University of Virginia Library

At the House of the Right Honorable Sir Francis Ihones.

The First Entertainement, at his first Great Feast præparde to giue Welcome to his Owne Noble Fraternitie, the Company of Haberdashers.

The property, to which this Speech especially hath Respect, was a deuice like a made Dish, expressing Two naked Armes breaking through a Cloud, supporting a wreath of Lawrell, being part of the Haberdashers Armes.
The Speech presented by a seruant to Comus, the great Sir of Feasts.
Free Loue, full welcome, bounty fayre, & cleere,
E'en as it flowers from Heauen, inhabit here,
And with your Liberall Vertues blesse the yeare,
Make this thy Pallace thou smooth youth of Feasts,
Comus! and put Ioy into all the Guests,
That they may truely taste in fewest words,
Th'Abundant welcome yon'd Kind Lord affords,
Especially to You, aboue the rest,
Of all most worthy to be First and Best;
You challenge two Respects, in Brotherhood, one,
Which had desert enough came it alone,
Without a second Vertue, but to adde
Vnto Your Worthinesse, Your Loue was clad
With Honor, Cost, and Care, and how applide,
The late triumphant Day best testified,
Stands in no need of my applause and praise,
Your Worth can of it selfe, it selfe best raise;
So much for Noble Action in your Right,
Which I presume his goodnesse will requite:
Now for Himselfe, (not far to wade or swim)
I borrow of your Honours to fit him,
Which both preserues me in my first bounds still,
And may agree best with his Loue and Will:
Here the Property is presented.
Behold in this rare Symbole of Renowne,
The Embleme of all Iustice, and the Crowne
The faire reward for't, euer fresh and greene;
Which imitates those Ioyes Eye hath not seene;
These Armes, that for their nakednesse resemble
E'en Truth it selfe, no couering, to dissemble,
Nor shift for Bribe, but open, plaine, and bare,
Shows, Men of Power should keep their conscience faire
And were their Acts transparēt, without vaile
Disguize or Vizard, and such neuer faile;
Obserue this more, tis not one Arme alone
That beares this Laurell, but two ioyn'd in one,
Mercy and Iustice, the two Props of State,
They must be both fixt in the Magistrate;
If wanting either, subiect to much harme,
For he that ha's but one, ha's but one Arme;
Iudge then the Imperfection; marke agen,
They breake both through a Cloud; which instructs Men
How they should place their Reuerence and their Loue,
Seeing all lawfull power, comes from Aboue;
And as the Laurell (which is now your due)
Bring due to Honour, therefore most to you,
Feares no iniurious Weather the Yeare brings,
But spite of Storms looks euer greene and springs,
Apolloes Tree, which Lightnings neuer blast,
So (Honor'd Lord) should burning Malice cast,
Her pitchy Fires at your Triumphant State;
You are Apolloes Tree, a (Magistrate,)
Which no foule Gust of Enuy can offend,
Nor may it euer to your Lordships End,
Health and a Noble Courage blesse your Dayes;
To this your worthy Brotherhood, fame and praise