The Flovver of Fame Containing the bright Renowne, & moste fortunate raigne of King Henry the viii. Wherein is mentioned of matters, by the rest of our Chronographers ouerpassed. Compyled by Ulpian Fulwell. Hereunto is annexed (by the Author) a short treatice of iii. noble and vertuous Queenes. And a discourse of the worthie seruice that was done at Hadington in Scotlande, the seconde yere of the raigne of King Edward the sixt |
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In Prayse of the renowned Ladye Queene Katherin Par.
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 | The Flovver of Fame |  |
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In Prayse of the renowned Ladye Queene Katherin Par.
Dame Vertue longing to beholdher troupe of noble trayne:
Determined to take the vewe
of them that did remayne.
Appointing Fame with sound of trompe,
to sommon and assite:
Ech one that in her booke was namde
to be a worthy wight.
Of weomen sect (as for the rest)
another tyme should bee:
For famous menne to shewe theyr selues,
ech one in theyr degree.
This noble troupe assembled was
most goodly to behold:
And eche one called by theyr names
as Fame had them enrold.
The Goddesses sate in there seates,
the Graces placed were:
The Muses nyne, the noble Nimphes,
in theire degrees sat there.
Dame Vertue being cheefest iudge
and lady of the place:
Decreed that one among the rest,
should beare the cheefest mace.
Commaunding euery lady theare,
to answere to theyr name:
by voyce of noble Fame.
When this decree proclaymed was,
and all thinges whusht and still:
My greedy eyes to view this sighte,
coulde neuer gase their fill.
Then Fame calde for Vlisses wife,
whereto one sayde strayght waye:
That dyrefull death with cruell launce,
had lodgde her corse in claye.
Then heard I good Cornelia namde,
and many other calde:
Some aunswerde here, and some by fate
in earthy clod were stalde.
At last by lot the Cryer sayd,
where is that noble Dame:
That was the eight king Henries wife,
and had K. P. to name.
Wherto a noble English Queene,
that then was in the place:
Made aunswere that her mortall lyfe,
had run the fatall race.
Then vertue sent foorth saltie teares,
and bad the Cryer pawse:
And sayd shee lost the worthiest wight,
that euer kept her lawes.
Dame Pacience with wringing handes,
her dollor did declare:
And prudent pallas, for her parte,
no paynefull plaints did spare.
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resounded dolefull voyce:
The Graces all with rented heares,
in langor did reioyce.
In fyne the whole assembly there,
in sodayne sorowes were:
For ech one thought this noble Queene,
dame Vertues Mace shoulde beare.
At last stoode vp Virginitie,
attyred all in whyte:
Whose countenaunce lyke Phebus beames,
did yelde a heauenly lyght.
Unto the iudge dame Vertue shee,
her minde began to showe:
with Angels voice and Heauenly grace,
eche worde shee did bestow.
O noble Dames leaue off (quod shee)
your dumpyshe dolors staye:
And licence mee, O rightfull iudge.
somwhat herein to saye.
With that it was a ioye to see
How sorowes were resynde:
And Vertue bad Virginitie
proceede to say her minde.
Eche one attentiue eare gan bende
to heare this noble voice:
Whose prudent wordes and graue deuyse,
made all the rest reioyce.
This was the tale the Goddesse tolde,
O worthie wightes drawe neere:
are nowe assembled heere.
Ye are the troupe and noble trayne
that vertue hath embracde,
Whose endlesse fame for vertues sake,
shall neuer be defacde.
Here haue you hearde that auncient dames
by fatall stroke are slayne:
And yet theire names in booke of Fame
for euer shall remayne.
Among the rest Queene Katherin Par,
(so was her Parents name:)
Hath yelde her soule vnto the heauens,
yet left on earth her fame.
Unto whose lot it shoulde haue lyght
dame Vertues Mace to guyde:
But cruell Atrops all too soone,
her noble race enuyde.
Yet one among this worthie crewe
must take the charge in hande:
whose due desertes, for vertuous praise,
in chiefest place must stande.
Here is a royall Queene in place,
whose lyfe I knowe right well:
within whose brest, euen from a babe,
vnto this day I dwell.
Whome you (O Lady Vertue) fyrst
committed to my charge:
When nature made her perfect moulde,
her skill to shewe at large.
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in Cradle I attende:
You Lady Pallas came in haste,
your heauenly giftes to spende.
And Caliop with all her Nimphes,
made haste from Pernas hill:
For to adorne this peereles peace,
with perfect learned skill.
You lady Graces know right well,
and beare it yet in mynde:
What haste you made vnto this babe,
ye fearde to bee behynde.
In fyne her grace was theare adornde,
with all your giftes so well:
That outwarde shape and inwarde giftes,
Panthora did excell.
Her father was a royall king
graund Captain of the trayne:
Of all the worthie warlike wights
that fame did euer gayne.
Her noble Mother bare the bell
for vertue in her dayes:
Whose worthie fame with toung and Penne
hath reapte immortal prayse.
And shee a virgin (lo) doth were
the Fathers regall crowne:
And prudently doth wyeld the sworde,
with lardge and bright renowne.
She hath repressed errors blinde,
and causde Gods worde to shyne:
did neuer yet declyne.
Shee best deserues to haue the Mace,
that vertue meanes bestowe:
Elizabeth of England Queene,
you all her grace do knowe.
And let Queene Katherin Par enioye
Fame for her vertuous race:
And vnto Queene Elizabeth
dame vertue yeld thy Mace.
No sooner had virginitie,
this sentence vttred tho:
But all the reste with one consent,
sayde Lady be it so.
Then Vertue praysde the noble Mayde,
that thus this tale declarde:
Commaunding scilence to be synde
that iudgement myght be harde.
Then saide the Iudge, this is the doome,
and sentence in this case:
Queene Katherin Par in booke of Fame
shall haue a speciall place:
And noble Queene Elizabeth
as cheefest of my trayne:
Shall take this Scepter at my hande,
as meetest for to raygne.
Hereat this noble heauenly crewe
brake vp with greate delyte:
And I yet holde my Pen in hande
Queene Katherins lyfe to wryte.
| The Flovver of Fame | |