University of Virginia Library

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TO THE HIGH BORNE PRINCE OF MEN,

HENRIE THRICE Royall inheritor to the vnited kingdoms of Great Brittaine, &c.

Since perfect happinesse, by Princes sought,
Is not with birth, borne, nor Exchequers bought,
Nor followes in great Traines; nor is possest
VVith any outward State; but makes him blest
That gouernes inward; and beholdeth theare,
All his affections stand about him bare;
That by his power can send to Towre, and death,
All traitrous passions; marshalling beneath
His iustice, his meere will; and in his minde
Holds such a scepter, as can keepe confinde
His whole lifes actions in the royall bounds
Of Vertue and Religion; and their grounds
Takes-in, to sow his honours, his delights,
And complete empire. You should learne these rights
(Great Prince of men) by Princely presidents;
VVhich here, in all kinds, my true zeale presents
To furnish your youths ground worke, and first State;
And let you see, one Godlike man create
All sorts of worthiest men; to be contriu'd
In your worth onely; giuing him reuiu'd,
For whose life, Alexander would haue giuen
One of his kingdomes: who (as sent from heauen,
And thinking well, that so diuine a creature
VVould neuer more enrich the race of Nature)

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Kept as his Crowne his workes; and thought them still
His Angels; in all power, to rule his will.
And would affirme that Homers poesie
Did more aduance his Asian victorie,
Then all his Armies. O! tis wondrous much
(Though nothing prisde) that the right vertuous touch
Of a well written soule, to vertue moues.
Nor haue we soules to purpose, if their loues
Of fitting obiects be not so inflam'd.
How much then, were this kingdomes maine soule maim'd,
To want this great inflamer of all powers
That moue in humane soules? All Realmes but yours,
Are honor'd with him; and hold blest that State
That haue his workes to reade and contemplate.
In which, Humanitie to her height is raisde;
VVhich all the world (yet, none enough) hath praisde.
Seas, earth, and heauen, he did in verse comprise;
Out-sung the Muses, and did equalise
Their king Apollo, being so farre from cause
Of Princes light thoughts, that their grauest lawes
May finde stuffe to be fashiond by his lines.
Through all the pompe of kingdomes still he shines,
And graceth all his gracers. Then let lie
Your Lutes, and Viols, and more loftily
Make the Heroiques of your Homer sung,
To Drums and Trumpets set his Angels tongue:
And with the Princely sport of Haukes you vse,
Behold the kingly flight of his high Muse:
And see how like the Phoenix she renues
Her age, and starrie feathers in your funne;
Thousands of yeares attending; euerie one
Blowing the holy fire, and throwing in
Their seasons, kingdomes, nations that haue bin
Subuerted in them; lawes, religions, all
Offerd to Change, and greedie Funerall;
Yet still your Homer lasting, liuing, raigning;
And proues, how firme Truth builds in Poets faining.

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VVhat sets his Iustice, and his Truth, best forth,
(Best Prince) then vse best; which is Poesies worth.
For, as great Princes, well inform'd and deckt
VVith gracious vertue, giue more sure effect
To her perswasions, pleasures, reall worth,
Then all th' inferiour subiects she sets forth;
Since there, she shines at full; hath birth, wealth, state,

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Power, fortune, honor, fit to eleuate
Her heauenly merits; and so fit they are
Since she was made for them, and they for her:
So, Truth, with Poesie grac't, is fairer farre,
More proper, mouing, chaste, and regular,
Then when she runnes away with vntruss't Prose;
Proportion, that doth orderly dispose
Her vertuous treasure, and is Queene of Graces;
In Poesie, decking her with choicest Phrases,
Figures and numbers: when loose Prose puts on
Plaine letter-habits; makes her trot, vpon
Dull earthly businesse (she being meere diuine:)
Holds her to homely Cates, and harsh hedge-wine,
That should drinke Poesies Nectar; euerie way
One made for other, as the Sunne and Day,
Princes and vertues. And, as in a spring,
The plyant water, mou'd with any thing
Let fall into it, puts her motion out
In perfect circles, that moue round about
The gentle fountaine, one another, raising:
So Truth, and Poesie worke; so Poesie blazing,
All subiects falne in her exhaustlesse fount,
VVorks most exactly; makes a true account
Of all things to her high discharges giuen,
Till all be circular, and round as heauen.

And lastly, great Prince, marke and pardon me;
As in a flourishing, and ripe fruite Tree,
Nature hath made the barke to saue the Bole;
The Bole, the sappe; the sappe, to decke the whole
VVith leaues and branches; they, to beare and shield
The vsefull fruite; the fruite it selfe to yeeld
Guard to the kernell, and for that all those
(Since out of that againe, the whole Tree growes:)
So, in our Tree of man, whose neruie Roote
Springs in his top; from thence euen to his foote,
There runnes a mutuall aide, through all his parts,

The soule.

All ioyn'd in one to serue his Queene of Arts.

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In which, doth Poesie, like the kernell lie
Oscur'd; though her Promethean facultie
Can create men, and make euen death to liue;
For which she should liue honor'd; Kings should giue
Comfort and helpe to her, that she might still
Hold vp their spirits in vertue; make the will,
That gouernes in them, to the power conform'd;
The power to iustice; that the scandals, storm'd
Against the poore Dame, clear'd by your faire Grace,
Your Grace may shine the clearer. Her low place,
Not shewing her, the highest leaues obscure.
VVho raise her, raise themselues: and he sits sure,
VVhom her wing'd hand aduanceth; since on it
Eternitie doth (crowning Vertue) sit.
All whose poore seed, like violets in their beds,
Now grow with bosome-hung, and hidden heads.
For whom I must speake (though their Fate conuinces
Me, worst of Poets) to you, best of Princes.