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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]
 

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[When as the Stately Stagge doth haunt the mountaine toppe]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[When as the Stately Stagge doth haunt the mountaine toppe]

When as the Stately Stagge doth haunt the mountaine toppe,
And secretlye doeth doubt, the Hunters subtill sleight:
To Maxfield forrest, with weary steppes I got,
And Shutlings loe, did scale of monstrous height:
Where fominge brynish flouds in th'occident I see,
And sixe sundry Shyres appeared vnto mee.
Thus gasing in the cloudes, these countreys far to vew,
Meete vnderneath, the mountaine where I was:
The keepers came, the Stagg for to pursue,
With bended bowes, and grayhounds, more and lesse.
And Gentlemen, with Gentlewomen braue:
That thether came, a huntyng sport to haue.
But or the Course was set, tyme ware a way apace,
And Boreas breth was blacke, and glummish chill:
Which caused me, to seeke a warmer place,
Underneath a rocke, on the other side the hill:
Where houres three, I am sure that I sette,
And watcht for sport, vntill I fell a sleepe.
And in this slumbring sleep, the richest Dreame I had,
A sight of blasing blisse, and glorious Golden show:
I sawe a virgin, in rich attire clad,


Whose vertues causde all men her name to know:
For fame did sounde her iust deserued prayse,
Whose giftes of grace, her Royall race bewrayes,
A Rose as Ruby red, sprang in this Ladyes hand,
Whose fragrant tast, perfum'd the loftie aire:
Three Crownes vpon the same, by right did stand,
Three Princely Lyons, this (Lady) honored there:
The flower deluces did bow vnto the earth,
Which did declare a Prince of famous byrth.
And in a galland garden, stood this famous Dame,
Inuironde round, with brynish waltring waues:
With mightie mountaines, vaunting in the same,
And riuers fresh, through valleys passadge craues:
Where springs doe spoute, whose siluer streams doe gush,
Through ribs of rockes, them selues doe dayly push.
Many Cities buylt of fame, and honour great,
Of worship, worthy Townes, of riche and manly shoe:
Wherein me thought, was Iulius Cæsars seate,
With stately buyldings, many thousands moe:
Of comely creatures, so populous to view,
The like was neuer seene, if euery one were trewe.
Of wealth there was no want, but grace there wanted some,
Will playd such wicked partes, and priuate gayne:
That in this garden, the poore men seldome wonne,
And yet there durst not one of them complayne:
The litle fish still flieth from the whale,
Yet what's deuoured, God Neptune knowes not all.
Then came Morpheus with Linces eyes, in his fist
Which sparkled like the fire, among the cloudy skies:
Hold these (sayd he) and see what ere thou list,
Nothing can be vnknowen vnto the wise:


Which when I had, but present in my hand,
I heard and saw, but scarse could vnderstand.
But by the blasing beames, of Lynces eyes,
I sawe much more, then Argos many away:
And heard report, what wordes from him there flies,
And who they were, that did this dame obay:
So did I view a vyle and wicked brood,
That lately dranke, of vglie stigian floud.
From out whose mouthes, they belched bulles of lead,
Which rored and beld, in th'eares of some by sleight:
A foxe their sier, a wolfe their supreame head,
Their frendes are traiters, I know not what they hight:
Thus still I stood, these nouelties rare to view,
And warely watcht to see what would insewe.
And as I standing there, to see the same,
Dropt into doubtfull dumps, of that and this:
Upon the sodden presently there came,
A valiant hounde, as white as siluer is:
And did behold this Lady in the face,
As one right ready, to obay her grace.
Streight came an Eagle, soring in the skyes,
With Golden fethers, delighting all mens sight:
Who stooping straight, fell downe vpon his knees,
To doe his duetie, thus he left his flight:
(And sayd) Madame, the Lord preserue thee still,
Thus doe I pray and haue, and euer will.
This Hound and Eagle, with foote and wing so prest,
In sure seruice vnto this excellent Dame:
Those that had dronke of Stigian could not rest,
But by the one or other straight was ta'en:
No Bull durst bell, neare where there byding was,


This noble Hound, no craftie Foxe let passe.
A voyce I heard, that all the world did heare,
That thundered from, the golden trumpe of fame:
And true report him selfe, was present there,
And made a challenge, to performe the same:
The wordes were these, the Lyon well may trust,
That Hound and Eagle, that neuer were vniust.
They both be ready, alwayes for to obey,
The Prince and Lawes, they truely loue in heart:
No blotte of blame, from first vnto this day,
Their banners blanckles, of any euill part:
Their seruice showes, they sprang of spotles race,
As at these dayes, appeareth by their grace.
And with these wordes, the voyce was ceast and gone,
And at the gase I gastly quaking stood:
Birdes, beast and foules, in flockes was many a one,
Whereas a number, seem'd of Uipers blood:
(I iudge yt so) because they sought the spoyle,
Of none so much, as of their natiue soyle.
Then looking vp and downe, both heere and there,
To heare report: and vewe with Lynces eyes:
Me thought that Iupiter, descended from the ayre,
A midd a shower, of siluer droppes he flies:
And Saturne followed, with his chollericke looke,
And furious Mars, his blade, about him shooke.
Then Mischief calde, for (treason vndertrust)
Helpe now (quoth he) or els I am ore' throwen:
Then sayd Iupiter, thou wretched Theefe vniust,
I am the God, that makes such villaines knowen:
For treason thou, shalt reape thy iust rewarde,
And I this Uirgin, in prosperous raigne will garde.


Then Eccho, she was cald, that liues in woodes,
And rocky ragged tours, and Dales with Dymbles deepe:
Where riuers runne with waltring waues in floudes,
For that (that she) could neuer counsell keepe:
Sayd Iupiter, come Eccho, vnto mee,
Reueile all those these dayes that traitors bee.
But at this word me thought a number fled,
Some others wishte them fishes in the Sea:
An other sorte began to hyde their head,
And many other did ambodexter play:
For Eccho did all traytors trades bewray,
As Iupiter commaunded, so she did obey.
Thus Eccho charg'd to tel all things that's hard,
Iupiter commaunded woodes, waters hilles, and dales:
Mountaines, medowes and valleys to regarde,
With cabbins and caues in England and in Wales:
What people they receiue, sith vipers be abrod,
That neither honor Prince, ne yet almightie God.
Except you know them, stay them all (quoth hee)
He charg'd the stones to tell that lye in street:
So did the Eagle to all the foules that flee,
Commaunded them to watch, with whom they meete,
That by your voyce the Serpents may be knowen:
That seeke to haue our (onely ioy) ore throwen.
And prest accomplere, sayd the noble Hound,
With sterne and stately countenance all about:
(All enemies) what soeuer to confound,
My present seruice shall put you out of doubt:
In place my person, shall the triall make,
If any enemy dare, approche the state.
Then Neptune rousde him selfe vpon a rocke,


Amid the brynish fomyng floudes he sate:
The gates of all his pallace did vnlocke,
And send for Triton, his pleasure to relate:
Whose trompet soundeth euer in the seas,
For to declare such newes, as Neptune please.
When Triton came, and had his duetie done,
God Neptune bad him sound his trumpet vp:
And in the seas commaunde all creatures come,
That of the fomyng floudes did drinke or sup:
And tell Caribd and Silla I am here,
And doe commaunde them, presently appeare.
Triton trudg'd and sounded Trumpet straight,
At voice wherof, appeared great and small:
The Seas did mount of mightie monstrous height,
All liuing creatures attended on the Whale.
A mightie muster I neuer saw the like,
It passeth all my skill the halfe for to indite.
When all assembled weare before this God,
Triton sounded science in paine of present death,
And then came Mercurie to charme them with his rod:
That none durst speake that time that beareth breath:
Thus silence made, quoth Neptune now prepare
My pleasure to fulfil, that here my Subiectes are.
Said Neptune, sith to yon it's not vnknowen,
But that on Tellus all my floods do stay:
On whom I reape the fruites, on earth that's sowen,
And doe maintaine my state both night and day.
He sends me word that Uipers are abord,
That would destroy th'annointed of the Lord.
Which Ladies vertue mooueth all the Gods.
As Iupiter himselfe for to defend the skies:


And to prepare for all her foes such rods,
As Iustice can by any law deuise.
So that her Foes on earth cannot escape,
Mark now said Neptune what I will debate,
Then for Eolus, Triton sound his Trump,
Who presently did personally appeare:
who was vpon the sodaine in a dump,
Till Neptune tolde him softly in his eare.
Which when he knew, what was the cause in deed,
He willingly with Neptune did proceede.
And then said Neptune, I charge my furious Flouds,
To swell and rage, vp toward the cloudie skies:
With greedy Iawes deuoure vp their bloods,
That harme against her noble state deuise.
To thee Caribdis and Sylla, thus I will,
That night and day their ships and them you spill.
Then said Eolus with a blustering blast,
I for my part shal make their course but short:
I will breake Anker, Cable, and also Mast,
So that destruction shall acquite their sport.
But whom (said Eolus) that it pleaseth you,
I'le blowe his sailes, the Traitors to pursue.
And as this word, Eolus mouth had past,
God Neptune musing whom to choose therefore:
The mightie Iupiter sendeth with a blast
A faithfull Foule, for seas none like of rore.
A Drake adrest to passe through euery storme,
To swim the flouds, this Uirgins foes to charme.
Then stept out Nature that secretly lay hid,
And did auouch the choice was by her made:
And Mars himselfe to take the charge did bid,


And there withall did giue this Drake his blade:
And Neptune bad him welcome to the Seas,
Eolus promist him to blow hys sayles alwayes.
And when this valiaunt Drake receiued charge,
And to the purpose as before I sed:
And his commission reachyng wide and large,
Me thought some foes farre of, hoist sailes and fled:
An other sorte to Crikes began to flye,
Because they knew they had deserued to dye.
But Drake not dreading, layde to his brest to swym,
The fomyng flouds to search for forrain foes:
The Gods in all exploits were still with him,
And Eolus in his sayles, a luckie blast still blowes:
No foe he feares though he can Spanish speake,
He venters if they byde, their force to breake.
And as I kend him farre, as eyes could scry,
And all his faithfull followers at that tyme:
A warlike Winter, appeared in the sky,
Yet Phebus frendly did vpon them shine:
Eolus Furbisher, was ready for to scower,
The Spanish cloud, that mischief meant to power.
And seeing a sight my eyes began to tyre,
With flouds so furious, and eke so many sayle:
Streightwayes I heard, and saw such gunnes on fire,
The tremblyng earth, my feete began to fayl:
The skies were dimd, the Seas of fire flamd,
As though this word Rise Deadmen had bene nam'd.
Foes fled that could, some sanke into the Seas,
The rest prisoners that crau'd of Drake their life:
An other sorte sought boggs and woods for ease,
Thus Neptunes Drake, by force doth stinte their strife:


The Gods of this Drake, doe make such a treasure,
That Sancta Dominga he had at his pleasure.
Thus fire and smoke, dasht Drake out of my sight,
But that I heard for ioye the Sirens sing:
And that I had a glimring of some light,
Els of this Drake, no other newes I bring:
But surely the Gods, the helme doo hold,
Where Drake doth swym: what needeth more be told.
Then turnde I backe, this garden for to view,
For Morpheus twitcht me sharply by the eare:
And sayd it's best, thy charge to looke vnto,
And with thy pen, let diligence appeare:
Now shalt thou see (quoth he) a happy sight,
And comfort that, among the poore doth light.
Whereat I ready for to view the same,
A number infinite, did presently behold:
That did reioyce, to heare of vipers tane,
That sought such mischief, as before I told:
With singing, ringing and clapping handes they sayd,
God saue our Noble Queene, our mother and a mayd.
The younglinges leape, like lambes vpon the leyes,
The lame reioyst, and laught, to heare the newes:
The poore ploughmen, vnyokt, and present playes,
The traueller, his iorney doth refuse:
And all with chearefull voyce did sing and pray,
God saue our Noble Queene Elizabeth alway.
The prayers of the poore, did pearce the skyes,
The ioy of the people, spread ouer all the earth:
The vertues of the virgin, throughout all kingdomes flyes,
For all her faithfull subiectes, vnfainedly made mirth:


Poore clout-shooes gate their clubs, and willingly attend,
To wreke there mistres cause, both life and good will spend.
The noyse whereof, so sounded in the ayre,
And with the roring cannons on the sea:
That heauen and earth, in euery part might heare,
How nigh soeuer, or els how farre away:
The thumping of the same so frighted me,
That on the mount I wakened where I ley.
My limmes be numde, as cold as any stone,
And Phœbus bathing in the Occident floud:
I could not stand when as I would haue gone,
My ioynts were frosen, congeled was my bloud:
Dismounting thus the hill, I did retyre,
To maister Leigh of Ridge, a Gentle Squyre.
To whom I told my Dreame, both more and lesse,
From first vnto the last in eche degree:
Who wished me, my pen, for to adresse,
To set it downe, that all the world might see:
God saue the Queene, (said he) the Eagle, and Noble hound,
And all that traytors be, almightie God confound.
Amen (quoth I) and he that would not so,
I wish he were the first, to feele deserued woe.
FINIS.