The mvses-teares for the losse of their hope heroick and nere-too-mvch praised Henry, Prince of Wales, &c. Together with times sobs for the vntimely death of his glory in that his Darling: and, lastly, his Epitaphs. Consecrated to the high and mighty Prince, Frederick the fift, Count palatine of Rhoyn. &c. Where vnto is added, Consolatory Straines to wrest Natvre from her bent in immoderate mourning; most loyally, and humbly wisht to the King and Qveenes most excellent maiesties. By Iohn Davies of Hereford |
 |
CONSOLATIONS for, and to the King. |
 | The mvses-teares for the losse of their hope |  |
CONSOLATIONS for, and to the King.
Great
King in sorrowes, now, aswell as STATE,
Whom Fortunes grace makes most vnfortunate:
For, no more fauour could of FATE be had,
Than such a Sonne, whose losse makes Fate as bad.
This string sounds deadly, Ile not touch it more,
Least that my Salue more hurt then heale the SORE.
Be now a KING of Kings: for, Sorrowes raigne
In Thee, o're whome become thou SOVERAIGNE.
The more like GOD Kings be, the lesse they grieue
Or ioy, for ought that ioy or griefe doth giue.
For, highest pow'r in weakenesse best is showne:
Than; sith no weakenesse can vphold a CROWNE,
Let thy high vertue, that doth three sustaine,
Represse strong griefes, that but in weakenesse raigne,
The more th'affront of FATE, the more appeares
The vertue of the pow'r that well it beares!
No King should be (howe'r he be distrest)
Lesse than him-selfe, or like him-selfe at least:
But no King breathing more distrest could be
Than thou hast beene, yer thou couldst breath to see
Thy mortall danger: And, when, after-ward,
Thy Case, by horrid treasons, was more-hard,
As being in the very Mawe of DEATH,
Yet, in concoction, Fate preseru'd thy BREATH.
And, yet its said of thee, eu'n then thou wer't
In shew, a Cæsar, and a King in Heart!
Than thus being vs'd, beyond thy birth, vnto
The deep'st distresse, and Seas of Sorrowes too,
Say to thy Pilot Hope (in Stormes extreme)
Th'hast Cæsar, and his Fortunes; go with them.
Thy desprat Plight, of yore, yet safe restor'd
Should make thee thinke thee safe, though ouer Borde.
And thy like Sorrowes (such as Kings do kill)
Should keepe out others, be they what they will.
No Heauinesse that Atlas-Mind or'ethrowes,
That can Heau'ns ioy vphold in worlds of woes.
Nor that Herculean Spirit that can support
In Hell of Ills, a Heau'n of good-report.
As farre as Heauen doth Earth; nay, more by odds,
Gods thoughts transcend the thoughts of mortal-gods.
Then, by proportion, theirs should soare more high
Than highest thoughts, not rais'd by MAIESTY.
The Heart of Heau'ns great MONARCH still is free
From Passion: so should SOV'RAIGNES likewise be
That would be lik'st him: no Ambition higher
Yet iuster farre, in deed, than in desier.
But, O! i'ts easie, well, by force of Art,
To prompt the sicke to Speake and Act their part;
Yet, hard (most hard) to do it, after-ward:
But, to highst powres should nought but Ill be hard.
Whom Fortunes grace makes most vnfortunate:
For, no more fauour could of FATE be had,
Than such a Sonne, whose losse makes Fate as bad.
This string sounds deadly, Ile not touch it more,
Least that my Salue more hurt then heale the SORE.
Be now a KING of Kings: for, Sorrowes raigne
In Thee, o're whome become thou SOVERAIGNE.
The more like GOD Kings be, the lesse they grieue
Or ioy, for ought that ioy or griefe doth giue.
For, highest pow'r in weakenesse best is showne:
Than; sith no weakenesse can vphold a CROWNE,
Let thy high vertue, that doth three sustaine,
Represse strong griefes, that but in weakenesse raigne,
The more th'affront of FATE, the more appeares
The vertue of the pow'r that well it beares!
No King should be (howe'r he be distrest)
Lesse than him-selfe, or like him-selfe at least:
But no King breathing more distrest could be
Than thou hast beene, yer thou couldst breath to see
Thy mortall danger: And, when, after-ward,
Thy Case, by horrid treasons, was more-hard,
As being in the very Mawe of DEATH,
Yet, in concoction, Fate preseru'd thy BREATH.
And, yet its said of thee, eu'n then thou wer't
In shew, a Cæsar, and a King in Heart!
The deep'st distresse, and Seas of Sorrowes too,
Say to thy Pilot Hope (in Stormes extreme)
Th'hast Cæsar, and his Fortunes; go with them.
Thy desprat Plight, of yore, yet safe restor'd
Should make thee thinke thee safe, though ouer Borde.
And thy like Sorrowes (such as Kings do kill)
Should keepe out others, be they what they will.
No Heauinesse that Atlas-Mind or'ethrowes,
That can Heau'ns ioy vphold in worlds of woes.
Nor that Herculean Spirit that can support
In Hell of Ills, a Heau'n of good-report.
As farre as Heauen doth Earth; nay, more by odds,
Gods thoughts transcend the thoughts of mortal-gods.
Then, by proportion, theirs should soare more high
Than highest thoughts, not rais'd by MAIESTY.
The Heart of Heau'ns great MONARCH still is free
From Passion: so should SOV'RAIGNES likewise be
That would be lik'st him: no Ambition higher
Yet iuster farre, in deed, than in desier.
But, O! i'ts easie, well, by force of Art,
To prompt the sicke to Speake and Act their part;
Yet, hard (most hard) to do it, after-ward:
But, to highst powres should nought but Ill be hard.
Seuere Torquatus, did his Sonne mis-do
For charging, 'gainst his Chardge, his brauing Fo,
Though he wan fame and conquest: than, sith HE
That was as daring (yet was ruld by Thee)
Is, for our breach of Heasts, much more deuine,
Ta'ne hence, by highest Iustice, not by thine,
Be thou the Patient, sith the Agent Heau'n,
Thee, of thy Sonne, hath, for it selfe, bereau'n.
And let no Pagan, passe a Christian, Prince,
For Morall-Grace, or pious excellence!
Th' all-seeing Soule of Iudgement, so long knit
Vnto the actiue Body of thy Wit
Knowes more then WIT can thinke to ease thy Griefe;
Then let that Soule, now, animate Reliefe.
And weigh, deere Soueraigne, on your Life depends,
The weale of many stangers, subiects, friends:
If sorrow then, should waste your Powr's of life,
You soone might leaue them in a World of strife:
And, make the STATE, that now you hold in peace,
From Vnion, fall to Faction, peece by peece.
That y'er it stand as now it doth, it may
From Faction fall to Action, and decay.
Then, all that are committed to your charge
With Eyes, that feares and Teares do ouer-charge,
On you do looke, and by those lookes say thus;
Pitty your selfe if you will pity vs!
And still we Hope you make a Conscience, too,
Vs, in your selfe, with dolor to vndo.
Sith, of you, IVSTICE, will our liues require,
If through your fault, they should in Yours expire,
For charging, 'gainst his Chardge, his brauing Fo,
Though he wan fame and conquest: than, sith HE
That was as daring (yet was ruld by Thee)
Is, for our breach of Heasts, much more deuine,
Ta'ne hence, by highest Iustice, not by thine,
Be thou the Patient, sith the Agent Heau'n,
Thee, of thy Sonne, hath, for it selfe, bereau'n.
For Morall-Grace, or pious excellence!
Th' all-seeing Soule of Iudgement, so long knit
Vnto the actiue Body of thy Wit
Knowes more then WIT can thinke to ease thy Griefe;
Then let that Soule, now, animate Reliefe.
And weigh, deere Soueraigne, on your Life depends,
The weale of many stangers, subiects, friends:
If sorrow then, should waste your Powr's of life,
You soone might leaue them in a World of strife:
And, make the STATE, that now you hold in peace,
From Vnion, fall to Faction, peece by peece.
That y'er it stand as now it doth, it may
From Faction fall to Action, and decay.
Then, all that are committed to your charge
With Eyes, that feares and Teares do ouer-charge,
On you do looke, and by those lookes say thus;
Pitty your selfe if you will pity vs!
And still we Hope you make a Conscience, too,
Vs, in your selfe, with dolor to vndo.
Sith, of you, IVSTICE, will our liues require,
If through your fault, they should in Yours expire,
Philip of Spaine, but for his Commons good,
(So sai'd by some) to death, on his owne BLOVD
Did floate his SONNE, & HEIRE to al his Crowns,
So, for his Subiects peace, his sonne confounds.
Nay God himselfe, his deere Sonne did to death
To saue his seruants: O! then, shall the BREATH
By which we breathe, be spent, in SIGHES, because
Thy Son, to Death, obai'd great NATVRES Lawes;
When of the FOVNT of Grace, and Glory, Thou
Hast such a GLASSE thy selfe to see, and know!
Than, with thy selfe, thy Subiects loue thou so
That, with thy selfe, thou doe them not o'rethrow
Through thy much Grief (which makes them most to smart)
For see'ng thy Sonne but mortall, as thou art.
NATVRE (we wot) by her too wayward course,
Will fal (if not vpheld by Sour'aigne force)
To Grieefs redundance, for lesse CAVSE (by ods)
But Kings aboue her be, sith they are Gods!
Then, though thou fre'st be through the DIGNITY,
Thou art most Bound to Grace, and Maiesty!
When NATVRE, then, would make thee erre, as Man;
Thou canst not stir from these, do what She can
Vnlesse thou wilt infring the Bonds of GRACE
That put, and holds thee in thy powrefull PLACE.
KINGS (sacred Things) haue other Minds & Hearts
Than others haue, that play inferior Parts:
For, some will, for their Subiects good, define!
Than, for their good, wilt thou not liue with thine?
Codrus, who ware th' Athenian DIADEM,
Did (as thou know'st) die willingly for them.
Than shall a King, inferior farre in State,
In vertue passe a greater Potentate?
Great God fore-fend; that HE who is so GREATE,
His Subiects Hope in's pow'r should so defeate.
On this Worlds stage, thou plaist Gods Part (Great KING!)
And at thine Action eu'ry Eye doth fling
The sharpest Beames of Obseruation! Than
If thou would'st haue applause aboue a Man,
Or not exposed be to base esteeme,
Bee as thou Art (a God!) at least, so seeme!
Be strong then (God-like KING) and act this Part
Of sorrow so, as (though it mooue thy HEART)
It may no Action mooue vnfit for POW'R
Of greatest Brittans greatest Gouernour!
God proues His throughly, y'er he them approues:
So, tries before he trusts; likes y'er he loues.
Yet none can take the foile, that combats WO,
Vnlesse he yeelds before the Ouerthrow:
For, if to fight he, but in wil, be prest
Heau'n giues his courage force; his force, the best!
To such, their Wish achiues that Victory
Whose glory farre beyond their wish doth flie:
For Grace will nere be wanting to our will,
If, to our selues, Will be not wanting still.
(So sai'd by some) to death, on his owne BLOVD
Did floate his SONNE, & HEIRE to al his Crowns,
So, for his Subiects peace, his sonne confounds.
Nay God himselfe, his deere Sonne did to death
To saue his seruants: O! then, shall the BREATH
By which we breathe, be spent, in SIGHES, because
Thy Son, to Death, obai'd great NATVRES Lawes;
When of the FOVNT of Grace, and Glory, Thou
Hast such a GLASSE thy selfe to see, and know!
That, with thy selfe, thou doe them not o'rethrow
Through thy much Grief (which makes them most to smart)
For see'ng thy Sonne but mortall, as thou art.
NATVRE (we wot) by her too wayward course,
Will fal (if not vpheld by Sour'aigne force)
To Grieefs redundance, for lesse CAVSE (by ods)
But Kings aboue her be, sith they are Gods!
Then, though thou fre'st be through the DIGNITY,
Thou art most Bound to Grace, and Maiesty!
When NATVRE, then, would make thee erre, as Man;
Thou canst not stir from these, do what She can
Vnlesse thou wilt infring the Bonds of GRACE
That put, and holds thee in thy powrefull PLACE.
KINGS (sacred Things) haue other Minds & Hearts
Than others haue, that play inferior Parts:
For, some will, for their Subiects good, define!
Than, for their good, wilt thou not liue with thine?
Codrus, who ware th' Athenian DIADEM,
Did (as thou know'st) die willingly for them.
Than shall a King, inferior farre in State,
In vertue passe a greater Potentate?
Great God fore-fend; that HE who is so GREATE,
His Subiects Hope in's pow'r should so defeate.
On this Worlds stage, thou plaist Gods Part (Great KING!)
And at thine Action eu'ry Eye doth fling
The sharpest Beames of Obseruation! Than
If thou would'st haue applause aboue a Man,
Or not exposed be to base esteeme,
Bee as thou Art (a God!) at least, so seeme!
Be strong then (God-like KING) and act this Part
Of sorrow so, as (though it mooue thy HEART)
Of greatest Brittans greatest Gouernour!
God proues His throughly, y'er he them approues:
So, tries before he trusts; likes y'er he loues.
Yet none can take the foile, that combats WO,
Vnlesse he yeelds before the Ouerthrow:
For, if to fight he, but in wil, be prest
Heau'n giues his courage force; his force, the best!
To such, their Wish achiues that Victory
Whose glory farre beyond their wish doth flie:
For Grace will nere be wanting to our will,
If, to our selues, Will be not wanting still.
That thou retir'st thy selfe, when Heau'n doth frowne,
Doth rather raise then sinck thy high renowne:
For, Clossets must enclose vs, when, in Wo,
We reckon with our God for what we owe.
Doth rather raise then sinck thy high renowne:
For, Clossets must enclose vs, when, in Wo,
We reckon with our God for what we owe.
Good Kings are leaft alone, when most alone;
For stilnesse is the staidnesse of their THRONE.
Henry the Fourth, of France, had hee beene still;
Rauilliack then, had found no King to kil.
And all the World had from his WORTH, repos'd
In pious acts, the better beene dispos'd:
For, as a Beacon, on an hill aspir'd,
Although it stand alone, yet, being fir'd,
Lights the whole country, farre off from the flame,
And makes Night Day-light neere vnto the same:
So, solitary Kings, that are retir'd
For vertuous causes, do (like Beacons fir'd)
Giue light to all their Subiects, farre, and nie;
So, good the publike by their priuacy.
For stilnesse is the staidnesse of their THRONE.
Henry the Fourth, of France, had hee beene still;
Rauilliack then, had found no King to kil.
And all the World had from his WORTH, repos'd
In pious acts, the better beene dispos'd:
For, as a Beacon, on an hill aspir'd,
Although it stand alone, yet, being fir'd,
Lights the whole country, farre off from the flame,
And makes Night Day-light neere vnto the same:
So, solitary Kings, that are retir'd
For vertuous causes, do (like Beacons fir'd)
Giue light to all their Subiects, farre, and nie;
So, good the publike by their priuacy.
Good King, thy foes (if thou hast any such,
If not; thy Sauiour could not say so much)
Cannot but say (and do thine Honor right)
Th'art Good, as Great; in Nature, as in Might!
Than, in that goodnesse, our iust Iealousie
(Of common intrest which wee haue in thee)
Conuert to Confidence, through thy due care
Of thy Healths state, & this STATE, which we are.
Thy Health is ours; thy Sicknesse is our Pest.
Thy rest's our Toile; thy Trauaile is our REST!
If from the Helme of this so mighty ARKE
That beares our Common-wealth, in priuate Carke,
Thy most wel-practiz'd HAND in rule of STATE
Be long with-held, by sorrow, ease, or Fate;
It must (for all the Masters helpes within)
Runne back in Grace, or else quite sinck in sinne.
The Masters Eye doth fat the Horse (they say)
And Coyne-made-Pastors let the flock decay.
Those Officers, that buy, or rent their Roomes,
Will sell, or make a RENT of all that comes.
All will stand crooked, if thy Head, and Hand
Be not appli'd to make it vpright stand.
Thou being the cunning'st Architect of STATE
Canst raise this, maugree puffes of Spight or Fate,
That, it (rare Master-peece of Kingly SKIL)
Shall stand for Kings to imitate it, still.
Then, O! take comfort in thy Common-wealth
Whose comfort is in care but of thy Health.
As when the sick (sore sick) are spoken too
By friends for good, yet grieue in what they do:
So, least my chat might thee (perhaps) offend,
I at thy foot fall prostrate for the end:
And thus there set the Period of my speech:
Do as thou wilt, thou wilt all others teach.
If not; thy Sauiour could not say so much)
Th'art Good, as Great; in Nature, as in Might!
Than, in that goodnesse, our iust Iealousie
(Of common intrest which wee haue in thee)
Conuert to Confidence, through thy due care
Of thy Healths state, & this STATE, which we are.
Thy Health is ours; thy Sicknesse is our Pest.
Thy rest's our Toile; thy Trauaile is our REST!
If from the Helme of this so mighty ARKE
That beares our Common-wealth, in priuate Carke,
Thy most wel-practiz'd HAND in rule of STATE
Be long with-held, by sorrow, ease, or Fate;
It must (for all the Masters helpes within)
Runne back in Grace, or else quite sinck in sinne.
The Masters Eye doth fat the Horse (they say)
And Coyne-made-Pastors let the flock decay.
Those Officers, that buy, or rent their Roomes,
Will sell, or make a RENT of all that comes.
All will stand crooked, if thy Head, and Hand
Be not appli'd to make it vpright stand.
Thou being the cunning'st Architect of STATE
Canst raise this, maugree puffes of Spight or Fate,
That, it (rare Master-peece of Kingly SKIL)
Shall stand for Kings to imitate it, still.
Then, O! take comfort in thy Common-wealth
Whose comfort is in care but of thy Health.
As when the sick (sore sick) are spoken too
By friends for good, yet grieue in what they do:
So, least my chat might thee (perhaps) offend,
I at thy foot fall prostrate for the end:
And thus there set the Period of my speech:
Do as thou wilt, thou wilt all others teach.
| The mvses-teares for the losse of their hope | |