Classic Poem

Thou blessed Ile , white Marke for Envie's aime,
(If Envy aims at most felicity)
Triumph, sith now thou maist by iustice claime
Precedence in the VNIVERSITY,
Wherein best Iles doe striue for mastery:
Now, shalt thou be great MODERATOR made
In each Dispute , that tendes to EMPERY,
So that AMBITION shall no deeper wade,
Then thy DECREES in iudgment shall perswade.

Now Grand-dame ALBION, in thy grandure thinke,
Thinke seriously vpon each circumstance
(Sith late thou wert at Pitt of Perill's Brincke)
That may make thee (though old ) as yong to dance,
Mou'd by sweete straines of more sweete Concordance:
But staie (deere Mother ) o I doe thee wrong
To putt thee in thy Muses , now advance
Thy voice, in Praise to whom it doth belong,
GOD, and thy KING, that made thee, fainting, strong.

Thy God , and King, King , given thee of GOD
To make thee loue thy God , and like thy Kinge ,
And so gaue thee a Royall , for a Rod ,
To punish thee with what doth comfort bring.
And make thee richer by his chastening.
Hee came by no Meanders of Man's bloud
Vnto our Land; but with a sure-slow winge
Hee flew farre from it , and did leaue that Flud
On the left hand, for those that Right with-stoode.

Though home-bred harts may harbour strange desires,
Nere-pleas'd Perversnesse , yet, must needes confesse
He to this Crowne , by double right, aspires,
Bloud and Bequest , say, Male-contentednesse ,
(If thou dost liue but I hope nothing lesse)
Ist true, or no? I see Shame holdes thy tongue
From such deniall , then, for shame, expresse
Thy loue to right , and doe thy Liege no wrong,
But say long may our Crowue to him and his belong.

His precious Veines doe flow with our deer'st bloud ,
Bone of our bones. Flesh of our Flesh , is he:
If he by vs, then, should haue beene withstoode,
We had withstoode our selues; and cursed bee
The hand that with the head doth disagree
Beyond his birth, he was a Kinge , in right,
And borne to beare rule , in the high'st degree,
Whose hand and head endowed are with might
Scepters and Crownes to weld and weare aright.

And giue we her, her due that now is gone
Who had in her a World of Princely Parts
Yet shee hath left her World and Worth to one
That's Master of himselfe, and of the Arts
Which Art , and Nature , but to Kings impartes:
And as this Queene was oft from death preserv'd
When in his lawes he had got all her partes ,
So was this King from like distresse conserv'd,
And both (no doubt) for England's life reserv'd.

And right well worthy of the Crowne is hee,
Were it more deere then Caesar's Diadem
(When envious World did him her Monarch see)
That never did molest our Queene , and Reame ,
That might with bloud , for bloud, haue made it streame:
That God that tenders all that tender bloud
Blesse him and his for it, and make his Stemme
Yeeld many Branches that may ever bud,
And bring sweete fruit, for Scottish-England's good.

Much Bloud , though drawne from Heaven's vnholy foes
Seemes irksome (if not loathsome) to their sight:
For, when iust David thought their Arke t' inclose
Within a Temple , with all glory dight,
(Which hee (in zeale ) meant to erect outright)
Hee was forbad by Heav'n's most holy One
For making Bloud to flow (though in their right)
And that Taske put on peacefull Salomon .
Then peacefull be thy Raigne (deare Lord ) alone
To build the Temple of true Vnion .

But, though our Bloud were thus deere in thine Eies
(More deere then Gold , although a double Crowue )
Yet did our feare thy Loue with care surprize
And bee'ng our owne , we vs'd it as our owne ,
For, safe we kept it , as to thee it's knowne:
We lou'd thee so, as still we fear'd thy powre,
For, if a wren from vs to thee had flowne,
We (as supposing that hee ment to towre)
Would keepe him safe for loue and feare , in Towre .

Deere King , drade Sov'raigne , sacred Maiesty ,
And what stile els, a mortall state may beare,
We, truely English , doe but liue to die
For thee, for that thou (stirred) didst not steere
Thy powre against our peace , but didst indeere
Vs to thee, by thy peerelesse patience showne.
True token of thy loue -begotten care
Of vs and ours , as if that loue alone
Had held our losse of bloud (as tis) thine owne.

Had not our blouds beene precious in thine Eie,
Thou mightst (perhaps) haue made vs buy it deare
Or made thee heire apparant publikely,
As Iustice would; but crost by private feare :
Stories swarme with Examples , farre, and neere
That many further off, and of lesse force
To catch at Crownes , would heires thereto appeere,
Or pull of Crownes and heads of them perforce.
That, wearing Crownes , crost their vnblessed course.

But thou (to thy true glory be it said)
Though having hands of powre to reach a Crowne
Thou didst thy selfe containe, and praid, and staid,
Till now in peace thou haste it for thine owne;
And still may thee and thine by it be knowne:
That Scots , and English , no more may be two ,
But made, by true-loues artlesse Art , all one ,
As Nature hath made vs, and Contry too,
Both which to vnitie vs both doe woo.

So neighbour Nations seeing our concent
Shall stand in awe of our vnited powr's ;
And (of our friendshippe glad) shall vs present
With precious gifts , and all that loue alures;
So all, as friends , while friends we are, is ours:
And may hee bee a terror made to all,
That twixt vs the least discontent procures;
And as a Monster most vnnaturall,
Let odious bee his damn'd memoriall .

If wee, when wee were but halfe, what we are,
And had a woman to our soveraigne ,
Were able all foes at their dores to dare,
What may we doe, when over vs doth raigne
A kingly King , and one Realme made of twaine?
If ever therefore twixt our Fathers were
(That now are rakt in dust) cause to complaine,
Let it be rakt with them, for wee are cleere
From wronging each, and each to other deere.

Both subiect to one Soveraigne , then draw wee
Togeather kindlie in subiection's Yoke;
God , and our King will ioy, if wee agree,
But greive, if we each other shal provoke,
And make vs feele their wrathe's resistlesse stroke:
Then dwell in our harts , for ioyes cordiall
(Which nothing but your sorowes can revoke)
Haue made them large ynough to hould you all,
And lend vs yours, to doe the like withall.

Call for them when yee will, they shalbe yours ,
Togither with the Tenaunts harbred there:
But take our harts , for now they are not oures ,
But yours for ever, let vs then endeere
Vs to you ever, who are to vs deere:
My voice, though base, to highest Concord tends,
Then tis in tune (I trust) to ev'ry Eare :
If it be harsh, my hart shall make amendes,
For it doth relish Loue which nere offends.

Inen weigh our Prince (our Peace ) with Vprightnesse ,
And presse him to no more then that will way
For, (if not too perverse) we must confesse
Our best requests sometimes may haue a nay
For better ends , which he may not bewray:
It is no ease for one two friends to please
When both, perhapps, doe but for one thing praie:
Then die, o die ere once him so displease,
As to vrge that , that may his hart disease.

O that I had a Soule -enchanting Tongue
That with an Eare -bewitching violence
I might persuade to all that doth belong
To perfect Loue , and true obedience ,
Sith our felicitie must flow from thence:
If so it be, then nought the Will can moue
To loue, if obiects of such excellence
Cannot allure the Mind and Will to loue,
As the felicitie which now we prove.

Our King comes not to our late barren Crowne
Himselfe alone, but brings a fruitfull Queene ,
And ( England's comfortes) children of their owne,
By which the state ay stablisht may be seene;
Then blest are wee, if ere wee blest haue beene:
O let vs then blesse him whose blessednesse
Hath (when our sinnes expected sorrowes keene)
Preserv'd vs both from warres , and wretchednesse ,
And let vs loue, in Soule , and singlenesse .

Giue vs your Daughters , and take ours in marage,
That, Blouds so mixte, may make one flesh , and bloud ;
We will not yours , then doe not ours disparage,
But ballance all by woorth , and Liuely hood ,
By Vertue, Beauty , and what ere is good:
Each bend his wittes , and all his industrie ,
To make all one in body, minde , and mood
Then God will blesse all, bent to vnity ,
And plunge vs all, in all felicity.

If Concord makes of weake, most mightie things ,
And Discord of most mightie, things most fraile;
If subiects peace , and glorie be the Kings ,
And their Disgrace , and strife his disavaile;
Then o let my weake words strongly prevaile
To strongest peacc , (that makes weak'st weaknesse strong)
Then, nought shall dare our daring peace t' assaile,
But we shall right th' oppressed Neighbours wronge,
And make them holde their owne , as we doe, longe.

As when a humane-flesh-fedd Caniball
Hath singled out some weakling , for a Pray,
And by the power of some Knight (armed all)
Is sker'd (at point to feede) with skath away:
So from th' opprest, we shall oppressors fray;
And be as God's Liuetenants , heere belo,
To see his highest iustice done each way,
That Heau'n by vs may make the Earth to kno
We are Heau'n -holpe, to helpe all wronged so.

Whiles Myne , and Thyne , did disvnite our Crownes
(Two things for which, the Sire and sonne will iarre)
There was some cause, sometimes, of secret frownes ,
That ended too too oft with open warre ;
But now both We , and They vnited are;
And, surely to sustaine that double Crowne ,
Fiue Proppes we haue ( Ambition so to barre)
Made of each other's substance , so, our owne;
Then what remaines but still to loue, as One ?

The Lion to the Dragon's reconcil'd,
That whilome did vpon each other feede;
Jerusalem hath David (erst exild)
Free denized, & King proclaim'd with speede;
Whose Members dance for ioy of that iust deede
Hir King is now, according to his Hart
Which, with, saue goodnesse , nothing is agreed;
He is a King in all , and in earth part ,
By bloud (without bloud) Nature, Minde , and Arte .

Fortune that crost the will , and worke of Nature
For many yeares , hath now made her amends
By making vs, (as we are) one, in nature,
And of vnfaithfull foes , most faithfull friends ,
That Hand on whose direction all depends
(Disposing Crownes and Kingdomes as it lists)
Hath made vs one , I hope, for endlesse endes
Then curst be he that Heau'n herein resists;
And blest be him that it therein assists.

And, though I be no Seer , yet let mee
(Out of my darke foresight in things future)
Speake like a Seer , that can such things see
That may be seene without the seeing pow'r ,
And their like, seene of blind men ev'ry howr:
If sinne crosse not the course of Heau'n herein,
Our Land (that flowes with Hony, Milke , and Floure )
Shall be an Earthlie Paradice , wherein
Plentie , and Peace shall woo from, and to sinne .

But Plenty , like an Eaue -enticing Snake ,
Shall tempt vs with the Eye-delighting frute
Of all voluptuousnes , which if wee take,
There is a powr that can our fortunes sute
With Adams , when hee Eaden was cast out;
And, with stil-sweating sorrow -furrowed Browes
To liue, or begge, or starve if we be mute:
For nought hath roote so fast, or gaily growes,
But Heau'n's least puffe extirpes, and overthrowes.

O tis perfection next to that of Gods
When Men are compast with all sensuall sweetes,
Then, then, to make the Will to know the odds
Betwixt that sweete that lasts, and this that fleetes,
And so restraine hart's ioy when pleasure greetes:
An abiect Slaue will glutt his greedie Maw
With what so ere his Sense with sweete regreetes,
If he can snatch it, but great Myndes withdraw
Their Wills from such base blisse, by Glorie's law.

A Beare will breake her Belly, if shee may,
So hoony be the meane to do the deede:
And so will Men-beares doe, as well as thay,
If they catch hoonied sweetes , themselues to feede;
Who make it their Mind's laboure onely meede:
Basse humane Beasts , how senselesse is your sense
That will gainst sense and Reason so exceede!
Base is your minde , worse your intelligence
Odious to God , and vnto Men offence.

If Landes are saide to flourish and reioyce
Vnder new Kinges , though oft worse then the old
How may this Land , as if shee had made choise
Of hir Liege Lord , (that now the same doth hold)
For vertue onely, ioy him to infold!
If Soule's extreame ioy makes the Body dance,
(Witnesse sweete Psalmist ) then, deere Liege , behold
Thy subiects iesture at thine enterance,
And be assur'd they blesse this blessed chance .

And see how Vertue pulls to, and putts fro,
Like to the Loadstone whose North-point attracts
And South-point putts off what the North pulls to:
So thou ( North-point ) by right and vertuous Acts
Dost draw our Crowne , and vs to thee contracts:
And those, South from thee (that in show might draw)
By Vertue mou'd (as loathing bloudie facts)
Put off the Crowne , (before their head it saw)
To thee, whose vertue breedes their loue and awe .

See, see how Mother Nature's totall Body
Doth (as inspired with a second Soule )
Exult to see thee weare the Crowne vnbloudy!
See how the Orbes of Heav'n doe slowly roule
To slacke Time's course, which they for thee controule!
The hoast of starres , with Sol their soveraigne ,
Fight, all aspects malitious to ore-rule:
The Elements renew their force againe,
To blesse with plentie , thy thrice-blessed raigne .

Our Fields , are clad in three-pil'd Greene in Graine ,
(Three-pil'd for thicknesse that none sees the Ground )
In Graine which no Land can (for goodnesse) staine;
Like ioyfull Sommer- Queenes , they thus are gound
To see their King (by whom they flourish) cround:
Who will for thee such larges throw about
(With open hand) that Beggars shall abound
With fill of Bread , yea all the land throughout
Shall glut her Children with Milke, Flowre , and Frute .

Behold our Heards crowning our gorgeous Downes
With Diadems of rich and rarest Wooll!
See how the virgin Lambes in milke-white Gownes ,
Doe skip for ioy (whereof their harts are full!)
No Beast , nay not the Asse (though nere so dull)
But in his voice (though vnarticulate)
Salutes these times, and vp their spirites pull:
So Airie , and Watrie Flockes congratulate
Thy fortune blest, to stale this sincking state .

No Beast is backward in this common ioy,
But the slowe Oxe ; and hee with open Throte
Complaines, for that Men will him now imploy
More then before; yet tunes a doubtfull Note
That none may him directly grieved note:
For, he (though nere so blunt of wit and sp rite )
Cannot but know (except hee can but dote)
That his whole Tribe might haue beene bucherd quight
To feede huge Hosts if thou hadst not thy right .

Our Houndes and Haukes ; with Spaniels them among
Togither drue their Heads, so to decree
(With Triumph such as to them doth belong)
How th' one should runne , and crie , the other flee
To sport their King , for their Sporte's libertee
They fear'd their game had beene expired quight
And that their owne decay they soone should see;
For no flesh comes amisse t' a hungry wight
That hunts for Flesh for neede not for delight.

The Rivers , dallying with their beautious Banckes
With voice of comfort, whisper in their Eares
That Swans shall decke them now, not Soldiers Rancks;
Swans , whose sweete Songs , shall banish cares and feares
And both ioy-drown'd do interchange sweete Teares
Each silver Prill gliding on golden Sand
Transmuted so, by these new golden yeares ,
Oreflowne with ioy, doth laugh vpon the Land ;
Which as with blisse entraunct, amaz'd doth stand.

The senslesse Trees , which sense of ioy past Ioy ,
Send, through their Buff-skyn Barks , their iuyce in Teares ,
Which, ere they fall, blithe Nature doth imploy
In Buds , and Blossoms , so that each appeares
Smiling on all, and Roabes of Triumph weares:
So all doe weepe and laugh, and laughing weepe
That earth (the Iade of Elementals ) beares;
And as an holy-day , this yeare doth keepe,
Drownd in a Sea of hoonied pleasures deepe.

The Seasons of the yeare in councell sate,
Which of the fow'r thee first should entertaine;
Who all decreed the Spring (as chiefe in state)
Should welcome in thy comming here to raigne
And decke our Triumphes for our Soveraigne
Among the Monthes, March was thereto assign'd
Yet hee refus'd, till hee his puffes restrain'd,
And having spent his spight , to wit, his winde ,
In fine, he welcomes thee in mildest kinde

The Day , and Night straue then for greatest might
When thou should'st come this Isle of Isles to sway;
So greed, there should bee as much Day , as Night ,
The Day to triumph in, the Night to play
With Heav'nly Visions , which sweete sleepes bewray.
Neptune now hugs his Darlinge in his Armes,
(This Queene of Isles ) lest that his Trident's sway
Should bee made subiect to her Sceptred Armes,
So, flatt'ring, seekes to shunne his feared harmes.

Her Eies , (witnesse mine Eies ) lights of the Land
Oxford , and Cambridge , distill'd ioyfull Teares ,
With cries among, for loe, the Doctors stand
(Prest with the Presse ) filling the World's wide Eares
With showts of ioy, that fainted late with feares .
Vp go their Caps , so Gravity for ioy
Doth light become, and Age like Youth appeares,
Which doubled mirth to see Eld play the Boy
And with Cap tost, till lost, to sport and toy.

Looke in the studies of the younge , and old ,
Their wonted studies wee shall changed see.
For now the Muse their heades (deere harts ) doth hold,
The while their hands are making lines agree
To meate their ioy, that cannot measur'd be:
Happy is he that can light on one line
That may expresse (and kisse it for a fee)
The thousandth part of what his hart doth line,
Namely that ioy that no name can define.

Some bend their browes , and wroth with their conceite .
Doe scratch their Cogitation's hardest Hold
For having no Worths in their rude Receipt
Worth the bestowing though the worst be gold ,
Which is but Drosse , compar'd with what they would:
Some other write and blot, and blotting write,
So thoughts in Blots infolded, thoughts vnfold;
Bewraying so the Worlds of their delight
Is more then Worlds of thoughts can well recite.

And hee that best dischargeth his Soule's charge,
Doth it displeasingly, with much adoe,
As when rare Preachers with a blessing large,
Discharge their hearers , thronging out they goe
That at the Gate they sticke, and stumble too:
(When some by maine force from their fellowes breake)
So, thoughts in them, so one another woo
To be out first, and so the same doe seeke,
That in the Portall of the minde they steeke.

And those that breake out, come but stumbling out
Nay, cannot stand, without some other's stay:
So, one each other stay in stumbling doubt ,
And yet no one can well his doubts bewray,
For doubt he doth, say what his friend can say:
He doubts his Lines may be (for Loue or hate )
Led to his Liege , that can all faults display;
Hee doubts their worth , and (carefull) doubts their fate ,
So Doubts distresse his thoughts , oppresse his Pate .

Learning and Vertue , that did hang the Head ,
As if they had receau'd their doome of death,
Or had bin in a Dreame , or rather dead
With their kind Nurse deere Queene Elizabeth
(Who did them , with hir Crowne , to thee bequeath)
Lo, on the sodaine how they looke aloft
Being reviv'd (at point to render breath)
And with the Muses treade the Measures oft,
Meating their ioy with feete high-falling soft

The Braine bredd Godesses , poore forlorne Crue
That still she feeds, which some cal broken- Braines ,
Some Poets , and some fellowes fangled new,
Some Rimers base (that all the World disdaines)
And other some, Men's plagues, (but they are swaines )
These being well neere out of hart before,
Each to his fellow ioy vnfained faines,
Because they likely were to Bee no more
For being but (poore Soules ) the World's Ey-sore.

But when they heard with cheerefull Trumpett's clange
Thy peacefull name proclaim'd, as England's king ,
They skipt & daunc't, and Heav'nly Hymnes they sange,
That Angells did admire their Carrolling ,
Which made both Heav'n and Earth with ioy to ring:
Each now retakes his late abandon'd Pen ,
And Night and Day they plie it, pestering
Thy Name with Fame , thy fame with more then Men
Maie beare, if they be not remade agen.

And who hath held their Pens from blott of blame
And ever kept their Muse immaculate,
Their conscience now takes comfort in the same,
As if some God were come, (that Vice doth hate)
With Grace their virtue to remunerate:
As when the Kinge of Kings shall come at last
To giue all Men their meede , in righteous rate,
The good alone reioyce in their liues past:
So perfect Poets now must comfort tast.

Now, their cleere Soules (free from distemp'rature
That constantly ensues vnconstant Vice )
Doe ( Angell -holpe) draw Lynes divinely pure,
T' expresse their Soules ' prais-worthy avarice
To draw their King to read their Subiect twice:
They melt in Nectar of Phrase most refin'de,
That may the Pallate of the Soule intice
To tast and retast (in a greedy kinde)
The Sweetes there mixt to recreate the Minde .

Healths , now goe round among the rude , & Civill ,
The Earth's best bloud , (that bettereth our bloud )
Is suck't each where, and he esteem'd a divill
That will not drinke (to show his mery moode)
A little more (perhapps) then does him good:
If Wine were made to gladd the hart of Man ,
(Although our gladnesse needes no wyny floudd)
Then now, or never, troule about the Cann ,
Till sober moode cries hoe, and no more can.

A time there is for all things vnder Sunne ,
A time for mirth , aswell as to be sadd ,
The time for mirth is now, ev'n now begun,
Now wisest men with mirth doe seeme starke madd,
And cannot choose, their harts are all so gladd.
Then let 's be merry in our God , and King
That made vs merry, being ill bestadd;
South-hampton , vp thy cappe to Heauen fling
And on the Violl there sweet praises sing,
For he is come that grace to all doth bring.

If thou did'st fault, (iudge Heau'n , for I will spare thee,
Because my faults are more then can be cast)
It did to greater glorie but prepare thee,
Sith greater vertue now thereby thou hast.
Before our troubles we seeme goodnesse past.
But cold Affliction's water cooles the heate
Which Youth , and Greatnesse oft too much doth wast;
And Queenes are coy, and cannot brooke the sweat
That such heate causeth, for it seemes vnsweete.

But yet thy woorth doth wrest from what soere.
Thereto opposd, by vnseene violence,
Acknowledgment of what in thee is deere
That is, the glory of much excellence
Fitt for the vse of high'st preheminence :
The World is in the wane, and worthy Men
Haue not therein in each place residence:
Such as are worthy should be cherisht then,
And being overthrowne raisd vp agen.

Pembrooke , to Court (to which thou wert made strange)
Goe, doe thine homage to thy Soveraigne ,
Weepe , and reioyce , for this sadd-ioyfull Change ;
Then weepe for ioy thou needst not teares to faine,
Sith late thine Eies did nought els entertaine:
If I mistake thee not, and thy best part ,
Thy vertues will thy Liege's favoure gaine:
For, Vertue , vertue loues, as Arte doth Arte ;
Then will hee loue thee ( Lord ) for thy desart.

Thy Sire and Grand-sire were two mightie Peeres
That were strong trustie Pillars of this State .
Thou hast what they had, thy want is but yeeres :
Yet Arte in thee doth Tyme anticipat,
And maks thee, being yonge, in old estate:
For lo, thy Iudgment's iointes are strongly knitt
And in Arte's Limbecke , thy all-learned Pate ,
Wisdome extracts the Quintessence of Witt
To make the same for hie imployment fitt.

Hold vp your hartlesse Heads , and headlesse Harts ,
All yee whom Time and Fortune did suppresse;
Hee's come, hee's come, that Life halfe dead reverts,
Deere little Lord , great in too great distresse,
(With smoothed front) goe kisse thy happinesse .
Ladies , and Lords , purse-pinched, and Soule -pain'd,
Poore, Rich and all (rich in all blessednesse )
Blesse him by whom yee haue till now remain'd,
To tast these Tymes which yeeld sweet ioyes vnfain'd.

High humbled Lady , high though humbled
High by thy vertue, humbled by thy Crosse ,
By Fortune lift vp, and downe tumbled,
Two (o speake, World ) had ere one such a losse
As shee had of two Pheares , who did engrosse
The richest Wares that Arte and Nature sold.
Yet Fortune in their fines was over-crosse,
For both vntimely shee return'd to Mould ,
Yet, Lady , new be cast in Comfort's Mold.

Yee seemely Senators that God do feare,
Vertue's true Lovers, Bloud -detesting Sages ,
Peace & Right's friends, (as now doth wel appeare)
Load-starrs to this, Lights to the after Ages
Reioyce you may, for, your well-erned Wages
(Earned of your late Mistris ) he will pay
That's now your Master; Then with harmeles rages
Of zeale inflam'd exult, and with vs say
Blest be King Iames, our King, our Ioy, our Stay.

Mount-ioy , let ioy now mount as high as Heav'n ,
For now thy (long-left) land is Heav'n become:
Come; come away, the Foe to flight is driv'n,
Hasten thy comming, hie, o hie thee home
That ioy (though nought els can) may thee orecome:
Muses ' deere loue, Mecaenas to their loues ,
Thy King vnto this kingdome now is come,
And like the sunne in our new Heaven moues
To comfort thee and all that glorie loues.

If wee that still liue here doe Heav'n it hold,
What wilt thou thinke it with that Hell compar'd
Where yet thou liv'st, among deathes manifold,
(Which for our safety thou hast long endur'd?)
Thou sure wilt thinke no Angell now doth ward
The Esterne Eden , plac'd now in the North ,
But, Scots , and English men , the same doe guard
And therein liue; then come Heroicke Worth ,
Attend thy Liege till he resends thee forth.

Meeke-harted Worcester , friend of Humanity,
Honor'd for honesty , so rightly honored:
God's white-guift Whiteguift , glory of Prelacy ;
Buckhurst our Treasorer, roially treasured .
With richest Rules of Rule: Egerton famouzed
For loue to equity: chiefe Iustice of the land ,
Bold Popham resolute, for thy friend , for thy Head ;
Striue, striue o striue to make fast Peace's Band,
That you (obeying) may in peace command;
So you by it, and it by you may stand.

Great harted Heros , great Northumberland ,
Furnisht with all that may make great a Peere ;
And Tethys ' true- loue , ventrous Cumberland
Together with the rest to England deere
Deere Peeres let now your peerelesse ioy appeere:
Goe Lordes , goe meete your sans-Peere Soveraigne;
And tell him yee are his while hee is here,
And when he leaues the Earth for heav'nly raigne
You and yours will be his , whiles they remaine.

Thou liuely Image of our Worlde's perfection ,
Our little Worlde's great Paragon of fame,
Both taking beeing (by the Heav'n's direction)
In one selfe wombe , that both should be the same
In Spirite , in vertue, nature , and in name ;
This World beginnes to cotton now for thee,
For whom the World , sometimes, was much to blame:
Vertue , deere Sidney , now advaunc'd shalbe,
Sith Vertue knowes no partialitee.

Thou virgin Knight that dost thy selfe obscure
From World's vnequall eies , and fain wouldst dy
Er ' thy name should be knowne to Worlds impure,
Now shew thy selfe, thou canst not hidden lie
From our new World's desert out-searching Eie .
Great Sidneie's loue (true proofe of thy great worth )
Liue now, for now thou maist not living die;
Vertue must vse thee, then ( Dyer Knight) come forth
To haile thy vertue's Loadstarre from the North .

And Albion's Scaeva, whose crosse wounded Corse
Like t' an imbalmed dead-Corpse in aspect
Twenty times dead, yet still hast vitall force,
And so dost cousin death , through death's defect,
Yet scornst, nay hat'st thy life , in Fame's respect
Vp with thy Coate of Steele , it 's time for thee,
No foe is now in field, and in effect
Thy Veines are drie, thine eies do dimmely see,
Then ioy in peace , with life at last agree.

Great Maiestie , last let the least, of all
Thy Subiects least, send from his hart a signe
Of that it holds and whiles it is , it shall;
That is, that loue thou only mai'st define
By that vnbounded loue (to vs) of thine!
I haile thee happy Sov'raigne from a farre,
Vnworthy to approach thy view of Eine ,
Saying blest be him that blessed thee from warre,
To be our peace , in whom we blessed are.

And be thine owne , though others' praise come short,
O sacred Sou'raigne Soule of Englande's ioy,
Let matchlesse vertues, Vertue's praise report,
Which thou alone dost questionlesse enioy:
The Vulgar's laudes thine Eares doe nought but cloy,
The Concaue of a Crowne may cause that winde ,
Which froward Fates haue power to destroy:
But that pure praise that's due to thy pure Minde .
From Fates is free'd being of immortall kinde.

Well wott'st thou Princes ' liues haue much more force
Then purest Lawes , their Subiects to refine;
For, Subiects follow still their Sov'raigne's course,
As, Sunne -like Marigolds doe Sol divine,
Who lose their grace when hee doth ceasse to shine:
This makes thee shun, what may ecclipse thy light,
Because thou lead'st all by that light of thine,
And striv'st to glitter in all vertue bright,
That all might haue thereby direction right.

Though at thy becke be all sens -pleasing sweetes ,
Yet art thou pleas'd with what thy sense containes,
In Straightes where Abstinence with Reason meetes,
Which head-strong Appetite ( Synne-spurred ) raignes,
And binds thy Passions in Soule -staying chaines.
Thus Reason strictly ruleth thee, we see,
Which over thee (as thou raign'st ore vs) raignes:
If Reason thou obai'st, much more should wee,
That are borne to obey Reason , and thee.

How came I with thee to bee so acquainted
That so I should discribe each part of thee?
Thy Booke wherin so liuely thou art painted
(Deere Liege ) I once (ioy-ravished) did see,
For which I shall, till death, the better bee:
Then saw I thee, and then I heard thy Wordes
Which with God's , and thy glory, did agree,
And Charity beliefe to them affords,
Sith shee knowes nothing that with them discords.

And if the Bookes compil'd by vs, do beare
The Image of our Mindes , (as thou do'st say)
Then in that Booke that Image doth appeare
Bright as the Sunne (in Vertue's best araye)
To light all Kinges to keepe their Kinge's high Way .
No Sentence, Line, Clause, Word , or Syllable
Therein contain'd, but doth pure thoughts bewraie:
Then, sith thy Minde is to it semblable ,
No Earthly King is to thee sutable.

Never was Piety with Policy
So well compounded in the Head of State :
The Serpent's wisedome many Snakes apply
To Sores of Kinges' Simplicity , but hate
The Doue -like innocence , as out of date.
If Piety , and Policy doe iarre
(As some suppose) then can we bee s'ingrate
As not to crowne him that did end the warre?
Nor be compos'd by such a Temperer?

For, if from Harte's abundance Mouthes disperse
Vertue or Vice's Mammon all abroade,
What may we deeme thee then, that did'st reherse
Such precepts , as beseem'd a Semi-God ,
How best the Sonne should bear an Empire's Lode
(Which weakenesse oft, back-broken, vndergoes)
We needes must weene that Vertue makes abode
(As in her home) in thy Hart , sith it floes
With goodnesse like God's , to thy Friends & Foes .

How like a Lord of thy selfe do'st thou striue
To conquer Passion ( Princes great'st disease )
In him that likely is thee to survive?
And, as an old tride Sea -man tells at Seas
What Rocks and Flatts a yong one may displease
Ere first he setts out, that he them may shunne:
So, from thy proofe (for thy Succeeder's ease
Thou tell'st him (ere to rule he hath begune)
What Compasse he should keep, safe Course to run.

For Empire is a Sea most faire to see,
But perillous to proue, as they best kno
That all their life-long to it bounden be,
Subiect each Tyde to be orewhelm'd with woe,
If not to wracke and finall overthro:
Wherein thou dost thy course so wisely guide
That like a skilful Pilot thou dost sho
(By demonstration) how this Sea t'abide
And safely saile, or else at Ancor ride.

Then, o how blessed is this blisful Ile
Whose God is Loue, whose King is Vertue's Host,
Whose Grace and Wisdome (with an holy guile )
Doth catch the Least and binds them to him most,
As to their Piller , and vpholding Post!
Who makes his Subiects great, as good , as great
By his example , without Checke , or cost ,
And to vnequalls equal Law doth meate
With Loue's right hand, which stil doth hate defeate!

The Fire , as be'ng the noblest Element ,
Is plac'd, by Nature's hand, aboue the rest;
That, by it's actiue vertue prevalent,
It might repurifie the worst , and best ,
That be inferior, or in lesse request:
So thou art iustly plac'd (in Nature's right)
Aboue the great'st , that with thy vertue least
Canst purge them from their greatest vices quight,
And make them shine, through thy high vertue's light.

Such Kings should be obaid, and glory -cround
Because their Vertues al men's else exceede:
For, they that are in all abundance drownd,
Yet, set no more in, then may Nature feede,
And spare the rest for those that haue more need,
O! these are rightly Fame's Superlatiues ,
( Gods vpon Earth , that's Kings like Gods in deede )
From whom the subiect vertue high derives,
Whose liues are Lights to lead obscurer liues.

And, Vertue in a King is more of price,
Then in a poore man , though most vertuous,
For Kings haue more meanes to be drawn to Vice
And may, without controle, be vicious;
But poore-men , not, for Want , and Summum ius
If Sol would Venus vse, what Starre comes not
At becke, wel neere, too neere to him, to vse?
But if a naked poore Snake be so hott
He may be coold, but so be coold, cannot.

What glory gettes constrain'd Sobrietie
(If glorie gotten be by Vertue right)
Constrain'd b'imperious Necessitie ,
Other, then to be chast for want of might
In Purse , or Parts , or all the Bodie quight?
Where's no Foe to oppunge, what conquest is 't?
But where be many great Ones , there to fight,
And with a Kingly courage them resist.
O such an one is a true Martialist!

How easie this is sedd, who doth not see?
How Arte may picture Vertue , all perceaue;
But to inspire her with vitalitee,
This none but onely Gods haue powr to geue.
From whom alone shee doth her life receaue.
O, deere Liege , that I could, as faine I would.
Make Vertue lively; then by thy good leave,
Thou should'st not leave me (wretch) sith then I could
Leaue all the World to serue thee, as I should.

Then would I with a never wearied Eye
Help thee to watch from wolues thy Flocke to keepe:
Thy Flocke is great, and Wolues may lurcking lye
In each darke Corner to devoure thy Sheepe .
But blest were he that would, & could dive deepe
Into th' Abisse of ev'ry darke device ,
(While thou gav'st Nature necessarie sleepe)
To feele their Snares to catch, & Lures t'intice,
So, make them knowne that would thee preludice.

Diue, diue to Hell , blacke Hel's inhabitants
(Children of darkenesse that envie our light )
Albion's no place for such blacke Miscreants
For God , and Man , there, with (not for) you fight:
Then, doe your selues ensconse in endlesse night;
There stand vpon your guard , guarded with Fiends ,
That guard and grieue you, both at once, with spight ;
There shall yee feele smart of God's fingers' ends,
Sith divine Iustice deeper nere descends.

Deere Loue , sweet Lord, goodnes -surmounting God ,
How stands this Land oblig'd vnto thy loue!
This little-great Land , or great-little Clod
Thou more regard'st (it seemes) then heav'n aboue;
For there thou plaguedst sinne , as Angels proue:
But, though this Isle doth flote on seas of sinne ,
Thou, mou'd with loue, from it dost plagues remoue,
As if against the streame thou wouldst it winne
To perfect goodnesse, and to rest therein.

O bow our Harts of steele , make them well bent,
That they may through thy hart shoot shafts of loue
And wound the same with loue most violent:
But what neede that, sith now the same we proue?
But yet, sith thou such shooting dost approue,
And, by thy lawes , alone it 's lawfull game,
Let all the shafts of our indevors roue
At thy hart's whitest loue , sith in the same
Consists our gaine, grace, glory, ioy , and fame .

Gaine , for all 's gain'd in thy all-giving loue ,
Grace , for God's loue is man's extreamest grace;
Glorie , for thou do'st glorifie thy loue .
Ioy , sith they needs must ioy, whom ioies embrace;
And fame , for Fame ensues the loue of Grace ,
All these winne we, if we thy loue doe win:
Then should we draw our Soules out of sin's case ,
And, be'ng well bent, shoote loue -shafts at the Pin
Of thy deere loue , which lies thine hart within.

Orecome vs ( Lord ) in kindnesse, let thy grace
Ever triumph ore our vngrac'ousnesse:
So, weele triumph in that gracious disgrace ,
Giving all glorie to thy graciousnesse ,
And, loue, and feare thy dread almightynesse .
Let not these Blessings greater make thy Curse
Against our inbred base vngratefulnesse :
O let not thy grace make vs worse, and worse,
But to be gracious let it vs enforce!

These super-supererogating Workes
Proceeding from thy sup'rinducing loue
Might make vs (though farre worse then Iewes or Turkes )
To entertaine them as thou do'st approue
And giue thy loue no cause ours to reprooue.
Since borne I was, I saw but sinne abound,
And thy grace ore abounding which might moue
A senslesse stone to sincke in Teares profound,
Flowing from highest loue , in Teares ydrownd.

Thou deal'st not thus with the adiacent Lands
(Although perhaps they haue provokt thee lesse)
Captivitie hath oft bound them in Bands ,
And the Destroier's Sword hath had egresse
Through all the Members of them, more, and lesse,
Which did not cut , but eate flesh (greedy sword )
Nor shed , but was made drunke with bloud's excesse.
But to our land , alone, thou do'st afford
Peace, Plentie, Freedome, Health, Wealth , and thy Word .

Yet from him sitting on the kingly Throne
Vnto the Slaue that at the Hand-mill grindes,
Others, by civill Sword haue beene orethrone,
And Masacres of Bodies , and of Mindes ,
Haue beene performed in all hellish kindes:
Vpon their Walles were Woes and Wellawaies
Breath'd out with grones , like hollow-voiced windes ,
Their streetes , with shrikes through soddaine stabs dismaies,
By Nights did eccho, and did ring by Daies ,
While stormes of rage did bloudy billowes raise.

The venerable Lore that Time and Arte
Exchequer'd had, in one Head (rarely wrought)
Was let-out by a Dagger , or a Dart ,
As good for nothing, but to bring to nought:
Vertue was held a Rebell , and still sought
But to be slaine, and so, by Death , embrac'd:
Vice was secur'd by that which Vice had wrought
By Vertue's helpe, by Vice now quite defac'd,
So all, but Vice , then dide, were disgrac'd.

And heerewith keene-cheek'd Famine made a way
Through their best Citties ' bowels, so to bring
Their Bellies and their Backes to kisse, and plaie,
So to beguile the smart of famishing ,
Which in the hollowes of the Hart did sting:
Dogs, Cats, Mice, Rats , stale Carion , and Horse-dung
(Wherewith perchance they humane-flesh did minge)
These did they eate, they were so hunger-stunge,
Nay, dide for want of these, through famine longe.

Thinke what it is to Sowe , and not to Reape .
Or what to haue, what others haue in hold
That haue no hold; yet all away doth sweepe
And so by spoile of all , liue vncontrold:
What tis to haue a Wife , yet haue thy wife
To haue no powre to doe, as thy wife should,
But, to avoide the Ravisher's rude knife ,
Cannot avoide the losse of more then life .

O could a Man behold, at one aspect ,
The many Hels attending Civill-warre ,
He would suppose (no doubt) by the effect,
Hell had broke loose, and tane Earth prisoner,
And vsd it worser then worst Hell by farre:
For, if the God of Heav'n a Realme would damme
Aboue the Earth , he neede but let it iarre
Within it selfe; and then no Hellish flame
Can so torment with anguish, as the same.

Diffring in nothing but in Time and Place ,
Saue that the Sunne's light makes the griefe the more;
For it giues light to see the hidious case
Of all , when all are almost drown'd in Gore ,
That, like a Deluge , oreflowes Sea , and Shore ;
Which, if it might be felt , and not be seene ,
Sense would suppose the same to be lesse sore;
For Sight (the Senses ' Soveraigne) would weene
That, that is still vnfelt , that is vnseene .

And but that Woes are priviledg'd from iest ,
I well might say (and yet but iest in sho)
That this damnation Divels more detest
Then the perdition in the Hell belo;
For there their vtmost miseries they kno:
And well they wot, if they (as these) should iarre,
Their kingdome (like these) should to ruine goe:
So they, much more then Hell , feare civill-warre ,
Because a kingdome it doth more then marre.

The Night that Nature hath ordain'd for rest
Then yeelds no rest , yet endlesse rest it giues;
No rest it yeelds, but kils both Man , and Beast ,
Yet rest it giues, by reaving of their liues;
So, kniues bereaue their rest , that rest by kniues!
Men go to bed (as to their graue ) with breath,
Where Death , vnwares, of breath them oft depriues;
So, while they sleepe in life , they sleepe in death ,
True Image of the life in Hell beneath.

For if in that Hell be degrees of Woes ,
As Truth it selfe affirmes (with voice divine)
Then may these seeme to be the worst of those
That lowest Hell doth in it selfe confine;
For, weeping and Teeth-gnashing , that Hel's Signe
Is seene each where , where civill Swords doe rage,
Which do the best-backt states in sunder chine,
And with Hell -like confusion doe engage
The brightest Empires to darke Vassallage.

As when the might'st Baiazeth is come
Into the clawes of some rude Tamburlaine ,
Hee's vsd more basely then the basest Groome ,
Till he be forc'd to beate out his owne Braine
Against the cage of his hard Hart's disdaine:
So, when the civill Swords vncivilliz'd
In mightist Empires , there it runnes amaine
Through all, till all be with Contempt surpriz'd,
Or, all doe end, ere so will be dispisde.

Thus whiles Athalia hath her owne bloud suckt;
And Achaz in the fire his Flesh did frie;
Yea whiles Samaria on her Walles hath pluckt,
Her children's Limbes in sunder savagely,
Devouring them with hunger greedily,
Our Milke and hoony -flowing Palestine
Hath overflowne with all felicitie:
Whiles Envie sought, but could not (saue repine)
To hale vs from this Sea , with Hooke and Line .

So wee alone (orewhelm'd in Earthlie Blisse )
Still diue in Pleasure's Streames to finde new Ioies ,
Not knowing once what Sword , or Famine is,
Nor the least thing that Nature ought annoyes,
Saue when we list to make them sporting Toies:
What are we ( Lord ) or what our Father's house,
That it by thee such welfare still enioies,
As it doth seeme thy whole care's cast on vs,
And to vs only wert most gracious!

What endlesse Peales of Praise are due to thee
From those to whom (as to vnworthy vs)
Thou leavest not an headlesse Anarchee ,
As to the Caniballs prodigious,
A Government more then most monsterous!
Nor as to the Tartarian Herdes of Cham ,
Nor Swarmes of Tubal-gog (most ravenous)
But with thy powre divine, them vp didst dam
Farre off from Albion in the Land of Ham!

Our present happinesse shall more appeere
(And long may it bee present and to come )
Compared with the state wherein we were
At our grand Ancestors' first calling home
To civill life (that long did rudely rome).
Their common-weale (if so it may bee call'd)
Was (like to Rome's when Sylla rag'd in Rome )
With Rage , and Wronge , and lawlesse might enthrall'd,
And by each savage Furie ever galld.

The greate devour'd the meane , the meane the lesse ;
Who could gripe hardest held all as he would;
Who crost his will , the law did then transgresse,
For which he dide, or dying liue he should;
So strongest Theeues themselues did Princes hold:
All was worse then it seem'd, yet seem'd all woe,
For twas a Nation (which this Land did hold)
That liv'd by one another's overthro,
Yet, for they liu'd togither, seem'd not so.

I could, although my Muse were neere so dull,
Be endlesse in this infinite discourse:
But now, Decorum by the eare doth pull
My forward Muse , and staies her in her course,
Lest that a Booke her Preface wax perforce:
It is ynough my Booke doth ore abound
With tedious lines , if not with lines farre worse.
Yet in well-borne Prolixitie is found
That which abortiue Breefenesse cannot bound.
And for a tast (God graunt it may prooue tastie)
Of what the Muse can doe now thou art come,
That which ensues (though shee were over-hastie)
Is her first speach since Musing made her dombe:
This Brat , conceaved in her barraine Wombe ,
Was made to moue by the all-mover's aide,
And if both moue thee to like all , or some ,
I shall account my Muse the blessedst Maide
That ever for an Husband so long staide.

Yet shee that next to God and thee hath right
My service to command, commandeth me
To be hir Mouth (to vtter what shee might)
Vnto her great'st Protector , next to thee,
Ere that my short wing'd Muse doo further flee:
My deerest Country Wales commandeth this,
That in the depth of all humilitee
I let hir Prince to know how ill shee is,
For want of him, hir Loue , hir Life , hir blisse .

What shall I say (deere Liege ) I'm at a stand
That haue so much (with little skill) to say;
Heau'n, Earth, Men, Beasts, Fish, Fowle , yea Sea and Land
Exults with vs, insults on those that may
And will not; curst be those I (cursing) pray:
To curse God's foes, and youres , is but to blesse
Those that be his , and yours , and both obay;
David did so, and Davies doth no lesse,
Amen saie all, that loue true blessednesse .