IN SERENISSIMAE Reginae Elizabethae mortem Naenia consolans.
QVā tremefeciss
[...] gentem mors slebilis Anglam,
Ni diuina nouam dextra tulisset opem?
Reginam eripuit, sed regem tradidit, orba
Quae sine matre dolet, nè sine patre foret.
Reginam eripuit, qualem non viderat antè,
Nec visura aetas vlla futura parem.
Spem rex ipse suis laetam virtutibus affert,
Quod toto regni tempore talis erit,
Qualem praemonuit moriens regina futurum,
Cum regno haeredem diceret ipsa suo.
Tu vero, rex magn
[...] diu, & foeliciter orna
Hanc Spartam, cui spes turgida vela facit.
Iam mihi non ploranda mea est regina, quod ipsam
Sustulerint patria tristia fata meae,
Sed cantanda, quod hac vita foeliciter acta
[Page] In summi sedeat patris aperta sinu.
Cuius dum memoro, quae sunt memoranda, videbunt
Quantum amiserimus saecula longa bonum.
Regia cum primas iniens infantula cunas
Desereret matris carnea tecta suae,
Quanti illam faceret, quo prosequeretur amore
Et quam prae reliquis foemina clara foret,
Pluribus indicijs, primum comitantibus ortum,
Ostendit domini prouida cura dei.
Vná Euangelium terram produxit in Anglam
Vnà papatum iussit abire foras:
Qui licet ex omni non esset parte resectus,
Nam
(que) superstitio multa relicta fuit.
Infanti tamen, & reginae aliquando futurae,
Excindendi eius sic patefecititer.
Quae quo nobilior: quae quo prudentior esset,
Sciret & imperij slectere lora sui,
Quam varia infantem fortuna exercuit, & quam
Post adolescentis prodita signa spei?
Quae diuini in eam, vel tessera maior amoris,
Maiusuè indicium magnam aliquando fore,
Quam comites primis tales adiungere cunis
Esset, vt, & prudens et pietatis amans.
Quae simulaccreuit plaenis maturior annis,
Corporis eximij gratia quanta fuit?
Qualem se, et quanta cum maiestate ferebat
[Page] Quo contemplantes vssit amore sui?
Sed, quod eam magis, at
(que) magis decorauit, in ipso
Thesaurus veri pectore quantus erat?
Quae, quantae
(que) animi dotes, quas discere posset
Ingenij princeps, indicij
(que) capax?
Has omnes plenè addidicit: diuinitus ipsam
Ad regni, vt scires fraena regenda datam.
Quod tunc emicuit, cum sceptrum nacta paternum
Promeret ingenij ditia dona sui.
Quanta quies, primas cum moliretur habenas,
Magna Euangelium grande professa fide?
Quamuis Romano iam plena satellite terra
Reginam tumido cerneret ore peti:
Quamuis serua sacerdoti vicinia, quamuis
Regum externorum funderet ira minas
Illa tamen subnixa deo pulso
(que) timore
Cuncta tuebatur, quae docuere deum.
Anglia
(que) externo iam principe libera, cuius
Ante iugum metuit, laeta recepit eam.
Iam solio stabilita suo, quam grandia gessit,
Grandia, quae nullo sunt peritura die.
Quam constans, eadem
(que) fuit, quam tramite cert
[...]
Direxit regni tempora longa sui
Quod sanxit, seruauit idem, tenuit
(que) fidelis,
Ciuica seu spectes munia, siue sacra.
Non dextram variare manum, variare sinistram
[Page] Docta, sedin recto fixa manere gradu.
Hoc regimen sanctum, sartum, tectum
(que) tenenti
Sic fauit magni gratia sacradei,
Vt facile aequaret, si non superaret eosdem,
Anglia, quos reges viderat eius auos,
Perpetuò victrix si arceret finibus hostem,
Siue rebellantes frangeret illa suos:
Siue iugum gaudens vicinis demere, eisdem
Subsidio tutis vellet adesse suo.
Quin etiam insidijs ad coedem saepe petita,
Quas Iesuitarum turba tetendit ei,
Sensit adesse sibi, & clipeum obtendisse salutis
Illum, quem coluit▪ fida ministra, deum.
Qui gladijs adimens aciem, virus
(que) venenis
Qua
(que) tonare solet glande sclopeta, sonum.
Pergere eam voluit nec formidare periclum,
Sefore tutorem, praesidium
(que) pijs.
Sed ne
(que) quas tenuit magnas reticebimusartes
Veros ornatus nobilis ingenij
Docta fuit supra sexum, linguas
(que) sciebat
Equibus hauriri cuncta scienda queunt
Hinc Academiacis data priuilegia: multas
Hinc sub ea multi constituere scholas.
Vt doctrina frequens illi se debeat, vnde
Altrices habuit lacte fouenda domos.
Vnde cibis solidis Academia pascat adultam
Munifica magnae principis aucta manu.
Sed ne
(que) sic exculta silenti in pectore clausa
Doctrinae occuluit, grandia dona suae:
Verum illis dubias regni sic rexit habenas,
Vt nulla in toto clarior orbe micet.
Vnde modum imperij, fortunatos
(que) labores
Admirata suis extera regna locis.
Vndi
(que) legatos ad eam misere petentes
Optatae loetum foedus amicitiae.
Queis itá respondet prudenter, & omnia lingua
Quam quis
(que) e patrio protulit ore, sua.
Quod vir credibile in sexu, mirum
(que) fuisset
Si non cuncta eius mira, supra
(que) fidem.
Vt stupe facti omnes, demirati
(que) referrent
Vix benè principibus credita verba suis.
Quin etiam fama splendore
(que) nominis acti
Insignes magna nobilitate viri
Visuri de qua audierant tam multa, frequentes
Venere huc la ti, ac la ti abiere domum.
Nam
(que) excepit eos vere regaliter, omni
In re illis omni ex parte satisfaciens:
Sed ne
(que) desuerat muliebris sexus adillam
Visendam cupidus quamlibet ire viam
Qu
[...]ntus bonor terrae? quae sexus gloria? nostros
Externas gentes sic petijsse lares
[Page] Reginae vt vocem audirent, formam
(que) viderent,
Et manibus pulchris osculagrata darent.
Publica sic obijt foelicis munia regni,
Tota quibus mundi gloria tessis erit.
Sed ne
(que) priuatim quidquam auscultansue, legensue
Quod tanta indignum principe, passa fuit
Verum pracipuis authoribus vsa, scienter,
Qui lingua ediderant, quae peperere sua,
Quicquiderat purum, secreuit, quicquid ineptum
Respuit; haud dignans ore, vel aure sua.
Si quid sanguineum aut crudele occurreret, illud
Perlegere vnquamoculis noluit ipsa suis:
Sed qui legit ei, priuatim indixit, vt illud
Proferret verum candidiore stylo.
Quin etiam si quando reos capitalia iura
Supplicio afficerent, tardius ibat co.
Sic innata retraxit eam clementia, iusto
Vt meritae poenae parceret obsequio.
Praeterea si cui priuata negotia mandans
Sentiret solida praestita cuncta fide,
Quam comis, quam mitis ei, quam prodiga laudis
Alliciens omni pectora fida modo?
Cuius erat fidei indicium, & constantis amoris
Quod non vlla aegram foemina desereret.
Sed vigilans illam assidue noctes
(que) dics
(que)
Curaret, prae qua propria spreta salus.
Quin etiam par cura viris, studiosius omnes
Certantes obeunt triste ministerium,
Sic natura potens, sic verè regia virtus
Perpetui magnes verus amoris erat.
Deni
(que) quicquiderat, quod sacra modestia suasit,
Si cecinit, velsi ter pede pressit humum.
Maiestatis idem magnae, decuit
(que) regentem,
Sic cum laude illi vita peracta prior.
Cum morti vicina fuit, constantia mansit,
In vita imbibitam in morte sequnta fidem,
Vt licet vlterius cuperent superesse videntes,
Gauderent viuae mortis honore pio.
Sic memor illa sui, coelestis sic memor aulae,
Praesensit vitae fila secanda suae.
Vt cum desereret mortales spiritus auras,
Atria coelorum sancta subiret ouans.
Nec moritura suos neglexit, vt improba mater,
Sed successorem iure creauit eum,
Qui desiderium morientis tolleret, at
(que)
Molliret sortis tristia damna suae
Qui de morte sua natum lenire dolorem
Posset, & in suaues vertere moesta iocos.
Terminus hic vitae, regnanti
(que) vltimus actus,
Pro plausu planetum dignus habere grauem,
Nam quis non gemeret iactura principis huius?
[Page] Quae iustis lachrymis tempora sufficerent?
Amisisse illam, quam, non homo, sed deus ipse
Nutricem verbo legerat esse suo?
Quae patriae dilecta parens: quae buccina veri,
Quae pacis praeses, dissidij
(que) lues.
Primitiae sexus muliebris, faoemina princeps,
De qua cum dices omnia, nulla satis.
Causa equidem, fateor, moeroris iusta: sed illam
Eneruat minuens altera causa duplex.
Quod prouecta aetas, quod septuagesimus annus,
Maturam ad mortem strauerat ante viam.
Quae si nupta prius, si inslato prodiga victu
Fracta, nequiuisset tam superesse diu.
Quod regno foelici, aduersae nescia sortis,
Chara domi, externis inclyta, cassa pari,
Permutasse locum videatur, in altera regna
Ad dominum tali morte vocata Deum.
Quam sic defunctam, sic omni ex parte beatam,
Sic positam in summi conditione boni,
Si lugere voles, lugere videberis illam?
Non: sed priuati propria damna status.
Atqui nescit amans verè deponere luctum
In memori quoties mente recursat amor.
Qui iusta nitens, & natus origine gaudet
Largo moerentes imbre rigare genas.
Quem tamen haec lenire potest, quae proxima causa
Et deponendae propria moestitiae.
[Page] Ipsa sui luctus finem praescripsit, in ipsa
Morte suis regem cum daret esse virum:
Assu
[...]tum imperto, cognato sanguine fratrem,
Qui veri quo non tempore fautor erat?
Pacis amans, doctrinae omnis multiscius, vt quem
Agnosset moriens Elizabetha parem.
Vt, licet amissam doleamus, debeat esse
Moeroris nostri terminus ille tamen:
Quod tali per eam delecto rege fruamur,
Qui pro tristitia loetitia autore erit.
Tu
(que) o Reginae successor, maxime regum
Quos vnquam vidit terra Britanna prius,
Ante oculos exemplar habes: quia regia virgo
Sic rexit nostriregia sceptra soli,
Vt vel eiesse parem, veleam superare, sit ingens
Vnde tibi grandi pondere crescit onus.
Illius, vt regnum, & vestigia fausta sequutus
Sceptra diu teneas regia, laude pari.
Vt
(que) diu teneas, Iesuitae indicito bellum.
Qui ne parcendum regibus esse docet.
Sed regno & vita priuandos, si modo nolint
Regia Romano subdere colla pedi.
Regius est illi pro atramento cruor, illo
Laiolitarum scripta liquore rubent.
Parcet
Iacobo crudelis in
Elizabetham?
Foemina cui praedae, parserit ille viro?
[Page] Foemina deprenso quoties miserata pepereit?
Cui iam spes perijt mortua, rege viro.
Nam
(que) coercendam duplici Babylona flagello
Imperat, vnde tibi tripla coronadatur.
Tripla corona? quid hoc? nomen fatale, futurae
Romanae triplici tripla Britanna lues.
Regnat vt in coelis foelix nostra
Elizabetha,
Sic regna in terris rex
Iacobe tuis.
Vt
(que) illa insidias Iesuitarum
(que) furores
Eludens, sicca morte quieta iacet:
Sic tu post similes (quia non vitaueris illos)
Et longum in regno tempus, adito deum.
Ri: Mulcaster
THE Translation of certaine latine verses written vppon her Maiesties death, called A Comforting Complaint.
This onely way I could declare my thankefull mind.
❀ Printed at London for Edward Aggas dwelling in long lane at the signe of the Oken tree. Anno Dom. 1603.
❧ The Translation of certaine latine verses vvritten vpon her Maiesties death; called A comforting Complaint.
HOw sore had mournfull death shaked th'english soyle,
If God had not afforded present helpe?
Who though he tooke our Queene, a King he gaue
To play the fathers part in mothers losse.
He tooke away our Queene, whose match no age
Hath euer seen before, or after shall.
The Kings most royall vertues feed our hope
That he will prooue so good the time he raignes,
As when our dying Queene pronounc'd him heire
She did sorewarne her State that he would be.
Most noble King with happie course and long
Stand to thy sterne, our hope is vnder saile.
My Queene, though dead, now cals me: not to teares
For countreys heauie losse by fatall stroake,
But vnto joy, for that her happie life here spent
[Page] She rests in heauen, in bosome of her God,
Of whom when I haue said what I shall say,
The world shall see how great a good we lost.
No sooner was this royall infant borne,
And left her mothers wombe to enter light,
But Gods foreseeing care, by many signes,
Accompaning her first cradle-time, bewraid
What rate he held her at, how he loued her,
And in her sex how rare she was to prooue.
Then he first shew'd his word vnto this land:
Then he commaunded Pope to part the realme,
Who though as then he were not quite cut off,
His superstitious rights remaining still,
Yet he then shew'd the way how being Queene
She might in time make him auoid the land:
And that she might with greater fame and wit
Thereafter rule the reines of Royall state,
How tri'd he her with change and choise of chance
Not onely in her first, but after yeares?
What greater signe of Gods great loue to her,
What stronger proofe that once she should be great,
Than to allot her youth such speciall things,
Whereby to prooue a wise and godly Prince?
Now when she gan to be of riper yeares;
Her personage appear'd for beautie rare,
Her cariage full of majestie and state,
Whereby she wan the loue of euerie looke:
But that which wrought in her the greatest grace,
Was truth in store bestowed in her heart,
[Page] The great indowments of her Royall mind,
Which she did learne as fast as princely braine
With judgement fraught, could possibly conceaue.
All this she learned so as it appear'd
That God had bred her vp to be a Queene,
Which gifts of princely mind then beam'd abroad,
When hauing got her fathers crowne on head,
She did shew forth the treasures of her heart.
When she first tooke the Scepter in her hand,
Euen then professing here the heauenly truth,
How quietly entred she, and with what peace?
All the Romish rout, which swarming here
With open throats, did thirst to see her fall:
Though all our neighbour lands, then priestly slaues,
Though forrein Kings and princes threw out threats,
Bicause they were bewitcht with Romish rags,
Yet she with hope in God, and checke to feare,
What truth did teach, that she did still desend:
And
England of it selfe now free from feare
Of forrein princes yoake, was glad of her,
Who being staid in throne and princely seat,
How mightie things, how borne to liue did she?
Still constant, still the same, still in one course
Directing all the time that she did raigne.
What she enacted once, she held it fast,
Aswell what toucht the Church, as ciuill state:
No change of hands, from right vnto the left
Was she acquainted with, but still forth right.
Her gratious God so sauoured this her raigne,
[Page] Which she religiously maintained thus,
As if she did not quite surpasse all those
Which heretofore had raigned in this land:
At least she matcht the brauest of them all.
In all her great attempts victorious still.
If she with armed hand bar'd forrein foes:
If with the like she daunted stirs at home:
If with assisting aid she sought to free
Her neighbours, crauing helpe from seruile yoke,
The God of heauen did guide her still to gaine.
Oft times assail'd by false and treacherous meane,
Wherewith the
Iesuites sought to sucke her blood,
She felt her God to saue her with his sheeld,
Which taking edge from sword, and charge from dagge,
From poyson strength to doe her any harme,
Bad her goe on, bad her abandon feare,
That he would be both guide and guard to his.
But were it not a mightie fault to hide
The royall gifts wherewith she was endow'd?
Her knowledge and her skill, the only meane
Which doth adornea noble royall wit?
Her learning did surmount her sex and kind.
She had obtain'd the chiefe and learned tongues,
Whereby she knew what things were to be knowne.
Vpon these grounds and learning of her owne,
She fauour'd so all people that were learn'd,
As both th' Vniuersities felt by Royall graunt
The benefits wherewith she priuiledged them:
As euerie shire so warranted from her,
[Page] Found many a schoole well founded for their youth
To bring them vp at first, whom afterward
The Vniuersities were to feed with stronger meats,
These qualities of hers so rare in woman kind
She did not hide, but shew'd them to the sunne.
In all her time so gouerning her estate,
As all the world did wonder at her wit.
Which kind of gouernment and blessed course
Great potentates abroad in forrein parts
Did so admire, as they forthwith did send
Their Embassies to her with true desire,
To craue and haue her friendship and her loue:
Whose answere was return'd in sort so wise,
And in that tongue which they themselues did vse:
(A thing for wonder rare, beyond beleefe,
To find in that weake sex so strong a gift,
But that her selfe past wonder, past beleefe)
As they were all amaz'd, and comming home
Reported to their Lords the thing they scant beleeu'd,
So strange a prince had God giuen to this world
Truth to maintaine and falshood for to mate.
Besides all these, great troups of noble men
Rapt with the fame and honour of her name,
Desiring to see whereof they heard so much,
With gladsome hearts repaired to this Realme:
And as they came with gladnesse for to see,
So they departed glad when they had seen.
Her entertainment was in such a sort,
For majestie of state and princely cheere,
[Page] As in all points she did content them all.
Nay, diuers noble Dames whom like desire,
Enflamed for to see the object of their eares,
Did vndertake the way though nere so long
By sea, by land to see that they did seeke:
What honour were these things to this our Isle?
What glorie to all those of that her sex?
That forraine lands should send both Ladies and Lords
To heare our princes voice, to see her face,
To kisse her faire and tender royall hand.
This was her publicke course in case of state,
Whereof the world each where eye witnesse was.
Now as she was addicted still to heare,
Or priuatly to read some learned booke,
She neuer brook't, nor could with patience beare
What she perceiu'd vnseeming for a Prince,
But as her choice was euer of the best
And chiefest that did write in any tongue,
So what she found to be sincere and pure,
That did she note and laid it vp in store,
VVhat was not such, as sorie she had red
That she exil'd both from her eie and eare.
If ought came by the way while she did read,
VVhich smelt of blood or cruell tyrants hand,
Her selfe rejected straight, and willed him
That red with her, to read the same alone,
And after tell it her in milder phrase.
Nay farther, if the lawes by force of right
Condemned any one for crime to die,
[Page] None was more loath to yeeld to such a death,
None more desired to respit time for life
Her nature was so mild, her heart so kind,
As paine or death deseru'd could hardly winne,
Though law and justice both did bid her strike.
Besides when any of her priuate traine
Did painfully perfourme his charge in truth,
How would she cherish him with courteous termes,
Alluring euerie heart to yeeld her loue,
Of which her gentle course well fitting her.
This may be brought for proofe, that being sicke,
No Ladie of her suit refused paines
By night, by day, to saue their princes health,
But euerie one with danger of their owne,
Did seeke to saue her life whom they so lou'd:
And as the women did, so did the men
VVith earnest care in dutie to perfourme
That sorrowfull seruice, with losse of prince to liue.
By nature such she was, by vertue such
As none deny'd her loue, where she did like.
To knit the last with least, whatsoeuer thing,
She vndertooke, to daunce, to play, to sing,
Or what so else a modest Queene might doe,
That she perfourm'd with majestie and grace,
That it became the place, that it beseem'd a Queene.
Now drawing neere to death, she stay'd on still,
The faith she held in life she kept in death,
That though they which were neere her when she dyed,
VVere for her death in paine and extreame griefe,
And could haue wisht her longer time to liue:
[Page] Yet they rejoic'd to see her so depart
As in her death they saw a present life:
For at her death she did remember well
Both what concern'd her soule, her heauenly state,
And how she must depart without delay,
As when her soule her mortall bodie left
VVith triumph she did mount straight into heauen.
Nor when she died, she did forget hers here,
As many mothers doe forget their babes,
But left vs such a King whose vertues might
Abridge the griefe which lacke of her might breed.
This was her end, this was her liues last act
VVith clap of hands for sorrow, but not for joy,
For who can but bewaile the losse of such a prince?
What time can serue to stint the streame of wosull teares?
For who is't we haue lost? a prince whom man did not,
But God alone did choose protector of his word,
The trumpet of his truth, a mother to vs all,
Apillar to all peace, a death to all debate.
The honour of her sex, a Queene surmounting match,
Of whom when all is said, all is not enough.
I must confesse we haue just cause to grieue,
But yet two greater grounds rebate our griefe
The first because her age, her seauentie yeares
Had made her ripe, and readie for to die.
If she had been before a maried Qneene,
Or not hauevs'd a diet low and spare,
Her life had not endur'd in strength so long.
She died in happie raigne, not feeling crosse
Belou'd at home, admir'd abroad, a matchlesse prince,
[Page] So that it seems she changed onely place
By such a blessed death cal'd vp to heauen,
VVhere here on earth she raignd in fits of care.
Now who so shall bewaile one dying so,
So throughly bles'd, in state so perfect good,
He shall not seeme to mourne for her he mones,
But to lament for losse of priuate gaine.
And yet an earnest loue cannot but mourne,
VVhen cause whence loue did rise hath his recourse
VVhich bred and borne on ground that beares it vp,
Cannot be tyred at all with shed of teares.
The second cause which ought to stay our griefe,
And that may seeme the proper cure to care
Is, that the Queene, when death approched her,
Did stint where all our griefe for her should stay,
By pointing vs a King, and that a man
Accustomed to rule: one of our English blood,
VVhich all his time hath fostered vp Gods truth,
A friend to peace, a prince of mightie skill,
To whom our Queene, our good
Elizabeth
Did yeeld, as to a prince her peere each way,
So that although we grieue for losse of her,
Yet this one close should knit vp all our griefe,
For that by her owne choise and right of blood,
VVe haue a King to turne our greefe to joy.
Now my liege Lord, successour to my Queene,
The greatest King that Brittish soyle hath seene,
Thou seest a mightie patterne in thine eie
A maiden prince which ruled so this state,
[Page] As to match her tis much, to passe her more.
Wherefore thy charge is doubled in our eyes,
VVhich are in hope that thou wilt follow her steps,
And rule as she did raigne with equall praise,
Which thing that thou maist doe both long, and safe, and sound,
Thou must of force with lesuites be at warre,
VVhose doctrine is to spare no princes blood,
To rob them of their state, to rob them of their liues,
VVith fire and sword to force them for to yeeld:
If they, (though God himselfe forbid the same)
Yeeld not their royall necks to popish foot,
The blood of Kings is Iesuites inke to write,
That liquour is it must make their Rubricks red.
Will he spare
Iames our King, which spared not our Queen?
Will he forbeare a man, which preyed vpon a maid?
She though she caught him oft, yet spar'd him oft,
Which hope in him is dead through such a King,
Who hath from Gods owne mouth commandement giuen,
With double paine the bloody
Babilon to pine:
That is his will that gaue King
Iames a triple Crowne:
A triple Crowne? what's that? a fatall terme, that is
The triple
Brittish Crowne, the Romish bane.
As good
Elizabeth raignes most happie now in heauen,
So happie may King
Iames raigne long with vs in earth:
And as she did auoid the Iesuites treacherous traines,
Whereby she gat her graue in drie and quiet death,
So good King
Iames goe late to God and slip their snares,
For if thou stick'st to God, they'l not sticke to sticke thee.
R. M.