The Comparison.
O What a sea of blood shall
England spill,
So called for assisting Godfrey of Bullion, in his expedition to Judaea. Bassianus and Geta.
When
Normans Prince, and
Palastinas friend,
With burgonets of steele our fieldes doth fill,
Brothers must striue as did
Seuerus kind,
Enuious ambition makes iust nature blind.
Arunce and
Brutus dead, Alarums cease,
Publicola doth liue, and loueth peace.
When
Brutus dide,
Valerius then did raigne,
When
Arunce fell,
Henry the 2. sonne of Mawd the Empresse, and Stephen Earle of Blois, Nephew to Henry the first.
the
Tuscan Emperour fled:
When
Tirrolls shaft shall enter
Rufus braine,
When
Henries life with
Roberts lightes are fled,
When all these sleepe in natures earthly bed.
Norfolke shall giue to
Stephen, Henries due,
Peace then shall be, but warre shall soone ensue.
Flora is fled, stout
Hiems weares her crowne,
Attir'd like
Mars in furniture of steele:
Aniow and
Blois striue for the Imperiall Crowne,
A griefe surpassing griefe doth
England feele,
Whilst doubtfull Fortune turns her doubtfull wheele.
Camillus comes, the
Frenchmen feare his voice,
Alba is freed, and
Albion hath her choice.
When
Rome was sackt,
Camillus ended strife,
And made
Bellinus brother to dispaire:
Brennus.
When
Germanes Empresse
Mawd shall end her life,
Henry shall claime the crowne, as lawfull heire,
His Eame in graue, but he in regall chaire
Is plac't, and rules his princely Peeres with peace,
His sonnes rebell, and concord gins to cease.
Now springs the plant,
Henry the 2. the first Plantaginet.
from hence our ioy shall spring,
Victorious
Aniow crownd in regall state:
Liuing, adopts an heir, inuests a King,
Vagratefull child spurd by a womans hate,
Richard 2.
Sturd forraine foes the land to ruinate.
Romes sword is Consul,
Marcellus, so called by Hanniball.
foe-men tribute paies,
Both
Henries dead, Christs friend the Septer swaies.
Marcellus which did
Syracusa burne,
Made
Affricks praise,
[...]nniball.
to praise his matchles minde,
And place his ashes in a golden vrne:
So
Aibious lyon sprung from lyons kinde,
When death the king and prince in cords shall binde.
Heele spend his treasure, for
Iehouas good:
But woe alas, a slaue shall spill his blood.
Designed
Iohn disuests young
Britaines Duke,
But Antichristians prince, our sauiours foe:
Bringes
Lewis in, and doth him straight rebuke,
Egles of England, yeeld to Swans of Poe,
A Monarch falles by Monkes,
[...]i
[...]us Flam.
[...]s slaine at
[...]e batle of
[...]hrasimenus
[...]ose death is by his
[...]nne
[...]enged in the
[...]isoning of
[...]anniball.
fates wills it so.
Titus suruiues, though flames
Flaminius burne,
Worster is safe, and
Lewis doth returne.
At
Thrasimenus valiant
Titus fell,
In
Prusias Court, his sonne reuengde his death:
Form happie heauen, though
Iohn to haples hell
Headlong did slide, his sonne shall weare the wreath,
The
Dolphen flyes, and
Mars begins to breath:
Tempestuous whitle-windes,
[...]enry the 3.
breake the Temple gate
Of Peace; the peers the king, the prince the Baron hate.
Ciuill dissention and dislovall armes,
Cleerly declares
Clares hidden enmitie:
A fatall starre foretelleth future harmes,
The legions meete, each doth the other spye,
Eccho resounds, S.
George, S.
George, both cry:
Gracchus is stabd, young
Scipio peace maintaines,
The Barrons tam'd, all conquering
Longshanckes raignes.
Romes enuious
Tribunes that ignoble Tribe,
The vitious issue of a vertuous dame:
Did the base mindes of poore
Plebeians bribe,
To gaine them honour,
Caius and Tiberius Gracchus.
with their Countries shame:
They dead; the world did ring with
Romanes faine.
So
Clare and
Mountford shall, who being slaine,
Edward shall vanquish
Calidonias plaine.
Acon is tane, and
Tunis feares his stroakes,
He loued peace,
The saying of Leoline himselfe, as Powell hath laid down in his life.
yet bare a warriors shield:
Cambria disdain'd to weare her sisters yoake,
The Ensignes spred, both striue to win the field,
The bridge is past, and
Leoline must yeeld:
Marius departs,
Proscriptio
[...]s gin to cease,
The Prince of warre shall end his dayes in peace.
Destruction graz'd on fertill
Italy,
Till
Syllas legions vanquisht
Marius might:
So ciuill warres shall feed on
Britany,
Till
Leolinus that all daring Knight,
Is tane by
Edward in vnequall fight:
When
Marius fell,
Concordia gan to smile,
So
Wales will amplify faire
Englands stile.
Resplendant
Iuno,
Queens Isabel wife to Edward the
[...]. was next heire to Charles king of France whose title our present king doth enioy
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:
Scipio & Lentulus two worthy Ro stroue vehemently in the campe of Pomper: for the Bishoprick of Rome, but the battels ioyning & Caesar winning, their strife ended with their liues
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,
Ed. the third, maried Phillip daughter to the Earle of Henault.
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,
Lord Roger Mortimer Earle of March and Queene Isabel, compared to Anthony & Cleopatra:
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:
Edward the blacke Prince compared to Geranicus.
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,
Edward the blacke Prince ayded the Erle of Artois against King Iohn of France.
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,
Aristotle.
or like a Comet bright,
Through euery region
Caesar sent his light.
The
Zodiaks lamp in the Eclipticke line,
[...]ermanicus
[...]peased Ger
[...]any, but end
[...]d his dayes by
[...]oison in As
[...]i
[...]a.
Twice vrgd his courser to a swift careere:
[...]dward prince of Wales re
[...] ored Peter
[...]ing of Spaine
[...]nto his King
[...]ome by the
[...]onquest of Henry his basard brother, at
[...]he battle of Nazers.
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,
[...]ohn Lord
[...]eaumont,
[...]ooke part with the eng
[...]ish against the French nation, but afterwards
[...]e fauoured the
[...]actiō of Iohn, king of Frāce.
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,
The lord Audley at the battle of Poytiers behaued himselfe most valiant, as Crasinius did in Pharsalia, who bad Caesar be of comfort, and take courage before he fought and that day he should praise him aliue or dead, which he performed, for he lost his l
[...]e in the pursuite of honor, and for the safety of Caesar.
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.
Ed. the 3. compared to Paulus Aemi
[...] who in his greatest glory lost his chiefest ioy, namely his t
[...] sonnes.
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.
Me
[...]omene thou dismal muse appeare,
And moralize the
Anthemes which I bring;
Richard
misled by Bushy, Poole
and Ʋere,
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,
Romanes.
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,
The halfe Moone is t
[...] armes of th
[...] Percies Ea
[...] of Northu
[...]
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,
Hen. Bussi
[...] brooke D
[...] of Heref. w
[...] accused by Th. Mowb
[...] Duke of N
[...] folke of tre
[...] son, which
[...] not being
[...] to proue, w
[...] contented t
[...] maintaine
[...] allegation
[...] combat,
[...] his aduersa
[...] did accept. But better
[...] uice being
[...] ken, they w
[...] both banish
[...] the land, He
[...] ford for the terme of ten yeares, and Mowbray
[...] the date of
[...]
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
Mowbray for aye, ten yeares must
Harford part,
Griefe galles the one, and kills the others hart.
The gallant Courser in the listed race
Dismounts the Ryder, scornes his curbing raine:
Stamping with ioy, his freedome doth embrace,
And doth his pristine seruitude disdaine,
Leauing his Ryder breathlesse on the plaine.
So raging
Burdeux tumbles downe his kinne,
And runnes from sin to vice, from vice to sinne.
In his Imperiall Pallace
Pleasures Bowre,
Caligula slain by his own friends
Romes mightie Monster did himself repose:
Sacking
Cytheress fort, faire
Venus Towre,
The stone where the Kings of Englands chaire is placed at their Coronatiōs, is reported to be that stone wheron Iacob laid his head whē the Angel appeared to him in his dream
The raging multitude their wrath disclose,
For his
Praetorian guard, they did insclose:
Chaerea did split his hart; oh happie thing!
T'was good he dide, twas bad to kill a King.
So Honors spurre did pricke the
Percies blood,
To tumble
Richard from his bloudie Throne:
Wishing great
Herford to transpasse the flood,
To come and sit on
Iocobs sacred stone,
Where he might raigne as King, and rule alone.
As
Claudius rose, so
Herford came to raigne,
As
Nero fell, so
Edwards sonne was slaine.
Genes. brought frō Scotland by Edward the first.
Now
Gaunts great issue in his Throne is set,
Whose sacred Science this my Muse should tell:
For
Margarets sake, that sprang from
Sommerset,
For her it should, if
Cambria did not tell,
For lawes vnheard, this Monarch did excell.
Who gaue him wings to mount,
Henry 4. The extremitie of his lawes are set downe at large in Powels Annales.
he threw to ground,
Claudius who ran so faire, is
Claudus found.
In
Silence vault my Muse shall hide his fame,
Who dide the Grey goose wings with purple red:
Praise he deseru'd, though he deserued blame,
Sertorius like his warlike troopes he led,
Owen Glē dour compared to Sertorius.
For by alluring hope they both were fed.
Had men and Fortune equaliz'd his minde,
His Conquests
Seuernes neuer had confinde.
Victorious
Hotspurre and his valiant sire,
The kings great
Steward, Wosters reuerent Lord:
With neuer daunted
Dowglas doe conspire,
Whose endles praise our
Annales doe record:
With these doe
Glendowre ioyne,
Edmund Mo
[...] timer Earle o
[...] March was d
[...] signed heire apparant in the dayes o
[...] Richard the 2. if the King dye
[...] without issue.
and
Wigmors Lord,
To pull the Scepter from the tyrantes hand,
And giue it him that should by right command.
Dowglas and
Hotspurre peerlesse for their might,
Are ouermatcht by
Henries matchlesse sonne:
Who like a lyon rows'd him in the fight,
Glendowre himselfe is by himselfe vndone,
Northumberland is sicke and cannot come:
The battle at Shaftsbury
Like to a
Tyger in his eager chase,
Great
Monmouthes praise doth run from place to place.
Tumults appeas'd and armor set aside,
Henry the 5. borne at Monmouth shire in Wales.
The stately Cirty of the highest God
Diuine
Ierusalem, Iehouas bride,
Being whipt with warre, and famines pinching rod,
Implores the helpe of this all-conquering Lord:
His soule defilde with sinne, by merits sought
That to redeeme which
Iesus blood had bought.
His royall Nauy like a sea of wood,
Attends his princely presence in the bay:
But see how meager death still enuying good,
With fatall stroake his enterprise doth stay,
The
Caedar falles in time, so Kings decay.
Why stay you shippes, he treades the sacred path,
Ierusalem his soule and body hath.
Henry the fift, his lyfe and death.
AVaunt proud
Rome and bragge not of thy men,
Henr. 5.
Nor thy aetheriall
Caesars warres declare:
Cease peerlesse
Plutarch with thy sacred pen,
The worlds Archmonarches aptly to compare,
Reason doth vrge, and this alledge I dare,
That Englands
Homer portraid hath his warre,
Which doth excell the worthiest
Caesars starre.
What telst thou me of famous
Hasdruball,
Of
Cannas chance, and
Varros ouerthrow:
Aemisius death, and conquering
Hanniball,
Of
Syllas Legions, and a Parthian bowe,
Of
Titus valure,
Catos wrinckled browe,
Of
Syracuse, and strong
Namantias wall,
Or Phillip, Persia, Iugurth Iubas
fall.
Of Noble
Drusus and proud
Saturnine,
Of
Scipios death, and
Gracchus infamy:
Of
Marius trophies, and sterne
Cataline,
How
Caesar vanquisht
France and
Germany,
And twise returnd as foild from
Britany.
The world admir;d their victories to see,
Yet none of these must be comparde with thee.
Let
Athens praise the lawes which
Solon gaue,
And
Marathon extoll
Miltiades,
Write
Caria of
Mansolus stately graue,
And let
Cycilia wish
Demosthenes,
But
Salamina praise
Themistocles.
Greece did admire their tryumphes for to see,
Yet all of these cannot comparewith thee.
Let
Sparta now conceale
Lycurgus fame,
And
Lacedaemon hide
Lysanders praise:
Cease
Argos now, to shew th'Olimpicke game,
Let silence cloud or maske those golden dayes,
When
Epires Monarch acted Tragicke playes:
Pyrrhus.
But what of him? or what are these to thee?
For thou alone doest farre exceed those three.
Though
Alexander wan
Darius Crowne,
And forc't the Easterne Emperour leaue his tent:
Burning
Persopolis that regall Towne,
Seeing thy valure freely giues consent
That two bright sonnes should rule the Element:
With thee great Prince we aptly may compare,
Rich
Europes Paragon, and Phaenix rare.
The Duke of Yorke & Earle of Suffolke, were the onely men of Nobilitie that ended their liues in the battell of Agincourt.
Thou didst not want
Parmenios aiding hand,
Nor valiant
Perdicas aspiring minde:
Which might
Alansons quarels fierce withstand,
As long as
Langlies gallant issued minde
Had faithfull
Suffolkes loue to him combinde.
They wan, they lost, they liue though they are dead,
They liue in heauen,
Crassinius was the first Captain that charged the enemy in the Field, which office of valure, Edward the Duke of Yorke enioyed at Agincourt.
and dide in Conquests bed.
France did ten yeares withstand the Romanes might,
Both parties oft with equall courage plaide;
Yet that before the Sun shewd twice his light,
Madst great
Mompensier flye as all dismaide,
To see thy kingly Banner forth displaide,
Like to
Crassinius Yorke the yaward led,
True valure is by hope of honor bred.
Henry two
Diadames doth now combine,
Europes faire daughters, eldest sisters twaine:
By marriage of a maide a Mimph diuine,
Whilst
Lewis liues, as Emperour he mustraigne,
Henry as heire apparant doth remayne:
When
Katherin is betrothd his beauteous wife,
Peace conquers warre, and concord endeth strife.
Immortalized virgin sacred Queene,
Britaines Aurora harbinger of day:
Fairer then thought could thinke or eye hath seene,
Rich Vertues port, and Honors cleerest bay,
Thrice blessed wombe fram'd of aetheriall clay,
Which didst enclose that glorious
Theodore,
Whose sonne did
Britaines regalty restore.
Her Amber-tresses like to wyers of gold,
That shadowed her white vermilion face:
Like
Vulcans chayne did
Venus champion hold,
VVho triumphed erewhile, now sues for grace,
Vndecent action for a Captaines place:
Thy eyes are now bewitcht with eyes diuine,
Thy heart consents to honor
Katherine.
If I had
Zeuxes at to paint thy lookes,
Did I enioy
Maeonian Homers quill:
To pourtraiture thy praise in golden bookes,
Thy vertues rare would aequalize my skill:
Thy sacred paps sweete
Nectar did distill.
Hadst not thou bene, our eyes should neuer view
Our present peace and pleasures to ensue.
Stay ranging
Muse, thy wandring course restraine,
When
ioues all-seeing eyes did view this King:
He sent his Harauld to that spatious plaine,
Where the three fatall Sisters, then did spinne:
To know when
Henries life did first beginne.
And if his thred were not already spunne,
That
Lachesis should make it quickly runne.
His wisest sonne did place his golden wings,
Holding a siluer rodde all-charming wand:
VVherewith he could inchant all mortal things,
VVith this attire he claue the aetheriall land,
Where
loue and
luno doth the Gods command:
When that he came vnto the appointed place,
He told his message with a comely grace.
Sisters (quoth he) for so they were indeed,
Th' omnipotent and all-commanding
Ioue:
Mercuries Oration.
VVhich doth on
Nactar and
Ambrosia feed,
Iuno, Apollo,
and Cythereis
loue:
VVith all the Gods that rules the sphere aboue,
Entreats, cōmands, of you faire sisters three,
To end his life, though not his dignitie.
Atlas you know is old
Alcides dead,
You know the waight of Heauens massy throne:
He dyed in a Chamber at the Deane of Westmi. lodging named Ierusalem.
The Planets houses couered all with lead,
Ioues pallace varnisht with rich Rubies stone,
The gates of
Iuory and
Indian bone:
He that doth heauens heauiest waight sustaine,
Must patience haue to tollerate his paine.
Therefore (quoth he) this is my Fathers will,
(For
Ioue his Father was, or Fame doth lye)
That you which power haue great kings to kill,
Would shorten
Henries life that he might dye,
A heauenly thought deserues aeternitie.
Atlas is old, and
Atlas must haue aide,
All feare the heft,
Henry was nere afraide.
The Sisters stood amazde at his request,
The Fates
[...]nswere.
Each looke at others eyes as in a glasse:
Whereat sterne
Clotho eldest of the rest,
Brother quoth shee (for
Ioue their Father was)
Shall Fates be rulde by Gods? ahlas, ahlas,
They reuell still, but we poore wretches worke,
We labour, they in Caues of pleasure lurke.
The worlds poore Impes may iustly now complaine
Of humane sorrow, mans still growing griefe:
How birds and beasts a longer life do gaine
Then man, poore man; And mans commaunding chiefe
If you deny them helpe, where is reliefe:
Men say that Fates are certaine, now they see
Ioue made vs constant in inconstancy.
The angry God invelloped with ire,
Wrath in his face, and fury in his lookes,
His eyes more redde then was the reddest fire:
Shewes auncient Monuments of sacred bookes,
Which earst he wrote by the
Idalian brookes.
There might you see what Act the Gods did frame,
Amongst the rest
Ioue might the Sisters blame.
Out of this place he drawes his argument,
And doth confute their sugred Sophistry:
Then reades another Act of Parliament,
Which did confirme
Ioues royall Empery,
His great prerogatiue and dignity.
Then doth he powre forth sacred Eloquence,
Selected flowers of learnings Quintessence.
What if proud
Terras issue
Briareus,
VVould combat with your great aetheriall Sire?
Mercinys reply.
Fntring
Castalia, where the sacred Muse
Liues still inspirde with yong
Apollos fire?
VVhat if the Giants could so high aspire,
VVould not they touch the christalized sky,
Vntuning heauens sweetest harmony?
VVhat God should then the heauens waight sustaine,
VVhilst
Bacchus in his Indian Tygers Carre
VVould shake the Orbes and that celestiall plaine,
VVhen faire
Ʋictoria conquering Queene of warre,
Brighter then
Venus, or the brightest starre,
Doth giue to
Ioue a Crowne bedeckt with gold,
Could
Atlas then heauens heauiest waight vphold?
His age is great, and yeares will strength remoue,
Therefore faire
Sisters well aduised bee:
To answere
loue and all the Gods aboue,
Though loth they were, yet all did well agree
To cut his thred for meere necessitie.
Then
Atlantiades did soone depart,
And
Atropos did stabbe great
Henries hart.
Thus dide the
Phaenix of the vastie round,
Whose worth my Muse should euer memorize:
And
Eccho-like his martiall deeds resound,
Put that he did his Country scandalize
In following
Henry which did tyranize.
She gaue thee breath to liue and men to fight,
Yet thou depriu'st her of her cleerest light.
When noble
Henry ended hath his daies.
Bedford with conquering swords
Ʋernoi shal fill,
And spend his blood to gaine immortall praise:
Beauford and
Beaumount shall good
Humfrey kill,
And
Warwicke gaine the popular good will.
Poole is exilde from wofull
Margaret,
And
Yorke malignes the Duke of
Somerset.
Mars mounts his Ensigns on our highest towers,
And decks our helmets with Ambitions plumes:
Reuenge sad massacres and scarlet showres
Distills, Cities are burnt, whose dankish fumes
Contaminates the Ayre, now
Yorke presumes
VVith
Sarums Earle and
Warwickes willing hand,
To gaine the Crowne, and with the Crowne the land.
The Ciuill Warres.
PLutonian Princesse sacred
Proserpine,
Licence
Megaera and
C
[...]esiphone,
VVhich neuer saw the
Sunnes all-pleasing shine
Enter this vale of humane misery,
And consecrate to endles memory
These Ciuill broyles in Characters of brasse,
Set forth these warres which did all warres surpasse.
Heers
Mars pauilion, there
Bellonas tent,
The Lanciers here, & there the Carbines stands:
The Bilmen strikes, the Archers bowes are bent,
Here raging Fury flies with burning brands,
Distorted limmes are pilde on purple sands:
Here
Gassamores are cract, there helmets crazd,
Here Gorgets cut, there Vaines of Azure razd.
Now doth the Courser neigh, the Clarions sound,
And wrath mounted on a flaming steed:
Doth both the Legions fortitude confound,
The moistlesse earth for very griefe doth bleed,
To see the Gardner spoyle the sowen seed.
Heere might you see what age could neuer tell,
Whilst Lyons fought, the forests Barons fell.
Heere Ambuscadoes watch the sallying Scout,
There
Hanniball entraps
Marcellus traine:
Here wings are plac't and squadrons round about,
Scipiades must leaue disloyall
Spaine,
And like
Anebises clippe the
Elizian plaine.
Nature hath digd for men more kind of graues,
Then
Indian Ganges hath translucent waues.
No valiant
Martius stout
Coriolaene,
Did now the raging multitude withstand:
Tumultuous windes haue left the rocky lane,
Where sterne
Hypoaates with Mace in hand,
Their lawlesse force, by force doth countermaund.
Eurus will blowe and shake the
Islands King,
Rebells will rise, and belles of discord ring.
Vnworthy I, to mount that sacred hill,
And
Clodius-like see female sacrifice:
Ʋirgill sang this, and none but
Virgill will
Aduenture valures worth to memorice;
Thrice glorious obiect fit for Princely eyes.
Pardon great
Homer, my all-daring muse,
Let
Cherills folly,
Cherills fault excuse.
The lesser starres makes
Phoebe shine more bright,
So may my infant Muse comparde to thine,
Make thy heroicke Poems splendant light,
Seeme fairer farre in mens iuditious eyne,
Comparison makes Vertue seeme diuine.
Yet giue me leaue with my vnworthy pen,
To blazon forth the Acts of worthy men.
Cease mournfull
Rome thy sad enlangoring,
Those fatall Fields neere to
Campania sought,
Wherein the very prime of
Marius spring,
The ciuil wars of Marius and Sylla.
The spring of griefe which
Carbo deerly bought,
Ambitious Conquest rulde great
Syllas thought.
Speake not of these proud
Rome, nor make thy mone,
Or if thou speak'st, make not comparison.
What of stout
Varro,
The battell Spayne, whe
[...] Caesar was victor.
and
Affranius lost,
Massilias ruine
Scaeuas pierced shield:
Home by
Brundusium, Caesars shippes were tost,
Euer renowm'd
Pharsalias bloody field,
How
Iuba fell, and
Diator did yeeld.
Pompey in
Egipt by
Pothinius slaine,
And endles shame which
Ptolomy did gaine.
Caesar is stabd,
Caesar slaine the Court of Pompey.
and
Albas doth lament,
Antonius doth the Tyrants plea refute:
Irefull
Octauius to reuenge is bent,
Cascas
and Cassius,
The battell
[...] Phillippia.
Cicero
and Brute,
For Countreys freedome frame a faithlesse suite.
Lawes silent are when armies rule the towne,
The feelde at Actium.
Who conquered Kings, by Kings are tumbled downe.
Enuious desire of honor, loue to raigne,
Seuers their mindes whome nature did combine:
Two
Romaine nauyes cut the
Ocean maine,
One brothers losse, doth cause anothers gaine,
Nothing is worse then Potentates disdaine.
Rome simild with ioy, when ciuill warres did cease,
England admired more at perfect peace.
In thirteen battells
Englands strength was tryde,
Gauntes issue striues with
Clarence progenie:
Through euery place destructions steed did ryde,
Making debate and endles enmitie,
Twixt subiects loue,
The first of Sain
[...] Albons barrells.
and Princely soueraigntie.
The Lords conspire, and at
Saint Atbons meete,
Heres
Warwickes tent, there
Yorke doth man the streete.
Vnder the Castell
Somerset is slaine,
Here
Clsfford falls, and there
Northumberland,
Great
Buckingham renewes the fight againe,
In vaine the Lion doth the Beare withstand,
Where
Warwicke leades his all subduing band:
Daysie in
[...]rench, signi
[...]eth Margaret
The Rose doth wither, and the Daysie spring.
The Queene escapt, but
Warwicke hath the king.
O whither shall she fly? whose ay de expect?
Who is encombred with a thousand woes:
VVhat peasant boore will princes griefes respect?
By flight she scapes the furie of her foes:
Thus to the North this
Amazonian goes.
Griefe flies to those, who are opprest with griefe,
Societie in woe is some reliefe.
VVhen
Romes two
Scipios fell, two glorious starres
In
Andeluzia or illuding
Spaine:
None durst but
Scipio vndertake those warres,
Euen so when
Clifford was for
England slaine,
And
Percies pride lay breathlesse on the plaine,
At Wakefield, Rich. Duke of Yorke being taken by the Lord Clifford, in reuenge of his fathers Ideath slaine at S. Albons, I crowned the Dukes head with paper.
None durst the Ragged Staffe and Beare withstand,
But
Cliffords sonne and great
Northumberland.
The Trumpets wake the Champions to the field,
VVho rode in tryumph through
Epaeons towne
To
VVestmerland; and
Margaret must yeeld,
VVhose vertues did deserue a golden Crowne:
His browes are circulizde with paper browne.
Themistocles doth yeeld to
Xerxes might,
Yorke ouermatcht, giues place to
Heuries right.
Penthisilea bends her course to
Troy,
Shewing the spoiles of
Larisseas King,
And
Henry like to
Priam smiles with ioy,
Seeing his
Queene such
Tropheys home to bring:
And all the
Phrigian Virgins
Io sing.
Like vnto this, or like a brauer wight,
Couragious
Margret doth returne from sight.
Neuer discouragde
Warwicks royall Peere,
Vnconstant
Clarence, constant
Montacute,
Seeing the Southerne coast of
Albion cleere,
Did Essex, Suffolke, Surrey
resalute,
Norfolke doth
Mowbray Captaine constitute.
Both Armies ioyne,
The secon
[...] Battell of S▪ Albons.
and to
Saint Albons came,
They flye their foes, where first they ouercame.
Mowbray to
Suffolke, Warwicke with the rest,
In haste, poste haste, to
Cambrias borders flye:
New rising
March doth rowse his spangled Crest,
And vnderstanding by a sallying spye
His Fathers friends, and fauourites were nigh,
With decent gesture doth them entertaine,
Imploring aide his right to reobtaine.
Warwicke who was the speaker for them all,
In modest sort, as well became his age:
Not Duke of
Yorke but doth him Soueraigne call,
A name so great doth vertue equipage,
Now each to other doth his honour gage.
Like
Caesar now he ioynes with
Anthony,
And like to him doth foster enmitie.
When
Brutus hand had stabd great
Caesars hart,
Octauius honour euery where did finde:
Antonius takes the stout
Caesareans part,
But when reuenge had satisfide her minde,
Whome mariage chaste with friendship had combinde,
Ambition makes them striue for endlesse raigne,
And with their bloud to dye the crimson mayne.
So
Edward and renowned
Sarums sonne
Ioyne to reuenge dead
Richards iniury:
thard Earle Warwicke.
But when that
Gaunts great issue was vndone,
Warwicke doth enuy
Yorkes prosperitie,
And much disdaines his peerlsse Soueraigntie.
Witnesse when
Edward durst not here abide,
And
Barnet field where noble
Warwicke dide.
Henries faire Queene,
[...]argret daugh
[...]r to Reino
[...]rle of Aniow
[...]ho entituled
[...]mself King of Naples, Sycil, &
[...]erusalem, but
[...]ioyed none.
great Neapolitane,
Blinded with masked fate, vnconstant chance,
Did neuer feare her future fatall bane,
Like a sierce coult this Iennet proud did prance,
Smiling with ioy to see her smiling chance.
Harke how the Drumme doth summon to the field,
See how she takes her ill beseeming shield.
Stay
Naples pride
Sicilian Empresse stay,
That day in which Caesar lost his
[...] in the Court of
[...]ompe
[...], a poor man tendred him a petition which he light
[...]y regarded, the contents wherof if he had pervsed, his life might haue bene preserued
Will
France for euer showres of vengeance raigne?
Thy first approch presage this fatall day,
Fire flew from heauen and made our Turrets plaine,
When thy Armados cut the Ocean maine.
Had
Caesar read that which the poore man gaue,
Egypt had neuer beene
Antonins gratre.
Had but great
Henry, great in Maiestie
Ioynd with that match which
Bedford first did make,
He had not tasted base seruilitie,
But when his minion
Suffolke did forsake,
That Nimph of ioy, great heire to
Arminake,
Then
Yorkes depressed issue gan to rise,
An abiect Prince each Subiect will despise,
Clifford and
Percy proppes of
Henries state;
(Seeing the Southerne Lords entend to fight,)
Doth the fierce Tygers anger instigate,
Proposing arguments of
Henries right,
How her decayd, augmented
Edwards might.
In
Hampton first she did our woe begin,
At her first c
[...] ming, landin
[...] at Southham
[...] ton, some pa
[...] of Paules st
[...] ple. and many other Church
[...] in England were set on fi
[...]
Two
Hamptons cannot end her endlesse sin.
Fury awakes the murthred Lions whelpe,
And like poore
Hector his deceased sire,
Craues of his kinsemen their supporting helpe,
Their smotherd hate hath kindled murthers fire,
Which none can quench till they haue quencht desire,
Where
Nemssis of late did murther end,
There she begins heroicke bloud to spend.
Like the worlds Monarch,
Yorkes apparant heire
Ioynes with his Fathers friend, great
Neuils race:
They to
Northampton with their troupes repaire,
VVhere
Aniowes Tamiris with martiall grace
Cliffords triumphant Armes did embrace:
Clifford whose name as
Taibot did in
France,
Made
Warwicke feare his Colours to aduance.
Octauius now,
A compari
[...]on of Edward and Warwicke with Octaui
[...]s & Anthony.
and chaste
Octauias Bride,
Conspire the death of tyranizing
Brute.
Clifford must fall, in top of all his pride,
Who did by Armes great
Muusters plea refute,
Doth pleade his cause, but
Warwicke gaines the suite.
A headlesse arrow piercst his armed throate,
Who in his youth did saile in Conquests boate.
If
Homer liu'd and dwelt in
Castalie,
And daily tasted of
Parnassus Well,
Inspirde with furious sacred Poesie,
Yet would he not our
Virgils worth excell,
Whose
Paeans did these fierce massacres tell.
Delia is praisd with thy all-praysing hand:
No wonder, for thou dweltst in
Delos land.
Eight seuerall Battels shall escape my Muse,
Least pride it selfe should me esteeme as proud:
Let
Maros quill that sacred path peruse,
Couer my temples with a sable cloud,
Cimerian wreathes my head of sorrow shrowd:
Giue me a brazen Pensill not a Pen,
Some drops of blood to portraiture these men.
The Field of Banbery.
NOw warre is mounted on rebellions Steede,
And discontent perswadeth willing Pride,
His crest to raise, and wears an Iron weede:
Long smothred Enuy doth the Army guide,
Which made firme loue from true obedience slide:
'T was that great
Neuill made proud
George rebell,
Whose haughty spirits
Warwicke knew too well.
Warwicke that raisde the race of
Mortimer,
Whose eyes did see too soone, thy death saies so:
The downfall of immortall
Lancaster,
'T was he that did, what could not
Warwicke doo?
Make Kings and Queenes to loue and feare him too.
'T was that great Peere, who with one warlike hand,
Crown'd and vncrown'd two kings who rulde the land.
Thus while these Royall but disloyall Peeres,
Maugre reuenge to him that knew not feare,
Vnnumbred bands of men and swarmes appeares
In North and South, East, West, yea euery where
They throw away their Coats, and Corslets weare.
Wiues, maides, and Orphants eyes are stuft with teares,
And cannot see the Spades transform'd to Speares.
The Shepheards hooke is made a souldiers pike,
Whose weather-beaten hands must learne 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.
Twas
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?
Twas 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,
'Tis 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 tis 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 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,
Richard. 3.
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.
The battle o
[...] Bosworth.
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,
Henry. 7.
heroicke
Theodore,
Englands
Augustus, famous Prince of peace,
Great Treasurer of sacred Vertues store,
Eden of pleasure,
Arthur.
which didst all men please,
Comfort of
Albion,
Henry.
and they Countries ease:
Margaret.
From the foure golden Fountaines did arise
Like vnto those that sprang from Paradise.
Mary.
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,
Elizabeth eldest daughter to Edw. the 4. was maried to Henr. the 7 by which mariage the both houses of Yorke and Lancaster so long seuered wer vnited
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 s
[...]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:
Henry 8.
Clearer then is the clearest Christaline,
The towring waues, which rule the narrow streights,
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,
Christ Chur
[...] in Oxford.
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,
Edward 6.
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,
Queene Mary married with Phillip Prince of Spayne.
that peace I loue,
That concord doth augment the common state:
Pray God it doth both firme and faithfull proue,
[Page] 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:
Tis 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 shees 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,
[...]stotle.
[...].
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,
Iames the 1. of England, and 6. of Scotland.
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?
Mar
[...] extold
Augustus peacefull daies,
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,
Basilicon Doron.
oh Princely worke!
For shame they would in vntrode desarts lurke.
If
Englands Load-starre pride of Poesie,
Chaucer, so called by M. Camdon.
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,
Philip Aristotle
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 in new found
Troy.
Let
Barland cease to write of wisest Kings,
And
Mellificius with his tuned voyce,
From whose sweet tong sprang learnings sweetest springs?
Sing not of
Persians prayse, or
Caldeans ioyes,
The
Grecians Emperour,
Europs worthiest choyce.
These three combinde, each sought the others fall,
Britaine is ioynd, and Concord guides it all.
When
Alexander sawe that precious stone,
Vnder whose Isye wings
Achilles lay,
Shedding ambitious teares, he said with mone,
[Page] Vnhappy I, and ten tunes happy they,
Whose ensignes prayse, sweet
Homer did display:
Then happy art thou King, whose raigne wee see
Homer doth sing thy prayse, for thou art hee.
The Maiestie of
Marius fearefull face
Did terrifie the
Cymbrians crauen minde:
Though he were armde with
Clothos fatall mace,
And solemne oath to murther did him binde,
A wandring
Bucke did feare the
Eagles kinde:
So did thy Princely lookes and grace of God
Protect thy issue from a Traytors rod.
Now doth my Ship in plenties Ocean sayle,
Pusht with a pleasant gale of pleasures winde:
But stay I here an enuious Momist rayle,
Thy toothlesse threate doth not amaze my minde,
Barke, for thou canst not bite, I scorne thy kinde,
That which I write, I reade, and both are true,
I dare not, nor I will not tell what will ensue.
My hope is good that we shall happy bee,
Hopelesse our foes, they feare, we still secure:
We peace, they warre: Ye endlesse peace shall see,
We plenty haue, they pouerty endure,
Religion we sincere, but they impure.
They liuing seeme to dye, we dying gaine
To liue with Saints in
Paradisus plaine.
What said the learned, those that learning loue,
If causes perish, then effects decay,
Pray for the cause, yea, pray to God aboue
That he may long the
Albion Scepter sway,
Who shinde like
Sol in our
Cimmerian day.
Liue, and liue long, great King, liue many dayes,
Vse that fayre Theame, Be as thou art alwayes.
FINIS.