tayle his pawes And from his bloodie eyes doth sparkle fire That dead himselfe he wisheth for despight So weakest may anoy the most of might 11 What time the Romaine Empire bore the raine Of all the world and florisht most in might The nations gan their soueraigntie disdaine And cast to quitt them from their bondage quight So when all shrouded were in silent night The Galles were by corrupting of a mayde Possest nigh of the Capitol through slight Had not a Goose the treachery bewrayde If then a Goose great Rome from ruine stayde And Ioue himselfe the patron of the place Preserud from being to his foes betrayde Why do vaine men mean things so much deface And in their might repose their most assurance Sith nought on earth can chalenge loâ—g endurance 12 When these sad sights were ouerpast and gone My spright was greatly moued in her rest With inward ruth and deare affection To see so great things by so small distrest Thenceforth I gan in my engrieued brest To scorne all difference of great and small Sith that the greatest often are opprest And vnawares doe into daunger fall And ye that read these ruines tragicall Learne by their losse to loue the low degree And if that fortune chaunce you vp to call To honours seat forget not what you be For he that of himselfe is most secure Shall finde his state most fickle and vnsure FINIS The Visions of Bellay 1 IT was the time when rest soft sliding downe From heauens hight into mens heauy eyes In the forgetfulnes of sleepe doth drowne The carefull thoughts of mortall miseries Then did a Ghost before mine eyes appeare On that great riuers banck that runnes by Rome Which calling me by name bad me to reare My lookes to heauen whence all good gifts do come And crying lowd loe now beholde quoth hee What vnder this great temple placed is Lo all is nought but flying vanitee So I that know this worlds inconstancies Sith onely God surmounts all times decay In God alone my confidence do stay 2 On high hills top I saw a stately frame An hundred cubits high by iust assize With hundreth pillours fronting faire the same All wrought with Diamond after Dorick wize Nor brick nor marble was the wall in view But shining Christall which from top to base Out of her womb a thousand rayons threw One hundred steps of Afrike golds enchase Golde was the parget and the seeling bright Did shine all scaly with great plates of golde The floore of Iasp and Emeraude was dight O worlds vainesse Whiles thus I did behold An earthquake shooke the hill from lowest seat And ouerthrew this frame with ruine great 3 Then did a sharped spyre of Diamond bright Ten feete each way in square appeare to mee Iustly proportion'd vp vnto his hight So far as Archer might his leuel see The top thereof a pot did seeme to beare Made of the mettall which we most do honour And in this golden vessell couched weare The ashes of a mightie Emperour Vpon foure corners of the base were pight To beare the frame foure great Lyons of gold A worthy tombe for such a worthy wight Alas this world doth nought but grieuance hold I saw a tempest from the heauen descend Which this braue monument with flash did rend 4 I saw raysde vp on yuorie pillowes tall Whose bases were of richest mettalls warke The chapters Alablaster the â—ryses christall The double front of a triumphall Arke On each side purtraid was a Victorie Clad like a Nimph that wings of siluer weares Aâ—d in triumphant chayre was set on hie The auncient glory of the Romaine Peares No worke it seem'd of earthly craftsmans wit But rather wrought by his owne industry That thunder-darâ—es for Ioue his syre doth fit Let me no more see faire thing vnder sky Sith that mine eyes haue seene so faire a sight With sodain fall to dust consumed quight 5 Then was the faire Dodonian tree far seene Vpon seauen hills to spread his gladsome gleame And conquerours bedecked with his greene Along the bancks of the Ausonian streame There many an auncient Trophee was addrest And many a spoyle and many a goodly show Which that braue races greatnes did attest That whilome from the Troyan blood did flow Ranisht I was so rare a thing to vew When lo a barbarous troupe of clownish fone The honour of these noble boughs down threw Vnder the wedge I heard the tronck to grone And since I saw the roote in great disdaine A twinne of forked trees send forth againe 6 I saw a Wolfe vnder a rockie caue Noursing two whelpes I saw her litle ones In wanton dalliance the â—eate to craue While she her neck wreath'd from theÌ„ for the nones I saw her raunge abroad to seeke her food And roming through the field with greedie rage T'embrew her teeth clawes with luke warm blood Of the small heards her thirst for to asswage I saw a thousand huntsmen which descended Downe from the mountaines bordring Lombardie That with an hundred speares her flank wide rended I saw her on the plaine outstretched lie Throwing out thousand throbs in her owne soyle Soone on a tree vphang'd I saw her spoyle 7 I saw the Bird that can the Sun endure With feeble wings assay to mount on hight By more and more she gan her wings t' assure Following th' eâ—sample of her mothers sight I saw her rise and with a larger flight To pierce the cloudes and with wide pinneons To measure the most haughtie mountaines hight Vntill she raught the Gods owne mansions There was she lost when suddaine I behelde Where tumbling through the ayre in firie fold All flaming downe she on the plaine was felde And soone her bodie turn'd to ashes colde I saw the foule that doth the lighâ—dispise Out of her dust like to a worme arise 8 I saw a riuer swift whose fomy billowes Did wash the ground work of an old great walls I saw it couer'd all with griesly shadowes That with black horror did the ayre appall Thereout a strange beast with seuen heads arose The â—ownes and castles vnder her brest did coure And seem'd both milder beasts and fiercer foes Alike with equall rauine to deuoure Much was I mazde to see this monsters kinde In hundred formes to change his fearefull hew When as at length I saw the wrathfull winde Which blows cold storms burst out of Scithian mew That sperst these cloudes aâ—d in so short as thought This dreadfull shape was vanished to nought 9 Then all astoined with this mighty ghoast An hideous bodie big and strong I sawe With side long beaâ—d and locks down hanging loaâ—t Sterne fâ—ce and front full of Saturnlike aweâ— Who loaning on the belly of a pot Pourd foorthâ— water whose out gushing flood Ran bathing all the creakie shore aflot Whereon the Troyan prince spilt Turnus blood And at his feete a bitch wolâ—e suck did yeeld To two young babes hiâ— left the Palme tree stout His
Complaints Containing sundrie small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie VVhereof the next Page maketh mention By ED. SP. LONDON Imprinted for VVilliam Ponsonbie dwelling in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Bishops head 1591. A note of the sundrie Poemes contained in this Volume 1 The Ruines of Time 2 The Teares of the Muses 3 Virgils Gnat. 4 Prosopopoia or Mother Hubberds Tale. 5 The Ruines of Rome by Bellay 6 Muiopotmos or The Tale of the Butterfliâ— 7 Visions of the Worlds vanitie 8 Bellayes visions 9 Petrarches visions The Printer to the Gentle Reader SINCE my late setting foorth of the Faerie Queene finding that it hath found a fauourable passage amongst you I haue sithence endeuoured by all good meanes for the better encrease and accomplishment of your delights to get into my handes such smale Poemes of the same Authors as I heard were disperst abroad in sundrie hands and not easie to bee come by by himselfe some of them hauing bene diuerslie imbeziled and purloyned from him since his departure ouer Sea Of the which I haue by good meanes gathered togeather these fewe parcels present which I haue caused to bee imprinted altogeather for that they al seeme to containe like matter of argument in them being all complaints and meditations of the worlds vanitieâ— verie graue and profitable To which effect I vnderstand that he besides wrote sundrie others namelie Ecclesiastes Canticum canticorum translated A senights slumber The hell of louers his Purgatorie being all dedicated to Ladies so as it may seeme he ment them all to one volume Besides some other Pamphlets looselie scattered abroad as The dying Pellican The howers of the Lord The sacrifice of a sinner The seuen Psalmes c. which when I can either by himselfe or otherwise attaine too I meane likewise for your fauour sake to set foorth In the meane time praying you gentlie to accept of these graciouslie to entertainâ— the new Poet. I take leaue Dedicated To the right Noble and beautifull Ladie the La. Marie Countesse of Pembrooke MOST Honourable and bountifull Ladie there bee long sithens deepe sowed in my brest tâ—e seede of most entire loue humble affection vnto that most braue Knight your noble brother deceased which taking roote began in â—is life time somewhat to bud forth and to shew theÌ„selues to him as then in the weakenes of their first spring And would in their riper strength had it pleased high God till then to drawe out his daies spired forth fruit of more perfection But since God hath disdeigned the world of that most noble Spirit which was the hope of all learned men and the Patron of my young Muses togeather with him both their hope of anie further fruit was cut off and also the tender delight of those their first blossoms nipped and quite dead Yet sithens my late cumming into England some frends of mine which might much preuaile with me and indeede commaund me knowing with howe straight bandes of duetie I was tied to â—im as also bound vnto that noble house of which the chiefe hope then rested in him haue sought to reuiue them by vpbraiding me for that I haue not shewed anie thankefull remembrance towards him or any of theÌ„ but suffer their names to sleep in silence and forgetfulnesse VVhome chieflie to satisfie or els to auoide that â—owle blot of vnthankefulnesse I haue conceiued this small Poeme intituled by a generall name of the worlds Ruines yet speciallie intended to the renowming of that noble race from which both you and he sprong and to the eternizing of some of the chiefe of them late deceased The which I dedicate vnto your La. as whome it most speciallie concerneth and to whome I acknowledge my selfe bounden by manie singular fauours great graces I pray for your Honourable happinesse so humblie kisse your haudes Your Ladiships euer humblie at commaund E. S. The Ruines of Time IT chaunced me on day beside the shore Of siluer streaming Thamesis to bee Nigh where the goodly Verlame stood of yore Of which there now remaines no memorie Nor anie little moniment to see By which the trauailer that fares that way This once was she may warned be to say There on the other side I did behold A Woman sitting sorrowfullie wailing Rending her yeolow locks like wyrie golde About her shoulders careleslie downe trailing And streames of teares froÌ„ her faire eyes forth railing In her right hand a broken rod she held Which towards heauen shee seemd on high to weld Whether she were one of that Riuers Nymphes Which did the losse of some dere loue lament I doubt or one of those three fatall Impes Which draw the dayes of men forth in extentâ— Or th' auncient Genius of that Citie brent But seeing her so piteouslie perplexed I to her calling askt what her so vexed Ah what delight quoth she in earthlie thing Or comfort can I wretched creature haue Whose happines the heauens enuying From highest staire to lowest step me draue And haue in mine owne bowels made my graue That of all Nations now I am forlorne The worlds sad spectacle and fortunes scorne Much was I mooued at her piteous plaint And felt my heart nigh riuen in my brest With tender ruth to see her sore constraint That shedding teares a while I still did rest And after did her name of her request Name haue I none quoth she nor anie being Bereft of both by Fates vniust decreeing I was that Citie which the garland wore Of Britaines pride deliuered vnto me By Romane Victors which it wonne of yore Though nought at all but ruines now I bee And lye in mine owne ashes as ye see Verlame I was what bootes it that I was Sith now I am but weedes and wastfull gras O vaine worlds glorie and vnstedfast state Of all that liues on face of sinfull earth Which from their first vntill their vtmost date Tast no one hower of happines or merth But like as at the ingate of their berth They crying creep out of their mothers woomb So wailing backe go to their wofull toomb Why then dooth flesh a bubble glas of breath Hunt after honour and aduauncement vaine And reare a trophee for deuouring death With so great labour and long lasting paine As if his daies for euer should remaine Sith all that in this world is great or gaie Doth as a vapour vanish and decaie Looke backe who list vnto the former ages And call to count what is of them become Where be those learned wits and antique Sages Which of all wisedome knew the perfect somme Where those great warriors which did ouercomme The world with conquest of their might and maine And made one meare of th' earth of their raine What nowe is of th' Assyrian Lyonesse Of whome no footing now on earth appearesâ— What of the Persian Beares outragiousnesse Whose memorie is quite worne out with yeares Who of the Grecian Libbard now ought heares That ouerran the East with greedie
of golde Ouer the Sea from one to other side Withouten prop or pillour it t'vpholde But like the coulored Rainbowe arched wide Not that great Arche with Traian edifide To be a wonder to all age ensuing Was matchable to this in equall vewing But ah what bootes iâ— to see earthlie thing In glorie or in greatnes to excell Sith time doth greatest things to ruine bring This goodlie bridge one foote not fastned well Gan faile and all the rest downe shortlie fell Ne of so braue a building ought remained That griefe thereof my spirite greatly pained 6 I saw two Beares as white as anie milke Lying together in a mightie caue Of milde aspect and haire as soft as silke That saluage nature seemed not to haue Nor after greedie spoyle of blood to craue Two fairer beasts might not elswhere be found Although the compast world were sought around But what can long abide aboue this ground In state of blis or stedfast happinesse The Caue in which these Beares lay sleeping sound Was but earth and with her owne weightinesse Vpon them fell and did vnwares oppresse That for great sorrow of their sudden fate Henceforth all words felicitie I hate ¶ Much was I troubled in my heauie spright At sight of these sad spectacles forepast That all my senses were bereaued quight And I in minde remained sore agast Distraught twixt feare and pitieâ— when at last I heard a voyce which loudly to me called That with the suddein shrill I was appalled Behold said it and by ensample see That all is vanitie and griefe of minde Ne other comfort in this world can be But hope of heauen and heart to God inclinde For all the rest must needs be left behinde With that it bad me to the other side To cast mine eye where other sights I spide 1 ¶ Vpon that famous Riuers further shore There stood a snowie Swan of heauenly hiew And gentle kinde as euer Fowle afore A fairer one in all the goodlie criew Of white Strimonian brood might no man view There he most sweetly sung the prophecie Of his owne death in dolefull Elegie At last when all his mourning melodie He ended had that both the shores resounded Feeling the fit that him forewarnd to die With loftie flight aboue the earth he bounded And out of sight to highest heauen mounted Where now he is become an heauenly signe There now the ioy is his here sorrow mine 2 Whilest thus I looked loe adowne the Lee I sawe an Harpe stroong all with siluer twyne And made of golde and costlie yuorie Swimming that whilome seemed to haue been The harpe on which Dan Orpheus was seene Wylde beasts and forrests after him to lead But was th' Harpe of Philisides now dead At length out of the Riuer it was reard Aâ—d borne aboue the cloudes to be diuin'd Whilst all the way most heauenly noyse was heard Of the strings stirred with the warbling wind That wrought both ioy and sorrow in my mind So now in heauen a signe it doth appeare The Harpe well knowne beside the Northern Beare 3 Soone after this I saw on th' other side A curious Coffer made of Heben wood That in it did most precious treasure hide Exceeding all this baser worldes good Yet through the ouerflowing of the flood It almost drowned was and done to nought That sight thereof much grieu'd my pensiue thought At length when most in perill it was brought Two Angels downe descending with swift flight Out of the swelling streame it lightly caught And twixt their blessed armes it carried quight Aboue the reach of anie liuing sight So now it is transform'd into that starre In which all heauenly treasures locked are 4 Looking aside I saw a stately Bed Adorned all with costly cloth of gold That might for anie Princes couche be red And deckt with daintie flowres as if it shold Be for some bride her ioyous night to hold Therein a goodly Virgine sleeping lay A fairer wight saw neuer summers day I heard a voyce that called farre away And her awaking bad her quickly dight For lo her Bridegrome was in readie ray To come to her and seeke her loues delight With that she started vp with cherefull sight When suddeinly both bed and all was gone And I in languor left there all alone 5 Still as I gazed I beheld where stood A Knight all arm'd vpon a winged steed The same that was bred of Medusaes blood On which Dan Perseus borne of heauenly seed The faire Andromeda from perill freed Full mortally this Knight ywounded was That streames of blood foorth flowed on the grâ—s Yet was he deckt small ioy to him alas With manie garlands for his victories And with rich spoyles which late he did purchas Through braue atcheiuements from his enemies Fainting at last through long infirmities He smote his steed that straight to heauen him bore And left me here his losse for to deplore 6 Lastly I saw an Arke of purest golde Vpon a brazen pillour standing hie Which th' ashes seem'd of some great Prince to hold Enclosde therein for endles memorie Of him whom all the world did glorifie Seemed the heauens with the earth did disagreeâ— Whether should of those ashes keeper bee At last me seem'd wing footed Mercurie From heauen descending to appease their strife The Arke did beare with him aboue the skie And to those ashes gaue a second life To liue in heauen where happines is riâ—e At which the earth did grieue exceedâ—ngly And I for dole was almost like to die Lâ— Envoy Immortall spirite of Philisides Which now art made the heauens ornament That whilome wast the worlds chiefst riches Giue leaue to him that lou'de thee to lament His losse by lacke of thee to heauen hent And with last duties of this broken verse Broken with sighes to decke thy sable Herse And ye faire Ladie th' honor of your daies And glorie of the world your high thoughts scorne Vouchsafe this moniment of his last praise With some few siluer dropping teares t' adorne And as ye be of heauenlie off spring borne So vnto heauen let your high minde aspire And loath this drosse of sinâ—ull worlds desire FINIS THE Teares of the Muses By ED. SP. LONDON Imprinted for VVilliam Ponsonbie dwelling in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Bishops head 1591. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE the Ladie Strange MOst braue and noble Ladie the things that make ye so much honored of the world as ye bee are such as without my simple lines testimonie are throughlie knowen to all men namely your excellent beautie your vertuous behauior your noble match with that most honourable Lord the verie Paterne of right Nobilitie But the causes for which ye haue thus deserued of me to be honoured if honour it be at all are both your particular bounties and also some priuate bands of affinitie which it hath pleased your Ladiship to acknowledge Of which when as I found my selfe in no part worthie I deuised this last slender
right hand did the peacefull Oliue wield And head with Lawrell garnisht was about Sudden both Palme and Oliue fell away And faire greene Lawrell branch did quite decay 10 Hard by a riuers side a virgin faire Folding her armes to heauen with thousand throbs And outraging her cheekes and golden haire To falling riuers sound thus tuâ—'d her sobs Where is quoth she this whilom honoured face Where the great glorie and the auncient praise In which all worlds felicitie had place When Gods and men my honour vp did raise Suffisd it not that ciuill warres me made The whole worlds spoile but that this Hydra new Of hundred Hercules to be assaide With seuen heads budding monstrous crimes anew So many Neroes and Caligulaes Out of these crooked shores must dayly rayse 11 Vpon an hill a bright flame I did see Wauing aloft with triple point to skie Which like incense of precious Cedar tree With balmie odours fil'd th'ayrâ— farre and â—ie A Bird all whiâ—e well feathâ—red on each wing Hereout vp to the throne of Gods did â—lie And all the way most pleasant notes did sing Whilst in the smoake she vnto heauen did stie Of this faire fire the scattered rayes forth threw On eueriâ— side a thousand shining beames When sudden dropping of a siluer dew O grieuous chance gan queÌ„ch those precious flames That it which earst so pleasant sent did yeld Of nothing now but noyous sulphure smeld 12 I saw a spring out of a rocke forth rayle As cleare as Christall gainst the Sunnie beames The bottome yeallow like the golden grayle That bright Pactolus washeth with his streames It seem'd that Art and Nature had assembled All pleasure there for which mans hart could long And there a noyse alluring sleepe soft trembled Of manie accords more sweete than Mermaids song The seates and benches shone as yuoriâ— And hundred Nymphes sate side by side about When from nigh hills with hideous outcrie A troupe of Satyres in the place did rout Which with their villeine feete the streame did ray Threw down the seats droue the Nymphs away 13 Much richer then that vessell seem'd to bee Which did to that sad Florentine appeare Casting mine eyes farre off I chaunst to see Vpon the Latine Coast herselfe to reare But suddenly arose a tempest great Bearing close enuie to these riches rare Which gan assaile this ship with dreadfull threat This ship to which none other might compare And finally the storme impetuous Sunke vp these riches second vnto none Within the gulfe of greedie Nereus I saw both ship and mariners each one And all that treasure drowned in the maine But I the ship saw after raisdâ— againe 14 Long hauing deeply gron'd these visions sadâ— I saw a Citie like vnto that same Which saw the messenger of tidings glad But that on sand was built the goodly frame It seem'd her top the firmament did rayse And no lesse rich than faire right worthie sure If ought here worthie of immortall dayes Or if ought vnder heauen might firme endure Much wondred I to see so faire a wallâ— When from the Northerne coast a storme arose Which breathing furie from his inward gall On all which did against his course oppose Into a clowde of dust sperst in the aire The weake foundations of this Citie faire 15 At length euen at the time when Morpheus Most trulie doth vnto our eyes appeare Wearie to see the heauens still wauering thus I saw Typhaeus sister comming neare Whose head full brauely with a morion hidd Did seeme to match the Gods in Maiestie She by a riuers bancke that swift downe slidd Ouer all the world did raise a Trophee hie An hundred vanquisht Kings vnder her lay With armes bound at their backs in shamefull wize Whilst I thus mazed was with great affray I saw the heauens in warre against her rize Then downe she stricken fell with clap of thonder That with great noyse I wakte in sudden wonder FINIS The Visions of Petrarch formerly translated 1 BEing one day at my window all alone So manie strange things happened me to see As much it grieueth mâ— to thinke thereon At my right hand a Hynde appear'd to mee So faire as mote the greatest God delite Two eager dogs did her pursue in chace Of which the one was blacke the other white With deadly force so in their cruell race They pincht the haunches of that gentle beast That at the last and in short time I spide Vnder a Rocke where she alas opprest Fell to the ground and there vntimely dide Cruell death vanquishing so noble beautie Oft makes me wayle so hard a destenie 2 After at sea a tall ship did appeare Made all of Heben and white Yuorie The sailes of golde of silke the tackle were Milde was the winde calme seem'd the sea to bee The skie each where did show full bright and faireâ— With rich treasures this gay ship fraighted was But sudden storme did so turmoyle the aire And tumbled vp the sea that she alas Strake on a rock that vnder water lay And perished past all recouerie O how great ruth and sorrowfull assay Doth vex my spirite with perplexitie Thus in a monent to see lost and drown'd So great riches as like cannot be found 3 The heauenly branches did I see arise Out of the fresh and lustie Lawrell tree Amidst the yong greene wood of Paradise Some noble plant I thought my selfe to see Such store of birds therein yshrowded were Chaunting in shade their sundrie melodie That with their sweetnes I was rauish't nere While on this Lawrell fixed was mine eie The skie gan euerie where to ouercast And darkned was the welkin all about When sudden flash of heauens fire out brast And rent this royall tree quite by the roote Which makes me much and euer to complaine For no such shadow shal be had againe 4 Within this wood out of a rocke did rise A spring of water mildly rumbling downe Whereto approched not in anie wise The homely shepheard nor the ruder clowne But manie Muses and the Nymphes withall That sweetly in accord did tune their voyce To the soft sounding of the waters fall That my glad hart thereat did much reioyce But while herein I tooke my chiefe delight I saw alas the gaping earth deuoure The spring the place and all cleane out of sight Which yet aggreeues my hart euen to this houre And wounds my soule with rufull memorie To seâ— such pleasures gon so suddenly 5 I saw a Phoenix in the wood alone With purple wings and crest of golden hewe Strange bird he was whereby I thought anone That of some heauenly wight I had the vewe Vntill he came vnto the broken tree And to the spring that late deuoured was What say I more each thing at last we see Doth passe away the Phoenix there alas Spying the tree destroid the water dride Himselfe smote with his beake as in disdaine And so foorth with in great despight he dide That yet my heart burnes in exceeding paine For ruth and pitie of so haples plight O let mine eyes no more see such a sight 6 At last so faire a Ladie did I spie That thinking yet on her I burne and quake On hearbs and flowres she walked pensiuely Milde but yet loue she proudly did forsake White seem'd her robes yet wouen so they were As snow and golde together had been wrought Aboue the wast a darke clowde shrouded her A stinging Serpent by the heele her caught Wherewith she languisht as the gathered floure And well assur'd she mounted vp to ioy Alas on earth so nothing doth endure But bitter griefe and sorrowfull annoy Which make this life wreâ—ched and miserable Tossed with stormes of fortune variable When I beheld this tickle trustles state Of vaine worlds glorie â—litting too and fro And mortall men tossed by troublous fate In restles seas of wretchednes and woe I wish I might this wearie life forgoe And shortly turne vnto my happie rest Where my free spirite might not anie moe Be vext with sights that doo her peace molest And ye faire Ladie in whose bounteous breâ—t All heauenly grace and vertue shrined is When ye these rythmes doo read and vew the rest Loath this base world and thinke of heauens blis And though ye be the fairest of Gods creatures Yet thinke that death shall spoyle your goodly features FINIS
Praise who so list yet I will him dispraise Vntill he quite him of this guiltie blame Wake shepheards boy at length awake for shame And who so els did goodnes by him gaine And who so els his bounteous minde did trie Whether he shepheard be or shepheards swaine For manie did which doo it now denie Awake and to his Song a part applie And I the whilest you mourne for his decease Will with my mourning plaints your plaint increase He dyde and after him his brother dyde His brother Prince his brother noble Peere That whilste he liued was of none enuyde And dead is now as liuing counted deare Deare vnto all that true affection beare But vnto thee most deare ô dearest Dame His noble Spouse and Paragon of fame He whilest he liued happie was through thee And being dead is happie now much more Liuing that lincked chaunst with thee to bee And dead because him dead thou dost adore As liuing and thy lost deare loue deplore So whilst that thou faire flower of chastitie Dost liue by thee thy Lord shall neuer die Thy Lord shall neuer die the whiles this verse Shall liue and surely it shall liue for euer For euer it shall liue and shall rehearse His worthie praise and vertues dying neuer Though death his soule doo from his bodie seuer And thou thy selfe herein shalt also liue Such grace the heauens doo to my verses giue Ne shall his sister ne thy father die Thy father that good Earle of rare renowne And noble Patrone of weake pouertie Whose great good deeds in countrey and in towne Haue purchast him in heauen an happie crowne Where he now liueth in eteâ—nâ—ll blis And left his sonne â—'ensue those steps of his He noble bud his Grandsires liuelie hayre Vnder the shadow of thy countenaunce Now ginnes to shoote vp fast and flourish fayre In learned artes and goodlie gouernaunce That him to highest honour shall aduaunce Braue Impe of Bedford grow apace in bountie And count of wisedome more than of thy Countie Ne may I let thy husbands sister die That goodly Ladie sith she eke did spring Out of this stocke and famous familie Whose praises I to future age doo sing And foorth out of her happie womb did bring The sacred brood of learning and all honour In whom the heauens powrde all their gifts vpon her Most gentle spirite breathed from aboue Out of the bosome of the makers blis In whom all bountie and all vertuous loue Appeared in their natiue propertis And did enrich that noble breast of his With treasure passing all this worldes worth Worthie of heauen it selfe which brought it forth His blessed spirite full of power diuine And influence of all celestiall grace Loathing this sinfull earth and earthlie slime Fled backe too soone vnto his natiue place Too soone for all that did his loue embrace Too soone for all this wretched world whom he Robd of all right and true nobilitie Yet ere his happie soule to heauen wâ—nt Out of this fleshlie goale he did deuise Vnto his heauenlie maker to present His bodie as a spotles sacrifise And chose that guiltie hands of enemies Should powre forth th' offring of his guiltles blood So life exchanging for his countries good O noble spirite liue there euer blessed The worlds late wonder and the heauens new ioy Liue euer there and leaue me here distressed With mortall cares and cumbrous worlds anoy But where thou dost that happines enioy Bid me ô bid me quicklie come to thee That happie there I maie thee alwaies see Yet whilest the fates affoord me vitall breath I will it spend in speaking of thy praise And sing to thee vntill that timelie death By heauens doome doo ende my earthlie daies Thereto doo thou my humble spirite raise And into me that sacred breath inspire Which thou there breathest perfect and entire Then will I sing but who can better sing Than thine owne sister peerles Ladie bright Which to thee sings with deep harts sorrowingâ— Sorrowing tempered with deare delight That her to heare I feele my feeble spright Robbed of sense and rauished with ioy O sad ioy made of mourning and anoy Yet will I sing but who can better sing Than thou thy selfe thine owne selfes valiance That whilest thou liuedst madest the forrests ring And fields resownd and flockes to leap and daunce And shepheards leaue their lambs vnto mischaunce To runne thy shrill Arcadian Pipe to heare O happie were those dayes thrice happie were But now more happie thou and wetched wee Which want the wonted sweetnes of thy voice Whiles thou now in Elisian fields so free With Orpheus and with Linus and the choice Of all that euer did in rimes reioyce Conuerâ—est and doost heare their heauenlie layes And they heare thine and thine doo better praise So there thou liuest singing euermore And here thou liuest being euer song Of vs which liuing loued thee afore And now thee worship mongst that blessed throng Of heauenlie Poets and Heroes strong So thou both here and there immortall art And euerie where through excellent desart But such as neither of themselues can sing Nor yet are sung of others for reward Die in obscure obliuion as the thing Which neuer was ne euer with regard Their names shall of the later age bâ— heard But shall in rustie darknes euer lie Vnles they mentiond be with infamie What booteth it to haue been rich aliue What to be great what to be gracious When after death no token doth suruiue Of former being in this mortall hous But sleepes in dust dead and inglorious Like beast whose breath but in his nostrels is And hath no hope of happinesse or blis How manie great ones may remembred be Which in their daies most famouslie did florish Of whome no word we heare nor signe now see But as things wipt out with a sponge to perishe Because they liuing cared not to cherishe No gentle wits through pride or couertize Which might their names for euer memorize Prouide therefore ye Princes whilst ye liue That of the Muses ye may friended bee Which vnto men eternitie do giue For they be daughters of Dame memorie And Ioue the father of eternitie And do those men in golden thrones repose Whose merits they to glorifie do chose The seuen fold yron gates of grislie Hell And horrid house of sad Proserpina They able are with power of mightie spell To breake and thence the soules to bring awaie Out of dread darkenesse to eternall day And them immortall make which els would die In soule forgetfulnesse and nameles lie So whilome raised they the puissant brood Of golden gâ—rt Alâ—mena for great merite Out of the dust to which the Oetaean wood Had him consum'd and spent his vitall spirite To highest heauen where now he doth inheritâ— All happinesse in Hebes siluer bowre Chosen to be her dearest Paramoure So raisde they eke faire Ledaes warlick twinnes And interchanged life vnto them lent That when th' one dies th' other then beginnes
To shew in Heauen his brightnes orientâ— And they for pittie of the sad wayment Which Orpheus for Eurydice did make Her back againe to life sent for his sake So happie are they and so fortunate Whom the Pierian sacred sisters loue That freed from bands of impacable fate And power of death they liue for aye aboue Where mortall wreakes their blis may not remoue But with the Gods for former vertues meede On Nectar and Ambrosia do feede For deeds doe die how euer noblie donne And thoughts of men do as themselues decay But wise wordes taught in numbers for to runne Recorded by the Muses liue for ay Ne may with storming showers be washt away Ne bitter breathing windes with harmfull blast Nor age nor enuie shall them euer wast In vaine doo earthly Princes then in vaine Seeke with Pyramides to heauen aspired Or huge Colosses built with costlie paine Or brasen Pillours neuer to be fired Or Shrines made of the mettall most desired To make their memories for euer liue For how can mortall immortalitie giue Such one Mansolus made the worlds great wonder But now no remnant doth thereof remaine Such one Marcellus but was torne with thunder Such one Lisippus but is worne with raine Such one King Edmond but was rent for gaine All such vaine moniments of earthlie masse Deuour'd of Time in time to nought doo passe But fame with golden wings aloft doth flie Aboue the reach of ruinous decay And with braue plumes doth beate the azure skie Admir'd of base-borne men from farre away Then who so will with vertuous deeds assay To mount to heauen on Pegasus must ride And with sweete Poets verse be glorifide For not to haue been dipt in Lethe lake Could saue the sonne of Thetis from to die But that blinde bard did him immortall make With verses dipt in deaw of Castalie Which made the Easterne Conquerour to crie O fortunate yong-man whose vertue found So braue a Trompe thy noble acts to sound Therefore in this halfe happie I doo read Good Melibae that hath a Poet got To sing his liuing praises being dead Deseruiug neuer here to be forgot In spight of enuie that his deeds would spot Since whose decease learning lies vnregarded And men of armes doo wander vnrewarded Those two be those two great calamities That long agoe did grieue the noble spright Of Salomon with great indignities Who whilome was aliue the wisest wight But now his wisedome is disprooued quiteâ— For he that now welds all things at his will Scorns th' one and th' other in his deeper skill O griefe of griefes ô gall of all good heartes To see that vertue should dispised bee Of him that first was raisde for vertuous parts And now broad spreading like an aged tree Le ts none shoot vp that nigh him planted bee O let the man of whom the Muse is scorned Nor aliue nor dead be of the Muse adorned O vile worlds trust that with such vaine illusion Hath so wise men bewitcht and ouerkest That they see not the way of their confusion O vainesse to be added to the rest That do my soule with inward griefe infest Let them behold the piteous fall of mee And in my case their owne ensample see And who so els that sits in highest seate Of this worlds glorie worshipped of all Ne feareth change of time nor fortunes threate Let him behold the horror of my fall And his owne end vnto remembrance call That of like ruine he may warned bee And in himselfe be moou'd to pittie mee Thus hauing ended all her piteous plaint With dolefull shrikes shee vanished away That I through inward sorrowe wexen fainâ— And all astonished with deepe dismay For her departure had no word to sayâ— But sate long time in sencelesse sad affright Looking still if I might of her haue sight Which when I missed hauing looked long My thought returned greeued home againe Renewing hâ—r complaint with passion strong For ruth of that same womans piâ—eous paine Whose wordes recording in my troubled braineâ— I felt such anguish wound my feeble heart That frosen horror râ—n through euerie part So inlie greeuing in my groning brest And deepelie muzing at her doubtfull speach Whose meaning much I labored foorth to wreste Being aboue my slender reasons reach At length by demonstration me to teach Before mine eies strange sights presented were Like tragicke Pageants seeming to appeare 1 I saw an Image all of massie gold Placed on high vpon an Altare faire That all which did the same from farre beholde Might worship it and fall on lowest staire Noâ— that great Idoll might with this compaire To which th' Assyrian tyrant would haue made The holie brethren falslie to haue praid But th'Altare on the which this Image staid Was ô great pitie built of brickle clay That shortly the â—oundation decaid With showres of heauen and tempests worne away Then downe it fell and low in ashes lay Scorned of euerie one which by it wentâ— That I it seing dearelie did lament 2 Next vnto this a statâ—lie Towre appeared Built all of richest stone that might bee found And nigh vnto the Heauens in height vpreared But placed on a plot of sandie ground Not that great Towre which is so much renownd For tongues confusion in holie writ King Ninus worke might be compar'd to it But ô vaine labours of terrestriall wit That buildes so stronglie on â—o frayle a soyle As with each storme does fall away and flit And giues the fruit of all your trauailes toyle To be the pray of Tyme and Fortunes spoyle I saw this Towre fall sodainlie to dust That nigh with griefe thereof my heart was brust 3 Then did I see a pleasant Paradize Full of sweete flowres and daintiest delights Such as on earth man could not more deuize With pleasures choyce to feed his cheerefull sprights Not that which Merlin by his Magicke slights Made for the gentle squire to entertaine His fayre Belphoebe could this gardine staine But ô short pleasure bought with lasting paine Why will hereafter anie flesh delight In earthlie blis and ioy in pleasures vaine Since that I sawe this gardine wasted quite That where it was scarce seemed anie sight That I which once that beautie did beholde Could not from teares my melting eyes with-holde 4 Soone after this a Giaunt came in place Of wondrous power and of exceeding stature That none durst vewe the horror of his face Yet was he milde of speach and meeke of nature Not he which in despight of his Creatour With railing tearmes defied the Iewish hoastâ— Might with this mightie one in hugenes boast For from the one he could to th' other coast Stretch his strong thighes and th'Occaean ouerstrideâ— And reatch his hand into his enemies hoast But see the end of pompe and fleshlie pride One of his feete vnwares from him did slideâ— That downe hee fell into the deepe Abisse Where drownd with him is all his earthlie blisse 5 Then did I see a Bridge made all
meanes both to intimate my humble affection to your Ladiship and also to make the same vniuersallie knowen to the world that by honouring you they might know me and by knowing me they might honor you Vouch safe noble Lady to accept this simple remeÌ„brance thogh not worthy of your self yet such as perhaps by good acceptance therof ye may hereafter cull out a more meet memorable euidencâ— of your own excellâ—nt deserts So recommending the same to your Ladiships good liking I humbly take leaue Your La humbly eueâ— Ed. Sp The Teares of the Muses REhearse to me ye sacred Sisters nine The golden brood of great Apolloes wit Those piteous plaints and sorowfull sad tine Which late ye powred forth as ye did sit Beside the siluer Springs of Helicone Making your musick of hart-breaking mone For since the time that Phoebus foolish sonne Ythundered through Ioues auengefull wrath For trauersing the charret of the Sunne Beyond the compasse of his pointed path Of you his mournfull Sisters was lamented Such mournfull tunes were neuer since inuented Nor since that faire Calliope did lose Her loued Twinnes the dearlings of her ioy Her Palici whom her vnkindly foes The fatall Sisters did for spight destroy Whom all the Muses did bewaile long spaceâ— Was euer heard such wayling in this place For all their groues which with the heauenly noysâ—s Of their sweete instruments were wont to sound And th'hollow hills from which their siluer voyces Were wont redoubled Echoes to rebound Did now rebound with nought but rufull cries And yelling shrieks throwne vp into the skies The trembling stâ—eames which wont in chanels cleare To romble gently downe with murmur soft And were by them right tunefull taught to beare A Bases part amongst their consorts oft Now forst to ouerflowe with brackish teares With troublous noyse did dull their daintie eares The ioyous Nymphes and lightfoote Faeries Which thether came to heare their musick sweet And to the measure of their melodies Did learne to moue their nimble shifting feete Now hearing them so heauily lament Like heauily lamenting from them went And all that els was wont to worke delight Through the diuine infusion of their skill And all that els seemd faire and fresh in sight So made by nature for to serue their will Was turned now to dismall heauinesse Was turned now to dreadfull vglinesse Ay me what thing on earth that all thing breeds Might be the cause of so impatient plight What furie or what â—eend with felon deeds Hath stirred vp so mischieuous despight Can griefe then enter into heauenly harts And pierce immortall breasts with mortall smarts Vouchsafe ye then whom onely it concernes To me those secret causes to display For none but you or who of you it learnes Can rightfully aread so dolefull lay Begin thou eldest Sister of the crewâ— And let the rest in order thee ensew Clio. Heare thou great Father of the Gods on hie That most art dreaded for thy thunder darts And thou our Syre that raignst in Castalie And mount Parnasse the God of goodly Arts Heare and behold the miserable state Of vs thy daughters dolefull desolate Behold the fowle reproach and open shame The which is day by day vnto vs wrought By such as hate the honour of our name The foes of learning and each gentle thought They not contented vs themselues to scorne Doo seeke to make vs of the world forlorne Ne onely they that dwell in lowly dust The sonnes of darknes and of ignoraunce But they whom thou great Ioue by doome vniust Didst to the type of honour earst aduaunce They now puft vp with sdeignfull insolence Despise the brood of blessed Sapience The sectaries of my celestiall skill That wont to be the worlds chiefe ornament And learned Impes that wont to shoote vp still And grow to hight of kingdomes gouernment They vnderkeep and with their spredding armes Doo beat their buds that perish through their harmes It most behoues the honorable race Of mightie Peeres true wisedome to sustaine And with their noble countenaunce to grace The learned forheads without gifts or gaine Or rather learnd themselues behoues to bee That is the girlond of Nobilitie But ah all otherwise they doo esteeme Of th'heauenly gift of wisdomes influence And to be learned it a base thing deeme Base minded they that want intelligence For God himselfe for wisedome most is praised And men to God thereby are nighest raised But they doo onely striue themselues to raise Through pompous pride and foolish vanitie In th' eyes of people they put all their praise And onely boast of Armes and Auncestrie But vertuous deeds which did those Armes first giue To their Grandsyres they care not to aâ—chiue So I that doo all noble feates profesâ—e To register and sound in trump of gold Through their bad dooings or base slothfulnesse Finde nothing worthie to be writ or told For better farre it were to hide their names Than telling them to blazon out their blames So shall succeeding ages haue no light Of things forepast nor moniments of time And all that in this world is worthie hight Shall die in darknesse and lie hid in slime Therefore I mourne with deep harts sorrowing Because I nothing noble haue to sing With that she raynd such store of streaming teares That could haue made a stonie heart to weep And all her Sisters rent their golden heares And their faire faces with salt humour steep So ended shee and then the next anew Began her grieuous plaint as doth ensew Melpomene O who shall powre into my swollen eyes A sea of teares that neuer may be dryde A brasen voice that may with shrilling cryes Pierce the dull heauens and fill the ayer wide And yron sides that sighing may endure To waile the wretchednes of world impure Ah wretched world the den of wickednesse Deformd with filth and fowle iniquitie Ah wretched world the house of heauinesse Fild with the wreaks of mortall miserie Ah wretched world and all that is therein The vassals of Gods wrath and slaues of sin Most miserable creature vnder sky Man without vnderstanding doth appeare For all this worlds affliction he thereby And Fortunes freakes is wisely taught to beareâ— Of wretched life the onely ioy shee is And th' only comfort in calamities She armes the brest with constant patience Against the bitter throwes of dolours darts She solaceth with rules of Sapience The gentle minds in midst of worldlie smarts When he is sad shee seeks to make him merie And doth refresh his sprights when they be werie But he that is of reasons skill bereft And wants the staffe of wisedome him to stay Is like a ship in midst of tempest left Withouten helme or Piloâ— her to sway Full sad and dreadfull is that ships euent So is the man that wants intendiment Whie then doo foolish men so much despize The precious store of this celestiall riches Why doo they banish vs that patronize The name of learning Most vnhappie wretches
The which lie drowned in deep wretchednes Yet doo not see their owne vnhappines My part it is and my professed skill The Stage with Tragick buskin to adorne And fill the Scene with plaint and outcries shrill Of wretched persons to misfortune borne But none more tragick matter I can finde Than this of men depriu'd of sense and minde For all mans life me seemes a Tragedy Full of sad sights and sore Catastrophees First comming to the world with weeping eye Where all his dayes like dolorous Trophees Are heapt with spoyles of fortune and of feare And he at last laid forth on balefull beare So all with rufull spectacles is fild Fit for Megera or Persephone But I that in true Tragedies am skild The flowre of wit finde nought to busie me Therefore I mourne and pitifully mone Because that mourning matter I haue none Then gan she wofully to waile and wring Her wretched hands in lamentable wise And all her Sisters thereto answering Threw forth lowd shricks and drerie dolefull criesâ— So rested she and then the nâ—xt in rew Began her grieuous plaint as doth ensew Thalia Where â—e the sweete delights of learnings treasure That wonâ— with Comick sock to beautefie The painted Theaters and fill with pleasure The listners eyes and eares with melodie In which I late was wont to raine as Queene And maske in mirth with Graces well befeeueâ— O all is gone and all that goodly glee Which wont to be the glorie of gay wits Is layd abed and no where now to see And in her roome vnseemly Sorrow sits With hollow browes and greisly countenaunce Marring my ioyous gentle dalliaunce And him beside sits vgly Barbarisme And brutish Ignorance ycrept of late Out of dredd darknes of the deep Abysme Where being bredd he light and heauen does hate They in the mindes of men now tyrannize And the faire Scene with rudenes foule disguize All places they with follie haue possest And with vaine toyes the vulgare entertaine But me haue banished with all the rest That whilome wont to wait vpon my traine Fine Counterfesaunce and vnhurtfâ—ll Sport Delight and Laughter deckt in seemly sort All these and all that els the Comick Stage With seasoned wit and goodly pleasance gracedâ— By which mans life in his likest image Was limned forth are wholly now defaced And those sweete wits which wont the like to frame Are now despizd and made a laughing game And he the man whom Nature selfe had made To mock her selfe and Truth to imitate With kindly counter vnder Mimick shade Our pleasant Willy ah is dead of late With whom all ioy and iolly meriment Is also deaded and in dolour drent In stead thereof scoffing Scurrilitie And scornfull Follie with Contempt is crept Rolling in rymes of shameles ribaudrie Without regard or due Decorum kept Each idle wit at will presumes to make And doth the Learneds taske vpon him take But that same gentle Spirit from whose pen Large streames of honnie and sweete Nectar flowe Scorning the boldnes of such base-borne men Which dare their follies forth so rashlie throwe Doth rather choose to sit in idle Cell Than so himselfe to mockerie to sell. So am I made the seruant of the manie And laughing stocke of all that list to scorne Not honored nor cared for of anie But loath'd of losels as a thing forlorne Therefore I mourne and sorrow with the rest Vntill my cause of sorrow be redrest Therewith she lowdly did lament and shrike Pouring forth streames of teares abundantly And all her Sisters with compassion like The breaches of her singulâ—s did supply So rested shee and then the next in rew Began her grieuous plaint as doth ensew Euterpe Like as the dearling of the Summers pryde Faire Philomele when winters stormie wrath The goodly fields that earst so gay were dyde In colours diuers quite despoyled hath All comfortlesse doth hide her chearlesse head During the time of that her widowhead So we that earst were wont in sweet accord All places with our pleasant notes to fill Whilest fauourable times did vs afford Free libertie to chaunt our charmes at will All comfortlesse vpon the bared bow Like wofull Culuers doo sit wayling now For far more bitter storme than winters stowre The beautie of the world hath lately wasted And those fresh buds which wont so faire to flowre Hath marred quite and all their blossoms blasted And those yong plaÌ„ts which wont with fruit t'abouÌ„d Now without fruite or leaues are to be found A stonie coldnesse hath benumbd the sence And liuelie spirits of each liuing wight And dimd with darknesse their intelligence Darknesse more than Cymerians daylie night And monstrous error flying in the ayre Hath mard the face of all that semed fayre Image of hellish horrour Ignorance Borne in the bosome of the black Abysse And fed with furies milke for sustenaunce Of his weake infancie begot amisse By yawning Sloth on his owne mother Night So hee his sonnes both Syre and brother hight He armd with blindnesse and with boldnes stout For blind is bold hath our fayre light defaced And gathering vnto him a ragged rout Of Faunes and Satyres hath our dwellings raced And our chast bowers in which all vertue rained With brutishnesse and beastlie filth hath stained The sacred springs of horsefoot Helicon So oft bedeawed with our learned layes And speaking streames of pure Castalion The famous witnesse of our wonted praise They trampled haue with their fowle footings trade And like to troubled puddles haue them made Our pleasant groues which planted were with paines That with our musick wont so oft to ring And arbors sweet in which the Shepheards swaines Were wont so oft their Pastoralls to sing They haue cut downe and all their pleasaunce mard That now no pastorall is to bee hard In stead of them fowle Goblins and Shriekowles With fearfull howling do all places fill And feeble Eccho now laments and howles The dreadfull accents of their outcries shrill So all is turned into wildernesse Whilest ignorance the Muses doth oppresse And I whose ioy was earst with Spirit full To teach the warbling pipe to sound aloft My spirits now dismayd with sorrow dull Doo mone my miserie in silence soft Therefore I mourne and waile incessantly Till please the heauens affoord me remedy Therewith shee wayled with exceeding woe And pitious lamentation did make And all her sisters seeing her doo soe With equall plaints her sorrowe did partake So rested shee and then the next in rew Began her grieuous plaint as doth ensew Terpsiâ—hore Who so hath in the lap of soft delight Beene long time luld and fed with pleasures sweet Feareles through his own fault or Fortunes spight To tumble into sorrow and regreet Yf chaunce him fall into calamitie Findes greater burthen of his miserie So wee that earst in ioyance did abound And in the bosome of all blis did sit Like virgin Queenes with laurell garlands cround For vertues meed and ornament of wit Sith ignorance our kingdome
abide Or whereas mount Parnasse the Muses brood Doth his broad forhead like two hornes diuide And the sweete waues of sounding Castaly With liquid foote doth slide downe easily Wherefore ye Sisters which the glorie bee Of the Pierian streames fayre Naiades Go too and dauncing all in companie Adorne that God and thou holie Pales To whome the honest care of husbandrie Returneth by continuall successe Haue care for to pursue his footing light Throgh the wide woods groues with green leaues dight Professing thee I lifted am aloft Betwixt the forrest wide and starrie sky And thou most dread Octauius which oft To learned wits giuest courage worthily O come thou sacred childe come sliding soft And fauour my beginnings graciously For not these leaues do sing that dreadfull stound When Giants bloud did staine Phlegraean ground Nor how th' halfe horsy people Centaures hight Fought with the bloudie Lapithaes at bord Nor how the East with tyranous despight Burnt th' Attick towres and people slew with swordâ— Nor how mount Athos through exceeding might Was digged downe nor yron bands abord The Pontick sea by their huge Nauy cast My volume shall renowne so long since past Nor Hellespont trampled with horses feete When flocking Persians did the Greeks affrayâ— But my soft Muse as for her power more meete Delights with Phoebus friendly leaue to play An easie running verse with tender feete And thou dread sacred child to thee alway Let euerlasting lightsome glory striue Through the worlds endles ages to suruiue And let an happie roome remaine for thee Mongst heauenly ranks where blessed soules do restâ— And let long lasting life with ioyous glee As thy due meede that thou deseruest best Hereafter many yeares remembred be Amongst good men of whom thou oft are blest Liue thou for euer in all happinesse But let vs turne to our first businesse The fiery Sun was mounted now on hight Vp to the heauenly towers and shot each where Out of his golden Charet glistering light And fayre Aurora with her rosie heare The hatefull darknes now had put to flight When as the shepheard seeing day appeare His little Goats gan driue out of their stalls To feede abroad where pasture best befalls To an high mountaines top he with them went Where thickest grasse did cloath the open hills They now amongst the woods and thickets ment Now in the valleies wandring at their wills Spread themselues farre abroad through each descent Some on the soft greene grasse feeding their fills Some clambring through the hollow cliffes on hy Nibble the bushie shrubs which growe thereby Others the vtmost boughs of trees doe crop And bronze the woodbine twigges that freshly bud This with full bit doth catâ—h the vtmost top Of some soft Willow or new growen stud This with sharpe teeth the bramble leaues doth lop And chaw the tender prickles in her Cud The whiles another high doth ouerlooke Her owne like image in a christall brooke O the great happines which shepheards haue Who so loathes not too much the poore estate With minde that ill vse doth before depraue Ne measures all things by the costly rate Of riotise and semblants outward braue No such sad cares as wont to macerate And rend the greedie mindes of couetous men Do euer creepe into the shepheards den Ne cares he if the fleâ—ce which him arayes Be not twice steeped in Assyrian dye Ne glistering of golde which vnderlayes The summer beames doe blinde his gazing eye Ne pictures beautie nâ—r the glauncing rayes Of precious stones whence no good commeth by Ne yet his cup embost with Imagery Of Baetus or of Alcons vanity Ne ought the whelky pearles esteemeth hee Which are from Indian seas brought far away But with pure brest from carefull sorrow free On the soft grasse his limbs doth oft display In sweete spring time when flowres varietie With sundrie colours paints the sprincled lay There lying all at ease from guile or spight With pype of fennie reedes doth him delight There he Lord of himselfe with palme bedight His looser locks doth wrap in wreath of vine There his milk dropping Goats be his delight And fruitefull Pales and the forrest greene And darkesome caues in pleasaunt vallies pight Wheras continuall shade is to be seene And where fresh springing wells as christall neate Do alwayes flow to quench his thirstie heate O who can lead then a more happie life Than he that with cleane minde and hear sincere No greedy riches knowes nor bloudie strife No deadly fight of warlick fleete doth feare Ne runs in perill of foes cruell knife That in the sacred temples he may reare A trophee of his glittering spoyles and treasure Or may abound in riches aboue measure Of him his God is worshipt with his sythe And not with skill of craftsman polished He ioyes in groues and makes himselfe full blythe With sundrie flowers in wilde fieldes gathered Ne frankincens he from Panchaea buyth Sweete quiet harbours in his harmeles head And perfect pleasure buildes her ioyous bowre Free from sad cares that rich mens hearts deuowre This all his care this all his whole indeuour To this his minde and senses he doth bend How he may flow in quiets matchles treasour Content with any food that God doth send And how his limbs resolu'd through idle leisour Vnto sweete sleepe he may securely lend In some coole shadow from the scorching heat The whiles his flock their chawed cuds do eate O flocks O Faunes and O ye pleasaunt springs Of Tempe where the countrey Nymphs are rife Through whose not costly care each shepheard sings As merrie notes vpon his â—usticke Fife As that Astraean bard whose fame now rings Through the wide world and leads as ioyfull lifeâ— Free from all troubles and from worldly toyle In which fond men doe all their dayes turmoyle In such delights whilst thus his carelesse time This shepheard driues vpleaning on his batt And on shrill reedes chaunting his rustick rime Hyperion throwing foorth his beames full hott Into the highest top of heauen gan clime And the world parting by an equall lott Did shed his whirling flames on either side As the great Oâ—ean doth himselfe diuide Then gan the shepheard gather into one His stragling Goates and draue them to a foord Whose caerule streame rombling in Pible stone Crept vnder mosse as greene as any goord Now had the Sun halfe heauen ouergone When he his heard back from that water foord Draue from the force of Phoebus boyling ray Into thick shadowes there themselues to lay Soone as he them plac'd in thy sacred wood O Delian Goddesse saw to which of yore Came the bad daughter of old Cadmus brood Cruell Agaue flying vengeance sore Of king Nictileus for the guiltie blood Which she with cursed hands had shed before There she halfe frantick hauing slaine her sonne Did shrowd her selfe like punishment to shonne Here also playing on the grassy greene Woodgods and Satyres and swift Dryades With many Fairies oft were dauncing seene Not
in Greeks fleete to haue tynde For Ida selfe in ayde of that fierce fight Out of her mountaines ministred supplies And like a kindly nourse did yeeld for spight Store of firebronds out of her nourseries Vnto her foster children that they might Inflame the Nauie of their enemies And all the Rhetaean shore to ashes turne Where lay the ships which they did seeke to burne Gainst which the noble sonne of Telamon Opposd ' himselfe and thwarting his huge shield Them battell bad gainst whom appeard anon Hector the glorie of the Troian field Both fierce and furious in contention Encountred that their mightie strokes so shrild As the great clap of thunder which doth ryue The ratling heauens and cloudes asunder dryue So th' one with fire and weapons did contend To cut the ships from turning home againe To Argos th' other stroue for to defend The force of Vulcane with his might and maineâ— Thus th' one Aâ—acide did his fame extend But th' other ioy'd that on the Phrygian playne Hauing the blood of vanquisht Hector shedd He compast Troy thrice with his bodie dedd Againe great dole on either partie grewe That him to death vnfaithfull Paris sent And also him that false Vlysses slewe Drawne into danger through close ambushment Therefore from him Laërtes sonne his vewe Doth turne aside and boasts his good euent In working of Strymonian Rhaesus fall And efte in Dolons slye surprysall Againe the dreadfull Cycones him dismay And blacke Laestrigones a people stout Then greedie Scilla vnder whom there bay Manie great bandogs which her gird about Then doo the Aetnean Cyclops him affray And deep Charybdis gulphing in and out Lastly the squalid lakes of Tartarie And griesly Feends of hell him terrifie There also goodly Agamemnon bosts The glorie of the stock of Tantalus And famous light of all the Greekish hosts Vnder whose conduct most victorious The Dorick flames consum'd the Iliack posts Ah but the Greekes themselues more dolorous To thee ô Troy paid penaunce for thy fall In th' Hellespont being nigh drowned all Well may appeare by proofe of their mischaunce The chaungfull turning of mens slipperie state That none whom fortune freely doth aduaunce Himselfe therefore to heauen should eleuate For loftie type of honour through the glaunce Of enuies dart is downe in dust prostrate And all that vaunts in worldly vanitie Shall fall through fortunes mutabilitie Th' Argolicke power returning home againe Enricht with spoyles of th' Ericthonian towre Did happie winde and weather entertaine And with good speed the fomie billowes scowre No signe of storme no feare of future paine Which soone ensued them with heauie stowre Nereis to the Seas a token gaue The whiles their crooked keeles the surges claue Suddenly whether through the Gods decree Or haplesse rising of some froward starre The heauens on euerie side enclowded bee Black stormes and fogs are blowâ—n vp from farre That now the Pylote can no loadstarre see But skies and seas doo make most dreadfull warre The billowe striuing to the heauens to reach And th' heauens striuing them for to impeach And in auengement of their bold attempt Both Sun and starres and all the heauenly powres Conspire in one to wreake their rash contempt And downe on them to fall from highest towresâ— The skie in pieces seeming to be rent Throwes lightning forth haile harmful showres That death on euerie side to them appeares In thousand formes to worke more ghastly feares Some in the greedie flouds are sunke and drent Some on the rocks of Caphareus are throwne Some on th' Euboick Cliffs in pieces rent Some scattred on the Hercaean shores vnknowne And manie lost of whom no moniment Remaines nor memorie is to be showne Whilst all the purchase of the Phrigian pray Tost on salt billowes round about doth stray Here manie other like Heroës bee Equall in honour to the former crue Whom ye in goodly seates may placed see Descended all from Rome by linage due From Rome that holds the world in souereigntie And doth all Nations vnto her subdue Here Fabij and Dâ—cij doo dwell Horatij that in vertue did excell And here the antique fame of stout Camill Doth euer liue and constant Curtius Who stifly bent his vowed life to spill For Countreyes health a gulph most hideous Amidst the Towne with his owne corps did fill T' appease the powers and prudent Mutius Who in his flesh endur'd the scorching flame To daunt his foe by ensample of the same And here wise Curius companion Of noble vertues liues in endles rest And stout Flaminius whose deuotion Taught him the fires scorn'd furie to detest And here the praise of either Sâ—ipion Abides in highest place aboue the best To whom the ruin'd walls of Carthage vow'd Trembling their forces sound their praises lowd Liue they for euer through their lasting praise But I poore wretch am forced to retourne To the sad lakes that Phoebus sunnie rayes Doo neuer see where soules doo alwaies mourne And by the wayling shores to waste my dayes Where Phlegeton with quenchles flames doth burne By which iust Minos righteous soules doth seuer From wicked ones to liue in blisse for euer Me therefore thus the cruell fiends of hell Girt with long snakes and thousand yron chaynes Through doome of that their cruell Iudge compell With bitter torture and impatient paines Cause of my death and iust complaint to tell For thou art he whom my poore ghost complaines To be the author of her ill vnwares That careles hear'st my intollerable cares Them therefore as bequeathing to the winde I now depart returning to thee neuer And leaue this lamentable plaint behinde But doo thou haunt the soft downe rolling riuer And wilde greene woods and fruitful pastures minde And let the flitting aire my vaine words seuer Thus hauing said he heauily departed With piteous crie that anie would haue smarted Now when the sloathfull fit of lifes sweete rest Had left the heauie Shepheard wondrous cares His inly grieued minde full sore opprest That balefull sorrow he no longer beares For that Gnats death which deeply was imprest But bends what euer power his aged yeares Him lent yet being such as through their might He lately â—lue his dreadfull foe in fight By that same Riuer lurking vnder greene Eftsoones he gins to fashion forth a place And squaring it in compasse well beseene There plotteth out a tombe by measured space His yron headed spade tho making cleene To dig vp sods out of the flowrie grasse His worke he shortly to good purpose brought Like as he had conceiu'd it in his thought An heape of earth he hoorded vp on hie Enclosing it with banks on euerie side And thereupon did raise full busily A little mount of greene turffs edifide And on the top of all that passers by Might it behold the toomb he did prouide Of smoothest marble stone in order set That neuer might his luckie scape forget And round about he taught sweete flowres to growe The Rose engrained in
light condition To whom their liuing they resigned quight For a few pence and ran away by night So passing through the Countrey in disguize They fled farre off where none might them surprize And after that long straied here and there Through euerie field and forrest farre and nere Yet neuer found occasion for their tourne But almost steru'd did much lament and mourne At last they chaunst to meete vpon the way The Mule all deckt in goodly rich aray With bells and bosses that full lowdly rung And costly trappings that to ground downe hung Lowly they him saluted in meeke wise But he through pride and fatnes gan despise Their meanesse scarce vouchsafte them to requite Whereat the Foxe deep groning in his sprite Said Ah sir Mule now blessed be the day That I see you so goodly and so gay In your attyres and eke your silken hyde Fil'd with round flesh that euerie bone doth hide Seemes that in fruitfull pastures ye doo liue Or fortune doth you secret fauour giue Foolish Foxe said the Mule thy wretched need Praiseth the thing that doth thy sorrow breed For well I weene thou canst not but enuie My wealth compar'd to thine owne miserieâ— That art so leane and meagre waxen late That scarse thy legs vphold thy feeble gate Ay me said then the Foxe whom euill hap Vnworthy in such wretchednes doth wrap And makes the scorne of other beasts to bee But read faire Sir of grace from whence come yee Or what of tidings you abroad doo heare Newes may perhaps some good vnweeting beare From royall Court I lately came said he Where all the brauerie that eye may see And all the happinesse that heart desire Is to be found he nothing can admire That hath not seene that heauens portracture But tidings there is none I you assure Saue that which common is and knowne to all That Courtiers as the tide doo rise and fall But tell vs said the Ape we doo you pray Who now in Court doth beare the greatest sway That if such fortune doo to vs befall We may seeke fauour of the best of all Marie said he the highest now in grace Be the wilde beasts that swiftest are in chase For in their speedie course and nimble flight The Lyon now doth take the most delight But chieflie ioyes on foote them to beholde Enchaste with chaine and ciâ—culet of golde So wilde a beast so tame ytaught to bee And buxome to his bands is ioy to see So well his golden Circlet him beseemeth But his late chayne his Liege vnmeete esteemeth For so braue beasts she loueth best to see In the wilde forrest raunging fresh and free Therefore if fortune thee in Court to liue In case thou euer there wilt hope to thriue To some of these thou must thy selfe apply Els as a thistle-downe in th' ayre doth flie So vainly shalt thou too and fro be tost And loose thy labour and thy fruitles cost And yet full few which follow them I see For vertues bare regard aduaunced bee But either for some gainfull benefit Or that they may for their owne turnes be fit Nath'les perhaps ye things may handle soe That ye may better thriue than thousands moe But said the Ape how shall we first come in That after we may fauour seeke to win How els said he but with a good bold face And with big words and with a stately pace That men may thinke of you in generall That to be in you which is not all For not by that which is the world now deemeth As it was wont but by that same that seemeth Ne do I doubt but that ye well can fashion Your selues theretoo according to occasion So fare ye well good Courtiers may ye bee So proudlie neighing from them parted hee Then gan this craftie couple to deuize How for the Court themselues they might aguize For thither they themselues meant to addresse In hope to finde there happier successe So well they shifted that the Ape anon Himselfe had cloathed like a Gentleman And the slie Foxe as like to be his groome That to the Court in seemly sort they come Where the fond Ape himselfe vprearing hy Vpon his tiptoes stalketh stately by As if he were some great Magnifico And boldlie doth amongst the boldest go And his man Reynold with fine counterfesaunce Supports his credite and his countenaunce Then gan the Courtiers gaze on eâ—erie side And stare on him with big lookes basen wide Wondring what mister wight he was and whence For he was clad in strange accoustrements Fashion'd with queint deuises neuer seene In Court before yet there all fashions beene Yet he them in new fanglenesse did pas But his behauiour altogether was Alla Turchesca much the more admyr'd And his lookes loftie as if he aspyr'd To dignitie and sdeign'd the low degree That all which did such strangenesse in him see By secrete meanes gan of his state enquire And priuily his seruant thereto hire Who throughly arm'd against such couerture Reported vnto all that he was sure A noble Gentleman of high regard Which through the world had with long trauel far'd And seene the manners of all beasts on ground Now here arriu'd to see if like he found Thus did the Ape at first him credit gaine Which afterwards he wisely did maintaine With gallant showe and daylie more augment Through his fine feates and Courtly complement For he could play and daunce and vaute and spring And all that els pertaines to reueling Onely through kindly aptnes of his ioynts Besides he could doo manie other poynts The which in Court him serued to good stead For he mongst Ladies could their fortunes read Out of their hands and merie leasings tell And iuggle finely that became him well But he so light was at legier demaine That what he toucht came not to light againe Yet would he laugh it out and proudly looke And tell them that they greatly him mistooke So would he scoffe them out with mockerie For he therein had great felicitie And with sharp quips ioy'd others to deface Thinking that their disgracing did him grace So whilst that other like vaine wits he pleased And made to laugh his heart was greatly eased But the right gentle minde would bite his lip To heare the Iauell so good men to nip For though the vulgar yeeld an open eare And common Courtiers loue to gybe and fleare At euerie thing which they heare spoken ill And the best speaches with ill meaning spill Yet the braue Courtier in whose beauteous thought Regard of honour harbours more than ought Doth loath such base condition to backbite Anies good name for enuie or despite He stands on tearmes of honourable minde Ne will be carried with the common winde Of Courts inconstant mutabilitie Ne after euerie tattling fable flie But heares and sees the follies of the rest And thereof gathers for himselfe the best He will not creepe nor crouche with fained face But walkes vpright with comely stedfast pace And
Sheepe to whom of yore The Foxe had promised of friendship store What time the Ape the kingdome first did gaine Came to the Court her case there to complaine How that the Wolfe her mortall enemie Had sithence slaine her Lambe most cruellie And therefore crau'd to come vnto the King To let him knowe the order of the thing Soft Gooddie Sheepe then said the Foxe not soe Vnto the King so rash ye may not goe He is with greater matter busied Than a Lambe or the Lambes owne mothers hed Ne certes may I take it well in part That ye my cousin Wolfe so fowly thwart And seeke with slaunder his good name to blot For there was cause els doo it he would not Therefore surcease good Dame and hence depart So went the Sheepe away with heauie hart So manie moe so euerie one was vsed That to giue largely to the boxe refused Now when high Ioue in whose almightie hand The care of Kings and power of Empires stand Sitting one day within his turret hye From whence he vewes with his blacklidded eye Whatso the heauen in his wide vawte containes And all that in the deepest earth remaines And troubled kingdome of wilde beasts behelde Whom not their kindly Souereigne did welde But an vsurping Ape with guile suborn'd Had all subuerst he sdeignfully it scorn'd In his great heart and hardly did refraine But that with thunder bolts he had him slaine And driuen downe to hell his dewest meed But him auizing he that dreadfull deed Forbore and rather chose with scornfull shame Him to auenge and blot his brutish name Vnto the world that neuer after anie Should of his race be voyd of infamie And his false counsellor the cause of all To damne to death or dole perpetuall From whence he neuer should be quit nor stal'd Forthwith he Mercurie vnto him cal'd And bad him flie with neuer resting speed Vnto the forrest where wilde beasts doo breed And there enquiring priuily to learne What did of late chaunce to the Lyon stearne That he rul'd not the Empire as he ought And whence were all those plaints vnto him brought Of wrongs and spoyles by saluage beasts committed Which done he bad the Lyon be remitted Into his seate and those same treachours vile Be punished for their presumptuous guile The Sonne of Maia soone as he receiu'd That word streight with his azure wings he cleau'd The liquid clowdes and lucid firmament Ne staid till that he came with steep descent Vnto the place where his prescript did showe There stouping like an arrowe from a bowe He soft arriued on the grassie plaine And fairly paced forth with easie paine Till that vnto the Pallace nigh he came Then gan he to himselfe new shape to frame And that faire face and that Ambrosiall hew Which wonts to decke the Gods immortall crew And beautefie the shinie firmament He dost vnfit for that rude rabblement So standing by the gates in strange disguize He gan enquire of some in secret wize Both of the King and of his gouernment And of the Foxe and his false blandishment And euermore he heard each one complaine Of foule abuses both in realme and raine Which yet to proue more true he meant to see And an ey-witnes of each thing to bee Tho on his head his dreadfull hat he dight Which maketh him inuisible in sight And mocketh th' eyes of all the lookers on Making them thinke it but a vision Through power of that he runnes through enemies swerds Through power of that he passeth through the herds Of rauenous wilde beasts and doth beguile Their greedie mouthes of the expected spoyle Through power of that his cunning theeueries He wonts to worke that none the same espies And through the power of that he putteth on What shape he list in apparition That on his head he wore and in his hand He tooke Caduceus his snakie wand With which the damned ghosts he gouerneth And furies rules and Tartare tempereth With that he causeth sleep to seize the eyes And feare the harts of all his enemyes And when him list an vniuersall night Throughout the world he makes on euerie wighâ— As when his Syre with Alcumena lay Thus dight into the Court he tooke his way Both through the gard which neuer him descride And through the watchmen who him neuer spide Thenceforth he past into each secrete part Whereas he saw that sorely grieu'd his hart Each place abounding with fowle iniuries And fild with treasure rackt with robberies Each place defilde with blood of guiltles beasts Which had been slaine to serue the Apes beheasts Gluttonie malice pride and couetize And lawlesnes raigning with riotize Besides the infinite extoâ—tions Done through the Foxes great oppressions That the complaints thereof could not be tolde Which when he did with lothfull eyes beholde He would no more endure but came his way And cast to seeke the Lion where he may That he might worke the auengement for this shame On those two caytiues which had bred him blame And seeking all the forrest busilyâ— At last he found where sleeping he did ly The wicked weed which there the Foxe did lay From vnderneath his head he tooke away And then him waking forced vp to rize The Lion looking vp gan him auize As one late in a traunce what had of long Become of him for fantasie is strong Arise said Mercurie thou sluggish beast That here liest senseles like the corpse deceast The whilste thy kingdome from thy head is rent And thy throne royall with dishonour blent Arise and doo thy selfe redeeme from shame And be aueng'd on those that breed thy blame Thereat enraged soone he gan vpstart Grinding his teethâ— and grating his great â—art And rouzing vp himselfe for his rough hide He gan to reach but no where it espide Therewith he gan full terribly to rore And chafte at that indignitie right sore But when his Crowne and scepter both he wantedâ— Lord how he fum'd and sweld and â—ag'd and pantedâ— And thâ—eatned death thousand deadly dolours To them that had purloyn'd his Princely honours With that in hast disroabed as he was He toward his owne Pallace forth did pas And all the way he roared as he wenâ— That all the forrest with astonishment Thereof did tremble and the beasts therein Fled fast away from that so dreadfull din. At last he came vnto his mansion Where all the gates he found fast lockt anon And manie warders round about them stood With that he roar'd alowd as he were wood That all the Pallace quaked at the stound As if it quite were riuen from the ground And all within were dead and hartles leâ—t And th'Ape himselfe as one whose wits were reâ—t Fled here and there and euerie corner sought To hide himselfe from his owne feared thought But the false Foxe when he the Lion heard Fled closely forth streightway of death aâ—eard And to the Lion came â—ull lowly creeping With fained face and watrie eyne halfe weeping T'
excuse his former treason and abusion And turning all vnto the Apes confusion Nath'les the royall Beast forbore beleeuing But bad him stay at ease till further preeuing Then when he saw no entrance to him graunted Roaring yet lowder that all harts it daunted Vpon those gates with force he fiercely flewe And rending them in pieces felly slewe Those warders strange and all that els he met But th'Ape still flying he no where might get From rowme to rowme from beame to beame he fled All breathles and for feare now almost ded Yet him at last the Lyon spide and caught And forth with shame vnto his iudgement brought Then all the beasts he causd ' assembled bee To heare their doome and sad ensample see The Foxe first Author of that treacherie He did vncase and then away let flie But th'Apes long taile which then he had he quight Cut off and both eares pared of their hight Since which all Apes but halfe their eares haue left And of their tailes are vtterlie bereft So Mother Hubberd hâ—r discourse did end Which pardon me if I amisse haue pend For weake was my remembrance it to hold And bad her tongue that it so bluntly tolde FINIS Ruines of Rome by Bellay 1 YE heauenly spirites whose ashie cinders lie Vnder deep ruines with huge walls opprest But not your praise the which shall neuer die Through your faire verses ne in ashes rest If so be shrilling voyce of wight aliue May reach from hence to depth of darkest hell Then let those deep Abysses open riue That ye may vnderstand my shreiking yell Thrice hauing seene vnder the heauens veale Your toombs deuoted compasse ouer all Thrice vnto you with lowd voyce I appeale And for your antique furie here doo call The whiles that I with sacred horror sing Your glorie fairest of all earthly thing 2 Great Babylon her haughtie walls will praise And sharped steeples high shot vp in ayre Greece will the olde Ephesian buildings blaze And Nylus nurslings their Pyramides faire The same yet vaunting Greece will tell the storie Of Ioues great Image in Olympus placed Mansolus worke will be the Carians glorie And Crete will boast the Labyrinth now raced The antique Rhodian will likewise set forth The great Colosse erect to Memorie And what els in the world is of like worth Some greater learned wit will magnifie But I will sing aboue all moniments Seuen Romane Hils the worlds 7. wonderments 3 Thou â—tranger which for Rome in Rome here seekest And nought of Rome in Rome perceiu'st at all These fame olde walls olde arches which thou seest Olde Palaces is that which Rome men call Behold what wreake what ruine and what wa st And how that she which with her mightie powre Tam'd all the world hath tam'd herselâ—e at last The pray oâ— time which all things doth deuowre Rome now of Rome is th' onely funerall And onely Rome of Rome hath victorie Ne ought saue Tyber hastning to his fall Remaines of allâ— O worlds inconstancie That which is firme doth flit and fall away And that is flitting doth abide and stay 4 She whose high top aboue the starres did sore One foote on Thetis th' other on the Morning One hand on Scythia th' other on the More Both heauen and earth in roundnesse compassing Ioue fearing least if she should greater growe The old Giants should once againe vprise Her whelm'd with hills these 7. hils which be nowe Tombes of her greatnes which did threate the skies Vpon her head he heapt Mount Saturnal Vpon her bellie th'antique Palatine Vpon her stomacke laid Mount Quirinal On her left hand the noysome Esquiline And Caelian on the right but both her feete Mount Viminal and Auentine doo meete 5 Who liâ—ts to see what euer nature arte And heauen could doo O Rome thee let him seeâ— In case thy greatnes he can gesse in harte By that which but the picture is of thee Rome is no more but if the shade of Rome May of the bodie yeeld a seeming sight It 's like a corse drawne forth out of the tombe By Magicke skill out of eternall night The corpes of Rome in ashes is entombed And her great spirite reioyned to the spirite Of this great masse is in the same enwombed But her braue writings which her famous merite In spight of time out of the dust doth reare Doo make her Idole through the world appeare 6 Such as the Berecynthian Goddesse bright In her swift charret with high turrets crownde Proud that so manie Gods she brought to light Such was this Citie in her good daies fownd This Citie more than that great Phrygian mother Renowm'd for fruite of famous progenie Whose greatnes by the greatnes of none other But by her selfe her equall match could see Rome onely might to Rome compared bee And onely Rome could make great Rome to tremble So did the Gods by heauenly doome decree That other earthlie power should not resemble Her that did match the whole â—arths puâ—â—â—unce And did her courage to the heauens aduâ—unce 7 Ye sacred ruines and ye tragick sights Which onely doo the name of Rome retaine Olde moniments which of so famous sprights The honour yet in ashes doo maintaine Triumphant Arcks spyres neighbours to the skie That you to see doth th'heauen it selfe appall Alas by little ye to nothing flie The peoples fable and the spoyle of all And though your frames do for a time make warre Gainst time yet time in time shall ruinate Your workes and names and your last reliques marre My sad desires rest therefore moderate For if that time make ende of things so sure It al 's will end the paine which I endure 8 Through armes vassals Rome the world subdu'd That one would weene that one sole Cities strength Both land and sea in roundnes had suruew'd To be the measure of her bredth and length This peoples vertue yet so fruitfull was Of vertuous nephewesâ— that posteritie Striuing in power their grandfathers to passe The lowest earth ioin'd to the heauen hie To th' end that hauing all parts in their power Nought from the Romane Empire might be quight And that though time doth CoÌ„monwealths deuowre Yet no time should so low embase their hight That her head earth'd in her foundations deep Should not her name and endles honour keep 9 Ye cruell starres and eke ye Gods vnkinde Heauen enuious and bitter stepdame Nature Be it by fortune or by course of kinde That ye doo weld th' affaires of earthlie creature Why haue your hands long sithence traueiled To frame this world that doth endure so long Or why were not these Romane palaces Made of some matter no lesse firme and strong I say not as the common voyce doth say That all things which beneath the Moone haue being Are temporall and subiect to decay But I say rather though not all agreeing With some that weene the contrarie in thought That all this whole shall one day come to nought 10 As that
braue sonne of Aeson which by charmes Atcheiu'd the golden Fleece in Colchid land Out of the earth engendred men of armes Of Dragons teeth sowne in the sacred sand So this braue Towne that in her youthlie daies An Hydra was of warriours glorious Did fill with her renowmed nourslings praise The firie sunnes both one and other hous But they at last there being then not liuing An Hercules so ranke seed to represse Emongst themselues with cruell furie striuing Mow'd downe themselues with slaughter mercilesse Renewing in themselues that rage vnkinde Which whilom did those earthborn brethreÌ„ blinde 11 Mars shaming to haue giâ—â—n so great head To his off-spring that mortall puissaunce Puft vp with pride of Romane hardiehead Seem'd aboue heauens powre it selfe to aduaunce Cooling againe hiâ— former kindled heate With which hâ— had those Romane spirits fild Did blowe new fire and with enflamed breath Into the Gothicke colde hot rage instil'dâ— Then gan that Naâ—ion th' earths new Giant brood To dart abroad the thunder bolts of warre And beating downe these walls with furious mood Into her mothers bosome all did marre To th' end that none all were it â—oue his sire Should boast himselfe of the Romane Empire 12 Like as whilome the children of the earth Heapt hils on hils to scale the starrie skie And fight against the Gods of heaâ—â—â—ly borrh Whiles Ioâ—e at them his thunderbolts let flâ—e All suddenly with lightning ouerthrowne The furious squadrons downe to ground did fall That th' earth vnder her childrens weight did grone And th' heauens in glorie triuâ—pht ouâ—r all So did that haughtie front which hâ—aped was On these seuen Romane hils it selfe vpreare Ouer the world and lift her loftie face Against the heauen that gan her force to feare But now these scorâ—ed fields bemone her fall And Gods â—ecure feare not her force at all 13 Nor the swift furie of tâ—e flames aspiring Nor the deep wounds of victours raging blade Nor ruthlesse spoyle of souldiers blood-desiring The which so ofâ— thee Rome their conquest made Ne stroke on stroke of fortune variable Ne rust of age hating continuance Nor wrath of Gods nor spight of men vnstable Nor thou opposd ' againâ—t thine owne puissance Nor th'horrible vprore of windes high blowing Nor swelling streames of that God makie paced Which hath so oâ—ten with his overflowing Thee drenched haue thy pride so much abaced But that this nothing which they haue thee left Makes the world woÌ„der what they from thee reft 14 As men in Summerfearles passe the soord Which is in Winter lord of all the plaine And with his tumbling streames doth beare aboord The ploughmans hope and shepheards labour vaineâ— And as the coward beasts vse to despise The noble Lion after his liues end Whetting their teeth and with vaine foolhardise Daring the foe that cannot him defend And as at Troy most dastards oâ— the Greekes Did braue about the corpes of Hector colde So those which whilome woâ—t with pallid cheâ—kes The Romane triumphs glorie to behold Now on these ashie tombes shew boldnesse vaine And conquer'd dare the Conquerour disdaine 15 Ye pallid spirits and ye ashie ghoasts Which ioying in the brightnes of your day Brought foorth those signes of your presumptuous boasts Which now their dusty reliques do bewray Tell me ye spirits sith the darksome riuer Of Styx not passable to soules returning Enclosing you in thrice three wards for euer Doo not restraine your images still mourning Tell me then for perhaps some one of you Yet here aboue him secretly doth hide Doo ye not feele your torments to accrewe When ye sometimes behold the ruin'd pride Of these old Romane works built with your hands To become nought els but heaped sands 16 Like as ye see the wrathfull Sea from farre In a great mountaine heap't with hideous noyse Eftsoones of thousand billowes shouldred narre Against a Rocke to breake with dreadfull poyse Like as ye see fell Boreas with sharpe blast Tossing huge tempests through the troubled skie Eftsoones hauing his wide wings spent in wast To stop his wearie cariere suddenly And as ye see huge flames spred diuerslie Gathered in one vp to the heauens to spyre Eftsoones consum'd to fall downe feebily So whilom did this Monarchie aspyre As waues as winde as fire spred ouer all Till it by fatall doome adowne did fall 17 So long as Ioues great Bird did make his flight Bearing the fire with which heauen doth vs fray Heauen had not feare of that presumptuous might With which the Giaunts did the Gods assay But all so soone as scortching Sunne had brent His wings which wont the earth to ouerspredd The earth out of her massie wombe forth sent That antique horror which made heauen adredd Then was the Germane Rauen in disguise That Romane Eagle seene to cleaue asunder And towards heauen freshly to arise Out of these mountaines now consum'd to pouder In which the foule that serues to beare the lightning Is now no more seen flying nor alighting 18 These heapes of stones these old wals which ye see Were first enclosures but of saluage soyle And these braue Pallaces which maystred bee Of time were shepheards cottages somewhile Then tooke the shepheards Kingly ornament And the stout hynde arm'd his right hand with steele Eftsoones their rule of yearely Presidents Grew great and sixe months greater a great deele Which made perpetuall rose to so great might That thence th' Imperiall Eagle rooting tooke Till th'heauen it selfe opposing gainst her might Her power to Peters successor betooke Who shepheardlike as fates the same foreseeing Doth shew that all things turne to their first being 19 All that is perfect which th'heauen beautefies All that 's imperfect borne belowe the Moone All that doth feede our spirits and our eies And all that doth consume our pleasures soone All the mishap the which our daies outweares All the good hap of th'oldest times afore Rome in the time of her great ancesters Like a Pandora locked long in store But destinie this huge Chaos turmoyling In which all good and euill was enclosed Their heauenly vertues from these woes assoyling Caried to heauen from sinfull bondage losed But their great sinnes the causers of their paine Vnder these antique ruines yet remaine 20 No otherwise than raynie cloud first fed With earthly vapours gathered in the ayre Eftsoones in compas arch't to steepe his hed Doth plonge himselfe in Tethys bosome faire And mounting vp againe from whence he came With his great bellie spreds the dimmed world Till at the last dissoluing his moist frame In raine or snowe or haile he forthâ— is horld This Citie which was first but shepheards shade Vprising by degrees grewe to such height That Queene of land and sea her selfe she made At last not able to beare so great weight Her power disperst through all the world did vade To shew that all in th' end to nought shall fade 21 The same which Pyrrhus and the puissaunce Of Afrike could not
tame that same braue Citie Which with stout courage arm'd against mischauÌ„ce Sustein'd the shocke of common enmitie Long as her ship tost with so manie freakes Had all the world in armes against her bent Was neuer seene that anie fortunes wreakes Could breake her course begun with braue intent But when the obiect of her vertue failed Her power it selfe against it selfe did arme As he that hauing long in tempest sailed Faine would ariue but cannot for the storme If too great winde against the port him driue Doth in the port it selfe his vessell riue 22 When that braue honour of the Latine name Which mear'd her rule with Africa and Byze With Thames inhabitants of noble fame And they which see the dawning day arize Her nourslings did with mutinous vprore Harten against her selfe her conquer'd spoile Which she had wonne from all the world afore Of all the world was spoyl'd within a while So when the compast course of the vniuerse In sixe and thirtie thousand yeares is ronne The bands of th' elements shall backe reuerse To their first discord and be quite vndonne The seedes of which all things at first were bred Shall in great Chaos wombe againe be hid 23 O warie wisedome of the man that would That Carthage towres from spoile should be forborne To th' end that his victorious people should With cancring laisure not be ouerworne He well foresaw how that the Romane courage Impatient of pleasures faint desires Through idlenes would turne to ciuill rage And be her selfe the matter of her fires For in a people giuen all to ease Ambition is engendred easily As in a vicious bodie grose disease Soone growes through humours superfluitie That came to passe wheÌ„ swolne with pleÌ„ties pride Nor prince nor peere nor kin they would abide 24 If the blinde furie which warres breedeth oft Wonts not t'enrage the hearts of equall beasts Whether they fare on foote or flie aloft Or armed be with clawes or scalie creasts What fell Erynnis with hot burning tongs Did grype your hearts with noysome rage imbew'd That each to other working cruell wrongs Your blades in your owne bowels you embrew'd Was this ye Romanes your hard destinie Or some old sinne whose vnappeased guilt Powr'd vengeance forth on you eternallie Or brothers blood the which at first was spilt Vpon your walls that God might not endure Vpon the same to set foundation sure 25 O that I had the Thracian Poets harpe For to awake out of th' infernall shade Those antique Caesars sleeping long in darke The which this auncient Citie whilome made Or that I had Amphions instrument To quicken with his vitall notes accord The stonie ioynts of these old walls now rent By which th' Ausonian light might be restor'd Or that at least I could with pencill fine Fashion the pourtraicts of these Palacis By paterne of great Virgils spirit diuine I would assay with that which in me is To builde with leuell of my loftie style That which no hands can euermore compyle 26 Who list the Romane greatnes forth to figure Him needeth not to seeke for vsage right Of line or lead or rule or squaire to measure Her length her breadth her deepnes or her hight But him behooues to vew in compasse round All that the Ocean graspes in his long armes Be it where the yerely starre doth scortch the ground Or where colde Boreas blowes his bitter stormes Rome was th' whole world al the world was Rome And if things nam'd their names doo equalize When land and sea ye name then name ye Rome And naming Rome ye land and sea comprize For th' auncient Plot of Rome displayed plaine The map of all the wide world doth containe 27 Thou that at Rome astonisht dost behold The antique pride which menaced the skie These haughtie heapes these palaces of olde These wals these arcks these baths these temples hie Iudge by these ample ruines vew the rest The which iniurious time hath quite outworne Since of all workmen helde in reckning best Yet these olde fragments are for paternes borne Then also marke how Rome from day to day Repayring her decayed fashion Renewes herselfe with buildings rich and gay That one would iudge that the Romaine Daemon Doth yet himselfe with fatall hand enforce Againe on foote to reare her pouldred corse 28 He that hath seene a great Oke drie and dead Yet clad with reliques of some Trophees olde Lifting to heauen her aged hoarie head Whose foote in ground hath left but feeble holde But halfe disbowel'd lies aboue the ground Shewing her wreathed rootes and naked armes And on her trunke all rotten and vnsound Onely supports herselfe for meate of wormes And though she owe her fall to the first winde Yet of the deuout people is ador'd And manie yong plants spring out of her rinde Who such an Oke hath seene let him record That such this Cities honour was of yore And mongst all Cities florished much more 29 All that which Aegypt whilome did deuise All that which Greece their temples to embraue After th'Ionicke Atticke Doricke guise Or Corinth skil'd in curious workes to graue All that Lysippus practike arte could forme Apelles wit or Phidias his skill Was wont this auncient Citie to adorne And the heauen it selfe with her wide wonders fill All that which Athens euer brought forth wise All that which Afrike euer brought forth strange All that which Asie euer had of prise Was here to see O meruelous great change Rome liuing was the worlds sole ornament And dead is now the worlds sole moniment 30 Like as the seeded field greene grasse first showes Then from greene grasse into a stalke doth spring And from a stalke into an eare forth-growes Which eare the frutefull graine doth shortly bring And as in season due the husband mowes The wauing lockes of those faire yeallow heares Which bound in sheaues and layd in comely rowes Vpon the naked fields in stalkes he reares So grew the Romane Empire by degree Till that Barbarian hands it quite did spill And left of it but these olde markes to see Of which all passers by doo somewhat pill As they which gleane the reliques vse to gather Which th'husbaÌ„dmaÌ„ behind him chanst to scater 31 That same is now nought but a champian wide Where all this worlds pride once was situate No blame to thee whosoeuer dost abide By Nyle or Gange or Tygre or Euphrate Ne Afrike thâ—reof guiltie is nor Spaine Nor the bolde people by the Thamis brincks Nor the braue warlicke brood of Alemaine Nor the borne Souldier which Rhine running drinks Thou onely cause ô Ciuill furie art Which sowing in th' Aemathian fields thy spight Didst arme thy hand against thy proper hart To th' end that when thou wast in greatest hight To greatnes growne through long prosperitie Thou then adowne might'st fall more horriblie 32 Hope ye my yerses that posteritie Of age ensuing shall you euer read Hope ye that euer immortalitie So meane Harpes worke may