The complete works of John Lyly :: :: University of Virginia Library

The complete works of John Lyly

now for the first time collected and edited from the earliest quartos with life, bibliography, essays, notes and index by R. Warwick Bond

Lyly, John (1554?-1606)

III.

CERTAINE ENGLISHE Verses, presented vnto the Queenes most excellent Maiestie, by a Courtier: In ioy of the most happie disclosing, of the most dangerous conspiracies pretended by the late executed Traitours, against her royall person, and the whole Estate.

POEMS

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467

To the most renowned Queene, Owner of the best Crowne, & crowned with the best desertes, the lyuing Loue of dying Loricus.

I Loricus, Bodie sicke,
Sences sounde, Remembraunce quicke,
Neuer crauing, euer seruing,
Little hauing, lesse deseruing,
Though a hartie true wellwiller
Of the Crowne & crowned Piller,
To that Crowne, my lyues content,
Make my Will & Testament.

468

Soule! goe first to heauenlie rest;
Soule the Bodies heauenlie gueste,
Where, both Host & Inn decaying,
Yeld the gueste no quiet staying.

Bodie! back againe, departe;
Earth thou wast, & Earth thou arte.
Mortall creatures still be jurneing,
From the earth to earth returning.

As for anie worldlie lyuing
Nothing haue I woorth the geeuing:
Let the baser indeed take them,
We which follow God forsake them.

But if anie wishe to dwell,
As I did, in homely Cell,
Let him pull his Castells downe,
And as I did serue the Crowne.
Serue the Crowne, O Crowne deseruing,
Better than Loricus seruing.

In witness whereof I haue set to my hande & harte, LORICUS, Columnæ coronatæ Custos fidelissimus. In presence of us whose names are underwritten, Stellatus, Rectoriæ Coronatæ Capellanus. Renatus, Equitus Coronati Servus obseruantissimus.