sollicited me ten times more To bring those meditations to effect And so my wary counsell to direct As might content the pillar of my state That next in counsell to his soueraignesate A man made old to teach the worth of age Patriarke-like and graue in all designes One that had finish't a long pilgrimage Sparing in diet abstinent from wines His sinews small as threeds or slender lines Lord of the citty where with solemne rites The old Prince Arthur feasted with his Knights He saw my gifts were such as might deserue He knew his life was drawing to an end He thought no meanes so likely to preserue His fame with time and enuy to contend As to aduance some faithful seruing friend That liuing might in time to come record Th'immortall praise of his deceased Lord. He brought me first in presence of the King Who then allotted me his Chaplains place My eloquence did such contentment bring Vnto his eares that neuer Prince did grace Poore Chaplaine more nor lowly priest embrace Dread soueraigne so For Nature teacheth euer Who loues preferment needes must loue the giuer Next who but I was sent Embassadour With Europes greatest Monarch to intreate Caesar of Almaine Germans Emperour In Belgia keeping his imperiall seat To handle matters of importance great My hap was such the King could hardly ghesse Which pleasde him more my speede or good successe The Argonauticke vessell neuer past With swifter course along the Colchan maine Then my small barke with faire and speedy blast Conuayd me forth and reconuayd againe Thrice had Arcturus driu'n his restlesse waine And heau'ns bright lampe the day had thrice reuiu'd From last departure till I first arriu'd The King not deeming I had yet beene gone Was angry for my long surmiz'd delay I tolde his Maiestie that all was done And more than all and did his pardon pray That I beyond commission went astray And could haue wisht for euer to be chid With answer to content as then I did T'is not huge heapes of figuratiue deuises Nor luxurie of metaphors or phrases Nor finenesse of connexion that intices Court-learned eares and all the world amazes But depth with pleasure crauing all the graces Of art and nature curiously precize Serenely modest excellently wise It is not learning for the Courtiers know it Nor folly but for Councellors most fit Nor graue demeanour for we must bestow it On Ladies toyes nor quintessence of wit For that is most vnstaide nor doth it fit With Courtiers maiestie to be reputed Too learn'd too graue too fine or too conceited A skill transcendent ouer euery art Yet subiect or essentiall vnto none Vnperfect too yet hauing euery part And thus though strange vnperfect and but one Yet all admire and reuerence it alone Vnknowne and vndefin'de saue in discerning By practise to be got but not by learning Men pointed out by Fortune for good happe Haue from their infancy this gift inspir'd Promotions fall as plenteous in their lappe As words out of their mouths thus I acquir'd The deanerie of Lincolne vndesir'd And then the Almnership and euery hower Some droppes distilling of a golden shower As in a burning glasse or little sphere Dispearsed sun-beames oft vnited are And in one point beames infinite appeare Innumerable rayes disiected farre From th'oblique circle of that glorious starre So like that instrument I now begun Tunite the fauours of our earthly sun New friends vnknowne great presents vndeseru'd Olde sutors came held backe with long delay And al like poppets when their time was seru'd Gaue place to other and so likewise they Ending their parts let other actors play No way in all the court so duly tread As was the path which to my lodging led Transplanted thus into a fertile spring And watred from aboue with heau'nly dew Enlightned with the presence of my King My branches waxed large and faire of hew And all about fresh buddes of honor grew Garlands of Lordships blossomes of degree White roddes of office keyes of knightly fee. Looke how the God of Wisedome marbled stands Bestowing Laurel wreathes of dignitie In Delphos Ile at whose vnpartiall hands Hang antique scrolles of gentle Herauldrie And at his feete ensignes and trophies lie Such was my state whom euery man did follow As liuing statue of the great Apollo But see euen when my ioyes did most abound My crowned pillar most vntimely fell And I about his shaft like Iuie wound That did in pride as he in height excell Was left behind to heare his heauy knell And sing a Requiem to his soule deceast For I poore I lost more then all the rest O hidden doome of that eternall spirit That sentence giues the righteous man shall die Iniurious death that lets rude soules inherit Long leases of their liues and dost enuy That Princes liue on whom all states rely And cruell fate that such confusion brings To common wealths by Ostracisme of Kings He died and in memoriall of his name Built that faire chappell where he now takes rest A rich foundation of a curious frame The fairest monument left vnsupprest Passing all temples of the gorgeous East O strew his hearse with roses red and white For he both stemmes did in one bed vnite True branch of both thy father is not dead For in thy looke I reade his vertuous raigne His crowne is set on thy victorious head Dead to himselfe he liues in thee againe His wisedome seated in thy princely braine O were not Times old wings so farre outworne But he new crownde and thou as newly borne But both are gone and we too soone bereft To better kingdomes both translated are This testimony to the world is left He was the Prince of peace thou God of warre He was a fixed thou a wandring starre Seu'n is a number fatall from the heau'ns But eight King Henrie passing all the seu'ns He came of noble thou of Kingly race He brought to win thou borne to weare a crowne He got great wealth thou honor didst embrace He kept his owne thou conquer'st many a towne He houses built thou batterdst citties downe O worthies both and vnsufficient me To mourne for him or speake enough of thee Then for my selfe whom wisedome neuer taught To seeke for gold in coffins of the dead My deepe contriuing pollicie so wrought That in his youthly raigne my dearest dread Me to his sacred counsell did aread Where all estates in open court did find The liuely vigor resting in my mind When I did muse my spirit did wholy beare His full perfection to enrich my thought What time I spake my life was wholy there And to my speech all grace and beautie brought What praise soeuer any member sought That God whom we call soule sprung from our heart Was all in all and all in euery part What matters past in priuate conference Or publique counsell for the common good I still enform'd his sacred excellence Framing my sentence to his princely moode His word my deede his will my
THE LIFE and DEATH of Thomas Wolsey Cardinall Diuided into three parts His Aspiring His Triumph and His Death By Thomas Storer Student of Christ-church in Oxford At London Printed by Thomas Dawson 1599 To the Worshipfull M. Iohn Howson Chaplaine to her Maiestie BAse Vulcans crowne with Laurell to adorne That still stands plodding by his Anuills side Would make the seely smith be laught to scorn And wiser heads the foolish gift deride Euen so some Thrasoes fancy to haue fed With Muses flowres that know not what they be Had bin to bring Silenus Asse a bed That vnderstands a rime as well as he Which made me consecrate this verse of mine To him that can with iudgement reade the same Yet stand not too praecize on euery line But rather such a web as I could frame In slender lines yet slender as they be My Muse Arachne-like presents to thee Ad Thomam Storerrum de suo Tho Wolsaeo Hendecasyllabi DUm tu trina tui Storerre fata Wolsaei triplici canis libello Ortus quis celebrem tulit Iuuentam Incrementa viristetêre quanta Occasus Sene qualis est potitus Quaeres cunque bonum queant in vsum De quôis hominum statunotari Pertrectare tuum satis videtur Diuerso vnum elegans stylo Poêma Quid dicam magis es Storerre vates Tutam magnifico pius parenti An Wolsaee tuus cinis beatus Quem tot post hyemes recens tepentem Hic nostro genitus poeta in aeuo Grata mente sacrâ reponit vrnâ Argento meliore item lapillis Et gemmis pretiosiore ferro Nec non aere perenniore cuncta Mausolaea supra Poesis vrna est Non de fossa ferens humo recondi Nec per secla situ premi futuros Informi metuens apud nepotes Haec est ingenij memor character Aeterna haec notaposteris dicata Quâ serinimium licet prioremâ— Wolsaeum recolent tamen recenti Famâ par meritis quod est duorum Et Thomae scio Maximi Patroni Et Thomae reor optimi Poetae Plusquam corpore sic valentis arte VT NOS VNDA Prosopopoeia Wolseij FOrtunae auspicibus nostrae non immemor ipse Templa Deo Musis maenia constitui Iusta nec abrupti surgunt in culmina muri Contigerat summum vita nec ipsa gradum Par eademque mei est aeuique operisque ruina Par iterumque mihi vita operique datur Musa quidem haec nostras imitata est penè ruinâ—â— Et iacuit longo semisepulta situ Nunc tamen eripuit foedis me seque tenêbris Haecque Amphionio maenia forte modo Restituat Citharam si intenderet altiùs at quae Speret ab ingratis proemia temporibus Ruderibus sed viue tuis domus inclita viue Vate tuo truncum tolle sub astra caput Nulla tuam valeat premere inde ruina ruinam Nulla meam Cineristant bene facta suo Eduardus Michelborne De Wolseide Momo LEgerat Aoniam nuper Wolseida Momu Cumque nihil toto viderat esse libro In quo liuenti genuinum frangeret ore Talibus ora ferox soluit hiulca modis Hà malè Quem versu morientem inducit eundem Aeternùm versu vtuere Musafacit Thomae Wolsaei Reginaldi Poli Cardinal Angl. comparatio LIs erat an maior Polus an Wolsaeus vterque Magnus Cardinei splendor vterque chori Tempora purpureo redimitus vterque Galero Infula cum lauru cinxit vtrique comam Ausoniâ triplici cingendus vterque Tiarâ Si suus ex merito quemque maneret honos Hinc cumulos Wolsaeus opum Polus inde parentes Hic Proauûm laudes iactat ille suas Alter Romanos patrios habet alter honores Ingenio Vlsaeus maior at arte Polus Tu litem Storere secas super alta ferendo Sydera Wolsaeum laude superque Polum Carolus Fitzgeofridus Latiforensis COnceits true Storer when I view'd of late Thy new-borne Wolsey while he did remaine As in the matrice yet inanimate An imperfected embrion of thy braine O how my feareful thoughts misaugured Least Wolsey like the worke himselfe did frame Should euer thus stand inaccomplished Which none dare end saue who began the same But now although thy worke be so perfected As that no prowder vaunting Muse can mend it And though the stately frame by him erected Lies still imperfect while no hand dares end it Yet thine thus ended doth with his agree That thine like his shall neuer ended be Aliud WHile Fortune yet did Wolseys state vphold Liuing he fram'de himselfe a costly toombe To girt with marble crowne the longing mould Prowde of the treasure that it should enwombe Yet neuer did that monument inuest The naked temples of his bare-head graue And death which him of life first dispossest Was dispossest of what it selfe should haue But wherefore did the heau'ns his ghost this wrong Thus of his duest honour to depriue him They knew his graue should not obscure him long There should a Muse they had in Store reuiue him Toombes are for dead men not for Wolsey then Whom thou hast made immortall with thy pen. Charles Fitz-Geffrey WHen Wolsey died me seemes the sunne did set And that his glory with himselfe did waine But since his death another did beget Which lendes him helpe his life to reobtaine One sunne did set but two do rise againe Cease you that wont admire the starres alone Your eies haue now enough to gaze vpon Shine Wolsey cause the world to wonder stil And thou true sunne of great Apollo shine The world with thy conceited volumes fill Smoothe Tasso and the famous Florentine Their garlands now to thee do both resigne Laura that greene hath slourish'd all this while Lies blasted now at the thunder of thy stile Thomas Michelborne ¶ To the Author of the life and death of T. W. Cardinall THus long a slaue to Silence hast thou seru'de Breake out O Muse into thy first assayes Was therefore this mine infant verse reseru'de In fatall darknesse to record thy prayse O Witte diuine that hast so well deseru'de The fruitfull garland of eternal Bayes Then let thy Fame erect my drooping eies And by thy praise begin my selfe to rise Let me while Eagle-wise thou mountes on height Be as thy shade with lowly cariage And whiles aboue thou spread'st with piercing flight Prowde Wolseys life let me in humble rage Condemne the world below that wanting light See'th brightsome candles burne vpon her stage Till vitall humor faileth to sustaine them Yet Niggard giues no matter to maintaine them There was a time when Laureats in their cell Diuinely rauisht wrate those tragicke playes That after should in loftie Buskin swell Whiles they with huge applause and frolike bayes Their learn'de ambitious browes beseeming well Sate prowdly tickled with the peoples prayse And from th'indulgent Consuls wondring hand Extort a rich reward and Laurell band It was the worldes first youth that ware the Socke And wanton Myrtill ensigne of her sport That
had the force to moue a sencelesse blocke To gentle laughter and by force extort Sweete teares of myrth euen from the stubborne looke Of men obdurate and vnfeeling sort So sharpe and piercing were those wittes of olde No whetstone giue's a better edge than Golde Uirgil that with his two-fold oaten reede Then with his thrise-admired Cornet sings Had great Augustus patron of his deede And sweete Mecoenas sprung from grandsire Kings Whiles he their names from death they him from neede With mutuall freedome one another brings Where Vertue doth for Learning honor frame There thankful Learning addes to Vertue fame Our age an aged world euen doating olde That like a miser with a curelesse gowte Hugges on those heapes that neuer may be tolde So mong that greedie and promiscuous rowte Ere one Mecoenas spread the salue of golde Our bleare-eyde Horace's may looke them out A speech long saide but not perform'd before That Homer and the Muses stand at doore Great patrons giue vs leaue their brasse to guilde And from deserued graue dead names to rayse Crowning Minerua for her speare and shielde With golden wreathe her booke with only bayes Because they thinke that fitter for the fielde And men of learning well repaide with praise They giue the spurre of praise but adde the raine And curbe of want to checke them backe againe And so with spurre of praise are Poets paide Their muse their labour and industrious art That rightly spur-galled they may be sayde But if in equall ballance of desart Gentle vngentle men with men were wayde Not poizing men by birth but by their partes Their vertues of their minde their witte and wordes Kings were but Poets Poets more then Lordes And thou sweete Storer that in golden twine Hast liuely portraide out our Cardinal Shewing the course of prouidence diuine That lets high mounters catch the greater fall Worthie was he to change for that of thine And thou for thy desert his priestly pal Thou his for well employing of thy Muse He thine for his great fortunes great abuse As if a second Nemroth came to reare Prowde Babel towers that in their ruines lie His buildings taught as his ambition were To haue none end nor measure till the skie Had Wolsey layde his first foundation there And made his turrets spire to God on high His name himselfe his vertuous deedes and all Had not beene subiect to their hideous fall O see how widdow-like poore soule she standes That college he began with curious frame So left though not without demaine and landes As bush or ensigne of her builders shame Which though he rearde with his ambitious handes I dare not call him Founder of the same How can he be of Christchurch Founder deemde That of Christs church no member is esteemde And yet as though to recompence the fall And want of walles that neuer were erect See how the greatest Architect of al Rebuildes the same and in a deare respect Hath plac't a reuerend steward that doth call The painfull builders and their worke direct By whom true labors haue their due regard And well-deseruing letters findes reward And so the ruines that our house before So deeply blemisht with defect of stones Now farre more glorious farre triumphant more Is made by sweete supply of learned ones That daily takes increase by daily store And carefull noursing of her toward sonnes So flourish still and still encrease thy fame And make thy selfe by deede thy selfe by name Among the Series of this learned traine O Storer liue and grace them with thy witte Redeeme thy name nor enuiously containe Thy thoughts that with applause thou maist committe Vnto the presse so thine admired vaine Shall keepe thee from thy graue and darksome pitte When as thy Wolsey volumes thou shalt frame That shall thou dead immortalize thy name May therefore this be propagated well Then blesse posterity and sow the seede And vse thy sweeter Muse that then shall smel Ful like a Rose in midst of many a weede And sound abroad thy praises as a bell Vnto those posterne ages that shall neede Another Storer in their wanting times To tell the worth of these thy piercing rimes Iohannes Sprint aedis Christi Wolseius aspirans BEtweene two Muses in the deepe of night There sate a reuerend Father full of woe They gaz'd on him and from that dismall sight A kind remorse was willing them to go But cruell Fortune would not haue it so Fortune that erst his pride had ouerthrowne Would haue her power by his misfortune knowne Where fruitfull Thames salutes the learned shoare Was this graue Prelate and the Muses placed And by those waues he builded had before A royall house with learned Muses graced But by his death vnperfect and defaced O blessed walls and broken towers quoth he That neuer rose to fall againe with me To thee first sister of the learned nine Historians goddesse Patronesse of Fame Entombing worthies in a huing shrine Celestiall Clio Clio peerelesse dame My stories truth and triumph I will frame My stories simple truth if ought remaine Enrich my legend with thy sacred vaine The sad discourse of my vntimely fall O tragique Muse shall pierce thy sullen eares Melpomene though nothing can apall Thy heart obdurate in contempt of feares My my laments shall make thee write in teares If mong thy scrolles of antique maiestie Thou deigne to place a Prelates tragedie Perchance the tenor of thy mourning verse May leade some pilgrim to my toomblesse graue Where neither marble monument nor hearse The passengers attentiue view may craue Which honors now the meanest persons haue But well is me where e're my ashes lie If one teare drop from some religious eie Yet when by meanes of Princes gracious doome I rulde the Church where aged Wainflet lay Zealous I was vnto my Founders toombe My thankfull loue did faithfull tribute pay To him now dead whose liuing was my stay His ancient reliques were as deere to me As Princes lookes or parents loue might be Thrice sweete remembrance of that holy man Reuerend erector of those stately tow'res That worthy College where my youth beganne In humane Artes to spend the watchfull houres That fruitful noursery where heau'nly show'res To me poore country-plant such grace did yeelde As soone I prooued the fairest of the field As rightly cal'd as royally compriz'd For that repentant womans name it beares Who meekely for our Sauiours feete deuis'de A double bath of ointment and of teares Wherewith she washt then wip't them with her hayres With precious sauour heere for aye endures And tempred spirits with holy breath repures Still flourish O our Athens second praise Full of religion and of pregnant wits That to high place of dignity dost raise So many a sweete diuine that mitred sits In sacred see as men of God befits For Arts best nurse is Honors chaste desire And Glory sets all studious hearts on fire This greedy flame together with my youth Two neuer fit companions
warrant stoode Nor neede his grace one iot of pleasure spare His royall graunt in person to declare Enough said I your highnesse doth in this To make vs lawes that in subiection dwell Let Magistrates correct what is amisse Such nobles as in wisedome most excell Aduance to place where they may gouerne well And as you do your kingdomes glory prize Of all your land select the learned wise For if the temperature of common weale Be guided by the course of heau'nly pow'res Such as in deepe affaires will iustly deale Must haue an eie to those aeternall bow'res And by their view direct this state of ours Else how can he a perfect states-man prooue That knowes not how coelestiall bodies mooue How can he marke religions stedfast pole How many long degrees we distant are How lawes of iustice compasse in the whole Like orbe of fixed lights or note from farre A fained meteor from a fixed starre How darke eclipsed truth is neuer seene When worlds corrupting treasure comes betweene When wise Magitians wandred farre and wide To find the place of our Messias birth A starre by east became their faithfull guide Angells proclaming notes of ioyfull mirth Glorie to God on high and peace on earth While here I pawsde the King with smiling cheare Bade me proceede for he was bent to heare Dread soueraigne I intend not to detract From noble families their ancient rights Ill fares the shippe whose loftie toppes be wrackt Whole Empires fall where such confusion lights Long life and honor to S. Georges Knights Yet this I reade that realme shall fairest rise Where wise men rule or Rulers can be wise Put such in trust your grace may rest secure And sway the scepter with immortall praise Whether you please your royall selfe immure In cittie walls triumphing sundry waies Or els in progresse spend the sommer daies What hath the ayre the sea the land and all That is not yours or subiect at your call Scholler said he thou know'st my kingdomes state And canst with pleasure painfull trauells brooke Ile prize thy seruice at the highest rate Performing that which thou hast vndertooke For Lordly rents Ile change thy Easter booke Good priest whose sonne so ere thou art by kind Wolsey of Ipswich ne're begat thy mind Soone after this the King with mighty hoast In person meant to enter warlike France To challenge what his auncetors had lost On Turney gates his standard to aduance And in their courts to make our courtiers daunce Which vnacquainted labor to supply He thought no subiect was so fit as I. He might as well appoint some artlesse swaine In Pytheas place to build Mausolus toombe To reare th' Aegyptian Pyramid's againe Restore the ruines of declining Rome Or put some shepheardesse to Arachnes loome As me a student and a yong diuine To furnish out a campe no charge of mine But now the sweetnesse of promotions taste Delightsome prospect to the tower of fame Such skill in my vnmartiall wittes had plac'de As would not onely iust proportion frame Of men and fit munition for the same But bring from rockes where flintie sinewes stoode Whole stony legions of Deucalions broode Imagine Turney vanquisht by the King With Turwins walls and all the confin'de land Ill windes they are that good to no man bring Worse warres that suffer not the churches stand My wind blew faire the church fell in my hand That was elect and consecrated soone Bishop of Turney when the warres were done A sweete preferment for it was my first A straunge aduancement in another Realme A pleasant draft to quench ambitions thirst A ioyfull note to wake me from my dreame A fruitfull spring to send so faire a streame What man but me could fortune thus aduance In peace in warre in England and in France My solemne consecration beeing ended And holy miter placed on my head With falling mists the darksome night extended Hir sable wings and gently ouerspread Heau'ns gloomy vaile whence Phoebus lamp was fled Dead time of rest to euery mortall wight No musicke to the silence of the night To cheerfull minds that bringeth wanton sleepe With many a Phantasme and deluding toy And pensiue heart it doth detaine and keepe From tedious company that would annoy Dull Saturnists that haue abiur'd all ioy To me whose day was all in pleasure spent This wondrous vision it did represent From that rich valley where the Angels laid him His vnknowne sepulchre in Moabs land Moses that Israel led and they obaid him In glorious view before my face did stand Bearing the folded tables in his hand Wherein the doome of life and deaths despaire By Gods owne finger was ingrauen faire He passing forth a ioyfull troope ensued Of worthy iudges and triumphant Kings Victorious Iosuah that in armes subdued Prophane vsurpers of their hallowed things And smote their leaders breaking al their wings With him as ioyning hearts with meeke consent Princes of Israel and of Iuda went Next whom with solemne note of trumpets sound The tabernacle of the Lord was brought About it holy Priests assembled round With sacred Ephods girdles richly wrought Such garments as the Lord had Aaron taught With warbling harpe and crownet on his head The ghost of Dauid loftie measures lead To these in order all the Prophets came Mysterious prophets cloth'd in poore array Pronouncing oft Iehouah's dreadfull name Crying to Syon Learne O learne the way Your desolation hastneth euery day These were refusde for none regarded them In all the daughters of Ierusalem The next in ranke were holy Martyres bleeding Whose euery wound in perfect glory shines Then they which wrote our Sauiours iust proceeding His life and death in euerlasting lines And last of all the best of all diuines To whome deepe mysteries of things conceal'd At Pathmos Ile in vision were reueal'd Now from th' Aethereall pallace of her rest In perfect semblance they appear'd to me But O my soule how are thy pow'res opprest That sleeping saw'st and waking canst not see O God! if so thy gracious pleasure be Such beauty be reueal'd to mortall men Direct O soone direct my wandring pen. In chariot framed of celestiall mould And simple purenesse of the purest skie A more then heau'nly Nymph I did beholde Who glauncing on me with her gracious eie So gaue me leaue her beautie to espie For sure no sence such sight can comprehend Except her beames their faire reflection lend Her beauty with Eternitie began And onely vnto God was euer seene When Eden was possest with sinfull man She came to him and gladly would haue beene The long succeeding worlds eternall Queene But they refused her O hainous deed And from that garden banish't was their seede Since when at sundry times and sundry waies Atheisme and blinded ignorance conspire How to obscure those holy burning raies And quench that zeale of heart-inflaming fire As makes our soules to heau'nly things aspire But al in vaine for mauger all their might Shee neuer lost one sparkle
these bones of mine Would God said he would God this body were Thy spirits worthy keeper and so strong As they are high then might you ouerbeare The strange attempts of such as haue too long Offred your Lordship as you thinke some wrong But noble Cardinall what shall we do Sicknesse is growne a Politician too Indeede perchance I said it may preuent Such courses as my calling ill befits I rather chuse that death should make extent Then I consume my fiâ—ry spirit of wits For he that stands may fall and he that sits May feele vnsetled ease then let me die So in my graue securely shall I lie Thus in I went into their holy Cell Where new obiections wandred in my mind Why could I not be once content to dwell In like meane sort and to like orders bind My life why was I not so well inclin'd A quiet roofe seem'd then too meane for me I sold my selfe to purchase high degree Monkes let your charitable tapers burne That I may see my selfe with outward light Fie outward lampes will neuer serue my turne And of my selfe within I haue no sight When it is day abroad in me t'is night Blacke smoake arises from my very name I want the oile that should maintaine the flame Then gentle Kingstone thinking to appease And mitigate the troubles of my mind Mistooke the nature of my great disease Doubt not said he the Prince is well inclin'd And his good will your Lordship soone shall find He wishes your long life Ah but said I The Prince of heau'n determines I shall die And had the dutie to my God bin such As it was faithful seruing to the King Then had my conscience free from feare or touch Mounted aloft on Cherubins swift wing In holy consort borne a Part to sing That now with heauy weight is ouerspread And with my body wishes to be dead But now my Soule how wandrest thou abroade Through Labyrinths inextricable wayes Oh finde some ready passage to thy God! And age forget the course of yonger dayes Forget the pomp and peoples flattering prayse And Death if thou regard a mans request Set free my spirite that faine would be at rest Why some are gone already looke about Did no man meete part of my soule before I had but three one and an halfe are out Nay had I more then one I had no more God saue the substance of that little store I hope one goes to heau'n why then t'is well Philosophie and both the rest to hell Ile vegetate no longer perish Sence Aspire sweete Reason and by faith ascend Flie to the perfect pure Intelligence Humble Repentance teach me how to bend My carefull passage to that ioyfull end What is't a clocke as soone as eight hath strooke My soule this earthly bodie hath forsooke My Lord said one the clocke shall neuer strike No but the howre will come and that's all one But Sir these prophecies proue seldome like Yes at the howre of death else few or none Where earthly clowdes are halfe remou'd and gone The soule at separation mends her view With purer insight she discernes what's true Is not that Wainflet that is come for me Great Founder of the sinfull womans towres With Wickams ghost fathers of like degree Come they of late from Gods celestiall bowres Ile go with them O if the precious showres Of that vnspotted Lambe with droppes of bloud Haue washt you cleane let me enioy like good When shall my toombe at Windsor be prepar'd That wants a tenant now expecting me It is a monument of good regard Befitting well a man of best degree O that I now lay buried vnder thee And by my side closde vp in dustie vales All voices Ecchoes talkes reports and tales I want my Balme to be perfum'd withall My coffin is too close a lodge for me Fie fie addresse me to my funerall My mother Earth mine onely wife shall be And yet no incest sithence onely she Beares al her sonnes and daughters in one wombe She Europes Amerikes Affrickes Asiaes toombe Those worldlings that wont Nature to accuse For giuing Rauens longer liues then men Let them the ioy of their opinion vse And rauing liue content in earthly denne Let age lend them the spectacles to kenne This body is a gaole our soule enlarg'd And when we die our debtes are al discharg'd So if I rest indebted to my Lord Then let him take my body soule and all Faine would I see him of mine owne accord Or heare that warrant that should quickly call Me to appeare at sizes generall Meane while within this Porters lodge to stay But till I shall desire to breake away Twixt this and then I wil deuise a word That ten times ten sound worse than Guilty may My Conscience shall witnesses afford As many as are minutes in a day I charge it not dissemble any way If for my traill they demaund my will My Country hath and doth condemne me still Whither to Lions denne Daniel came thence I am not worthy to succeede his place O'r to the Wolues there lies my best defence For I was rauenous in the time of Grace To spoyle the forrest and the plants deface The chosen sheepe will to the Shepheard say I was the sheepe that euer went astray Yet I that durst offend dare hope for grace Beyond all reason contrary to sense Saluation heauy sinners may embrace If God remit the guilt of deep offence Let all the world hang in their owne suspence The world is but a poynt whereon men dwell And I am at a poynt what they can tell If any billes of new inditement come At the Kings bench in heau'n I must appeere Long since arrested now expect my doome Sue where you list but I must answere there Die and accuse me in that hemisphere No'r flesh nor bloud my Declaration telles Mine owne accuser in my bosome dwelles In whose great Temple richly beautified Pau'd al with Starres disperst on Saphyre flowre The Clarke is a pure Angel sanctified The Iudge our true Messias full of powre Th' Apostles his Assistants euery houre The Iury Saints the Uerdict Innocent The sentence Come ye blessed to my tent The speare that pearc'd his side the writing Pen Christs bloud the Incke red incke for princes name The vailes great breach the miracle for men The sight is shew of them that long dead came From their old graues restor'd to liuing frame And that last signet passing all the rest Our soules discharg'd by Consummatum est Here endlesse ioy is their perpetuall cheare Their exercise sweete songs of many parts Angells the quire whose Symphonie to heare Is able to prouoke conceiuing harts To misconceiue of al inticing Arts The Dittie prayse the subiect is the Lord That tunes their gladsome spirit to this accord Stay then till some good Meteor appeare Or let the Sunne exhale me vapor-wise Stirre Charles-wayne and see the coast be cleare Let no congealed clowdes or mistes arise Along the moouing circle of the skies Or rather shut vp all in darksome night That none may see my silent secret flight FINIS REader the Decôrum is kept euen in these Errata there is no reason that a Booke should be without faultes when the person of whom the booke intreateth had so many in his life But the Author could haue wisht that Wolsey had corrected his errors while he liued on that condition that himselfe had committed none in the description of his life If the reader find any more then are here set downe let him remember that it is a matter ineuitable vnlesse Nature had either placed our eyes behind vs or the wallet of faults before vs. A 4 side 2 line 14 dele now C 2 line 6 for When reade Where Ibid line 7 for Where reade Nor. E 3 side 1 line 6 The man that Ibid. line 9 for rupulse reade repulse F the last page line 21 reade immortall dayes K 2 side 2 line 6 triall I. S. * Petrarcke He meaneth Symoniacke and vnlearned ministers