A discourse of The Queenes Maiesties entertainement in Suffolk and Norffolk With a description of many things then presently seene. Devised by Thomas Chvrchyarde ... with divers shewes of his own invention sette out at Norwich: And some rehearsal of hir Highnesse retourne from Progresse. Wherevnto is adioyned a commendation of Sir Humfrey Gilberts ventrous journey |
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Mondayes Deuice. The manner of Mercuries Coatche
and message to the Queene, requesting hir Highnesse to come abroade, and
see what pastyme the Gods had prouided for a noble Prince. |
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 | A discourse of The Queenes Maiesties entertainement in Suffolk and Norffolk |  |
Mondayes Deuice. The manner of Mercuries Coatche and message to the Queene, requesting hir Highnesse to come abroade, and see what pastyme the Gods had prouided for a noble Prince.
Mercuries speech.
Mvse not good Queene at me that message bringsFrom Ioue, or iust Iehoua, Lord of might,
No earthly God, yet gouernes mortall things,
And sprites diuine, and shining Angels bright.
This Lord of late to shew his mightie power,
Hath wonders wrought, when world lookt least therefore:
For at his becke, this day, and present houre,
The Heauens shakt, the thunder boltes did rore.
The earth did mooue, the dead therein did rise,
And out of graue, the Ghostes of men are gone,
The wandring Sprites that houered in the Skyes
Dropt downe from ayre, for world to wonder on.
The Sainctes themselues, that sate in glory great,
Were sent in hast, to worke Iehouas will,
And I that oft my restlesse wings do beate,
Was cald, to vse my wings and office still.
A common post is Mercury you know,
When he commaunds that made the world of nought,
And flyes as fast, as arrow out of bowe,
When message may expresse Iehouas thought.
Whose power deuine full long ere this hath seene,
That in this place should lodge a sacred Queene.
And waying well, the Prince whereof I speake,
Might weerie waxe of common pastimes heere,
(For that he knowes hir iudgement is not weake,)
Deuisd aboue, below there should appeare
(To welcome hir) some sights that rare should seeme,
And carelesse stoode, what world thereof did deeme:
So that good Queene, you take them well in worth.
No sooner had Iehoua meant these things,
But Cloudes clapt hands, and soules of men came foorth
Of Heauen gates, yea goodly crowned Kings
Were flowen abroade, from blessed Abrams brest:
Some in the ayre, and toppes of trees did rest,
Some suncke in Seas, whose names were drouned now,
And some did light on land where euery eye
May them behold, and note their manners throw.
And there withall, the blacke infernall spreetes
Ranne out of Hell, the earth so trembling than,
And like yong laddes they hopt about the streetes.
The Satyres wilde, in forme and shape of man
Crept through the wooddes, and thickets full of breeres,
The water Nymphes, and Feyries streight appeares
In vncouth formes, and fashion strange to view:
The hagges of Hell that hatefull are of kind,
To please the time, had learnd a nature new,
And all those things that man can call to mind,
Were gladde to come, and do their dutie throwe.
I seeing this, cald for my Coatch in hast,
Abide sir Boy, then sayd Iehoua now,
Thou goest not yet, vntill a Prince be plast
Where I appoynt, thou hast nothing to say.
Then still I stoode, to know what should be done.
With that, a swarme of people euery way
Like little Antes, about the fields gan runne,
Some to prouide for pomp and triumph great,
Some for good fare, yea household cates and meate,
And some they ranne to seeke where Poets dwell,
To penne foorth shewes, and paint out trifles well.
Some halde and puld, to bring the carredge in,
Some ranne to gaze on triumph neere at hand,
And some stoode mute, as they amazde had bin
To see a Court, and Princely noble band
Come marching on, and make heere their abode:
But when I saw the carredge heere vnlode,
And well had wayd the wonders I haue tolde,
O mighty God (quoth I) now giue me leaue
To goe from thee, some message to vnfold,
That by my speech the hearers may conceiue
Thy Godhead great, hath brought this Princesse here.
And tell hir, that she is to me so deere,
That I appoynt by mans deuice and arte,
That euery day she shall see sundrie shoes,
If that she please to walke and take the ayre:
And that so soone as out of dore she goes
(If time do serue, and weather waxeth fayre)
Some odde deuice shall meete hir highnesse streight,
To make hir smyle, and ease hir burthened brest,
And take away the cares and things of weight
That Princes feele, that findeth greatest rest.
When I had thus receyvd my charge at full,
My golden rodde in liuely hand I tooke,
And badde in hast my flying Horses pull.
But eare I past, I gan about me looke
To see that Coatch, and each thing gallant were:
So downe I came, all winged as you see.
And since I haue espyde that Princesse there,
That greatest Kings do sue to by degree,
And many mo that sues no whit, do feare,
I kisse hir steppes, and shew my maisters will,
And leaue with hir such graces from aboue,
As alwayes shall commaund hir peoples loue,
(Vphold hir raigne, maynteyne hir regall state,
Find out false harts, and make of subiectes true,
Plant perfite peace, and roote vp all debate)
So with this grace, good Queene now heere adue,
For I may now on earth no longer stey,
Than Seruants must to Maisters will obey.
| A discourse of The Queenes Maiesties entertainement in Suffolk and Norffolk | |