The Whole Works of William Browne of Tavistock ... Now first collected and edited, with a memoir of the poet, and notes, by W. Carew Hazlitt, of the Inner Temple |
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 | The Whole Works of William Browne |  |
Why should we enuy them those wreaths of Fame:
Being as proper to the Troian name,
As are the dainty flowres which Flora spreads
Vnto the Spring in the discoloured Meads?
Rather afford them all the worth we may,
For what we giue to them adds to our Ray.
And, Brittons, thinke not that your glories fall,
Deriued from a meane originall;
Since lights that may haue powre to check the darke,
Can haue their lustre from the smallest sparke.
“Not from Nobilitie doth Vertue spring,
“But Vertue makes fit Nobles for a King.
“From highest nests are croaking Rauens borne,
“When sweetest Nightingales sit in the Thorne.
From what low Fount soe're your beings are
(In softer peace and mighty brunts of warre)
Your owne worths challenge as triumphant Bayes
As euer Troian hand had power to raise.
And when I leaue my Musiques plainer ground,
The world shall know it from Bellona's sound.
Nor shall I erre from Truth; for what I write
She doth peruse, and helps me to indite.
The small conuerse which I haue had with some,
Branches which from those gallant trees haue come,
Doth what I sing in all their acts approue,
And with more daies increase a further loue.
Being as proper to the Troian name,
As are the dainty flowres which Flora spreads
Vnto the Spring in the discoloured Meads?
Rather afford them all the worth we may,
For what we giue to them adds to our Ray.
And, Brittons, thinke not that your glories fall,
Deriued from a meane originall;
Since lights that may haue powre to check the darke,
Can haue their lustre from the smallest sparke.
“Not from Nobilitie doth Vertue spring,
“But Vertue makes fit Nobles for a King.
“From highest nests are croaking Rauens borne,
“When sweetest Nightingales sit in the Thorne.
From what low Fount soe're your beings are
(In softer peace and mighty brunts of warre)
Your owne worths challenge as triumphant Bayes
As euer Troian hand had power to raise.
And when I leaue my Musiques plainer ground,
The world shall know it from Bellona's sound.
Nor shall I erre from Truth; for what I write
She doth peruse, and helps me to indite.
71
Branches which from those gallant trees haue come,
Doth what I sing in all their acts approue,
And with more daies increase a further loue.
| The Whole Works of William Browne | |