The Poetical Works of William Basse :: :: University of Virginia Library

This Laureat Nymph, one of the daughters nine
Of fruitfull Memory, whose maine delight
Is various verse, to honour those who shine
In noble deeds, true fame, and vertues bright
(And therefore by her Parents both divine
By name of Polihymnia stiled right),
No more contented with the slender light
Of my poore bower, Thus venters to arise
Into the rayes of your resplendant eyes.

2

For why, she (like her other sisters) knowes
Renowned Ricots garlands still are seene

150

Like to the Bayes that on Pernassus growes,
And there shall last eternally as greene:
Where Love in friends, and feare in forraigne foes
To Norreys namein former dayes, are seene
As fresh as if they yesterday had beene:
And you (Rare Lady) both in birth and spirit
The only heire that all their worthes inherit.

3

Now since the happy humor of this Muse
(Happy in choyce of noblenesse so true)
Aymes at your vertuous hand, lest she should loose
Through my obscuritie the way thereto,
She humbly sues that she the light may use
Of your bright eyes to lead her unto you
Load-star too radiant such prize to view,
But noble grace enriches what is poore,
The lesse the merit, th'honor is the more.

4

For had not you into this twofold light,
Of Muse-befreinding Phœbus, and your owne,

151

Commanded them, my slender Poems might
In dark obscuritye have slept unknowne.
Whence, so by you redeem'd, These (as your right,
Illustrious Lady) wait on you alone,
Their life to lengthen, by depending on
Your name and vertues that will live renown'd
While Fame has breath her ivory Trump to sound.

153

To the Right Hon. Francis Lord Norreys, Earl of Berkshire (In his dayes).

(Fragment.)

5

O true nobilitie, and rightly grac'd
With all the jewels that on thee depend;
Where goodnesse doth wth greatnesse live embrac'd,
And outward stiles on inward worth attend;
Where ample lands in ample hands are plac'd,
And ancient deeds with ancient coats descend:
Where noble bloud combin'd with noble spirit
Forefathers fames doth, with their formes, inherit:

154

6

Where ancestors examples are perus'd
Not in large tomes or costly tombs alone,
But in their heires; and, being dayly us'd,
Are (like their robes) more honourable growne:
Where Loyalty with Piety is infus'd,
And publique rights are cherished wth their owne;
Where worth still finds respect; good friend, good word;
Desart, reward. And such is Ricot's Lord.

7

But what make I (vaine voyce) in midst of all
The Quires that have already sung the fame
Of this great House, and those that henceforth shall
(As that will last) for ever sing the same?
But if on me my garland justly fall,
I justly owe my musique to this name:
For he unlawfully usurps the Bayes,
That has not sung in noble Norrey's prayse.

8

In playne (my honour'd Lord) I was not borne,
Audacious vowes, or forraigne legs, to use;
Nature denyed my outside to adorne,
And I of art to learne outsides refuse.
Yet, haveing of them both enough to scorne
Silence & vulgar prayse, this humble Muse,
And her meane favourite, at yor com̄and
Chose, in this kinde, to kisse your noble hand.

155

To the Right Hon. the Lady Viscountess Falkland, upon her going into Ireland, two Sonnets.

What happy song might my Muse take in hand,
Great Lady, to deserve your Muses care?
Or skill to hold you in this amorous land,
That held you first, and holds you still so deare?
Must needs your anchor taste another sand,
Cause you your praise are nobly loth to heare?
Be sure your praises are before you there,

156

How much your fame exceeds your Caracts sayle:
Nay, more than so; your selfe are every where
In worth, but where the world of worth doth fayle.
What boots it, then, to drive, or what to steere?
What doth the axle or the ore avayle?
Since whence you ride you cannot part away,
And may performe your voyage, though you stay.

157

THE YOUTH IN THE BOAT.

(Fragment.)

When we our young and wanton houres
Have spent in vaine delight,
To shew you how celestiall powers
At length can set us right;

How they can frame our mindes unfixt
Unto their just directions,
When waveringly we reele betwixt.
Opinions or affections;

158

How fatall it may sometimes prove
Unto our frayle estate,
Vainly to hate what we should love,
And love what we should hate.

1

For some unknowne, but grievous crime
Against the Gods committed,
A young man on a time, (sad time,
And young man to be pittyed)

2

Put forth to Sea (when Sea was swell'd
With winde and tempest sore)
Abourd a little Barque, which held
Himselfe, and but two more.

3

As Master, Mate, and Sayler far'd
This youth, and with his hand
Rul'd Helme and Rudder, Sayle and Cord,
And Boat both steer'd and man'd.

4

And though the building of this Boate
Concernes my tale not much,
Nor much it doth deserve your note
The workmans name to touch—

5

Her Keele was all of Cypresse built,
Her Mast of fragrant Firre;
Her Oares were Ivory, Sterne was guilt,
And calk'd she was with Myrrh.

159

6

He that her Ship-wright was, and made
Her timber-worke, is thought
To be young Perdix, who this trade
By Dedalus was taught.

7

Her Sayles, some say, Arachne wove,
They were so richly done:
And that Ulisses constant Love
Her flaxen Cable spun.

8

And grant all this for true, (or true
Though grant it to be thought)
Yet works of Art, how short are you
Of works by Nature wrought?

9

For though this Barke was but three strong,
(Weake Vessel! strong but three,)
Tall Ship from Indian voyage long
Ne're brought such prize as she.

10

For with two Damsells was she lade,
The one of beauty such

160

The Captaine her his idoll made,
And she him scorn'd as much.

11

The other though not all so bright
As was her Mate; yet one
That in him tooke all true delight,
But he in her tooke none.

12

No other ballast (then) did trim
This Ship: you may conceit
His Love to one, one's Love to him,
Made both sides equall weight.

13

And Neèdle (sure) she needed none
By poynt or pole to passe,
When he was Loadstone unto one,
And one his Load-star was. [OMITTED]

161

FRAGMENTS

[_]

(Probably from the poem entitled “Of Witham House, Oxfordshire, the house of a Noble Knight and favourer of my Muse”).

These prov'd themselves from Pegasus derived:
There doth the northern spur oft draw a rayne
From the fleet flanks of Barbary or Spayne,

162

And wilde Arabia, whose tincture dyed
Greene earth with purple staynes of bestiall pride.
[OMITTED]
Lo! but too ofte of man and horse, when young,
The naked heele and hammered hoofe I sung;
Which now to heare, or reade, might please some men,
Perchance, as youthful now as I was then.

L'ENVOY.

[_]

(From the Cole MS.)

Go, sweet Polymnia, Thanks for all your Cost
And Love to me; wherein no Love is lost.
As you have taught me various verse to use,
I have taught you to be a Christian Muse.