Albions England A Continued Historie of the same Kingdome, from the Originals of the first Inhabitants thereof: With most the chiefe Alterations and Accidents theare hapning, vnto, and in the happie Raigne of our now most gracious Soueraigne, Queene Elizabeth: Not barren in varietie of inuentiue and historicall Intermixtures: First penned and published by William Warner: and now reuised, and newly inlarged by the same Author: Whereunto is also newly added an Epitome of the whole Historie of England |
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| LXXIII. |
CHAP. LXXIII.
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CHAP. LXXIII.
Albions England |  |
CHAP. LXXIII.
When Stafford and his double Charge to Italie were come,In health, and rich (for hence brought they in Coine no little Some,
With Iewels of rare estimate, and else-what of great worth)
For Mandeuil they seeke, and him at last did listen forth.
That in Constantinople yet he was, a Marchant saide:
And thither Staffords Letter was to him with speed conuaide,
Purporting only that himselfe at Rome his comming staide.
Meane while in Rome (the Mistris once of all the world) they view
Such wonders, couch't in Ruins, as vnseene might seeme vntrew.
Once was it compast, as is read, with fiftie miles of wall,
Now some to twentie, some to lesse, in that accompt doe fall:
It hauing Towers so many as the yeare hath dayes in all.
301
Were vaulted walkes through euery Streete, gainst Sunne, and rainy weather.
The sumptious Bathes, with Pallaces thereto of rare delight,
The roomesome Ponds, where very Ships some Festiuals did fight,
The Trophie Arches, where to life Triumphants were purtraide,
The Statures huge, of Porphyrie and costlier matters made,
The Theaters, Pyramides, the Hill of halfe a mile,
Raisde but of tribute Pot-sheards, so to boast their Power long while,
The Obelisks, of one whole Stone neere fortie yards or more,
Huge Pillers, caru'd in Masonrie with Prowse of Knights before,
The stately Bridges, sometimes Eight, now fewer, Tyber crosse,
The Thirtie goodly Gates, of which is now of number losse,
The huge Colosses, Conduites, and else-what that shew'd a State
Beyond beleefe of ruin'd Rome, in part repair'd of late,
They wonder at, and how the world could yeeld such Pomp debate.
Though some the seauen inclosed Hils did ancient Rome containe
Lye waste or Vine-yards, more doth yeat of Maiestie remaine,
Euen in the Rubble of the old, than in the now renew'd,
Though Rome retaines a Statelines, nor fairer Pyles are view'd.
The round Pantheon, once the House of all the Heathen Gods,
Stands yet a Temple, but lesse deckt for rich by too much ods.
On Auentine the down-fals are of Temples store to see:
On Tarpie of the Capitol, were wont their Guild to bee:
On Palentine of Pallaces, on Cælius signes of Playes:
Quirinall, Exquell, Viminall, of Bathes shew braue decayes.
These Hils, with Vatican and old Ianiculum orepast,
Shew we how Rome did rule, was rul'd, and ruin'd at the last.
From Ianus (called Noe of some, Iaphet of some Noes Sonne,
And Iaphets sonne of others (Rule in Tuscan first begonne,
Raign'd in sixe hundreth twentie yeares of Latines Twentie one:
Son of the Eight of which was Brute, first Soueraign of our Throne.
302
And, building Rome, slew Remus, there to lord it at his will.
This Cittie (then Receptacle for all, how vile skils not)
Of Italie by one and one the Sixteene State-Lands got.
Tarquinius raign'd the Seauenth in Rome, whē for the Out-rage done
Vpon Lucretia, Kings did cease, and Consuls then begonne:
When had two hundreth thirtie yeres bin Kings, that much had won.
In this estate of Consuls (Two, remoueable each yeere)
Rome flourished in Victories fiue hundreth yeares well neere.
No age can boast like valiant Men, or Senatours so graue,
That Warre and Peace vnto the world at their Deuotion gaue,
Whose only naked Maiestie not Armour then could braue:
Like Monarchie none euer had, or likely is shall haue.
When now the world was wholly Romes, and Pompei ouercome,
Then Iulius Cæsar did Vsurpe the Common-wealth of Rome,
Had Thirtie eight bin Emperours successiuely when as
Did Constantine to Siluester Rome, by Donation pas.
This Constantine (surnam'd the great, Our heire, and of our blood)
Baptiz'd of Siluester, did hurt, as hap't, by doing good:
When to Constantinople he remou'd th' imperiall Seate,
Rome prou'd too proude for Priests, or pride of Priests for Rome too great.
Besides, was little Policie in Partnership of Raigne,
For Rome, and Greece, one Empier earst, was rul'd as if of Twaine:
Who also chose their Cæsars, that their priuate Turnes did waite:
Whence (after at Bizantium Nine had held imperiall State)
Rome by the Gothe Alaracus was sackt in barbrous rate.
And here the Monarchie of Rome did palpably decline:
As of her Palls Supremacie like may we now deuine.
But, keepe in mind where stayde our search of Countries, where left we
Of Mandeuil and Elenor, and wheare these Louers be,
Whilst yet we shall digresse of Rome, subiecting vs so long,
For yet we tract of Rome, though lothe, your memories to wrong.
303
Anon as Constantine left Rome, to Bishop to Syluester,
(So cal'd of liuing in the Woods, whence earst he durst not ster)
For consecrating after-Popes they golden Rites prefer,
And, hansling Rome with Heresies, in factious Schismes did erre.
Scarse was it to come vnto the Third, when Popes, that liu'd before,
(But fewe escaping Martyrdome) in Deserts, meeke and poore,
Did wrangle for Saint Peters keyes, and Primacie of all
The christiā Church: which to their Sea, though long, at length did fal.
Hence Dispensations, Iubilees, Pardons, and such rack't geere,
Weare had at Rome: nothing, naught worth, theare had, not payd for deere.
Yeat not, till long, the Emperours they dared to prouoke,
That now in choyce of Emperours did labor greatest stroke:
And Seculers from church-Affayres in all did sequester,
But wrought that Seculers should all vnto the Church refer:
Effecting so, that Emperours and Kings did kisse their feete,
Deposing, and disposing them and theirs, as they thought meete.
(So cal'd of liuing in the Woods, whence earst he durst not ster)
For consecrating after-Popes they golden Rites prefer,
And, hansling Rome with Heresies, in factious Schismes did erre.
Scarse was it to come vnto the Third, when Popes, that liu'd before,
(But fewe escaping Martyrdome) in Deserts, meeke and poore,
Did wrangle for Saint Peters keyes, and Primacie of all
The christiā Church: which to their Sea, though long, at length did fal.
Hence Dispensations, Iubilees, Pardons, and such rack't geere,
Weare had at Rome: nothing, naught worth, theare had, not payd for deere.
Yeat not, till long, the Emperours they dared to prouoke,
That now in choyce of Emperours did labor greatest stroke:
And Seculers from church-Affayres in all did sequester,
But wrought that Seculers should all vnto the Church refer:
Effecting so, that Emperours and Kings did kisse their feete,
Deposing, and disposing them and theirs, as they thought meete.
When now the blind seduced World was brought vnto their bent,
And more their busie heads could not, ambitiously, inuent.
Was Pope, & Pope, & somtimes Three: Popes poysond, Popes exild,
Popes strangeld, cozen'd Popes, a Pope deliuered of a Childe:
Was neuer heard such Tyrants, or of other Potentates
So many did miscarrie, through Ambition, and Debates.
But be obseru'd, in highest pitch of Pride in Clergie-men,
God still hath wrought, Religion, Realmes, and all haue ruin'd then.
So, in her Roofe, it far'd with Rome: he whisel'd, and did swarme
From out the North Barbarians that gainst Italie did arme.
At sundrie times the Goth, the Dane, the Vandale, and the Hunne,
With others, foure times sacked Rome, and oft the Land ore-runne:
Nor onely so, but raigned there, in spight of who said nay:
Whence Gis-alpine is Lumbardie vnto this present day:
And Rome (which since our Brennus, none durst enterprise) was made
A Bootie to each barbarous Force that would the same inuade.
In vaine the Romaine Emperors their ancient Right defend,
For through seditious Popes the French begun where Those did end.
From Pharamonds to Pipins House they foyst the Crowne of France,
And to the Westerne Empier then did Charles-le-maine aduance.
From France to Italy againe, to Germanie from thence,
Whereas the naked Title hath inured euer sence.
And more their busie heads could not, ambitiously, inuent.
Was Pope, & Pope, & somtimes Three: Popes poysond, Popes exild,
Popes strangeld, cozen'd Popes, a Pope deliuered of a Childe:
Was neuer heard such Tyrants, or of other Potentates
So many did miscarrie, through Ambition, and Debates.
But be obseru'd, in highest pitch of Pride in Clergie-men,
God still hath wrought, Religion, Realmes, and all haue ruin'd then.
So, in her Roofe, it far'd with Rome: he whisel'd, and did swarme
From out the North Barbarians that gainst Italie did arme.
At sundrie times the Goth, the Dane, the Vandale, and the Hunne,
With others, foure times sacked Rome, and oft the Land ore-runne:
Nor onely so, but raigned there, in spight of who said nay:
Whence Gis-alpine is Lumbardie vnto this present day:
And Rome (which since our Brennus, none durst enterprise) was made
304
In vaine the Romaine Emperors their ancient Right defend,
For through seditious Popes the French begun where Those did end.
From Pharamonds to Pipins House they foyst the Crowne of France,
And to the Westerne Empier then did Charles-le-maine aduance.
From France to Italy againe, to Germanie from thence,
Whereas the naked Title hath inured euer sence.
Thus erring Rome hath, doth, & will our christian World vnqueate:
May therefore Princes ioyne to race that Monster from his Seate.
What, will ye see a glorious God of earth? goe see the Pope:
Aspiring Lucifer? who els? Truth fals't? reuerse the Cope:
Queanes like to Queenes? There halfe-mile Streets affoord no other Sort,
And skarlet Hats, Stoles, and Coules too much ingroste the sport.
Full fortie Thousand Curtizans there, Ladies-like, doe liue,
That to the Pope for wantoning no small Reuenew giue.
May therefore Princes ioyne to race that Monster from his Seate.
What, will ye see a glorious God of earth? goe see the Pope:
Aspiring Lucifer? who els? Truth fals't? reuerse the Cope:
Queanes like to Queenes? There halfe-mile Streets affoord no other Sort,
And skarlet Hats, Stoles, and Coules too much ingroste the sport.
Full fortie Thousand Curtizans there, Ladies-like, doe liue,
That to the Pope for wantoning no small Reuenew giue.
Whilst were those Broyles in Italie, did many there reiect
Obedience to the Emperors, who could not them protect.
So diuers Cities did themselues infranchize, growing States:
And each of them Dominion to her Common-wealth delates.
Weare ouerlong, although we should but briefely ouer-ronne
The free-Italian States, of which the Spanyards part haue wonne,
As Naples, Myllaine, royall That, and Duchie This, both twaine
So peopl'd, fertile, pleasant, rich, as neither shew their waine.
But should we speake of Venic's Pompe, the Citie, and the Scite,
Too little should we speake, although too much we here should write.
But, Gallants, will you view the Courte of Venus, and not so,
But Myrrors too of Courtesie? to rich-built Genoa goe:
But farre from drifting Florence keepe, least Machiuels ye groe.
Ferrara, Vrbine, Mantua, Placence, and Parma are
Braue Cities, great for State, and please those which to them repare.
I wot not what this spatious Land doth lacke that Man can wish:
Ayre tēprate, fertile Grounds, vnmatch't for fruits, beasts, fowles, & fish
Men valiant, rich, kinde, courtly, and faire Academies many,
For braue and bewtious women doe nor need they yeeld to any.
Obedience to the Emperors, who could not them protect.
So diuers Cities did themselues infranchize, growing States:
And each of them Dominion to her Common-wealth delates.
Weare ouerlong, although we should but briefely ouer-ronne
The free-Italian States, of which the Spanyards part haue wonne,
As Naples, Myllaine, royall That, and Duchie This, both twaine
So peopl'd, fertile, pleasant, rich, as neither shew their waine.
But should we speake of Venic's Pompe, the Citie, and the Scite,
Too little should we speake, although too much we here should write.
But, Gallants, will you view the Courte of Venus, and not so,
But Myrrors too of Courtesie? to rich-built Genoa goe:
But farre from drifting Florence keepe, least Machiuels ye groe.
Ferrara, Vrbine, Mantua, Placence, and Parma are
Braue Cities, great for State, and please those which to them repare.
I wot not what this spatious Land doth lacke that Man can wish:
Ayre tēprate, fertile Grounds, vnmatch't for fruits, beasts, fowles, & fish
305
For braue and bewtious women doe nor need they yeeld to any.
Now to our English Trinitie of Lovers let's returne,
That still, in expectation of the Fourth, at Rome soiorne.
Theare, after Prayers, Church-times, Sights, & Stories somtimes read,
Amongst their merric Tales was this, how one, inamour'd, spead.
That still, in expectation of the Fourth, at Rome soiorne.
Theare, after Prayers, Church-times, Sights, & Stories somtimes read,
Amongst their merric Tales was this, how one, inamour'd, spead.
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CHAP. LXXIII.
Albions England | |