The Mirrour of Mutabilitie or Principall part of the Mirrour for Magistrates. Describing the fall of diuers famous Princes, and other memorable Personages. Selected out of the sacred Scriptures by Antony Munday, and dedicated to the Right Honorable the Earle of Oxenford |
 |
| 1. |
| 2. |
 | The Mirrour of Mutabilitie |  |
THE COMPLAINT of Adonia Sonne, to King David, for his proud aspiring to his Fathers kingdome, & also for his pride vsed against his Brother King Salomon, in crauing ABISAG the Sunamite to his mate vvho vvas a faire and verteous yung Damosell, and nourished King DAVID in his extreme age, thinking by that meanes to attaine to his desired pretence.
Caput. 8.
Although
my deed dooth well demerit blame,
My stately Pride and hautines of hart:
Although my life so farre spent out of frame,
Needs no reporte for such a vitious part.
Yet that world may warning take by me:
Ile tell my tale that all my life may see.
My stately Pride and hautines of hart:
Although my life so farre spent out of frame,
Needs no reporte for such a vitious part.
Yet that world may warning take by me:
Ile tell my tale that all my life may see.
And when you haue perusde my life at large,
My mallice bent against my Fathers state:
How blinde ambition did me ouercharge,
With peeuish Pride (alas) vnfortunate.
Reporte that I did well deserve my fall.
In running headlong into such a thrall.
My mallice bent against my Fathers state:
How blinde ambition did me ouercharge,
With peeuish Pride (alas) vnfortunate.
Reporte that I did well deserve my fall.
In running headlong into such a thrall.
I Adonia Sonne to Dauid King,
Perceiuing age bedewe my Fathers state:
By sundry sleights I sought about to bring,
Presumpteously to pearch to be his mate.
I thought his yeeres were so farre gone & spent:
that well I might presume to my intent.
Perceiuing age bedewe my Fathers state:
By sundry sleights I sought about to bring,
Presumpteously to pearch to be his mate.
I thought his yeeres were so farre gone & spent:
that well I might presume to my intent.
O what renown did I in pride suppose,
To be a King and beare the souereign sway:
By force of Armes to irritate my foes,
By woords to cause my Subiects to obay.
No life me thought in all the world more fit:
Then princely pomp in regall throne to sit.
To be a King and beare the souereign sway:
By force of Armes to irritate my foes,
By woords to cause my Subiects to obay.
No life me thought in all the world more fit:
Then princely pomp in regall throne to sit.
It did me good to heare the braue reporte
Of boldened brests indued with valiancy:
Who trye their fate in mightie Mars his Court,
Protesting faith to Magnanimitie.
On carued Creast to shake the shiuering Launce:
This valiant sporte their honors dooth aduaunce.
Of boldened brests indued with valiancy:
Who trye their fate in mightie Mars his Court,
Protesting faith to Magnanimitie.
On carued Creast to shake the shiuering Launce:
This valiant sporte their honors dooth aduaunce.
This is the way to win them rare renown,
This is the ioy that cheeres a Princes hart:
This is the way to vaunt on Honors crown,
And lasting Fame dooth quit them with desart.
O valiant youthes, welfare your plied paines:
Whose happy helths are valiant Uictors gaines.
This is the ioy that cheeres a Princes hart:
This is the way to vaunt on Honors crown,
And lasting Fame dooth quit them with desart.
O valiant youthes, welfare your plied paines:
Whose happy helths are valiant Uictors gaines.
Well in this minde so farre I did proceed,
That I had got such as would take my parte:
Abiathar and Ioab bothe indeed,
Did give consent to my presumpteous hart.
A feast I made, where many did resorte:
Wishing me King as woords did make reporte.
That I had got such as would take my parte:
Abiathar and Ioab bothe indeed,
Did give consent to my presumpteous hart.
A feast I made, where many did resorte:
Wishing me King as woords did make reporte.
O gallant ioy to heare so many say.
With valiant voyce erected to the skyes:
God saue our King, our woorthy Adonia,
O wished pray so gladsome to mine eyes.
But when my Father of my deed did knowe:
My loftie pride was quickly laid full lowe.
With valiant voyce erected to the skyes:
God saue our King, our woorthy Adonia,
O wished pray so gladsome to mine eyes.
But when my Father of my deed did knowe:
My loftie pride was quickly laid full lowe.
Those which before had called me their King,
Left me alone, they durst it not auouch:
O straunge euent to see such sorrowes spring,
So soone a king, and made to soone to couch:
Dame Iustice scornd that I should mount so hye:
And threw me down in twinckling of an eye.
Left me alone, they durst it not auouch:
O straunge euent to see such sorrowes spring,
So soone a king, and made to soone to couch:
Dame Iustice scornd that I should mount so hye:
And threw me down in twinckling of an eye.
With that I fled and hid my self for feare,
To see what tidings would approche of this:
Then Salomon for to preuent this geare,
Was crowned King in moste triumphant blisse.
At last of him my pardon I did gayne:
So that I would in quietnes remayne.
To see what tidings would approche of this:
Then Salomon for to preuent this geare,
Was crowned King in moste triumphant blisse.
At last of him my pardon I did gayne:
So that I would in quietnes remayne.
Yet wicked wretch through loftiness of minde,
I could not holde my self with state content:
But once more would reuert to former kinde,
Aspiring still my purpose to attempt.
And for to bring my matter more aboute:
This prettye shift on sudden I found out.
I could not holde my self with state content:
But once more would reuert to former kinde,
Aspiring still my purpose to attempt.
And for to bring my matter more aboute:
This prettye shift on sudden I found out.
I sought to haue Abisag fayre to wife,
Which when my Brother Salomon did spye:
I could not keepe my self in quiet life,
But still I sought to pearch my head on hye.
Deserued death for pride I did attayne:
So all my pomp on sudden did distayne.
Which when my Brother Salomon did spye:
I could not keepe my self in quiet life,
But still I sought to pearch my head on hye.
Deserued death for pride I did attayne:
So all my pomp on sudden did distayne.
Now Lordings see my proud presumpteous hart,
What liew I gaynd in recompence for all:
See Iustice scornd at my vnlawfull part,
And from the top did headlong make me fall,
I which was Sonne vnto a famous King:
By pamperd pride my ruin great did bring.
What liew I gaynd in recompence for all:
See Iustice scornd at my vnlawfull part,
And from the top did headlong make me fall,
I which was Sonne vnto a famous King:
By pamperd pride my ruin great did bring.
{Crussder trueth} will have her rightfull place,
Her touchstone tries & sounds eche mans intent:
Though for a while Uaine glory her deface,
Yet at the length her foes she will preuent.
For Falshode dooth a while holde on her glose:
But trueth at length her dealings will disclose.
Her touchstone tries & sounds eche mans intent:
Though for a while Uaine glory her deface,
Yet at the length her foes she will preuent.
For Falshode dooth a while holde on her glose:
But trueth at length her dealings will disclose.
Now what auailes my loftines of minde,
My princely pomp in midst of all my flowers:
My hauty hart which made my sences blinde,
And made me seeke to rule in Kingly bowers.
What, haue I gaind immortall fame therby:
Or such renown to pearch the azured skye?
My princely pomp in midst of all my flowers:
My hauty hart which made my sences blinde,
And made me seeke to rule in Kingly bowers.
What, haue I gaind immortall fame therby:
Or such renown to pearch the azured skye?
O no my freends, small honor is my share,
Small is the fame that will redound to me:
Shame is my due for this my rechelesse care,
My wicked life so lothesome for to see.
Rebelling so gainst Natures stayed state:
And seeking so to be my Fathers mate.
Small is the fame that will redound to me:
Shame is my due for this my rechelesse care,
My wicked life so lothesome for to see.
Rebelling so gainst Natures stayed state:
And seeking so to be my Fathers mate.
What, didst thou think thy Father liu'd to long,
And duty bad thee to cut of his dayes?
And did obedience mooue thee offer wrong,
To him whose life so many men did prayse.
Or canst thou iudge Dame Wisdome did agree:
That so thou shouldst vsurp his dignitie?
And duty bad thee to cut of his dayes?
And did obedience mooue thee offer wrong,
To him whose life so many men did prayse.
Or canst thou iudge Dame Wisdome did agree:
That so thou shouldst vsurp his dignitie?
Alas, no, no, thy duty bad thee seeke,
To serue thy Sire with reuerence in eche place,
To stand in awe, to showe thy self so meeke,
In euery point Obedience to imbrace.
How saist thou now, hast thou doone so or no?
Alas my freends in life I thought not so.
To serue thy Sire with reuerence in eche place,
To stand in awe, to showe thy self so meeke,
In euery point Obedience to imbrace.
How saist thou now, hast thou doone so or no?
Alas my freends in life I thought not so.
Remember me which past before your time,
Remember how I fell from blisse to bale:
Be mindefull still of my presumpteous crime,
Which forced me to tell this tristfull tale.
Respect the end before you doo begin:
Feare to offend in such a greeuous sinne.
Remember how I fell from blisse to bale:
Be mindefull still of my presumpteous crime,
Which forced me to tell this tristfull tale.
Respect the end before you doo begin:
Feare to offend in such a greeuous sinne.
Consider life is but a puffe of winde,
And worldly pomp is but a brittle blaze:
Your earthly drosse dooth naught but make you blinde
while you abide within this mortall maze.
Ful many sin, but fewe their liues repent:
Nor think how soone their folly will them shent.
And worldly pomp is but a brittle blaze:
Your earthly drosse dooth naught but make you blinde
while you abide within this mortall maze.
Ful many sin, but fewe their liues repent:
Nor think how soone their folly will them shent.
Gods Iudgement stands to cut down lofty grafts
As seeme to reach more then they can aspire:
Though for a time you faine such cunning crafts,
As well you think to gaine your whole desire.
The end brings all, the proofe hath oft been seene:
Pride hath his due, iudge what therof I meane.
As seeme to reach more then they can aspire:
Though for a time you faine such cunning crafts,
As well you think to gaine your whole desire.
The end brings all, the proofe hath oft been seene:
Pride hath his due, iudge what therof I meane.
And thus I wish you well your liues to frame,
In modest meane to keepe your selues content:
Auoyd this vice, and so you shun the blame,
Which dooth belong to such as it frequent.
Let Adonia serue example due:
For perfect proofe that this his text is true.
In modest meane to keepe your selues content:
Auoyd this vice, and so you shun the blame,
Which dooth belong to such as it frequent.
Let Adonia serue example due:
For perfect proofe that this his text is true.
FINIS.
| The Mirrour of Mutabilitie | |