bending their knee Nor yet with earths vast Empery content She would fame thrust Ioue from his regiment 22. Vsurping power in heauen and hells deepe flood Peruerting all with superstition Shee will haue Images compact of wood Of smooth clay shining mettall wel-squard stone Made Gods with hallowd incense burnt before them Oh Gods vvhat furie makes her thus adore them 23. Can true religion be so bold and blind To thinke that in vaine Idols Gods do lurke Or that the Carpenter hath Ioue assignd To dwell in trees the potter in his work Or caruer wiser then Pigmalion Can call an heauenly power to dwell in stone 24. Oh shame can men in such deep darknes walk As that their spirits should worse then spirits obey Can their fense deities in pictures Chalk Will high-bred soules their bodies bow to clay No. God is greater then we can beleeue him No stocke or stone or body can receiue him 25. Naught can containe his power containing all Behold the sphears encompassing each creature The Sun and stars lightning this worlds huge ball Are all but shadows of his all-bright feature What can we see but footsteps of his mind Far greater better fairer are behind 26. Farther then heauen doth earth Ioue heauen exceede To whom the sacrifice of prayers and praise With truth and vprightnes in words and deeds Offered on harts as altars doth best please To vvorship senseles trees is times old error Receiu'd of this huge monster for mens terror 27. Yet multitudes bewitchd with her would faine With superstition and sedition Their blindfold hearts and wicked hands prophane The Lords and commons ioyne in inquisition The diuells deep forge the slaughter house of saints Which best and worst yet rather best attaints 28. As many twinckling stars appeare by night When Boreas blowing rough stormes makes winter cold As hony-sucking Bees in thick swannes light VVhen Flora Tellus beauty doth vnfold So many men wiues children poore and rich All run to serue the will of this proud witch 29. Some were deceaued with her hipocrisie Some came for feare of danger some for gaine None durst oppose himselfe Oh misery To her that had so many martyrs slaine So that more furious euery day then other Shee growes and truth with cruelty doth smother 30. Makes marchandise of soules sells sinne for meed Tecelius was her her factor for these wares Giuing indulgence for each hainous deed More then God would or Satan durst he dares All men were mute but Luther could not quiet His pen and tongue seeing him so proudly riot 31. Hath God quoth he giuen life to spend in sloth And sullen feare shall they so tyranize In shameles error I remaine so loth Truth to defend with my poore faculties Both wit and speech from Gods free grace are giuen And therefore should maintaine the lawes of heauen 32. They were not worldly wise which taught me first Stoicks or Accademicks they might erre But from truths hoâ—y fountaine with deepe thirst I drew the doctrine which I le now deliuer For truth and all that loue her I le aduenture To see whether Gods or men this griefe wil cure 33. And sure but from some heauenly institution This holy zeale comes not away vain feares I le passe the pikes of persecution He seemd to say thus much while trickling teares Bedewd his reuerend face his eyes bright flame Shewd Others sin mooud him to greef and shame 34. Religion made this hungry monsters prey Made him to pitty men so much opprest So that he seems to think what he would say To curb her madnes and reforme the rest Yet humane weaknes ouertakes his mind Conceiuing those great perills he should find 35. It may be thus he thought how rash am I When all dissembling sleep to rise alone Yet right religious loue with sacred fury Knowledge with zeale drew faith and boldnes on When he beheld such was their impious guise The Temple made a shop for marchandise 36 Thus being incensed with diuinest heat Which could not see and suffer such prophanesse He shakes the Tyrants falsly-grounded seat Opens her cunning plots reprooues her vainesse His flock but heares and yeelds to what he said His aduersary stands astonished 37. Next him did Zuiâ—glius full of holy courage Rise casting seeds of truth in mens pure harts Vsing Gods sword which beares a double edge He batting brings to nougther armes and arts He tought and fought he faire and hard meanes tried Till for his faith and countries cause he dyed 38. Next him stood Caluin clad in sacred armes Thundring out vengeance gainst Romes vsurpation His heart and pen a zelous anger warmes His words were followed with much approbation You might behold the beast fearefully shaking And her selfe-guilty troopes the field forsaking 39. As Turtle-Doues on some high trees and Towers With wanton murmur seem to kiss and speak In their kind language testifying loues powers When they shall heare Ioues thunder-beare break The cleere ayre with strong wings forget their sport And with swift speed vnto their nest resort 40. So fled the fiends On the other side with art Iris had wouen the surgefull Ocean streams In which the British Iland stood apart From all the world In midst whereof high IAMES Sate on his auntient Adamantine throne Trampling the neck of crowned Babylon 41. She mad with griefe and shame writhes her fowle traine Hither and thither to get liberty And with fell poison doth her place distaine And sliding thence at length not furiously As heretofore in threats or arms doth rise But mischiefe plots and treasons doth deuise 42. As when the Plow a big-swoln Snake sore squeeseth Shee writhes and slowly drawes her loines along Her body faints and pants her life-blood freezeth Yet her heart rageth and her three-fork't tongue Hisseth out spite her eyes and mouth flame fires Babell when she can least most euill desires 43. Wit in this web had other works inuented As racks swords flames prisons strange instruments Of death wherewith good-liuers were tormented With sundry kinds of dreadfull punishments Princes at length find out this Tyrants pride Pluck all her plumes her nakednesse deride 44. The light of holy Truth seem'd then to shine About the borders of this wondrous cloathing Where likewise embroidered with gemmes fine A Canticle that all heauens quire should sing The Palatine with Britaine ioin'd shall bring Earths golden daies againe Times blessed spring 45. Which when th' immortall squadron had well seene All rancktin order leaues th'Emperial Towers Mouing their nimble spirits the spheres betweene Iris then leades them to the Planets bowers Inuoking their asistant influence To blesse their proiects with due consequence 46. Her feet whom winges and purple buskins grace Slide through the milkie paths which Gods oft walk Then raine-bow like she winds her circled race That this faire company no starres might balk Then all the fixt and wandring starres consented To make men by this marriage full contented 47. On their left hand they left
the vpright scale Which measures equall time twixt euen and morne The Scorpion threatning both with tongue and tayle Chiron with his full quiuer and Capricorne The flood Eridanus with fierce Orion Perseus and Hydrae's constellation 48. On the right hand Calisto with her sonne Europaes bearer Cassiopeias throne The Ram which Helle too much trusted on Castor and Pollux the Crab kingly Lyon Arions Dolphin Ariadnes Crowne And Hercules with his all-daring frowne 49. As when the King of stars the God of day Apollo with his euer-burning globe Puts off his cloudy winters cold aray And in the liuely spring takes Floraes robe His flaming horses passe with iollity So went faire Iris and her company 50. She first began they followed in their order Making their longest way seeme short and sweet In passing heauen fire ayres vpper border To chant their Oracle with musick meet The Palatine with Brittaine ioynd shal bring Earths golden dayes againe Times bllessed spring 51. As when on cleare Meanders crooked bankes Or on Caysters flood or through the skie The milk white Swans passe on in louely ranckes Such beuteous order had this company But sweeter musick while they wau'd the wing Each other mooud with heauenly voyce to sing 52. Then part they quires and with redoubling voyce Make Spheeres resound Fredereck Elizabeth Let him haue her let her in him reioyce Let both vnite their hearts in loue til death The Palatine with Britain ioin'd shall bring Earths golden dayes again times blessed spring 53. As violets excell the bramble briar Lilly the violets that the rose disgraceth Eliza so doth Virgins As Stars fire Moone stars sunne moone so Frederick all surpasseth Both passe all others of like age or birth Yet each of both doth equall others worth 54. Now Ioue determines to vnite all nations Vnto himselfe in spirituall amity Stopping the loathsome inundations Of Dis and his outragious rascalry The Palatine with Brittaine ioynd shall bring Earths golden dayes againe times blessed spring 55. Let mortall men acknowledge this free guift Remembring Ioue the cause these two the meanes Which them from hells mouth to heauens throne vplifts And they with vs and we with them sing Paeans Apollo comes atir'd in mortall flesh To calme the troubled world and men refresh 56. The miracle of antient yeares reuiues The boy that lying in cradle crush the Snakes And tam'd the monster in our Frederick liues Th' infernall Dragon and his lernian shakes The Palatine with Brittaine ioynd shall bring Earths golden dayes againe times blessed spring 57. This German state old Roome in state out strides The peacefull dayes of Numa time recites Who hauing a Nimph his wife Muses his guides Religion taught encrease her fauorites So shall this Prince deuise endeauor act What ere can peace and piety compact 58. Aegeria turnes Eliza who by any Consulted shall giue oracles of peace As we instructed her shee shall teach many How shrewd contention and sterne war should ceaseâ— The Palntine with Brittaine ioynd shall bring Earths golden dayes againe times blessed spring 59 Harpies with maiden face and Lyons clawes Chang'd into Locusts rising from hell smoke Would haue deuoured all with open iawes But that this marriage did their mallice choak Princes may feed on delicates in quiet And rest at home in peace these cannot riot 60. These two like Boreas children shal hence driue them Back whence they came to the pit bottomles That catch mens house and land say they shriue them Earth shall be comforted they comfortlesse The Palatine with Britaine ioin'd shall bring Earths golden daies againe Times blessed spring 61. Now Laedas twinnes descend from their high throne To visit land and Seas with doubled rayes Cheering the plough-swaines and the marriners mone While their bright lustre threatned stormes allayes Their earthly honors are already greater Their state with vs heerafter shall be better 62. Such is their faith and loue such are their beauties Such is their vertue to driue euill away Mortalls with praise and vowes performe your duties To heauen hels instruments pack while you may The Palatine with Brittaine ioynd shall bring Earths golden dayes againe Times blessed spring 63. Thus had these glorious Nuncios past the spheres Fit mansions for the free or fixed lights Whence this world whom we count so vast appeares As here a barly-corne in their cleere sights Yet comming neerer they discerne the Mountains The Champain vales woods rocks seas floods and fountains 64. They seeing men shew like Ants kingdoms like fields Cities like Cells more neerely shape their course Towards the land which Tuisco's god-head shields At first with manly now with heauenly force There they saw Rhene receiue Neccars cleere flood On whose high banks the Palse-graues palace stood 65. Which once was but an homely shepheards coate Till Conrade built it in so gorgeous frame It may compare with Cities of great note For people buildings orders traffick fame Hither they take their flight and silently They passe the confines of this territorie 66. Then entring this braue Court not better grounded Then kept with Iouiall hospitalitie With one consenting voice which neuer sounded In mortall eares that place they sanctifie Saying oh deare gods that keep guide these rooms Blest be your powers bles your Prince nobles grooms 67. Oh mansion which with Babell maist compare In that thy walls contain'd an honoured Youth That in his power and courage can and dare Relieue the oppressed world restore the truth The Palatine with Britaine ioin'd shall bring Earths golden daies againe Times blessed spring 68. Now Phoebus red with heat and burning haste Had left our world and drencht his fiery throne In Hesperus warme waues now had he past With his bright beams to th' Antipods vnknowne And there vnbridling his flame-breathing steeds From toyle with Nectar and Ambrosia feeds 69. Now night with duskie chariot past the skies Fild heauen with twinkling stars earth with dark silence Fann'd sleep on mortall creatures wearied eyes That staid all businesse buried each offence The Palatine forgets his Princely cares With gratefull ease which crept on him vnwares 70. His Nobles had giuen ouer themselues to rest Nought could be seene and heard in all the Citie Then Cupid seeing his time as he knew best Began his ancient art and charming dittie With poppie-seed he doth all senses dimme That maz'd with sleep they might not hinder him 71. He setting then his fellowes each in place Where they might soonest further his designe With lanterne wisely clos'd and stealing pace Visits the chamber of the Palatine Carna the Goddesse which of doores takes charge Vnloosing hindge and lock makes entrance large 72. And that so softly that no mortall heares The God of loue seeing this goes till he came Where Frederick tooke his rest void of all feares And then discloseth his before-hid flame He might behold his Princely limms and face Which euen in sleeping could not loose their grace 73. Beholding he much wonders at his fairenesse In
We see in this quoth he Ioue hath his hand Our vision was none idle dreame we find Wherein we did receiue the heauens command Since heauen and Earth and all do promise vs This Princely mariage shall proue prosperous 52. When therefore royall Rhine sollicets me For that befits his errand and our state I will obey Ioues heauenly deity And knit that knot which heauens make fortunate Be bould to sue and feareles to receiue Rhines louely Frederick shall but aske and haue 53. Now as the Caedar or Semelian vine Hourely encreaseth in the vernall spring Spreading their braunches with a tender twine So loue encreaseth in this loue-sick King His eye inflames his hart his hart endures Loue flames still feircer which his eie procures 54. No maruell for the eie procures the flame Feeds it procur'd his eie's both fire and fuell No sooner looks he on this beautious dame But by reflection feeles a heate more cruell Hers do the like whose cheekes with ruby die Bewray her heart his spies she by his eie 55. Sometimes but who can write the art of Loue Their louely eie-browes speake one to the other Sometimes a beck which secretly they moue Maks known the thought which silence seeks to smother And oft withall when they assunder be They sigh for sorrow that they cannot see 56. But Frederick more impatient of delay Casts with his Princely Selfe what best to doe How he his thoughts may to the King bewray And won the Lady loue incites him to The former fauors which the King had shown Making him hope Eliza was his owne 57. Whose speach presented to the King and Queen They grant faire passage to his Princely shute Loue hid before now 's in the Louers seene And now hath got a tongue which erst was mute Now reuells court now royall festiualls London prepares against their nuptialls 58. And now my muse since many winged Fame Doth with as many tongues as Argus eyes The wisht-for Hymenaean rites proclaime Of these two great Imperiall Maiesties Helpe me to nurse that more then Pean mirth In heauen conceiud an'd brought forth on the Earth 59. Now moist Aquarius with his gelid vrne On Pisces poures his cold AEdonian waues Now watred drops to ysicles do turne And AEol brings his armies from the Caues But all to shew sure signes of good to come The times are altered by supernall doome 60. Aquarius to Aries giues place Pisces to Taurus winter to the spring AEol within the Cauerns hides his face Nor can feirce Vrsa wonder at the thing Squize the hoare snow from twixt her horrid nailes Nor vexe our Climate with tempestuous hailes 61. Warme Delius packs hence the frosty cold Whose faire approach calme Zephyrus ensues VVith violets be decking Tellus mold And fostering her Infants with his dewes Fauâ—â—ius likewise in greene liueries Adornes each field with flowers of sundry dies 62. Which of the mountaine Nymphs no soner seen But admiration enters at their eyes To view earhs frosty mantle turn'd to green And Summer thus with Winter simpathize Contending who should first trip to the flowers And fill their skirts to deck their pretty bowers 63. Heere get they Roses there Pinckst Daffadillies Sweet Marierum Carnations Camomel Primroses Crowfoot Marigolds and Lillies Venus-hayre Sothern wood Daisies Pimpernel Rosmarie and Time Cowslips with thousands mo Of diuers sorts whose names I do not know 64. They cannot tell for their variety Which first to crop where first to lay their hand So thick the flowers in euery meddow be They know not how where or whereon to stand Variety giues Earth so great a grace With Natures store enricht in euery place 65. They cannot tread but on the hearbs they rush Nor on the hearbs but presse their leaues so sweet Nor on the leaues but their sweet flowers crush Nor crush the flowers but gild their harmful feet Nor gild their feet with their depressed dewes But sauor odoriferous ensues 66. Now Phillis with new tresses wantoneth And Princely Poplar shades the hollow brooke Now Philomela sweetly warbleth Among the branches glorious on to look The heauens aspiring Lark begins to sing In welcome of this vnexpected spring 67. The Naiades all laying mantles by To bath and sport them to the riuers bound them Where weauing Garlâ—nds on the Gowlans nye Before they leaue the louely fountaines crowne them Th'vnfrosty streames run by the warme banke side Checkquerd with ornaments of Floraes pride 68. The Rhenist husbandman with axe in hand To lop dead branches and to dresse his vines Seing their Spring struck with amaze doth stand To view in winter such right summer signes But seeing new sowne corne shot to the blade He blest himselfe supported with his spade 69. True birth-exploring Rhenus hearing newes Forth from his Limphane waues the match was done For which both heauen and earth made ioyfull shewes With Heauen and Earth to make a third begun His Reinish waters turned to Reinish wine And all his sandes like golden Tagus shine 70. Faire Heidelbergian Neccaris runs tripping VVarlik Germania hops and leapes for ioy VVith all her nimphs Ercinia falls a skipping All all their best to shew their mirth imploy Men thought to see the frisks of Sea and Land Orpheus againe had tane his harpe in hand 71. To orient pearles his pretty pibbles turning Oceanus puts forth his Sea-green head Al rapt with ioy no place was left for mourning He curls his lockes his beard begins to spread When straight for silence becking with his rod The windes are whisht and thus begins the God 72. Great Neptunes nephew Monarchs of the flood Your silence and attention is requir'd That which the Fates foretold vs for our good What Heauen and Earth and Seas so long desird Now comes to passe the Palatine of Rhein Is linckt with Brittains blest most royall line 73. From whose faire loynes the heauens haue promist vs An issue hopefull happy fortunate VVho to the world shal shine most glorious Restoring age her former golden state Now wartes shall cease Enuy shall be bound And cast in darknes neuer to be found 74. Now shall the Smith of swords a mattock make And darts to culters turne the Earth to carue The martial halbert shall be made a rake Bucklers for scuttles fauchions for sickles serue The Soldiers Armes shal be the husbands now And fierce wars yeeld vnto the peacefull plow 75. The Oxe shall hold the Demi-lance in scorne The drum and fife shall henceforth cease to sound Our trumpets now shal be the Hunters horne VVhilst silly Wat runs panting fore the hound No poysonous VVolfbane now springs in our field No stinking Hemlocks shall our meadowes yeeld 76. The Serpent Elaps shall no poyson keepe The Dragon Amphisbana dwine away The Wolfe no more shall vex the sillie sheep The Lion on the Oxe no more shall prey The fatall Rauen and the ougly Owle shall fly To Athos Babes and those deserts by 77. The Oliue branch now crownes the head of Peace The
point to be performed in the persons of the most illustrious Lady the Princesse of great Brittany and of the most noble Prince PALATINE the vertues of which excellent couple euen Ioue himselfe collanded and foretolde the many blessings that should proceed of these royall Nuptialls whereby Religion and the whole Quier of Heauen were with great hopes appeased THE II. BOOKE THe Gods with their recomforted Sister doe congratulate each other and she returnes them thankes for their so great fauors and they allioine and moue Iuno the president of marriages and Venus the mother of loue to assume the Embassy the effectuating of this disseigne of the gods Iuno sends downe vpon the earth Iris her Embassadress clad with most artificialluestiments in which the reforming of Religion and the occurrences of greatest consequence in the world for many yeeres past were inwooâ—en and with Iris Venus ioyned as colleague Cupid her sonne with a troope of other Immortall personages who being repleat with ioy and prophecying thorogh the regions of the aire the greatnes of this most happy vnion arriued at Heidelberg being the Metropolis of the Paâ—atinate where they entring secretly by night Cupid with golden dart amorous fire in a dream strook inflamed the young Prince not yet knowing the obiect of his desire till afterwards walking in his gallery entraunced with those amorous thoughts his eye lighted on the picture of the L. Elizabeth the only daughter of the most puissant King of great BrittaÌ„ with whose portraiture amoÌ„gst diuers others of the greatest Princesses in the world the said gallery was beautified At the first sight of that faire picture of a more faire substance the Prince was supprised with a new flame acknowledging that that was the beautifull forme which Cupid represented vnto him and with which he stirred him vp to loue and hereupon the Prince causeth the picture to be taken downe and placed in his owne chamber and to this shrius of his Goddess he daily offers many truly inamorated and deuoted Orisons But his loue more more continually increasing his excellency could not be satisfied with this liueless resemblance but after many coÌ„sultations resolues to goe in person into England to see at the life the Mistris and owner of that faire form which had captiuated his heart whither at length with a most auspitious successe and a most noble retinew he happily arriued THE III. BOOKE WHere being honorably receiued of the King his whole Court the Prince with the excellency of his endowments of nature and art by the inuisible assistance of the supernall powers in kindles no lesse flames of loue in the virgin breast of the royall Princesse towards him then were in his Excellencies towards her highness And whilst each of these two most louing and most louely louers did day night seuerally meditate of this their first loue Consus the lord of councel in the shape of Philon late his Maiesties tutor appear'd in night to the sleeping king telling his highness that the coÌ„ming of the Prince Elector into his kingdom was by the ordinance of heauen to the end that by the aliance made between them by the Princess his daughter the state of Religion should he established by this most wished for mariage To this heauenly Counsellor the king consented with this prouiso that the Prince should first as it was fitting request it at his highnesse hands which his excellency afterward willingly performing his Maiesty at the first motion graciously condescended The esspousalls are prolaimed and at the report hereof the whole kingdome reuels and keeps royall festiualls and the father of waters Oceanus hauing by Triton his Trumpeter assembled the Maritine fluuiall powers doth out of the cleer brow of heauen and the most temperate season of the spring prognosticate happy successe highly praysing in this match the iudgement of the foreseeing sapient King and therwithall prouokes euery thing to reioyce Now comes the Bridall day in honor whereof Vulcan the God of fire at the intercession of Venus his wife doth with his element play his masters prize in presenting strange and delightful fire-workes vpon the Thames And Mars in competition with him to content the Queene of loue shewes valiant and various feates and stratagems of warre and the City to shew her loue and legeance to her Soueraigne with many sorts of stately showes disembowelleth the inmost of her heart and the king himselfe because there should be nothing wanting in this high solemnety keepes an open Court full of all royall delights In the middest whereof the marriage is consummated and the most louing royall paire obtaine the height of their amorous desires A MARIAGE HYMNE IN THREE BOOKS The Argument of the first Booke In the Gods councell wrong'd Religion Complaines of iniuries Infernall DIS Had sent forth legions from deepe Acheron Who world her truth defeat preuent her blisse IOVE seeing and pittying her incessant paines A Mariage for her comfort praeordaines 1. MY minde replenisht with full hopes and ioyes Cannot containe it selfe in thoughtfull silence But it must vtter both with pen and voice The royall mariage of high consequence Betwixt a German and the Britaine State Where Peace and Honor met Fortune and Fate 2. Come Iuno Goddesse of true mariage loue Come call'd by charme sweet Muses from your Mountaines Come Nymphes faire daughters of high thundring Ioue Who gouerne Thames and Rhine woods waues or fountains Inspire my aspiring spirit while it indites This heauen-blest bed-league and connubiall rites 3. Let it be lawfull for an earth-bred essence Passing in thought Olimpus crystall gates T' approach the Pantheon of your glorious presence And there behold your euer-blessed states Then on your altars crownd with myrtle-bowes I le offer He catombs and incense vowes 4. Ioue resident in his Emperiall Towres Built on the pillars of Eternity Calls for a Senate of coelestiall powres By which he gouernes with stability Th'instable world the waies of Sun and Moon And whatsoe're in Heauen or Earth is done 5. From hence the Pleiads Nyads fierce Orion Arctophilax the great and lesser Beares The Dolphin Goat-fish and fierce-hearted Lyon Take the full influence of their flaming spheres From hence all heauenly constellations Deriue their orders influence operations 6. Hence Nature takes her turnes plants their increase Matter takes forme Forme beauty Beauty fall Number beginning Motion worke and ease Place bodies Bodies measure Time takes all Hence Cause her causes hath Fortune her course And Fates which neuer yield their mighty force 7. Hence came the generous kinds of euery beast And whatsoeuer swims in Seas quick tide And whatsoeuer lies on Earths rough brest And whatsoeuer flies or far or vvide Man more then others hath attain'd Gods feature As being the chiefest wisest holiest creature 8. On him Ioue plac'd his dearest loue and care His euerlasting pleasure and content Made him his creatures graces glories heire And made for him Seas lands aires large extent Keeping in forme and
There meager Couetise is generall The standerd-bearer superstition Chief-gunner Pride casts many a wildfire ball Error their purueyer wanders vp and downe To get them food while weake Hypocrisie Sits watching all their tents with heedfull eye 35. Yet that successe may sort for their desire They couer their sore threats keen swords pale death And will vse fraud before they shew their ire Changing the titles which they tooke beneath Framing false rights hel-fire bred soldiors Would now bee knowne for heauen-bred Sauiors 36. For sons of Ioue Earth tooke the slaues of hell Babell was termd a Reuerend Sanctuary Idolatry Deuotion high pride Zeale Rash error a religious credulity Hipocrisie was cald lawes complement Thus euery vice got vertues ornament 37. The other furies got them other Vestures The Cruell Wolues were clad with sheeps faire clothing Looke lowly seeming plaine with curteous gestures Outwardly prasing God inwardly lothing Their speach was pleasant without murmuring Their harts all ragefull hate and slaughter breathing 38. They sought the ruines of Nobles kingdoms kings If they deny them tribute or contradict Or but refuse obedience in bad things Or not submit their crownes they will afflict And curse them downe vnto the deepest hell False Menedemus was their Sentinell 39. Aye me th' Infernall Dragon did more harme By close dissemblance then plaine cruelty And therefore did not hiss breath flames or blacke troups arme But as old fishers catch the silly fry Couering their manly shape with goates rough skins So Dis by seeming faire foule meaning wins 40. Aye me so suttle was his craft and sleight Not Pallas learn'd not gold-tong'd Maias child Nor slie Vertumnus could vnfold it right Hee ment such wrack spoke so faire lookt so mild Doing most vniustice yet hee seem'd most iust This got him greatest honor power and trust 41. He seemes as not refusing heauens firme lawes Neither thy new nor auncient Oracles Thy fathers nor they childrens old-said sawes And that which most confounds his practizes He takes as making most for his estate By this mens minds are most intoxicate 42. As cunning painters put their marble stayning On rotten cloth He with contorted senses Turns and ore turns all truth all rights destrayning And straightning crooked things with his pretences Sends forth new sects new honors golden showers To them that guard his sacrilegious Towers 43. These vse all meanes to lift the patron higher All supreme titles and subordinate Are giuen him better then he can desire Hence dares he what he list and thunders at All earthly powers as hauing thy power high Ioue Takes and giues crownes as 't please him hate or loue 44. He pardons and layes guilt on absent men Hee claymes a soueraigne rule on flesh-freed soules Fains a purge-fornace in his filthy den To couer his neuer-quenched brimstone holes Greater preuent lesse feares Now men surmise His death life hell arie fire warmth serpents flyes 45. How oft haue sinne and shame-bred ougly fiends Spred errors far from thought crimes from beliefe And sowne profanenes in mens pregnant minds Which they no sooner knew but put in priefe Their lessons went beyond their teachers taught Others far worse at which Megara laught 46. How oft his pild Priest offering rash-vow'd gifts Applauds his owne conceit when like a player He crosseth kisseth stands goes turns and shifts Mocking our powers with timeles senseless prayer As if our honor were tied vnto the stage And we were naught but what pleas'd this late age 47. Oh gods can men so soon forget good rites Is this their faith and loue their holy zeale Are Temples thus vnhallowed with lewd sights Thinke they to please when in such wise they deale Worshipping blocks for vs they thinke vs blocks And bowing to stones they make themselues but stocks 48. They keep and creep and weep to guilded lead Or wooden sticks or dead-mens cloths or bones All that vs worshipt must be worshipped Themselues their carcases their buriall stones Tendring to death who neither can heare nor see Those prayers that should be made only to thee 49. How oft when any doth resist their will Swelling they snarle and send forth dangerous wars Such was these Monsters boldned loue of euill That mingling vitre pitch brimstone steel-bars The matter bred neere the skill brought from hel Would faine haue drawne and driu'n vs thither pel-mel 50. Digging the bowels of the wondring earth And laying their diuel-found engines in her veines They would haue opened wider gates to death To passe in shorter time with sorer paines Their chiefest mark was my wisht ouerthrow With all my better worlds by one fierce blow 51. Oh mischiefe worse then any spoke in fables Exceeding Danaus bride-beds and Busiris Or Euxin Dians altars Tantalus tables Pluto now cannot worse whose fell desire is To root out all my stock vnless he kild My choice Defender with heauens fauors fild 52. For his destruction who from infancie Because a nourishing Father to my seed They would haue slaine his Queene Lords Commonalty For one all should haue perisht oh fowle deed To driue all true deuotion out my land They would not let Towres Temples Cities stand 53. Then might the world haue known the deeps of Stix These mischiefe-broachers might haue seen their place Who could they with one blow heauen earth hell mixe With all their force would all my rites deface Iustice with shame-fastnesse and modesty Fled Earth and would not see this cruelty 54. Poore I so much and oft amaz'd with griefe So sore pursued with inquisitions Scap't scarse their hands and tooke me to reliefe They rais'd so many persecutions Only the care of mine me fortified For whose deare sake I would if 't might be died 55. Why should I reckon all those grieuous crosses Thy children vndergoe let heauens beare record No light or night can passe without some losses The night for dreams the light for pains abhord These proue those true so no where peace I finde Feare pain pain breeds more feare in my mar'd mind 56. Thus I that once brought forth so many people To multiply thine heauenly family Now dry weake old can hardly get a steeple But must lament their ruines and misery I that spred once my light as vvide as day To th' Prince of darknes am now made a prey 57. I which once rais'd my trophees in each land Made holesome lavves rul'd Nations with my rod Behold a vvretched fugitiue heer stand Despised and canst thou suffer this great God Is this my povver my kingdme promised Is thy poore daughters dovvry thus demised 58. Shall I thus vvander hauing no certaine cell When other Gods can haue their thousand shrines Of golde high-built and free from dangers fell While thy lou'd off-spring vvithout lodging pines Yet vvould I not my brethren should haue lesse Proud enuy fits not my forlorne distresse 59. Onely let my poore deity complaine If thus I may be call'd not being hence banisht That the cold Sauromate and Scythian Who vvander
vp and dovvne least they be famisht Driuing their vvhole-built coates from place to place Are being more sure of seat in better case 60. A vvretched mother gods and men may call me Still must my sons be fighting for their ovvne In euery place and time strife doth befall me For pains long past I vvill not novv make mone My present feares expecting yet far more Make me forget vvhat I endur'd before 61. This plague's not all extinct hels malice boiles His mischief-plotting brain deuiseth vvorse Our holy vvrits he burns and Saints he broiles Destroies vvhole countries vvith a blasting curse Appoints nevv lavves and sets nevv gods on hie All that gain-say by force or fire shall die 62. He still prepares more and more punishments For such as vvel professe my truths pure faith I see the massacres and banishments Prisons and poisons vvhich in store Dis hath Vnlesse you quell their pride blest povvres diuine We cannot scape helpe then my selfe and mine 63. If any piety or pittie moue you All Gods in wisdome should each care for other Forsake not my faint hopes and them that loue you You which defend all creatures do not loth her Which is your friend sister though much grieu'd See my true harmeless children soon relieu'd 64. Father if I haue euer prais'd thy power And spred thy mighty name through Earths vast ground Deliuer me and mine from this sad howre By thy right hand with which thou rul'st this round Thy God-head and my safe-gard I le inuoke thee If neither thy care nor my laments prouoke thee 65. Yet pitty thine owne glory thine owne brood For if I perish or my face must hide Thy fame and subiects which thou boughtst with blood Will faile from thee vvhich thou shouldst not abide If yet thou vvilt not helpe yet grant this boon I may preuent all griefs by dying soon 66. Thus did Religion speak and staid her speech Winding her armes and casting downe her eyes As if she death did rather then life beseech But as when haruest-winds rush from the skies The leaues in vvoods a rustling murmur make Such a soft vvhispring did the Gods ore-take 67. This Goddesse being so neere a kin so grieuing Mov'd much compassion in their tender spirits They thought high Ioue too milde in gouerning Themselues too calme to Dis for his demerits They meane to comfort her with heauenly force And stop the Furies in their bloody course 68. So much were all incens'd vvith her true teares When all-ore-swaying Ioue commands them silence Shakes Heauen and earth with shaking his gold-haires And then speaks thus with dreadfull excellence Daughter my praise and greatest power below Free thy faire cheeks from teares thy thought from woe 69. We nere did yet nor euer will for-goe thee Thy loue so deeply settles in our brest Our care and prouidence nere shall be fro thee Heauen is thy friend My selfe with all the rest And if thou wouldst the fates and me conceiue What we determine I 'le declare giue leaue 70. Hearing the boysterous threats of Dis foule iawes And seeing him loose his furies from stix flood T' infect th'erroneous world they might break lawes Of Gods and men confounding what is good Perceiuing darknes ouer-spread this age And man-kind much degenerate from our image 71. The primitiue purenesse all corrupt with lust The truth ore weighd with fond inuentions Vice boasting ouer Vertue laid in dust The Dragon conquering by dissentions We saw which mou'd vs most our children dying And heard their guiltles blood for vengeance crying 72. Often my wrath did burne to thunder-strike them But that the beautious order of all creatures Made me repent for though I did not like them Yet for them would I not dissolue all Natures I knew their houre of horror was not come Wherein they should receiue their damning doom 73. To be still bound in chaines of dismall night Eternally to suffer griefe and death Meane while how ere they deale by craft of spite He workes himself more paine and shame beneath More glory to the Gods No maruaile then If they corrupt the liues and harts of men 74. So soone so fin He formerly possest them Tempting but once he made them throughly euill Since when iniquity so much opprest them Their Vertue eas'ly yeelds vnto the Diuell The Crime of their first fathers concupisence Polluted all his childrens conscience 75. I see and suffer this for to strike all Would void my treasure-house of thunder-bolts Besides the vulgar oft in errors fall Calling euill good good euill and so like dolts Thinking to merit deserue their owne damnation Hoping to save themselues loose their saluation 76. I grieue indeed and faine would helpe with signes The faith of men but that my words are plain Though they remember not my sacred lines Pittying I put them to no further pain For thus hath heauen decreed from this high chaire Faith is not forced free-will admits no feare 77. It is our grace that enters mens soft mindes And there informes reformes conforms their will It neither draws or driues but as it findes It shews here heauen there hel here good there euill What so ere men doe being dead they shall sustain The more they know so rer shall bee their pain 78. When heauen and earth shall passe with horrid crie And all abused creatures plague their sin Yet I that made all would haue nothing die Least mine and their foule aduersarie grin And therefore counsel rather vse then strength That men knowing me might come to heauen at length 79. And with such order will I guide successe Vertue shall nere so faile nor sin so grow That euery furie shall their wish possesse As when they made all fit for that fowle blow I suffered them to choose deuise prepare Men matter place yet all defeated were 80. They could not bring to passe their policies The good were garded by mine hand and eie For I disclosing their deepe villanies Brought them to death which would haue others die Who keeps his hart from guile his hands from crime May now securely passe his peacefull time 81. And if some-times the tempest of mischaunce Hinder his ease heauen will thus breed his crowne So daughter whom I study to aduance Full oft thou findst my help being oft cast downe Nor could thy weakenesse haue endur'd so long Vnles my might had made thy faith more strong 82. Remember I did oft thine honor nourish When men against thee threatned sword and fire I made thy Children more and better flourish Whom neither force could feare nor meed could hire Hell striues in vaine against thy power deuine Thy kindgom shall remaine as long as mine 83. What thou giu'st other Gods men shall giue thee Thou shalt haue sinceere worship sacred orders Doubt not chere vp thine hart hope trust on mee With comely temples and enlarged borders Thou shallt be Queene on earth and Queen in heauen Iudgement shall right thy wrongs and make all euen 84.
streams from Thame and Isis flowing Then he commands those that were young and strong To leaue their other works and fall to rowing Vntill they came to London where the band Of Germain Youth with many welcomes land THE THIRD BOOKE ARGVMENT Britans receiue with ioy triumphantly The Princely Suitor Rhein's great PALATINE CONSVS by night moues IAMES his Maiestie ELIZA loue by CVPIDS power diuine A match is made the heauens and earth reioyce And FREDERICK enioyes his royall choice 1. NO sooner tydings to great Brittaine came Of Princely Fredericks arriuall there Whose Vertue mounted on the wings of fame Flies through the world admired euery where But straight our gratious King to grace him more Thus welcoms honourd Honor to the shore 2. Wales royall Prince attended with a traine Of worthiest Nobles and of chiefest blood With many a gallant ship cuts through the mayne Making the Sea seeme like a stately wood The while her shore was hid with people standing So closely troupt to see these Princes landing 3. Where our great Prince with kingly curtefie Giues this great German royall entertain Inuiting to the Court of maiestie His princely selfe with all his honourd train Extending to those Lordings whom he brings Such Iouiall welcoms as proceed from Kings 4. Forth with a stately steed with sparkling eie Whos 's all proportion nature beautified Adorn'd with richest arts Ephippirie Is brought this braue Bauarian on to ride Whence with their Lords in honour through the throng This royall paire of Princes trots along 5. Where the promiscuous people all contending Whose eie should first and most bee fed with sight Of these two Princes to their Palace wending Stopt their faire passage There obserue you might The beggar plac'd before the rich behoulder And yong boies climbing on the graue mans shoulder 6. Here careless runs the scholler from his book There hurles the Smith his hammer from his hand Here leaues the Marchant shop and all to looke And there the Suitor lets his mistres stand Here the suspitious Maeck leaues wife at Venter With millions mo to see this German enter 7. Mo were not seene when proud Romes Consuls went In pompous triumph to their Capitol Nor when to grace their Captains who had spent Their bloods their countries honor to extoll The potent Romans in triumphant sort Receiu'd their victors at their Latian Port. 8. Then when our greatest King our gratious Queene Our mighty Prince with troups of royall states Whose outward graces made their inward seen Receiu'd Prince Frederick at their Courtly gates Whose curious eies employ'd with obseruation Of what he sees strike him with admiration 9. The places yeeld him more then most content 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—ers habits gestures of our men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as vncouths all the way he went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaning and then praises them But with so sweet a tongue so comly grace As seem'd an ofspring of imperiall race 10. Perhaps but scarce beleeue I such an one Was the faire louely Phrigian Ganumede Whom rapt from Iila to the Gods being sho wne By mighty Ioue the Gods all wondred His speech grace beauty then perhaps excelld But now by Fredericks more then paraleld 11. Thus the beholders this great Prince commending The Prince beholding and commending all From their faire steedes in royall sort descending Approach great Brittains court imperiall A Court repleat with greater maiesty Then in great Caesars euer mortal see 12. Walles deckt with rich Meonick Imagerie Wrought with Arachnes best Pallaclian hand A cloth of state of Thebane tapestry Where our chiefe Caesars throne of state doth stand Seelings compact of Tellus purest mould Garnisht with bosses of Opherian gold 13. Heer sits our Monarch on his lofty throne And hither he admits this prince of wonder Who to his highnes was no sooner showne Bnt straight discends to this Bauarian vnder VVhere after Kingly gracious embraces Thus gins a speach to giue him further graces 14. VVe ioy great Prince with thanks to you and fate For honouring our Court and Country thus Wishing we could your Grace remunerate Yet towards requitall this receiue from vs What ere our countries yeeld command as free As our apparant heyre to Brittanie 15 Heere Frederick Count Palatine of Rhine Thus makes reply Greatest of greatest Kings To render thankes for your high grace is mine Who is 't that loueth heauen or heauenly things To whom Fame shall report your Godly zeale Your gracious rule of Brittaines Common-weale 16. But straight is mooud like Shebaes royall Queene To seeke the place where Salomen doth liue That he may see the like was neuer seene And heare those lessons only you can giue That he may learne aright to serue his God And rule his contries with a Princely rod 17. It s this high Monarch hath Rheins Palsgraue mooud To heare and see your Princely Maiesty With your faire ofspring whom my heart hath loud With that his cheekes receiue a rubie die Ther stayes where straight as to their royall brother The Prince of Wales and Rhine salute each other 18. With that our regall and resplendent Queene The happy Mother of a hopefull spring In gorgious robes most glorious to behold Presents her selfe before the potent King Where with respect repleat with Maiesty She bids the Prince welcome to Brittanie 19. Next with her golden tresses dangling Which sweetly sport them with her sweeter breath Clad with rich Tissues all with gold bespangling Comes beauties mirror faire Elizabeth This Ioue deseruing Princesse nows adrest To welcome this imperiall German guest 20. With such a speech as Pallas might giue place Such Maiesty as Iuno might amaze Such beauty as faire Venus hide her face All to Eliza yeelding all their praise Ercinia neuer saw so faire a feature Mongst all hir Nimphs as this celestiall creature 21. Struck with amazement of this heauenly sight VVas louely Frederick trembling cold as yce The mighty Prince now wants his manly might And like he is to fall downe in a trice Strange metamorphosis nor had he stood Had not her rosie lips reuiu'd his blood 22. A modest maiden kisse Nectarian sweet Deigns faite Eliza to the danted Reine In whose pure cheeks when both their lips did meet The roses with the Lillies did combine No maruaile for the kisse no sooner done But straight loues fire to kindle was begun 23. She feeles a sparke but knowes not whence it came Her virgin breast nere knew what Cupid meant The spark encreaseth til it prooues a flame Yet ignorant withall of loues intent The person birth and gesture being seen Of Princely Rhein do please this beauties Queene 24. Nor rests it there but what she likes she loues And what she loues desireth to obtaine No lesse then he she louers lawes approoues And feeles no lesse then he a louers paine To look at what she loues she lifts her eye But dare not look for feare som other spy 25. Againe she opes her two caelestiall stars A little twinckling on this princely mirror