The Worthines of Wales Wherein are more then a thousand seuerall things rehearsed: some set out in prose to the pleasure of the Reader, and with such varietie of verse for the beautifying of the Book, as no doubt shal delight thousands to vnderstand. Which worke is enterlarded with many wonders and right strange matter to consider of: All the which labour and deuice is drawne forth and set out by Thomas Churchyard, to the glorie of God, and honour of his Prince and Countrey |
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 | The Worthines of Wales |  |
Of Shrewsebury Churches and the Monuments therein, with a Bridge of stone two bowshot long, and a streate called Colam, being in the Subbarbs, and a fayre Bridge there in like maner: all this was forgotten in the first copie.
I had
such haste, in hope to be but briefe,
That Monuments, in Churches were forgot:
And somewhat more, behind the walles as chiefe,
Where Playes haue bin, which is most worthie note.
There is a ground, newe made Theator wise,
Both deepe and hye, in goodly auncient guise:
Where well may sit, ten thousand men at ease,
And yet the one, the other not displease.
That Monuments, in Churches were forgot:
Where Playes haue bin, which is most worthie note.
There is a ground, newe made Theator wise,
Both deepe and hye, in goodly auncient guise:
Where well may sit, ten thousand men at ease,
And yet the one, the other not displease.
A space belowe, to bayt both Bull and Beare,
For Players too, great roume and place at will.
And in the same, a Cocke pit wondrous feare,
Besides where men, may wrastle in their fill.
A ground most apt, and they that sits aboue,
At once in vewe, all this may see for loue:
At Astons Play, who had beheld this then,
Might well haue seene, there twentie thousand men.
For Players too, great roume and place at will.
And in the same, a Cocke pit wondrous feare,
Besides where men, may wrastle in their fill.
A ground most apt, and they that sits aboue,
At once in vewe, all this may see for loue:
At Astons Play, who had beheld this then,
Might well haue seene, there twentie thousand men.
Fayre Seuarne streame, runs round about this ground,
Saue that one side, is closde with Shrewsebrie wall:
And Seuarne bankes, whose beautie doth abound,
In that same Soyle, behold at will ye shall.
Who comes to marke, and note what may be seene,
Shall surely see, great pleasures on this greene:
Who walkes the bankes, and thinkes his payne not greate,
Shall say the Towne, is sure a princely Seate.
Saue that one side, is closde with Shrewsebrie wall:
And Seuarne bankes, whose beautie doth abound,
In that same Soyle, behold at will ye shall.
Who comes to marke, and note what may be seene,
Shall surely see, great pleasures on this greene:
Who walkes the bankes, and thinkes his payne not greate,
Shall say the Towne, is sure a princely Seate.
Without the walles, as Subbarbs buylded bee,
So doe they stand, as armes and legges to Towne:
Each one a streate, doth answer in degree,
And by some part, comes Seuarne running downe:
As though that streame, had mynd to garde them all,
And as through bridge, this flood doth dayly fall,
So of Freestone, three Bridges bigge there are,
All stately built, a thing full straunge and rare.
So doe they stand, as armes and legges to Towne:
Each one a streate, doth answer in degree,
And by some part, comes Seuarne running downe:
As though that streame, had mynd to garde them all,
And as through bridge, this flood doth dayly fall,
So of Freestone, three Bridges bigge there are,
All stately built, a thing full straunge and rare.
Then iudge by this, and other things a heape,
They had deepe skill, that first the founders were:
Good right they should, the fruite of labour reape,
Whose wit and wealth, did all the charges beare.
O fathers wise, and wits beyond the nicke,
That had the head, the spreetes and sence so quicke:
O golden age, that car'de not what was spent,
So leaden daies, did stand therewith content.
They had deepe skill, that first the founders were:
Whose wit and wealth, did all the charges beare.
O fathers wise, and wits beyond the nicke,
That had the head, the spreetes and sence so quicke:
O golden age, that car'de not what was spent,
So leaden daies, did stand therewith content.
Gold were those yeeres, that sparde such siluer pence,
And brazen world, was that which hoorded all:
The leaden daies, that we haue sauerd since,
Bytes to the bones, and tasteth worse then gall.
What newe things now, with franknesse well begun,
Can staine those deedes, our fathers old haue done:
Great Townes they buylt, great Churches reard likewise,
Which makes our fame, to fall and theirs to rise.
And brazen world, was that which hoorded all:
The leaden daies, that we haue sauerd since,
Bytes to the bones, and tasteth worse then gall.
What newe things now, with franknesse well begun,
Can staine those deedes, our fathers old haue done:
Great Townes they buylt, great Churches reard likewise,
Which makes our fame, to fall and theirs to rise.
Looke on the works, and wits of former age,
And our tyme shall, come dragging farre behind:
If both tymes might, be plainly playd on stage,
And old tyme past, be truely calde to mind,
For all our braue, fine glorious buyldings gay,
Tyme past would run, with all the fame away.
Aske Oxford that, and Cambridge if it please,
In this one poynt, shall you resolue at ease.
And our tyme shall, come dragging farre behind:
If both tymes might, be plainly playd on stage,
And old tyme past, be truely calde to mind,
For all our braue, fine glorious buyldings gay,
Tyme past would run, with all the fame away.
Aske Oxford that, and Cambridge if it please,
In this one poynt, shall you resolue at ease.
In auncient tyme, our elders had desire,
To buyld their Townes, on steepe and stately hill:
To shewe that as, their hearts did still aspyre,
So should their works, declare their worthie will.
And for that then, the world was full of strife,
And fewe men stood, assur'd of land or life:
Such quarrels rose, about great rule and state,
That no one Soyle, was free from foule debate.
To buyld their Townes, on steepe and stately hill:
To shewe that as, their hearts did still aspyre,
So should their works, declare their worthie will.
And for that then, the world was full of strife,
And fewe men stood, assur'd of land or life:
Such quarrels rose, about great rule and state,
That no one Soyle, was free from foule debate.
For which sharpe cause, that dayly bred discord,
They made strong Holds, and Castles of defence:
And such as weare, the Kings the Prince and Lord
Of any place, would spare for no expence,
To see that safe, that they had hardly won:
For which sure poynt, were Forts and Townes begun:
And further loe, if people waxed wyld,
They brought in feare, by this both man an child.
They made strong Holds, and Castles of defence:
Of any place, would spare for no expence,
To see that safe, that they had hardly won:
For which sure poynt, were Forts and Townes begun:
And further loe, if people waxed wyld,
They brought in feare, by this both man an child.
And if men may, iudge who had most ado,
Or gesse by Forts, and Holds what Land was best:
Or looke vpon, our common quarrels to:
Or search what made, men seeke for peace and rest,
Behold but Wales, and note the Castles there,
And you shall finde, no such works any where:
So old so strong, so costly and so hye,
Not vnder Sunne, is to be seene with eye.
Or gesse by Forts, and Holds what Land was best:
Or looke vpon, our common quarrels to:
Or search what made, men seeke for peace and rest,
Behold but Wales, and note the Castles there,
And you shall finde, no such works any where:
So old so strong, so costly and so hye,
Not vnder Sunne, is to be seene with eye.
And to be plaine, so many Holds they haue,
As sure it is, a world to marke them well:
Pause there a while, my muse must pardon craue,
Pen may not long, vpon such matter dwell.
Now Denbigh comes, to be set foorth in verse,
Which shall both Towne, and Castle here rehearse:
So that the verse, such credit may attayne,
As writer shall, not lose no peece of payne.
As sure it is, a world to marke them well:
Pause there a while, my muse must pardon craue,
Pen may not long, vpon such matter dwell.
Now Denbigh comes, to be set foorth in verse,
Which shall both Towne, and Castle here rehearse:
So that the verse, such credit may attayne,
As writer shall, not lose no peece of payne.
| The Worthines of Wales | |