world admire Her bountie Alexander-like did win A generall loue and liking of the best Her fame and honor doth but now begin As if no worthy gifts had fill'd her brest And shee had not been fraught with such great store Of vertuous parts in all her life before Heere Fame and Bountie are at strife together Which shall excell each other in their praise Such copious matter both affords that neither I cannot tell her worth will highest raise Both speakes so well that I will doubtfull leaue it Vnto the world that better can conceiue it Yet in the booke of true recording fame Such mightie volumes of her vertues stand Most fairely drawne by ancient time which came Attented with a faire incompass'd band Of minutes houres daies weeks months and years And spoke a speech that rauish'd humane eares I that fell downe at that most pleasant spring Make my petition vnto aged Time That he would ope the booke againe and sing Those too much blessed words and crowned lines Whereat he smilde at th' weaknesse of my braine And said 't was more then nature could containe For in deepe characters heere doth lie inrol'd The famous Arts and memorable deeds Of all those worthies which haue beene of old Which from faire Vertues line and stocke proceeds The monuments of Fame which through my hand For rustie age haue beene forgotten long Where shee amongst the rest of honors line Lies surely writ in those eternall scrowles Inrol'd in those great monuments diuine Which true and euerlasting fame in rolls In heau'ns great store-house lock'd till fatall doome Raises her body from this earthly tombe Where her most bounteous and munificent hand Which neuer turn'd vnto her selfe in vaine Did more affection in our soyle command Then thought can thinke or honor can obtaine Made friend of foes and feared loue combines In those that loue but miserable mindes For Bountie is a key that will vnlocke And mollifie the cruell'st dispositions Able for to dissolue the hardest rocke And make it flexible to th'mild'st condition For none I thinke so obdurate e're haue bin But bounteous deeds or liberall gifts could win For 't is a badge of Christianitie A cognizance to know rhe noble natures The truest touchstone whereby we may trie The generous race from base and worldly creatures Whose greedie cares doe eate the soule like rust And neuer leaues till leaue them needs it must This sinne of Auarice makes vs like to hogges Which roots i' th earth and digs i' th ground for gaine And with a thousand feares our conscience clogges Vexing our spirits with long leane pining paines Which like a mad consumption wasteth all Both soule and body for a rising fall That like a vulture feeds vpon the liuer And gnawes the intralls like a pining sicknesse Which where it once possesses leaueth neuer Take the yong man i' th Gospell for a witnesse For this rancke age is much farre worse then him Which kept the Law and was not stay'd with sin He something had to answere for himselfe And iustifie him for this life of ours Had not he beene in loue with worldly pelfe A clearer light shin'd not in humane powers For who can tell that he hath done so well As this rich yong man that is gone to hell Oh no deare heauens in mercie looke vpon vs One of a thousand cannot say so much Yet doe not take thy grace and fauour from vs Although so pure a life we cannot touch For we renounce our selues and trust in thee Out of this mortall toile to set vs free Then noble Bounty I must needs commend thee If that no other cause were giuen but this And with more praise then I can giue commend thee Which had he knowne of heauen he could not misse If for one sinne heauens cast this man away VVhat shall we doe that sinne thus euery day VVell may the greatnesse of this vertue moue vs And pricke vs forward Bountie to embrace VVhich generally doth make the world to loue vs But most those men of greatest birth and place If Auarice be so great and vile a sinne VVhat praise and glory then shall bountie winne Great honors mirror in whom I doe finde Such rare perfection that my soule admires it Thy vertues marching in their seuerall kinde That those that heares it more more desires it And glutted pen doth surfeit with the store Of those rich vertues Ignorance makes poore Her bounteous hand and great rewarding minde VVhat pen from you can well the same expresse As thy true merits and desarts doth binde And not eclypse the same and make them lesse If those that tread the tract of honor true Deserue a golden pen it falls to you VVhere though thy soule hath reacht eternitie And thou art there inrol'd in ioy and glorie Yet giue thy seruant leaue his wits to trie And write insuing times this sacred storie For heauens decreed such vertues ne're should die Nor such bright honors taste mortalitie Yet there be some whom my concealing pen For breuities and for manners sake omit That caries vertues or should carry them VVhich can themselues and vertue too forget And can since honors hand did them preferre Take ease and pleasure and not thinke of her VVhose power as weake as others were before Now fully fed can swell and keepe no bounds And most insatiate couet more and more That should not be in arte and learning found VVhich once for halfe that meanes would humbly bow VVhere hauing all are not contented now Yet bounteous Lady let not this thing grieue thee That Benefactors are so ill respected But let thy innocence in this cause relieue thee Christ had but twelue yet was by one neglected If one from him needs more must fall from thee VVhich being once dead their loyalties cannot see 'T is our corruptions that is bred within vs VVhich is the cause of this and hath beene euer And present profit hath such power to winne vs That dead and gone we straight forget the giuer And few remembers good turnes past and gone VVhere such great persons naturall glasse is runne Could I collect together in one summe A record of the honorable deeds Of all those gifts bestow'd and fauours done Which from her free and bounteous minds proceeds Then should I to small purpose spend my dayes In writing that which hath no end of prayse VVhat bounds or limits hath her honor knowne Or who can sound so deepe or well declare her VVhen those faire wings shee flyes with are her owne VVhich to that mightie height of fame did reare her I need not adde vnto the Ocean more VVhat is one drop vnto such wonderous store Alas great Ladie thou hast little need Of my harsh tongue to praise thy bountie so In euery place thy fame as well doth speed And better too then I haue power to show Thy worth by me no more disgrace endures Then Sun when clouds her glorious light obscures No Honorable Lady know thy selfe Although I
support her houses fame A widdow wife and maide confinde in one In all and seuerall states so free from blame That enuy nor the iniurious hand of time Could euer staine or touch with any crime Her thoughts so continent and her chast desires Which neuer rioted in exppense of time Sprung from those true eternall liuing fires Which doth all vertue to it selfe combine Not lightly led nor starting now and then To place new fancies in affecting men But truely kept her selfe vnto her loue Her worthy loue in youth in age in death So constant faithfull true as turtle doue Where her affections gaue no second breath But liu'd in one pure loue and neuer changed In thoughts so firmly knit they neuer ranged Which for the space of almost thirty yeares Did rule alone her house admir d of many Such holy graces in her life appeares Such perfect vertues seldome seene in any A virgin wife a widow maide to be So old in honor yet from folly free Could not her long deceased spouse before Grac'd with so many worthy after loues Nor time nor nature which could argue more Nor any thing from that strict course remoue But still her resolution doth perseuer Inuiolate vnto the first for euer Why then poore pen doest thou attempt so far And canst not touch the riches of her honor Nor nothing neere describe this glorious starre But rather much vnhidden worth take from her The little world of thy poore wit on fire Will rather burne then satisfie desire Yet giue me leaue great Readers to admire Faire imitators of her honors worth Although I cannot satisfie desire Nor set her high desarts and honor forth Accept my will which must remaine your debtor Till time or heau'ns shall grace me to sing better She in whose breast grace such impression tooke That made her time not like a mortall creature Which honors state and dignities forsooke A thing most hard and wondrous strange to nature That vertue should be found for to contemne Such meanes and fortunes as aduanceth them Could grace and vertue natures force expell And breake those lawes wherein she binds too many Could heauenly gifts in such a concord dwell So welbelou'd within the heart of any That in so many daies they should not fall Nor yet be toucht with any crime at all Pure-thoughted Lady which preserues thy soule So cleane from fleshly crimes and carnall pleasures Nor didst consent vnto such actions foule Wherein too many wallow out of measure That inbred sin which neuer leaues the most Till nature's ready to yeeld vp the ghoast One loue thy soule delighted which decease Did liue a fresh in the still vndiuided Two persons ioynd in one makes no release Till both be dead in loue so firmly guided Death parts the body but the soule doth honor In shadie groues to meete so true a louer So constant Lady thou which after death In strengh of yeares to no such bayts did yeeld Gaines fame a second life and longer breath Whose stedfast loue on better ground did build Where palmes of victorie in thy hands are found And lawrell wreaths to girt thy temples round Where thou Diana-like didst lead a life In sacred loue mixt with most chast desire Or like those holy vestalls void of strife Which keepes their honors spotlesse and intire And neuer lookes so true a course they liue To those inchantments which the world doth giue Where purest loue like to the morning dew Sent downe from him which all good gifts infuses Inioyes those rare contents giuen but to few To very few which worldly traffique vses So great and meeke so chast and yet a wife For not a mortals but an Angels life Which onely keeps not from societie Thy person free but quencht those inward fires And from loose thoughts and vaine delights didst flie Hating th'imbracements of vnchast desires And gaue no place to such inticements vaine Which proues the owners losse the actors paine How canst thou then great Lady all forsake So many thousand bayted hopes to see And many great ones little rest to take Whilst thou securely sleeps from dangers free No thy chast bosome neuer lusted so To loose a freind for to imbrace a foe Thou worthy patterne of this wanton age Whose pure affections dispossesseth sin And acts thy part vpon this earthly stage As chast as she whose loue Troy towne did win Oh who would wish more honor in this life Then die a vertuous widow virgin wife Thou mighst haue knit thy selfe in sacred bands With honorable persons in degree In Hymens rites vniting hearts and hands And not haue wrong this first loue being free Oh but thy soule sayes to thy selfe alone That fayth most firme that keeps it selfe to one No friend nor louer since thy bosome smothers But Christ thy Sauiour spouse and husband deare For whose deare sake thou hast forsooke all others How great or rich so e're they liued here And sworne vnto thy selfe and made a vow To serue loue feare and keepe him onely now Oh happy choyse yet man and wife do varry From these pure paths which vnto vertue tends They care not who nor yet how oft they marry For loue of lucre lust or worldy freinds Exchanging oft the better for the worse Who weds a second neuer lou'd the first Such soule respects are so ingrauen in vs First beauty that faire obiect doth allure vs. Then mighty friends in state or meanes doth win vs That from insuing dangers may secure vs But last and greatest is wealth reuenewes riches The which the soules of men so much bewiches Long maist thou liue in thy more happier choise That euerlasting loue which fadeth neuer Long mayst thou with that Bridegroome faire reioice In those triumphing ioyes which lasteth euer Long maist thou honor praise and glory sing Vnto the soueraigne Lord the King of Kings Where thy pure thoughts chast bosome vertuous life Weds thy vnspotted soule to endlesse ioyes Whose loue to that great spouse makes a chast wife And whose rare gifts weake flesh and bloud destroyes Whose outward honors many equals finde But few to match the honor of the minde Why should my striuing pen desire to tell What it by force cannot attaine to know Why should my will against my skill rebell My passions thus ' gainst reasons lawes to show What ardent furies workes within my minde To seeke for that no wit nor toile can finde Oh giue me leaue to breake off thou my Muse I cannot diue so deepe I may be drown'd Then spare my weakenesse and defects excuse Which must retire when it can feele no ground That glorious streame of honor 't is too deepe For my weake braine aboue the waues to keepe But yet her bountie doth inuite my pen That vertue which doth challenge praise with best And vrges my dull hand to write agen Which crownes her with more glory then the rest And makes her name and honor mount the higher With such great grace as makes the
Though intertainment house and cheere be small The heart is true which doth inuite you all And will in better wishes more content yee Then in this booke my barraine braine hath lent yee I cannot fly in learned loftie phrases But doe adorne my stile with truth not praises Nor passe I for conceits which are precise But only write to please the vertuous wise For I haue read that true and noble mindes The best content in willing natures findes Honor receiues no fall by want of skill If Gentle doome doe fall vpon my quill Then worthy Knight since that you are some ayme And not the least hopes that my Muse doth clayme Accept and pardon what amisse is found That built this frame vpon so weake a ground Nor let not duety wanting learned lore Be counted folly nor my seruice poore But be receiued wherein it comes farre short Respecting more my will then my desart TO THE LADIE CROMPTON MAdam 't is not for want of time but wit That I no sooner of her vertues writ Though late yet take that chance which doth befall Better thus meanly sung then not at all Where I delaying for some learned wit Let slipt occasion which might better fit Yet since her vertues were so great and many Which cannot iustly be denide of any Much lesse of you and of that house before Where they ingrauen lie twice ten times more Such kinde affections worke in worthy brests That honor dying yet is not deceast But liues in you where often it doth finde A heauie memorandum from the minde Such honored friends are not so soone forgotten Though in their graues they long lie dead and rotten But euer now and then the Spirit will moue And fetch a sigh or two for her it loues Bewraying of it selfe in teares when any Speakes of the name of noble Lady Cheany Then faire and worthy Lady whose pure minde Doth vertue in so faire a mansion binde Whose parts for naturall morall and diuine Excels the force of my weake feeble rime Vouchsafe to reade her whom you once so lou'd And spare those faults which loue and duetie mou'd Nor Madam doe not iudge my seruice slack That payes not heere your merits what they lack Nor prise your worth nor that faire marke can hit But make affection play the theefe for it Where since I reacht at wit as 't were by stealth Let that worth in you better praise your selfe TO THE LADIE BENNET MAdam the seruice I doe owe to all Your sisters and your house in generall Would ask a volume if that I could write it Or had but wit sufficient to indite it Yet Madam since I haue no worldly store I giue you that I neuer gaue before And wanting one yet may you take the other The fruits my weake inuention could discouer Heere in this little volume may be read Some of her noble vertues being dead Where you may striue in imitation To make more glorious by your application Some can gleane vertue from the smallest things And hony sucke from meanest flowers that springs Then how much more from her whose honor true Such store of vertues doth afford to you Where Madam your faire intellectiue minde May more then I can or haue vttered finde Reade o're her life and in your iudgement view her Who hath not much admir'd that euer knew her Where eyes eares hearts are vanished with the same Of her long happie and time-honored name Then Madam since my meannesse is too great Of such a waightie subiect to intreat Some fauour lend to grace this worke the better For which acceptance I will die your debter TO THE LADIE MILDMAY MAdam some strangenesse may possesse you when You looke on these and thinke vpon my pen What vaine and high conceit my bosome haunted That would not be with such great honor daunted Yet kinde and vertuous Lady let me craue What others in the like attempts may haue You which doe represent to me her name How can I hold you guiltlesse of her fame But they must both concurre within your breast To keepe for euer their most bounteous feast No small affection shee could beare to you Giue Honor and your owne Desarts their due Shee lou'd you liuing and with many graces Did fill your soule which vertue now imbraces VVhere Nature hath so well the workeman plai'd And her full due to euery member pai'd That nought doth want within her bounteous store But lent it you to grace her glorie more Then faire and worthie Ladie condescend To reade these humble lines and fauour lend To what may with your iudgement disagree Your liking lent can grace both it and mee For such rare mindes with noble deeds insue VVill aske no little wit to sing them true 'T is no small worke nor sleight nor easie taske VVherein her vertues doe so dimly maske VVhat my defectiue pen doth want of skill Your vertuous minde accepting may fulfill To whose cleare bosome I doe leaue the rest VVhich owes you more then can be heere exprest TO THE IMPARTIALL AND indifferent Reader REader whatsoeuer thou art accept if may be These humble verses clad in shepheards weeds My subiect is an honourable Lady And of her vertuous life and sacred deeds Therefore I would intreat thee when thou reads Vomit no venome forth nor poysoned gall Lest that the like vpon thy pen befall Perchance thou lookst for that I cannot giue Some ouer-flowing phrase of eloquence Wherein her high deserts might better liue And yeeld the curious artist lesse offence But with his itching vaine I can dispense And tell him this pure vertue loues to weare Not all rich stuffe but sometimes Camels haire I doe not know thy nature nor condition Be what thou wilt I le nere orerunne thy fauour I onely write to gentle dispositions And may as well respect the meanest labour Then doe not shew thy selfe of rough behauiour As sharply for to censure what is written Mad dogges they are when none can scape vnbitten Then passe thy verdit gently on my lines Shew not thy selfe more cruell then the rest I write not for to please disordered times But those to whom time hath mark'd for the best Then take thy course or yeeld to my request For I do stand indifferent rightly then Speake what thou wilt speake and blame not my pen. VERTVES ANATOMY YEe powers diuine sole aide of humane wits Assist me with your sacred spirit a while And guide me in that path where vertue sits And not with idle matters to defile My time her honour and thy glory best With light vaine pamphlets as haue done the rest But in some fairer course direct my lines That they may quiet passe vntoucht of wrongs Too weake I knowe to please these curious times VVhich swarmes about like bees with stinging tōgues Kepe thy steps euen for there is none to right thee If once Detraction that mad dog doth bite thee Then Oh thou dolefull Dame and tragick muse VVhich in blacke sable tunes dost euer
cannot pay thee halfe thy due But tossed am vpon misfortune shelfe And cannot sing thy honors full nor true Yet from these ashes may a Phaenix spring VVhen they haue heard thy worth and better sing Then take this vertue now into thy hand My feeble spirits begin for to retire Such power thy vertues haue they can withstand A better pen and bid my thoughts admire And glory in the subiect not my Muse VVhich can more faults then I haue done excuse Yet giue me leaue a little to proceed And some more graces of her minde discouer My fond affection in this vaine to feed One vertue still you see calls in another VVhere though I doe begin and speake of many Yet can I finde no end of praysing any Thy hospitalitie did as much renowne thee As cannot be by mortall tongues exprest And with as great desarts and prayses crowne thee Filling thee with more glory then the rest And brings thee forth vpon this stage to show thee VVhat thy desarts and their affections owe thee Thy speaking praise from Cottage to the Throne Attend thee Ladie with no common glorie Thy bounteous deeds so spred abroad and knowne VVrites in mens hearts thy neuer dying storie VVhere it shall liue past all succeeding ages As willing pen and vertue true presages Thy bounteous table kept who may declare Or greatnesse of thy hospitalitie VVhose liberall minde no cost at all doth spare To grace thy honor with more dignitie VVhere ouerwhelmed with affections store Shee to her friends thinkes greatest bountie poore VVhat long enduring house hath honor kept And with thy bounteous cheere and wondrous store Fed many mouthes whil'st some haue basely slept In Mammons armes still coueting more and more Snorting in mines of gold feeding their soules VVith that the best and worthiest mindes controlls VVhich loues to heare the fall of honor true And enuie those rare gifts they doe possesse Detracting those which bounteous deeds ensue And yet these slaues will creepe and be their guests To all those famous houses which they heare Doe keepe vp bountie and maintaine good cheere VVhil'st they doe scrape and gleane what they can get From Bounties hands and liberall dispositions VVhich ne're a good house kept themselues as yet Nor ne're will doe so base are their conditions If they can creepe but into honors fauours Thei le feede and burst vpon anothers labours Thus from great persons free and bounteous tables They heape vp wealth by wretched miserie And make their heires so strong in meanes and able That in the compasse of gentilitie They must be drawne and honored of some men Although their fathers basely begg'd for them I doe not vrge this most renowned Lady Though many men haue bettered beene by thee To ayme or point at any thing that may be Thought preiudiciall to thy dignitie But as thou art most liberall free and kinde So to expresse the bountie of thy minde Now can the Citie Countrie and the Court VVhose eares haue heard of thy dispersed fame Vnto thy Princely Palace make resort And fill their thoughts with thy admired name VVhere hearts eyes eares and all desires to proue The great magnificence of thy grace and loue VVith curteous kinde and honor'd dispositions Such as is wont in noble brests to dwell Thou entertaines great birthes and faire conditions VVith such rare grace and gestures as excell No wise conceits nor curious Artist found But for thy courteous grace thy praises found No worthy Lady of the noblest straine VVhich for her parts and wisdome was diuine But thou with bounteous hand did'st entertaine And show thy selfe as free as Caesars minde VVhose salutations were as fairely drest And powdred with the wisdome of the best Heere greatnesse doth another greatnesse grace Loue meetes with loue heere honor honor kisses Heere noble mindes each other doe embrace Nought to make vp such sweete contentment misses So faire a troupe of worthy persons meeting But few haue seene in such great honor greeting Here liberall Ceres plaies no niggards part Here Heau'n earth Seas their greatest plenty brings Here Bacchus cheeres the melancholly heart Whil'st a learn'd consort of sweete Musicke sings A feast that did more sumptuous cost afford Then Cleopatra did that noble Lord. Who hath beene fam'd for hospitalitie That hath not ranckt her name among the rest Who haue for bountie and for dignitie Admired beene and left her vnexprest Who hath a worthier house kept all her daies Then she hath done and liu'd in greater praise No Lady though our Shire did thee containe Yet are thy honors and thy bountie spred And can as great a share and glorie claime As theirs can doe and grace thee being dead With true deseruing fame for euer blest To equall Pellam Ramsey and the rest No niggards hand nor greedy gaine did hold her The noblest mindes are not in loue with riches Nor haue her vertues for such trifles sold her Though many great ones powerfull gold bewitches But what meanes heere the heauens her freely lent Shee wasteth nor though liberally shee spent But to a better end and purpose vsde them The hungrie members of our Lord to feed And not in such disordred sort abus'd them But help'd the weake afflicted in their need With Ioseph to refresh the brethren poore Which stands and waits for charitie at the doore Her yerning pitie did so farre extend That deepe compassion shee did on them take And in their great necessities did befriend Their soules and bodies for meere charities sake With gifts and good rewards shee did supplie Their extreame wants and sau'd them like to die How many hath shee eas'd of Lazars crue The poorest members of our dying Lord Whose great distresse the kindest natures rue Tost to and fro and in this world abhorr'd Despis'd and made a scorne of euery eye Which doth behold their woe and misery Thus doe they show from whence they are descended From that old serpent their adopted father Which neuer will nor euer haue extended The least reliefe as Diues crummes to gather His dogs were kinder for to licke his sores Then mē are now which beats them frō their dores But thou great Lady wherein vertue rested Did'st daily feed them at thy bounteous gate And the poore members of Christs flocke hast feasted Comiserating heere their wofull state Which nothing haue in this world to relieue them But what such liberall minds as yours doth giue thē Poore naked wormes which feele the sharpest aire Which wants food cloth and home which many haue What is heere left to keepe yee from despaire When all your hopes and comforts are the graue And if it were not for some worthie mindes Your soules would faint and die before your times But thou most true deuoted Ladie giues Both cloth food harbour to such orphanes poore And helpest those which in extremities liue And ne're expuls'd the needie from thy doore But at the point of death their soules did cherish And sau'd those liues which ready