Minerva Britanna Or A Garden of Heroical Deuises, furnished, and adorned with Emblemes and Impresa's of sundry natures, Newly devised, moralized, and published, By Henry Peacham |
 |
| I. |
| II. |
The Authors Conclusion. |
 | Minerva Britanna |  |
208
The Authors Conclusion.
As then the Skie, was calme and faire,
The Windes did cease, and Cloudes were fled,
AVRORA scattered PHOEBVS haire,
New risen from her Rosie bed:
At whose appoach the Harlot strew,
Both meade, and mountaine, with her flowers:
While ZEPHYRE, sweetest odours threw,
About the feildes, and leavie bowers.
The Windes did cease, and Cloudes were fled,
AVRORA scattered PHOEBVS haire,
New risen from her Rosie bed:
At whose appoach the Harlot strew,
Both meade, and mountaine, with her flowers:
While ZEPHYRE, sweetest odours threw,
About the feildes, and leavie bowers.
The Woods and Waters, left their sound,
No tend'rest twigge, was seene to mooue,
The Beast lay couched on the ground,
The winged People perch'd aboue,
Saue PHILOMEL, who did renew,
Her wonted plaintes vnto the Morne,
That seem'd indeede, her state to rue,
By shedding teares vpon the Thorne.
No tend'rest twigge, was seene to mooue,
The Beast lay couched on the ground,
The winged People perch'd aboue,
Saue PHILOMEL, who did renew,
Her wonted plaintes vnto the Morne,
That seem'd indeede, her state to rue,
By shedding teares vpon the Thorne.
When I as other taking rest,
Was shew'd (me thought) a goodlie plaine,
With all the store of Nature blest,
And situate within the Maine,
With Rocks about environ'd quite,
But inward round, in rowes there stood,
Aswell for profit, as delight,
The Trees of Orchard, and the Wood.
Was shew'd (me thought) a goodlie plaine,
With all the store of Nature blest,
And situate within the Maine,
With Rocks about environ'd quite,
But inward round, in rowes there stood,
Aswell for profit, as delight,
The Trees of Orchard, and the Wood.
The builder Akorne long agoe,
To DODONÆAN IOVE adioin'd,
And there the loftie Pine did grow,
That winged flies before the Wind:
LEVCOTHOE that wounded bleedes,
Nor wanting was, nor that same Tree,
That beares the staine, in fruite and seedes,
Of THISBES woefull Tragœdie.
To DODONÆAN IOVE adioin'd,
And there the loftie Pine did grow,
That winged flies before the Wind:
LEVCOTHOE that wounded bleedes,
Nor wanting was, nor that same Tree,
That beares the staine, in fruite and seedes,
Of THISBES woefull Tragœdie.
209
The Elme embracing BACCHVS stood,
And there the Beech was also plac't,
That gaue the golden Age her foode:
Though we esteeme it, but as mast;
The Walnut, praised for her hew,
The Ash, the best for helue, and staues,
The Eugh, vnto the bender trew,
The Sallow soft, that water craues.
And there the Beech was also plac't,
That gaue the golden Age her foode:
Though we esteeme it, but as mast;
The Walnut, praised for her hew,
The Ash, the best for helue, and staues,
The Eugh, vnto the bender trew,
The Sallow soft, that water craues.
Th' vnblasted Bay, to conquests due,
The Persian Peach, and fruitefull Quince:
And there the forward Almond grew,
With Cherries knowne no long time since:
The VVinter-Warden, Orchards pride,
The PHILIBERT, that loues the vale,
And red Queene-Apple, so envi'de,
Of Schooleboies, passing by the pale.
The Persian Peach, and fruitefull Quince:
And there the forward Almond grew,
With Cherries knowne no long time since:
The VVinter-Warden, Orchards pride,
The PHILIBERT, that loues the vale,
And red Queene-Apple, so envi'de,
Of Schooleboies, passing by the pale.
With many moe, of me forgot,
Vpon the which the Aëry crew,
Each in his kind, and order sat,
And did his wonted note renew;
The long-liu'd Eagle, IOVE forsooke,
And hither in a moment flew,
Who to the Oake, himselfe betooke,
As King, his multitude to view.
Vpon the which the Aëry crew,
Each in his kind, and order sat,
And did his wonted note renew;
The long-liu'd Eagle, IOVE forsooke,
And hither in a moment flew,
Who to the Oake, himselfe betooke,
As King, his multitude to view.
And IVNOS Bird, not farre away,
Displaid her ARGVS hundred eies;
By him sat perched on a spray,
The Swanne, that sweetly singing dies:
The Crane, who Centinell hath stood,
The Herne, high'st soarer in our sight,
The Pheasaunt fetch'd from PHASIS flood,
With Faulcon for the Kings delight.
Displaid her ARGVS hundred eies;
By him sat perched on a spray,
The Swanne, that sweetly singing dies:
The Crane, who Centinell hath stood,
The Herne, high'st soarer in our sight,
The Pheasaunt fetch'd from PHASIS flood,
With Faulcon for the Kings delight.
The Turtle here to each did tell,
The losse of his beloued mate,
And so did THRACIAN Philomel,
In sweetest tunes, her bitter Fate:
Ne wanted there the envious Stare,
The theevish Chough, and prating Iay,
The Raile, and frostie Feldefare,
And Larke abroade by breake of day.
The losse of his beloued mate,
And so did THRACIAN Philomel,
In sweetest tunes, her bitter Fate:
Ne wanted there the envious Stare,
The theevish Chough, and prating Iay,
The Raile, and frostie Feldefare,
And Larke abroade by breake of day.
210
Within there was a Circlet round,
That rais'd it selfe, of softest grasse,
No Velvet smoother spred on ground,
Or Em'rald greener ever was:
In mid'st there sate a beauteous Dame,
(Not PAPHOS Queene, so faire a wight)
For Roses by, did blush for shame,
To see a purer, red and white.
That rais'd it selfe, of softest grasse,
No Velvet smoother spred on ground,
Or Em'rald greener ever was:
In mid'st there sate a beauteous Dame,
(Not PAPHOS Queene, so faire a wight)
For Roses by, did blush for shame,
To see a purer, red and white.
In Robe of woven Silver fine,
And deepest Crimson she was clad:
Then diaper'd with golden twine,
Aloft a Mantle greene she had,
Whereon were wrought, with rarest skill
Faire Cities, Castles, Rivers, Woods;
And here, and there, emboss'd a hill
With Fountaines, and the Nymphes of Floods.
And deepest Crimson she was clad:
Then diaper'd with golden twine,
Aloft a Mantle greene she had,
Whereon were wrought, with rarest skill
Faire Cities, Castles, Rivers, Woods;
And here, and there, emboss'd a hill
With Fountaines, and the Nymphes of Floods.
A massie Collar set with stones,
Did over all, it selfe extend,
Whereon in sparkling Diamonds,
SAINT GEORGE, her Patrone did depend;
A Crowne Imperial on her head,
One hand a bright drawne Sword did hold,
The other (most that made her dredd,)
Three Scepters of the finest gold.
Did over all, it selfe extend,
Whereon in sparkling Diamonds,
SAINT GEORGE, her Patrone did depend;
A Crowne Imperial on her head,
One hand a bright drawne Sword did hold,
The other (most that made her dredd,)
Three Scepters of the finest gold.
While proudly vnderfoote she trod,
Rich Trophæies, and victorious spoiles,
Atchieued by her might abroad:
Her name is EMPRESSE OF THE ILES:
There Charriots were, that once she wanne,
From CÆSAR, ere she was betraid,
With standards gat from Pagans, whan
She lent the Holy Land her aide.
Rich Trophæies, and victorious spoiles,
Atchieued by her might abroad:
Her name is EMPRESSE OF THE ILES:
There Charriots were, that once she wanne,
From CÆSAR, ere she was betraid,
With standards gat from Pagans, whan
She lent the Holy Land her aide.
Here saw I many a shiver'd launce,
Swordes, Battle-axes, Cannons Slinges,
With th' Armes of PORTVGAL, and FRAVNCE,
And Crownets of her pettie Kinges:
High-feathered Helmets for the Tilt,
Bowes, Steelie Targets cleft in twaine:
Coates, Cornets, Armours richly guilt,
With tatterd Ensignes out of SPAINE.
Swordes, Battle-axes, Cannons Slinges,
With th' Armes of PORTVGAL, and FRAVNCE,
And Crownets of her pettie Kinges:
High-feathered Helmets for the Tilt,
Bowes, Steelie Targets cleft in twaine:
Coates, Cornets, Armours richly guilt,
With tatterd Ensignes out of SPAINE.
211
About her now on every Tree,
(Whereon full oft she cast her eie,)
Hung silver Sheildes, by three and three,
With Pencill limned curiouslie:
Wherein were drawne with skilfull tuch,
Impresa's, and Devises rare,
Of all her gallant Knightes, and such
As Actors in her Conquestes were.
(Whereon full oft she cast her eie,)
Hung silver Sheildes, by three and three,
With Pencill limned curiouslie:
Wherein were drawne with skilfull tuch,
Impresa's, and Devises rare,
Of all her gallant Knightes, and such
As Actors in her Conquestes were.
Eke some of Queenes, and Ladies too,
As pleased their Invention best,
(For wit of woman, much can doe;)
Were fastned vp among the rest,
In sundry tongues, whose Motto's old,
And names, though scarcely could be read,
She wishd their Glories mought be told,
To after times, though they were dead.
As pleased their Invention best,
(For wit of woman, much can doe;)
Were fastned vp among the rest,
In sundry tongues, whose Motto's old,
And names, though scarcely could be read,
She wishd their Glories mought be told,
To after times, though they were dead.
Great Edvvard third, you might see there,
With that victorious Prince his sonne:
Next valiant Iohn of Lancaster,
That Spaine, with English overran:
And those braue spirits Marshalled,
The first that of the Garter were,
All Souldiers, none to Carpet bred,
Whose names to tell I must forbeare.
With that victorious Prince his sonne:
Next valiant Iohn of Lancaster,
That Spaine, with English overran:
And those braue spirits Marshalled,
The first that of the Garter were,
All Souldiers, none to Carpet bred,
Whose names to tell I must forbeare.
Fourth Henries Sunbeames on the Cloude,
Fift Henries Beacon flaming bright,
Yorkes Locke, that did the Falcon shroude,
Was here, so were his Roses white:
The Marshal Movbraie Norfolkes Duke,
Yet liuing in great Hovvards blood,
With valiant Bedford, Symboles tooke
As pleas'd them, to adorne the Wood.
Fift Henries Beacon flaming bright,
Yorkes Locke, that did the Falcon shroude,
Was here, so were his Roses white:
The Marshal Movbraie Norfolkes Duke,
Yet liuing in great Hovvards blood,
With valiant Bedford, Symboles tooke
As pleas'd them, to adorne the Wood.
By whome the Beavchampes worne away,
And noblest Talbot, scourge of Fravnce,
With Nevills whome could nought dismay,
Left Reliques of their Puissance:
The loyal Vere, and Clifford stout,
Greate Strongbovves heire, with Bovrchier, Gray,
Braue Falconbridge, and Montacvte:
Couragious Ormond, Lisle, and Say.
And noblest Talbot, scourge of Fravnce,
With Nevills whome could nought dismay,
Left Reliques of their Puissance:
The loyal Vere, and Clifford stout,
Greate Strongbovves heire, with Bovrchier, Gray,
Braue Falconbridge, and Montacvte:
Couragious Ormond, Lisle, and Say.
212
With other numberlesse beside,
That to haue seene each one's devise,
How liuely limn'd, how well appli'de,
You were the while in Paradise:
Another side she did ordaine,
To some late dead, some liuing yet,
Who seru'd Eliza in her raigne,
And worthily had honour'd it.
That to haue seene each one's devise,
How liuely limn'd, how well appli'de,
You were the while in Paradise:
Another side she did ordaine,
To some late dead, some liuing yet,
Who seru'd Eliza in her raigne,
And worthily had honour'd it.
Where turning, first I spide aboue,
Her owne deare Phoenix hovering,
Whereat, me thought, in melting Loue,
Apace with teares mine eies did spring;
But Foole, while I aloft did looke,
For her that was to Heauen flowne,
This goodly place, my sight forsooke,
And on the suddaine all was gone.
Her owne deare Phoenix hovering,
Whereat, me thought, in melting Loue,
Apace with teares mine eies did spring;
But Foole, while I aloft did looke,
For her that was to Heauen flowne,
This goodly place, my sight forsooke,
And on the suddaine all was gone.
With griefe awak'd, I gaz'd around,
And casting vp to Heauen mine eie,
Oh God I said! where may be found,
These Patrones now of Chivalry,
“But Vertue present and secure,
“We hate, when from our knowledge hid,
“By all the meanes we her allure,
“To take her dwelling where she did.
And casting vp to Heauen mine eie,
Oh God I said! where may be found,
These Patrones now of Chivalry,
“But Vertue present and secure,
“We hate, when from our knowledge hid,
“By all the meanes we her allure,
“To take her dwelling where she did.
Now what they were, on every Tree,
Devises new, as well as old,
Of those braue worthies, faithfullie,
Shall in another Booke be told.
Devises new, as well as old,
Of those braue worthies, faithfullie,
Shall in another Booke be told.
| Minerva Britanna | |