University of Virginia Library

Behold the worke which once thou didst impose
Great sister of the Muses glorious starre
Of femall worth, who didst at first disclose
Unto our times, what noble powers there are
In womens harts, and sent example farre
To call vp others to like studious thoughts
And mee at first from out my low repose
Didst raise to sing of state and tragicke notes
Whilst I contented with an humble song
Made musique to my selfe that pleasd me best
And onely told of Delia and her wrong
And praisd her eyes, & plaind mine owne vnrest
A text from whence muse had not digrest
Had I not seene thy well grac'd Anthonie
Adornd by thy sweet stile in our faioe tongue
T'expect his Cleopatras company.
And that those notions which at first in me
The, then dilicious Wilton did impresse
That arbor of the Muses grac'd by thee
And which did likewise grace thy worthinesse
Were growne to apprehend how th'images
Of action and of greatnesse figured were
Made me attempt t'attire her misery
In th'habit I conceiu'd became her care
Which if to her it be not fitted right
Yet in the sute of nature sure it is
And is the language that affliction might
Perhaps deliuer when it spake distresse
And as it was I did the same addresse
To thy cleere vnderstanding and therein
Thy noble name, as in her proper right
Continued euer since that time hath beene
And so must likewise still, now it is cast
Into this shape that I haue giuen thereto
Which now must stand, being like to be the last
That I shall euer herein haue to doo.
And glad I am I haue renewd to you
The vowes I owe your worth, although thereby
There can no glory vnto you accrew
Who consecrate your proper memory.
Those holy Hymnes the melody of heauen
Which Israels singer to his God did frame
Vnto thy voice eternall fame hath giuen
And shews thee deer to him frō whence they can
In them shall rest thy euer reuerent name
So long as Sions God remaineth honored
And till confusion hath all zeale bereauen
And murthered faith and temples ruined
By them great Lady you shall then be knowne
When Wilton may lie leuell with the ground
And this is that which you may call your owne
Which sacrilegious Time cannot confound:
Here you suruiue your selfe, here are you found
Of late succeeding ages fresh in fame,
This monument cannot be ouerthrowne,
Where in eternall brasse remaines your name.
O that the Ocean did not bound our stile
Within these strict and narrow limits, so,
But that the musique of our well tund Ile
Might hence be heard to Mintium arme & Po,
That they might know how far Thames doth out goe
Declined Tybur, and might not contemne.
Our Northern tunes, but now another while
Receiue from vs more then we had from them

Or why may not some after comming hand
Vnlock these limits, open our our confines,
And breake a sunder this imprisoning band
T'inlarge our spirits, and let out our designes
Planting our roses on the Apinines,
And to Iberus, Loyce and Arue to teach
That we part glory with their, and our land
Being match forworth, comes not behind in speech

Let them produce the best of all they may
Since Rome left bearing, who bare more thē men
And we shall paralell them euery way
In all the glorious actions of the men.
Our Phœbus is the same that theirs hath beene,
How euer ignorance, phantesticke growne
Rates them aboue the valew that they pay,
And likes strange notes, and disesteemes our owne
They cannot shew a Sidney, let they shew
All their choice peeces, and bring all in one
And altogether shall not make that shew
Of wonder and delight, as he hath done:
He hath th'Olimpian prize (of all that run
Or euer shall witd mortall powers) possest
In that faire course of glory and yet now
Sydney is not our all, although our best.
That influence had Elizaes blessed peace
Peculiar to her glory as it spread
That sacred flame of many, and th'increase
Did grace the season, and her honored
And if the same come now extinguished
By the distemprature of time, and cease
Suffice we were not yet behind the rest,
But had our part of glory with the best.