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To his frende.

Eleg. 5.

Oure vse of frendshippe hath beene such, that thou wyth litle shame,
Through smal acquaintāce growen before, might wel haue clockte the same
In former bands of frendships law, vnlesse thou hadst beene tyde,
When that my shippe on safer streame, wyth happye winde did slyde.
But when I fell: eche man for feare, did shun my deepe decaye,
And wonted frends their wilye backs, from me they turnde awaye.
Yet were thou bould my blasted boones, wyth flach of Ioue his fyre,
To touch: and to my heauy house, wyth willing minde retyre.
That thou but lately knowen performe, myne elder mates refrainde,
Of whom skant two or three that now, to me poore wretch remainde.
Thy sorry lookes my selfe I sawe, and gaue to them regarde,
Thy face wyth teares like myne embrude, and palenes wel nere marde.
Thy doolefull drops I beare in minde, and wofull woords eche one,
In mouth the teares, in eares thy woords, full deepely now be gone.
My naked necke wyth heauy armes, thou frendlye didst embrace,
Wyth sithing sobbes did kisses heape, vppon my feareful face.
Yea absent now (O frend) I am, by force of thee protected,
Thou knowest that (frende) thy name encludes, which may not be detected.
And many tokens more I marckt, of thy vncloked loue,
Which in my brest I keepe full cloose, and shall not thence remoue.
God graunt thou may in quiet state, thy frendes desend, alwaye,
Whom nowe in better case thou helpes, of paynes to haue allaye.
Yet if that any shall enquyre (as like they wil do sone)
What life I leade in this meane space, by fortune all fordone.
Saye that some litle hope I haue, that Gods will graunt more grace,
From which do not withdraw thine ayde, if thou dost come in place.
And whether it I wrongfull craue, or that I do deserue,
In what thou may helpe thou thereto, and do not lightly swerue.
And loke what skill in conning speach, thou learned hast before,
Here on see that thou dost bestowe, to helpe my cause the more.
Howe much a man more noble is, so much more free from ire,
In valiant harts is sonest quencht, the rage of furies fire.
It doth suffice the Lyon fierce to see his ennemye yelde,
And not to slee the couching soe, that prostrate lyes in fielde.
Yet doth the Wolfe and Beare dispoyle, the yelding pray in place,
And eke eche other brutish beast, that springes of ruder race.
For what then great Achill was had, in more renowmed fame?
And he at Troye olde Priams teares, did not behold for shame.
Of Alexanders mercyes great, full sure records we haue,
By noble Pharos which doth stand, depainted on his graue.
I know the rage of noble mindes, to mercye lightly goo,
For Iuno sonne in law he is, that was her mortall foo.
In fine: of grace no signes I see, that driues me to distrust,
For that my fault no death deserues, of lawes that be so iust.
I haue not sought Augustus life, wyth treason vile to slaye,
Of totall earth the onlye head, to whom all men obaye.
I nought haue said nor babling tongue, haue spoken ought amis,
If I therefor offended haue, the wyne the causer is.
My giltlesse sight my payne haue wrought, which I therefore do blame.
From loking eyes my griefe doth grow, euen thus proceds the same.
Yet can I not my sondrye crymes, defend against all right,
But part of them is error plaine, and voyde of wilful spight.
This hope therefore remayneth yet, in time to get such grace,
So shall my paynes procure reliefe, by force of chaunged place.
Would to mee by shyning starre, which showes before the sonne,
At rysing redde with horse let go, this message might be don.