to our complaints giue place Our Garland lacks the Rose our chatton tins the stone Our Volier wants the Philomel we left allace alone What art thou Scotland then no Monarchie allace A oligarchie desolate with straying and onkow face A maymed bodie now but shaip some monstrous thing A reconfused chaos now a countrey but a King When Paris fed his flockes among the Phrigian plaines Aenone's loue was his delights his death were her disdaynes But when allace he knew that Priam was his Sire He left Aenone sweet and syne for Hâ—lene would aspire Proud Pellex England so thou art the adulterat brid Who for Aenone thinkes no shame to lye by Paris sid Who knowes ere it be long but our your happy King With Belgic Celtic Aquitan to his Empire may bring And he why should he not your Troynauant shall leaue And vnto Parise spurre the post his right for to receaue Then then shall England weepe and shed abounding teaires And we shall to our comfort find companions in our caires And till it so befall with pitie not with scorne Vpon this confinde Kingdome looke as on a land forlorne Wise Plato would not once admit it in his minde He lou'd Xenocrates so well he could become vnkinde And no more can we thinke dread Leige though thou be gone Thou will vngratly leaue vs thus disconsolat allone By Contrars Contrars plac'd no dout most clearely kith And now thy absence breedes our bale whose biding made vs blith O were thou not both wise and good we should not mourne We would not for thy absence weepe nor wish for thy returne Long sleepe made Rufus loose the vse of both his eene O do not thou sweet Prince make stay lest thou forget vs cleene Like Epimenides when thou returns againe The shapp of al things shal be chaing ' thine own sheepe shal be slaine Democrit rather choose no King at all to bee Then ouer wicked men to rule and such allace are wee Our Iewell England ioyes yet no way dooth wrong vs The world may see we were not worth that thou shuld be among vs But since it must be thus and thou art forc'd to flitt Now like a Heart in to the mids of thy great body sitt And from thy Troynauant which pleasures store impairts Behold thy Kingdom 's round about thy hand in all the Airts Examples old thou taks and layis before thy face The famous Numids thoght the midst to be most honored place Thus by Hyempsals side Adherbal Salust sets And so Iugurtha in the midst wee reed no intrance gets Graue Maro maks likway the Queene of Cartage braue Betwix Ascanius and the wise Aeneas place to haue Dooth not Apollo too in proudest pompe appere With bright and day-adorning beames in his meridian sphere So thou has choos'd the midst of all thy Kingdom 's knowne For looke about thee where thou list thou looks but on thine owne And since the Gods decree Great King that so shall bee Since Peace must florish in thy time Wars must cease die But competition too since thou has Englands Crowne Which was a Heptarchie of old of vncontrould renowne Let Vs and Al-bi-on that wee with one consent One God one King one Law may be t' adore serue keepe content In Rome the Sabins grew with Tyrians Troians mixt And Iuda ioynd with Israel but least wee seeme prolixt And that our louing plaint's and teares may now take end Thee to thy Crowns thy Crowns to thee the great good God defend CALIDONS COMPLAINT At the apparent Voyage to her England of ANNA Queene of Great Britaine France and Ireland with HENRIE Prince of Wales her most gracious Sonne AND shall no light at all to len vs light be left Shal Sunn Moone fixed those smal erratic stars be reft And was it not ynough that Titan tooke the flight Might not sweete Cynthia yet made stay for to haue lent vs light Since Sunne and Moone must goe that bright Harie starr Let Pluto now compare with vs in darknes if he darr From darknes was alace our deriuation old The fatall name MKOTIA nought but darknes doth vnfold Shall our estate allace from state be thus downthrowne Shal Scotland hensforth haue againe no cround K. of their owne Shal wee from King Queene Prince all their brood disseuer And shall not Scotland be againe inhabited for euer Shall ghastly Ziim cry and Oim make there sport Within the Palaces where once but Monarch's made resort At libertie alas shall Fauns and Satyrs lope And to a hellish cold dispare conuert our former hope And dare not Orpheus looke but once againe abacke Or shall wee finde nothing at all but fundamentall wracke Would God that vmquhyle Dame the wisest Dame in deed That euer Britaine earst hath borne or yet againe shall breed Would God as yet shee were to brooke her trident Mace Then shuld we not bin poynted at for wrake scorne disgrace Thou saild the glassie salt and conquered endles fame In prime of loue Heroic Prince to see thy Danish Dame In slâ—eing towrs of tree thou croc'd the bounded Roares And brought our Queene thy sacred Spous to Calidonian shoares wind O let not loue wax cold nor be not now vnkind Thou need not feare for foamie floods nor pray for prosperous Since shee sweet Dame is seik thy Sonn but young in yeers With Cancer Leo burns aboue into their torrid Spheers Make then a bles'd returne to see them both againe But ô allace wee ware those words vnto the winds in vaine For they must go to thee more to increas our cairs And leaue no thing behind them here but sorow sighs teairs TheÌ„ wherto serue those plaints who know's what is appoynted Or what the Destanies decrees to do with their Anoynted Nor Douâ—ir nor those Alps nor Tybers volted Arche Vnto that Archunonarche great King Iames must be a Marche The heauins of the great Prince hade care in to thy Coode And kept thee when thou no thing knew of ather bad or good How many treasons strange and conspirations great Haue bin contriu'd against thy crowne standing of thy state Before thou was and since thou has eskaip'd huge snairs Be blithe Tued march'd thy kingdoms once now must march thy cairs Thy name shal be enough to conquer seas lands And manumit afflicted Grece from Turks and tyrans hands When Rome shall be subdew'd may thou no go abroad And make Bizantium old obey the great alguiding God But if thou greyus great King our greiued harts to glade Of thy triennall visiting performe thy promeis made Faire gracious Dame whose match nor was nor shall be seene Though fortune smile remeÌ„ber yet that thou was first our Queene Accompleisd peereles Prince in body both and mind Thinke on thy natiue soyle with loue and be not cald vnkind And so since King Queene Prince and all our all must go The Trinitie aboue preserue this Trinitie be-low ELIAZABETH LATE QVEENE OF ENGLAND HER GHOST
THE POETICALL ESSAYES OF Alexander Craige SCOTOBRITANE Seene and allowed Imprinted at London by Wllliam White dwelling in Cow-lane neere Holborne Conduit 1604. THE AVTHOR TO HIS BOOKE WHen Dedal taught his tender Sonne to flee Out through the subtile watrie vaults of aire Goe not too high nor yet too low sayd hee Of Floodes beneath of Fire aboue beware So home-bred Rimes you Icare-like must rise Mid-way betwixt the Vulgar and the Wise For you shall be vnto the vulgar sort No fit propine because not vnderstood And with the Wise you must haue small resort Since they can reape in reading you no good Like Dedalus I then direct thus flie Goe neither low nor yet I pray too hie And though you be directed to a King By any meanes approach not Court I pray For some will say my precepts pricke and sting And some shall scorne some carpe some cast away But as you must if toward Court you goe Since freindes are few I pray you breed no foe Aerij montes et mollia prata nemusque et vos carminibus flumina not a meis Quod me tam gracilem voluistis ferre Poetam indignor magnae laudis amore calens TO MY DREAD SOVERAIGNE IAMES by the grace of God of Britaine Fraunce and Ireland King CAtulus Lactatius hauing done the vtmost of his endeuours to stay his Souldiers that fled before their enemies put him selfe among the Run-awayes and dissembled to be a Coward to beare them companie That so they might rather seeme to follow their Captaine then runne away from the Enemie This was a neglecting of his reputation to conceale the shame and reproch of others I haue accomplished Archi-Monarch with the rest of these Boreo-Britan Poets been ingrately silent and with the cold asshes of Feare haue couered the coales of my Loue Because as Archileonida sayd to the Thratian Legates There were many moe more valiant Cittizens in Sparta then her Sonne Brasidas I found my selfe but a doltish Cheril among so many delicate Homers And thus neither durst I prayse thy Fortunes nor congratulate thy Greatnes But now am bold to present to your most sacred eyes these louely litures both to encourage others make satisfaction for my seeming ingratitude long silence I intend not with those Macedonian Parasites to call Alexander the Sonne of Iupiter nor with Hermodorus to make Antigonus the sonne of Phoebus I write not to enlarge thy fame which is boundles nor to begge reward which I merit not nor to purchase prayse which I craue not but in few lines to shew the infinitie of my Loue to your Grace When Vitellius at the Battell of Cremona was slaine the Parthian King Vologesus sent Embassadours to Vespasian offering him fourtie thousand Parthian Horsemen to ayde him This was a glorious and ioyfull thing to be sought vnto with offers of so great assistaunce and yet not to need them So thankes were giuen to Vologesus and hee at perpetuall peace from thencefoorth with the Romans I haue sent dread Leige those Papers Congratulatorie and Paroenetic to your Maiestie not that your Highnes needes them but with Vologesus to shew my Loue to Vespasian and purchase his thankes If you like my labours they come not too late if you loath them they come too soone to light Thus bold as a true and louing Subiect fearefull as a blushing and onmanumitted Prentice in Poesie I remaine your Maiestes Borne Subiect and bound beadman Alexander Craige TO THE READER THE famous Grecians had a Law though after mittigated by Charondas that who soeuer for feare did run away from Battle should be punished with death So least I should come in the reuerence of that Law or be called a Cow-ward I haue presumed to publish these my long conceyted Poems to common light And like that valiant Bayard who feeling himselfe deadly wounded and vnable to sit on his Horse commaunded his Souldiers to lay him against a tree but in such sort as he might die with his face to the Enemie I resolue since I haue alreadie from wisest censors receiued my death shot by printing my papers to die with my face to the Foe And since louing Lector Non omnibus datur adire Corinthum I am contented to be poynted at for a foolish Poet so I may be reputed a faythfull Subiect Mauricius forewarned by Dreames and sundry Prognostications that Phocas should kill him demaunded of Philip his sonne in law who this Phocas was Who answered hee was a faynt and cowardly fellow The Emperour thereby concluded hee was both cruell and a murtherer I feare no foe saue faynting Phocas who cowardly concealing his owne will cruelly murther my Verses Thus humbly submitting my homely laboures to thy charitable casligation I rest Thine as thou decerns and deserues Alexander Craige 1. SONET TO HIS MAIESTIE WHen others cease now I begin to sing And now when others hold their peace I shout The Lord preserue sweete Leonatus King That hee may rule great Britane round about But if perhaps your Maiestie shall doubt what makes me fing whē others hold their peace My rusticke Muse when as each one cry'd out Could not be heard from so remote a place Dombe Woonder then my Sense did so confound The greater stroke astonisheth the more When as I heard thy name so much renound I felt as lying in a sound no sore But now reuiu'd I sing when others cease In wonted mercie Lord preserue thy Grace 2 WIth mutuall losse with none or litle gaine When Ilion faire was fully set on fire Proud Paris by his horie riuall slaine And Tyndaris brought backe to her Empire I know not if the Phrygians did require Melitides but loe when Troy was wrackt Kind foole he came some say at their desire Yet sayd he nought but sigh'd to see them sackt Hee then was kind I hinder now great Prince Hee wept I smild to see thy Troy but blood Hee sent for I vnsought and had long since Been heere if that my comming could done good Yet in this poynt our kindnes I conione Wee come kind fooles to helpe when all is done 3 GReat Pompey caus'd his Heraulds to proclaime A publique Feast to nations farre and neare The young the old the rich and poore all came As welcome guistes vnto that Princely cheare One blind man at a lame began to speare What shall we doe goe sayd the lame take way I shall be guide thou on thy backe shall beare My lamed limbes and thus they keepe the day Looke peerelesse Pompey on my Lines and mee They lame and I without thy sight am blinde Wee come from farthest Scotish coastes to thee Some portion of thy royall Feast to finde It restes in thee to welcome vs therefore And make me rich that I may beg no more TO THE KINGES MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE Epistle Congratulatorie Peraenetic SCarse had my Muse respir'd the smallest space From paynting prayses of our ciuill Pace Pack'd vp by thee most gratious King of late In Calidons disturb'd
hatefull vice and vertue of most worth Wise Plutarch writes in fertill Egipt grew With medicable enuenomd hearbes anew Doe no rebuke nor publique shame approue But friendly counsaile which proceedes from loue Be not a drunke Cambises in dispeire For counsell kind to kill Prexaspes heire 7 Take Turinus and smooke him to the death Who falsly sels for bribes thy royall breath 8 Though Alexander in a raging ire For praysing Philip his renouned Sire Kind Clitus kild be thou more meeke in minde And to the praysers of thy Parents kinde 9 Within thy heart let no iniustice hant Let not the wrong'd man weepe for iustice want Pansanias plaintes proud Philip did disdaine And cruelly for his contempt was slaine 10 A Woman old fell downe vpon her knee And cryed Demetr us heare my plaints and mee I haue no leasure answerd he againe Hee takes no leasure sayd the wife to reigne Doe not thine eares Demetrius-like obdure With patience heare the sad and plaintiue poore 11 Proud Leo spoyld Iustinian his croune Deform'd his face and cut his nose quite doune But when he got his Diadems againe He punisht those that erst procur'd his paine Each gut of rheume that from his nose did floe Gaue argument for to cut off a foe O do not thou great Prince delight in blood Of crueltie thou know's can come no good Be thou Licurgus though thou lackes ane ee Forgiue Alcander make him man to thee 13 Vitellius-like haue not a facill will Now to graunt grace and straight commaund to kill 13 Great are thy fortunes farre beyond beleife Thou needes no Realmes nor foraine rents by reife Thy minde may well luxuriat in thy wealth Thy Crown 's are thine but blood or strife or stealth And since thy fortunes are so rare O than Each day with Philip thinke thou art a man 14 Though Agathocles Sicil did enioy Yet was he sometime but a Potters Boy And that his pride should not become too great In vessels but of Loame he tooke his meate Thy witt 's the weird's with great promotion tryes For woonder few are happy both and wise Though thou be free from blast's of any storme Bee humill still and keepe thy wonted forme 15 Wreat not thy Law 's with blood as Draco did The God of heau'n such crueltie forbid A happie Life makes ay a happie end Be thou a Solon Dracois Law 's to mend 16 Herodotus the Histor and right so The Poet Pindars wreats with many mo That Monarch's great examples good should giue Since from their Lords the Laiks learne to liue Kinkes be the glas the verie fcoole the booke Where priuate men do learne and read and looke Be thou th'attractiue Adamant to all And let no wicked wrest thy wits to fall Goe not to Delphos where Apolio stands Licurgus-like with off'rings in thy hands By hellish votes and oracles to see What to thy Law should paird or eiked bee From great Iehouah counsaile seeke and hee Shall giue both Gnom's and Oracles to thee And shall thy spir't with prudence so inspire As all the world shall wonder and admire 17 From Countries farre great King behold and see With rich Oblations Legates come to thee With Vexores and Tanais be glaide Of fame and honour let it not be saide Thou art a greedie Ninus fie for shame That were a staine vnto thy Noble name 18 Last since thou art the child of Peace I see Thy workes and writes are witnes both with mee Thy workes I haue no leasure to vnfold And though I had are tedious to be told Thy Writes are wond'rous both in prose and ryme Let Vertue waxe and flourish in thy tyme Though thou be best and greatest both of Kinges Mongst Poets all is none so sweetely singes Thou art the sweete Musaeus of our dayes And I thy Prentice and must giue thee prayse Some other Writer must thy Woorth proclaime Thou shalt not sing vpon thy selfe for shame Thou hast transalpine Poets of thine owne Whose tragique Cothurus through the world are knowne Thou has likwise of home-bred Homers store Poore Craige shall be thy Cheryl and no more Since all my life suppose I Poetze I see seauin Philippeans must suffize Not that thou art not liberall at will No no wise Prince but caus my Verse are ill Yet since this furie is but lent to few Let vs not want thou shale haue Verse anew If these seeme pleasant I shall sing againe If not I will from being bold abstaine And cease to write but neuer cease to pray The God of heauen preserue thee night and day THE MOST VERTVOVS and accomplished Prince ANNA Queene of Britane Fraunce and Ireland Complaineth the absence of her Lord and Spous IAMES King of the foresayd Realmes WHere habit was dwels sad Priuation now And I am made an Orphane from delight To want the sweete fruition of thy sight In balefull bed my body when I bow Yea neither can I tell nor can ye trow How blacke alace and noysome is each night Nor yet how loathsome is this common light Since absence made diuorse twixt mee and you I am thy Phaebae thou my Phaebus faire I haue no light nor life but lent from thee Curst then be absence causer of my care Which makes so long this loath'd eclipse to bee What woonder I through lake of presence pine Worm's haue alace their Sunne and I want mine Scotlands Teares WHen fabling Aesop was at fatall Delphos tane And there by doome condem'd to be precipitat slane He like a woman weep't and tooke delight in teaires Cause they alleuiat and made lesse the conscience of his caires But Solon when he spi'd his deerest sonne was dead He weepd the more because his teaires to grief gaue no remead Yet neither he nor he by teaires could salue his ill Though of those salt and fruitles flouds impetuus spaits they spil Then maymed Scotland thou made Orphane from delight Whom all the hosts of heauens abhor with vndeseru'd despight With deeing Aesop mourne or wofull Solon weepe And tho as they thou weepe in vaine let not thy sorrow sleepe With frustrat Aesau shout curse life and wish to d ee Since Iacob with his mothers helpe thy blessing steals from thee Now riuall England brag for now and not till now Thou has compeld vnconquered harts sturdy necks to bow What neither wits nor wars nor force afore could frame Is now accomplisht by the death of thy Imperiall Dame Eliza faire is gone into the land of rest To that Elisium predecried and promis'd to the blest And England for her sake now weaires the sabill weede But Scotland if thou rightly looke thou has more cause indeede They for a Dian dead Apolloes beames enioy And all their straying steps allace our Titan dooth tonnoy Now dawn's their glorius day with Phoebus rayes bespred And we are but Cymmerian slaues with gloomy clouds ou'reled Rich neighbour nation then from thy complayning cease Not thou but we should sigh so