The complete works of John Lyly now for the first time collected and edited from the earliest quartos with life, bibliography, essays, notes and index by R. Warwick Bond |
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Speeches TO Queen Elizabeth AT Quarrendon:
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 | The complete works of John Lyly |  |
453
Speeches TO Queen Elizabeth AT Quarrendon:
August, 1592.
455
The Olde Knightes Tale.
Now drowsie sleepe, death's image, ease's prolonger,
Thow that hast kept my sences windowes closed,
Dislodge these heauie humors, stay no longer,
For light itself thie darkesom bandes haue losed,
And of mine eies to better use disposed:
To better use, for what can better be
Then substance in the steede of shades to see.
Thow that hast kept my sences windowes closed,
Dislodge these heauie humors, stay no longer,
For light itself thie darkesom bandes haue losed,
And of mine eies to better use disposed:
To better use, for what can better be
Then substance in the steede of shades to see.
O mortall substance of immortall glorie!
To whom all creatures ells are shaddowes demed;
Vouchsafe an eare unto the woeful storie
Of him who, whatso eare before he semed,
Is nowe as you esteme to be estemed:
And sence himself is of himself reporter
To all your praise, will make his parte the shorter.
To whom all creatures ells are shaddowes demed;
Vouchsafe an eare unto the woeful storie
Of him who, whatso eare before he semed,
Is nowe as you esteme to be estemed:
And sence himself is of himself reporter
To all your praise, will make his parte the shorter.
Not far from hence, nor verie long agoe,
The fayrie Queene the fayrest Queene saluted
That euer lyued (& euer may shee soe);
What sportes and plaies, whose fame is largelie bruted,
The place and persons were so fitlie shuted:
For who a Prince can better entertaine
Than can a Prince, or els a prince's vaine?
The fayrie Queene the fayrest Queene saluted
456
What sportes and plaies, whose fame is largelie bruted,
The place and persons were so fitlie shuted:
For who a Prince can better entertaine
Than can a Prince, or els a prince's vaine?
Of all the pleasures there, among the rest,
(The rest were justes and feates of Armed Knightes),
Within hir bower she biddes her to a feast,
Which with enchaunted pictures trim she dightes,
And on them woordes of highe intention writes:
For he that mightie states hath feasted, knowes
Besides theire meate, they must be fedd with shewes.
(The rest were justes and feates of Armed Knightes),
Within hir bower she biddes her to a feast,
Which with enchaunted pictures trim she dightes,
And on them woordes of highe intention writes:
For he that mightie states hath feasted, knowes
Besides theire meate, they must be fedd with shewes.
Manie there were that could no more but vewe them,
Many that ouer curious nearer pride.
Manie would conster needes that neuer knewe them,
Som lookt, som lyked, som questioned, some eyed,
One asked them too who should not be denied:
But shee that thwarted, where she durst not strugle,
To make her partie good was fayne to juggle.
Many that ouer curious nearer pride.
Manie would conster needes that neuer knewe them,
Som lookt, som lyked, som questioned, some eyed,
One asked them too who should not be denied:
But shee that thwarted, where she durst not strugle,
To make her partie good was fayne to juggle.
Forthwith the Tables were conveied hither,
Such power she had by her infernall Arte;
And I enjoyned to keepe them altogether,
With speciall charge on them to sett my harte,
Euer to tarrie, neuer to departe:
Not bowing downe my face upon the grounde,
Beholding still the Piller that was crounde.
Such power she had by her infernall Arte;
And I enjoyned to keepe them altogether,
With speciall charge on them to sett my harte,
Euer to tarrie, neuer to departe:
Not bowing downe my face upon the grounde,
Beholding still the Piller that was crounde.
I whom in elder tyme she dearelie loued,
Deare is that loue which nothing can disgrace,
I that had ofte before her favor proued,
But knewe not howe such fauoure to embrace,
Yea, I am put in trust to warde this place:
So kinde is loue, that being once conceauid,
It trustes againe, although it were deceaued.
Deare is that loue which nothing can disgrace,
I that had ofte before her favor proued,
But knewe not howe such fauoure to embrace,
Yea, I am put in trust to warde this place:
So kinde is loue, that being once conceauid,
It trustes againe, although it were deceaued.
Seruant, quoth shee, looke upward and beware
Thou lend not anie Ladie once an eye;
For diuers Ladies hither will repaire,
Presuming that they can my charmes untie,
Whose misse shall bring them to unconstancie:
And happie art thou if thou haue such heede,
As in anothers harme thine owne to reede.
Thou lend not anie Ladie once an eye;
For diuers Ladies hither will repaire,
Presuming that they can my charmes untie,
457
And happie art thou if thou haue such heede,
As in anothers harme thine owne to reede.
But loe unhappie I was ouertaken,
By fortune forst, a stranger ladies thrall,
Whom when I sawe, all former care forsaken,
To finde her ought I lost meeself and all,
Through which neglect of dutie 'gan my fall:
It is the propertie of wrong consenting
To ad unto the punishment lamenting.
By fortune forst, a stranger ladies thrall,
Whom when I sawe, all former care forsaken,
To finde her ought I lost meeself and all,
Through which neglect of dutie 'gan my fall:
It is the propertie of wrong consenting
To ad unto the punishment lamenting.
With this the just revengefull Fayrie Queene,
As one that had conceaued Anger deepe,
And therefore ment to execute her teene,
Resolvde to caste mee in a deadlie sleepe,
No other [sentence] coulde decorum keepe:
For Justice sayth, that where the eie offended,
Upon the eye the lawe should be extended.
As one that had conceaued Anger deepe,
And therefore ment to execute her teene,
Resolvde to caste mee in a deadlie sleepe,
No other [sentence] coulde decorum keepe:
For Justice sayth, that where the eie offended,
Upon the eye the lawe should be extended.
Thus haue I longe abode, without compassion,
The rygor which that wrathefull Judge required;
Till now a straung and suddaine alteration
Declares the date of my distres expired:
O peareles Prince! O presence most desired!
By whose sole resolution this ys found,
That none but Princes, Princes mindes expounde.
The rygor which that wrathefull Judge required;
Till now a straung and suddaine alteration
Declares the date of my distres expired:
O peareles Prince! O presence most desired!
By whose sole resolution this ys found,
That none but Princes, Princes mindes expounde.
In lue whereof, though far beneath your merrit,
Accept this woorthles meede that longes thereto,
It is your owne, and onlie you may weare it,
The farry queene geue[s] euerie one his due,
For she that punisht me rewardeth you;
As for us heare, who nothing haue to paie,
It is ynough for poore men if they pray.
Accept this woorthles meede that longes thereto,
It is your owne, and onlie you may weare it,
The farry queene geue[s] euerie one his due,
For she that punisht me rewardeth you;
As for us heare, who nothing haue to paie,
It is ynough for poore men if they pray.
Cœlumque solumque beavit.
Finis.
458
The Songe after Dinner at the two Ladies entrance.
To that Grace that sett us free,
Ladies let us thankfull be;
All enchaunted cares are ceast,
Knightes restored, we releast;
Eccho change thie mournefull song,
Greefes to Groues and Caues belong;
Of our new deliuerie,
Eccho, Eccho, certifie.
Ladies let us thankfull be;
All enchaunted cares are ceast,
Knightes restored, we releast;
Eccho change thie mournefull song,
Greefes to Groues and Caues belong;
Of our new deliuerie,
Eccho, Eccho, certifie.
Farwell all in woods that dwell,
Farwell satyres, nymphes farewell;
Adew desires, fancies die,
Farwell all inconstancie.
Nowe thrice welcome to this place,
Heauenlie Goddesse! prince of grace!
She hath freed us carefull wightes,
Captiue Ladies, Captiue Knightes.
Farwell satyres, nymphes farewell;
Adew desires, fancies die,
Farwell all inconstancie.
Nowe thrice welcome to this place,
Heauenlie Goddesse! prince of grace!
She hath freed us carefull wightes,
Captiue Ladies, Captiue Knightes.
To that Grace that sett us free,
Ladies let us thankfull bee.
Ladies let us thankfull bee.
Finis.
463
The last Songe.
Happie houre, happie daie,That Eliza came this waie!
Greate in honor, great in place,
Greater yet in geving grace,
Greate in wisdome, great in minde,
But in bothe aboue her kinde,
Greate in vertue, greate in name,
Yet in power beyond her fame.
Happie houre, happie daie,
That Eliza came this waie!
She, with more than graces grace,
Hath made proude this humble place,
She, with more than wisdomes head,
Hath enchaunted tables read,
She, with more than vertues mighte,
Hath restorid us to right.
Happie houre, happie daie,
That Eliza came this waie!
Heauie harted Knightes are eased,
And light harted Ladies pleased,
Constant nowe they vowe to be,
Hating all inconstancie.
Constant Piller, constant Crowne,
Is the aged Knightes renowne.
464
That Eliza came this waie!
Finis.
467
To the most renowned Queene, Owner of the best Crowne, & crowned with the best desertes, the lyuing Loue of dying Loricus.
I Loricus, Bodie sicke,
Sences sounde, Remembraunce quicke,
Neuer crauing, euer seruing,
Little hauing, lesse deseruing,
Though a hartie true wellwiller
Of the Crowne & crowned Piller,
To that Crowne, my lyues content,
Make my Will & Testament.
Sences sounde, Remembraunce quicke,
Neuer crauing, euer seruing,
Little hauing, lesse deseruing,
Though a hartie true wellwiller
Of the Crowne & crowned Piller,
To that Crowne, my lyues content,
Make my Will & Testament.
468
Soule! goe first to heauenlie rest;
Soule the Bodies heauenlie gueste,
Where, both Host & Inn decaying,
Yeld the gueste no quiet staying.
Soule the Bodies heauenlie gueste,
Where, both Host & Inn decaying,
Yeld the gueste no quiet staying.
Bodie! back againe, departe;
Earth thou wast, & Earth thou arte.
Mortall creatures still be jurneing,
From the earth to earth returning.
Earth thou wast, & Earth thou arte.
Mortall creatures still be jurneing,
From the earth to earth returning.
As for anie worldlie lyuing
Nothing haue I woorth the geeuing:
Let the baser indeed take them,
We which follow God forsake them.
Nothing haue I woorth the geeuing:
Let the baser indeed take them,
We which follow God forsake them.
But if anie wishe to dwell,
As I did, in homely Cell,
Let him pull his Castells downe,
And as I did serue the Crowne.
Serue the Crowne, O Crowne deseruing,
Better than Loricus seruing.
As I did, in homely Cell,
Let him pull his Castells downe,
And as I did serue the Crowne.
Serue the Crowne, O Crowne deseruing,
Better than Loricus seruing.
In witness whereof I haue set to my hande & harte,
LORICUS, Columnæ coronatæ Custos fidelissimus.
In presence of us whose names are underwritten, Stellatus,
Rectoriæ Coronatæ Capellanus. Renatus,
Equitus Coronati Servus obseruantissimus.
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