Romes Monarchie, Entitvled The Globe of Renowmed Glorie Briefly comprehending the first foundation and building of Rome by Romulus: The principall warres and conquests of the Romanes after the time of their first choosing Consuls, till Iulius Caesar attaining soly to the Empire, and from him more briefly to Nero. Where in small compasse is described, manie most noble, and vertuous acts, atchieued in their said warres, and conquests; strange Tragedies, secret practises and policies, Ambition, hate, and reuenge: and how insurrections, rebellion, strife, ciuill discord and discention preuailing, was the onely plague, ruine, and vtter destruction of many great Monarchies, Kingdomes, Cities, and Countries. Translated out of the French and Italian histories by E. L |
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 | Romes Monarchie, Entitvled The Globe of Renowmed Glorie |  |
CAP. 14.
The fortunate and prosperous raigne of Octauius Augustus Cæsar, in whose time our Sauiour Christ Was borne.
When Summers heat, with parching flames had burnd
The earths fresh coate, deckt sweet by Flora queene,
Whose colours gaye, to russet browne was turnd,
Through drought, fire hot, each pleasant field was seene
Bare backt, deep scortcht with chawnes, in steede of green
Ceres vncrownde, her garland withered ripe,
Pan, haruest home to Swaines, had playd with pipe.
The earths fresh coate, deckt sweet by Flora queene,
Whose colours gaye, to russet browne was turnd,
Through drought, fire hot, each pleasant field was seene
Bare backt, deep scortcht with chawnes, in steede of green
Ceres vncrownde, her garland withered ripe,
Pan, haruest home to Swaines, had playd with pipe.
Fruites falling fast Autum the same did hye,
Cleare dayes began to be o'recast with cloudes,
Turning to mists, and raine descends the skye:
Birds couerts seeke, and beasts together crowdes
Close from the cold, in house by fire shrowdes
The rustique sort, and greater swaynes beside,
Content perforce the winters wrath to bide.
Cleare dayes began to be o'recast with cloudes,
Turning to mists, and raine descends the skye:
Birds couerts seeke, and beasts together crowdes
Close from the cold, in house by fire shrowdes
The rustique sort, and greater swaynes beside,
Content perforce the winters wrath to bide.
Whilst chilling colde with many a bitter blast,
Disroabes the trees, and bating quight the ground,
When Saturne with his cruell lookes doth cast
A mantle thicke, the colour seene and found
White euery where, (but skies blacke) low all round
This globe vpon, and when's depending seene
Trees leau'd with yce, in liew of Sommers greene.
Disroabes the trees, and bating quight the ground,
When Saturne with his cruell lookes doth cast
A mantle thicke, the colour seene and found
White euery where, (but skies blacke) low all round
This globe vpon, and when's depending seene
Trees leau'd with yce, in liew of Sommers greene.
When whistling windes do sheere the tender skinne,
And razor like, piercing, doth make a raze
On seelie creatures, barely clad, and thinne,
Nye staru'de with cold, looking with ruefull grace,
Doe wish the spring to hasten on a pace,
Which doth ensue: when Phœbe warme beames doth show
His force from high, to dying things below.
And razor like, piercing, doth make a raze
On seelie creatures, barely clad, and thinne,
Nye staru'de with cold, looking with ruefull grace,
Doe wish the spring to hasten on a pace,
Which doth ensue: when Phœbe warme beames doth show
His force from high, to dying things below.
Then from his hole the seelie flye doth creepe,
For ioy to feele the warmth approaching nye,
Each creature else, whom winters wrath made weepe,
Reioyce cloudes past, beholding cleere the skye:
Beastes caues, fruites earth, fowles naked bushes flie,
Mounting towards ayre, and all doe seeme to sing,
The sweetest time (of all) is in the spring.
For ioy to feele the warmth approaching nye,
Each creature else, whom winters wrath made weepe,
Reioyce cloudes past, beholding cleere the skye:
Beastes caues, fruites earth, fowles naked bushes flie,
Mounting towards ayre, and all doe seeme to sing,
The sweetest time (of all) is in the spring.
Which season chaunst when Cæsars burning sunne
And haruest toyle, began to end, and drew
both Autumne, and his winter course in one,
Dispoyling him of all his prime gaynd hue,
Octauius spring began the world anew:
So fresh a spring as neuer was before
Vpon the earth, nor euer shall be more.
And haruest toyle, began to end, and drew
both Autumne, and his winter course in one,
Dispoyling him of all his prime gaynd hue,
Octauius spring began the world anew:
So fresh a spring as neuer was before
Vpon the earth, nor euer shall be more.
Cæsar thus slaine, his glory laied downe low,
His force that late did through the world flie,
Ambitious mindes doth point, and as t'were show,
Their vading ioy, when they haue toucht the skie:
Great is their fall, that seeke to climbe on hie,
Restlesse their mindes, besides their bodies toyle,
Consuming time, themselues with cares do spoyle.
His force that late did through the world flie,
Ambitious mindes doth point, and as t'were show,
Their vading ioy, when they haue toucht the skie:
Great is their fall, that seeke to climbe on hie,
Restlesse their mindes, besides their bodies toyle,
Consuming time, themselues with cares do spoyle.
Octauius, who was Cæsars sisters sonne,
(The birth of whom recounted is before)
Such loue belike had of the souldiers wonne,
Of Legions he did gather a great store,
Reuengement of his vncles death he bore
Secret in mind, but seemde, as though that he
Tooke armes to fight, against Marc Antonie.
(The birth of whom recounted is before)
Such loue belike had of the souldiers wonne,
Of Legions he did gather a great store,
Reuengement of his vncles death he bore
Secret in mind, but seemde, as though that he
Tooke armes to fight, against Marc Antonie.
In fauour of the publique state and weale:
But ere t'was long, th'empire did diuide
With him, and Lepidus, they three to deale
In causes all, before them to be tried:
Triumuirates so cald, for to decide
Matters of warre, of peace, contention, strife,
What euer els, concerned goods, or life.
But ere t'was long, th'empire did diuide
With him, and Lepidus, they three to deale
In causes all, before them to be tried:
Triumuirates so cald, for to decide
Matters of warre, of peace, contention, strife,
What euer els, concerned goods, or life.
Marc Antonie at this time bare such sway,
As by his power he gaue commandement,
Marcus Tullius Cicero, for to slay,
Who late in warres with power against him went:
(This same was he that was so eloquent)
But now behold how enuy sowed seede,
Quarrels betweene the Triumuirates to breede:
As by his power he gaue commandement,
Marcus Tullius Cicero, for to slay,
Who late in warres with power against him went:
(This same was he that was so eloquent)
But now behold how enuy sowed seede,
Quarrels betweene the Triumuirates to breede:
For Lepidus, deposde his office fro,
Vpon suspition of some trecherie,
Esteem'd Octauius for his mortall foe:
Reuengde to be, drew to him Antonie,
To Egypt-ward they both in hast did flie,
Where Antonte tooke after vnto wife
Cleopatra, which bred foule hate and strife.
Vpon suspition of some trecherie,
Esteem'd Octauius for his mortall foe:
Reuengde to be, drew to him Antonie,
To Egypt-ward they both in hast did flie,
Where Antonte tooke after vnto wife
Cleopatra, which bred foule hate and strife.
Cupid (blind god) the Romanes heart did wound,
At sight of this Egyptian (stately dame)
Agreeing both, conuenient time was found,
To quench desires heate, and burning flame:
Strange may it seeme to some, the noble fame
These two liu'd in, with honour, wealth at will,
All pleasures sought, their minds for to fulfill.
At sight of this Egyptian (stately dame)
Agreeing both, conuenient time was found,
To quench desires heate, and burning flame:
Strange may it seeme to some, the noble fame
These two liu'd in, with honour, wealth at will,
All pleasures sought, their minds for to fulfill.
Fine sumptuous feastes, delights, with triumpes braue:
What daintie thing was thought on, was not had:
Gold, pearle, stone, attyre, that hart could craue,
Nothing did want, that might their minds make glad,
Sportes were deuisde, t'expell all causes sad,
This life they led: but Antonie to blame
For one part plaid, which wrought his end with shame.
What daintie thing was thought on, was not had:
Gold, pearle, stone, attyre, that hart could craue,
Nothing did want, that might their minds make glad,
Sportes were deuisde, t'expell all causes sad,
This life they led: but Antonie to blame
For one part plaid, which wrought his end with shame.
Octauius sister he had espousde before:
Casting her off, th'egyptian tooke to wife,
Which now at last grew to a canker sore,
A cause that moued Cæsar vnto strife:
When Antonie, amidst this pleasant life
With his rich queene of Egypt wearing crowne:
Dread set apart, fortune began to frowne.
Casting her off, th'egyptian tooke to wife,
Which now at last grew to a canker sore,
A cause that moued Cæsar vnto strife:
When Antonie, amidst this pleasant life
With his rich queene of Egypt wearing crowne:
Dread set apart, fortune began to frowne.
Cæsar his armie into Egypt lead:
Egyptians force the Romanes made to flie,
Hast and away, who fast did runne best sped,
Cleopatra, and her braue Antonie,
Their high estate brought downe by destinie:
Force, and hope, faylde, their welfare to regaine,
Excesse was turn'd, to penurie and paine.
Egyptians force the Romanes made to flie,
Hast and away, who fast did runne best sped,
Cleopatra, and her braue Antonie,
Their high estate brought downe by destinie:
Force, and hope, faylde, their welfare to regaine,
Excesse was turn'd, to penurie and paine.
Recalling both their former liues to count,
Now feeling want, reliefe to them was strange:
No hope againe, vnto their state to mount,
Despaire throughout their sences all did range,
Working vile meanes, their wretched liues to change,
With griefe of which, so nipped both their hartes,
As loathing life, the same to death impartes.
Now feeling want, reliefe to them was strange:
No hope againe, vnto their state to mount,
Despaire throughout their sences all did range,
Working vile meanes, their wretched liues to change,
With griefe of which, so nipped both their hartes,
As loathing life, the same to death impartes.
The Empire sole Octauius then did sway;
Antonie dead, peace through the world was:
Fortie foure yeares, he raigned day by day,
And in the twentith nine, it came to passe
That Iesu Christ, our onely Messias
Was borne, (for vs) of a pure virgine,
Our soules from hell, for to redeeme and winne.
Antonie dead, peace through the world was:
Fortie foure yeares, he raigned day by day,
And in the twentith nine, it came to passe
That Iesu Christ, our onely Messias
Was borne, (for vs) of a pure virgine,
Our soules from hell, for to redeeme and winne.
The Monarch now long resting without warre,
Nation not any durst once striue gainst Romes state,
By sea, or land, neere hand, or yet a farre.
The first that did, were Germanes full of hate,
People that time, louing strife and debate:
But subiects Cæsar brought them vnder yoke,
So fortunate he was, and bare such stroke.
Nation not any durst once striue gainst Romes state,
By sea, or land, neere hand, or yet a farre.
The first that did, were Germanes full of hate,
People that time, louing strife and debate:
But subiects Cæsar brought them vnder yoke,
So fortunate he was, and bare such stroke.
Some say that oft reuoluing in his minde,
The burden great of gouernment he bare,
Determind once, the same to haue assignde
To others, to discharge him of that care:
But priuate being, knew not how t'would fare,
To leade that life might be vnto him strange,
Doubting besides of Romes estate the change,
The burden great of gouernment he bare,
Determind once, the same to haue assignde
To others, to discharge him of that care:
But priuate being, knew not how t'would fare,
To leade that life might be vnto him strange,
Doubting besides of Romes estate the change,
Of noble minde, with vertues fully fraught
Peace to obserue, both liberall, bountie, free
To learned men, who vertue, sought, and taught:
For in his time, most higest in degree
And perfect fine, (it's written for to bee)
The Latin tongue, but now corrupt, vnpure
To that was then, which we haue now in vre.
Peace to obserue, both liberall, bountie, free
To learned men, who vertue, sought, and taught:
For in his time, most higest in degree
And perfect fine, (it's written for to bee)
The Latin tongue, but now corrupt, vnpure
To that was then, which we haue now in vre.
When as the terme of fortie foure yeares
Expired was, Cæsar at vtmost date
Of life, did leaue (as by record appeares)
In quiet peace his high Imperiall state,
A thing (no doubt) ordainde before by fate
So for to be, for good of all mankinde,
As learned clarkes in holy writ doe finde.
Expired was, Cæsar at vtmost date
Of life, did leaue (as by record appeares)
In quiet peace his high Imperiall state,
A thing (no doubt) ordainde before by fate
So for to be, for good of all mankinde,
As learned clarkes in holy writ doe finde.
| Romes Monarchie, Entitvled The Globe of Renowmed Glorie | |