A Commemoration of the most prosperous and peaceable Raigne of our gratious and deere Soueraigne Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God of England, Fraunce and Irelande, Queene &c. Now newly set foorth this .xvii. day of Nouember, beyng the first day of the .xviii. yeere of her Maiesties sayd Raigne. By Edw. Hake |
 |
|
The Authour most humblie to all the Queenes highnes most honourable Counsaylers.
|
 | A Commemoration of the most prosperous and peaceable Raigne of our gratious and deere Soueraigne Lady Elizabeth |  |
The Authour most humblie to all the Queenes highnes most honourable Counsaylers.
Though
Poets pennes in these our later daies
In works of waite gaine credit neare a deale,
Because that some seduced many waies,
Their fond affectes and fancies do reueale
In rymyng frames, wherein they do conceale
No want of wyt, nor learning dew regarde,
As in their Bookes full many haue declarde:
Yet hope I must that truth may take no harme
Where she is cloathd with cloake of simple Ryme
Deuoyd of dark deuise and Poets charme:
Which learned wits full rifelye in our time
Haue set to view as sootest hearbes in Prime,
Although the blunt and bitter byting brayne,
Each rymed truth doth blot with black disdayne.
In works of waite gaine credit neare a deale,
Because that some seduced many waies,
Their fond affectes and fancies do reueale
In rymyng frames, wherein they do conceale
No want of wyt, nor learning dew regarde,
As in their Bookes full many haue declarde:
Yet hope I must that truth may take no harme
Where she is cloathd with cloake of simple Ryme
Deuoyd of dark deuise and Poets charme:
Which learned wits full rifelye in our time
Haue set to view as sootest hearbes in Prime,
Although the blunt and bitter byting brayne,
Each rymed truth doth blot with black disdayne.
You noble wights that win immortall fame
By gyding well our english common wealth,
To you I wryte, as one that loues the same
And ioyes in heart to see your Honours health:
Reiect him not that riming fancies telth:
But beare him out where he deserues no blame,
And heere such termes as he in truth shall name.
Your godly, graue, and prouident foresightes
These passed times and blisfull daies forespent
Haue so preferd in peace vnto your mightes,
That calmer daies of yoare were neuer lent.
Your God therfor that so your harts hath bent,
Extolle with praise, and watch to worke his wyll:
Seeke tresons foyle and loue your countrey still.
Beware of forrein fraude and false pretensed loue:
Accept goodwill, but secreat woorks preuent:
So ioy in league, that close compacts you proue:
So liue in peace, as you to warre were bent.
Yeeld trust, but try, for feare ye do repent.
Geue heede to peace, but lyue not vnpreparde.
The strongest state the longest time is sparde.
And as you watch, each one in your degree,
T'establish peace, and plant right wholsome lawes,
So, noble wights, (as you true noble be)
Keepe men opprest from rage of ramping pawes.
Pluck, pluck ye spoyle from foorth deuouring iawes
And let not Crewes of cruell wasting wightes
Thus prank in pride wt spoile of pore mens rights.
To taxe the Trades that wickednes findes out,
To touch the liues that lewdnesse hath begonne,
To blase the pride yt runnes the Realme throughout
To preach ye Spoyles yt priuate gaine hath wonne,
To shew the shifts that poore men haue vndone,
O noble wights, and honourable all,
No pen of mine hath force or euer shall.
Men craue, you graunt: men pray, you pardon stil:
Men sweare, you trust: men crouche, you think them mylde:
Ah, out alas heerein is errour styll:
Heerein your godly meanings are begilde.
Herein the wastful Crewes & lusty heads wax wyld
Heerein the trades that wickednesse doth breed
On Common welth with priuate pawnche do feed.
Heerein the pompe of Pride withouten end,
Hath put it selfe in prease, and vaunting spreddes
With daring face, where none should dare offende:
No Cæsars looke nor Princes eye it dreddes:
In frank outrage alas it trampling treddes
Heerein, the rowtes of cutting roysters grow,
And bankes of peace with braules do ouerflow.
Heerein, the bloudy papistes do conspire,
And begging broodes of bankrowts (in their kind)
Do take the course to set our peace on fire,
By fawnyng force a filthy fetch to finde,
A few to raise with ryches yll assygnd,
Though thousands thence doe reape their endlesse neede
Whence, hate for loue in consequence doth breede.
Heerein, (to fine) the fewest sorts do right:
Heerein, the lawes that godlynes haue fixt,
Heerein, the peace appearing in our sight,
By pryuate heades with wickednes are mixt,
And this our peace hath dangers drawne betwixt.
Heerein, therefore to finde redresse with speede
Shal make your names true noble still indeede,
By gyding well our english common wealth,
To you I wryte, as one that loues the same
And ioyes in heart to see your Honours health:
Reiect him not that riming fancies telth:
But beare him out where he deserues no blame,
And heere such termes as he in truth shall name.
Your godly, graue, and prouident foresightes
These passed times and blisfull daies forespent
Haue so preferd in peace vnto your mightes,
That calmer daies of yoare were neuer lent.
Your God therfor that so your harts hath bent,
Extolle with praise, and watch to worke his wyll:
Seeke tresons foyle and loue your countrey still.
Accept goodwill, but secreat woorks preuent:
So ioy in league, that close compacts you proue:
So liue in peace, as you to warre were bent.
Yeeld trust, but try, for feare ye do repent.
Geue heede to peace, but lyue not vnpreparde.
The strongest state the longest time is sparde.
And as you watch, each one in your degree,
T'establish peace, and plant right wholsome lawes,
So, noble wights, (as you true noble be)
Keepe men opprest from rage of ramping pawes.
Pluck, pluck ye spoyle from foorth deuouring iawes
And let not Crewes of cruell wasting wightes
Thus prank in pride wt spoile of pore mens rights.
To taxe the Trades that wickednes findes out,
To touch the liues that lewdnesse hath begonne,
To blase the pride yt runnes the Realme throughout
To preach ye Spoyles yt priuate gaine hath wonne,
To shew the shifts that poore men haue vndone,
O noble wights, and honourable all,
No pen of mine hath force or euer shall.
Men craue, you graunt: men pray, you pardon stil:
Men sweare, you trust: men crouche, you think them mylde:
Ah, out alas heerein is errour styll:
Heerein your godly meanings are begilde.
Herein the wastful Crewes & lusty heads wax wyld
Heerein the trades that wickednesse doth breed
On Common welth with priuate pawnche do feed.
Heerein the pompe of Pride withouten end,
Hath put it selfe in prease, and vaunting spreddes
With daring face, where none should dare offende:
No Cæsars looke nor Princes eye it dreddes:
In frank outrage alas it trampling treddes
And bankes of peace with braules do ouerflow.
Heerein, the bloudy papistes do conspire,
And begging broodes of bankrowts (in their kind)
Do take the course to set our peace on fire,
By fawnyng force a filthy fetch to finde,
A few to raise with ryches yll assygnd,
Though thousands thence doe reape their endlesse neede
Whence, hate for loue in consequence doth breede.
Heerein, (to fine) the fewest sorts do right:
Heerein, the lawes that godlynes haue fixt,
Heerein, the peace appearing in our sight,
By pryuate heades with wickednes are mixt,
And this our peace hath dangers drawne betwixt.
Heerein, therefore to finde redresse with speede
Shal make your names true noble still indeede,
In most humble wise. Edward Hake.
| A Commemoration of the most prosperous and peaceable Raigne of our gratious and deere Soueraigne Lady Elizabeth | |