A discourse of The Queenes Maiesties entertainement in Suffolk and Norffolk With a description of many things then presently seene. Devised by Thomas Chvrchyarde ... with divers shewes of his own invention sette out at Norwich: And some rehearsal of hir Highnesse retourne from Progresse. Wherevnto is adioyned a commendation of Sir Humfrey Gilberts ventrous journey |
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 | A discourse of The Queenes Maiesties entertainement in Suffolk and Norffolk |  |
A welcome home to Master Martin Frobusher, and all those Gentlemen and Souldiers, that haue bene with him this last iourney, in the Countrey called (Meta incognita) whiche welcome was written since this Booke was put to the Printing, and ioyned to the same Booke, for a true testimony of Churchyardes goodwill, for the furtherance of Mayster Frobushers fame.
Fiue hundreth times, moste welcome homemy friendes that farre haue bin,
When thousands thought, that all was loste
your fleete came safely in:
To glad their harts, that long bewailde
your toyle and hazard great:
O giue me leaue, in English verse
a whyle on this to treat,
That doth dezerue, such worldes renowme
and come to such good end,
As forceth friends to fauour much
and foes may well commend.
You slouth full snayles, that creepe not far,
and loue your shelles so well,
in cottage poore that dwell,
Now will you blush, or bende the browe,
to see how trauelers thryue,
Nay, now you ought goe helpe your selues
and rather seeke to striue
Against ill happe, that holdes you here,
when others worke for wealth,
And trudge abrode, to lengthen life,
and nourish wished health.
But adle heades, and idle braynes,
and babling tongues, I trowe,
Had rather sitte in smokie house
(or on the dunghill crowe
Like crauen Cockes) than go abrode
where Fortune may be founde,
And serch where Gold, and Treasure lies
in bowels of the grounde.
A pecke of drosse, doth more content
the base and beggars minde,
Than heaped bushels, of good happe,
that paynefull toyle doth finde,
ô giue me ease and rest,
A groate in purse, a coate on backe,
a homely house and nest,
And fie on Fame, and profite both,
that cōmes by breake of sleepe,
And but vaine pleasures of this world,
both harde to winne and keepe.
O mizers mindes, and wretches hartes,
if all men sought their ease,
And none should search out golden mines,
nor seeke their gaine by seas,
The worlde would sone be at an end,
or meate and clothe would fayle,
And those that now doe laugh and smyle,
at length would weepe and wayle.
And all a like, should Lorde and ladde
be sette by ery where,
The foole and wise man, would be one:
and voyde of loue or feare
The world should stand; for wealth & wit
is that which gouernes all,
and shoes the great from small.
Jf each man were a like in wealth,
as rogues and beggars are,
And none had skill, nor great foresight
for countreys cause to care,
Adeu good rule, and ritches too
and farewell vertues prayse:
But God be thankt, that we are borne
to liue in happier dayes,
When wittes will worke for wealths auayle
and sundry ryde and runne,
Yea hoyse vp sayle, and go themselues
as far as shines the sunne
Through thick and thin, & feare no foile,
as though to their good mindes
The Gods had made the lande and Seas,
the skies, the ayre and windes,
To follow that they haue deuisd
that take these toyles in hand.
And of late dayes, so great a flocke
of these are in this land,
to wryte their names a right,
And yeelde the prayse, and liuely lawd
is due to eury wight.
In deede our age for many things
exceedes the season past,
And yet some say, all things be old
and shall whyles world doth last.
But if no new deuise, did helpe
the age of that is gone,
Full weake and lame would be old toyes
these dayes to looke vpon.
I graunt the graue, olde sages wise,
began to breake the yce,
Made smoeth rough ways, set vertue vp,
and flatly threw downe vice,
Built goodly towres, reard walles aloft,
and to be briefe and short,
Saylde throwe a world, saw eury creeke
and knew each common port,
But all they did, hath time reformd
or made more perfite still,
tooke place from auntient skill.
So though our elders trauaylde farre,
yea, went the worlde about:
Yet many things, our fathers witts,
as yet could nere finde out:
Whiche they did leaue, to yonger heads,
and men of later birth,
To search, & see, what hidden wealth,
lay lurking deepe in earth:
As loe, in (Meta cognita)
is knowne, & founde of laet,
By those, that through their venture great
both golde and glory gaet.
O Frobusher, thy brute and name
shalbe enrold in bookes,
That whosoeuer after cōms,
and on thy labour lookes
Shall muse and maruell at thyne actes,
and greatnesse of thy minde.
J say no more, least some affirme
J fanne thy face with winde,
well, God shall witnesse be,
In this thy prayse (and other Bookes)
I speake but right of thee.
A Boke I made, at thy Farewell,
in prose (where ere it is)
Another for thy Welcome home,
thou shalte haue after this,
If this mislike thee any whitte.
So here mine owne good friend
I bid thee welcome once againe,
and therewith make an ende.
| A discourse of The Queenes Maiesties entertainement in Suffolk and Norffolk | |