University of Virginia Library

[Thrise noble King the wonder of our daies]

Thrise noble King the wonder of our daies,
Giue leaue my Muse may speake thy vertues praise;
A Souldiers hand made rough with Iron warre:
Not smoothly can with Poets lines conferre.
Aonian bankes he doeth not vse to tread,
But march where Mars a warlike step doth lead:
If roughly then into his verse he breakes:
A Cannons mouth, a boystrous languish speakes.
Thence doth he learne: for muskets, pikes, and swords,
Doe teach a Souldier: no great choice of words.
Yet in the hope of his Dread Soueraignes loue:
A Poets skill he thus desires to prooue.
Geeat pearlesse Prince I need not to deriue,
The lineall race which doth our hopes reuiue.
Thy kingdome England: knowes thy true dissent,
And yealds it selfe vnto thy gouerment.
And first, my wish doeth pearcs the Christall skye,
And humbly prayes heauens greatest Maiesty;
That in our farre renounde Elizaes stead,
Hir Crowne may stand vpon thy princely head.
Faire England hath this fortie fowre yeares beene,
The Kingdome of the worlds renowned Queene.
High Ioue did by the wonder of his hande,
Raise her vpon a regall throane to stande;
That by her meanes he might his children bring,
With peace to reste vnder her princely winge.
When Romes blacke vaile of euerlasting smoake,
Did strongly striue the purest light to choake.
Euen when the Pope that Antichristian deuill,
Had turnd all good into the worst of euill.
Changing the truth of euerlasting veritie:
Into the dreames of faithles Fryers imagery.
Leauing the Oracles of Gods eternall will,
Ruling by strength of vaine traditions skill.
Seeking to race Christ Iesus kingdome downe,
For to vphold an Antichristian crowne.
Burning aliue all those that would deny,
To yeelde vnto their grosse Idolatrye.
When England thus was massicred by Rome,
The iust condemned by iniustice dome.
Then God in mercy to his children sent,
A gracious Queene: to salue their woes lament.
Dread soueraigne, your royall selfe no doubt,
Haue harde how God did bring this worke aboute.
And how he sau'd our Queene from daunger greate,
To set her safe vpon a Princely feate.
That shee thereby that Gospell might aduance,
Which drowned was in darkesome ignorance.
And when he had instald her regall throane.
She peerelesse liued vpheld by God alone.
No forrayne foes could once her land inuade,
Proude Spaine to flie by Englands force was made.
No treasons plot laide by the best aduice,
Of Rome and Spaine could worke hir preiudice.
No Popish pardned periur'd traytors vow,
To be of force would heauens great God alow.
But to the horror of Romes vsupped name.
His champions all were brought to publike shame.
No hell borne hand distaynde with villany,
Could get aduantage gainst her dignitie,
For all the treasons bent against her life,
Brought traytors to the slead, the rope, the knife.
In spight of deuill and hell and men made diuels,
God kept her safe from all sinister euils.
So that her throane was to the world a wonder;
No king nor Queene like her the heauens cloudes vnder.
All her attempts did prosper royally,
And crowned were with glorious victorie:
Her people so were hallowed for her sake.
As that in warre there Pikes did passage make.
Through tropes of men the Holland states doe know,
By Englands handes there honor first did grow.
And Spaine hath seene through cloudes of smoake and fire
How Englands fame did to the heauens aspire.
More could I speake, but this I breefly tell,
Heauens maiden Queene in all thinges prosperd well.
And whilste shee liud in peace her scepter swaide,
With such renowne as mightie kinges dismaide,
Did in amasement say vnto there Lords,
Goe see if truth with fames report accordes,
Beyond the bowndes of Europe kings most great,
Did sende to see the Queene of Englands seate.
And thus her stare in fame all kinges aboue,
Was safely kepte by Ioues celestiall loue.
And all her time: the beautie of our storie,
Shinde in her land with vnecclipsed glorie.
The king of peace her his leiutenant made,
When as his kingdome did in her kingdome fade.
Shee once a Queene the kingdome of heauens Kinge:
On earth she made to be a glorious thing.
Saluation sound by worlds redeemer sent,
Was fetch from forth a sauiours testament.
Whose written word for euer firmely stands,
Caractered first by Euangelian hands
Whose goulden pens cōmanded were to wright,
No more but what heauens king should first indite
That king of kinges that mercie most esteem'd:
That Iesus Christ who vs from hell redeemd,
His Gospell was the glorie of our lande,
Whereby we learnd the truth to vnderstand.
And so our Queene on Christ hir faith did ground
As that her fame did through earths king dōes sound
And Christ did vnto her his loue reueale,
When as by him hir hand-had power to heale:
Hir snow white palme by faith had vertue such,
As that the sicke shee healde with gratious touch.
Thousands diseasd that did her mercy pray,
Toucht by her hand were safely sent away.
And for by faith, the sicke were thus redreste:
Her sound beliefe, was by that truth expreste.
That faith in Christ whose written veritie,
Was dayly preacht by Englands ministry,
Vnto our Queene a croune of glorie sent,
Whose precious beautie was her souls content.
For to obey that law which Christ had taught,
Our Queene her selfe and all her subiects brought,
Thence did proceede the glory of her state;
No strength had power hir hopes to ruinate,
And therein stood a Souldiers name renound,
When he should fight for her whome Christ had crownd.
And when by her that Christ our heauenly Lord,
Rulde like a King by scepter of his word;
Then God, then Christ, then Queene, then countries lawes:
Helde in themselues a most supreame applause.
No cause can well a souldiers name commend,
But when his sword shall all those rights defende.
And for them all a souldiers armes I beare,
My quarel's iust nor men nor deuils Ile feare.
But now my Queene whome I haue thus commended,
Hir heauenly soule is vnto heauen ascended.
Her peaceful raigne in peace did ende her dayes,
Heauen hath her soule, the earth retaines her prayse.
And now I will a soueraygne looke to finde,
Indu'd with all the vertues of her minde.
And thus my king my vearse shall now returne,
To thee whose heart with godly zeale doth burne.
God left our Queene this kingdome to maintaine,
Whilste by his worde he taught thee how to raygne,
For in the kingdome where thy rule was seene,
The lawe of Christ hath in that kingdome binne.
Thy royall thro ane and scepter bearing hande,
Did striue with truth in equall life to stande.
Most prudent, wise, and iust in euery thing,
Approued was Prince Iames then Scotlands king.
And for thy heart with God did stand vpright,
He now hath rais'd thee to a greater might.
Great King how may thy heart with ioy bee glad,
Whē God to one three kingdomes more doth add.
How good a thing is it that God to serue,
Who thus rewardeth them that well deserue?
Great king I know thy euer righteous heart,
Will dignifie the worth of thy desart.
And make vs blessed by thy vertues grace,
Because thy soule the way of truth doth trace.
Well may I say thy prudence thought vpon,
That God hath sent a second Salomon.
Whose wisedome shall adorne his kingly name,
And to all kingdomes memorise his fame.
Thy royall hand O king hath wisely tried,
To proue thy heart deuinely sanctified.
Thy Angell spirit with Dauids pen doth wright
And wisedome giues thy minde a glorious light.
Cloauen tongs of fire haue made thy muse deuine,
In all thy words a heauenly grace doth shine.
Thy worke approues thy exercise hath binne,
In holy writte true iudgement thence to winne.
With how great ioy may all good people say,
A godly kinge shall Englands scepter swaye.
Whose royall selfe with kingly domination.
Shall build his house vpon a firme foundation.
For such hath beene his vertues preparation,
That God for him will blesse his kingdoms nation.
England regard how God hath thee respected,
And how thy weale is still by him protected.
And now whilst that it may be calde thy day,
Tourne to thy God and all his lawes obay.
Peruse thy state & then thou mayest beholde,
The loue of God with merces manyfould.
Euen when the time was cōe that wilde ones wisht,
Euen then their hopes were presently dismiste.
And quiet peace with gratious calme contente,
Proclaimed King whose princely regiment,
Shall wrap thy glory in a golden vale,
And make thy fame, the star-bright skies to scale,
Thy house of honour, shall be built a new:
And in their state, thou shalt thy nobles view.
But this I charge, where iustice made surprise,
Let not a thought so much as mutinise:
I speake with loue vnto my countreyes weale,
There is no salue, hath power dead things to heale:
But euerie branch of honour that doth liue,
God vnto them their antient honours giue:
That England may for many hundred yeeres,
Attend her King with all her princely Peeres.
And this I hope in glorious sort to see,
When great King Iames our crowned King shall bee.
Pray England then God may thy Soueraign blesse:
In whome consisteth all thy happinesse,
Thus mightie King thy owne is giuen to the,
Thy selfe alone is Englands Maiestie,
Come to thy kingdomes, in peace thy Crowne enioy,
Who wish not so, Gods iudgements them distroy,
Coraga then for thats a Souldiers tearme,
Thy God oh King shall shield thy throne from harme:
Thy heart obeyes the scepter of his word.
Strong therfore will he make thy kingdomes sword,
Come then braue prince, make Englands earth to ring:
With hundred thousands tongues, that cries God saue the King
The hearts of England are in preparation,
To dignifie thy glorious Coronation.
Come with the spring, in the our sping doth florish
Thy royall hand shall Englands kingdome norish:
The heauens and earth agrees with choise of time,
To raise thy fame aboue the clouds to clime:
God makes a promise that thy Raigne shall bee,
As was our Queenes in princely dignitie:
For well we know the written truth shall stand,
Like gold to gild the Churches in thy land:
Imperious prince be then thy right possest,
And make thy Queene, a glorious Emperest.
Thy Royall race incorporated right:
In bloud of Kings that were of greatest might,
Tels that thy name with glorious power shal grow,
And that the world thy valiant strength shal know.
And as I thinke diuinest destenie,
Did promisse at thy blest natiuitie,
That in thy race there should be something done,
Whose glorious fame through all the world shall ronne.
And in this hope, thy kingdome England liues,
Thy happy issue such great comfort giues;
A King, a Queene, a Prince, a Duke, all these
Great titles, do thy Englands people please:
For they reioyce to see each princely bud,
That springs from forth King Henries Royall bloud.
And now whilst that the world, a world is cald,
No doubt thy throne is in thy line instald:
This makes the land thy presents to expect,
VVhose prudent wisedom must her weale protect:
Thy nobles heere vnited all in one,
Humbly attends their King to wait vpon:
Thy Citie London, doth it selfe addresse,
The loue vnto her soueraigne to expresse.
There shall the King a hundred thousand see,
Lift vp their hands, and bow an humble knee:
And crie King Iames, God by thy power defend,
Their echoing shouts shall to the heauens ascend:
The commons all, thinks long to see that day,
God saue the King, their hearts desires to say;
Thy England in all pompe of Royaltie,
Prepares great King thy throne to dignifie:
The wealth of England all her gold and treasure,
Offers it selfe vnto king Iames his pleasure.
A fleet of ships, inricht with wars great thunder,
VVhose force hath causde earthes nations all to wonder,
That Nauie Royall, the terrour of Spaynes feare,
The name and fame of great King Iames doth beare:
The strength of England, and each defensiue towne,
Offers themselues vnto king Iames his Crowne:
For Englands Crowne is made his proper owne,
The great king Iames for Englands king is knowne:
Great Cæsars tower, with her vnualued store,
Doth with her strength & wealth king Iames adore:
And Englands Court doth for his presence craue,
That gallant state doth wish king Iames to haue:
The pleasure of faire Englands pleasant land,
Doth giue it selfe into king Iames his hand.
All those rich honours that befits a king,
They will themselues vnto their Soueraigne bring:
The lawes of England will themselues deriue,
From great king Iames his high prerogatiue.
The Church in England our sweet Sauiours spouse
Next vnto Christ king Iames her head allowes.
And Ireland which did in rebellion stand,
Is conquered now, vnto king Iames his hand.
And thus great King thy greatnesse doth excell,
All princes that in Europes compasse dwell:
And now my wish desires that day to see,
When Iames the king of England crown'd shalbe.
That then my eyes may my dread Soueraingne vew
When all his owne becomes his proper due,
Then doe I looke that Gods Lieutenant heere,
Shall like earths God most gloriously appeere:
Armd in the strength of true saluations law
Thereby to keepe his kingdomes land in awe,
And then oh King, heauens Lord shal be thy God,
VVho in his wrath will with an Iron rod:
Bruse and break downe the strength of euery arme,
That but attempts to doe thy highnesse harme,
And then thy Crowne shall sure establisht be,
To the Oh King and thy posteritie.
Because thy heart vpon thy God doth wait,
He will thy throne exalt to highest height:
A race of princes from thy loynes shall spring,
And each of them shall be a mightie King.
Thy seed for euershall thy throane adorne,
And Kings and Queenes shal to thy sons be borne:
From the and thine shall dangers force be bard,
Gods Angels shall be your cœlestiall gard,
VVhen forraigne kings against thy state shall rise,
Thy England shall their forces soone surprise:
God shall in armes thy warlike vangard lead,
And make thy foes thy battails fight to dread:
That when their eyes vpon thy glory looke,
Their backes shall turne before a blow be strooke:
And when they flie to scape their dangers thrall,
On their owne swords themselues by heapes shall fall.
The files and ranks vpon thy battels wing,
Amidst their troops shall heauenly Angels sing:
VVhose musicke shall thy men incourage so,
As boldly they vpon their foes shall go.
Thy rearward strength shall Angell hands defend,
A heauenly host shall on thy powers attend;
Thy battell shall with such great force be knit,
As all thy foes shall neuer enter it:
Thy troopes of horse, thy picht batalia garding,
Thy proudest foes shal feare thier valiant charging
Thy Royall selfe in kingly dignitie,
VVith ioy shalt see thy glorious victorie.
This to effect when warres allarams comes,
Great multiudes shall wait vpon thy drom:
Thy kingdome can no doubt afford the then,
A hundred hundred thousand fighting men.
But our long peace free from contentious iarre,
Hath made them such great strangers vnto warre:
That want of skill wil worke thy kingdoms wrong,
Vnlesse they learne what things to warre belong.
I wish that peace warres children nourish might,
So as they may defend their mothers right:
That when as danger brings it selfe in sight,
They well may know to order euery fight.
For God commands each welcommended means
Be vsde to shield a kingdome from extreames:
Thus by our God thy kingdomes state erected,
Shall by his loue securely be protected:
And thus King Iames shall to his Crowne retaine,
The glory of our late Elizaes Raigne.
And adde vnto his glories now begun,
More then could by a mayden Queene be done.
In which attempt, when Iustice giues the word,
I then desire to vse a Souldiers sword:
And in my heart thus much I contemplate,
I shall not need the lines effeminate:
A Ladies letter shall not a Souldier shake,
Nor be of force, a Captaines name to make.
But due desart, a Souldiers cause shall plead,
And tri'de experience shall the vangard lead:
Those bodies that shall for their countrey bleed,
No reason but their countrey should them feed.
And Englands law for them prouideth so;
But now our name vnto our King shall go.
My Soueraigne King, my life is onely thine,
And nothing else within this world is mine:
And whilst my God shal suffer me to liue,
My liues imployment to my King I giue.
And when you please that Souldiers vsde shall bee,
My Soueraigne Lord, euen then remember mee:
In dust and blood my life Ile sacrifice,
To serue my king gainst Englands enemies.
My little skill it were in vaine to boast,
But were I tried amidst a warlike hoast,
I would not thinke but be sufficient then,
In warres aray, to range tenne thousand men:
Yet in my heart I Englands peace preferre,
And not desire to see a causelesse warre.
But for my God, my Christ, my King, my land,
I readie am to take my sword in hand.
These humble lines an infant muse hath fed,
And left them rough, not wisely pollished.
Vnfit to swimme vnto that blessed shore,
Where springs the tree of sacred wisedomes lore:
Where Maiestie lockt vp in princely eyes,
With mercie mixt in Courts of safetie lies.
Yet that word mercie, bids my muse to flie,
Vnto the throane of Englands Maiestie.
And hauing wisht to him all happiest health,
At's princely foot she humbly throwes her selfe:
I cannot smooth with flatteries filed phrase,
Wherein doth stand a Poets gilded prayse.
A warlike pike is made a Souldiers pen,
Wherewith is writ the deeds of worthy men.
And like a Souldier with a subiects zeale,
I thus my loue vnto my King reueale;
And wish all good, with an vnfained heart,
That heauen and earth can to his grace impart.
Humbly my wish vnto his period comes,
Praying for King, for Queene, for princely Sonnes,
Vnto them all my God thy loue expresse,
Protect them safely, increase their happinesse.
And in thy mercie let not Englands sinne,
Blast the fresh flowers of our glorious spring:
Vnite two lands that but by name stands parted,
Their people blesse, and make them single harted.
England and Scotland, let all their Lords agree,
And serue their King in loues best puritie:
Then Irelands rebels full soone there is no doubt,
From doing harme will all be raced out.
These Kingdomes God in peace together knit,
That on his throne King Iames may safely sit.
So in their hopes those minds shall quickly quaile,
That thought ere this the Pope should most preuaile:
The selfesame law which Christ himselfe did teach
The selfesame law, shall Englands pastors preach:
And all Gods children shall reioyce with ioy,
To see their King, the beast of Rome destroy:
Thus England now prouide thy triumphs games,
In honour of thy mightie prince King Iames.

Heere followeth an excellent Poem wherein the author hath comprehended, the principall effect of all before written, and this he desires to dedicate to the Lord Maior of London and his brethren, as a testimonie of his loue vnto there wisedomes, and well ordered Citties gouerment, and humbly prayeth that the beautie of there state may longe be continued to the honor of the King of England and his kingdome generally.