A fig for Momus Containing Pleasant varietie, included in Satyres, Eclogues, and Epistles, by T. L. [i.e. Thomas Lodge] |
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In praise of his Mistris dogge.
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 | A fig for Momus |  |
In praise of his Mistris dogge.
Epistle. 6.
Madam , my Muse wing'd by your kind request,To praise a dog hath solemnly profest,
And for reward, desires no further grace,
Then for a night to grant me Pretties place:
Oh you hie eies the North of my discourse,
Succour my Muse to end her vowed course:
Diuiner Plato, first (vnder pretence
To teach the souldier faith, and diligence)
Compares him to a dogge, that ceasles keepes
His masters tent, and chamber, when he sleepes:
That howles when he is sicke, that barkes, & bites,
The Greeks, and Latines, lou'd these creatures so,
That in their publique sessions to and fro,
They let them passe, where men of better sort,
Were not permitted freely to resort:
The ancient houshould Gods for ornament,
Wore dogskins on their backs: to this intent,
To signifie that as the spaniell baies,
When as the theefe his masters dore assaies:
So they, when dangers should the house attempt,
Propitious, should pursuing plagues preuent.
Them Cicero admir'd, them Ægypt lou'd,
And by their Hirogliphique signe approu'd.
The dignitie of perfect confidence,
And courage scorning inconuenience:
The Bactrians, and the Caspians, by their dombes,
In life made them their mates: in death their tombes.
Th' Ægyptians, in their sacred letters place,
A dog distourning of his head, and face,
Fore-tokning by the same obedience due,
To louing masters, by their seruants true:
Nor can that fained folly winne regard,
Wherein the former poets did award:
Life-taming Aconite to Cerberus:
Nor can the storie of Heraclitus,
Tis published, that he by them was torne.
But of their faith, what stories cannot boast?
Lisimachus, when as his life was lost,
And funerall prepar'd, and herse arrai'd,
And faire addrest, & frends with griefe dismai'd;
Began to burne his corse with many teares,
His faithfull dog that seru'd him many yeares,
In selfesame fire, that burnt his kingly corse,
Consum'd to dust, freely without inforce:
Zantippus sayling from th' Athenian strand,
Was follow'd by his faithfull hound to land:
And Philips sonne (as Theopompe doth wright)
In faithfull Pertha tooke so great delight,
That being dead, who gaue him so much game,
He built a towne in honour of his name:
The Ptamphuonians on the Afrique coast
Do reuerence the faithfull spaniell most,
And setting light by other liuing things,
Midst them, elect and chuse their crowned Kings.
The stout Uenetians being in disgrace,
With Clement Pope of Rome a certaine space,
By no submission, could remission gaine,
Till their Embassadors tied in a chaine
Crept dog-like vnder table, where he sat,
Nor is it womanish to aid, or helpe,
To combe, to currle, to feede a prettie whelpe,
Since all the kings of Persia, where they eate,
Play with their dogs, & kindly giue them meate:
Thus for your dog, my doggrell rime hath runnne
no common course, wherein if I haue done
Ought pleasant to your eares, thanke both your eies,
Which are the Load-stars of my poesies.
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