Albions England A Continued Historie of the same Kingdome, from the Originals of the first Inhabitants thereof: With most the chiefe Alterations and Accidents theare hapning, vnto, and in the happie Raigne of our now most gracious Soueraigne, Queene Elizabeth: Not barren in varietie of inuentiue and historicall Intermixtures: First penned and published by William Warner: and now reuised, and newly inlarged by the same Author: Whereunto is also newly added an Epitome of the whole Historie of England |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IIII. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| 2. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
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| XIIII. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
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| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
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| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
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| XXIII. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
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| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| 7. |
| XXXIIII. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
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| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
| XLIIII. |
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| XLIIII. |
| XLV. |
| XLVI. |
| XLVII. |
| XLVIII. |
| XLIX. |
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| LIII. |
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| LIIII. |
| LV. |
| LVI. |
| LVII. |
| LVIII. |
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| LXI. |
| LXII. |
| LXIII. |
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| LXV. |
| LXVI. |
| LXVII. |
| LXVIII. |
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| LXIX. |
| LXX. |
| LXXI. |
| LXXII. |
| LXXIII. |
| LXXIIII. |
| LXXV. |
| 13. |
| LXXVI. |
| LXXVII. |
| LXXVIII. |
| LXXIX. |
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CHAP. XXXVII.
Albions England |  |
Svppose (for so must be suppos'd) that Birdes and Beastes did speake:
The Cuckooe sometimes lou'd the Owle, and so with her did breake,
Then flew the Owle by day, so did the Cuckooe all the yeere,
So did the Swallow and the Batte: but howe it hapned heare.
The Cuckooe by the Swallow (then the Swallow was his Page)
Did send the Owle a sucking Mouse, a tydie for the age:
The Bat (the Bat then seru'd the Owle) preferd the Bringer and
The Present to her Mistres sight, that in her Todd did stand.
My maister to your Owleship, quoth the swallow, sends by me
This Modicum, desiring you to take the same in gree.
The Owle, that neuer till that day had tasted flesh of Mouse,
Had quickly lopte a Limbe or two, and feasteth in her house
The Swallow with a cursee of her then disgorged wheat:
When, talking of the daintie flesh, and elswhat, as they eate,
The Bat (then waiting at the boorde) fetcht siges a two or three:
The Owle did aske the cause. And doe you aske the cause, quoth she,
Why thus I sigh when thus in sight my kindred murthred be?
My selfe was sometimes such, and such am still, saue now I fly:
With that she freshly wept: and thus proceeded by and by.
The Cuckooe sometimes lou'd the Owle, and so with her did breake,
Then flew the Owle by day, so did the Cuckooe all the yeere,
So did the Swallow and the Batte: but howe it hapned heare.
178
Did send the Owle a sucking Mouse, a tydie for the age:
The Bat (the Bat then seru'd the Owle) preferd the Bringer and
The Present to her Mistres sight, that in her Todd did stand.
My maister to your Owleship, quoth the swallow, sends by me
This Modicum, desiring you to take the same in gree.
The Owle, that neuer till that day had tasted flesh of Mouse,
Had quickly lopte a Limbe or two, and feasteth in her house
The Swallow with a cursee of her then disgorged wheat:
When, talking of the daintie flesh, and elswhat, as they eate,
The Bat (then waiting at the boorde) fetcht siges a two or three:
The Owle did aske the cause. And doe you aske the cause, quoth she,
Why thus I sigh when thus in sight my kindred murthred be?
My selfe was sometimes such, and such am still, saue now I fly:
With that she freshly wept: and thus proceeded by and by.
A fresh, quoth she, now comes to minde mine Auncestors ill hap,
Whō pride made praies to Kestrels, Kites, Cats, Weasels, Baē, & trap:
My Grandsier (for wheare Nature failes in strength she adds in wit)
Was full of Science: But, insooth, he misapplied it.
The Weasell, Prince of Vermen (though besides a vertuous Beast)
By shrewdnes of my Grandsiers wit his Holes with hoords increaste,
And seem'd to conn him thankes, whō none besides had cause to thank
For Princes Fauours often make the fauored too cranke.
Not only Mice, but Lobsters, Cats, and noble Vermen paide
In comming Coram Nobis for some crime against them laide.
But, God, it is a world to see, when purposes be sped,
How Princes, hauing fatted Such, are with their fatnes fed:
The Weasel seru'd my Grandsier so, and euery Vermen laught
To see himselfe in Snare that had in Snares so many caught.
Now also liue some wylie Beasts, and fatly do they feede
Mongst Beasts of chace & birds of game, with lesse, then needfull heed.
My Graundsier dead, my Father was in fauour nerthelesse,
Nor did his Father more than he for high Promotion presse:
And (though I say it) long time he deserued fauors well,
For quayling Foe men, and at home such Vermen as rebell:
And for the same the Weasell did him mightily preferre:
But Honors made him haughtie, and his haughtines to erre.
I will be plaine, he waxt too prowd, and plotted higher drifts
Than fitted him, or fadged well, for who haue thriu'd by shifts?
Nor will I say (because his sonne) he wrong'd the Weasell, but
The Weasell died, and that that did succeede to shifts he put.
For which his Fathers Fortune did oretake him at the last:
Such fickelnesse in earthly pompe, which, flowing ebs as fast.
This double warning might haue iekt vnto my wit, but I
Did follow Kinde: Nay, more, I did importune Dis to fly,
And he did giue me these blacke wings, resembling him that gaue thē,
A proper Gift, and hardly got, to shame me now I haue them.
But know yee Dis? some Pluto him or Limbos God doe call,
Or, aptlier said, in Hell of diuels the Chiefe and Principall:
And somwhat now of him and how I changed say I shall.
Whō pride made praies to Kestrels, Kites, Cats, Weasels, Baē, & trap:
My Grandsier (for wheare Nature failes in strength she adds in wit)
Was full of Science: But, insooth, he misapplied it.
The Weasell, Prince of Vermen (though besides a vertuous Beast)
By shrewdnes of my Grandsiers wit his Holes with hoords increaste,
And seem'd to conn him thankes, whō none besides had cause to thank
For Princes Fauours often make the fauored too cranke.
Not only Mice, but Lobsters, Cats, and noble Vermen paide
In comming Coram Nobis for some crime against them laide.
But, God, it is a world to see, when purposes be sped,
How Princes, hauing fatted Such, are with their fatnes fed:
The Weasel seru'd my Grandsier so, and euery Vermen laught
To see himselfe in Snare that had in Snares so many caught.
Now also liue some wylie Beasts, and fatly do they feede
Mongst Beasts of chace & birds of game, with lesse, then needfull heed.
My Graundsier dead, my Father was in fauour nerthelesse,
Nor did his Father more than he for high Promotion presse:
179
For quayling Foe men, and at home such Vermen as rebell:
And for the same the Weasell did him mightily preferre:
But Honors made him haughtie, and his haughtines to erre.
I will be plaine, he waxt too prowd, and plotted higher drifts
Than fitted him, or fadged well, for who haue thriu'd by shifts?
Nor will I say (because his sonne) he wrong'd the Weasell, but
The Weasell died, and that that did succeede to shifts he put.
For which his Fathers Fortune did oretake him at the last:
Such fickelnesse in earthly pompe, which, flowing ebs as fast.
This double warning might haue iekt vnto my wit, but I
Did follow Kinde: Nay, more, I did importune Dis to fly,
And he did giue me these blacke wings, resembling him that gaue thē,
A proper Gift, and hardly got, to shame me now I haue them.
But know yee Dis? some Pluto him or Limbos God doe call,
Or, aptlier said, in Hell of diuels the Chiefe and Principall:
And somwhat now of him and how I changed say I shall.
I hapned on a Cranny, whilst my Mouse-daies lasted, which
I entring, wandred crooked Nookes and pathes as darke as pitch:
Theare, hauing lost my selfe, I sought the open aire in vaine,
Both wanting foode, & light, and life well neere through trauels paine.
The Moole by chaunce did crosse my way, and (as ye know) her smell
Supplies her want of sight and serues her purposefull as well:
I heard a tracting sound, and, skar'd, my haire did stand vpright,
Nor could I see, or fly, but feare and blesse me from a Spright:
She had me, hild me, questions of my being theare the cause,
And in meane while peruseth me with fauourable clawes.
I was about to plead for life, when she preuents me thus:
Ha, Cosen Mouse, what Fortune giues this meeting heere to vs?
Feare not my Sonne (I call thee Sonne because I loue thee much)
Doe hold thy selfe as merry heere as in a Pantlers hutch.
What know'st not me? or see'st thou not? with that she leadeth me
Into an higher roome, wheare her to be mine Eame I see.
I did my dutie, and my heart was lightned when mine eie
Encountered a friend whereas I made account to die.
Before me sets Shee Viands, and my stomacke seru'd me well:
And, hauing fed, my Grandsiers and my Fathers ends I tell,
(For she enquires for them, ere I acquaint her what befell.)
The reuerent Moole, then sighing, saide: ah, let no vermine thinke
That Fortune euer fauors, or that friends will neuer shrinke:
I did fore-smell their loftie flight would cost them once a fall,
And therefore, Cosen, see thou be forewarned therewithall.
Heere seest thou me (I tell thee, though I prise not Gentry now,
Thine Eame and of the elder house) that long agoe did vow
My selfe a Recluse from the world, and, celled vnder ground,
Least that the gould, the precious stones and pleasures here be found
Might happen to corrupt my minde, for blindnes did I pray,
And so contemplatiuely heere I with contentment stay.
Admitte the Weasell graceth thee, the more he doth the more
The other Vermen will maligne, and enuy thee therefore:
Himselfe, perhaps, will listen to thy ruine for thy store:
Or thou thy selfe, to mount thy selfe, maiest runne thy selfe a shore
That Vermen that hath reason, and his owne defects espies,
Doth seeme to haue a soule, at least doth thriue by such surmies,
For what is it but reason that humaine from brutish tries?
But man, or beast, neither hath troth that this for true denies,
He hath enough that hath wherewith pure Nature to suffies:
In ouerplus an ouercharge for soule and body lies,
For Souldiors, Lawyers, Carrions, Theeues, or Casualties a Prize,
His comber-minde that liues with it and leaues it when he dies,
From whom to catch it scarce his heire staies closing of his eies:
O wretched wealth, which who so wants no Fortune him enuies.
Here maiest thou feast thee with a Mad, & here no Pickethanke pries.
Into thy life, nor words well spoke to ill vnmeant applies:
No Flatterer to vndermind: no tongue no eare for lies:
No gleaning from the Orphant: no oppressed widowes cries:
No bribes to giue, no hands to take: no quarrelling for flies:
No wrongs to right: no lawes to breake, because no law that ties,
But what we lust we doe, nor doe nor lust badd enterprize,
And finde lesse want in Nature, than wits-want in Arts disguize:
Nor any heere in force, in friends, fraud, wealth or wit affies:
O doe thou not so rich, so safe, and iust a life despies:
Theare lacketh not of noble Births to star the courtly skies:
Nor want we Pollititians, thou maiest for thy Soule be wise:
Then leaue thou matters of estate to States, I thee aduise:
And rather sit thou safely still, than for a fall to rise.
I entring, wandred crooked Nookes and pathes as darke as pitch:
Theare, hauing lost my selfe, I sought the open aire in vaine,
Both wanting foode, & light, and life well neere through trauels paine.
The Moole by chaunce did crosse my way, and (as ye know) her smell
Supplies her want of sight and serues her purposefull as well:
I heard a tracting sound, and, skar'd, my haire did stand vpright,
Nor could I see, or fly, but feare and blesse me from a Spright:
She had me, hild me, questions of my being theare the cause,
And in meane while peruseth me with fauourable clawes.
I was about to plead for life, when she preuents me thus:
Ha, Cosen Mouse, what Fortune giues this meeting heere to vs?
Feare not my Sonne (I call thee Sonne because I loue thee much)
Doe hold thy selfe as merry heere as in a Pantlers hutch.
What know'st not me? or see'st thou not? with that she leadeth me
180
I did my dutie, and my heart was lightned when mine eie
Encountered a friend whereas I made account to die.
Before me sets Shee Viands, and my stomacke seru'd me well:
And, hauing fed, my Grandsiers and my Fathers ends I tell,
(For she enquires for them, ere I acquaint her what befell.)
The reuerent Moole, then sighing, saide: ah, let no vermine thinke
That Fortune euer fauors, or that friends will neuer shrinke:
I did fore-smell their loftie flight would cost them once a fall,
And therefore, Cosen, see thou be forewarned therewithall.
Heere seest thou me (I tell thee, though I prise not Gentry now,
Thine Eame and of the elder house) that long agoe did vow
My selfe a Recluse from the world, and, celled vnder ground,
Least that the gould, the precious stones and pleasures here be found
Might happen to corrupt my minde, for blindnes did I pray,
And so contemplatiuely heere I with contentment stay.
Admitte the Weasell graceth thee, the more he doth the more
The other Vermen will maligne, and enuy thee therefore:
Himselfe, perhaps, will listen to thy ruine for thy store:
Or thou thy selfe, to mount thy selfe, maiest runne thy selfe a shore
That Vermen that hath reason, and his owne defects espies,
Doth seeme to haue a soule, at least doth thriue by such surmies,
For what is it but reason that humaine from brutish tries?
But man, or beast, neither hath troth that this for true denies,
He hath enough that hath wherewith pure Nature to suffies:
In ouerplus an ouercharge for soule and body lies,
For Souldiors, Lawyers, Carrions, Theeues, or Casualties a Prize,
His comber-minde that liues with it and leaues it when he dies,
From whom to catch it scarce his heire staies closing of his eies:
O wretched wealth, which who so wants no Fortune him enuies.
Here maiest thou feast thee with a Mad, & here no Pickethanke pries.
Into thy life, nor words well spoke to ill vnmeant applies:
181
No gleaning from the Orphant: no oppressed widowes cries:
No bribes to giue, no hands to take: no quarrelling for flies:
No wrongs to right: no lawes to breake, because no law that ties,
But what we lust we doe, nor doe nor lust badd enterprize,
And finde lesse want in Nature, than wits-want in Arts disguize:
Nor any heere in force, in friends, fraud, wealth or wit affies:
O doe thou not so rich, so safe, and iust a life despies:
Theare lacketh not of noble Births to star the courtly skies:
Nor want we Pollititians, thou maiest for thy Soule be wise:
Then leaue thou matters of estate to States, I thee aduise:
And rather sit thou safely still, than for a fall to rise.
Not for shee was my Elder or mine Eame, but for the place
I hild my peace, that would haue sayd her Moolships minde was bace.
But she perceiues me to dissent, and saieth, Cosen Mouse,
Doe as you like, you shall not finde a prison of my house:
Stay while you will, goe when you will, come and returne at pleasure,
And euer welcome: Vertue is an vncompelled Treasure.
This past, and thence passe we through deepe darke waies, saue here & theare,
The vaines of gould and pretious stones made light in darke appeare:
Vaste Vaults as large as Iles we passe, great Riuers theare did flow,
Huge wormes & Mōsters theare I saw, which none on earth do know.
On goe we, till I saw a glimps, and she heard noise of flame,
Then said shee praiers, bidding me to blesse me from the same.
I, musing, frain'd her meaning: She her meaning thus did tell.
That flaming Region, euer such (quoth she) is Plutos Hel:
All gould, all mettals, wealth, and pompe that nourish Mortals pride
Are hence and his, and hether they doe theare mis-Guiders gide:
He them inchaunteth, and the same inchaunt the folke on Earth,
Vntill their dying dotage theare finds heere a liuing death.
Still nertheles I wisht to see the hellish Monarch Dis,
When he (more ready to be found then for our profite is)
Ore heard vs, and vnhid himselfe, and shinde in rich array,
And seem'd a glorious Angell, and full gently thus did say.
That slandrous blind bace-minded Moole, friend Mouse, deceiues thee much,
And prates of me, of Hell, and Earth more than is so or such:
Beleeue him not, but rather do beleeue thine eyes, and see
If any earthly pleasure is vntripl'd heere with mee.
Then shewde he sights (which since I found illusions to betray)
Of greater worth than Earth affords, or I haue Art to say:
Nay, more, he bids me aske what so I would, and I should haue it:
Then did I pause, bethinking what was rarest I might craue it.
My Holes were stor'd with corne and croomes, on Earth I walkt at will,
And in her Bowels now had seene indifferently my fill,
Vpon it, nor within it, not sufficing to my pride,
I asked winges, scarce asked when they grew on either side.
I hild my peace, that would haue sayd her Moolships minde was bace.
But she perceiues me to dissent, and saieth, Cosen Mouse,
Doe as you like, you shall not finde a prison of my house:
Stay while you will, goe when you will, come and returne at pleasure,
And euer welcome: Vertue is an vncompelled Treasure.
This past, and thence passe we through deepe darke waies, saue here & theare,
The vaines of gould and pretious stones made light in darke appeare:
Vaste Vaults as large as Iles we passe, great Riuers theare did flow,
Huge wormes & Mōsters theare I saw, which none on earth do know.
On goe we, till I saw a glimps, and she heard noise of flame,
Then said shee praiers, bidding me to blesse me from the same.
I, musing, frain'd her meaning: She her meaning thus did tell.
That flaming Region, euer such (quoth she) is Plutos Hel:
All gould, all mettals, wealth, and pompe that nourish Mortals pride
Are hence and his, and hether they doe theare mis-Guiders gide:
He them inchaunteth, and the same inchaunt the folke on Earth,
Vntill their dying dotage theare finds heere a liuing death.
Still nertheles I wisht to see the hellish Monarch Dis,
When he (more ready to be found then for our profite is)
182
And seem'd a glorious Angell, and full gently thus did say.
That slandrous blind bace-minded Moole, friend Mouse, deceiues thee much,
And prates of me, of Hell, and Earth more than is so or such:
Beleeue him not, but rather do beleeue thine eyes, and see
If any earthly pleasure is vntripl'd heere with mee.
Then shewde he sights (which since I found illusions to betray)
Of greater worth than Earth affords, or I haue Art to say:
Nay, more, he bids me aske what so I would, and I should haue it:
Then did I pause, bethinking what was rarest I might craue it.
My Holes were stor'd with corne and croomes, on Earth I walkt at will,
And in her Bowels now had seene indifferently my fill,
Vpon it, nor within it, not sufficing to my pride,
I asked winges, scarce asked when they grew on either side.
Short leaue I tooke, & mounting left the Hell-God and the Moole,
And soared to the open Aire through many a sory hoole.
It was at Twilight, and the Birds were gone to roust, but I
(Inchaunted with the noueltie of flight) vnweared flye,
And had the Sunne been vp, I ween (such pride bewitcht my wit
To Egel-fie my selfe) I had assayd to soare to it:
Not seeing that my limber wings were Leather-like vnplum'de,
But at the Dawning also I of wing-worke still presum'de.
The swallow (and I weene it was this Sallowes father) he
Was earliest vp, with him I met, and he admired me.
I hild him wing, and wistly he suruaies me round about,
And lastly, knowing who I was, did giue me many a flour,
And fled to tell the other birds, what vncouth Fowle was bred,
Who flockt to see me, till with gibes and girds I wisht mee ded.
Then, shifting out of sight, I hung till Twilight in a hoole,
Transformde, derided, hunger-spent, and (minding still the Moole)
In vaine I wisht reducement of my shape, and (which was worste)
My hap was harder than to owne in that distresse a Crust.
Then fled I to my wonted Holes, of hoorded food to get,
Too narrow by mine added wings that did mine entry let.
Now Mise fled me, not to the Moole I would returne for shame,
To Dis I durst not, mong'st the Birds I was a laughing game:
Then curst I mine aspiring minde, then knew I Dis a Diuell,
The Diuell the Prince of Pride, and Pride the roote of euery euill.
Hell, Earth, Aire, Heauen, and what not? then conspiring mine vnrest,
What might remaine but death for me that liued so vnblest?
But as I, fainting, flew that night your Ladiship, Dame Owle,
Did call me to your Todd, and glad to see a new night-fowle,
Did take me to your seruice, thence your Chamberlaine to be:
Ha Iupiter reward it you that so releeued mee.
It is a sweete continuall feast to liue content I see:
No daunger but in high estate, none enuy meane degree.
And soared to the open Aire through many a sory hoole.
It was at Twilight, and the Birds were gone to roust, but I
(Inchaunted with the noueltie of flight) vnweared flye,
And had the Sunne been vp, I ween (such pride bewitcht my wit
To Egel-fie my selfe) I had assayd to soare to it:
Not seeing that my limber wings were Leather-like vnplum'de,
But at the Dawning also I of wing-worke still presum'de.
The swallow (and I weene it was this Sallowes father) he
Was earliest vp, with him I met, and he admired me.
I hild him wing, and wistly he suruaies me round about,
And lastly, knowing who I was, did giue me many a flour,
And fled to tell the other birds, what vncouth Fowle was bred,
Who flockt to see me, till with gibes and girds I wisht mee ded.
Then, shifting out of sight, I hung till Twilight in a hoole,
Transformde, derided, hunger-spent, and (minding still the Moole)
In vaine I wisht reducement of my shape, and (which was worste)
My hap was harder than to owne in that distresse a Crust.
183
Too narrow by mine added wings that did mine entry let.
Now Mise fled me, not to the Moole I would returne for shame,
To Dis I durst not, mong'st the Birds I was a laughing game:
Then curst I mine aspiring minde, then knew I Dis a Diuell,
The Diuell the Prince of Pride, and Pride the roote of euery euill.
Hell, Earth, Aire, Heauen, and what not? then conspiring mine vnrest,
What might remaine but death for me that liued so vnblest?
But as I, fainting, flew that night your Ladiship, Dame Owle,
Did call me to your Todd, and glad to see a new night-fowle,
Did take me to your seruice, thence your Chamberlaine to be:
Ha Iupiter reward it you that so releeued mee.
It is a sweete continuall feast to liue content I see:
No daunger but in high estate, none enuy meane degree.
Then all this processe (quoth the Owle) doth tend, belike, to this,
That I should eate no Mouse-flesh: Nay, Sir Bat, so sweete it is
That thou, so neere of Kinne to them, shalt also serue my lust:
And therewithall in rutheles clawes the haplesse Bat she trust.
That I should eate no Mouse-flesh: Nay, Sir Bat, so sweete it is
That thou, so neere of Kinne to them, shalt also serue my lust:
And therewithall in rutheles clawes the haplesse Bat she trust.
|
CHAP. XXXVII.
Albions England | |