A choice of emblemes, and other devises For the moste part gathered out of sundrie writers, Englished and Moralized. And divers newly devised, by Geffrey Whitney. A worke adorned with varietie of matter, both pleasant and profitable: Wherein those that please, maye finde to fit their fancies: Bicause herein, by the office of the eie, and the eare, the minde maye reape dooble delighte throughe holsome preceptes, shadowed with pleasant deuises: both fit for the vertuous, to their incoraging: and for the wicked, for their admonishing and amendment |
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Pennæ gloria perennis.
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 | A choice of emblemes, and other devises |  |
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Pennæ gloria perennis.
To Edwarde Dier Esquier.
When frowning fatall dame, that stoppes our course in fine,
The thred of noble Svrreys life, made hast for to vntwine.
Apollo chang'd his cheare, and lay'd awaie his lute,
And Pallas, and the Muses sad, did weare a mourninge sute.
And then, the goulden pen, in case of sables cladde,
Was lock'd in chiste of Ebonie, and to Parnassus had.
But, as all times do chaunge, so passions haue their space;
And cloudie skies at lengthe are clear'd, with Phœbus chearefull face.
For, when that barren verse made Muses voide of mirthe:
Behoulde, Lvsina sweetelie sounge, of Sidneys ioyfull birthe.
Whome mightie Iove did blesse, with graces from aboue:
On whome, did fortune frendlie smile, and nature most did loue.
And then, behoulde, the pen, was by Mercvrivs sente,
Wherewith, hee also gaue to him, the gifte for to inuente.
That, when hee first began, his vayne in verse to showe.
More sweete then honie, was the stile, that from his penne did flowe.
Wherewith, in youthe hee vs'd to bannishe idle fittes;
That nowe, his workes of endlesse fame, delighte the worthie wittes.
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No Cherillus, he can abide, nor Poëttes patched rimes.
What volumes hath hee writte, that rest among his frendes,
Which needes no other praise at all, eche worke it selfe comendes.
So, that hee famous liues, at home, and farre, and neare;
For those that liue in other landes, of Sidneys giftes doe heare.
And suche as Muses serue, in darkenes meere doe dwell;
If that they haue not seene his workes, they doe so farre excell.
Wherefore, for to extoll his name in what I might,
This Embleme lo, I did present, vnto this woorthie Knight.
Who, did the same refuse, as not his proper due:
And at the first, his sentence was, it did belonge to you.
Wherefore, lo, fame with trompe, that mountes vnto the skye:
And, farre aboue the highest spire, from pole, to pole dothe flye.
Heere houereth at your will, with pen adorn'd with baies:
Which for you bothe, shee hath prepar'd, vnto your endlesse praise.
The laurell leafe for you, for him, the goulden pen;
The honours that the Muses giue, vnto the rarest men.
Wherefore, proceede I praye, vnto your lasting fame;
For writinges last when wee bee gonne, and doe preserue our name.
And whilst wee tarrye heere, no treasure can procure,
The palme that waites vpon the pen, which euer doth indure.
Two thousand yeares, and more, Homervs wrat his booke;
And yet, the same doth still remayne, and keepes his former looke.
Wheare Ægypte spires bee gonne, and Rome doth ruine feele,
Yet, both begonne since he was borne, thus time doth turne the wheele.
Yea, thoughe some Monarche greate some worke should take in hand,
Of marble, or of Adamant, that manie worldes shoulde stande,
Yet, should one only man, with labour of the braine,
Bequeathe the world a monument, that longer shoulde remaine.
And when that marble waules, with force of time should waste;
It should indure from age, to age, and yet no age should taste.
Oh happie you therfore, who spend your blessed daies
In seruing God, your Prince, your lande, vnto your endlesse praise.
And daily doe proceede, with trauaile of the minde,
To make you famous heere, and eeke, to leaue a fame behinde.
Which is the cheefest thinge, the greatest Prince can haue,
For, fame doth triumphe ouer deathe, when corpes are clos'd in graue.
Euen so, your worthie workes, when you in peace shall sleepe,
Shall make reporte of your desertes, and Diers name shall keepe.
Whome, I doe reuerence still, as one of Pallas peares:
And praye the Lorde, with ioyfull dayes for to prolonge your yeares.
| A choice of emblemes, and other devises | |