Polipus And Polipus againe For Congre-Eels feares and neerthelesse The selfe same Lobster to Ouercums this Eele who victor is Euen of her victor lo Yea euen do by a secret MARS Most noysome quarrels ludge In very senselesse stocks of plants Reteining still their grudge Thou DENYS euermore a childe O Father sleepie still If plant beside the leauie keall Thy fertill stocke they will He drawes himselfe abacke beliue And paile growne all his leaues For spite or feare by flight himselfe From neighbourhead such bereaues As in like maner to reuenge The branches bearing wine Neere Rew and Origane planted keal By them is killed syne The tree Dodonean and the tree By ATTIQVE land beloued The traces leaues of ancient pickes Remaining vnremooued Euen in their widdow holes O thou Invincible debate That makes the one ne liue can where The other liu'd of late That raignes into the verie tombe Doth to the PARQVES resist And neuer does thy hatred wash In flouds of LETHES mist Euen so a Tambour cou'red with A simple muttons skinne Doth burst affraidlie onely at The sound and ratling dinne Of bloodie rauening Woolfs-skinne And Sick-like the trypes well throwne Of that so glutton brigand breakes With secret force vnknowne The guts of sheepe whome in the place Of longsome bleating still They after hend their death make on A sweet Lute speake at will And of the royall Egle al 's The strange deuouring plume Does wondrously the fethers of All other foules consume The Heauen first mobile with the selfe Doth carie and remoue More swifter farre then any wind By this his course aboue The rest of all the heauens backdrawing Their Torches giuing light From ALEXANDERS Alters to The Pillars HERCVLES pight But mortall ADAM as the king Of all things heere belaw He being straied vnto the way Of death does all things draw And blinded Pilot on a Sea Most deadlie and in fire This worlds Ship guides against the rocks Of furious heauenlie ire Which softlie sliding of before Was fleeting euer still Both vnder-a skilfull Skipper and A Zephyre calme at will For or he did reuolt he could Not cast his wondring eies Vpon no part but through it all Almightie God he sees He finds him in the earth as to The Seas he feeles him there Contemplats him in Heauen and sees Him painted in the air Our world was nothing but a great Large Shop that open stood Where magnifiquelie God displaid His treasures fair and good This WHOLE was but a mirrour fair Which bright on euery side The goodnes represented viue With great God that doth bide But man vnhappy can not find Since this his sinne and fall Plant stone or liuing creature Yard wood nor flood at all Plaine Feild Hill Dale Sea Shore or Hauen Where he may draw his breath That hath not written into the brow The hard doome of his death In short euen all the compasse of This Fabrique large and round Is but a very store-house of Gods wrath that doth abound Man in rebelling thus against The soueraigne great I say Doth feele his subjects all enarm'd Against him euerie way The air by winds sturr'd AMPHITRITE Doth stormie make a gild The Heauen most sadlie black The earth With brierie thornes fulfild As fredd now from the oth of their Fidelitie and trust The honour doe reuenge on him Euen of the Godhead just The influence maligne of starres Coniured doth prouide A secret Hangman for to plague His arrogance and pride The Moone doth deaze and fundie him Her brother rosts him quite The air when he lookes for it least Pursues him in a spite By brimstoned thunders and by raines By blasting of the cornes By frosts confirmd hair-rimmes and Snowes And hailstones sharpe as thornes And VVLCANE whiles fallin out of Heauen Whiles irritate by art Whiles kindled vnder richest roofes By chance in anie part Whiles vom'd out of a mountaine whose Tempestuous gulfe hath store Both of Saltpeeter and of Pitch And Brimstone byting sore Doth rage against him startling still For furie as appeares And wrackes in lesse space then a day The labour-of thousand yeares The Sea by her debording steales His Isles from him withall His flockes vp-swallows and ore-whelmes His townes and makes them fall The Earth all wearie on her face Such burthen for to keepe A burthen cursed and prophane Whiles sinks in darkest deepe A whole great countrie and withall The windie tops and hie Of proudest Palices into Her entrailes hid they be IT IS in hatred euen of him That after manie wayes Shee doth ingratelie barren haru'sts Produce vs now a dayes And for the corne that we do sow Deceitfull doth vs pay With thirsles burning corne and with The vaprous Darnell ay And with the Fitches smoaring corne With sticking Burres and rough And guylefull hope of Windle-stray That 's but an emptie slough All this were little if that as Step-mother cruell sho Would not produce the Wort-berrie Our furious enemie Lo The Hen-bane blacke and Ches-bow al 's That cold-ryfe doth vs keepe Doufe yeuking flesh and shuddring colde And makes vs euer sleepe The stonnishing Carpase Humlocke al 's That smores vs by his might Yee-feet Yce-hands and makes vs isk And dims our clearest sight Sardonien Percell Sennon-drawer And with a laughing cheere The Wolfe-bane Burne-toung swelling lips And crying still with heere The weeping Aconitum and The Ixia binding sore Sad hearted Flacke-wort fosterer of Hydropsie more and more March-Lillies al 's that yeukars be Of flancks the gnawers rude The Mandragore full colde and Ew That kendles vp the blude Plants who doe by their root their suck Or by their little seed A death vnmercifull before The time vnto vs breed The Earth that knowes we loue as we Were bred of brutish kindes Our life lesse and our honour then Her mettals hid in mindes She with her hooks deceitfullie Doth mixe for vs and mell The scumme of Siluer and Arsnicke With cruell poyson fell Our inward parts deuours and so Doth justlie punish right Our couetous lusts with torments sharpe That she makes on vs light So as whiles from one onely mind They foolish draw apace The tortour of soule and martring of Our bodie both allace And what more shall I say but that A Pilot full of skill And aided by the breathing of A friendlie wind at will He cannot with lesse trauell guide The winged fleeting Ship That softlie on the azure salt Of humide field doth slip And that the jugler fine so well Can no waies make to dance Make skarmushes runne and retire And syne againe aduance His little Marmosets whome to His auarice doth giue A Sprite that by the onely art And workemanship doth liue As we most happy did command The silent flocks that do All skalie cleaue the stormie fluds That they doe swimme into And all the flying songsters sweet And the rebellious bands That rush out through the woods or runnes Athwart the bairest lands And at the wind euen of our voyce They trembled fast
be tred By faithles folkes who executes What in this snake is bred Then Satan answerd Fayth quoth he Their Faith is too too small They striue me thinke on either part Who farthest backe can fall Hast thou not giuen them in my hands Euen boath the sides I say That I as best doth seeme to me May vse them euery way THEN IEHOVA whose nod doth make The heauens and mountaines quake Whose smallest wrath the centres makes Of all the Earth to shake Whose worde did make the worlde of nought And whose approouing syne Did stablish all even as wee see By force of voice deuine This God began from thundering throte Graue wordes of waight to bring All christians serues my Sonne though not Aright in everie thing No more shall now these Christians be With Infidels opprest So of my holie hallowed name The force is great and blest Desist ô tempter GABRIEL come O thou ARCHANGEL true Whome I haue oft in message sent To Realmes and Townes anew Go quicklie hence to Venice Towne And put into their minds To take reuenge of wrongs the Turks Haue done in sundrie kinds No whisling winde with such a speed From hilles can hurle ore heugh As he whose thought doth furnish speed His thought was speed aneugh This Towne it stands within the Sea Fiue miles or there about Vpon no Ile nor ground the Sea Runnes all the streets throughout Who stood vpon the Steeple head Should see a wondrous sight A Towne to stand without a ground Her ground is made by slight Strong Timber props dung in the Sea Do beare her vp by art An I le is all her market place A large and spacious part A Duke with Senate joynd doth rule Saint MARKE is patron chiefe Ilk yeare they wedde the Sea with rings To be their sure reliefe The Angell then ariu'd into This artificiall Towne And chang'd in likenes of a man He walkes both vp and downe While time he met some man of spreit And then began to say What doe we all me thinke we sleepe Are we not day by day By cruell Turks and infidels Most spitefullie opprest They kill our Knights they brash our forts They let vs neuer rest Go too go too once make a proofe No more let vs desist To bold attempts God giues successe If once assay we list With this he goes away this man Vnto another tels The purpose whereunto they both Agree among them fels This other to another tels And so from hand to hand It spreads and goes and all that heard It necessare it fand And last of all it comes vnto The Duke and Senates eare Who found it good and followed furth The same as ye shall heare THE Towne was driuen into this time In such a piteous strait By Mahometists that they had els Giuen ouer all debait The Turke had conquest Cyprus I le And all their lands that lay Without the bounds of Italie Almost the whole I say And they for last refuge of all Had moou'd each Christian King To make their Churches pray for their Reliefe in euerie thing The Towne with piteous plaints did call Vpon the Lord of might With praying still and fasting oft And groning all the night Was nothing heard but sobs and sighs Was nothing seene but teares Yea sorrow draue the brauest men With mourning to their beares The women swound for sorrow oft The babe for woe did weepe To see the mother giuing milke Such dolefull gesture keepe Young men and maids within the towne Were ay arraid in blacke Each Eau'n the Sunne was sooner hid Then earst the night to macke No VENVS then nor CVPID false durst kyth or once appeare For paile distresse had banisht them By sadde and sory cheare As Seas did compasse them about So Seas the Streets did riâ—â—â— So Seas of teares did ever flowe The houses all within As Seas within were joynd with howles So Seas without did raire Thair carefull cries to Heauen did mount Resounding in the aire O stay my Muse thou goes too farre Shewe where we left before Lest trikling teares so fill my penne That it will write no more THEN VENICE being in this state When GABRIEL there was sent His speaches spred abroad made Towne And Senat both so bent To take reuenge as they implorde The Christian Princes ayd Of forces such as easilie They might haue spard and maid At last support was granted them The holie league was past Al 's long to stande as twixt the Turkes And Christians warre shoulde last It was agreed that into March Or Aprill every yeare The armie shoulde on easterne Seas Convene from farre and neare THVS bent vpon their interprise The principalls did conveene Into MESSENA to consult What order should haue beene Obseru'd in all their armie great There DON IOAN d'AVSTRIA came Their Generall great and VENIER al 's Came there in Venice name From GENES ANDREA DOREE came And Rome COLONNE sent When they with others many daies Had into counsaile spent In end ASCAGNIO DE LA CORNE A Martiall man and wise His counsaile gaue as ye shall heare Vpon their enterprise THREE causes be ô Chieftaines braue That should a Generall let On Fortunes light vncertaine wheele The victorie to set First if the losse may harme him more Then winning can auaile As if his Realme he doe defend From them that it assaile The next is when the contrare Host Is able to deuide For sicknes sore or famine great Then best is to abide The third and last it is in case His forces be too small Then better farre is to delay Then for to perish all But since of these two former points We need not stand in doubt Then though we leese we may defend Our Countries round about As to the last this armie is So awfull strong and faire And furnisht so with necessares Through your foreseing cair That nought doth rest but courage bolde Then since your state is such With trust in God assay your chance Good cause availeth much But speciallie take heede to this That ere yee make away Ye order all concerning warre Into their due array For if while that yee see your foes Yee shall continewe all Then shall their suddaine sight with feare Your brauest Spreits appall Each one commande a sundry thing Astonisht of the cace And everie simple Soldat shall Vsurpe his Captaines place This counsall so contents them all That everie man departs With whispering much and so resolues With bolde magnanime harts THEIR preparations being made They all vpon a day Their biting ankers gladlie wayed And made them for the way The Grecian Fleet for HELENS cause That NEPTVNS town did sack In braue array or glistring armes No match to them could mak There came eight thousand Spaniards braue From hotte and barren SPAINE Good ordour kepars cold in fight With proud disdainfull braine From pleasant fertill ITALIE There came twelue thousand al 's With subtill spreites bent to reuenge By craftie meanes and fals
HIS MAIESTIES POETICALL EXERcises at vacant houres AT EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY Robert Walde-graue printer to the Kings Maiestie Cum Priuilegio Regali AMOR PAX PACIS alumnus INFESTA malis THE AVTHOVR TO THE READER REceaue heere beloued Reader a short Poetique discourse which I haue selected and translated from amongst the rest of the works of Dv'BARTAS as a viue mirror of this last and most decreeped age Heere shalt thou see clearlie as in a glasse the miseries of this wauering world to wit the cursed nature of mankinde and the heauie plagues of God And speciallie heere maye thou learne not to flatter thy selfe in cloaking thy odious vices with the delectable coulour of vertue an errour allace ouer common in this hypocriticall age not onlie in particular men of all degrees but euen generallie in rankes estates and offices But that this Treatise may seeme the les obscure vnto thee I haue insert before the same the Authours Praeface and Exord of the whole woorke that thereby thou may rightlie conceaue the comming in of this portion thereof And in case thou finde aswel in this work as in my LEPANTO following many incorrect errours both in the dytement and orthography I must pray thee to accept this my reasonable excuse which is this Thou considers I doubt not that vpon the one part I composed these things in my verie young and tender yeares wherein nature except shee were a monster can admit no perfection And nowe on the other parte being of riper yeares my burden is so great and continuall without anie intermission that when my ingyne and age could my affaires and fasherie will not permit mee to re-mark the wrong orthography committed by the copiars of my vnlegible and ragged hand far les to amend my proper errours Yea scarslie but at stollen moments haue I the leasure to blenk vpon any paper and yet not that with free and vnuexed spirit Alwaies rough and vnpolished as they are I offer them vnto thee Which beeing well accepted will moue mee to hast the presenting vnto thee of my APOCALYPS and also such nomber of the PSALMES as I haue perfited incourage mee to the ending out of the rest And thus beloued Reader recommending these my labours to thy freindlie acceptation I bid thee hartelie Fare-well TO THE KING OF SCOTLAND VVHere others hooded with blind loue do flie Low on the ground with buzzard CVPIDS wings A heauenlie loue from loue of loue thee brings And makes thy MVSE to mount aboue the skie Young Muses be not woont to flie too hie Age taught by time such sober ditties sings But thy youth flies from loue of youthfull things And so the wings of time doth ouerflie Thus thou disdainst all worldlie wings as slow Because thy MVSE with Angels wings doth leaue Times wings behind and CVPIDS wings below But take thou heed least Fames wings thee deceaue With all thy speed from Fame thou canst not flee But more thou flees the more it followes thee HENRIE CONSTABLE SONET TO THE ONELY ROYAL POET. WHere shall the limits lye of all your fame Where shall the borders be of your renowne In East or where the Sunne again goeth down Or shall the fixed Poles impale the same Where shall the pillars which your praise proclame Or Trophees stand of that exspected crowne The Monarch first of that triumphant towne Reuiues in you by you renewes his name For that which he performd in battels bold To vs his bookes with wonders doth vnfold So we of you far more conceaue in minde As by your verse we plainelie Sir may see You shall the writer and the worker be For to absolue that CAESAR left behinde M. W. FOVLER Musa Coelo beat IN SERENISSIMVM INVICTISSIMVMQVE SCOTIAE REGEM JACOBVM SEXTVM Τουνόματος τὶς Ï€Îζα τεοῦ χωÏησεν á¼Ï€Î¿Ïνους Παμβασιλεῦ σοφίας τίς κλÎος αἰπὺ τεῆς Î‘Ï Î¥Ï€ÎµÏιονίδαο σελασφόÏον ἄντυγα Φοίβου Î Ïῶτα θεασαμενοι μὴ ΖεφÏÏοιο δόμος ΑÏα πόλων κÏυεÏοῖς πεφÏικυῖαι πειÏασιν ἄÏκτοι Οψονται πτεÏοεν κῦδος ἔνεÏθε τεόν Σὸν δὲ Ï€Ïὸς αὶθαλόεσσαν ἀνίπταται αιθεÏος αἴγλην Εῦ̓χος ἀπειÏεσίου πάντα διῇξαν á½…Ïον ΑΔΡΙΑÎΟΣ Ο ΔΑΜΜΑΠIDEM LATINE QVae Regio in terris Rex inuictissime laudes Aut capiat mentis lumina clara tuae Anne Hyperionide qui primùm orientia Solis Fulgura percipiunt an Zephyritis humus Anne Polis quae frigutiunt glaciali bus Arcti Luce tuum videant conserere arua iubar At tua in aetherios penetrat se gloria coetus Fecit vt immensum totius orbis iter HADR. DAMMAN à BISTERVELT Gandauensis Flander Aliud eiusdem PAllados armiferae digitis in fortibus vrbem Temporibus priscis imposuêre patres Scilicet auspicijs animi foelicibus armis Vrbibus immensae conciliantur opes Sed meliùs numquaÌ„ mentem Dea iunxit arma Scotigenûm Regi quà m sociata dedit Et quis in optandis regnum florescere rebus Et nitidos Scotis non videt ire dies TO THE KINGS MAIESTIE OF SCOTLAND IF ALEXANDER sighed vvhen he came Vnto the Tomb vvhere fierce ACHILLES lay If he had cause that blessed age to blame Since HOMER lacks his merites to display If he vvith teares his sorrovves did bevvray To see his Father PHILIP conquer all And that more Worlds behinde there did not stay Which for revvard of his deserts might fall Then may I mone our times our iudgement small Vnvvorthy records of your sacred skill Then must our Poets on nevv Muses call To graunt them guifts to imitate your quill I like the flie that burneth in the flame Should shevv my blindnes to attempt the same HENRIE LOK THE EXORD OR PREFACE OF THE SECOND VVEEK OF DVBARTAS THou mightie God that of the worlde The birth did make me see Vnfold her cradle also now Her childhead show to me And make my Spreit to walke athort The turning flourisht wayes Of sauorie Gardens wherinto Still crook't but any staies Of Riuers foure the courses quick Declare me what offence From Eden both chas'd ADAMS selfe And seed for his pretence And tell who of immortall did Himself a mortall macke To bring from heauen the Antidote To vs which we did lacke Giue thou me grace the storie of The Church to sing aright And al 's the storie of the Kings And graunt that by thy might I guide the world vnto her graue My purpose making lest Euen from the first of Sabboths all Vnto the hind most rest Well know I that this surgie sea Is lacking march or ground But ô thou holie Pilote great Will guide me safe and sound Vnto the port of my desire Where drouked then I shall Extoll thy mercies manifolde And pay my vowes withall O SACRED Floure-delis whose youth Doth promise to vs all That euen thy famous Lawrels greene Match Alexanders shall Since that for to obey thy will I flie vnto the skies Conuoy my course with louing eie And help the faultes that rise From my too blunted frutelesse pen In Pampeloun so someday Mot thou win home thy crowne againe
The which was rest away So of thy neighbours euermore Mot thou the honour be The loue of all thy subiects true And foes to feare for thee So neuer mot the heauen against Thee shew his wrathfull face But the Eternall be thy arme His Spirit thy guiding trace So with my shearing sword in hand And fighting at thy side Mot I ore-cled with blood and stoure So boldlie by thee bide As for to cleaue the Spanish Host Or force some sieged Towne The combat done for Virgill serue To publish thy renowne GOD did not onelie soueraigne Prince The whole command bestow On our forefather ADAM of This earth and all below In making subject to his yoak The skealie swimming race Who with their little sinnes do cleaue The frothie Seas apace And those that haue no other hold But horrour of deserts And those that bricoll through the waist Of aire that fedders parts But chus'd him al 's a dwelling place Which happie was and more With climat temperate and faire The which the deintie flore With variant ameling paimented Of springing floures most sweet Adornd with Pomons fruicts and al 's With Zephyrs smells repleet Where God himself did leuell just The allees with his lyne Ore-couered all the hilles with trees With Haru'st the vallies syne And with the sound of thousand brookes Adiornd the sweetest sleepe Made cabinets faire at proofe of Sunne Which out his beames did keep He squared a yard and al 's he did Plant clenge and labour syne The euerliuing fairnesse of A fertill Orchard fine The Sacred Riuers courses al 's He parted here and there And with a thousand coulors paints The face of Meddowes faire THE TRANSLATORS INVOCATION O Thou that mightilie does toone My warbling holie Harpe And does sublime my Poëme al 's That I thereon do carpe And marying so my heauenly verse Vnto the Harpes accords Inspires my sacred Muse to sing Vnto the Lord of Lords O now inflame my furious Spreit That furiously I may These Furies mankinds plagues allace With furious Pen display That I his fame doe not betray Who Azure Skie doth decke With blazing lights and on the earth His Trophees doth erect The loue of Heauen the honour of earth The wonder of our age Who whill that furious bloodie MARS Doth in his Countrey rage Alluring ORPHEVS with his songs He sweetlie doth inchaunt The MVSES nyne to leaue their leeds That they before did haunt And take them to his vulgare toung Their Ethnique heades withall He crownes with holie twists and faire Of LIBAN Cedres tall Then ô thou guider of my Spreit And leader of my pen Graunt that as he his subject faire Doth liberall to me len That so he len his loftie stile His golden draughts his grace Wherewith in variant coulors he Adornes the papers face That I may viuelie paint him forth Peace PAN peace pratling Muse Heare PHOEBVS in a borrowed tongue His owne discourses vse THE FVRIES WHere am I caried to in world No more may I be found The earth that I do tread vpon And all this vaulted round Which bringing home guiding back The daies and nights againe Be wrathfull now with me reguides My longsum woe and paine The aire I breath by longest draughts The Sea I swimme into Is not now of the first borne dayes The work most glorious lo. This wretched roundnes can not be The plenteous worlde no more Which God with orn'ments brauelie deckt So diuers and in store No this is but a Prison vyle A Hell fulfild with fray And of the first worlde but the tombe Most miserable alway O SPRITE that quickens all great God That in thy justice maid Transformd from father myld in Iudge This changement that I said Change me and cast me ouer againe Addres my feeble hand And make that into my discourse No humane thing may stand That I thy instrument may bee And eloquentlie syne To our posteritie may sing This doolefull change of thyne BEFORE our first fore-father had Too impudentlie bold His back turnd vnto God his face Vnto the Serpent olde Euen all this WHOLE was like vnto Ane instrument in toone Well set and well accorded iust And when as that was doone So learn'dlie plaid on as the sound Most rarelie dulce alway Proclam'd the praise of God who on The same did freedonne ay The man in seruing God was seru'd Of all the world apace The bodies dead and liuing al 's Did striue in euerie cace To nourish still that holie peace And with ane ardent loue To please their double head each other Embrast for that behoue The lowest of a concord blest Resounded with the hie The wak with dry the cold agreed With that which hottest be And syne that sacred innocent The bright ASTREA Queene It fastned fast with mastik firme Of holie loue that beene This CVPID hid that maries yet By straitest bonds and olde The Adamant stone with heauie yrne Quick-siluer with the golde The Ambre with the straw or chaff And in the wauie raigne PINNE with her spie the Whaile with her That guides her through the Maine That makes the Sperge so freindlie with The bosse and trembling Reed The Mirt with Oliue tree the Elme With boughs that wine doe breed That makes the earie Bustard with The galliard horse confether And the Parroquets painted makes With Wolues to liue together That ioynes the Moore-hen with the swift And feirie futted Hart The Goat with Sargone Partrichis With Does into ane part All this is but a spunke a glance A shaddow and a trace Of such a loue as raignd into The formest age allace Where as our Muses low from heir With most harmonious sounds Deuinely sang with them aboue Into the circled rounds But Man as being the speciall and The most resounding string Of this WHOLES Lute too bended out Of toone doth with it bring The rest of brangling sinewes all As now it rendre macks In place of sweet enchanting air So great and murmuring cracks As ENYON makes astonisht quyte Euen cruell ENYON who The old debaits of CHAOS does Renew with greener wo. The Heauen that euer fair did blincke Vpon his maistresse ay That nought but MAN and Honny in Her brest did powre alway Now sweeps her with his floods and with His yce her dosinnis quyte And beatis her with his haill and gaigs Her with his fires in spyte And with his snow doth make her olde And ielouslie doth darde Both night and day vpon her bones His thundring fyerie farde And RHEA that doth birst for spyte And cholere in these daies A thousand vapours blacke against The Heauen now doth she raise And by the port halfe open of The gulfe profound and how Does sudle all his brow with clouds And mists that of her grow The Cocke sensyne doth with his voyce The Lyon bold effray The Glead the Chicken and the Sheepe That baisdlie trembles ay Flees from the rau'ning Woolfe and in Great NEPTVNES fleeting plaine The Lobster feares for
strong Then go ye runne ô warlike youth Whome no distresse can dant Another Gaulien Greece into Natolia for to plant Go run in Flanders and do yee Most mercifull releeue Your brethren Belges from the yoake Of Spaine that doth them greeue Run vnto Portugale and people Of new Gallicia now And do your names engraue againe In PORT-VLISSES brow THus louing Reader as thou sees Now haue I made an end Vnto this worke which man did write But by the Lord is pend Wherein as I haue preast to make The Authour knowne to all That into Brittaine I le remaine Where he before was thrall Within the onelie bounds of France So doubt I not thou will Excuse my blotting of his face And blame my lacke of skill Which letted me to imitate His hard and loftie verse His arrowes headed blunt by me As earst could no waies pearce But since both profite may heerein And pleasure reaped be Though metamorphos'd all I grant And quite transform'd by me Yet ought thou justlie loue and like My painefull trauels bent It is sufficient vnto me Thou know my good intent FINIS THE LEPANTO OF IAMES the sixt King of Scotland AT EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY Robert Walde-graue Printer to the Kings Maiestie Cum priuilegio Regali VERITAS CASTITAS THE AVTHORS PREFACE TO THE READER IT falles out often that the effects of mens actions comes cleane contrarie to the intent of the Authour The same finde I by experience beloued Reader in my Poëme of LEPANTO For although till now it haue not bene imprinted yet being set out to the publick view of many by a great sort of stoln Copies purchast in truth without my knowledge or consent it hath for lack of a Praeface bene in some things miscōstrued by sundry which I of verie purpose thinking to haue omitted for that the writing therof might haue tended in my opinion to some reproach of the skilfull learnednes of the Reader as if his braines could not haue conceaued so vncurious a worke without some maner of Commentarie and so haue made the worke more displeasant vnto him it hath by the contrary falen out that the lack therof hath made it the more displeasant to some through their mistaking a part of the meaning thereof And for that I knowe the special thing misliked in it is that I should seeme far contrary to my degree and Religion like a Mercenary Poët to penne a worke ex professo in praise of a forraine Papist bastard I will by setting downe the nature and order of the Poëme resolue the ignorant of their error mak the other sort inexcusable of their captiousnes The nature then of this Poëme is an argument à minore ad majùs largely intreated by a Poetike comparison beeing to the writing hereof mooued by the stirring vppe of the league and cruell persecution of the Protestants in all countries at the very first raging wherof I compiled this Poëme as the exhortatiō to the persecuted in the hinmost eight lines thereof doth plainely testifie being both begun and ended in the same Summer wherein the league was published in France The order of the Cantique is this First a Poetique Praeface declaring the mater I treat of wherein I name not DON-IOAN neither literally nor any waies by description which I behooued to haue doone if I had penned the whole Poëme in his praise as VIRGIL Arma virumque cano HOMER Dic mihi musa virum of whose imitatiō I had not bene ashamed if so my purpose had bene framed Next followes my inuocation to the true God only and not to all the He and She Saints for whose vaine honors DON-IOAN fought in all his wars Next after my inuocation follows the poetique History of my comparison wherin following furth the ground of a true History as VIRGIL or HOMER did like a painter shadowing with vmbers a portrait els drawn in grosse for giuing it greter viuenes so I eike or paire to the circumstaunces of the actions as the rules of the poeticke art will permit which Historicke comparison continues till the song of the Angels in the which I compare and applie the former comparison to our present estate taking occasion thereupon to speake some what of our religion Lastlie the Epilogue of the whole in the last eight lines declares fully my intention in the whole and explaines so fullye my comparison and Argument from the more to the lesse as I cannot without shamefull repetition speake anie more therof And in a word what so euer praise I haue giuen to DON-IOAN in this Poëme it is neither in accompting him as first or second cause of that victorie but onely as of a particular man when hee falles in my way to speake the truth of him For as it becomes not the honour of my estate like an hireling to pen the praise of any man So becomes it far lesse the highnes of my rancke and calling to spare for the feare or fauor of whomsoeuer liuing to speake or write the trueth of anie And thus crauing pardon beloued Reader for this longsome Apologie beeing driuen thereto not by nature but by necessitie I bid you hartely fare-well THE LEPANTO OF IAMES THE SIXT King of Scotland I Sing a wondrous worke of God I sing his mercies great I sing his justice heere-withall Powr'd from his holy seat To wit a cruell Martiall warre A bloodie battell bolde Long doubtsome fight with slaughter huge And wounded manifold Which fought was in LEPANTOES gulfe Betwixt the baptiz'd race And circumsised Turband Turkes Rencountring in that place O onely God I pray thee thrise Thrise one in persons three Alike Eternall like of might Although distinct yee be I pray thee Father through thy Sonne Thy word immortall still The great ARCHANGEL of records And worker of thy will To make thy holie Spreit my Muse And eik my pen inflame Aboue my skill to write this worke To magnifie thy name INTO the turning still of times I erre no time can be Where was and is and times to come Confounded are all three I meane before great God in Heauen For Sunne and Moone deuides The times in Earth by houres and dayes And seasons still that slides Yet Man whome Man must vnderstand Must speake into this cace As man our flesh will not permit Wee heauenlie things imbrace Then as I els began to say One day it did fall out As glorious God in glistering throne With Angells round about Did sit and Christ at his right hand That craftie Satan came Deceauer Lyar hating man And Gods most sacred name This olde abuser stood into The presence of the Lord Then in this manner Christ accus'de The sower of discord I know thou from that City comes CONSTANTINOPLE great Where thou hast by thy malice made The faithles Turkes to freat Thou hast inflamde their maddest mindes With raging fire of wraith Against them all that doe professe My name with feruent fayth How long ô Father shall they thus Quite vnder foote
Three thousande ALMANS also came From Countries colde and wide These monney men with awfull cheare The chok will dourelie bide From diuers partes did also come Three thousand venturers braue All voluntaires of conscience mou'd And would no wages haue Armde Galleyes twice a hundr'and eight Six shippes all wondrous great And fiue and twentie loadned Shipps With baggage and with meate With fourtie other little barkes And prettie Galeots small Of these aforesaide was compound The Christian Nauie all THIS cloude of Gallies thus began On NEPTVNS back to rowe And in the Shippes the marriners Did skippe from towe to towe With willing mindes they hailde the Tyes And hoist the flaffing Sayles And strongest towes from highest mastes With force and practique hayles The Forceats lothsomlie did rowe In Gallies gainst their will Whome Galley masters oft did beat And threaten euer still The foming Seas did bullor vp The risking Oares did rashe The Soldats peeces for to clenge Did shoures of shotts delashe BVT as the Deuill is reddie bent Good workes to hinder ay So sowd he in this Nauie strife Their good successe to stay Yet did the wisdomes of the Chiefes And of the generall most Compound all quarrels and debates That were into that Host Preferring wisely as they ought The honor of the Lord Vnto their owne the publicke cause To priuate mens discord THE feathered fame of wondrous speed That doth delite to flee On tops of houses pratling all That she can heare or see Part true part false this monster strange Among the Turks did tell That diuers Christian Princes joynd Resolu'd with them to mell Then spies were sent abroad who tolde The matter as it stood Except in Arithmetique as It seemd they were not good For they did count their number to Be lesse then was indeed Which did into the great Turks mind A great disdaining breed A perrillous thing as euer came Into a Chieftaines braine To set at nought his foes though small By lighleing disdaine Then SELYM sent a nauie out Who wanderd without rest Whill time into LEPANTOES gulfe They all their Ankers kest IN season when with sharpest hooks The busie shearers cowe The fruitfull yallow lockes of golde That doe on CERES growe And when the strongest Trees for weight Of birth do downward bow Their heauie heads whose colourd knops In showers raines ripelie now And Husband-men with woodbind crownes To twice borne BACHVS dance Whose pleasant poyson sweet in tast Doth cast them in a trance Into this riping season sure The Christian Host I say Were all assembled for to make Them Readie for the way But or they from MESSENA came The Vines were standing bair Trees voyd of fruit and CERES polde And lacking all her hair But when that leaues with ratling falles In banks of withered boughes And carefull laborers do begin To yoke the painefull ploughes The Nauies neere to other drew And VENIER sent before Gaue false Alarum sending word The Turks had skowp'd the score That fiftie Galleis quite were fled This word he sent expresse To make the Christians willinglie To battell them adresse As so they did and enterd all Moou'd by that samin slight Into LEPANTOES gulfe and there Preparde them for the fight WHILL this was doing heere on earth Great God who creats all With wakrife eie preordoning What euer doth befall Was sitting in his pompous Throne In hiest Heauen aboue And gloriouslie accompanied With justice and with loue The one hath smiling countenance The other frowning cheare The one to mercie still perswades Him as a Father deare The other for to powre his plagues Vpon repining sinne And fill the fields with wofull cries The houses all with dinne But yet the Lord so temperates them That both doe brooke their place For Iustice whiles obtaines her will But euermore doth grace IEHOVA al 's hath ballances Wherewith hee weighs aright The greatest and the heauiest sinnes With smaller faults and light These grace did mooue him for to take And so he weighed in Heauen The Christian faults with faithlesse Turkes The ballance stood not eauen But sweid vpon the faithlesse side And then with awfull face Frownd God of Hosts the whirling Heauens For feare did tremble apace The staiest Mountaines shuddred all The grounds of earth did shake The Seas did bray and PLVTOES Realme For horrour colde did quake Hovv soone AVRORAS ioyfull face Had shead the shadie night And made the chiuering Larks to sing For gladnes of the light And PHOEBE with inconstant face In Seas had gone to rest And PHOEBVS chasing vapours moist The Skie made blew celest The Generall of the Christian Host Vpon his Galley Mast The bloodie signe of furious MARS Made to bee fixed fast Then as into a spacious towne At breaking of the day The busie worke-men doe prepare Their Worklumes euery way The Wright doth sharpe his hacking Axe The Smith his grinding File Glasse-makers beets their fire that burnes Continuall not a while The Painter mixes colours viue The Printer Letters sets The Mason clinckes on Marble Stones Which hardlie drest he gets Euen so how soone this Warriour world With earnest eies did see You signe of Warre they all prepard To winne or els to die Heere Hagbutters prepard with speed A number of Bullets round There Cannoners their Canons steild To make distroying sound Here Knights did dight their burnisht brands Their Archers bowes did bend The Armorers on Corslets knockes And Harnesse hard did mend The feirie Marriners at once Makes all their tackling clair With whispering dinne and cries confus'de Preparing here and there As busie Bees within their Hyues With murmuring euer still Are earn'st vpon their fruitfull worke Their emptie holes to fill The Flags and Enseigneis were displaid At ZEPHYRS will to waue Each painted in the colours cleere Of euery owner braue BVT all this time in carefull minde The Generall euer rolde What manner of array would best Fit such an Armie bolde To pance on this it paind him more This more did trouble his brest Then Canons Corse-lets Bullets tackle And swordes and bowes the rest And at the last with ripe aduise Of Chieftaines sage and graue He shead in three in Cressents forme This martiall Armie braue The Generall in the battaile was And COLONNE vndertooke The right wing with the force of GENES The left did VENIER brooke WHEN this was done the Spanish Prince Did row about them all And on the names of speciall men With louing speach did call Remembring them how righteous was Their quarrell and how good Immortall praise and infinit gaines To conquer with their blood And that the glorie of God in earth Into their manhead stands Through just reliefe of Christian soules From cruell Pagans hands But if the ennemie triumphed Of them and of their fame In millions men to bondage would Professing Iesus name The SPANIOL Prince exhorting thus With glad and smiling cheare With sugred wordes and gesture good So pleas'd both eie and eare That euerie man cryed victorie This