University of Virginia Library

THE DEATHES OF CERTEN Noble Princes in english verse.

Alexander the great his death.

VVhat sounde assurance is of man?
what certaine lotte of life?
When Atrop cuts which Lachese spinnes,
with cruell cursed knife.
Hee yesterday renowmed Prince,
and King of Kinges so braue:
To daye in mouldred mossie mire,
layde in his fatall graue.
Yesterdaye the sonne of loue,
might all commaunde at will:
To day starcke naked in the earth,
with wormes his belly full.

Iulius Cæsars death.

I Long that ruled Rome at will,
in middest of Rome am spilde:
And in the Senate house amongst
the Senators I am kilde.
Who Countries, Kingdomes, Castles strong,
who Europe all did quell:
To Brutus hande, and Cassius snares,
vnwares I Cæsar fell.
With Bodkins, Daggers, Swordes and Staues.
I Cæsar there was slaine:
Of fostered foes which friendeshippe fainde,
as Abel was of Cain.

Cirus King of Persea his death.

What Kesar, King, or Prince thou art,
that passes here this way:
Suffer Cirus seauen foote,
to rest his Corpes in clay.
Whose greedie minde and raging race,
whose fortune frowning wild:
That Cirus shoulde be in Scithia slaine,
by Tomyris, Queene in fielde.
Whose heade was off and bathed in bloode,
to whome the Queene spake first:
Drinke cruell Cirus bloode ynough,
that long for bloode did thirst.

Agamemnon his death.

Whome tenne yeares warres in Phrigian fieldes,
nor Troyans force subdue:
Whome winde, nor Seas, nor tempest hurt,
this Clitemnestra slue.
This famous Prince and Capitaine graunde,
of all the Geekes in fielde:
Whome fame in Phrigia so aduaunced,
his onely spouse him kilde.
Thus fortune friendly flowed fast,
and fauored fame to sounde:
Till frowning fortune foylde the state,
which fawning fortune founde.

King Pirrhus his death.

Here Pirrhus Prince of Epire lyes,
whose force Tarentum knew:
At Argos was by a woman slaine,
with a Tilestoone that shee threw.
Whom thousande Princes coulde not hurt,
nor Romanes all annoy:
Whom shot of Gunnes ne dreadfull dart,
might Pirrhus Prince destroy.
This seconde souldier counted was,
to Alexander King:
A sielie Argiue woman lo,
to graue did Pirrhus bring.

Hanibal his death.

The fostered fame the glory great,
that was in Carthage coast:
The honour long that Lybia had,
againe in time was lost.
He that was the scurge of Rome,
and Romanes oft offend:
He that saued his natiue zoile,
and Carthage did defende.
The same at last to Siria fled,
to craue Antiochus ayde:
Unto Bithinia thence he went,
to Prusias King dismayde.
And there to voyde Flaminius force,
he poyson dranke did die;
Thus hauty Hanibal ended life,
and there his bones do lye.

Pompeius death.

Pompeius fleeing Pharsalia fieldes,
from Cæsar, life to saue:
Whome then Photinus fayned friende,
to Egypt soyle did laue.
And there by slaightes of faythlesse frindes,
for golde and siluer loe:
Pompeius heade was sent to Rome,
to Cæsar for to shoe.
His bodie left vnburied lieth,
in Egypt slimy sandes:
Who sometime King of Pontus prest,
and all Armenia landes.

Cicero his death.

VVhome Cicero saued oft from death,
the same did Cicero kill:
Pompilius prowde to please the rage,
of Mar. Antonius will.
Whose heade was sette in sight to see,
Antonius minde to please:
Whose tongue did Fuluia pricke with pinnes,
Hir stony heart to ease.
Who when hee was for Clodius sake,
exiled Rome to raunge:
Twentie thousande Romanes mournde,
in mourning weedes the chaunge.
Hee three times Consul was in Rome,
now in Caieta slaine:
Whose noble name and lasting fame,
shall styll on earth remaine.

Demosthenes death.

The sugred sappe the solace long,
the guyde of Athens then:
That stoute withstoode king Philips force,
in spite of Philips men.
Of whome king Philip in his warres,
was forcde to say at length:
Hee feared more Demosthenes tongue,
then all the Athinians strength.
Such is the ende of mortall wightes,
such is the miserie of men:
That howe to die, the time the place,
he knoweth not where nor when.

Achilles his death.

The hope of Greece, and countries care,
Achilles strong of force:
Like stoute Alcides fought on foote,
like Mars himselfe on horse.
But lust that ruled Goddes sometimes,
did then Achilles mooue:
To walke to Troye to feede desire,
for Priamus daughters loue.
Who by a Dart that Paris driude,
Achilles had his ende:
Whose worthy actes and marshall feates,
in Homer well is pende.

Hectors death.

Hector stoute whose strokes full sterne,
the Greekes did girde so grim:
And foyled foes in Phrigian fieldes,
death happened thus to him.
In spoyling of Patroclus king,
Achilles faythfull friende:
Came strong Achilles to the place,
to see Patroclus ende.
Then Hectors harnesse quite was of,
supposing none so nie:
When great Achilles watcht in place,
in Hectors face to flie.
And with his speare hee thrust him through,
from Hectors side to side:
Thus famous man and Phrigian Prince,
thus Troyan Hector died.

Thimistocles death.

That noble Greeke Themistocles,
by Artaxerxes forcde:
To fight agaynst his natiue soyle,
in harnesse braue was horsde.
But marke a valiaunt minde,
beholde a famous deede:
To hurt his soyle this noble Greeke,
did feele his heart to bleede.
To voyde this wrath of Perseans Prince,
hee bloode with poyson dranke:
And so to die, that so did liue,
hee gladly God did thanke.

Marcellus death.

Marcellus in his glorie great,
triumphant Uictor oft:
The Spurre of Rome, and Romane guyde,
in state aduaunced loft.
Who by the Senate sage was sent,
to Massinissa King:
And charged that from Africk fieldes,
an aunswere he shoulde bring.
On surging Seas, of wambling waues,
vnto his busines bent.
Dame Fortune doth with flattering feates
such loftie mates preuent.

Nero his death.

In lust who leadeth life,
with Tyraunt Nero here:
Must with Nero ende his life,
as did in Rome appere.
Who slue his Mayster Seneca,
who did his mother kill:
Who spoyled all, who spared none,
who last him selfe did spill.
Whose death as ioyfull was to Rome,
as Rome his life detest.
That into Tiber he being deade,
the Romans threwe this beast.

Hercules death.

Which Dragons, Lions, Tigers wilde,
which beastes so fierce did tame:
Which Castles, Countries, Townes, and Towres,
loe death subdued the same.
What Hercules hadde at Nessus hande,
the same with flames did frie:
Wherein that ofspring great of Goddes,
and impe of Ioue did die.

Herods death.

When Herode raigned in Iuda King,
his lothsome life to ledde:
On sucking babes and infantes bloode,
this cruell tyraunt fedde.
To seeke our Sauiour Christ he kilde,
the babes of Iuda lande:
And thought our God coulde not escape
his fomie blodie hande.
Of Wormes this Herode was deuourde,
of vermin loe and mise:
His bones, his fleshe, was all consumde,
and eaten vp of Life.

Seleucus king of Siria his death.

Seleucus King of Siria lo,
Antiochus sonne the great:
To whome in middest of ioyfull state,
did fortune vse this feate.
That mounted high on stately steede,
with princely port to ride:
From pompe, from pride, from horse he fell,
and there Seleucus died.
That earst in Siria had such fame,
and liued long in mirth:
With crawling creeping wormes hee lieth,
starcke naked in the earth.

Traians death.

When twentie yeares had Traian rainde
in Romane Empire lo:
In Citie called Seleucia died,
from Persea comming fro.
Whose noble dayes and happy yeres,
while yet in Rome hee dwelt:
Both Rome and Romanes then reioycde,
no griefe in Rome was felt.
He rightly ruled Rome by lawe,
he Romane safegarde sought:
To punish vice and hate eche sinne,
Plutarchus him hath taught.

King Anceus death.

Who thinkes to ioye shall hap to wo,
who thinkes to liue shall die:
Who thinkes to speede shall often misse,
thus fortune friends doth trie.
As Anceus King of Samos sought,
to slea a sauage Bore:
Was by the Bore he thought to kill,
constraynde to die before.

Heliogabalus Emperour of Rome his death.

Beholde another Gorgon grim,
a monster Cyclop lo:
Whose lothsome life and wicked wayes,
all Rome did feare I know.
The sincke of sinne, the shape of shame,
the beast of Rome was calde:
The cruelst scourge, the sorest plague,
that euer Rome haue stalde.
This monster murthered in a iakes,
and halde through Rome in steetes:
And after throwne to Tibers streames,
shut in his shrowding sheetes.

[Had Greke Calisthenes silence kept, had Neuius spared speache]

Had Greke Calisthenes silence kept, had Neuius spared speache,
Had Theocritus busie braine, offended not his leache:
Calesthenes had not loste his life, nor Theocritus died:
Ne in Mætellus wrathe, so long had Neuius poet abide.
The soundst reward, the surest gifte should Memmius haue in thende,
Had he to Cæsar nothyng saied, that Cæsar might offende:
But as I feare Chirilus stripes, and dreade Aristos draught:
So with Antilochus to write I am, to some Lisander taught.
Some carpyng Crete, some peuishe Pan, and some of Colax kinde,
Some of Gnatho schools will scanne, some flaitrie here to finde.
I will not baulte with Clisophus, I loue not Curio stile,
I hate Philoxenus forged faithe, Aristippus phraise to file:
But with Sinætes persean poore, with Cirus water craue,
Her princely pardone on my knee, with Cirill Poete haue.
Who to auoide Charibdis gulfe, I fall in Scillas bande,
To seeke to shunne Semphlagades, I sinke in Sirtes sande:
With wearied winges of Icarus, with Phaœtons charge in hande,
Moste like Actæon bounde before, her noble grace I stande.
No Momus maie Minerua saile, no Phaæton Phebus charge,
No wilfull winges of Icarus, maie Dedalus flight discharge:
Therefore you Goddes that guide the globes, the glisteryng glaryng skie,
The whirlyng spheares, the firmamente, and poales of heauens hie.
You starrie states and imps of Ioue, your graces thre attende,
Approche in place Pierides, my vaine in verse to bende.
Eche pilgrime Prince in prose is paste, eche Quene must now in vearse,
Haue honour due and fame deserude, the heauens hie to pearce.
Whose praise shall pearce the clusteryng cloudes, and skale the empire skie,
Whose thunderyng clanges of brused fame, on yearth shall neuer die.
Eche passyng pearles Prince in place, from stooles of states redounde.
Whom birdes abrode on brakes doe bragge, their praise in skies to sounde.
Who whirlyng windes and whispering woods, who brauling broks aduaūce,
Whose ecchos shrill of fliyng fame, through surging seas doe launce.
Who ruled people proude and fierce, and nations stoute subdued,
That widdowes were, and virgins Quenes, with wisedome greate endued
Who readeth not Zinobias fame, who doeth not Mesa knowe,
Who heareth not of Sabas name, that any where doeth goe.
What worthie actes, what famous feactes, what vertues rare were sene,
When noble Kyng Mausolus died in Artemesia Queen,
The noble Quene Semiramis, Kyng Ninus famous wife,
Did rule Assiria saffe and sounde, when Ninus loste his life.
When Constant Emperour died, his wife no lesse ther loue did laue,
Then pearle Penelope had in Grece, or Romaine Lucrece haue.
Emongest the Illireans to Teuca then suche worthie name did chaunce,
As in Arcadia Atlanta did her noble fame aduaunce.
Quene Dido ruled Carthage coste, Helerna Tibur braue,
As sometyme did Cloelia, the Romaine scepter saue.
Why seeke I thus to shunne the snares, and shifte with verses ofte,
Sithe praise of force must presse the place, where wisedome rules a lofte.
A Prince of porte in silence kepte, that doeth expecte the ende,
Whose rule and raiall race by course, nedes not in bookes be pende.
In whom the Muses builde their bowres, the graces make their forte,
With whom Sibilles sages sitte, and sacred Nimphes resorte.
Who Iudith like with threatnyng swearde, Holofernus mates to spoile,
A seconde Susan sure she is, all Iudges false to foile.
Another faithfull Sara sadde, with Æsters mace in hande,
In prinsely place Rebecca, like to rule her natiue lande.
She in triumphant seate doeth sitte, with Laurell leaues bee decte,
With Oliue braunches braue on heade, that doo his fame detect
This to the Muses nine a tenth her grace, did Joue betake,
And with the Graces three, a fourth Apollo hir did make.
The fame Aurelia had in Rome, by Cæsar first did spryng.
The like Olimpias had in Grece, by Alexander Kyng.
Who had knowen Cassandana, had Cirus fame not wine,
Or who had heard of Creusas name, had not, Æneas bin.
The force that Hector vsed in fielde, extolde Andromachs name,
The porte that Traiane Emperour had, aduaunced Plotinas fame,
But she that hath no sire no soonne, a seconde Delbora is,
To sit in roiall roume to rule, in ioye and state of blisse.
Who is by Ioue appointed, from diuine Camæna schoole,
Like sadde Cassandra for to sitte, in sage Samberta stoole,
Who with Euphemos fostered was, in heigh Latonias towre,
Whose cradle long Melissa rockt, within dame Venus bowre,
In sadde Sibillas bowre brought vp, of sacred Vesta taught,
Corinna learned though she was, her seruice Sapho sought.
Giue Saba place, Zenobia yelde, beholde in place suche one,
That learned Ladies linke them selues, her grace to waite vpon.
Whom Prudence teache, and Iustice rule, whom temperaunce doeth professe,
All vertues rare and godlie giftes, her noble minde possesse.
Whom Gods by birth with one consent agreed hir name should be,
Pandora for his galaunt giftes, in glorie greate to glie:
Whom if Cornelia were aliue, and hard of this hir fame,
She with Hortensia would from Rome, to England viage frame.
The haughtie dames in warlike weedes, those Spartan Ladies lo,
And Mars himself with Thraciās Quenes, to this would yeald I know
In Phrigian fields, in Troian campe, was Penthisilea seen,
With strong Achilles force, in fielde to fight like valiaunte Queen.
In Rutil lande on Turnus side, against Æneas loe,
Came Quene Camilla armed to fielde, the Troians force to knowe.
The Scithian stoute Quene Tomiris, that bloudie Cirus stue,
With CC. thousandes souldiors slaine, whiche Persea long did rue.
That noble Quene Antiopes, and Hippolite in bande,
Durst bothe Alcides rage endure, and Theseus stoute withstande.
Thus that women were suche wightes, to fight in fielde with hande:
In Saca, Scithia, Cimbria zoile, and in Lacedena lande.
Though speares and shield thei shooke, though harness thei did beare,
Yet farre inferiour to this Quene, in Marshall feates thei weare.
Minerua she from turrettes high, with regall Iuno state,
Vnto the sacred Nimphes aboue, elected souer aignemate.
With princely Perseus Pollax lo, she slue Medusas broode,
She cursed Cacus lincke did cutte, with strong Alcides moode.
With sage Vlixes swearde I saie, she Poliphemus slue,
And she with mightis mace of Ioue, the ymps of hell subdue.
She dasseled Argos hundred eyes, and doeth Zopirus seede,
And shall eche vertue plante in tyme, and vice in tyme out weede.
She Dragon, Lion, Bore and Bull she Harte and Hidra kild,
She Gereon, Cerberus, Angeus haue, the birdes and Centaries spild.
She paste Cocitus frostie face, with fixed faithe to Zoile,
And sailed Letheus Lothsome lake, forgettyng foes to foile.
She waded firie Phlegeton flud, with princelie pacience out,
And staied not at Stigias streame, to ende hir Pilgrime out:
She from Lotophagus then retournd, she past the Ciclops dean,
She sailed safe by Scillas rocke, she fledde not Auernus fene.
No Gorgone grimme, no Ciclop huge, no fretyng furies fell,
No Cirses sight, no Cirens voice nor Plutos force in hell:
Maie moue hir Mast nor shake hir Ship vpon a rocke so build,
On Acheronta where she sailes towarde Elizeus filde.
Enioiyng Sanges glisteryng Gemmes, possessing Tagus sands,
Hidaspes and Hiberus wealth, with Pactolus pearles in hands:
The buildinges braue and loftie wales, the princelie Turrets hie,
Whiche Ninus wife in Persea plast, whose fame shall neuer die.
The sumptuous Tombe, the wonderous workes, the gorgious glistryng graue,
Whiche Queene of Caria then did make, Monsolus bones to saue:
The stately seates Piramydes, which in Ægipt lande abode,
And Monstrous Phebus shape I saie, whiche Chares made in Rhode.
Dianas Temple Pharaos Toure, and Phidias frame in Greece,
Inspect of this her buildynges braue, their fame and glorie lese:
Cadmus Thebes, Dardane Troie, and Ogdous Memphus made,
These with Carthage Didos Tonne, maie nothyng here perswade.
She buildeth neWe Ierusalem, and Sion vp doth rear,
And to the Uineyard on hir back she daielie burthens bear:
The fletyng fame on yearth haue sought, she glorie greate in skie,
They thrugh pompe and she through paine aduaunceth fame on hie.
They liude to eate, they eate to die, they die in death to paine,
She eates to liue she liues to die, she dieth to liue againe:
Ariadne Minoes doughter taught, to Theseus stoute the waie,
From Labirinthus dreadfull deans, where Minotaurus laie.
That wandryng Prince Æneas then, in Cuma taught was so,
By sage Amalthea Auernus gulfe, from limbo lake to goe:
The soundrie shifts Medea assaide, hir Iason sure to saue,
In Colcus lande with conquest greate, the golden fleace to haue.
Were now these worthie Greekes aliue, and iolie champions lo,
As vnto Delphos streigt thei would vnto his pallace goe:
She spoiled Labirinthus caues, she Minotaurus slue,
She princely doth possesse in place, the Golden fleace in vewe.
And though Perillus plaied his part, the brasen Bull to make,
Yet was Perillus forced hym self, therein his death to take.
The Leaden horse Aruntius made, for others there to die,
To assaie the newe inuented woorke, Aruntius first did frie.
Thus saucie Sinon sleight shall die, and Phalaris falshode ende,
And from Zopirus subtle seede, her state shall God defende.
Triumphant Triton sounde thy trumpe, though Neptunes rage did rore,
In spite of Boreas Boisterous blast, she sailed saffe to shore.
Where she like blasyng Phebus beames, with siluer shinyng face,
Bellona like in seate doeth sitte, with fine Aglaias grace.
On whom the dreadfull Driades waite, the Oriades high on hill,
The sacred Nimphes attende her grace, her seruice to fulfill.
Hebe and Calisto light, from starrie states discende,
A perles prince must pearce the cloudes, whose fame the skies shall bende.
Whose fame shall flowe from Nilus bankes, through Euphrates to lande:
From Tigris stragglyng streame, her state to golden Ganges sande.
From Pirens pathe to Helicon, from high Parnassus mounte,
Vnto Libethres well to washe with ladies nine were wonte.
From Easte to Weste, from Southe to Northe, her fliyng fame doeth flowe,
From Pole antartike fast with winges, to articke Pole to goe.
Panomphes Gemme Caliope, thy steppe Melpomen staie,
Yelde honour due Thalia now, her seruice Clio assaie.
Polihimnia with her Musike must, and Errato tende in place,
Euterpe sounde her troumpe of fame, her foes for to deface.
Discende Terpsichore from the skies, parte thence Vrania fro,
A Phenix fine must mounte the skies, and you awaie must goe.
Surrender Cumea vp thy seate, now Samia Phiton flee,
No longer fame must Themis haue, in Delphos now to be.
Yelde stately Iuno Samos vp, flee Delos Dian fro,
Voide princely Pallas Athens now, from Paphos Venus goe.
Beholde a branche from Brutus line, whose vertuous praise to paint,
My slender skill, my simple muse to thinke thereof doe faint.
For had I Virgills vaine in verse, and learned Homere skill,
To write Demosthenes sugred stile, with noble Tullies quill.
Ouercharged I should be, her noble life to cite,
Her galaunt giftes, her talentes rare, her vertuous all to write.
If outward beautie moude the Goddes, what inward vertue can,
Whose feutered forme if eyes might see, should maze the sight of man,
If Daphnes might Apollo winne, and Tyro Neptune moue,
If Herce Cecrops doughter dere, might lure Mercurius loue,
If Quene Aeginas beautie bright, could mightie Ioue enflame,
In forme of fire with Phœbus face, to honour beauties fame.
What loue, what ioye, what wisedom then, what wealth should men possesse,
If sence of sight might vertue see, as Plato prince confesse.
The tramplyng toile of Tantalus, his hongrie panche to please,
The rowlyng stone of Sisiphus, hir vertuous sight would cease.
If Titius could, if Atlas might, might this Yxion see,
Titius toile Atlas loade, Yxion easde should bee.
The golden heares Pompeia had, forede Neros harte on fire,
Through witte and wisedome did our Queene, her subiectes hartes desire.
Cleopatra wanne by a draught of drinke, Antonius for her frende,
By counsaill graue and sad aduise, doeth she her zoile defende.
The curious shue made Rhodope Quene, in Egipte lande to rule,
And vertue aduaunceth this her fame, in Englande long to endure.
But sithe that beautie is a gifte, whiche nature hath bestowed.
I meane to penne dame beauties praise, as nature forthe hath shewed.
Had skilfull eyes of Xeuxes vued, had fine Philuseus seen,
Had learned lo Lisippus sight, of this our noble Queen.
Dame Venus picture made in Cous, and Helens grace in Grece,
Latonas moulde, the impes of Ioue, their painted porte should leese.
If Phidias might had framde the like, or had Timantes fainde,
Bellona in her bowre had blusht, and Iphigenia stainde.
Durst this Pigmalion graue in stone, or Theopompus painte,
Thei should haue felt bothe sight and sence, bothe harte and hande to faint
If prince Apelles cunnyng, could in colours drawe by arte,
The sight thereof would cause the Grekes from suche a shewe to starte.
Bragge then no more you glorious Grekes, of beauties bowre ne boste,
Sithe Englande wanne victoriously, whiche Grece by fate hath loste.
Retire you Romains from your race, your fame is loste J wene,
Suche Lucrece raigne in Englande now, as neuer earst was sene.
Giue place you noble dames, throwe of your garlandes gaie,
Laie prostrate doune your crounes of fame, to her that beares the swaie.
Who in spite of dragging darte of death, in spite of Gorgons grief,
In spite of furies frettyng flames, in spite of Parcas knife.
Shall Triton sounde hir troumpe of fame, and Stentor straine to blowe,
Through surging seas and clousteryng cloudes, her name to starres to goe.
And in Mauseolum braue her bones, and sumptuous Toumbe shall lye,
Whose sacred soules berefte from corps, to heauen straight shall flie.

The Aucthour to his booke.

Sith Virgill loftie vaine in verse, sith learned Homers Quill,
Sith Plutarch and Pithagoras, did practice oft their skill:
To write of fightyng frogges, in fild of wandering bees and flice,
To extoll the reedes and rushes long, with solemne muse aduice.
Though skilfull thei with learned muse, in thinges so small to flowe,
Yet willing I my faithfull hart to natiue zoill to showe:
For who in Athens idle were, by Dracos lawe should die,
As in Hetruria idle heads, by lawe were forcde to flie.
VVhose ground in Rome was baren found, was put in prison faste,
And kyng of Ægypt toke accompt, of daily labour past:
The Spartan youth that waxed grosse by lawe should fast it out,
And loitring Indians went vndinde, from place to place about.
Ech labour well deserueth hire, that Idlenes doth flee,
Ech vertue must haue due reward, ech vice must punished be:
For rather had I venture fame, Chirilus stripes to haue,
Then still with Vatia idle be, ech filthy lust to laue.
Saill then by raging Scillas rockes, passe by Ciclops denne,
On through Lotophagos tent full bould, feare not Auernus fene,
Trudge fast from flattryng Cirens face, make haste from Cirses sight,
Pearce Limbo through, possesse the place where iustice iudgeth right.
Mauger of Mægera head, in spit of furies go,
Through Stigia streame and flaming fluds to frēd thy self to show
VVaie not Momus nor his mates, exteme not Zoilus talke,
Voide fond Suffenus busie brain, with wise Minerua walke.
The Scithian rude had rather here, a horse to ney or kike,
Then solem sound of Orpheus Harpe, with skilfull stroke to strike
The Arcadian blind with Midas will, preferre the pipe of Pan,
Before Appollo sacred God, who iudge of musike can.
Hadst thou Briareus hundred hands, or hundred Argos eies,
Suppose thy sences slack to serue, ech reader to suffice:
And as Vlixes mates were changde, to shiftyng shapes of hoggs,
So like Actæon thou shalt be, deuoured of some doggs.
Some will finde in vearse thy fault, some will defame thy sence,
Some thy stile and some thy state, will finde in thee offence:
The learned loth I am to lose, of right their frendship craue,
Sith thou and thei wer taught in place, true frendship seke to haue
A Crowe sometime in Rome was taught, to speake to Cæsar so,
Aue Cæsar loude with voice, as Cæsar by did go:
An Ægle was in Sefton toune, eche daie would neuer ceasse,
But mount to skey in flight to slee, some foules his frend to please.
The Pecock proude the swellyng Swan, the Feasaunt gaie the Cocke,
Do brag and bost themselues so braue, and other birds do mocke:
Though these like Gorgons grim with eies, thy trēbling face behold
Yet tell that others see in theim, whiche they of thee haue toulde.
No force saie thou if that may chaunce, Antimachus lot maie craue,
Insteede of sondrie diuers heads, one Plato frend to haue.