Which do adumbrate sleepy rockes deceits Could not debarre his thoughts but he did goe To conquer France and Englands greatest foe Wolsey then liu'd high minded worthy Clarke VVhich did erect those glorious Towres of yore Learnings receptacle Religions parke Oh that some Eagle-mounting thought would so are To finish that which he began before Oh that some Prince for none but Princes can VVould perfect that that excellent worke of man The siluer Isis and the gliding Thame Whose billowes resalute the verdant strand Should warble Paans to his mightie name The leaden age is past which rulde the land Saturne is come and Saturne doth command VVhose hopes were dead rich students neuer feare Most rich in hope some will your turrets reare Nurse of ingenious spirits Athens praise Chiefe benefactor of what ere is mine O might I see some mightie Monarch raise Those halfe built walles and parted towres combine Then Christ might yet be iustly tearmed thine As Christ is best so should his houses bee And in perfection haue a sympathie Henries triumphant carkasse laid in graue Couered with gold in Caesars ancient towre Edward succeeds a Prince though yong yet graue The skye which whilome smilde begins to lowre And showres of sorrow on the land to powre He endes his life before it scarce began What is more short then shortest life of man When nature fram'd this Prince oh goodly creature Compos'd of pure and elementall fire Turnd in a heauenly mowld diuinest feature She saw her selfe deceiu'd and wroth with ire When life began his end she did desire What enuie so could thee proud Nature sting Nothing should make and marre the selfe same thing The Gods did enuie mans felicitie And therfore did to Nature condescend That this yong King great King of Maiestie In sixteene yeares his vitall course should spend His life hath end and all our ioyes haue end Nature doth hasten to the house of death And shee consents to steale away his breath Now Spayne and England ioynes that peace I loue That concord doth augment the common state Pray God it doth both firme and faithfull proue But for to match with Spayne oh cruell fate Could Mary so her countrey ruinate Guiltlesse shee was but those that made the match Vnder their wings did egges of Serpents hatch Oh now me thinkes I could in dismall blacke Shadow my lookes and neuer wish the light Writing red lines of blood more blacke then blacke The massacres of mans amazing sight After these duskie clouds comes elearest light Mary is dead Elizabeth doth raigne Her conscience cleare no corasiue could staine The losse of Elizabeth FAire Virgin Empresse royall Princely maide Sprung from the Damaske Rose the Roses bud T is true as truth it selfe which men haue saide The end is best though all the meanes be good She was the last and best of Henries blood Henry did well in all excell in this In getting of this Maide our greatest blisse He vanquisht Bolleine and strong Turnus towne And rode in tryumph through the English Pale Placing the Diademe of France that regall Crowne Vpon his sisters temples and withall Made the twelue Peeres to feare their finall fall But what of these if Bullain had not bin We all had liu'd for aye in endles sin Astronomers did dreame and fondly saide That twelue designed signes did rule a Spheare Virgo did guide the earth oh heauenly Maide But now sky-teachers wise men neuer feare To say she is in heauen for sure shee s there Oh she is gone with her our pleasures fled They liu'd in her they dide when she was dead Bright Gem of honor Albions glorious starre The Cynosure of Englands Hemispheare Princessse of peace Cytherian queene of warre Rides through the cloudes on her caelestiall beare Conquering deathes Ebon dart and sharpest speare Fathers of peace put on triumphant weedes A gratious King a gratious Queene succeedes Reasons first founder Natures eldest sonne The Stoikes prince did also erre in this Repugnant natures neuer raigne in one Perfect my griefe more perfect is my blis I smile with ioy yet teares my cheekes do kisse A present salue hath cured a pensiue sore Britaine is now what Britaine was of yore The wandring Brute who sprang from Priams kinde Though artlesse men with their malignant muse Still bearing burning enuie in their minde Britaines first Monarch warlike Brute abuse Of all the Northern world this Isle did chuse With fire and sword he did obtaine his sute With peace and ioy we chuse a second Brute Peace valure learning science hee did bring Thou feare of God whom thou doest onely feare Imperiall Monarche truth and concordes King No champion then did weild his fruitlesse speare No chaine did tye the milde vntamed Beare Saturne then liued no Sinon did amisse All men were free no slaue by Nature is Oh sacred age and blessed times of yore When iust Astraea rul'd this circled plaine Then each man liu'd alike and liu'd withstore No Persian blood did Salamina stayne No Vandals Rome nor Romane gouernd Spayne No Cannas chaunce did cause Saturnia mourne No sencelesse Nero wisht new Troy to burne No Manlius sought a Diademe to gaine No iust Papirius sude for Fabius bloud Claudius as then did not Virginia stayne No Consulls fell at Alias flaming flood Red Charea was not dewde with Fabys blood Albans and Romanes knew no single sight Saffetius did not yeeld to Martius might The vnspotted spowse of martiall Collatine Did not consent to Sextus lawlesse lust Each virgin was ybound with Vestas line Camillus needed not the Ardeans trust Nor Sceuola his hand in flames to thrust But see oh see how age doth follow age VVorse after worse as Actors on a stage Thrice happy Britaine strong vnited Ile Disioynted was by her first monarches fall Then Albanact was slaine by Humbers guile Caesar then conquer'd it who conquered all Hunes Pictes and Danes tryumph't in Britaines fal Vaile sorrowes roabes Ioues father comes againe The golden age begins with Iacobs raigne The Lords great Stuart Albions mightie King Our second Brute like to the morning starre To Englands Court doth light of comfort bring Now Concords boult doth Ianus temple barre Binding in chaines the sternest god of warre Vertue and valour triumph euermore Augustus liues adornd with Crassus store TO THE MAIESTIE OF King Iames Monarch of all Britayne ALl haile great Monarch of the greatest Ile The Northerne worlds vnited lawfull King Pardon my rudest reede vndecent stile Though I want Skill in thy new Empires spring Yet doe I loue and will thy prayses sing Me thinkes I do on Clarps Kingdome stand No maruaile for Apollo rules the land On true obedience knee I pardon aske Of thy diuine heroicke Maiestie It was thy merites great impos'd this taske On my weake pen badge of infirmitie Too weake indeede to prayse thy excellency Each Cherrils muse doth now salute thy grace Shall I alone be mute and hide my face Marâ— extold Augustus peacefull daies
The Princes vertues do the subiectes moue Dangers and perils eminent to proue The noble Earle with speede pursues his fate Delay brings danger to the surest state When Fame reported this to Edwards care Hope vanquisht feare and gaue encouragement To see them firme who euer faithfull were Then to Lord Stafford Southwike Earle he sent To muster all his friends incontinent Then gaue he ioynt commission to these twaine As equalles when they came in Campe to raigne Thus these two Captaines as those two of yore VVhen Romes selected youth in Cannas bled Equall in power but not in Iudgements store As Varro Stafford from the battell fled As Paulus so renowmed Pembrooke sped Thus Lord-like stout Aemilius forth doth goe To chase the pride of his rebellious foe Stafford and hee weake staffe to leane vpon No Stafford he nor sprung from Buckingham Nor let that name so base a man bemoane His cowardize escandalizde his fame Lassiuious lust did explaiten his shame These two to Banbary with Armies bend Thence Stafford fled there Herberts life did end There might you see a troope of warlike men Conducted by the glories of their Clyme Vnworthy I with my vnworthy pen To aeternize in Layes vndecent Rime Their memories which liue in spight of time These two as Fabius and Marcellus weare Romes guarding target and offending speare Richard was valorous but his brother wise Youth made him forward age the other stayde Richard for action Pembrooke for aduise If both their worths were in a ballance way de Neither should Fates partiallitie vprayde The differences betweene these brothers are One peace affected most the other warre There might you see the Champions of the Beare Mounted on Iustie Coursers scoure the plaine There might you see the sonne of Latimer With rashnesse charge with feare returne and slaine They neuer feare who neuer feeled paine There might you see O I am greeu'd to say What yeares confirm'd consumed in a day There might you see that worthy man of men Richard with his victorious sword in hand Like a fierce Lyon passing from his den Or some sterne Boare whose anger plowes the land Securely passe through euery conquer'd band As a round bullet from a Canon sent This Knight alone through fortie thousand went And backe return'd to his amazed traine But more enraged with anger then before Begins to kill where he before had slaine Like a close myzer he augments his store The more he slaies to slaie he loues the more All this thou didst what latter age can tell Of one that better did or halfe so well Thus like Alcides all composde of ire Whose fiery lights shut sparkes of fortitude This Champion doth to greater deeds aspire Still pressing on the Hydra multitude Till like to sheepe they fled in order rude Then to his Tent with tryumph he doth goe Valure doth loue to spoile not chase the foe But see vnconstant chance and seeing weepe For euery word requires a siluer teare Whiles carelesse victory did sweetly sleepe And conquest by desert did honour weare VVhen most we liue secure we most should feare Sixe hundred men conducted by a Squire Made those that chaste with praise with shame retire But ere that these confused warriours fled Whom vnexpected horror did amaze They sold their liues for liues ere they were dead Their conquering blood their honors did emblaze Bnt all were not deriued from one race Some Stallions in a field some Asses bee And so of men there be of each degree Richard thou canst not mount thy steed and flye Nor thou great Lord experience makes thee stay To feare the name of death is worse then dye But men borne base a baser word will say I care not how I scape so liue I may Ye slaues to feare whom I abhorre to see That loue life more then praise or honestie Still do they striue till that vnnumbred presse Like Bees of Hybla swarmed euery where Courage in danger doth it selfe expresse Submission to a Lyon breeds but feare But rauenous beasts their prostrate subiects teare By such great Richard falls and Pembrooke dies Conquering twise twentie thousand enemies Mount sacred spirits with cleare conscience wings To the ninth heauen whereas your glorious eye May gaze on the immortall king of kings Liue you in peace but we in misery Man cannot happie be before he dye Vnto your glorious tombes I sacrifice These dismall Anthems and sad Elegies CEase mournfull Muse to chaunt these Ciuil broiles Vnciuill warres and sence-amizing times Brothers by brothers spoild vnnaturall spoiles The guilt whereof to Ioues tribunall climes Oh subiect fit for Thaeban Statius rimes All warres are bad but finall end doth tell Intestine warres all other warres excell Witnesse the same the Macedinian downe When Pompey did the Senates cause defend And Caesar sought the worlds Imperiall Crowne Witnesse Philippes and Antonius end Milde Othos death which Authors so commend Richard now riseth at his Nephewes fall A conscience cleare is like a brazen wall Now Englands Traiane sprung from Troiane race Doth Oxford helpe and Darbies aide implore Froth-faced Neptune with his trident mace Doth guide his Argosies to Milfords shoare At Bosworth field he slaies the tusked Boare Leicestrian Dales their crimson goare did fill A scarlet streame from Richard did distill Cheiney thy armes and sinewes are not strong Enough to match with Albions martiall king Brandon thou dost thy youthfull vigor wrong To combat him who to the field did bring Those cruell parts which Collingbourne did sing Now consolations wings doth reare my minde To shew his praise who sprang from Priams kinde Great Impe of kings heroicke Theodore Englands Augustus famous Prince of peace Great Treasurer of sacred Vertues store Eden of pleasure which didst all men please Comfort of Albion and they Countries ease From the foure golden Fountaines did arise Like vnto those that sprang from Paradise Oh that I had all wittes excelling witte To eternallize thy deeds immortall king My pen thy trophies should and tryumphes writte The triple lauor of this round should ring VVith thy great name which my great muse should sing But since that Nature did the same denie Accept my will aetheriall dietie Elizabeth O Princely perfect name Combinde with thee oh cheerfull cordiall knot No priuate quarell could white Albion fame VVith blood and rapine fierce dissention blot Fury it selfe within it self did rot Two parted Roses which so long did striue Grew on one stalke and both began to thriue From that faire stalke great Arthur first did rise Arthur who matcht with Castiles Katherine Childlesse he dide and death he did despise His body was intombde in gorgeous sâ—rine His soule ascended for it was diuine Henry then Prince and heire apparant was Henry which did all former Henries passe The snow-white Cliffes which Albion do confine Whose subiect sands are deckt with Margarites Clearer then is the clearest Christaline The towring waues which rule the narrow streights
Resplendant Iuno leaues her sacred throne Young Gaueston bewitcht great Edwards hart The minor Gods bewaile Saturnias mone Bohume and Beaumount takes the Marchers part And false Matreners stabbes Carnaruans hart For Caesars office Scipio striues in vaine And March too soone retells his triple gaine When that the Romane Eagles graspt of yore Scipio with auncient Lentulus did striue For Iulius priesthood whose deserts were more But when that Pompeys legions did not thriue They tasted gall within the honies hiue So Wigmore seekes in vaine to get a Crowne But by Lord Mountaoute is tumbled downe Terras proud issue tam'd immortall Ioue Rides in his Chariot through the azurde skie Adornd with Valure Mercy Peace and Loue So Caesar rode in Rome with maiesty Scipio would liue life Cato doth deny So Wigmores honor seekes but must not part Matreuers hand hath stabd Matreuers hart Warres thunderbolt with his Egiptian pearle Illustrious Venus and her martiall Bride Phillips faire sister with great Mercias Earle Submits to Henaults mounting-minded bride Vengeance and Fury scourge inhumane pride Egipt is lost and Authony must die March is immurde and twise he may not flie When Anthony did Cleopatra loue And did Augustas chamber-bed forgoe Bellona Caesars irefull minde did moue To worke reuenge on chaste Octauias foe Marcus is slaine he must his Loue forgoe As Anthony and Cleopatra were So is Queene Ifabel and Mortimer Depressed waters element some thinke Is downe supprest by powers most diuine Some iudge that Terra doth the moisture drinke Yet certes shall men see with mortall evne When deadly water shall with ayre combine Great Mortimer whose name from waters sprang Shall waue in waues of ayre and there shall hang. Vermilion collour'd clowdes of purple warre Are by the radiant beames of Edwards raigne Form Englands territors exiled farre But stay me thinkes Bellona soundes againe And calles forth Mars to fight in Aquitaine Stay Caesar stay let valiant Drusus goe Great Arthurs heire can vanquish Artois foe When that Tiberius did the Septer sway Of Albas Empire great Saturnias king Germanicus whose head was deckt with bay Fought still abroad and conquest home did bring So Edward did whose praise the Spanyards sing Let Beaumount witnes fearfull Phillips flight And Iohn which yeelded to the Gascoigne knight The wandring Planets of the burnisht skye Are by the vncomprised Spheare of loue Thrust here and there as men condemn'd to dye Heauen were nought if Heauen did not moue So nature taught so natures sonne did proue Like vnto these or like a Comet bright Through euery region Caesar sent his light The Zodiaks lamp in the Eclipticke line Twice vrgd his courser to a swift careere The Hitrurian sonne doth in the East decline In Europes West his praise did first appeere Oh Climatericall disaster yeere Caesar thy glory in the West did rise The poisoned East thy raine did deuise So siluer streames and toplesse Apenine Which doe confront terrestriall Paradise Must not great Edwards wandering Fame confine Mars and Bellona stratagems deuise That he with Honors wings should mount the skyes Exiled Peter doth implore his ayde Iberia quakes to see the crosse displayd Reuolting Henault and relenting Iohn Are terrified at Bruse and Balliols fall No Salike law can barre bold Phillips sonne His matchlesse valure caused a kingdomes thrall Whilst slothfull Charles immur'd him in a wall Germanias terror wan a glorious field So Cambrias monarch made a King to yeeld Carelesse of death like to a thunder-bolt Englands Crasinius with a massie lance And not vnlike a fierce vntamed Colt Glides like the siluer Rheine through yeelding France Blinded with age great Boheme falls by chance Caligula is borne the sinke of shame Richard misled deserues an endlesse blame The worldes faire mistresse Empresse of the earth Ordaines a triumph for Augustus heire So Gascoigne triumphes at young Gascoignes birth Wonder of Armes set in Victorias chaire To Troynouant with Tropheys doth repaire Romes Senators attended Albas starre So Albion Peeres did waite on Albious carre Two glorious sonnes rules the celestiall Globe Cheering the world with their transpearcing rayes Garnisht with Saphires and a Iasper robe Vntimely chaunce times wonder ends his dayes Aemilius mournes amidst his Tropheys praise Troies hope is dead and Priams Hector slaine Edward hath lost his sonne his sonne a raigne Impartiall death maskt in a sable weede Passeth the Romanes watch and Praetors guard And to Tiberius royall tent doth speede Phisicke resists and death by art is bard But art doth yeeld for death was too too hard He laid in graue his nephewes sonne doth raigne The scourge of Rome and Europes Empresse slaine So when that death of Edward made an end Essence of value substance of renowne Whome peace for iustice warres for rule commend Exalting vertue putting vices downe His bones entombd his worthy sonnes doe crowne Their nephew Richard second of that name The first though not the last disgrac't by fame Meâ—omene thou dismal muse appeare And moralize the Anthemes which I bring Richard misled by Bushy Poole andVere Ignoble Scroope in his new Empires spring Inchaunting charmes vnto his eares did sing Flattry corrupteth kings but good aduise Makes Counsellors gratious and the Princes wise When Neroes sonne was borne in Neroes campe Quirinus father Rheas valiant spouse In his red Spheare enlightned had his lampe Leauing his yron roabes and brazen house Did to Bellona cups of blood carowse Saturne then ioynd with Mars which did foretell That Neroes sonne for murther should excell Whom Brutus freed by death from Tarquines stroakes Princes of peace for warres admirde of all The worlds Arch monarches rent their chained yoakes Consulls and Tribunes do a Senate call Their voice is one Caligula must fall Nature doth swarue and from her limits passe The Imperious Lyon got an abiect Asse So when chaste Alice Richard forth shall bring In Edwards Campe Victorias sacred seate Prophets like starres ensuing harmes shall sing The Peeres like Albas knights were all repleate With wrath disdain was in a mightie sweate In working waies the king for to depose Which being done the Nobles Darby chose The Northerne Planet great Northumberland Whose peerles issue neuer shall decaie Till Nature doth confound both Sea and land And shapeles Chaos comes his part to play Vertue must liue though men be turnd to claye This glorious Moone true badge of Honor bright Disdaynes the Sunne and did not borow light Foreseeing Gaunt like to a carefull fire Seeing that lost by Sloth which Labour wonne Doth contermaund his Soueraignes hot desire And like a blast doth caulme the scorching Sunne Which by illuding Sycophantes is wonne Two Combatants on their earth threatning steedes Attend the trumpets sound in yron weedes The reuerent Consulls Yorke and Lancaster Doe conuocate a Senate of the Peeres And equalizing Woodstocke did preferre Due banishment to those ambitious Peeres The Barons ioynd to this the Champions sweares
aright His speare to traile and with his sword to strike Vpon the plumed beauer of a knight None must be sparde by warres impartiall might If euery souldier were a King what then Princes should die as fast as other men The Senator must leaue his skarlet gowne And keepe him in some Turret of defence When warres once flourish Iustice must goe downe Lawes to correct is lawlesse warres pretence Valure doth greeue to see ill gotten pence To see a man without deserts to rise Makes warre such men not Iustice to despise You that in peace by vse of golden hoords Your dunghill race to Barons did erect You that by English phrase and chosen woords Make heauens enuy your toplesle Architeck Your Angels cannot you from warres protect The Campe and Court in manners different are Words may in Peace but deeds preuaile in Warre For Robes of honor furr'd with Miniuere You must haue brest-plates of well tempred steele And on your aged heads strong Helmets weare All states must turne when Fortune turnes her wheele That man which pleasure tastes must sorrow feele Who sees the wracke of mightie Empery He loues his life too well that will not dye When Kings must fight shall subiects liue in peace What Coward is of such a crauant race That loues not honor more than idle ease Great Romane I applaud thy worthy Phrase To liue with shame is worse then dye with praise All which haue being alwaies cannot bee For things corrupt must die and so must wee Could Cressus mightie mines from Cyrus hand His captiue carkasse or his state defend Wealth cannot warre nor siluer speares withstand By strife we see the greatest states haue end And most they marre by warre who most would mend When old warres cease then straight their springs anew For harmes still harmes and euils do ills ensue No sooner had the gladsome eyes of peace Beheld this warlike sea inuiron'd Ile But disobedience heire to sluggish ease Did weake beleefe subdue with subtile stile Grace winnes the heart but words the eares beguile T was Warwicks tongue whose speech did all men please Whose words were such or very like to these The Earle of Warwicks speech YOu know great Lords your very eyes did see The spotlesse honor which my house and I Did euer beare this kingdome who but wee Did checke the pride of wilfull tyranny And with our Grandsires we esteemde it good For Englands weale to spill our dearest blood Witnesse the dismall fall of Salisbury And Richard Duke of Yorke in Wakefield slaine The wracke of my decaied familie Why did we this what profit did we gaine T was but to shew our country our good will Which now we also do and euer will How many times haue I in complete steele Yea mounted on my steed pursude the chase Witnesse these weary limbes for age must feele If youth hath runn'd astray or tedious race Witnesse these siluer haires which now appeares Cares makes vs old though we be yong in yeares When as these eyes impartiall eyes of mine Beheld my king illuded and misled By baser men true honor did repine To see great maiestie with basenesse wed For which I waged warre and warring wan And winning chose a Tyger for a Lambe Both you and I great Lords yea all the state With vniuersall voice adiudg'd him wise Who now hath prou'd a tyrant and vngrate Humilitie makes time obseruers rise For you I chose him king and spent my blood But tryall saies good seeming is no good Now therefore friends let Warwicks tongue intreate Since that our hopes of Edwards loue dispaire That Lancaster may repossesse his seate Whom we vnkindly thrust from honors chaire The reason is which gouernes our pretents Tyrants are worser farre then Innocents Thus this enraged Lord doth instigate With spurlike words swift coursers to the race Enuy ambition breeds ambition hate Hate discontent breeds discontent disgrace These be warres angry sounds pernitious race These vices by Iniustice nourisht are Affection in a Iudge is worse then warre Blessed that state thrice happie is the land VVhere sacred Iustice is esteemde diuine And where the Iudge on one eare holds his hand My pen applaudes that sentence iust of thine Romes holy Prince peace louing Antonine As I am Marcus I am not thy foe But being Iudge I must be iust also That lawe deryding Peere disdaining Lord Warwick doth his rebellious Ensignes reare And vowes reuenge on Edward with his sword Hastings and Stanley do withstand the Beare True honor neuer yeelds to seruile feare He is a friend that loues when Fate doth frowne He shall haue thousands that doth weare a Crowne Thus while these threatnings like some blazing starre The wracke of some great Emperour do portend Their friends on either side addresse for warre Great William Earle of Pembrooke doth entend Ere warre begin to make of warre an end And for that purpose for his friends he sent To whom as thus he shewed his right intent The Earle of Pembrookes Oration YOu that did euer with your swords maintaine The vndoubted title of the whiter Rose By whose great ayde great Edward did obtaine The Royall crowne and homage held of those VVhich now rebell deere friends correct this sinne 'T is as much praise to keepe as praise to winne If speech might spur you to this glorious race Where endlesse honor is the purchast fee Selected words my ruder speech should grace We pricke in vaine his sides whose feete are free You euer did the house of Yorke adore True loue encreaseth daily more and more Giue not occasion to the enuious pen To brand you with the badge of infamie Be firme in resolution worthy men And thinke vpon your auncient libertie Behold why Warwicke doth these warres entend A bad beginning hath a worser end Looke with indifferent not respecting eyes Vpon these two coriualls in the warre Edward a King couragious honest wise Warwicke whose name is like a blazing starre That some ensuing harmes doth foretell Enuy doth still worke ill but neuer well For whom doth he this bloody battell wage For aged Henry and the Prince his sonne Who but for him had led a quiet age But they poore Princes were by him vndone I finde it true which hath bene often sed Beares must sometime with humane flesh be fed It is not loue to either of these twaine That doth enforce this proud ignoble Peere These wandring troupes of rebells to maintaine But t is ambition whom he holds most deere That doth compell his willing hands to fight Vnsetled braines bloud still respect not right Nay what if Henry should enioy the wreath Thinke you by yeelding fauour to enioy Friends when warres rise say kings should neuer breath Princes in neede men of regard imploy To this iust action loyall friends be mou'd The firmest faith in danger great is prou'd THus hath this Lord as with a touch-stone tride The courage of his countrey-men and loue The voyce of all is on warres warres they cride
The Liricke Poet sung Mecenas fame Ennius did Scipio Affricanus praise If all they liu'd and saw thy sacred name Each verse they made should sure containethe same But if they reade thy gift oh Princely worke For shame they would in vntrode desarts lurke If Englands Load-starre pride of Poesie Could the firme Centers regiment transpearse And formalize his peerlesse ingeny Thy all-surpassing vertues to rehearse A Princely matter fitts a princely verse Yet were his wit too weake thy deeds to praise Which brought vs ioyes in our most mournfull daies Could Lidgat passe the tower of Proserpine And like to Virbius liue a double age Penning thy Trophies in a golden skrine Yet could he not thy mertis equipage Admiring most would vse a tapinage Bocchas and Gowre the Virgils of their time Could not vnfold thy prayse in antique rime If these foure Poets liu'd like Lions foure They should thy famous Coach of glory drawe From Vertures temple to true honours towre Each should a kingdome haue thy foes should know Thy might and feare their finall ouerthrow But what should muses sing the world doth see And seeing feares vnited Britany Still liuing Sidney Caesar of our land Whose neuer daunted valure princely minde Imbellished with Art and Conquests hand Did expleiten his high aspiring kinde An Eagles hart in Crowes we cannot finde If thou couldst liue and purchase Orpheus quill Our Monarches merits would exceed thy skill Albions Maeonian Homer natures pride Spenser the Muses sonne and sole delight If thou couldst through Dianas kingdome glide Passing the Palace of infernall night The Sentinels that keepes thee from the light Yet couldst thou not his retchlese worth comprise Whose minde containes a thousand purities What fatall chance is this and lucklesse fate That none can aptly sing thy glorious prayse And tell the happinesse of Englands state O barren time and temporizing dayes Fowle Ignorance on sacred Learning prayes But now I doe a Diapazon see None but thy selfe great King can sing of thee That Macedonian starre first Prince of Greece Sent for that wandring learned Stagirite To teach his Sonne knowledge of knowledges His sword was keene his sense could ill indite Thy sworde is shape and who can better write He had another to instruct his sonne What he by others did thy selfe hath done Some Caesar deemde the happiest mortall wight That breath'd the ayre or did ascend the skye For conquering Scipios force and Pompeis might Some did Augustus iudge more happy why Because the vanquisht Aegypts Anhtony Romes holy Prince said Nerua did surpasse For leauing such a sonne as Traian was If those olde Wisards which of yore did sing Read with impartiall eyes thy peerlesse deeds Great Prince of warre of peace thrice happie King Concord should reconcile their striuing reeds And sensures ioyne which censures enuy breeds Caesars acts Augustus peace good Neruas kinde In thee alone in non but thee we finde The siluer Moone plac'd in her circle round At her encrease her equall distant hornes Vpwards ascends as scorning abiect ground So when the worlds great honour first was borne That fayre arising Sunne cleere faced morne Her mounting thoughts did to the heauens Towre Scorning the earth or any terrene Bowre But when that Virgins Goddesse doth decrease Her picked forkes their course to Terra bend So when our Englands Lunas light did cease The Artike Clime an Vnicorne did send VVhose radiant Iusture night shall neuer end Phoebes cleere light seemes darke whilst he doth shine He borrowes perfect light of God diuine Those that do reade the secrets of the skie Whose iudgement is in heauen conuersant Which portraiture the signes in heauenly die Might asseuere that Virgo was on high I sawe a starre of late from heauen flie Why cannot this starre then faire Virgo bee A starre more chaste I thinke we cannot see O now my thoughts can diue into the deepe Our all ships guiding starre was fixed there And when Eliza did with honor sleepe Mounted vpon her praise deseruing beare She did obtaine of him she lou'd so deare That she might haue his seate he rule the land Which she of late as Empresse did commaund The Anatomizers of our learned daies Affirme that Virgo do the belly guide No wonder then that Albions wondrous praise That Virgin Queene which here on earth did bide So nourisht each poore hunger-bitten side Now she is dead oh who will them reliue The present starre doth present comfort giue I heard an aged woman often say That she did see a starre from heauen descend Which was as true me thought as trees did bray For she alledg'd the same and did commend A certaine Crowe whose wit she did defend Pardon me Age for now mine eyes do see A starre on earth more bright than starre can bee To whom shall I this Northerne starre compare To Caesar which did first subdue the state To Horsus who no limbe of Christ did spare Damming his soule this land to ruinate Great Williams conquest and the Normanes hate Thus doth my Muse all wanting art begin To sing thy vertues and to shewe their sin Caesar was twice repulst ere he could see This litle world from all the world remote Before we sawe thy face we sent to thee As to a Pilot for to guide our boate Which did in Seas of suddaine sorrow floate He lost his sword before he conquest wan We yeeld thee all our hearts and all we can Horsus by cruell tyrant trechery Subdude Ambrosius that wise Prince of peace Witnesse the hidden kniues at Salisbury He trauaile brought but thou doest bring vs ease Thy true descent makes greedy warres to cease A Wolfe possest his heart a Lyon thine He worse then man thou better more diuine William was fierce in warre and so art thou In counsell sage thou doest him aequalize His sword forc't foes their trembling knees to bowe Thou conquerst hearts by thy hearts winning eyes By force he wan by merits thou doest rise He brought subiection thou doest freedome bring He loued warre but thou of peace art King Rufus was rude thou ciuill gentle kinde He was austere thy browes hath mercies frowne He had a Neros hart thou Caesars minde He hunting lou'd for pleasure tumbled downe Many a Castle fayre and stately Towne Thou lou'st the chase yet Cities doest adorne Thou wert for all the worlds great profit borne Henry was grac't with artes thou doest excell Children did blesse his age but soone did dye Children thou hast in health and perfect well God prosper them with pure prosperitie Adorne their harts with louing pietie He was a worthy King thou worthier farre Thou art our Northerne-Pole harts-guiding starre Soare humble thoughts and let my abiect pen Touch the high mounted Artike Northerne starre And there compare this man excelling men VVe should compare the things that equall are And who is like this light this lampe this starre Mine eyes distill sweete teares the teares of ioy To see Troyes issue raigne