University of Virginia Library

XVa
King Iames his verses made vpon à Libell lett fall in Court and entituled The wiper of the Peoples teares
The dryer vpp of doubts & feares.

O stay your teares yow who complaine
Cry not as Babes doe all in vaine
Purblinde people why doe yow prate
To shallowe for the deepe of state
You cannot iudge whats truely myne
Who see noe further then the Ryne
Kings walke the heauenly milky way
But yow by bypathes gadd astray
God and Kings doe pace together
But Vulgar wander light as feather
I should be sorie you should see
My Actions before they bee
Brought to the full of my desires
God aboue all men Kings enspires
Hold you the publique beaten way
Wounder at Kings, and them obey
ffor vnder God they are to chuse
What right to take, and what refuse
Wherto if yow will not consent
Yet hold your peace least you repent
And be corrected for your pride
That Kings designes darr thus deryde
By railing rymes and vaunting verse
Which your kings brest shall neuer peirce
Religion is the right of kings
As they best knowe what good it brings
Whereto you must submitt your deeds
Or be pull'd vpp like stubborne weeds
Kings euer vse their instruments
Of whome they iudge by their euents
The good they Cherish, and aduance
And many things may come by chance
Content your selfe with such as I
Shall take neere [me], and place on highe
The men you nam'd seru'd in their tyme
And soe may myne as cleere of cryme
And seasons haue their proper intents
And bring forth seuerall euents
Whereof the choyse doe rest in kings
Who punish, and reward them brings
O what A calling weere A King
If hee might giue, or take no thing
But such as yow should to him bring
Such were A king but in A play
If hee might beare no better sway
And then weere you in worser case
If soe to keepe your auntient face
Your face would soone outface his might
If soe you would abridge his right
Alas fond men play not with kings
With Lyons clawes or serpents stings
They kill euen by theire sharpe aspect
The proudest mynde they cann deiect
Make wretched the most mightiest man
Though he doth mutter what hee cann
Your Censures are in hurrying sound
That rise as vapours from the ground
I knowe when I shalbee most fitt
With whome to fill, and emptie it
The parliament I will appoint
When I see thyngs more out of ioynt
Then will I sett all wry things straight
And not vpon your pleasure waite
Where if yow speake as wise men should
If not, by mee you shalbe school'd
Was euer king call'd to Account
Or euer mynd soe high durst mount
As for to knowe the cause and reason
As to appoint the meanes and season
When kings should aske their subiects ayd
Kings cannot soe be made affraid
Kings will Comand and beare the sway
Kings will inquire and find the way
How all of yow may easiely pay
Which theyle lay out as the[y] thinke best
In earnest sometimes and in ieast.
What Counsells would be ouerthrowne
If all weere to the people knowne?
Then to noe vse weere Councell tables
If state affaires weere publique bables.
I make noe doubt all wise men knowe
This weere the way to all our woe
ffor Ignorance of causes makes
Soe many grosse and fowle mistakes
The moddell of our princely match
You cannot make but marr or patch
Alas how weake would proue your care
Wishe you onely his best welfaire
Your reasons cannot weigh the ends
So mixt they are twixt foes and frends.
Wherefore againe meere seeing people
Striue not to see soe high A steeple
Like to the ground whereon you goe
Hig[h]e Aspects will bring yow woe
Take heed your paces bee all true
And doe not discontents renewe
Meddle not with your princes Cares
ffor who soe doth too much hee darrs
I doe desire noe more of yow
But to knowe mee as I knowe yow
Soe shall I loue, and yow obey
And yow loue me in à right way
O make me not vnwilling still
Whome I would saue vnwilling kill
Examples in Extremitie
Are neuer the best Remedie
Thus haue I pleased my selfe not yow
And what I say yow shall finde true
Keepe euery man his ranke and place
And feare to fall in my disgrace
You call your children chicks of state
You claime A right vnto your fate
But know yow must be pleas'd with what
Shall please vs best in spight of that
Kings doe make Lawes to bridle yow
Which they may pardon, or embrue
Their hands in the best blood you haue
And send the greatest to the graue.
The Charter which yow great doe call
Came first from Kings to stay your fall
ffrom an vniust Rebellion moued
By such as Kingdomes little Loued
Embrace not more then you can hold
As often doe the ouerbold
As they did which the Charter sought
ffor their owne greatnes who soe wrought
With Kings and you; that all prou'd nought
The Loue that Kings to yow haue borne
Mou'd them therto for to be sworne
ffor, where small goods are to be gott
We are knowne to thee, that knowes vs not,
But yow that knowe mee all soe well
Why doe you push me downe to hell
By making me an Infidell
Tis true I am A Craddle King
Yet doe remember euery thinge
That I haue heeretofore putt out
And yet beginn not for to doubt
But oh how grosse is your deuise
Change to impute to kings for vice
The wise may change yet free from fault
Though change to worse is euer nought
Kings ever ouerreach you all
And must stay yow thoe that you fall,
Kings cannot comprehended bee
In Comon circles. Coniure yee
All what you cann by teares or termes
Deny not what your king affirmes
Hee doth disdaine to cast an eye
Of Anger on you least you die
Euen at the shadowe of his face
It giues to all that sues for grace
I knowe (my frends) neede noe teaching
Proud is your foolish ouerreaching.
Come Counsell me when I shall call
Before bewarr what may befall
Kings will hardly take aduice
Of Counsell they are wondrous nice
Loue and wisdome leads them still
Their Counsell tables vpp to fill
They need noe helpers in their choice
Their best aduice is their owne voyce
And be assured such are kings
As they vnto their Counsell brings
Which allwaies soe compounded are
As some would make and some would marr.
If I once bend my angrie browe
Your ruyne comes though not as nowe
ffor slowe I am reuenge to take;
And your Amendments wroth will slake
Then hold your pratling spare your penn
Bee honest and obedient men
Vrge not my Iustice I am sloe
To giue yow your deserued woe.
If proclamations will not serue
I must do more, Peace to preserue
To keepe all in obedience
And driue such busie bodies hence.