 | The Poeticall Essayes of Alexander Craige |  |
TO THE KINGES MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE.
Epistle Congratulatorie & Perænetic.
Scarse had my Muse respir'd the smallest space,
From paynting prayses of our ciuill Pace,
Pack'd vp by thee most gratious King of late
In Calidons disturb'd vnquiet state,
When loe the Kalendes of this pleasent Spring,
Vnto my eares did ioyfull tydinges bring,
That bles'd Eliza had resignd her breath,
And payde the last and hindmost debt to death:
(O fearefull death! the fatall end of all,
With equall Mace thou chops both great and small)
And thou design'd her Diadems to weyre,
Of royall blood her nyest agnat heyre.
From paynting prayses of our ciuill Pace,
Pack'd vp by thee most gratious King of late
In Calidons disturb'd vnquiet state,
When loe the Kalendes of this pleasent Spring,
Vnto my eares did ioyfull tydinges bring,
That bles'd Eliza had resignd her breath,
And payde the last and hindmost debt to death:
(O fearefull death! the fatall end of all,
With equall Mace thou chops both great and small)
And thou design'd her Diadems to weyre,
Of royall blood her nyest agnat heyre.
Thou like a Noah long has kep't thy Arke,
Thoyld many storme by day, and gloomie darke:
Yet would not breake thy ward till time thy God,
Hath lent thee leaue, and bids thee walke abrode:
But his commaund since thou would nothing do,
Loe he hath ioynd his blessinges therevnto.
Come foorth with Wife and Children, sweete command,
The blessing breok and multiply the land.
Thoyld many storme by day, and gloomie darke:
Yet would not breake thy ward till time thy God,
Hath lent thee leaue, and bids thee walke abrode:
But his commaund since thou would nothing do,
Loe he hath ioynd his blessinges therevnto.
Come foorth with Wife and Children, sweete command,
The blessing breok and multiply the land.
Thus am I solu'd of all my wonted doubt,
Nor wits nor weirdes thy fortunes bringes about,
But that eternall prouidence aboue:
Which thou art bound to serue, with feare and loue.
Those newes of new, haue wak'd my sleeping vaine,
And makes me write vnto your Grace againe
Most harty greetings of thy happy chaunce,
Since thou art King of England, Ireland, Fraunce,
Besides that famous and vnmatch'd renowne
Of thy vnconquered olde and Scottish Crowne.
Long desuetude hath rusted so my quill,
My wits are weake, but great is my good will.
Though scoffing Idiots will my paines depraue,
And Aristarchus all the credite haue.
I am to thee (dread Leige) thy aerie Elfe:
I borrow but thy words to prayse thy selfe.
Nor wits nor weirdes thy fortunes bringes about,
But that eternall prouidence aboue:
Which thou art bound to serue, with feare and loue.
Those newes of new, haue wak'd my sleeping vaine,
And makes me write vnto your Grace againe
Since thou art King of England, Ireland, Fraunce,
Besides that famous and vnmatch'd renowne
Of thy vnconquered olde and Scottish Crowne.
Long desuetude hath rusted so my quill,
My wits are weake, but great is my good will.
Though scoffing Idiots will my paines depraue,
And Aristarchus all the credite haue.
I am to thee (dread Leige) thy aerie Elfe:
I borrow but thy words to prayse thy selfe.
Let Muse-foe Mars elsewhere abroad go dwell,
Of warres and wounds let forraine Fachions smell:
Peace dwels with thee, where it hath dwelt so long,
Prone to propell, and to permit no wrong.
Of warres and wounds let forraine Fachions smell:
Peace dwels with thee, where it hath dwelt so long,
Prone to propell, and to permit no wrong.
Wise Periander wreates that Crownes of Kings,
On many fearefull fluctuations hings:
And that a Monarch's suretie no way stood
In victories, in warrie broyles, and blood:
But in the loue of Subiects trust and true,
Thence said the saige did setling sure ensue.
On many fearefull fluctuations hings:
And that a Monarch's suretie no way stood
In victories, in warrie broyles, and blood:
But in the loue of Subiects trust and true,
Thence said the saige did setling sure ensue.
Graue Xonophon thy registers records,
That deeing Cyrus spoke those selfe same words.
Aratus rare, said so to Philip great,
That loue and peace confirm's a Kings estate:
In speculation Schoolemen beene diuine,
But thou exceeds them Sou'raigne Syre sensine:
For thou has put their sacred gnom's in vre,
Perfection in thy practique makes thee sure.
That deeing Cyrus spoke those selfe same words.
Aratus rare, said so to Philip great,
That loue and peace confirm's a Kings estate:
In speculation Schoolemen beene diuine,
But thou exceeds them Sou'raigne Syre sensine:
For thou has put their sacred gnom's in vre,
Perfection in thy practique makes thee sure.
Let forraine lands now looke with enuies ee,
And who would rule, let him come learne at thee:
When ather Momus or Rhamnusia barkes,
Thy wits are wondrous both in wreats and warkes.
And who would rule, let him come learne at thee:
When ather Momus or Rhamnusia barkes,
Thy wits are wondrous both in wreats and warkes.
Oft times said Otho in a rage, that hee
Had rather chuse nor be a King to die.
And Diocletian said, to be a King,
And well to rule, was most difficill thing.
When Dionise at Siracusa sweare
That Damocles some while his Crowne should weare:
But being crownd, he plainely did protest
He neuer could be blithe to be so blest.
Were those on life for to behold thee now.
They could not raigne, nor could they rule as thou.
Thy match on mould nor was, nor yet shall bee:
Thus might they learne for to be Kings at thee.
Had rather chuse nor be a King to die.
And well to rule, was most difficill thing.
When Dionise at Siracusa sweare
That Damocles some while his Crowne should weare:
But being crownd, he plainely did protest
He neuer could be blithe to be so blest.
Were those on life for to behold thee now.
They could not raigne, nor could they rule as thou.
Thy match on mould nor was, nor yet shall bee:
Thus might they learne for to be Kings at thee.
Ariston's praise is thine, as I suppose,
Thou keepes thy friends, and reconciles thy foes:
Vespasian-like, whome Rome obeyd with loue,
A Shepheard both, and carefull King you proue:
Thy folde bene broke, and lo thou has tane paine
To recollect thy erring flockes againe.
Thy Scepter and thy Sheephooke both are one,
Thou vnder heauen, their Herd and Lord alone.
Thou keepes thy friends, and reconciles thy foes:
Vespasian-like, whome Rome obeyd with loue,
A Shepheard both, and carefull King you proue:
Thy folde bene broke, and lo thou has tane paine
To recollect thy erring flockes againe.
Thy Scepter and thy Sheephooke both are one,
Thou vnder heauen, their Herd and Lord alone.
And now as Homer paynted Priam foorth,
Thou has beside thee men of wit and woorth:
Can any harme or strange thing now betide thee,
Vcalegon Antenor are beside thee.
Like Macedo the wondering world may doubt thee,
Parmenio and Philotas are about thee.
For all these Kingdomes which thou doest command,
A part by hop's, a happy part in hand,
Thou has a Kingdome to thy selfe vnknowne,
Looke rightly too, and Cecil is thine owne.
Thou has beside thee men of wit and woorth:
Can any harme or strange thing now betide thee,
Vcalegon Antenor are beside thee.
Like Macedo the wondering world may doubt thee,
Parmenio and Philotas are about thee.
For all these Kingdomes which thou doest command,
A part by hop's, a happy part in hand,
Thou has a Kingdome to thy selfe vnknowne,
Looke rightly too, and Cecil is thine owne.
Were Plato now on life, then would he say
That thy republikes blessed are this day:
For thou art wise, and now wise counsell hants,
And with thy wisedome thou supplies their wants.
That thy republikes blessed are this day:
For thou art wise, and now wise counsell hants,
And with thy wisedome thou supplies their wants.
Yet this much more I plainely must impart,
A friendly counsel from a faithfull heart:
Though farre from Ioue and thunder-claps I dwell,
My Lines of loue, of truth, and zeale shall smell.
Read then my Rymes most wise and prudent Prience,
And let a Hog, teach Minerue, but offence.
Not that I thinke your Grace has any need,
Or know's not els what's heere before you reed.
No, I attest great sacred Ioue aboue,
I onely write to manifest my loue:
While in my tugure (such is my estate)
I take repast of poore vnpeppered Kate.
I thanke my God for such as he doth giue,
And pray's withall, that well, and long thou liue:
And in seces at solitarie times,
Thou art remembred in my rusticke Rymes.
Sinetas poore vnto the Persian King,
Cold water in his hollow palme did bring:
Which Artaxerxes louingly out-dranke,
And gaue Sinetas both reward and thanke.
Right so those riuols of my poore Ingyne,
I heere present, from out this palme of mine.
Read then (dread Leige) those trauails of my loue.
Elaborate, and done for thy behoue.
A friendly counsel from a faithfull heart:
My Lines of loue, of truth, and zeale shall smell.
Read then my Rymes most wise and prudent Prience,
And let a Hog, teach Minerue, but offence.
Not that I thinke your Grace has any need,
Or know's not els what's heere before you reed.
No, I attest great sacred Ioue aboue,
I onely write to manifest my loue:
While in my tugure (such is my estate)
I take repast of poore vnpeppered Kate.
I thanke my God for such as he doth giue,
And pray's withall, that well, and long thou liue:
And in seces at solitarie times,
Thou art remembred in my rusticke Rymes.
Sinetas poore vnto the Persian King,
Cold water in his hollow palme did bring:
Which Artaxerxes louingly out-dranke,
And gaue Sinetas both reward and thanke.
Right so those riuols of my poore Ingyne,
I heere present, from out this palme of mine.
Read then (dread Leige) those trauails of my loue.
Elaborate, and done for thy behoue.
1
Thus I begin, since adulations vaine,In Courts wid Kings and Monarch must remaine:
To assentators thou must giue some eare,
But be no prouder of their prayse a haire:
For Macedo would needs be cald a God,
And to this end his Edicts blew abrod:
Which on his head did heape disgrace the rather
Sith he asham'd that Phillip was his father.
2
Giue Parasites enough, but not too much,And be not lauish, least thy lucke be such
As Timon Coliteus, who outspent
On Domeas and Gnatonides his rent;
To promise much, and to performe but few:
Be thou the stone (precellent Prince) of such,
For to secerne the honest mindes from such.
3
The faithfull man that once hath done thee good,And for thy life hath ventered life and blood;
Be thankfull still to him, doe not despite him,
But with thy selfe thinke thou can nee're acquite him:
Proue not vnkinde to cause true Phocion die,
That thus hath fought, and wun the field for thee,
But when such friends so nigh thy sides are seene,
Remember then but them thou had not beene.
4
Serapion who is not taught to speike,Let him not want, suppose he shame to seike:
He is thine owne, and loues thee as the leaue,
His speaking lookes will tell when he would haue:
Be (prudent Prince) a Pompey in this case,
A benefite vnsought hath double grace.
5
Change not too oft the Rulers of thy state,For that may breed intestiue strange debate:
The Fleeis els full, from sucking more will slake,
But hungry Gnats will make thy woundes to ake:
I pray for them as did Hymera old,
For Dionise, the tigrish tyran bold,
(Lord saue sayd shee, our King from death, disgrace,
For were he gone, a worse would get his place)
Since in this poynt th' apodosis is plaine,
I turne my stile vnto your Grace againe.
6
If any friend in louing forme reuealeTwixt you and him your o'ursights, loue him well:
(Since Plato sayes, the brauest mindes bring foorth
Both hatefull vice, and vertue of most worth.
Wise Plutarch writes, in fertill Egipt grew
With medicable, enuenomd hearbes anew.)
But friendly counsaile, which proceedes from loue:
Be not a drunke Cambises in dispeire,
For counsell kind to kill Prexaspes heire.
7
Take Turinus, and smooke him to the death,Who falfly sels for bribes thy royall breath.
8
Though Alexander in a raging ire,For praysing Philip his renouned Sire,
Kind Clitus kild, be thou more meeke in minde,
And to the praysers of thy Parents kinde.
9
Within thy heart let no iniustice hant,Let not the wrong'd man weepe for iustice want:
Pansanias plaintes proud Philip did disdaine,
And cruelly for his contempt was slaine.
10
A Woman old fell downe vpon her knee,And cryed Demetrius, heare my plaints and mee?
I haue no leasure answerd he againe.
Hee takes no leasure sayd the wife to reigne.
Doe not thine eares Demetrius-like obdure,
With patience heare the sad and plaintiue poore.
11
Proud Leo spoyld Iustinian his croune,Deform'd his face, and cut his nose quite doune:
But when he got his Diadems againe,
He punisht those that erst procur'd his paine.
Each gut of rheume that from his nose did floe,
Gaue argument for to cut off a foe.
O do not thou great Prince delight in blood!
Of crueltie thou know's can come no good;
Be thou Licurgus, though thou lackes ane ee.
Forgiue Alcander, make him man to thee.
13
Uitellius-like haue not a facill will,Now to graunt grace, and straight commaund to kill.
13
Great are thy fortunes, farre beyond beleife.Thou needes no Realmes, nor foraine rents by reife.
Thy Crown's are thine but blood or strife or stealth:
And since thy fortunes are so rare: O than!
Each day with Philip, thinke thou art a man.
14
Though Agathocles Sicil did enioy,Yet was he sometime but a Potters Boy:
And that his pride should not become too great;
In vessels but of Loame he tooke his meate.
Thy witt's the weird's with great promotion tryes,
For woonder few are happy both and wise:
Though thou be free from blast's of any storme,
Bee humid still, and keepe thy wonted forme.
15
Wreat not thy Law's with blood as Draco did,The God of heau'n such crueltie forbid:
A happie Life, makes ay a happie end,
Be thou a Solon, Draccis Law's to mend.
16
Herodotus the Histor, and right so
The Poet Pindars wreats, with many mo,
That Monarch's great, examples good should giue,
Since from their Lords the Laiks learne to liue.
Kinkes be the glas, the verie scoole, the booke,
Where priuate men do learne, and read, and looke:
Be thou th' attractiue Adamant to all,
And let no wicked wrest thy wits to fall.
The Poet Pindars wreats, with many mo,
That Monarch's great, examples good should giue,
Since from their Lords the Laiks learne to liue.
Kinkes be the glas, the verie scoole, the booke,
Where priuate men do learne, and read, and looke:
Be thou th' attractiue Adamant to all,
And let no wicked wrest thy wits to fall.
Goe not to Delphos where Apollo slands,
Licurgus-like with off'rings in thy hands.
By hellish votes and oracles to see
What to thy Law should paird or eiked bee:
From great Iehouah counsaile seeke, and hee
Shall giue both Gnom's and Oracles to thee,
And shall thy spir't with prudence so inspire,
As all the world shall wonder and admire.
Licurgus-like with off'rings in thy hands.
By hellish votes and oracles to see
What to thy Law should paird or eiked bee:
From great Iehouah counsaile seeke, and hee
Shall giue both Gnom's and Oracles to thee,
And shall thy spir't with prudence so inspire,
As all the world shall wonder and admire.
17
From Countries farre great King behold and see,With rich Oblations Legates come to thee:
Of fame and honour let it not be saide,
Thou art a greedie Ninus; fie for shame,
That were a staine vnto thy Noble name.
18
Last, since thou art the child of Peace, I seeThy workes, and writes, are witnes both with mee:
(Thy workes I haue no leasure to vnfold;
And though I had, are tedious to be told:
Thy Writes are wond'rous both in prose and ryme)
Let Vertue waxe and flourish in thy tyme:
Though thou be best, and greatest both of Kinges,
Mongst Poets all, is none so sweetely singes.
Thou art the sweete Musæus of our dayes;
And I thy Prentice, and must giue thee prayse:
Some other Writer must thy Woorth proclaime,
Thou shalt not sing vpon thy selfe for shame:
Thou hast transalpine Poets of thine owne,
Whose tragique Cothurus through the world are knowne:
Thou has likwise of home-bred Homers store,
Poore Craige shall be thy Cheryl; and no more,
Since all my life suppose I Poetize,
I see seauin Philippeans must suffize:
Not that thou art not liberall at will;
No, no, wise Prince, but caus my Verse are ill,
Yet since this furie is but lent to few,
Let vs not want, thou shalt haue Verse anew:
If these seeme pleasant, I shall sing againe;
If not, I will from being bold abstaine,
And cease to write; but neuer cease to pray,
The God of heauen preserue thee night and day.
| The Poeticall Essayes of Alexander Craige | |