University of Virginia Library

About what time the faire Latona's Sonne
To light this lower Round, the round did runne
In which the Heavens sterne Archer standing, poures
His falling shafts on earth in frequent showres:
One day, as day the mornings blush did cleere,
And Starres eclypsd dy'd in our Hemisphere,
The winds were whist, heaven lourd on Sea and land,
And a sad silence did the World command:
When midst the smoothed marble of the Maine
Neere Albions South shore, appeared plaine
A sweet and statelie Nymph, to heave her head
Above the waters faire, her locks did spread
Their golden curles her shoulders all about,
And flood-like flowde to where they late sprung out.
A flowrie Anademe her temples crownd,
Which was of Oake and Ivie braunches bound.
Her right hand held a dart Diana-like,
With which shee wount the flying Stagge to strike,
The waves about her softlie swelling, raisde
A chrystall Throne, on which shee sate and gaz'de
The Seas and shoares about a prettie while,
With an amazed looke and woundring smile.
Then, on the neighbouring Coast her eyes shee cast,
And thus her silence did breake off at last.

What sad mischance hath causd this vncouth change?
Why lookes the hilles and mountaines all so strange?
What murmuring noise and whispers doe I heare?
And sounds of sorrow ecchoing in mine eare;
How lookes my sister Albion now so sad!
With downe cast brow who sung but late so glad?
Tell mee you muttring brookes hilles daughters faire
Why weepe you so, and teare your silver haire?
And meeting heere in Neptunes watrie court
Why leave you off your wounted joyes and sport?
Ay mee! what may this bee? some heavie losse
It feares mee much, or something that doth crosse
The publick well at home, or some sad newes
Of Warres abroad, which Fame doth now infuse
In everie eare; what ever losse it bee,
The Heaven's defend my Charles, and he'll keepe Mee.

But ah! I see the cause why all things mourne,
The fleet from Retz doth homeward now returne,
But with great losse alace! of valiant Knights.
And worthy Captaines killd in bloody fights:
Of which my Sonne braue Burrowes was the first,
A Souldier from the cradle bred and nurst,
And many of those gallants, who but late:
Did liue with mee, attending this sad fate.
For when they parted hence, faire Wight, said they
Farewell, now fortune calleth vs away,
Wee must begone, yet Heaven shall witnesse bee.
In absent sighs how wee haue loved Thee.
Poore Soules! they now sleepe in eternall rest.
May their poore bones no trouble more molest:
Ah cursed Retz! for ever cursed bee.
Thou art the ground of all this greefe we see,
Thy loue hath causd our losse, thy wine our woe,
Thy salt our sorrow which doth vexe vs so.
How many thousands but for thee haue di'd?
By sea and land, and fire and sword haue tri'd?
Thy Sister Rochell, earst to keepe thee free,
Venterd her children, state, and libertie:
Yet lost thee and her children, and almost
(Had not Heaven fought for her) her halfe the lost.
When brainsick Belgia sent her shippes from farre,
To fight with God (in that vngodlie Warre,
In which shee to her shame the cloake did teare
Of true Relligion, which her selfe did weare,
To cover her rebellion not long since,
When shee revolted from her lawfull Prince.)
And even my Charles (deceau'd I must avow)
Did lend his helpe his freinds to overthrow.
O thou vnhappie Nymph canst not bee good!
Whose beauty must be bought so deare with blood,
And none can e're enjoy but jealousie,
In hazard of some rivall enemie.

But what doe I exclame? t'was Heavens decree
The land should suffer and no fault in thee.
This Nations sinnes haue made these Armies smart,
And Pride is punishd now with just desert,
All see it and confess't, then let vs now,
With truelie humbled hearts our bodyes bow
Before the throne of Heavens abundant grace.
And with vnfeined teares first beg Gods peace,
Then make just Warre abroad, that he may blesse
Our Armes, and good designes with glad successe,
Else never looke to act what wee intend,
Nor bring but shame vnto our selues in end.
The world now laughs to see vs brought so low,
Who boasted so great things a while agoe,
Fraunce, who before shee saw what wee could doe
Even trembled at our Name, doth taunt vs now,
And threatens an invasion, shee who late
Halfe graunted all we crav'd, at easie rate,
And had begunne to talke and speake vs faire,
But for to bee well vsd, shee was so neare:
Now shee with Spaine secur'd, doth scoffing stand,
And both doe boast to over-runne this land.
Sweet sister doe not you despise their threattes;
Nor be deceavd too farre with selfe conceattes,
In trusting to your fleeting Castles strength,
As Queene of th'Ocean, but expect at length,
After so long you now that right maintaine,
Since blest Eliza's dayes and happie raigne,
To see your fleet effronted with a fleete,
Which may bee made (who knowes) with yours to meete.
Still judge the worst, and so in time provide,
That wee may after any storme abide
Both you and I, who heere (God knowes) doe lye,
Naked, and open to each Enemie.

And shall I still be so without defence?
A prey exposd to forraine violence?
Doe I deserue no better? is faire Wight
Of so small worth into her Charles his sight?
Shee whom great Neptune loues and doth embrace?
And Heavens haue blessed with so sweet a face;
Shee in whose losse all Albion should be lost.
If forraine force were Conqueror of her coast:
Why I am worthie of a Prince's loue
And even my lookes may his good liking moue:
Lesse worthie haue beene Queenes, nor am I proud,
To thinke I may be of proud Iber woo'd,
Or of the mignard French who would be glad,
As he expectes to haue me to his bed,
Say he should court me in rough compliment,
And driue my weakenesse to a forc'd consent:
Vpon what termes could I withstand his sute.
Or with what strong refusall hold him out?
I am a Woman, and as women bee
Feeble, (when forc'd alone,) t'lies not in me,
Thus helpelesse, hopelesse, subiect to all harmes,
T'oppose a sutter when he sues in armes,
Had I assistance of assurd defence,
And were securd from forreine insolence,
With fortresses, in which I durst repose,
Then I could laugh, and never feare to lose,
Nor honour, nor that Iewell of my life,
My Chastitie to be a strangers Wife.

Great Charles but once be pleas'd to cast an eye,
Vpon poore Wight, who for thine aide doth cry,
Danger doth threaten, and it seemes, is neare,
Preuent it, and forgiue a Womans feare.
Take some good course that I may still be thine,
Inspite of all thine Enemies and mine.
My Children from the wombe are bred for VVarre,
And armd in my defence dare goe as farre
As any Nation that the sunne doth see,
But haue no strength to sheeld themselues nor me,
If once a stranger land, my castles all,
Should quicklie in their ruines see vs fall,
And even that

Cares-brooke castle.

Fort which built vpon my brest,
Is in the worlds vaine hope accounted best,
It once my dwellers should be driuen there,
Is but of small defence, t'would proue a snare:
Within short space, and ere thine ayde could come,
I should be spoyld, burnd, wasted, and vndone,
Let me but haue one place which can receaue,
If neede should be (a siege) myne owne to saue,
You see how Retz who was as weake as I
A while but since did all our force defie,
Though thou were Lord of both the Sea and Land,
Her victualls and all succours to withstand,
I am not so; a weaker hold to me
Were of more hope, and haue the Ocean free,
VVhich neither France nor Spayne for all their boastes,
Can ever barre from thee to braue thy Coastes.

Then while Time serves the hazard to preuent,
Prouide, ere Time be sloathfullie mis-spent,
All wish me well, but onelie thou canst make me
Most happie if in thy defence thou take me,
My sisters Children from the furthest North,
Of Albany and from the bankes of Forth,
Bound for thy seruice in these Warres of France,
Are falne into my handes by happie chance,
And now doe liue with me in such delight,
That they are all enamoured of thy Wight,
Yea they doe sigh to see mee in this cace,
Exposd to evry strangers rude embrace;
And ere they saw me forcd would venter all,
Their liues, and blood in my defence to fall.

Once more excuse this importunitie
Great Charles, and though my sexes modestie
Forbid to wooe thee so, yet think how deare
Mine honour, and my Childrens liues appeare
To mine owne eyes, and evry loving Mother,
And then I hope thy gracious thoughtes will smother
The fashion of my sute, and let me haue
Thy Royall ayde, and what my need doth craue.

So may as many laurells bind thy browes,
In glorious conquests, and great overthrowes,
Of Enemies, by thee in Triumph led,
As there be lampes in Heaven when light is fled;
And may Heavens blessing shield thy Crowne and State,
To make thee once Great Britaines Charles the Great.

This when the Nymph had sayd, shee turnd about,
And div'd beneath the deep where shee came out,
The trembling marble where shee hid her head,
A hundred rounds about the place did spread.
Heaven streight-way smil'd, and Phœbus shining bright,
His golden beames beate on the Ile of Wight.