 | The Shorter Poems of Ralph Knevet |  |
[7] To Mr. THOMAS KNEVET of Ashwell Thorpe.
Thou, that dost know thy Starres, canst calculateThy geniture, and see to what end fate
Did lend thee to the earth; auspicious be
Thy favours, like thy Starres to mine and me:
Thou knowst thy Starres (I say) for good men know
Wherefore th' are borne, and what to God they owe,
And how farre th' are engag'd to Prince, or state:
For Grace, and Wisedome be the Starres and fate
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Doe prosper all those that Sayle by their light:
These Steere men safely to the Haven of blisse,
In spite of strongest contrarieties.
These be thy Starres, that set th' above thy blood,
True patterne and true patrone of whats good:
Thou art the Glasse in which the World may see,
What once our Gentrie was, and still should bee.
A lover of thy Countrie, and of arts
Art thou; disdaining to make thy good parts
Ambitions Ladder, but had rather stay,
Till time shall see thy merit rise like day
And strike a Rosie blush in Honours face;
'Cause shee had mist so long so fit a place
For her best favours, which they shall admit
To great Imployments, answering thy wit,
And heroique vertue; such great happinesse
I wish to thee, that dost deserve no lesse.
| The Shorter Poems of Ralph Knevet | |