 | The tragedie of Lodovick Sforza Dvke of Millan |  |
To the Ambitious.
Tell me, mortalls, if there be
Ought beside stupidity
Hidden in you at the least,
If you are not all one beast
Wherefore doe you cloud your face
If you want the chiefest place?
Why doe you respect? O why?
Not how good 'tis, but how high?
Ought beside stupidity
Hidden in you at the least,
If you are not all one beast
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If you want the chiefest place?
Why doe you respect? O why?
Not how good 'tis, but how high?
Would you all be Kings? ô vaine,
This is but to entertaine
Such desires, that you may feare,
Lest the heau'n should lend an eare,
Lest you haue what you desir'd,
And in your owne boggs be myr'd.
Height is basenesse, if it be
Leuel'd by Æquality,
And the Earth were a plaine still,
If it were but one great hill.
This is but to entertaine
Such desires, that you may feare,
Lest the heau'n should lend an eare,
Lest you haue what you desir'd,
And in your owne boggs be myr'd.
Height is basenesse, if it be
Leuel'd by Æquality,
And the Earth were a plaine still,
If it were but one great hill.
Would you all be Kings? as though
Standing pooles should wish to flow,
Or a riuer make his plea
To exceed into a Sea:
As if of the stars not one,
But should striue to be the Sun,
Or the Larke would partner be
In the Eagles soueraignty.
Standing pooles should wish to flow,
Or a riuer make his plea
To exceed into a Sea:
As if of the stars not one,
But should striue to be the Sun,
Or the Larke would partner be
In the Eagles soueraignty.
Would you not be mad to see,
If a beast, a stone, a tree
To the heau'nly powers ran
Angry that they were not man?
Nay in vs consider well
To what Monsters we should swell,
If but any Part should be
Of the Mans infirmity.
What should lead, or what be led,
If the feet were made the Head?
What should speake, or what should see,
If this itch of Maiesty
Made the mouth, for being nigh,
Beg aduancement to the eye.
If a beast, a stone, a tree
To the heau'nly powers ran
Angry that they were not man?
Nay in vs consider well
To what Monsters we should swell,
If but any Part should be
Of the Mans infirmity.
What should lead, or what be led,
If the feet were made the Head?
What should speake, or what should see,
If this itch of Maiesty
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Beg aduancement to the eye.
Would you all be Kings, poore men!
Wish, what you would wish agen,
Which within your thoughts dares bide,
And's not fearfull to be try'd.
What's a King, consider well,
But the publike Sentinell?
But a Beacon, which we find
Highly subiect to the wind?
And can any still desire
To be worse, so he be higher?
Are you weary of your sleepe,
Can you count it blisse, to creepe,
To take paines vnto that height,
Whence your fall may gaine a weight,
Would you all be Kings? you may,
Wish, what you would wish agen,
Which within your thoughts dares bide,
And's not fearfull to be try'd.
What's a King, consider well,
But the publike Sentinell?
But a Beacon, which we find
Highly subiect to the wind?
And can any still desire
To be worse, so he be higher?
Are you weary of your sleepe,
Can you count it blisse, to creepe,
To take paines vnto that height,
Whence your fall may gaine a weight,
Euery man hath regall sway,
And 'tis this the fault does beare,
Not that he commands, but where.
Doe thy thoughts rebell? would Pride
Haue thy worst acts magnifi'd?
Does Ambition make thee flee
To forbidden Sou'raignty.
Know it is a brauer way
To forbid, then to obey:
Know it is a nobler deed,
To giue ouer, then to speed.
Were this all? would euery one
But command himselfe alone,
But command his owne desire,
From the thought of rising higher:
It would not be a griefe to see
An vniuersall Monarchy.
FINIS.
| The tragedie of Lodovick Sforza Dvke of Millan | |