and Guerelise That in their countrey much did soueragnize All which were men of great authoritie And famous in the land of Britaine Here endeth the Birth Life Death and Pedigree of King Arthur of Britanie now to where we left Phoenix O Nature tell me one thing ere we part What famous towne and situated Seate Is that huge Building that is made by Art Against whose wals the crystall streames do beate As if the flowing tide the stones would eate That lies vpon my left hand built so hie That the huge top-made Steeple dares the Skie Nature That is the Britaines towne old Troynouant The which the wandring Troyans Sonne did frame When after ship wracke he a place did want For to reuiue his Honor-splitted Name And raisd againe the cinders of his Fame When from Sydonian Dido they did steale To reare the Pillars of a Common-weale Since when to come more nearer to our time Lud the great King did with his wealth enlarge The famous builded Citie of this Clime And Ludstone to be cald he gaue in charge And London now that Towne is growne at large The flowing Riuer Thamasis is nam'd Whose Sea-ensuing Tide can neare be tam'd
staine It hardneth so the flesh and tender skin That what is seene without comes not within The Father that desires to haue a boy That may be Heire vnto his land and liuing Let his espoused Loue drinke day by day Good Artichocks who buds in August bring Sod in cleare running water of the spring Wiues naturall Conception it doth strengthen And their declining life by force doth lengthen In Sommer time when sluggish idlenesse Doth haunt the bodie of a healthfull man In Winter time when a cold heauie slownesse Doth tame a womans strength do what she can Making her looke both bloudlesse pale and wan The vertue of this Artichocke is such It stirres them vp to labour verie much There 's Sowbread Stanwort and Starre of Hierusalâ—â—â— Base or flat Veruine and the wholesome Tansie Go to bed at noone and Titimalem Hundred headed thistle and tree-clasping Iuie Storks bill great Stonecrop and seed of Canary Dwarfe gentian Snakeweed and sommer Sauory Bell rags prickly Boxe and Raspis of Couentry This Sowbread is an herbe that 's perillous For howsoeuer this same Roote be vsed For women growne with child t is dangerous And therefore it is good to be refused Vnlesse too much they seeke to be misused O haue a care how this you do apply Either in inward things or outwardly Those that about them carrie this same Sowbread Or plant it in their gardens in the Spring If that they onely ouer it do tread Twill kill the issue they about them bring When Mother Lullabie with ioy should sing Yet wanton scaping Maides perhaps will tast This vnkind herbe and snatch it vp in hast Yet let me giue a warning to you all Do not presume too much in dalliance Be not short-heeld with euery wind to fall The Eye of heauen perhaps will not dispence With your rash fault but plague your fowle offence And take away the working and the vertue Because to him you broke your promis'd dutie There 's Iuie that doth cling about the tree And with her leauie armes doth round embrace The rotten hollow withered trunke we see That from the maiden Cissus tooke that place Grape-crowned Bacchus did this damzell grace Loue-piercing windowes dazeled so her eye That in Loues ouer-kindnesse she did dye A rich-wrought sumptuous Banquet was prepared Vnto the which the Gods were all inuited Amongst them all this Cissus was insnared And in the sight of Bacchus much delighted In her fairâ— boâ—ome was true Loue vnited She daunc't and often kist him with such mirth That sudden ioy did stop her vitall breath Assoone as that the Nourisher of things Oâ—r Grandam Earth had tasted of her bloud From foorth her bodie a fresh Plant there springs And then an Iâ—y-climing Herbe there stood That for the â—lâ—xe Dissenterie is good For the remembrance of the God of wine It therefore alwaies claspes about the Vine There is Angellica or Dwarfe Gentian Whose 〈◊〉 being dride in the hot shining Sunne From deâ—â—h it doth preserue the poysoned man Whose extreame torment makes his life halfe gone That from deaths mixed potion could not shunne No Pestilence nor no infectious aire Shall do him hurt or cause him to dispaire There 's Carduus benedictuâ— cald the Blessed thistle Neswort Peniroyall and Astrolochia Yellow Wolfs-bane and Rose-smelling Bramble Our Ladies Bedstraw Brookelime and Lunaria Cinque foile Cats taile and Cresse Sciaâ—ica Hollihockes Mouseare and Pety Morrell Sage Scorpiades and the garden Sorrell First of the Nesewort it doth driue away And poysoneth troublesome Mice and long-tail'd Rats And being sod in milke it doth destroy Bees Waspes or Flies and litle â—â—inging Gnats It killeth Dogs and rest disturbing Cats Boyled with vineger it doth asswage The ach proceeding from the tooths hot rage Sage is an herbe for health preseruatiue It doth expell from women barrennesse Aetius saith it makes the child to liue Whose new-knit ioynts are full of feeblenesse And comforteth the mothers wearinesse Adding a liâ—ely spirit that doth good Vnto the painefull labouring wiues sicke bloud In Egypt when a great mortalitie And killing Pestilence did infect the Land Making the people die innumerablie The plague being ceast the women out of hand Did drinke of iuyce of Sage continually That made them to increase and multiply And bring foorth store of children presently This herbe Lunaria if a horse do grase Within a medow where the same doth grow And ouer it doth come with gentle pace Hauing a horslocke at his foote below As many haue that sauegard we do know It openeth the Locke and makes it fall Despight the barre that it is lockt withall There 's Standergras Hares ballockes or great Orchis Prouoketh Venus and procureth sport It helpes the weakned body that 's amisse And fals away in a consumptuous sort It heales the Hectique feauer by report But the dried shriueld roote being withered Hindreth the vertue we haue vttered If Man of the great springing rootes doth eate Being in matrimoniall copulation Male children of his wife he shall beget This speciall vertue hath the operation If Women make the withered rootes their meate Faire louely Daughters affable and wise From their fresh springing loines there shall arise There 's Rosemarie the Arabians iustifie Phisitions of exceeding perfect skill It comforteth the braine and Memorie And to the inward sence giues strength at will The head with noble knowledge it doth fill Conserues thereof restores the speech being lost And makes a perfect Tongue with little cost There 's Dwale or Nightshade t is a fatall plant It bringeth men into a deadly sleepe Then Rage and Anger doth their senses haunt And like mad Aiax they a coile do keepe Till leane-fac'd Death into their heart doth creepe In Almaine graue experience hath vs tought This wicked herbe for manie things is nought Oke of Ierusalem being throughly dried And laid in presses where your clothes do lie No Mothes or venome mongst them shall abide It makes them smell so odoriferoâ—sly That it doth kill them all immediately It helpes the breast that 's stopped with corruption And giues mans breath fit operation 〈◊〉 Blest be our mother Earth that nourisheth In her rich womb the seede of Times increase And by her vertue all things flourisheth When from her bosome she doth them release But are their Plants and Trees in this faire I le Where Floras sweete spread garden seemes to smile Naturâ— As plentifull vnto these Ilanders Are the fruit-bearing Trees as be the Flowers And to the chiefest Lords that are commandâ—rs They serue as pleasant ouer-shading bowers To banquet in the day and sport being late And most of them I meane to nominate Ther 's the great sturdie Oke and spreading Vine Vnder whose branches Bacchus vsd ' to sleepe The Rose-tree and the loftie bearing Pine That seemes being toucht with wind full oft to weepâ— The Hawthorne Christs-thorne and the Rosemary The Tamariske Willow and the Almond-tree The most chast tree that Chastnesse doth betoken The Hollyholme the Corke
alter'd Loue to be so rude Thoughts keepe me waking Thoughts like the ayrie puffing of the wind Keepe a sweet faining in my Loue-sicke brest Me still assuring that thou art most kind Waking in pleasure sleeping sure in rest That no sleepes dreamings nor no waking cries To our sweet louing thoughts sweet rest denies Seeing that my hart made choise of thee Then frame thy selfe to comfort me Seeing Loue is pleas'd with Loues enamor'd ioyes That Fortune cannot crosse sweet Cupids will My Loues content not with fond wanton toyes Hart of my hart doth Loues vnkindnesse kill Made by fond tongues vpbraiding hurtfull skill Choise now is fram'd to further all annoyes Of all sweete thoughts of all sweete happie rest Thee haue I chose to make me three times blest Then let our holy true aspiring loue Frame vs the sweetest musicke of Desire Thy words shall make true concord and remoue Selfe-will it selfe for Venus doth require To be acquainted with thy beauties fire Comfort my heart for comfort tels me this Me hast thou chose of all to be thy blisse My heart is bound to fauour thee Then yeeld in time to pittie me My Phoenix hath two starre-resembling Eyes Heart full of pittie and her smiling looke Is of the Sunnes complexion and replies Bound for performance by faire Venus booke To faithfulnesse which from her nurse she tooke Fauour in her doth spring in vertuous praise Thee Eloquence it selfe shall seeke to raise Then in performance of this gracious right Yeeld vp that piteous heart to be my Louer In recompence how I haue lou'd thy sight Time shall from time to time to thee discoâ—er To thee is giuen the power of Cupids might Pittie is writ in gold vpon thy hart Me promising to cure a curelesse smart I ioy to find a constant mind I am encompast round about with ioy Ioy to enioy my sweete for she protesteth To comfort me that languish in annoy Find ease if any sorrow me molesteth A happie maâ— that such a loue possesseth Constant in words and alwayes vowes to loue me Mind me she will but yet she dares not proue me My heart by hope doth liue Desire no ioy doth giue My loue and dearest life to thee I consecrate Heart of my hearts deare treasure for I striue By thy deuinenesse too deuine to nominate Hope of approued faith in me must thriue Doth not the God of Loue that 's most deuine Liue in thy bosomes closet and in mine Desire to that vnspeakable delight No sharpe conceited wit can nere set downe Ioy in the world to worldly mens ey-sight Doth but ignoble thy imperiall crowne Giue thou the onset and the foe will flie Amazed at thy great commanding beautie Death shall take my life away Before my friendship shall decay Death that heart-wounding Lord sweet louers foe Shall lay his Ebone darts at thy faire feete Take them into thy hand and worke my woe My woe that thy minds anguish will regreet Life hart ioy greeting and all my pleasure Away are gone and fled from my deare treasure Before one staine shal blot thy scarlet die My bloud shall like a fountaine wash the place Friendship it selfe knit with mortality Shall thy immortall blemish quite disgrace Decay shall all the world my Loue in thee Shall liue vnstain'd vntoucht perpetually Let truth report what hart I beare To her that is my dearest deare Let not foule pale-fac'd Enuy be my foe Truth must declare my spotlesse loyalty Report vnto the world shall plainely show What hart deare Loue I alwayes bore to thee Hart fram'd of perfect Loues sincerity I cannot flatter this I plainely say Beare with false words I le beare the blame away To change in loue is a base simple thing Her name will be ore stain'd with periuâ—y That doth delight in nothing but dissembling Is it not shame so for to wrong faire beauty My true approued toung must answer I Dearest beware of this and learne of me Deare is that Loue combin'd with Chastity Seene hath the eye chosen hath the hart Firme is the faith and loth to depart Seene in all learned arts is my beloued Hath anie one so faire a Loue as I The stony-hearted sauage hath she moued Eye for her eye tempts blushing chastitie Chosen to make their nine a perfect ten Hath the sweet Muses honored her agen The bright-ey'd wandring world doth alwaies seeke Heart-curing comfort doth proceed from thee Firme trust pure thoughts a mind that 's alwayes meeke Is the true Badge of my loues Soueraigntie The honor of our age the onely faire Faiths mistris and Truths deare adopted heire And those that do behold thy heauenly beautie Loth to forsake thee spoile themselues with gazing To thee all humane knees proffer their dutie Depart they will not but with sad amazing To dimme their ey-sight looking gainst the sunne Whose hot reflecting beames will neare be donne No woe so great in loue not being heard No plague so great in loue being long deferd No tongue can tell the world my hearts deepe anguish Woe and the minds great perturbation So trouble me that day and night I languish Great cares in loue seeke my destruction In all things gracious sauing onely this Loue is my foe that I account my blisse Not all the world could profer me disgrace Being maintained fairest faire by thee Hard-fortune shall thy seruant nere outface No stormes of Discord should discomfort me Plague all the world with frownes my Turtle-doâ—â— So that thou smile on me and be my loue Great Mistris matchlesse in thy soueraigntie In lue and recompence of my affection Loue me againe this do I beg of thee Being bound by Cupids kind direction Long haue I su'd for grace yet stil I find Deferd I am by her that 's most vnkind And if my loue shall be releeu'd by thee My heart is thine and so account of me And yet a stedfast hope maintaines my hart If anie fauour fauourably proceede My deare from thee the curer of my smart Loue that easeth minds opprest with neede Shall be the true Phisition of my griefe Releeu'd alone by thee that yeeld'st râ—liefe By all the holy rites that Loue adoreth Thee haue I lou'd aboue the loue of any My heart in truth thee alwayes fauoureth Heart freed from any one then freed from many Is it not base to change yea so they say Thine owne confession