to the meanest most vnworthy hand that will vndertake to write thereof neither can it receiue any blemish thereby for as a right diamond can loose no whit of his beautie by the blacke foyle vnderneath it neither by beeing placed in the darke but retaines his naturall beauty and brightnesse shining in greater perfection than before so this most pretious diamond for beauty and riches exceeding all the most pretious diamonds and rich jewels of the world can receiue no blemish nor impeachment by my vnworthy hand writing but wil with the Sunne retaine his owne brightnesse and most glorious lustre though neuer so many blind eyes looke vpon him Therefore good Madame to the most perfect eyes of your vnderstanding I deliuer the inestinable treasure of all elected soules to bee perused at conuenient times as also the mirrour of your most worthy minde which may remaine in the world many yeares longer than your Honour or my selfe can liue to be a light vnto those that come after desiring to tread in the narrow path of virtue that leads the way to heauen In which way I pray God send your Honour long to continue that your light may so shine before men that they may glorifie your father which is in Heauen and that I and many others may follow you in the same tracke So wishing you in this world all increase of health and honour and in the world to come life euerlasting I rest ¶ To the Ladie Katherine Countesse of Suffolke ALthough great Lady it may seeme right strange That I a stranger should presume thus farre To write to you yet as the times doe change So are we subiect to that fatall starre Vnder the which we were produc'd to breath That starre that guides vs euen vntill our death And guided me to frame this worke of grace Not of it selfe but by celestiall powres To which both that and wee must needs giue place Since what we haue we cannot count it ours For health wealth honour sickenesse death all Is in Gods powre which makes vs rise and fall And since his powre hath giuen me powre to write A subiect sit for you to looke vpon Wherein your soule may take no small delight When her bright eyes beholds that holy one By whose great wisedome loue and speciall grace Shee was created to behold his face Vouchsafe sweet Lady to accept these lines Writ by a hand that doth desire to doe All seruices to you whose worth combines The worthiâ—st minds to loue and honour you Whose beautie wisedome children high estate Doe all concurre to make you fortunate But chiefly your most honorable Lord Whose noble virtues Fame can ne'r forget His hand being alwayes ready to afford Help to the weake to the vnfortunate All which begets more honour and respect Than Croessus wealth or Caesars sterne aspect And rightly sheweth that hee is descended Of honourable Howards antient house Whose noble deedes by former times commended Do now remaine in your most loyall Spouse On whom God powres all blessings from aboue Wealth honour children and a worthy Loue Which is more deare to him than all the rest You being the louing Hinde and pleasant Roe Wife of his youth in whom his soule is blest Fountaine from whence his chiefe delights do flow Faire tree from which the fruit of Honor springs Heere I present to you the King of kings Desiring you to take a perfit view Of those great torments Patience did indure And reape those Comforts that belongs to you Which his most painfull death did then assure Writing the Couenant with his pretious blood That your faire soule might bathe her in that flood And let your noble daughters likewise reade This little Booke that I present to you On heauenly food let them vouchsafe to feede Heere they may see a Louer much more true Than euer was since first the world began This poore rich King that di'd both God and man Yea let those Ladies which do represent All beauty wisedome zeale and loue Receiue this iewell from Iehoua sent This spotlesse Lambe this perfit patient Doue Of whom faire Gabriel Gods bright Mercury Brought downe a message from the Deitie Here may they see him in a flood of teares Crowned with thornes and bathing in his blood Here may they see his feares exceed all feares When Heauen in Iustice flat against him stood And loathsome death with grim and gastly look Presented him that blacke infernall booke Wherein the sinnes of all the world were writ In deepe Characters of due punishment And naught but dying breath could cancel it Shame death and hell must make the attonement Shewing their euidence seizing wrongful Right Placing heau'ns Beauty in deaths darkest night Yet through the sable Clowdes of Shame Death His beauty shewes more clearer than before Death lost his strength when he did loose his breath As fire supprest doth shine and flame the more So in Deaths ashie pale discoloured face Fresh beauty shin'd yeelding farre greater grace No Doue no Swan nor Iu'rie could compare With this faire corps when 't was by death imbrac'd No rose nor no vermillion halfe so faire As was that pretious blood that iuterlac'd His body which bright Angels did attend Waiting on him that must to Heauen ascend In whom is all that Ladies can desire If Beauty who hath bin more faire than he If Wisedome doth not all the world admire The depth of his that cannot searched be If wealth if honour fame or Kingdoms store Who euer liu'd that was possest of more If zeale if grace if loue if pietie If constancie if faith if faire obedience If valour patience or sobrietie If chast behauiour meekenesse continence If iustice mercie bountie charitie Who can compare with his Diuinitie Whose vertues more than thoughts can apprehend I leaue to their more cleere imagination That will vouchsafe their borrowed time to spend In meditating and in contemplation Of his rare parts true honours faire prospect The perfect line that goodnesse doth direct And vnto you I wish those sweet desires That from your perfect thoughts doe daily spring Increasing still pure bright and holy fires Which sparkes of pretious grace by faith doe spring Mounting your soule vnto eternall rest There to liue happily among the best ⧠To the Ladie ANNE Countesse of Dorcet * ⎠* TO you I dedicate this worke of Grace This frame of Glory which I haue erected For your faire mind I hold the fittest place Where virtue should be fetled protected If highest thoughts true honor do imbrace And holy Wisdom is of them respected Then in this Mirrour let your faire eyes looke To view your virtues in this blessed Booke Blest by our Sauiours merits not my skil Which I acknowledge to be very small Yet if the least part of his blessed Will I haue perform'd I count I haue done all One sparke of grace sufficient is to fill Our Lampes with oyle ready when he doth call To enter with the Bridegroome to
the feast Where he that is the greatest may be least Greatnesse is no sure frame to build vpon No worldly treasure can assure that place God makes both euen the Cottage with the Throne All worldly honours there are counted base Those he holds deare and reckneth as his owne Whose virtuous deeds by his especially grace Haue gain'd his loue his kingdome and his crowne Whom in the booke of Life he hath set downe Titles of honour which the world bestowes To none but to the virtuous doth belong As beauteous bowres where true worth should repose And where his dwellings should be built most strong But when they are bestow'd vpon her foes Poore virtues friends indure the greatest wrong For they must fuffer all indignity Vntill in heau'n they better graced be What difference was there when the world began Was it not Virtue that distinguisht all All sprang but from one woman and one man Then how doth Gentry come to rise and fall Or who is he that very rightly can Distinguish of his birth or tell at all In what meane state his Ancestors haue bin Before some one of worth did honour win Whose successors although they beare his name Possessing not the riches of his â—inde How doe we know they spring out of the same True stocke of honour beeing not of that kiâ—d It is faire virtue gets immortall fame T is that doth all loue and duty bind If he that much enjoyes doth little good We may suppose he comes not of that blood Nor is he fit for honour or command If base affections ouer-rules his mind Or that selfe-will doth carry such a hand As worldly pleasures haue the powre to blind So as he cannot see nor vnderstand How to discharge that place to him affign'd Gods Stewards must for all the poore prouide If in Gods house they purpose to abide To you as to Gods Steward I doe write In whom the seeds of virtue haue bin sowne By your most worthy mother in whose right All her faire parts you challenge as your owne If you sweet Lady will appeare as bright As euer creature did that time hath knowne Then weare this Diadem I present to thee Which I haue fram'd for her Eternitie You are the Heire apparant of this Crowne Of goodnesse bountie grace loue pietie By birth it s yours then keepe it as your owne Defend it from all base indignitie The right your Mother hath to it is knowne Best vnto you who reapt such fruit thereby This Monument of her faire worth retaine In your pure mind and keepe it from al staine And as your Ancestors at first possest Their honours for their honourable deeds Let their faire virtues neuer be transgrest Bind vp the broken stop the wounds that bleeds Succour the poore comfort the comfortlesse Cherish faire plants suppresse vnwholsom weeds Although base pelfe do chance to come in place Yet let true worth receiue your greatest grace So shal you shew from whence you are descended And leaue to all posterities your fame So will your virtues alwaies be commended And euery one will reuerence your name So this poore worke of mine shal be defended From any scandall that the world can frame And you a glorious Actor will appeare Louely to all but vnto God most deare I know right well these are but needlesse lines To you that are so perfect in your part Whose birth and education both combines Nay more than both a pure and godly heart So well instructed to such faire designes By your deere Mother that there needs no art Your ripe discretion in your tender yeares By all your actions to the world appeares I doe but set a candle in the sunne And adde one drop of water to the sea Virtue and Beautie both together run When you were borne within your breast to stay Their quarrell ceast which long before begun They liue in peace and all doe them obey In you faire Madame are they richly plac'd Where all their worth by Eternity is grac'd You goddesse-like vnto the world appeare Inricht with more than fortune can bestowe Goodnesse and Grace which you doe hold more deere Than worldly wealth which melts away like snowe Your pleasure is the word of God to heare That his most holy precepts you may know Your greatest honour faire and virtuous deeds Which from the loue and feare of God proceeds Therefore to you good Madame I present His louely loue more worth than purest gold Who for your sake his pretious blood hath spent His death and passion here you may behold And view this Lambe that to the world was sent Whom your faire soule may in her armes infold Louing his loue that did endure such paine That you in heauen a worthy place might gaine For well you knowe this world is but a Stage Where all doe play their parts and must be gone Here 's no respect of persons youth nor age Death seizeth all he neuer spareth one None can preuent or stay that tyrants rage But Iesus Christ the Iust By him alone He was orecome He open set the dore To Eternall life ne're seene nor knowne before He is the stone the builders did refuse Which you sweet Lady are to build vpon He is the rocke that holy Church did chuse Among which number you must needs be one Faire Shepheardesse t is you that he will vse To feed his flocke that trust in him alone All wordly blessings he vouchsafes to you That to the poore you may returne his due And if deserts a Ladies loue may gaine Then tell me who hath more deseru'd than he Therefore in recompence of all his paine Bestowe your paines to reade and pardon me If out of wants or weakenesse of my braine I haue not done this worke sufficiently Yet lodge him in the closet of your heart Whose worth is more than can be shew'd by Art TO THE VERTVOVS Reader OFten haue I heard that it is the property of some women not only to emulate the virtues and perfections of the rest but also by all their powers of ill speaking to ecclipse the brightnes of their deserued fame now contrary to this custome which men I hope vniustly lay to their charge I haue written this small volume or little booke for the generall vse of all virtuous Ladies and Gentlewomen of this kingdome and in commendation of some particular persons of our owne sexe such as for the most part are so well knowne to my selfe and others that I dare vndertake Fame dares not to call any better And this haue I done to make knowne to the world that all women deserue not to be blamed though some forgetting they are women themselues and in danger to be condemned by the words of their owne mouthes fall into so great an errour as to speake vnaduisedly against the rest of their sexe which if it be true I am perswaded they can shew their owne imperfection in nothing more and therefore could wish for their owne ease modesties and
that crowne which is your due That of Heau'ns beauty Earth may take a view Though famous women elder times haue knowne Whose glorious actions did appeare so bright That powrefull men by them were ouerthrowne And all their armies ouercome in fight The Scythian women by their powre alone Put king Darius vnto shamefull flight All Asia yeelded to their conq'ring hand Great Alexander could not their powre withstand Whose worth though writ in lines of blood and fire Is not to be compared vnto thine Their powre was small to ouercome Desire Or to direct their wayes by Virtues line Were they aliue they would thy Life admire And vnto thee their honours would resigne For thou a greater conquest do'st obtaine Than they who haue so many thousands slaine Wise Deborah that judged Israel Nor valiant Iudeth cannot equall thee Vnto the first God did his will reueale And gaue her powre to set his people free Yea Iudeth had the powre likewise to queale Proud Holifernes that the just might see What small defence vaine pride and greatnesse hath Against the weapons of Gods word and faith But thou farre greater warre do'st still maintaine Against that many headed monster Sinne Whose mortall sting hath many thousand slaine And euery day fresh combates doe begin Yet cannot all his venome lay one staine Vpon thy Soule thou do'st the conquest winne Though all the world he daily doth deuoure Yet ouer thee he neuer could get powre For that one worthy deed by Deb'rah done Thou hast performed many in thy time For that one Conquest that faire Iudeth wonne By which shee did the steps of honour clime Thou hast the Conquest of all Conquests wonne When to thy Conscience Hell can lay no crime For that one head that Iudeth bare away Thou tak'st from Sinne a hundred heads a day Though virtuous Hester fasted three dayes space And spent her time in prayers all that while That by Gods powre shee might obtaine such grace That shee and hers might not become a spoyle To wicked Hamon in whose crabbed face Was seene the map of malice enuie guile Her glorious garments though shee put apart So to present a pure and single heart To God in sack-cloth ashes and with teares Yet must faire Hester needs giue place to thee Who hath continu'd dayes weekes months and yeares In Gods true seruice yet thy heart beeing free From doubt of death or any other feares Fasting from sinne thou pray'st thine eyes may see Him that hath full possession of thine heart From whose sweet loue thy Soule can neuer part His Loue not Feare makes thee to fast and pray No kinsmans counsell needs thee to aduise The sack-cloth thou do'st weare both night and day Is worldly troubles which thy rest denies The ashes are the Vanities that play Ouer thy head and steale before thine eyes Which thou shak'st off when mourning time is past That royall roabes thou may'st put on at last Ioachims wife that faire and constant Dame Who rather chose a cruel death to die Than yeeld to those two Elders voide of shame When both at once her chastitie did trie Whose Innocencie bare away the blame Vntill th' Almighty Lord had heard her crie And rais'd the spirit of a Child to speake Making the powrefull judged of the weake Although her virtue doe deserue to be Writ by that hand that neuer purchas'd blame In holy Writ where all the world may see Her perfit life and euer honoured name Yet was she not to be compar'd to thee Whose many virtues doe increase thy fame For shee oppos'd against old doting Lust Who with lifes danger she did feare to trust But your chafte breast guarded with strength of mind Hates the imbracements of vnchaste desires You louing God liue in your selfe confind From vnpure Loue your purest thoughts retires Your perfit sight could neuer be so blind To entertaine the old or yong desires Of idle Louers which the world presents Whose base abuses worthy minds preuents Euen as the constant Lawrell alwayes greene No parching heate of Summer can deface Nor pinching Winter euer yet was seene Whose nipping frosts could wither or disgrace So you deere Ladie still remaine as Queene Subduing all affections that are base Vnalterable by the change of times Not following but lamenting others crimes No feare of Death or dread of open shame Hinders your perfect heart to giue consent Nor loathsome age whom Time could neuer tame From ill designes whereto their youth was bent But loue of God care to preserue your fame And spend that pretious time that God hath sent In all good exercises of the minde Whereto your noble nature is inclin'd That Ethyopian Queene did gaine great fame Who from the Southerne world did come to see Great Salomon the glory of whose name Had spread it selfe ore all the earth to be So great that all the Princes thither came To be spectators of his royaltie And this faire Queene of Sheba came from farre To reuerence this new appearing starre From th' vtmost part of all the Earth shee came To heare the Wisdom of this worthy King To trie if Wonder did agree with Fame And many faire rich presents did she bring Yea many strange hard questions did shee frame All which were answer'd by this famous King Nothing was hid that in her heart did rest And all to prooue this King so highly blest Here Maiestie with Maiestie did meete Wisdome to Wisdome yeelded true content One Beauty did another Beauty greet Bounty to Bountie neuer could repent Here all distaste is troden vnder feet No losse of time where time was so well spent In virtuous exercises of the minde In which this Queene did much contentment finde Spirits affect where they doe sympathize Wisdom desires Wisdome to embrace Virtue couets her like and doth deuize How she her friends may entertaine with grace Beauty sometime is pleas'd to feed her eyes With viewing Beautie in anothers face Both good and bad in this point doe agree That each desireth with his like to be And this Desire did worke a strange effect To drawe a Queene forth of her natiue Land Not yeelding to the nicenesse and respect Of woman-kind shee past both sea and land All feare of dangers shee did quite neglect Onely to see to heare and vnderstand That beauty wisedome maiestie and glorie That in her heart imprest his perfect storie Yet this faire map of maiestie and might Was but a figure of thy deerest Loue Borne t' expresse that true and heauenly light That doth all other joyes imperfect proue If this faire Earthly starre did shine so bright What doth that glorious Sonne that is aboue Who weares th' imperiall crowne of heauen and earth And made all Christians blessed in his berth If that small sparke could yeeld so great a fire As to inflame the hearts of many Kings To come to see to heare and to admire His wisdome tending but to worldly things Then much more reason haue we to desire That heau'nly
wisedome which saluation brings The Sonne of righteousnesse that giues true joyes When all they sought for were but Earthly toyes No trauels ought th' affected soule to shunne That this faire heauenly Light desires to see This King of kings to whom we all should runne To view his Glory and his Majestie He without whom we all had beene vndone He that from Sinne and Death hath set vs free And ouercome Satan the world and finne That by his merits we those joyes might winne Prepar'd by him whose euerlasting throne Is plac'd in heauen aboue the starrie skies Where he that sate was like the Iasper stone Who rightly knowes him shall be truely wise A Rainebow round about his glorious throne Nay more those winged beasts so full of eies That neuer cease to glorifie his Name Who was and will be and is now the same This is that great almightie Lord that made Both heauen and earth and liues for euermore By him the worlds foundation first was laid He fram'd the things that neuer were before The Sea within his bounds by him is staid He judgeth all alike both rich and poore All might all majestie all loue all lawe Remaines in him that keepes all worlds in awe From his eternall throne the lightning came Thundrings and Voyces did from thence proceede And all the creatures glorifi'd his name In heauen in earth and seas they all agreed When loe that spotlesse Lambe so voyd of blame That for vs di'd whose sinnes did make him bleed That true Physition that so many heales Opened the Booke and did vndoe the Seales He onely worthy to vndoe the Booke Of our charg'd soules full of iniquitie Where with the eyes of mercy he doth looke Vpon our weakenesse and infirmitie This is that corner stone that was forsooke Who leaues it trusts but to vncertaintie This is Gods Sonne in whom he is well pleased His deere beloued that his wrath appeased He that had powre to open all the Seales And summon vp our sinnes of blood and wrong He vnto whom the righteous soules appeales That haue bin martyrd and doe thinke it long To whom in mercie he his will reueales That they should rest a little in their wrong Vntill their fellow seruants should be killed Euen as they were and that they were fulfilled To the Laâ—â— dowager of Cumberland ¶ Pure thoughted Lady blessed be thy choyce Of this Almightie euerlasting King In thee his Saints and Angels doe reioyce And to their Heau'nly Lord doe daily sing Thy perfect praises in their lowdest voyce And all their harpes and golden vials bring Full of sweet odours euen thy-holy prayers Vnto that spotlesse Lambe that all repaires Of whom that Heathen Queene obtain'd such grace By honouring but the shadow of his Loue That great Iudiciall day to haue a place Condemning those that doe vnfaithfull proue Among the haplesse happie is her case That her deere Sauiour spake for her behoue And that her memorable Act should be Writ by the hand of true Eternitie Yet this rare Phoenix of that worne-out age This great maiesticke Queene comes short of thee Who to an earthly Prince did then ingage Her hearts desires her loue her libertie Acting her glorious part vpon a Stage Of weaknesse frailtie and infirmity Giuing all honour to a Creature due To her Creator whom shee neuer knew But loe a greater thou hast sought and found Than Salomon in all his royaltie And vnto him thy faith most firmely bound To serue and honour him continually That glorious God whose terror doth confound All sinfull workers of iniquitie Him hast thou truely serued all thy life And for his loue liu'd with the world at strife To this great Lord thou onely art affected Yet came he not in pompe or royaltie But in an humble habit base deiected A King a God clad in mortalitie He hath thy loue thou art by him directed His perfect path was faire humilitie Who being Monarke of heau'n earth and seas Indur'd all wrongs yet no man did displease Then how much more art thou to be commended That seek'st thy loue in lowly shepheards weed A seeming Trades-mans sonne of none attended Saue of a few in pouertie and need Poore Fishermen that on his loue attended His loue that makes so many thousands bleed Thus did he come to trie our faiths the more Possessing worlds yet seeming extreame poore The Pilgrimes trauels and the Shepheards cares He tooke vpon him to enlarge our soules What pride hath lost humilitie repaires For by his glorious death he vs inroules In deepe Characters writ with blood and teares Vpon those blessed Euerlasting scroules His hands his feete his body and his face Whence freely flow'd the riuers of his grace Sweet holy riuers pure celestiall springs Proceeding from the fountaine of our life Swift sugred currents that saluation brings Cleare christall streames purging all sinne and strife Faire floods where souls do bathe their snow-white wings Before they flie to true etern all life Sweet Nectar and Ambrosia food of Saints Which whoso tasteth neuer after faints This hony dropping dew of holy loue Sweet milke wherewith we weaklings are restored Who drinkes thereof a world can neuer moue All earthly pleasures are of them abhorred This loue made Martyrs many deaths to proue To taste his sweetnesse whom they so adored Sweetnesse that makes our flesh a burthen to vs Knowing it serues but onely to vndoe vs. His sweetnesse sweet'ned all the sowre of death To faithfull Stephen his appointed Saint Who by the riuer stones did loose his breath When paines nor terrors could not make him faint So was this blessed Martyr turn'd to earth To glorifie his soule by deaths attaint This holy Saint was humbled and cast downe To winne in heauen an euerlasting crowne Whose face repleat with Maiestie and Sweetnesse Did as an Angel vnto them appeare That sate in Counsell hearing his discreetnesse Seeing no change or any signe of a feare But with a constant browe did there confesse Christs high deserts which were to him so deare Yea when these Tyrants stormes did most oppresse Christ did appeare to make his griefe the lesse For beeing filled with the holy Ghost Vp vnto Heau'n he look'd with stedfast eies Where God appeared with his heauenly hoste In glory to this Saint before he dies Although he could no Earthly pleasures boast At Gods right hand sweet IESVS he espies Bids them behold Heauens open he doth see The Sonne of Man at Gods right hand to be Whose sweetnesse sweet'ned that short sowre of Life Making all bitternesse delight his taste Yeelding sweet quietnesse in bitter strife And most contentment when he di'd disgrac'd Heaping vp joyes where sorrows were most rife Such sweetnesse could not choose but be imbrac'd The food of Soules the Spirits onely treasure The Paradise of our celestiall pleasure This Lambe of God who di'd and was aliue Presenting vs the bread of life Eternall His bruised body powrefull to reuiue Our sinking soules out of the pit infernall
are Washed with milke to giue the more delight His head is likened to the finest gold His curled lockes so beauteous to behold Blacke as a Raven in her blackest hew His lips like skarlet threeds yet much more sweet Than is the sweetest hony dropping dew Or hony combes where all the Bees doe meet Yea he is constant and his words are true His cheekes are beds of spices flowers sweet His lips like Lillies dropping downe pure mirrhe Whose loue before all worlds we doe preferre To my Lady of Cumberland ¶ Ah! giue me leaue good Lady now to leaue This taske of Beauty which I tooke in hand I cannot wade so deepe I may deceaue My selfe before I can attaine the land Therefore good Madame in your heart I leaue His perfect picture where it still shall stand Deepely engraued in that holy shrine Enuironed with Loue and Thoughts diuine There may you see him as a God in glory And as a man in miserable case There may you reade his true and perfect storie His bleeding body there you may embrace And kisse his dying cheekes with teares of sorrow With ioyfull griefe you may intreat for grace And all your prayers and your almes-deeds May bring to stop his cruell wounds that bleeds Oft times hath he made triall of your loue And in your Faith hath tooke no small delight By Crosses and Afflictions he doth proue Yet still your heart remaineth firme and right Your loue so strong as nothing can remoue Your thoughts beeing placed on him both day and night Your constant soule doth lodge betweene her brests This Sweet of sweets in which all glory rests Sometime h' appeares to thee in Shepheards weed And so presents himselfe before thine eyes A good old man that goes his flocke to feed Thy colour changes and thy heart doth rise Thou call'st he comes thou find'st t is he indeed Thy Soule conceaues that he is truely wise Nay more desires that he may be the Booke Whereon thine eyes continually may looke Sometime imprison'd naked poore and bare Full of diseases impotent and lame Blind deafe and dumbe he comes vnto his faire To see if yet shee will remaine the same Nay sicke and wounded now thou do'st prepare To cherish him in thy deare Louers name Yea thou bestow'st all paines all cost all care That may relieue him and his health repaire These workes of mercy are so sweete so deare To him that is the Lord of Life and Loue That all thy prayers he vouchsafes to heare And sends his holy Spirit from aboue Thy eyes are op'ned and thou seest so cleare No worldly thing can thy faire mind remoue Thy faith thy prayers and his speciall grace Doth open Heau'n where thou behold'st his face These are those Keyes Saint Peter did possesse Which with a Spirituall powre are giu'n to thee To heale the soules of those that doe transgresse By thy faire virtues which if once they see Vnto the like they doe their minds addresse Such as thou art such they desire to be If they be blind thou giu'st to them their sight If deafe or lame they heare and goe vpright Yea if possest with any euill spirits Such powre thy faire examples haue obtain'd To cast them out applying Christs pure merits By which they are bound and of all hurt restrain'd If strangely taken wanting sence or wits Thy faith appli'd vnto their soules so pain'd Healeth all griefes and makes them grow so strong As no defects can hang vpon them long Thou beeing thus rich no riches do'st respect Nor do'st thou care for any outward showe The proud that doe faire Virtues rules neglect Desiring place thou fittest them belowe All wealth and honour thou do'st quite reiect If thou perceiu'st that once it prooues a foe To virtue learning and the powres diuine Thou mai'st conuert but neuer wilt incline To fowle disorder or licentiousnesse But in thy modest vaile do'st sweetly couer The staines of other sinnes to make themselues That by this meanes thou mai'st in time recouer Those weake lost sheepe that did so long transgresse Presenting them vnto thy deerest Louer That when he brings them backe vnto his fold In their conuersion then he may behold Thy beauty shining brighter than the Sunne Thine honour more than euer Monarke gaind Thy wealth exceeding his that Kingdomes wonne Thy Loue vnto his Spouse thy Faith vnfaind Thy Constancy in what thou hast begun Till thou his heauenly Kingdom haue obtaind Respecting worldly wealth to be but drosse Which if abuz'd doth prooue the owners losse Great Cleopatra's loue to Anthony Can no way be compared vnto thine Shee left her Loue in his extremitie When greatest need should cause her to combine Her force with his to get the Victory Her Loue was earthly and thy Loue Diuine Her Loue was onely to support her pride Humilitie thy Loue and Thee doth guide That glorious part of Death which last shee plai'd T' appease the ghost of her deceased Loue Had neuer needed if shee could haue stai'd When his extreames made triall and did proue Her leaden loue vnconstant and afraid Their wicked warres the wrath of God might moue To take reuenge for chast Octavia's wrongs Because shee enjoyes what vnto her belongs No Cleopatra though thou wert as faire As any Creature in Antonius eyes Yea though thou wert as rich as wise as rare As any Pen could write or Wit deuise Yet with this Lady canst thou not compare Whose inward virtues all thy worth denies Yet thou a blacke Egyptian do'st appeare Thou false shee true and to her Loue more deere Shee sacrificeth to her deerest Loue With flowres of Faith and garlands of Good deeds Shee flies not from him when afflictions proue Shee beares his crosse and stops his wounds that bleeds Shee loues and liues chaste as the Turtle doue Shee attends vpon him and his flocke shee feeds Yea for one touch of death which thou did'st trie A thousand deaths shee euery day doth die Her virtuous life exceeds thy worthy death Yea she hath richer ornaments of state Shining more glorious than in dying breath Thou didst when either pride or cruell fate Did worke thee to preuent a double death To stay the malice scorne and cruell hate Of Rome that joy'd to see thy pride pull'd downe Whose Beauty wrought the hazard of her Crowne Good Madame though your modestie be such Not to acknowledge what we know and find And that you thinke these prayses ouermuch Which doe expresse the beautie of your mind Yet pardon me although I giue a touch Vnto their eyes that else would be so blind As not to see thy store and their owne wants From whose faire seeds of Virtue spring these plants And knowe when first into this world I came This charge was giu'n me by th' Eternall powres Th'euerlasting Trophie of thy fame To build and decke it with the sweetest flowres That virtue yeelds Then Madame doe not blame Me when I shew the World but what is yours And decke you with