A Golden Mirrour Conteining certaine Pithie and figuratiue Visions prognosticating good fortune to England and all true English Subiectes with an ouerthrowe to the enemies. Whereto be adioyned certaine pretie Poemes written on the names of sundrie both noble and worshipfull [by Richard Robinson] |
 |
Verses penned vpon the Etimologie of the name of the
right worshipfull Lady, the Ladie Marie Edgarton of Ridley, in the
Countie of Chester.
|
 | A Golden Mirrour |  |
Verses penned vpon the Etimologie of the name of the right worshipfull Lady, the Ladie Marie Edgarton of Ridley, in the Countie of Chester.
The
toyled minde and weary wit that study doth oppresse,
Nature mooueth many waies, the same for to redresse:
Which caused me to leaue my booke, my sences to reuiue,
And wandring, walked heare and there, the time away to driue.
Nature mooueth many waies, the same for to redresse:
Which caused me to leaue my booke, my sences to reuiue,
And wandring, walked heare and there, the time away to driue.
High vp a hill with wearie steps, the haughtie rockes I scal'd,
Among the which I heard a voice, that sore my heart appald:
Among the shrubs I shrouded was, where in a trance I sate,
Or els some drousie dreame it was, that then and there I gate.
Among the which I heard a voice, that sore my heart appald:
Among the shrubs I shrouded was, where in a trance I sate,
Or els some drousie dreame it was, that then and there I gate.
Erst was I neuer in the like, for there me thought I see,
An armed man with bloody blade with speed approched ny:
His face as fierce as flames of fire, his hands imbrewd in blood:
And like a Lion in his rage, before me stamping stood.
An armed man with bloody blade with speed approched ny:
His face as fierce as flames of fire, his hands imbrewd in blood:
And like a Lion in his rage, before me stamping stood.
Lo here (quoth he) my name is Mars, that am the bloody God,
The gleids that glow within my breast, breeds mischeefe al abrode
Kings and kingdomes by the ears I dayly vse to set,
Murther is the thing I craue, and peace I still forget.
The gleids that glow within my breast, breeds mischeefe al abrode
Kings and kingdomes by the ears I dayly vse to set,
Murther is the thing I craue, and peace I still forget.
And now (said he) pull foorth thy pen, and write my sayings all,
For presently a wonder great, appeare before thee shall:
Se here (quoth he) Megera comes with crawling snaky haire,
Lo in the bosomes of the best, she throwes them here and there.
For presently a wonder great, appeare before thee shall:
Se here (quoth he) Megera comes with crawling snaky haire,
Lo in the bosomes of the best, she throwes them here and there.
Dost thou not see what wrath she works, that lurketh close in brest
And doest not view what kingdomes I to mortall war haue drest
The Messenger I am (quoth he) that Iupiter doth send,
to execute his wrath on such, that doe his Grace offend.
And doest not view what kingdomes I to mortall war haue drest
The Messenger I am (quoth he) that Iupiter doth send,
to execute his wrath on such, that doe his Grace offend.
In vttering of these words to me, far of I did beholde,
How Spoile was cōming & his mates with al the speed they could
Whereat the skrikes of innocents, with wiues & virgins cries.
And grieuous grones of murthered men did pierce the starry skies
Whereat the skrikes of innocents, with wiues & virgins cries.
And grieuous grones of murthered men did pierce the starry skies
My flesh did tremble at the sight, to see the Flames of fire,
The robbery both of rich and poore, Distruction did desire,
And vgly monstrous Rauishment defilde both maid and wife,
The worldly Muckscraps for their goods did daily loose their life.
The robbery both of rich and poore, Distruction did desire,
And vgly monstrous Rauishment defilde both maid and wife,
The worldly Muckscraps for their goods did daily loose their life.
And then came desperation post, to put the rest in feare,
And grudging Griefe and future foes, caus'd many to dispaire,
Yea Hunger haunted armour bright, with cheeks both pale & lean
And pierceth through the sturdy steele, and wrought a mortal pain
And grudging Griefe and future foes, caus'd many to dispaire,
Yea Hunger haunted armour bright, with cheeks both pale & lean
And pierceth through the sturdy steele, and wrought a mortal pain
Reuenge as greedy as a gripe, made hauocke where he came,
Distruction with his naked blade distroyed many a man:
Dearth was lodg'd in euery house, and kept both land and seas,
And almost all both olde and young bewaild the wofull daies.
Distruction with his naked blade distroyed many a man:
Dearth was lodg'd in euery house, and kept both land and seas,
And almost all both olde and young bewaild the wofull daies.
In all thys hurlyburly there, Loue shrank his Neighbours all,
And charitie was chac'd a way. Pride slipt and had a fall:
Myrth in euery nooke did mourne, and pleasure pained sore,
Tom Troth was sworne for to depart the place for euermore.
And charitie was chac'd a way. Pride slipt and had a fall:
Myrth in euery nooke did mourne, and pleasure pained sore,
Tom Troth was sworne for to depart the place for euermore.
Enuiron'd round about was peace with bloody men of war:
Of Charity obscured was the blazing lampe and star,
And Pestilence as fier red, the stoutest caus'd to stoope,
That Lamentation wrang his handes the countrey round about,
Of Charity obscured was the blazing lampe and star,
And Pestilence as fier red, the stoutest caus'd to stoope,
That Lamentation wrang his handes the countrey round about,
Death was the last that laid on lurtch, the finall end to make:
and for a brag, his bloody dart about his head did shake:
(quoth he) behold, these mischieue mates that on S. Mors attend,
Gainst whom no creature can preuale, til I dispatch their end.
and for a brag, his bloody dart about his head did shake:
(quoth he) behold, these mischieue mates that on S. Mors attend,
Gainst whom no creature can preuale, til I dispatch their end.
Great were the brags that Mars did make, and fierce his fury was
and sware an oth with present speed all this should come to passe:
Then did he turne himselfe about, and Albion Isle he thrate,
Which was of Mars no sooner said, but forraine foes heard that:
and sware an oth with present speed all this should come to passe:
Which was of Mars no sooner said, but forraine foes heard that:
Els had I slept a longer sleepe vpon that haughty hill.
But that the roring Cannons voice me thought was thūping stil
And noyse of armed men was such, that (alfright) I wakte,
Thus rashly rushing vp for feare, from thence my way did take,
But that the roring Cannons voice me thought was thūping stil
And noyse of armed men was such, that (alfright) I wakte,
Thus rashly rushing vp for feare, from thence my way did take,
Refusing neither hedge nor ditch, nor sparing thick nor thyn,
No step so foule my speedy feete made spare to step within:
Thus runninng rashly in this race, with panting brethles breath,
I rested by a pleasant poole, fast by a litle heath.
No step so foule my speedy feete made spare to step within:
Thus runninng rashly in this race, with panting brethles breath,
I rested by a pleasant poole, fast by a litle heath.
Thus reuoluing with my selfe what were the best to doo,
Whether to tell this dreame or no, sith dreames be call'd vntrue:
Which maz'd my mind with triple trance what way were best to take,
This dream for to reueile, or els to dround in Lethea lake
Whether to tell this dreame or no, sith dreames be call'd vntrue:
Which maz'd my mind with triple trance what way were best to take,
This dream for to reueile, or els to dround in Lethea lake
Of th'one and th'other being basht: the likliest way to chuse,
At length thought good to pen my dreame, in steed of better newes
Beseeching God to blesse this Isle from Mars and all his mates,
And graunt vs peace. God saue our Queene and al the noble states
At length thought good to pen my dreame, in steed of better newes
Beseeching God to blesse this Isle from Mars and all his mates,
And graunt vs peace. God saue our Queene and al the noble states
No other newes for this new yeare I can your worship tell,
But that I trust in spite of Mars that all things shall be well.
Beseeching God that sits to iudge, to guyde your dayes in peace,
With health, long life, and ioyfull years, and worship to increase.
But that I trust in spite of Mars that all things shall be well.
Beseeching God that sits to iudge, to guyde your dayes in peace,
With health, long life, and ioyfull years, and worship to increase.
FINIS.
| A Golden Mirrour | |