The Life and Death of William Long beard the most famous and witty English Traitor, borne in the Citty of London. Accompanied with manye other most pleasant and prettie histories, By T. L. [i.e. Thomas Lodge] of Lincolns Inne, Gent |
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His Oade.
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 | The Life and Death of William Long beard |  |
His Oade.
Since that I must repose
Beyond th'infernal Lake,
What vailes me to compose
As many verses as Homer did make?
Beyond th'infernal Lake,
What vailes me to compose
As many verses as Homer did make?
Choice numbers cannot keepe
Me from my pointed graue,
But after lasting sleepe
The doomb of dreadful iudge I needs must haue.
Me from my pointed graue,
But after lasting sleepe
The doomb of dreadful iudge I needs must haue.
I put the case my verse,
In lieu of all my paine,
Ten yeares my praise rehearse
Or somewhat longer time some glorie gaine.
In lieu of all my paine,
Ten yeares my praise rehearse
Or somewhat longer time some glorie gaine.
What wants there to consume
Or take my lines from light,
But flame or fierie fume
Or threatning noice of war or bloudy fight?
Or take my lines from light,
But flame or fierie fume
Or threatning noice of war or bloudy fight?
Excell I Anacrion
Stesicores, Simonides,
Antimachus or Bion,
Philetes, or the graue Bacchilides?
Stesicores, Simonides,
Antimachus or Bion,
Philetes, or the graue Bacchilides?
All these though Greekes they were
And vsde that fluent toong,
In course of many a yeare
Their workes are lost and haue no biding long.
And vsde that fluent toong,
In course of many a yeare
Their workes are lost and haue no biding long.
Then I who want wits sap,
And write but bastard rime,
May I expect the hap,
That my endeuors may ore-come the time?
And write but bastard rime,
That my endeuors may ore-come the time?
No, no: tis farre more meet
To follow Marchants life,
Or at the iudges feet
To sell my toong for bribes to maintaine strife.
To follow Marchants life,
Or at the iudges feet
To sell my toong for bribes to maintaine strife.
Then haunt the idle traine
Of poore Calliope,
Which leaues for hunger slaine,
The choicest men that hir attendants be:
Of poore Calliope,
Which leaues for hunger slaine,
The choicest men that hir attendants be:
| The Life and Death of William Long beard | |