OF THE MOST Auspicatious Marriage: BETWIXT, The High and Mightie Prince, FREDERICK; COVNT PALATINE of RHEINE, chiefe Sewer to the sacred Roman Empire, Prince Elector, and Duke of BAVARIA, &c. AND The most Illustrious Princesse, the Ladie ELIZABETH her Grace, sole Daughter to the high and mightie IAMES, King of great BRITTAINE, &c.

IN III. BOOKES:

Composed in Latine by M. IOANNES MARIA, de Franchis. And Translated into English

AT LONDON, Printed by G. ELD, for William Blainchard, and are to be solde in Fleet-lane, at the signe of the Printers Presse. 1613.

TO THE MOST EX­cellent Princesse Elizabeth, the only daughter of IAMES, King of great Brittan, and wife to the most Illustrious Prince FREDERICK the Fift, Count Palatine of Rheine, Arch-sewer of the holy Empire, first Elector, and Duke of BAVARIA.

FAire Heauen of Graces, Hauen of content,
The Worlds great Hope, and greater Ornament;
Grace these my labours, with your heauenly eyes,
In whose milde Hauen, my Hope at anchor lies;
Where (may this ship with your safe-conduct ride)
She will not feare a world of foes beside:
Say that some Rouer, who my lading spies,
Shooting to make me his vnlawfull Prize,
Call me a Pirate of anothers wit,
That cannot make me stoope: Ile answere it.
The Goods at first, they were bequeath'd to me,
At my dispose, to change the Propertie.
So that I wasted not the Principall,
For that be you my Iudge imperiall:
VVhere, finde me guilty, punish not my will,
But rather pitty mine vnured skill.
Besides (dread gracious Princesse) this I vow,
By me they'd ne're been alter'd but for yow;
Presuming, natiue cloaths of Brittany,
Would better please then silks of Italy;
Say they'r not good, yet haue I done my best,
To please your Grace, be pleas'd, and I am blest:
Your Highnesse most humbly deuoted, SAMVEL HVTTON.

TO THE HIGH AND Mighty Prince CHARLES Prince of Wales.

THe desired and happy marriage of that Illustrious Princesse, with that magnanimous and Heroical Prince, of so great blood (but of greater merits) hath bin generally celebrated among all the subiects with such an vnaccustomed ioy, that some of them, being not able to containe them­selues, and yet desirous to shew their deuoted affec­tions, haue strained their Muse to sing a ioyfull Hymen to their Highnesses nuptiall rights: Among vvhich company, I being one of the number, although infe­rior to them all in euery thing (my loue and affection onely excepted) commaunded my Muse, though in a hard and vnpleasing stile, yet as well as shee could to expresse my vowed seruice and obedience to their Highnesses. At the first I intended to haue made onely a short and ordinary Epithalamium; but afterwards hauing considered better of it, I found it much fitter to diuide it into three bookes. The first Booke I sent to the right Reuerend Father the [Page] Lord Arch-bishop of Yorke, who presented it vnto the King. By this meanes I did thinke that if my first booke might haue a charitable censure of the wise and learned sort of men, I might then, with lesse feare and with more spirit, presume to present this my booke, with the other two, vnto their Highnesses. Notwithstanding, I had no such good conceit, either of myselfe, or of my labours, to thinke them all three worthy to be exposed to the iudgement, and censure of all men: and yet to haue put forth the one part, without the other, would haue made my Poeme im­perfect, which had been a greater inconuenience. At length, some of my friends hauing receiued this Po­eme printed it, being delighted with the noueltie of the matter, and desirous to shew their affection and my congratulation to that happy marriage. At the first it grieued me a little, that my book, being not ful­ly perfected, should be printed: but at last hauing no desire to haue it printed againe, after that the solem­nities were ended, som of my friends began to impor­tune me that I would impart my booke vnto them. I being easily ouercome with their vrging yeelded vnto their requests: This booke they haue now translated into English, to the end that the Ladies may be parta­kers of this curious symetrie. This booke I offer vp vnto your Highnesse of whom I haue heard many ho­norable relations at the right reuerend father in God my lord Arch-bishop of Yorkes house; and now I do partly know your Highnes to be of such a Prince­ly disposition, that you will not refuse the protection of the first fruits of a Scholler, but rather cherish and maintaine them; especially such a one that prostra­teth [Page] himselfe and his labours at your Highnesse feet, humbly beseeching your Highnesse not to suruey the booke with a curious eye, but to accept of that good minde which offers it. Last of all, I doe wish such a Spouse, as is described in these Hymnes, to be mat­ched with your Highnesse; and I beseech thee, O God, to adde so much time to my yeeres, that I may liue to see it; to the end, that I may write a nuptiall Hymen of your Highnesse marriage, in a more iudicious and acurate stile.

Your Highnesse most affectionate seruant, Io. MARIA.

The Argument, or Epitome, of the whole Poeme.

IVpiter, by meanes of Mercury his messenger, summons a Conuocation of the Gods to con­farre and dispose of things here below; at this Synod, Religion (being a power amongst the heauenly deities of no small repute) made her appearāce, being ful of afflictiō, & depri­ued of that accustomed coelestiall pompe, and diuine ornaments with which all th'other Gods then assembled in the Consistorie of the highest heauens did most gloriously shine: which moued all the Gods to maruell, and father Iupiter him­selfe to require the cause of her griefe, whereof in her actions and habit she gaue such wofull remonstrances. To whom shee answered with teares, and sobbes, that this happened vnto her, because she was so torne and persecuted in the world, by wicked­nesse and superstition, and other of Pluto's fire-brands, that she had scarce any place there safely to rest her selfe, farther intima­ting, what barbarous & horrible torments she and her followers had, for many ages past, suffered, and still did indure. Which complaint of hers, moued the Deities to compassionate her, and caused them (being inkindled with a iust wrath against the in­fernall Furies) to begin to muster vp, and bend their coelestiall forces to succour her: But then the ruler of the Gods (hauing with his most maiestick awfull becke calmed their indignation) most louingly comforted his afflicted Daughter; telling the dei­ties that this was not to be remedied with fury and the destructi­on of men, but with fatherly and long sufferance to bring home to his flock those strayed sheep, by good counsell and exhortation, as in his eternall decrees hee had in this case determined; and that the chiefe meanes for the effecting hereof was, the linking together of two royal families in amost profitable marriage, long since preordained by Fate, for the reformation of these corrupted times: And then he repeated the auncient oracle of the goddess Themis, now vpon the point to be performed, in the persons of the most illustrious Lady, the Princesse of great Brittany, and of the most noble Prince PALATINE, the vertues of which excellent couple, euen Ioue himselfe collanded, and foretolde the many [Page] blessings that should proceed of these royall Nuptialls: whereby Religion, and the whole Quier of Heauen, were with great hopes appeased.

THE II. BOOKE.

THe Gods, with their recomforted Sister, doe congratulate each other, and she returnes them thankes for their so great fauors, and they allioine, and moue Iuno, the president of marri­ages, and Venus the mother of loue, to assume the Embassy & the effectuating of this disseigne of the gods.

Iuno sends downe vpon the earth Iris her Embassadress, clad with most artificialluestiments, in which the reforming of Reli­gion, and the occurrences of greatest consequence in the world for many yeeres past were inwoo [...]en; and with Iris, Venus ioy­ned as colleague Cupid her sonne, with a troope of other Immor­tall personages: who being repleat with ioy, and prophecying, tho­rogh the regions of the aire, the greatnes of this most happy vnion, arriued at Heidelberg, being the Metropolis of the Pa [...]atinate, where they entring secretly by night, Cupid with golden dart, & amorous, fire in a dream, strook & inflamed the young Prince, not yet knowing the obiect of his desire till afterwards walking in his gallery, entraunced with those amorous thoughts, his eye lighted on the picture of the L. Elizabeth, the only daughter of the most puissant King of great Brittā, with whose portraiture, amōgst di­uers others of the greatest Princesses in the world, the said galle­ry was beautified. At the first sight of that faire picture, of a more faire substance; the Prince was supprised with a new flame, ac­knowledging that that was the beautifull forme which Cupid re­presented vnto him, and with which he stirred him vp to loue; and hereupon the Prince causeth the picture to be taken downe, and placed in his owne chamber, and to this shrius of his Goddess, he daily offers many truly inamorated and deuoted Orisons: But his loue more & more continually increasing▪ his excellency could not be satisfied with this liueless resemblance, but after many cō ­sultations resolues to goe in person into England to see at the life, the Mistris and owner of that faire form, which had captiuated his heart; whither at length with a most auspitious successe, and a most noble retinew, he happily arriued.

THE III. BOOKE.

WHere being honorably receiued of the King, & his whole Court, the Prince, with the excellency of his endowments of nature and art, & by the inuisible assistance of the supernall pow­ers, in kindles no lesse flames of loue, in the virgin breast of the roy­all Princesse towards him, then were in his Excellencies towards her highness: And whilst each of these two, most louing, and most louely louers, did day & night seuerally meditate of this their first loue; Consus the lord of councel, in the shape of Philon, late his Maiesties tutor, appear'd in night to the sleeping king, telling his highness, that the cōming of the Prince Elector into his kingdom, was by the ordinance of heauen; to the end, that by the aliance made between them, by the Princess his daughter, the state of Re­ligion should he established by this most wished for mariage. To this heauenly Counsellor the king consented, with this prouiso, that the Prince should first (as it was fitting) request it at his high­nesse hands, which his excellency afterward willingly performing, his Maiesty, at the first motion, graciously condescended. The es­spousalls are prolaimed, and at the report hereof the whole king­dome reuels and keeps royall festiualls, and the father of waters Oceanus, hauing by Triton his Trumpeter assembled the Mari­tine & fluuiall powers, doth out of the cleer brow of heauen, and the most temperate season of the spring, prognosticate happy suc­cesse, highly praysing in this match the iudgement of the foresee­ing sapient King, and therwithall prouokes euery thing to reioyce.

Now comes the Bridall day, in honor whereof Vulcan, the God of fire, at the intercession of Venus his wife, doth with his e­lement play his masters prize, in presenting strange and delightful fire-workes vpon the Thames: And Mars in competition with him, to content the Queene of loue, shewes valiant and vari­ous feates and stratagems of warre; and the City, to shew her loue and legeance to her Soueraigne, with many sorts of stately showes disembowelleth the inmost of her heart: and the king himselfe, because there should be nothing wanting in this high solemnety, keepes an open Court full of all royall delights; In the middest whereof the marriage is consummated, and the most lo­uing royall paire obtaine the height of their amorous desires.

A MARIAGE HYMNE IN THREE BOOKS.

The Argument of the first Booke.
In the Gods councell, wrong'd Religion
Complaines of iniuries: Infernall DIS
Had sent forth legions from deepe Acheron,
Who world her truth defeat, preuent her blisse:
IOVE seeing, and pittying her incessant paines,
A Mariage for her comfort praeordaines.
1.
MY minde replenisht with full hopes and ioyes,
Cannot containe it selfe in thoughtfull silence
But it must vtter, both with pen and voice,
The royall mariage of high consequence:
Betwixt a German and the Britaine State,
Where Peace and Honor met, Fortune and Fate.
2.
Come Iuno, Goddesse of true mariage loue,
Come (call'd by charme) sweet Muses from your Mountaines,
Come Nymphes, faire daughters of high thundring Ioue,
Who gouerne Thames and Rhine, woods, waues, or fountains:
Inspire my aspiring spirit, while it indites,
This heauen-blest bed-league and connubiall rites.
3.
Let it be lawfull for an earth-bred essence,
Passing in thought Olimpus crystall gates,
T'approach the Pantheon of your glorious presence,
And there behold your euer-blessed states:
Then on your altars, crownd with myrtle-bowes,
Ile offer He catombs and incense vowes.
4.
Ioue resident in his Emperiall Towres,
Built on the pillars of Eternity
Calls for a Senate of coelestiall powres,
By which he gouernes with stability
Th'instable world, the waies of Sun and Moon,
And whatsoe're in Heauen or Earth is done.
5.
From hence the Pleiads, Nyads, fierce Orion,
Arctophilax, the great and lesser Beares,
The Dolphin, Goat-fish, and fierce-hearted Lyon
Take the full influence of their flaming spheres:
From hence all heauenly constellations
Deriue their orders, influence, operations.
6.
Hence Nature takes her turnes, plants their increase,
Matter takes forme, Forme beauty, Beauty fall,
Number beginning, Motion worke and ease,
Place bodies, Bodies measure, Time takes all:
Hence Cause her causes hath, Fortune her course,
And Fates which neuer yield their mighty force.
7.
Hence came the generous kinds of euery beast,
And whatsoeuer swims in Seas quick tide,
And whatsoeuer lies on Earths rough brest,
And whatsoeuer flies or far or vvide;
Man more then others hath attain'd Gods feature,
As being the chiefest, wisest, holiest creature.
8.
On him Ioue plac'd his dearest loue and care,
His euerlasting pleasure and content,
Made him his creatures, graces, glories heire;
And made for him Seas, lands, aires large extent,
Keeping in forme and strength he guides all right
For his defence, vse, learning and delight▪
9.
Therefore when Hermes cal'd the starry peeres,
As he was wont by mighty Ioues decree;
This holy Conclaue in full state appeares
Cloath'd in nevv stately robes for their degree,
Passing the Firmaments bright Galaxie,
Striuing who should exceed in Maiestie.
10.
First heauens great King takes his Imperiall stall,
His Queen and sister, Iuno then hath place,
Grandame Cybele sits next, fear'd of all;
Then Sol being past the Zones and Zodiak space
Lights from his Coach, drawn by fowrfire-breath'd steeds
Puts off his beames, puts on his Councell weeds.
11.
Iuy-crown'd Bacchus from sweet Hamus vines,
Yoking fierce Leopards arriues with glory,
Castor and Pollux feather'd Laedas twins
Met (who meet seldome) in this consistory:
Hither Alcides with his Lyons trame,
Came borne on frosty Boreas bright-beam'd waine.
12.
Cynthia left hunting on Arcadia dovvnes
And wel-kept woods, to grace her golden sphere;
Brain-bred Minerua laid aside her frownes,
Although then arm'd with snakie Gorgons haire:
Rough Mars, growne milde, came clad in complete steele,
Ceres forsook her sith, Fortune her wheele.
13.
Hither came Venus, Beauties gracefull Queen,
Accompanied with Cupids dreadfull powre;
Neere her was Hebe, Iuno's daughter, seen
Adorn'd with scarlet robes, and Youths faire flowre;
Chloris that crownes the spring, Maia the bright,
And she that brings well-formed babes to light.
14.
Aeole that pens in prison the rude winde,
Proteus which heer doth his firm shape retaine,
Neptune with his ag'd Parents welny blind,
Faire Cimothe with all the sea-gods traine;
The Nymphes of trees & hils with neat-kemd haire,
Heere merry Pan, swift Fawnes, bold Satyrs are.
15.
The Mountaine Pales and the Syluan God,
Vulcan though lame, yet quick in fliut-found fire;
Siluer tong'd Hermes with his golden rodde,
The spirit of rest and plenteous peace drew nigher:
Honor and Reuerence with humbled eyes,
And sun-bright Maiesty which neuer dies.
16.
Still cheerfull Concord, Faith which neuer fain'd,
Well-meaning soone-entreated Honestie,
True Iustice, which by wrong-doing neuer gain'd,
With Phoebus Heliconian company
New-rich-attired: All tooke their seuerall places,
And gaue right oracles in doubtfull cases.
17.
At last, (who should be first in Parliament)
In came Religion, with sad looke, soft pace,
Deepe sighes, moyst eyes, pale cheeks, haire and cloaths rent,
Submissiue gesture and deuotest grace:
Her followers were Sins-grief, Shames-feare, Worlds-pain,
She lean'd on Truth, wan Hope held vp her traine.
18.
Like Cynthia smother'd in a dropping cloud,
Or Sol when Phaeton Earths-face did burne,
In cole-black night his glorious beams did shrowd,
So did Religion look, so did she mourne:
All-seeing Ioue beholding her vexation,
Scarse held from teares in Fatherly compassion.
19.
Yet hiding his hearts griefe with pleasing cheere,
Bespeaks her sad care, saying: Daughter what ailes thee?
Whence come the teares I see, the sighs I heare?
How chance thy comelinesse, thy colour failes thee?
Who durst wrong thee or thine, the Giants it may be
(Sweet say the cause) haue risen from earth to fray thee?
20.
She welny sinking in a deadly swoune,
When sorrowing sobs would let her tell her mone,
Begins, yet weeps, lifts vp her eyes, looks downe,
Then said. And is my cause as yet vnknown?
All wonder-working Ioue heare, help, relieue vs,
(Only thou canst) and punish them that greiue vs.
21.
It is not Grandame Earth, nor that huge brood,
Sprung of thy seed and hers, which wrought mine harms:
But worse, far worse: Dis, which did neuer good,
With craft and force his foul-mouthd legions armes,
And will not let me raigne or barely rest me;
Orbide on earth, so much doth he detest she.
22.
No sooner can I driue him out my soyle,
But Hydra-like he comes with greater forces;
And growes more spightfull ragefull with his foyle,
More dangerous politick in diuelish courses:
So that, although my words renew my paine,
Yet is my griefe so great, I must complaine.
23.
At thy command you Gods that guide this round,
Attend with gentlenesse my dolefull tale;
Myne aduersary driuen from off the ground,
Where he had raingd by wrong, and wroughting bale,
Madded with pride and hate could not endure
Himself so banisht, my throne so secure.
24.
But fuming, foaming, gnashing, breathing flame,
Hee testifies his rage with open iawes:
Hee chafes and snuffs, hee roares and howles for shame,
Hee beats his poysned brest with both his pawes,
He bites his lips, and rends his ougly locks,
His cries at heauen, his ghosts at hel-gates knocks.
25.
His pride-swolne spleen, more fierce then his own fire,
Could not but bellow thus in vawtes of night;
Wa'st not enough that I which once was higher,
Then any creature both by birth and might,
Should first be cast from heauen, then driuen to hell,
In euerlasting darkenesse there to dwell.
26.
But that I should be thrust from out my chaire,
Purchast by warre and long in peace possest:
What title, reason, right can they declare?
Although for vprightnes they would be blest,
Their word's their law, their will's their equity.
Dis wil not suffer this indignity.
27.
While wit or sword will serue I'le claime earths throne,
To moue mine anger thus it may repent them:
Being more they got the feild, the right's mine owne,
Where then war could not, wisdome shall preuent them,
It neuer shalbe said the Diuell assaild,
Gaue ore his cause, his hart or weapons faild.
28.
Let pitious Piety looke vnto her part,
Reuenge adds force, I'le make a second venter;
My smart shall cause more then my selfe to smart,
The more she driues me thence the more I'le enter,
Such is my will: Ioue keepe thy firmament,
Thou shalt not keepe in peace Earths regiment.
29.
This sai'd he stai'd and calld the damned spirits,
The Goblins, Faeries, Furies, and their Dam,
Exaggerates his false pretended rights,
Dilating his deare losse and far-spred shame,
Go forth, said he, my braue Tartareons elues,
My shape, my pride, my gard, aduance your selues.
30.
Make iulstre-entrance in your former states,
Recouer your lost honor, wreak your spites:
Regaine your subiects, open our wide gates,
Restore new altars for your auncient rites,
By strength or cunning make my power some way,
Doe good or ill so that I win the day.
31.
My victorie shall iudge their cause the worse,
Let Fate obey my words; Fortune my lust:
Let me but conquer: Let heauen, earth, Ioue curse,
Scarse heard the furies this, but in they thrust,
And light their Ebon torches in hot lime-stone,
Flaming salt peeter, all-consuming brimstone.
32.
Adding the foame of Cerbrus triple iaw,
The most ilsauoring sink of Lernafen,
The venomus vomit of Chimera's maw:
Which burning bred annoy to Gods and men.
Mustring their hellish-ranks, an hundreth plagues,
A thousand hel-hounds with ten thousand hags.
33.
Tisiphone threw snakes and fire brands,
With whips of steele to moue their fiercenesse on,
So that all cried, arme, arme, none doubtfull stands,
But fly from hell to camp in Babylon,
And there in spite of truth which all controlls,
Will either loose them-selues or win mens soules.
34.
There meager Couetise is generall,
The standerd-bearer superstition:
Chief-gunner Pride, casts many a wildfire ball,
Error their purueyer wanders vp and downe,
To get them food while weake Hypocrisie,
Sits watching all their tents with heedfull eye.
35.
Yet that successe may sort for their desire,
They couer their sore threats, keen swords, pale death,
And will vse fraud before they shew their ire,
Changing the titles which they tooke beneath;
Framing false rights, hel-fire bred soldiors,
Would now bee knowne for heauen-bred Sauiors,
36.
For sons of Ioue Earth tooke the slaues of hell,
Babell was termd a Reuerend Sanctuary:
Idolatry Deuotion, high pride Zeale,
Rash error a religious credulity.
Hipocrisie was cald lawes complement,
Thus euery vice got vertues ornament.
37.
The other furies got them other Vestures,
The Cruell Wolues were clad with sheeps faire clothing,
Looke lowly, seeming plaine, with curteous gestures,
Outwardly prasing God, inwardly lothing.
Their speach was pleasant without murmuring,
Their harts all ragefull hate and slaughter breathing.
38.
They sought the ruines of Nobles, kingdoms, kings,
If they deny them tribute, or contradict:
Or but refuse obedience in bad things,
Or not submit their crownes, they will afflict,
And curse them downe vnto the deepest hell,
False Menedemus was their Sentinell.
39.
Aye me, th'Infernall Dragon did more harme,
By close dissemblance, then plaine cruelty:
And therefore did not hiss, breath flames, or blacke troups arme,
But as old fishers catch the silly fry,
Couering their manly shape with goates rough skins,
So Dis by seeming faire, foule meaning wins.
40.
Aye me, so suttle was his craft and sleight,
Not Pallas learn'd, not gold-tong'd Maias child:
Nor slie Vertumnus could vnfold it right,
Hee ment such wrack, spoke so faire, lookt so mild,
Doing most vniustice yet hee seem'd most iust,
This got him greatest honor, power and trust.
41.
He seemes as not refusing heauens firme lawes,
Neither thy new, nor auncient Oracles:
Thy fathers, nor they childrens old-said sawes,
And that which most confounds his practizes,
He takes as making most for his estate,
By this mens minds are most intoxicate.
42.
As cunning painters put their marble stayning,
On rotten cloth: He with contorted senses
Turns and ore turns all truth, all rights destrayning,
And straightning crooked things with his pretences,
Sends forth new sects, new honors, golden showers,
To them that guard his sacrilegious Towers.
43.
These vse all meanes to lift the patron higher,
All supreme titles and subordinate
Are giuen him better then he can desire,
Hence dares he what he list and thunders at
All earthly powers, as hauing thy power high Ioue,
Takes and giues crownes as't please him hate or loue.
44.
He pardons and layes guilt on absent men,
Hee claymes a soueraigne rule on flesh-freed soules:
Fains a purge-fornace in his filthy den,
To couer his neuer-quenched brimstone holes,
Greater preuent lesse feares. Now men surmise,
His death life, hell arie, fire warmth, serpents flyes.
45.
How oft haue sinne and shame-bred ougly fiends
Spred errors far from thought, crimes from beliefe,
And sowne profanenes in mens pregnant minds,
Which they no sooner knew but put in priefe
Their lessons; went beyond their teachers; taught
Others far worse; at which Megara laught.
46.
How oft his pild Priest offering, rash-vow'd gifts,
Applauds his owne conceit, when like a player,
He crosseth, kisseth, stands, goes, turns and shifts,
Mocking our powers with timeles senseless prayer,
As if our honor were tied vnto the stage,
And we were naught, but what pleas'd this late age.
47.
Oh gods! can men so soon forget good rites?
Is this their faith and loue, their holy zeale?
Are Temples thus vnhallowed with lewd sights?
Thinke they to please, when in such wise they deale?
Worshipping blocks for vs, they thinke vs blocks,
And bowing to stones, they make themselues but stocks.
48.
They keep, and creep, and weep to guilded lead
Or wooden sticks, or dead-mens cloths or bones,
All that vs worshipt, must be worshipped
Themselues, their carcases, their buriall stones
Tendring to death, who neither can heare, nor see,
Those prayers that should be made only to thee.
49.
How oft when any doth resist their will
Swelling they snarle, and send forth dangerous wars?
Such was these Monsters boldned loue of euill,
That mingling vitre, pitch, brimstone, steel-bars
(The matter bred neere, the skill brought from hel)
Would faine haue drawne, and driu'n vs thither pel-mel.
50.
Digging the bowels of the wondring earth,
And laying their diuel-found engines in her veines,
They would haue opened wider gates to death,
To passe in shorter time with sorer paines:
Their chiefest mark was my wisht ouerthrow,
With all my better worlds by one fierce blow.
51.
Oh mischiefe worse then any spoke in fables,
Exceeding Danaus bride-beds, and Busiris,
Or Euxin Dians altars, Tantalus tables;
Pluto now cannot worse, whose fell desire is
To root out all my stock, vnless he kild,
My choice Defender with heauens fauors fild.
52.
For his destruction, who from infancie,
Because a nourishing Father to my seed
They would haue slaine his Queene, Lords, Commonalty:
For one all should haue perisht (oh fowle deed!)
To driue all true deuotion out my land,
They would not let Towres, Temples, Cities stand,
53.
Then might the world haue known the deeps of Stix,
These mischiefe-broachers might haue seen their place.
Who (could they with one blow, heauen, earth, hell, mixe
With all their force) would all my rites deface:
Iustice, with shame-fastnesse and modesty,
Fled Earth and would not see this cruelty.
54.
Poore I, so much and oft amaz'd with griefe,
So sore pursued with inquisitions,
Scap't scarse their hands and tooke me to reliefe,
They rais'd so many persecutions;
Only the care of mine me fortified,
For whose deare sake I would (if't might be) died.
55.
Why should I reckon all those grieuous crosses
Thy children vndergoe: let heauens beare record,
No light or night can passe without some losses,
The night for dreams, the light for pains abhord:
These proue those true, so no where peace I finde,
Feare pain, pain breeds more feare in my mar'd mind.
56.
Thus I that once brought forth so many people,
To multiply thine heauenly family,
Now dry, weake, old, can hardly get a steeple
But must lament their ruines and misery:
I that spred once my light as vvide as day,
To th'Prince of darknes am now made a prey.
57.
I which once rais'd my trophees in each land,
Made holesome lavves, rul'd Nations with my rod;
Behold a vvretched fugitiue heer stand
Despised: and canst thou suffer this great God?
Is this my povver, my kingdme promised?
Is thy poore daughters dovvry thus demised?
58.
Shall I thus vvander hauing no certaine cell,
When other Gods can haue their thousand shrines
Of golde, high-built, and free from dangers fell,
While thy lou'd off-spring vvithout lodging pines:
Yet vvould I not my brethren should haue lesse,
Proud enuy fits not my forlorne distresse.
59.
Onely let my poore deity complaine,
(If thus I may be call'd, not being hence banisht)
That the cold Sauromate and Scythian,
Who vvander vp and dovvne, least they be famisht,
Driuing their vvhole-built coates from place to place
Are, being more sure of seat, in better case.
60.
A vvretched mother, gods and men may call me,
Still must my sons be fighting for their ovvne;
In euery place and time strife doth befall me,
For pains long past I vvill not novv make mone:
My present feares expecting yet far more,
Make me forget vvhat I endur'd before.
61.
This plague's not all extinct: hels malice boiles,
His mischief-plotting brain deuiseth vvorse,
Our holy vvrits he burns, and Saints he broiles,
Destroies vvhole countries vvith a blasting curse;
Appoints nevv lavves, and sets nevv gods on hie,
All that gain-say by force or fire shall die.
62.
He still prepares more and more punishments,
For such as vvel professe my truths pure faith,
I see the massacres and banishments,
Prisons and poisons vvhich in store Dis hath,
Vnlesse you quell their pride (blest povvres diuine)
We cannot scape: helpe then my selfe and mine.
63.
If any piety or pittie moue you,
(All Gods, in wisdome, should each care for other)
Forsake not my faint hopes and them that loue you,
You which defend all creatures, do not loth her
Which is your friend & sister, though much grieu'd;
See my true harmeless children soon relieu'd.
64.
Father, if I haue euer prais'd thy power,
And spred thy mighty name through Earths vast ground;
Deliuer me and mine from this sad howre,
By thy right hand with which thou rul'st this round,
Thy God-head, and my safe-gard Ile inuoke thee,
If neither thy care, nor my laments prouoke thee,
65.
Yet pitty thine owne glory, thine owne brood:
For if I perish, or my face must hide,
Thy fame and subiects, which thou boughtst with blood,
Will faile from thee vvhich thou shouldst not abide:
If yet thou vvilt not helpe yet grant this boon,
I may preuent all griefs by dying soon.
66.
Thus did Religion speak, and staid her speech,
Winding her armes and casting downe her eyes,
As if she death did rather then life beseech,
But as when haruest-winds rush from the skies,
The leaues in vvoods a rustling murmur make,
Such a soft vvhispring did the Gods ore-take.
67.
This Goddesse being so neere a kin, so grieuing,
Mov'd much compassion in their tender spirits;
They thought high Ioue too milde in gouerning,
Themselues too calme to Dis for his demerits:
They meane to comfort her with heauenly force,
And stop the Furies in their bloody course.
68.
So much were all incens'd vvith her true teares,
When all-ore-swaying Ioue commands them silence,
Shakes Heauen and earth with shaking his gold-haires,
And then speaks thus with dreadfull excellence:
Daughter, my praise and greatest power below,
Free thy faire cheeks from teares, thy thought from woe.
69.
We nere did yet, nor euer will for-goe thee,
Thy loue so deeply settles in our brest:
Our care and prouidence nere shall be fro thee,
Heauen is thy friend: My selfe with all the rest,
And if thou wouldst the fates and me conceiue,
What we determine, I'le declare, giue leaue.
70.
Hearing the boysterous threats of Dis foule iawes,
And seeing him loose his furies from stix flood:
T'infect th'erroneous world, they might break lawes
Of Gods and men, confounding what is good,
Perceiuing darknes ouer-spread this age,
And man-kind much degenerate from our image.
71.
The primitiue purenesse all corrupt with lust,
The truth ore weighd with fond inuentions:
Vice boasting ouer Vertue laid in dust,
The Dragon conquering by dissentions.
We saw (which mou'd vs most) our children dying,
And heard their guiltles blood for vengeance crying.
72.
Often my wrath did burne to thunder-strike them,
But that the beautious order of all creatures
Made me repent: for though I did not like them,
Yet for them would I not dissolue all Natures.
I knew their houre of horror was not come,
Wherein they should receiue their damning doom.
73.
To be still bound in chaines of dismall night,
Eternally to suffer griefe and death;
Meane while how ere they deale by craft of spite,
He workes himself more paine and shame beneath,
More glory to the Gods: No maruaile then,
If they corrupt the liues and harts of men.
74.
So soone so fin. He formerly possest them,
Tempting but once he made them throughly euill▪
Since when iniquity so much opprest them,
Their Vertue eas'ly yeelds vnto the Diuell,
The Crime of their first fathers concupisence▪
Polluted all his childrens conscience▪
75.
I see and suffer this: for to strike all,
Would void my treasure-house of thunder-bolts,
Besides the vulgar oft in errors fall;
Calling euill good, good euill, and so like dolts,
Thinking to merit, deserue their owne damnation,
Hoping to save themselues, loose their saluation.
76.
I grieue indeed, and faine would helpe with signes
The faith of men, but that my words are plain:
Though they remember not my sacred lines;
Pittying I put them to no further pain.
For thus hath heauen decreed from this high chaire,
Faith is not forced, free-will admits no feare.
77.
It is our grace that enters mens soft mindes,
And there informes, reformes, conforms their will:
It neither draws or driues, but as it findes;
It shews here heauen, there hel, here good, there euill.
What so ere men doe, being dead, they shall sustain,
The more they know so rer shall bee their pain.
78.
When heauen and earth shall passe with horrid crie,
And all abused creatures plague their sin:
Yet I, that made all, would haue nothing die,
Least mine and their foule aduersarie grin.
And therefore counsel rather vse then strength,
That men knowing me might come to heauen at len­gth.
79.
And with such order will I guide successe,
Vertue shall nere so faile, nor sin so grow,
That euery furie shall their wish possesse,
As when they made all fit for that fowle blow;
I suffered them to choose, deuise, prepare,
Men, matter, place, yet all defeated were.
80.
They could not bring to passe their policies,
The good were garded by mine hand and eie:
For I disclosing their deepe villanies,
Brought them to death, which would haue others die.
Who keeps his hart from guile, his hands from crime,
May now securely passe his peacefull time.
81.
And if some-times the tempest of mischaunce,
Hinder his ease, heauen will thus breed his crowne:
So (daughter whom I study to aduance)
Full oft thou findst my help being oft cast downe,
Nor could thy weakenesse haue endur'd so long,
Vnles my might had made thy faith more strong.
82.
Remember I did oft thine honor nourish,
When men against thee threatned sword and fire,
I made thy Children more and better flourish,
Whom neither force could feare, nor meed could hire,
Hell striues in vaine against thy power deuine,
Thy kindgom shall remaine as long as mine.
83.
What thou giu'st other Gods, men shall giue thee,
Thou shalt haue sinceere worship, sacred orders,
(Doubt not, chere vp thine hart, hope, trust on mee)
With comely temples and enlarged borders,
Thou shallt be Queene on earth, and Queen in heauen.
Iudgement shall right thy wrongs and make all euen.
84.
Though much is not now giuen, or seat secured,
Yet shall my Loue augment thy precious name;
In minds and mouths of men, be still assured,
Behold thy primitiue purenesse, free from blame
Return'd restores true ioy: See Babel cries,
Because the ruling Dragon thence fast flies.
85.
His Crest is laid, fire quenched and sting rebated,
Deare loue, sweet peace, sound faith, and vertue springs;
The furies and their terrors are amated:
Now Time his daughter Truth from darknes brings,
Remember but the Calydonian mayd,
Thy feare, care, griefe, paine, shalbe soone allayd.
86.
Her name and manners great Eliza left her,
Her knowledge came when she became thy daughter,
Such grace I gaue as neere shalbe bereft her,
So much I lou'd the former, that the later
Shallbe more blest, and blesse thee with more peace,
Making thine hopes and honor still encrease.
87.
The fates agreed with me we should appoint her,
To be created of two Princely lines,
Before she came to light I did annoint her
With such a name and fame as euer shines:
No sooner had her blessed mother conceiu'd her,
But into speciall fauour I receiu'd her.
88.
I planted Vertues seed with gifts of grace,
Such as were neerest mine originall image;
Loue gaue rare beauty shining in her face,
And comely parts that would augment with age:
Being borne, Ambrosia fed, while Venus washt her
With dews, which Dian dried, my beams refresht her.
89
Euphrosine left Cyprus to giue Nectar
Nurse-like (at my commaund) this Babe to keep,
Nais (Calesto frowning) did affect her
And daunc'd about her cradle to bring sleepe;
While Philomela sung, Nape brought flowers,
And strewd them on in parti-coloured showres.
90.
Soft Erithrea put garlands on her head,
Faire Phione brought pearl-full cockle-shels,
Calipso came with many an amber bead,
The Nymphs plaid musick with sweet siluer bels:
All wundred at, kist, honord, blessed, embraced
This pretty child: she them with smiling graced.
91.
Her countenance was cheerly amiable,
Bearing sure markes of a more gracefull spirit;
Her eyes were comely, louely, admirable:
No sooner did her feet the ground inherit,
But she trod vnder pride and ignorance,
And did her selfe to better things aduance.
92.
How often did she clip her Parents neck
To witnes her deare loue, which they perceiuing,
A thousand kisses giue, a thousand take,
Ofher soft rosie lips fit words conceiuing:
Such was her face both Parents might be knowne,
So gently, yet so royally it shone.
93.
Her cheere was pleasing yet with maiestie,
Which drew the Graces neerer to direct
How she might speake and moue her pretty bodie,
With graue decorum yet vvith milde aspect;
To temper all her thoughts, lookes, gestures, motions,
With honest seemlinesse, holy deuotions.
94.
Her smooth-large forehead kept faire shamefastnes,
Her tongue was guided with sweet eloquence,
Laughter sat smiling in her cheeks with gladnesse,
Eyes, lids, eares, heares, each had their excellence:
To dresse her selfe she tooke light care, short leasure,
Grace, like a die, cast any way gaue pleasure.
95.
Her goings were guided with a modest measure
Of all her mouing parts: yet oft she sat
And red her duties in my sacred Scripture,
Or heard while her blest mother wisdome taught:
Her wisdome oft abstain'd from childish toyes,
Vertue to learne and thinke on heauenly ioyes.
96.
Such was Elizabeth in tender age,
Going beyond her yeeres in Wisdomes lore,
Her Parents hope in grace, her sex in courage;
Thus did I cherish till I gaue her ouer
To learne sound manners vnder thy tuition,
Pure Virgin thoughts with Princely disposition.
97.
Thou maist record how soon she did conceiue thee,
And practice rules of thy perfection,
Mine hopes are great of her, which nere deceiue thee
For late inflamed with deepe affection,
In clouds I past her friendly fathers court,
To looke and vvonder at her stately port.
98.
I fixt mine eyes, mine eyes, my thoughts not filld
With seeing: the more I see, the more I gazed
How sweet her youth, how Pallas like her smile,
Her speech, looks, carriage: I was much amazed
Beholding beauties all agree to grace her,
None going before, nor following can surpasse her.
99.
At her side stood with faire congruity
Truth, Peace, Faith, Simplenes, mild Honesty,
Iustice and Loue, with Ingenuity,
And marriage-making louely modesty,
Sutors throng thither, Nobles did aspire,
And Kings of boundless kingdomes her desire.
100.
Dukes rich in treasures, titles, auncestrie,
Worth, arms and friends, with force and hope importune
Her sweetnes taught them hope, feare maiesty,
Not knowing to whom wee'l grant her good fortune:
Yet neither mighty Kings, nor famous Princes,
Whom power or pleasure cal'd, were thought fit matches
101.
It is not worldly wit or will composeth
A due coniunction of so royall states;
Such mariages our Councell here disposeth
According to the fore-fight of their fates:
It was not flesh and bloud, but heauens high breath
Ordain'd a bed-mate for Elizabeth.
102.
For I remember it was once my pleasure,
To search the depth of all antiquity
Concerning this: when Themis from her treasure
Of true praesages, spoke this verity;
For since this feare affrights thy thoughts, Ile tell
The Fates full ordinance, heare and marke well.
103.
When I first mou'd his child-eater from hence,
That Gods might better see their blessed off-spring
Flourish for euer in glorious excellence,
He being exil'd could hither no mischiefe bring;
Yet what he could he did,, and lurk below,
In hate of vs deuising mens deep woe.
104.
To worke reuenge gainst vs, he ioyns his wagon,
With cunning malice, enuious pride, and rage;
Yoking the Fox, Woolfe, Lyon, Viper, Dragon,
He whips them round about the worlds wide stage:
They more by this incens'd, with poysnous breath,
Mortalls infect vvith sin, care, sicknes, death.
105.
Not satiate with corruption of all natures,
He would haue ouer-turn'd Earths axle-tree,
And ouer-whelm'd it headlong in the waters,
His right hand shov'd and mov'd it horribly:
Which we soon feeling from our heauenly Tower,
Our sauing arme stayd his destroying power.
106.
And forc'd our selfe condemned for to fly,
And chain'd him vp in deeps of horrid night;
For though he spoild not all, he had wel-ny
So tainted all, that nothing stood vpright:
Shook order out of ioint into confusion,
Driuing place and time to dissolution.
107.
Al Elements & their compounds broke their course
Both euils of guilt and paine vvere much augmented,
The golden turn'd an iron age or worse,
Mens bodies were (the cause vnknowne) tormented:
The spring began to fade from plants and flovvers,
East, West, North, South, did rage on Thetis bovvers.
108.
And dasht high ships against huge ragged rocks,
Quasht all earths beauties vvith raine, haile, snow-storms
Draue leaues frem fruits, fruites from their rebrentstocks
Hence Colchick poisons came from filth-bred vvorms;
Lernean Hydra, vvith Numidian snakes,
And venemous toades vvhich bide in loathsom lakes
109
At first there needed neither plow nor harrow,
Cattell were free from drawing, men from driuing:
Til Saturns gall suckt vp earthes fruitfull marrow
Which now scarce find the toyling hind his liuing,
Thistles ore come the thick sowne thin-skin corne
Insteed of grasse weeds rise, of roses thorne.
110.
Then men most lou'd of vs began to perrish,
Their natiue health and strength grew lesse and lesse:
No balme of Gilead could their heart so cherish,
But vnaccustomd greefe would them possesse,
Their blushing guilty cries though they dissemble,
Sighs fil their breasts, feare makes their bones to tremble
111.
Their cheeks vvere mard vvith tear [...] their voyce vvith crying,
Their smell vvith stench, their tast vvith noysom [...] food:
Their hayre vvould stand vpright, vaine terrors flying,
Continuall toyle and age dried vp their blood,
To this vvere added Rheumes, boiles, fluxes, feuers,
Euery disease that soule from body seuers.
112.
Their invvard, more then outvvard, man did sicken,
So that not Zeuxis art, nor Midas crovvne:
Nor Musicks harmonie their spirits could quicken,
Nor stately palaces, nor beds of dovvne,
Nor health, nor vvealth, could mittigate their sorrovv,
Which each day thought extreame, vvas vvorse next mor­rovv.
113.
Man differing from himselfe no rest can find,
Flesh fightes vvith spirit, and sence vvith conscience:
This hinders them from hauing a setled mind,
Or knovving vvhat they resolue: Concupiscence,
Would thrust out reason from his natiue rights,
All thoughtes and parts haue iarring appetites.
114.
Then vertue vvas opprest, and vice grevv bold.
To send abroad her filthy plagues, snakes, snares,
Fell mallice and the insatiat thirst of gold,
Enuy vvith lust vvhich nought in publick dares,
Hence brethrens bloud prophan'd, the cursed ground
Iniquity did all thinges else confound.
115.
Heauen to restraine this punisht them by waters,
By fiery meteors and hot thundring strokes,
By plagues that spar'd no man, or other creatures,
By mutuall swords, which each vvrong speech prouokes
Yet left they not their sins, vvhich I grieu'd at,
Sought how to mend their miserable state.
116.
And did enquire of Themis, if mans fall
Might be recur'd vvithout such grieuances;
She sigh'd, and holy-fury caught vvithall,
Said, that albeit there vvere great hinderances;
Yet vvere the meanes appointed long agoe,
That should recomfort mens encreased vvoe.
117.
When Honor from right honesty shall perish,
The lawes of Holinesse and Vertue cease:
When men with worse faults will their former cherish,
And least hope is to call back truth and peace:
The Palatine with Britain ioyn'd shall bring
Earths golden daies again, Times blessed spring.
118.
Then I considering euery name and fortune,
Fit for performance of these high designes,
To hasten them the stars did much importune,
That either sex being borne of blessed loynes
At the same tide might meet in marriage,
Restoring this long-wisht-for golden age.
119.
This true presage is now accomplished,
Black Dis hath done his worst that he can do,
The worlds huge frame had welny perished;
But now heauen may reioyce and vertues flow,
Learning may flourish, mortalls clap their hands,
Either in age and honor equal stands.
120.
Nobles, Dukes, Kings, giue place, the Mayd's decreed
For the Count Palatine (oh blessed youth)
Before thy birth both Fates and stars agreed
In heauen to seale, on earth to shew this truth,
Elizabeth should be design'd thy Bride,
In equall worth, profession, loue allied.
121.
Such is thy royall power and excellence,
That neither in multitudes or cope of lands
It yeelds to Dukes, or Kings magnificence,
Whether in birth, or armes, or stile it stands:
Th' Auarian progenie vvas nere knovvne priuate,
But vvith great honor kept an auncient state.
122.
The Palatines did not first raise that flood,
Though they may boast of high-bred auncestrie,
Which mongst the Germans hath long noble stood,
But from the Troians famous Pedegree,
On valiant Hectors true Nobility,
They ground the root of their blest Familie.
123.
Amidst their auncestors was Charles the great,
The greatest Conqueror which liu'd of late:
Adding braue spirits new grace with nobler heat,
And with him they can reckon many a state,
As Henries which lou'd peace, Othe lou'd praise,
Phillip religion, Conrade walls did raise.
124.
Ruperts were euer studious, Lo [...]owics strong
Frederics inuincible in bloody fieeld,
Their ofspring held rich Empires wide and long
Which their strength, wisdome, iustice, did wel weild:
The Duke domes of Baviere and Franconie,
Most fruitfull Brabant, Swethland, Saxonie
125.
Hence warlike De [...]myrh, populous Bohemie,
Hence large Pannonia chose out mighty kings,
The Romane Empire, euery vacancy,
Relies on their knowne power t'vphold all thinges,
These ruld the tottering world, restores truthes right,
And tam'd proud rebells with comptrouling might,
126.
Beyond all these is Fredericks noble courage,
His manly mind, and wisdome in young yeares.
His vertues far exceed his tender age,
As in his valiant exercise appeeres,
When he bestrides and makes his bounding steed,
To run career or stoppe his headlong speed,
127.
At long race, rouud ring, or crosse tournament,
He beares his arme, lance, body with such art,
His wand, spur, bridle, with such complement
Of strength and state adorning euery part:
He bounds the ball with such dexterity,
So right he shoots, and that so smooth and swiftly.
128.
With force and quicknes he can throw steel darts,
And thereby peirce the Bore, Beare, Stags, wild Bulls,
Their Iauelin makes an entrance to their hearts,
And fixt on back and sides their bowels forth puls,
So much he longs for wel deseru'd renowne,
Hee dares assault and often strikes the [...] downe.
129.
Meleager like neere Calydons low lake,
Hee seekes and driues the wild beasts from their den:
Making the mountaine woods and champion, shake,
With hunters musick, heere like Philopaemen
He gathers rules of war to campe or fight,
And dares meet foes as well as those excite.
130.
When full growth ripens his firme strength he shall,
Follow expresse, excel his auncestors,
In all his excercise he so doth all,
As easy sports of earnest acts be mirrors,
Yet there is one-thing worthier then the rest,
VVhich fills with hope and ioy my carefull brest.
131
He fauours wits yeelds Vertues their due meeds,
Encourageth good schollers with reward:
Th'vnlearn'd may learne of him how to proceed,
For wiser bookes and sayings he doth regard;
Searching all causes and their consequence,
How nature imitates our prouidence.
132.
The Liberall Sciences and histories,
As much as higher affaires wil giue him leasure▪
All ciuill manners and state pollicies,
He reades, remembers and therein takes pleasure:
His tongue takes temperance, courage guides his heart▪
VVisdome his hand, Iustice each other part.
133.
As far from rashnes as base cowardise,
From lust as from contempt of woman-kind:
From Prodigality as couetise,
As far from selfe-conceit as errors blind,
His pure white soule obserues the vertuous meane:
Free from all pride, hate fraud or thoughts vncleane▪
134.
His life beseems men elder, wiser, higher,
VVho for the most part haue not such a spirit:
His people feare, Embassadors admire,
All think his fortune far lesse then his merit,
Though that be ritch and good, his worth is better▪
His crowne and honor great, his mind is greater▪
135.
Ouer Stiria, Bipont, Newburg he well raignes,
With many Cities, mighty, wise, and healthy;
Which Neccaris with her cleare streames sustaines,
And Rhenus vvith his current makes more wealthy:
Brurenia, fed with corne and wine, adore him,
Nortgoia, rich in mettalls, kneels before him.
136.
The nimble Vindelicians, hunting Licates,
With many moe, too many to recite,
That willingly submit their potent states
Vnto this Prince Elector, stiled right,
As being the first of them in their election,
And could their counsailes guide vnto perfection.
137.
For I shall still guide and accommodate
His good endeuours: till with famous fate
He proue a semi-god in our high State;
Nor shall the following times obliterate
The worthy name, which fame shall spread beyond
The Northern Ise, and Southerne fiery strond.
138.
Fret Babel, now defeated, rage and kick,
Thy superstition and idolatry
Falls much confounded by this Frederick,
Whom Fates ordain'd vvith Brittish Crowne to marry,
That both professions being ioyn'd in one,
Might bring thine errors to confusion.
139.
Their Crowne and heart vnited, shall vnite
Their loue and faith, as long as heauens endure.
Daughter be comforted: Gods take delight
In Fates decree perform'd: Our hopes are sure,
The Palatine vvith Britain ioynd, shal bring
Earths golden daies againe, Times blessed spring.

THE SECOND BOOKE.

ARGVMENT.
Loues Goddesse and the Queene of marriage,
IRIS and CVPID send, with many moe,
The nuptials praeordain'd wisely to mannage,
They flying from Heauen with ioy walke here below;
And kindly moue great FREDERICKS affection,
Who swiftly sayles to perfect his election.
1.
ALmighty Ioue (while other Gods attended
His words) thus made their heauenly ioyes exceed,
No lesse then if a woman hauing lamented
Her sons or husbands death, should with good speed
Behold him safe-return'd from Countries far,
In sicknes, want, or age, to comfort her.
2.
The present gladness put away past mone,
This whole coelestiall Senate was well pleas'd;
So that each riseth from his golden throne
Embracing their deare sister now full eas'd:
Reioycing at her honors new restor'd,
So that all sung this Oracle with concord.
The Palatine, with Britain ioin'd shall bring,
Earths golden dayes again, times blessed spring.
3.
But the Gods father bids his daughter deare,
Put on the crowne and robes best made and died,
And change her countenance from heauy cheare
Then she with smooth-fac'd maiesty replied,
O blessed Gods which gouerne earth and skies,
Whose wisdome, power, and iustice neuer dies:
4.
You that make new from old and good from sinne,
From out my sorrowes haue now brought forth gladnes:
It lies not in my worth your grace to win,
To think to recompence with wordes were madnes:
That either I liue, or breath, or haue my due,
It was, it is, and must be still from you.
5.
But since your promise my sad greefe alaies,
Let me desire performance of the deed,
Let me no longer languish in delayes,
Conioyne the meanes ordaind; the Gods agreed,
Consulting who might accept this office,
And speedily worke this busines for mans blisse.
6.
Who should reueale heauens will to them vnknowne;
And draw their parents to acquaintance kind,
Binding this league with adamantine stone,
And with affections mooue their tender mind,
Then Iuno which hath charge of marriage rights,
And Venus, Queen of louers, ioynd their mights.
7.
Ioue smiles, commends them, and commits this charge,
That euery thing in order might succeed
He likewise other Gods commands at large,
That they should lend their helping hands at need:
Ʋenus determines downe to send her sonne,
This work might with his quiuer be soone done.
8
Iuno would Iris should accompany,
And therefore sent a messenger to cite her:
Who being cald came from below the skie,
To see what worke her mistris did behight her,
Lowly and louely like a pure handmaid,
She stood attending while Salmona said,
9.
Deck thy faire head with orient pearles, put on,
Thy particouloured coat, passe with swift speed,
My region ayre, direct thy motion
Vnto the Germane Empire and proceed,
Vnto the shores of Necaris cleare flood,
There for me thou shalt worke exceeding good.
10.
There the Bowarian Prince of royall blood,
A stately palace keepes, himselfe more stately:
Worthier to liue in heauen then on earths mud,
This man the Gods assigne considerately,
To wed Elizabeth and cause thereby,
Earths peace, heauens ioy, mens true felicity.
11.
He shall repaire the losse and ruines of time,
If thou canst but affect his tender spirit:
Cupid wil help thee with his powers deuine,
With worthy loue which grace and beauty merit,
Hence take thy course to Seas-encompast Brittaine,
Lying vnder the bright sun-beames of Charle his wain.
12.
Vnto the Chambers of great Arthurs court,
VVhere pious Iames raignes and maintaines our lawes
Of holy truth and right, make thy resort,
His daughter mooue to loue, her youth now drawes,
To marriage, being of most, esteemd most worthy
For beauty, vertue, birth, and chastity,
13.
Let either of these conceiue iust estimation,
Of others work, let this good liking breed:
Let liking bring forth wedlocks combination,
Make all their parents to this match agreed.
Then Iuno leauing Iris flies amaine,
To do the busines of her Soueraigne.
14.
Venus meane while gathered her heauenly bands,
As peacefull concord Hymen euer merry:
Swift fame, flow counsell, who deuising stands,
Chast faith, good fortune, which wil neuer vary,
The Gods of dancing, feasting, kissing, bedding,
Graces, and Muses came to make this wedding,
15.
Cupid, great Captaine of this amorous host
With golden Darts which bred equall desire:
Was leading them from Ioues courts vtmost coast,
To whom faire Iris with her troops drew nigher:
With beauty borrowd from the suns reflection,
And all fit coulours for to mooue affection.
16.
Her cloathing vvas not precious pearles nor gold,
Nor vvol, nor silke, nor any mixt of all:
But both exceeding vvondrous to behold,
There vvas invvouen religions rise and fall,
Hovv first hels diuellish fiends vvrought her vexation
And then hovv heauenly Saints brought reformation,
17.
Her skill and art had curiously distinguisht,
Th'euents of many yeares in many coulours:
Hovv vvhen the Roman Empire vvas extinguisht,
From that foule monsters head vvith extreame dolors,
Arose ten greater hornes, and then a lesse,
Hauing face and eyes like man vvith mickle feircenes.
18.
Three of the former hornes did soone disgrace,
And therefore spoke presumptuous blasphemies,
Not far from thence it shevved a vvomans face,
Mother of vvhordomes, Nurse of tirranies,
Sitting vpon a scarlet couloured beast
Bearing seauen heads, ten hornes on his foule crest.
19.
Her monstrous body vvas in purple clad,
And ruddy garments intermixt vvith gold:
Her eares rich pearles and precious pendants had,
Her forehead S [...]igian misteries enrold,
A cupfull of Saints blood vvas in her hand,
Which drinking she vvas drunck and could not stand.
20.
Yet she calls neighbor Kings to deeper draughts,
Who madded with her fornication wine:
Follow her errors till they come to naughts,
She ore their Shoulders, doth seauen mountaines clime,
Where sitting in Gods temple she decrees,
Lawes to procure her power and golden fees,
21.
With pollicies attracting many a nation,
To worship her: Not far thence men may see,
Great Kings debased in adoration;
To kisse her whoorish feet bending their knee,
Nor yet with earths vast Empery content,
She would fame thrust Ioue from his regiment.
22.
Vsurping power in heauen and hells deepe flood
Peruerting all with superstition:
Shee will haue Images compact of wood;
Of smooth clay, shining mettall, wel-squard stone,
Made Gods, with hallowd incense burnt before them,
Oh Gods vvhat furie makes her thus adore them!
23.
Can true religion be so bold and blind:
To thinke that in vaine Idols Gods do lurke?
Or that the Carpenter hath Ioue assignd;
To dwell in trees, the potter in his work?
Or caruer wiser then Pigmalion,
Can call an heauenly power to dwell in stone?
24.
Oh shame! can men in such deep darknes walk,
As that their spirits should worse then spirits obey?
Can their fense, deities in pictures Chalk?
Will high-bred soules their bodies bow to clay?
No. God is greater then we can beleeue him,
No stocke or▪stone or body can receiue him.
25.
Naught can containe his power containing all,
Behold the sphears encompassing each creature:
The Sun and stars lightning this worlds huge ball,
Are all but shadows of his all-bright feature.
What can we see but footsteps of his mind,
Far greater, better, fairer are behind.
26.
Farther then heauen doth earth, Ioue heauen exceede▪
To whom the sacrifice of prayers and praise:
With truth and vprightnes in words and deeds,
Offered on harts as altars doth best please;
To vvorship senseles trees is times old error,
Receiu'd of this huge monster for mens terror.
27.
Yet multitudes bewitchd with her would faine
With superstition and sedition
Their blindfold hearts and wicked hands prophane,
The Lords and commons ioyne in inquisition,
The diuells deep forge, the slaughter house of saints
Which best and worst, yet rather best attaints.
28.
As many twinckling stars appeare by night,
When Boreas blowing rough stormes makes winter cold,
As hony-sucking Bees in thick swannes light
VVhen Flora Tellus beauty doth vnfold,
So many men, wiues, children, poore and rich,
All run to serue the will of this proud witch.
29.
Some were deceaued with her hipocrisie,
Some came for feare of danger, some for gaine,
None durst oppose himselfe (Oh misery)
To her that had so many martyrs slaine:
So that more furious euery day then other,
Shee growes, and truth with cruelty doth smother.
30.
Makes marchandise of soules, sells sinne for meed,
Tecelius was her her factor for these wares:
Giuing indulgence for each hainous deed,
More then God would or Satan durst, he dares;
All men were mute, but Luther could not quiet
His pen and tongue seeing him so proudly riot.
31.
Hath God (quoth he) giuen life to spend in sloth
And sullen feare? shall they so tyranize
In shameles error? I remaine so loth,
Truth to defend with my poore faculties.
Both wit and speech from Gods free grace are giuen,
And therefore should maintaine the lawes of heauen
32.
They were not worldly wise which taught me first,
Stoicks or Accademicks they might erre:
But from truths ho [...]y fountaine with deepe thirst,
I drew the doctrine which Ile now deliuer.
For truth and all that loue her Ile aduenture,
To see whether Gods or men this griefe wil cure.
33.
And sure but from some heauenly institution,
This holy zeale comes not: away vain feares,
Ile passe the pikes of persecution:
He seemd to say thus much, while trickling teares
Bedewd his reuerend face: his eyes bright flame,
Shewd, Others sin mooud him to greef and shame
34.
Religion made this hungry monsters prey,
Made him to pitty men so much opprest,
So that he seems to think what he would say,
To curb her madnes and reforme the rest:
Yet humane weaknes ouertakes his mind,
Conceiuing those great perills he should find.
35.
It may be thus he thought; how rash am I,
When all dissembling sleep, to rise alone?
Yet right religious loue with sacred fury,
Knowledge with zeale drew faith and boldnes on,
When he beheld such was their impious guise,
The Temple made a shop for marchandise.
36
Thus being incensed with diuinest heat,
Which could not see and suffer such prophanesse:
He shakes the Tyrants falsly-grounded seat,
Opens her cunning plots, reprooues her vainesse,
His flock but heares and yeelds to what he said,
His aduersary stands astonished,
37.
Next him did Zui [...]glius, full of holy courage,
Rise, casting seeds of truth in mens pure harts:
Vsing Gods sword which beares a double edge
He batting brings to nougther armes and arts,
He tought and fought, he faire and hard meanes tried
Till for his faith and countries cause he dyed.
38.
Next him stood Caluin clad in sacred armes,
Thundring out vengeance gainst Romes vsurpation:
His heart and pen a zelous anger warmes,
His words were followed with much approbation,
You might behold the beast fearefully shaking,
And her selfe-guilty troopes the field forsaking.
39.
As Turtle-Doues on some high trees and Towers,
With wanton murmur seem to kiss and speak,
In their kind language testifying loues powers,
When they shall heare Ioues thunder-beare break
The cleere ayre with strong wings, forget their sport,
And with swift speed vnto their nest resort.
40.
So fled the fiends: On the other side with art
Iris had wouen the surgefull Ocean streams,
In which the British Iland stood apart
From all the world: In midst whereof, high IAMES
Sate on his auntient Adamantine throne,
Trampling the neck of crowned Babylon.
41.
She mad, with griefe and shame, writhes her fowle traine
Hither and thither to get liberty,
And with fell poison doth her place distaine,
And sliding thence at length, not furiously;
As heretofore in threats or arms doth rise,
But mischiefe plots and treasons doth deuise.
42.
As when the Plow a big-swoln Snake sore squeeseth,
Shee writhes and slowly drawes her loines along,
Her body faints and pants, her life-blood freezeth;
Yet her heart rageth, and her three-fork't tongue
Hisseth out spite, her eyes and mouth flame fires,
Babell when she can least, most euill desires.
43.
Wit in this web had other works inuented,
As racks, swords, flames, prisons, strange instruments
Of death, wherewith good-liuers were tormented,
With sundry kinds of dreadfull punishments:
Princes at length find out this Tyrants pride,
Pluck all her plumes, her nakednesse deride.
44.
The light of holy Truth, seem'd then to shine
About the borders of this wondrous cloathing,
Where likewise embroidered with gemmes fine,
A Canticle that all heauens quire should sing:
The Palatine with Britaine ioin'd shall bring
Earths golden daies againe, Times blessed spring.
45.
Which when th'immortall squadron had well seene,
All rancktin order leaues th'Emperial Towers,
Mouing their nimble spirits the spheres betweene,
Iris then leades them to the Planets bowers,
Inuoking their asistant influence,
To blesse their proiects, with due consequence,
46.
Her feet, whom winges and purple buskins grace,
Slide through the milkie paths which Gods oft walk,
Then raine-bow like she winds her circled race,
That this faire company no starres might balk,
Then all the fixt and wandring starres consented,
To make men by this marriage full contented.
47.
On their left hand they left the vpright scale,
Which measures equall time twixt euen and morne:
The Scorpion threatning both with tongue and tayle,
Chiron with his full quiuer and Capricorne,
The flood Eridanus, with fierce Orion,
Perseus and Hydrae's constellation.
48.
On the right hand, Calisto with her sonne,
Europaes bearer, Cassiopeias throne,
The Ram which Helle too much trusted on,
Castor and Pollux, the Crab, kingly Lyon,
Arions Dolphin, Ariadnes Crowne,
And Hercules with his all-daring frowne.
49.
As when the King of stars, the God of day,
Apollo with his euer-burning globe,
Puts off his cloudy winters cold aray,
And in the liuely spring takes Floraes robe,
His flaming horses passe with iollity:
So went faire Iris and her company.
50.
She first began, they followed in their order,
Making their longest way seeme short and sweet,
In passing heauen, fire, ayres vpper border,
To chant their Oracle with musick meet,
The Palatine with Brittaine ioynd shal bring
Earths golden dayes againe, Times bllessed spring.
51.
As when on cleare Meanders crooked bankes,
Or on Caysters flood, or through the skie,
The milk white Swans, passe on in louely ranckes,
Such beuteous order had this company,
But sweeter musick while they wau'd the wing,
Each other mooud with heauenly voyce to sing.
52.
Then part they quires, and with redoubling voyce,
Make Spheeres resound Fredereck, Elizabeth,
Let him haue her, let her in him reioyce,
Let both vnite their hearts in loue▪ til death,
The Palatine, with Britain ioin'd shall bring,
Earths golden dayes again, times blessed spring.
53.
As violets excell the bramble briar,
Lilly the violets that the rose disgraceth:
Eliza so doth Virgins: As Stars fire,
Moone stars, sunne moone; so Frederick all surpasseth,
Both passe all others of like age or birth,
Yet each of both doth equall others worth.
54.
Now Ioue determines to vnite all nations,
Vnto himselfe in spirituall amity:
Stopping the loathsome inundations,
Of Dis and his outragious rascalry,
The Palatine with Brittaine ioynd shall bring,
Earths golden dayes againe, times blessed spring.
55.
Let mortall men acknowledge this free guift,
Remembring Ioue the cause, these two the meanes,
Which them from hells mouth to heauens throne vplifts,
And they with vs, and we with them sing Paeans,
Apollo comes atir'd in mortall flesh,
To calme the troubled world and men refresh.
56.
The miracle of antient yeares reuiues,
The boy that lying in cradle crush the Snakes:
And tam'd the monster in our Frederick liues,
Th'infernall Dragon and his lernian shakes,
The Palatine with Brittaine ioynd shall bring,
Earths golden dayes againe, times blessed spring.
57.
This German state, old Roome in state out strides,
The peacefull dayes of Numa time recites,
Who hauing a Nimph his wife, Muses his guides
Religion taught, encrease her fauorites.
So shall this Prince deuise, endeauor, act,
What ere can peace and piety compact:
58.
Aegeria turnes Eliza, who by any
Consulted shall giue oracles of peace,
As we instructed her, shee shall teach many,
How shrewd contention and sterne war should cease [...]
The Palntine with Brittaine ioynd shall bring,
Earths golden dayes againe, times blessed spring.
59,
Harpies with maiden face and Lyons clawes,
Chang'd into Locusts rising from hell smoke:
Would haue deuoured all with open iawes,
But that this marriage did their mallice choak,
Princes may feed on delicates in quiet,
And rest at home in peace, these cannot riot.
60.
These two like Boreas children shal hence driue them
Back whence they came to the pit bottomles:
That catch mens house and land, & say they shriue them,
Earth shall be comforted, they comfortlesse,
The Palatine with Britaine ioin'd shall bring,
Earths golden daies againe, Times blessed spring.
61.
Now Laedas twinnes descend from their high throne,
To visit land and Seas with doubled rayes,
Cheering the plough-swaines and the marriners mone,
While their bright lustre threatned stormes allayes,
Their earthly honors are already greater,
Their state with vs heerafter shall be better.
62.
Such is their faith and loue, such are their beauties,
Such is their vertue to driue euill away:
Mortalls with praise and vowes performe your duties
To heauen: hels instruments pack while you may,
The Palatine with Brittaine ioynd shall bring,
Earths golden dayes againe, Times blessed spring.
63.
Thus had these glorious Nuncios past the spheres,
Fit mansions for the free or fixed lights,
Whence this world (whom we count so vast) appeares
As here a barly-corne in their cleere sights:
Yet comming neerer they discerne the Mountains,
The Champain, vales, woods, rocks, seas, floods and foun­tains.
64.
They seeing men shew like Ants, kingdoms like fields,
Cities like Cells: more neerely shape their course
Towards the land which Tuisco's god-head shields,
At first with manly, now with heauenly force:
There they saw Rhene receiue Neccars cleere flood,
On whose high banks the Palse-graues palace stood.
65.
Which once was but an homely shepheards coate,
Till Conrade built it in so gorgeous frame,
It may compare with Cities of great note,
For people, buildings, orders, traffick, fame:
Hither they take their flight, and silently
They passe the confines of this territorie.
66.
Then entring this braue Court, not better grounded,
Then kept with Iouiall hospitalitie,
With one consenting voice, which neuer sounded
In mortall eares, that place they sanctifie,
Saying: oh deare gods that keep & guide these rooms,
Blest be your powers, bles your Prince, nobles, grooms.
67.
Oh mansion which with Babell maist compare,
In that thy walls contain'd an honoured Youth;
That in his power and courage can and dare
Relieue the oppressed world, restore the truth:
The Palatine with Britaine ioin'd shall bring
Earths golden daies againe, Times blessed spring.
68.
Now Phoebus red with heat and burning haste
Had left our world, and drencht his fiery throne
In Hesperus warme waues, now had he past
With his bright beams to th' Antipods vnknowne:
And there vnbridling his flame-breathing steeds,
From toyle, with Nectar and Ambrosia feeds.
69.
Now night with duskie chariot past the skies,
Fild heauen with twinkling stars, earth with dark silence,
Fann'd sleep on mortall creatures wearied eyes,
That staid all businesse, buried each offence:
The Palatine forgets his Princely cares,
With gratefull ease which crept on him vnwares.
70.
His Nobles had giuen ouer themselues to rest,
Nought could be seene and heard in all the Citie▪
Then Cupid, seeing his time, (as he knew best)
Began his ancient art and charming dittie;
With poppie-seed he doth all senses dimme,
That maz'd with sleep they might not hinder him.
71.
He setting then his fellowes each in place,
Where they might soonest further his designe,
With lanterne wisely clos'd, and stealing pace,
Visits the chamber of the Palatine:
Carna the Goddesse which of doores takes charge
Vnloosing hindge, and lock, makes entrance large.
72.
And that so softly, that no mortall heares;
The God of loue seeing this, goes till he came
Where Frederick tooke his rest, void of all feares,
And then discloseth his before-hid flame:
He might behold his Princely limms and face,
Which euen in sleeping could not loose their grace.
73.
Beholding, he much wonders at his fairenesse,
In euery part so well proportioned,
With such maiestick forme, such pleasing rarenesse,
As few by nature are like fashioned:
Then enuy taints his heart, as if high Ioue
Had in his frame shew'd greater art and loue.
74.
For if in sleep he such affections moue,
His fore-head, ey-browes, cheeks, lips are so pleasing
How will he waking, speaking, looking proue?
How comely shall his body proue with dressing?
Oh worthy, blessed Youth, doe not grow proud
Of that which liberall nature hath allow'd.
75.
Fortune hath giuen thy person good successe,
Fate orders all things for thy further good,
All heauen consults how it thy State may blesse,
And match thee fitly both for worth and bloud;
This said: with a loue-causing golden dart,
He softly bares and aymes at his deare heart.
76.
Yet ayming he beheld so sweet a brest,
He smooths and stroakes, but could not wound, or strike;
My darts (he said) are dangerous, let them rest
They Phoebus pierce, or those I doe not like:
Thy feature so neere mine moues my remorse,
Thy tender soule needs no such violent force.
77.
I vvill not vse my wonted arts to thee,
So laying aside his arrow-breeding-smart,
He noints his brest with iuice of mirtle tree;
And laying his mouth to mouth, and heart to heart,
Embracing his firme body with both his armes,
And with diuine heate his pure entrailes warmes.
78.
Then with sweet kissing takes and giues him breath,
And in that breathing doth infuse desire;
Applies his torch the Princes lips beneath,
Who panting for coole aire, drew loues quick fire:
Which being breath-carried, swifter then an arrow,
Had quickly pierc'd his hart, head, spirits and marrow.
79.
Which the Prince feeling sigh'd, and sighing waked,
Sleep vanisht from his eyes, and with him Cupid:
Yet so that his infection nothing flaked,
And made him with admiring welny stupid:
That he should sweat and burne (the cause vnknown)
His mind was mazed, himselfe was not his owne.
80.
Not otherwise then if one thunder-strooke,
Liues yet vncertaine whether he liue or no,
Tries whether he sleepe or wake: So did he look,
Whether they were dreams or truth, which vext him so:
Yet while he looks, his heart shut vp the passion,
Which being inclos'd works deeper inflammation.
81.
He, though but little vnderstanding loue,
Yet vnderstands his thoughts are deeply chang'd,
Not knowing it end, he knowes it so far moue
As that himselfe is from himselfe estrang'd:
First he loues not, yet would loue instantly,
Then loues, yet sees not either whom, or why.
82.
He thinks how sweet a thing it were to marry
An equall bed-mate: dreams would not so feare him,
Nor cares arise by lying so solitary;
Or if they did a Comforter were neere him:
On th'other side his vnexperienc'd age,
And much-lov'd libertie such thoughts asswage.
83.
The tender simplenesse of honesty,
The bitter crosse of an vnequall yoke,
An in-bred shamefastnesse and chastitie,
With awfull reuerence of his Parents, choke
His former youthfull thoughts, yet loue commands,
And who the force of conquering loue with-stands.
As Rhine encreas'd with brooks, more tosseth
A laden ship, the more men shall resist;
So loues fire fiercer grows, when reason crosseth:
Now Phoebus beams had banisht nights darke mist,
Aurora cheer'd and cleer'd all mortall eyes:
The Count leaues bed, yet could but weakely rise,
85.
For knowing no cause of this vncertaine fit,
The lesse he knowes, the more he stands astound;
As a fierce horse refusing the first bit,
Snores, fomes, and stamps, as if he skorn'd the ground:
His hoofe strikes vp, his nostrils breath out fire,
So Frederick would, but could not leaue desire.
86.
His passion euery day doth more encrease,
The more it wanteth satisfaction;
No studie, sport, or time can it appease,
So small his comfort, such was his distraction:
His cheeks grew pale, his lims did throughly languish,
His life was lothsome, with continuall anguish.
87.
Thus while afflicted with loue-doubts and feares,
Hee finds no fit mark for his harts affection:
At length accompanied alone with cares,
Walking he spies by chance, or by election,
The liuely picture of Elizabeth,
Mongst other Ladies whom she far surpasseth.
88.
No sooner did he looke but like: for cold
His body shooke, his knees began to tremble,
His heart and sence to faile. Then loue him told,
Beeing loth his purpose longer to dissemble:
She was the Paragon whome Gods assignd,
For his content he should no better find.
89.
His eies assured him her proportion
Was such as Ioue beholding might affect:
His tongue (late mazd) had now got vse of reason,
And could not chuse but thanks and praise direct
Towards heauenly powers, that seing him louer proue
They would allot him such a worthy loue.
90.
Who would not seeke thee (saith hee) so faire a prise,
When you dread gods) call me though much vnfit:
Only let not mine hopes in vaine arise,
As you began my purpose, prosper it,
This non pareil for beauty, vertue, state,
Shall be my first, my last, mine only mate.
91.
So fauor you my loue. While thus he said,
He could not waiue his looks from the faire table,
Nor thence remoue his wits astonished,
Vntill this obiect wonderous amiable,
Remou'd into his chamber, night and day,
Being neer his louer, did his griefe allay.
92.
For this, which he reputes his onely treasure,
He thinks his lodging dearer then all places,
In this he takes his most delightfull pleasure,
Here he spends all his time, no sport embraces,
Neither the theater, nor bounding horse,
Nor following hart nor hare with darts or course.
93.
Hunting the foaming Boare with speares or Snares,
Or catching birds with nets or slimy birch,
For these, or home-vsd games he little cares:
His mother and kind equalls wonder much,
And offer comfort: like Pygmalion,
He woes his Image with deuotion:
94.
This vpper face of coulours him deceiues,
Changing his wondring thoughts a thousand wayes
Somtimes her person present he conceiues,
Offers to touch, drawes back, feares to displease
Then pardon begs as if he were too bold,
His eyes from shedding tears themselues scarce hold.
95
As if it spoke or heard, he speakes, replies,
And somtimes kisses, adds, as if it felt,
And to those lookes his lookes do simpathise,
Drinking deep loue he doth in fancies melt,
This gladded Iris in a whirlewind lurking,
When she saw Cupids first attempt so working,
96.
Therefore she noints his temples, with spike- [...]ar:
To coole his loue with due consideration
Truth might be knowne and reason might be heard,
Her absence fully found now stirs more passion:
How far (quoth he) was my poore sence bereau:
When for a substance it a shade conceiue?
97.
Why burne I thus in vaine, vnknowne, [...]
Why send I not the Virgins father word?
And marriage craue? It may be theil'e be [...]
With my nobility got first by sword,
Neither in length, nor strength of prouinces,
Nor honors, I need yeeld to mighty Princes.
98.
Suppose my country lesse, my people fewer
Then his: my portion should not be disdaind:
Mine auncestors haue beene great kings; I am sure
Kinges haue their daughters, they kings daughters gaind
Why should I not then write, writing [...]s [...],
Why go I not and speak my mind at full▪
99.
Then shall I see what I so much admire,
Yet wherefore should I goe? Cupid may flatter,
Shee seemes too faire, I may too much aspire,
Kings would with Kings vnite, perchance her father
Already hath espousd his gracious maid,
To some great Prince, & then mine hopes are layd.
100.
Why should I follow such vncertainties,
O venter where I cannot well preuaile,
Oppressed peeres maintaine their auncestrie,
And titles, much more such: why should I faile?
The Gods I think) affected me to loue her,
And therefore they wil help I hope to moue her,
101.
They first prouok'd me by faire Imagery,
What shall do? shall I be knowne so light?
Or dye not knowne? vnlesse I loue I die,
Yet rather dye then be dispised quite.
Shall I not follow loue, who tells my mind,
The fates her for me, me for her designed?
102.
Surely the picture calls and proffers grace,
If I should erre, it is but loue and youth
Which erres, this is esteemd a veniall case
My bookes declare how Cupid hath no ruth,
But makes men follow by fire and swords, and floods,
Forsaking their owne parents, lands and goods.
103,
You powers deuine if any loue true loue,
Or haue inspird me with affection:
Let me protest the same, and humbly mooue,
Your help to bring this busines to perfection:
As ere my parents in heart honord you:
As I them imitate with seruice due.
104.
As I hate sinne and would liue pure til death,
[...] your good speed Ile passe the narrow Seas,
Further ioy Iorney towards Elizabeth,
Who beautifies great Brittaine, there Ile please,
Myselfe atleast, with seeing, hearing, kissing,
Though like a stranger) all contentment wishing.
105.
Shee'l know perchāce & answer mine eyes language
Thus being resolu'd he calls his counsell sage,
Bids them prepare a nauy for his passage,
With al things fitting such a stately voyage:
And shewing the cause doth aske his mothers leaue,
Least his vnknowne departure might her grieue
106.
The heauenly consort seeing so good successe,
And well foreseeing this blessed marriage neere:
Reioyce, and for this iourney soone adresse,
The Seas of winds, the ayre of cloudes to cleare▪
Fame ran before this happy newes t'impart,
Mouing the Kings, and his faire daughters heart.
107.
No sooner shone the day prefixt for going,
But his braue ship with golden garlands cround,
Well rigd, and drest, her owners honor showing,
Was drawne into the riuer from the grownd,
Earth smild, though loth to leaue them, when twas lancht
The Water glad of such a burthen danc't
108.
The raine-bow Goddesse did alay the wind▪
East, North, and South were quiet in their caues:
Only the Westerne gently came behind,
No storme exciting star troubled the waues:
VVhen the Prince Palatine with Germaine Gentry,
Into their barck prepard first made faire entry.
109.
Then Hymen loos'd the cable from the shore,
Fortune with good luck spred the silken sailes:
The graces each in order take an oare,
While pretty fancy the ship foreward hales,
Cupid as chiefest Pilot at her helme sate,
Giuing smooth way that waues & winds orewhelm not
110.
A multitude of wel mand' Barks attending,
This expedition slice the smooth fac'd flood.
But the braue Admirall more swiftly wending,
Proceeds like Argo made of AEmon wood.
Leaues Heidelberg of old men cald Budor [...],
With Neccars siluer streames and fruitfull shores.
111.
Emers with hopefull speed, the flood-swolne Rhine
Salutes the Citie Worms once Baugious ground,
Auncient Mogunce where printing did begin,
Drusus toumb, Bachreck, many a neighbour towne:
Goar with hundreds more which are his right,
Mosellas current then appeares in sight.
112.
Col [...]n first built by Nero's Agrippine,
With cloud-high Towres; and Temples threatning stars;
The famous Inlish, Champion Gelders, Grigne,
Holland ennobled with sea-search and wars,
Containing within three score miles short bounds,
Twentie nine Cities with fowre hundred townes.
113.
The right hand of the now-enlarged Riuer
Leads them vnto the lower Belgick banks,
Which waters driuen by winds oft couer;
And when they tooke the seas with ordered ranks,
The gods allayd all storms, winds, waues, and raine,
So that they smoothly ran along the maine.
114.
Then by faire Iris instantly besought
A troop of Sea-gods led these gallants on,
Palaemon on a Dolphins back was brought,
Neptune by chariot, Phorcus and Aegeon
On tamed Whales, Neptune with his old Queene,
Swimming on sea-borne horses might be seen.
115.
Shrill Triton, Glaucus, each Nimph thither trips,
Speio thought faire for eyes, for haires Thicaea,
Nerine for brows, Thalia for her lips,
For white neck Leu [...]othe, for paps Nicaea,
Thetis for feet, and Panope for hands,
For shoulders Melite most admired stands.
116.
Slender arm'd Galathe with hundreds more,
Begot by Ne [...]eus aud made complet faire,
The Syrens which Vlises tempted sore,
Shew'd their faire beauties, vs'd their voices rare:
Each had a seuerall fashion of disport;
Yet all in mirth and musick well consort.
117.
One seems to stand at gaze, another swims,
Some shew their face, some lift their bodies higher:
Some turne their sides to view, some all their lims;
Some seeme to come, yet flie when you come nigher,
Some leap, some diue, some walke whereas men could not,
All would be seen, yet seem as if they would not.
118.
First one, then other shews their hides, their head,
Then altogether turne, a circle making:
Another follows when before she fled,
Now their fine hands, now limber arms are shaking,
Now rise they right and then fall on their backs,
Then on their brest, each way no beauty lacks,
119.
Their bodies turning in so many shapes,
Cut furrows in the main, make bubbles rise,
Seeming to flie like hares, they play like ape
Casting salt water each in others eyes,
They sprinkle siluer drops on euery ship,
Like lambs in Aprill they bound, wind and skip.
120.
Part sits on fish to trim their moistned haire,
Drawing it forth and drying it by Sunne:
Combs it with ivory teeth and laies it faire,
Binds it with Coral, flowers and Indian stone,
Part with a watch-word cals for Glaucus flocks,
And taught them how to daunce amidst the rocks.
121.
The Daulphin swift, the Sea-calfe hugely throted
The Lobsters bold, the mullets nimbly running:
The Turbuts soft and Scaves for fatnes noted,
With all the scaled fish in waters wonning,
The greater now left eating vp the lesse,
The lesse came forth to grace this businesse.
122.
Part of the Nimphs, diuided with much ioy,
To seuerall quires applied their voice and hart:
In praise of Sea-borne Venus and her boy,
While Tritons cornet sweetly bore a part,
All shewing his companie so gracious,
Made Fredericks iorney not seem tedious.
123.
Albion appeares ere they were aware,
And then the Marriners amaine cried land;
The Prince with hope encreas'd, with lessned care
Said: heartily welcome to mine eyes deare sand
Thou Region lov'd of God, mother of loue
Speed me with swift successe, and happy proue.
124.
While thus he spoke the Nauy sayl'd along,
Entring the streams from Thame and Isis flowing;
Then he commands those that were young and strong,
To leaue their other works, and fall to rowing:
Vntill they came to London, where the band
Of Germain Youth, with many welcomes land.

THE THIRD BOOKE.

ARGVMENT.
Britans receiue with ioy triumphantly,
The Princely Suitor, Rhein's great PALATINE,
CONSVS by night moues IAMES his Maiestie;
ELIZA loue by CVPIDS power diuine:
A match is made: the heauens and earth reioyce,
And FREDERICK enioyes his royall choice.
1.
NO sooner tydings to great Brittaine came,
Of Princely Fredericks arriuall there,
Whose Vertue mounted on the wings of fame,
Flies through the world admired euery where.
But straight our gratious King to grace him more,
Thus welcoms honourd Honor to the shore.
2.
Wales royall Prince attended with a traine,
Of worthiest Nobles, and of chiefest blood,
With many a gallant ship cuts through the mayne;
Making the Sea seeme like a stately wood.
The while her shore was hid with people standing,
So closely troupt to see these Princes landing.
3.
Where our great Prince with kingly curtefie,
Giues this great German royall entertain:
Inuiting to the Court of maiestie,
His princely selfe with all his honourd train,
Extending to those Lordings whom he brings,
Such Iouiall welcoms as proceed from Kings.
4.
Forth with a stately steed with sparkling eie,
Whose all proportion nature beautified:
Adorn'd with richest arts Ephippirie,
Is brought this braue Bauarian on to ride,
Whence with their Lords in honour through the throng
This royall paire of Princes trots along.
5.
Where the promiscuous people, all contending,
Whose eie should first and most bee fed with sight
Of these two Princes, to their Palace wending,
Stopt their faire passage: There obserue you might,
The beggar plac'd before the rich behoulder,
And yong boies climbing on the graue mans shoulder.
6.
Here careless runs the scholler from his book,
There hurles the Smith his hammer from his hand:
Here leaues the Marchant shop, and all to looke,
And there the Suitor lets his mistres stand,
Here the suspitious Maeck leaues wife at Venter,
With millions mo to see this German enter.
7.
Mo were not seene when proud Romes Consuls went,
In pompous triumph to their Capitol:
Nor when to grace their Captains, who had spent
Their bloods their countries honor to extoll,
The potent Romans in triumphant sort,
Receiu'd their victors at their Latian Port.
8.
Then when our greatest King, our gratious Queene,
Our mighty Prince, with troups of royall states:
Whose outward graces made their inward seen,
Receiu'd Prince Frederick at their Courtly gates,
Whose curious eies employ'd with obseruation,
Of what he sees, strike him with admiration.
9.
The places yeeld him more then most content,
[...] [...]ers, habits, gestures of our men,
[...] as vncouths, all the way he went
[...] meaning, and then praises them,
But with so sweet a tongue, so comly grace,
As seem'd an ofspring of imperiall race.
10.
Perhaps (but scarce beleeue I) such an one,
Was the faire louely Phrigian Ganumede:
Whom rapt from Iila to the Gods being sho wne,
By mighty Ioue, the Gods all wondred.
His speech, grace, beauty, then perhaps excelld,
But now by Fredericks more then paraleld.
11.
Thus the beholders this great Prince commending,
The Prince beholding and commending all:
From their faire steedes in royall sort descending,
Approach great Brittains court imperiall.
A Court repleat with greater maiesty,
Then in great Caesars euer mortal see,
12.
Walles deckt with rich Meonick Imagerie
Wrought with Arachnes best Pallaclian hand.
A cloth of state of Thebane tapestry,
Where our chiefe Caesars throne of state doth stand,
Seelings compact of Tellus purest mould,
Garnisht with bosses of Opherian gold.
13.
Heer sits our Monarch on his lofty throne,
And hither he admits this prince of wonder,
Who to his highnes was no sooner showne,
Bnt straight discends to this Bauarian vnder.
VVhere after Kingly gracious embraces,
Thus gins a speach to giue him further graces.
14.
VVe ioy (great Prince) with thanks to you and fate,
For honouring our Court and Country thus,
Wishing we could your Grace remunerate,
Yet towards requitall this receiue from vs,
What ere our countries yeeld, command as free,
As our apparant heyre to Brittanie.
15,
Heere Frederick Count Palatine of Rhine
Thus makes reply. Greatest of greatest Kings,
To render thankes for your high grace is mine,
Who is't that loueth heauen or heauenly things,
To whom Fame shall report your Godly zeale,
Your gracious rule of Brittaines Common-weale.
16.
But straight is mooud like Shebaes royall Queene,
To seeke the place where Salomen doth liue:
That he may see the like was neuer seene,
And heare those lessons only you can giue,
That he may learne aright to serue his God,
And rule his contries with a Princely rod,
17.
Its this (high Monarch) hath Rheins Palsgraue mooud
To heare and see your Princely Maiesty:
With your faire ofspring whom my heart hath loud,
(With that his cheekes receiue a rubie die,
Ther stayes: where straight as to their royall brother,
The Prince of Wales and Rhine salute each other.
18.
With that our regall and resplendent Queene,
The happy Mother of a hopefull spring,
In gorgious robes most glorious to behold,
Presents her selfe before the potent King.
Where with respect repleat with Maiesty,
She bids the Prince welcome to Brittanie.
19.
Next with her golden tresses dangling,
Which sweetly sport them with her sweeter breath,
Clad with rich Tissues all with gold bespangling,
Comes beauties mirror faire Elizabeth,
This Ioue deseruing Princesse, nows adrest,
To welcome this imperiall German guest:
20.
With such a speech as Pallas might giue place
Such Maiesty as Iuno might amaze:
Such beauty as faire Venus hide her face,
All to Eliza yeelding all their praise.
Ercinia neuer saw so faire a feature,
Mongst all hir Nimphs as this celestiall creature.
21.
Struck with amazement of this heauenly sight,
VVas louely Frederick, trembling cold as yce
The mighty Prince now wants his manly might,
And like he is to fall downe in a trice,
(Strange metamorphosis) nor had he stood,
Had not her rosie lips reuiu'd his blood.
22.
A modest maiden kisse Nectarian sweet,
Deigns faite Eliza to the danted Reine,
In whose pure cheeks when both their lips did meet,
The roses with the Lillies did combine,
No maruaile for the kisse no sooner done,
But straight loues fire to kindle was begun.
23.
She feeles a sparke but knowes not whence it came,
Her virgin breast nere knew what Cupid meant,
The spark encreaseth til it prooues a flame,
Yet ignorant withall of loues intent,
The person, birth, and gesture being seen,
Of Princely Rhein do please this beauties Queene.
24.
Nor rests it there, but what she likes she loues,
And what she loues, desireth to obtaine,
No lesse then he, she louers lawes approoues,
And feeles no lesse then he a louers paine,
To look at what she loues she lifts her eye,
But dare not look for feare som other spy.
25.
Againe she opes her two caelestiall stars,
A little twinckling on this princely mirror,
Straight shuts them vp; within herselfe at warres,
Loue harts her eye, maides modesty strikes terror,
Thus in loues conflict with chast modesty,
She loues, and feares, she sees, and dares not see.
26.
But yet so closly could not this young louer
Mooue the faire Orb of her Siderian eyes,
But straight the louesick Palsgraue could discouer,
And meet the turn with due obseruancies.
Hundred ey'd Argus Io nere so tended,
As he Eliza til these greetings ended.
27.
This thus and more perform'd in princely sort,
Dark sable-coulor'd Nox, comes trotting on,
Mounted vpon Allaster, from the port,
Of black Cymmerian pitchy Acheron,
Phaebus with fiery chariot flies away,
Post hast to giue Antipodes the day.
28.
Meane while a guard of gallant Gentlemen,
Addrest in skarlet liueries euery one,
With Cognizants first drawne with Pallas pen;
Then wouen with siluer, gold, and pretious-stone:
In which, Palladian art did vive appeare,
King IAMES his arms, great Britans Monarch there.
29.
These worthy Waiters, worthy of their places,
Present their burning tapers 'fore the King,
Who with the Queen, and all those Princely graces
Addrest himselfe to Ioviall banqueting:
Which being done (as fitteth Princes best)
They all retire them to nocturnall rest.
30.
King IAMES no sooner prest his lofty bed,
And Somnus comes to close his Princely eyes;
But Morpheus his fancy wakened,
And Consus counsels god, he straight espies:
Who softly comes with graue and auncient pace,
Comely, though old, with reuerence in his face.
31.
With his fur'd night-gowne, shooes, & cap for night,
In his right hand he brings a golden booke;
Thus he presents himselfe to IAMES his sight,
Much like old Philon both in speech and look:
Who, for in younger age he taught his Grace,
His Highnes therfore knew him by his face.
32.
Who mildly standing at our Soueraignes feet,
He thus begins to speake with grauitie:
Great Britans Monarch, giue me leaue to greet
Thy mighty selfe, and then to question thee:
Why'mongst so many dost thou tosse thy mind,
A match for faire Elizabeth to find.
33.
Behold great Ioue by heauens owne direction,
Hath sent thee one, the mirror of his time,
Whose Auncestry next, vnder your protection,
May with the best compare of Kingly line:
Whose regiment encreaseth with his yeeres,
In aequi-pollence to the mightiest peeres.
34.
More wise he is then young age can affoord,
Whom mighty Ioue both loues and offers thee;
He doth professe the same religious Word,
And link't in Christian league of amity:
Make this thy Son, this Prince will only proue,
He worthy hers, she worthy of his loue.
35.
Th'emperiall heauens command me tell thee this,
Which promise thee and them a royall straine;
Who shall (for heauens intentions cannot misse)
Restore the golden ages back againe:
This said, Mirh-breathing Consus goes his waies,
Leauing the King halfe sleeping in a maze.
36.
He with mature deliberation,
Who 'twas was sent, and who it was that sent him,
Together with his pleasing graue relation
What good Ioue offer'd, and what good he meant him:
These reasons force (quoth he) our full consent▪
Being such, as one had been sufficient.
37.
But most of all, Religion she doth moue me,
Which all Kings ought to striue for to the death;
It's that great German makes vs most to loue thee,
And hold thee worthy our Elizabeth.
Thus Britans Caesar in his thoughts revolv'd,
And thus he spake, and thus he them resolv'd.
38.
But do you thinke Eliza's rest was peace?
Thinke you the Princely Virgin was not troubl'd?
Hersleep was lessened by her thoughts increase
On Frederick, thinking straight her thoughts were dou­bl'd,
To him no sooner thinks he to be kind,
But straight her Princely selfe comes to her mind.
39.
Aie me (quoth shee) what sodaine motion's this?
How is my brest clogg'd with a bitter sweet?
Cupid hath surely ta'ne his shaft amiss,
Elce how could Feare and Hope together meete:
I know not how but yet, methinks, I see,
Such vncouth passions both at once in me.
40.
Loue shall not trouble vs, were loue so bold
To enterprise our royall Vigin brest
In vaine it straue to win our maiden hold,
That nere shall yeild let Cupid do his best,
Not though loues fire within me were as great,
As that Octaean or Trinacrian heat.
41.
Vnlesse my father giue his full consent,
Vnlesse my King appoint me whom to loue:
Loues arrowes are in vaine but idly spent,
And of no force should all loues forces proue.
Hee's worthy Loue, but aie what bootes to like,
Vnlesse my father doe the bargaine strike.
42.
Loue? loue would sure but wither in the blade,
Proue barren, fruitles, langvish and so die;
Ah Frederick (but that's it makes mee'fraid)
I wish my father held th' as great as I,
Great God of Loue as thou hast plai'd thy part,
To make me Loue, so moue my fathers hart.
43.
Procure him get a marriage worthy mee,
It is not farr his highnesse need to seeke,
Fortune presents fit opportunity,
Doe Cupid and Ile kisse thy louely cheeke,
But yet in all be sure thou draw a dart,
That shall not misse Prince Frederick to the hart.
44.
Mine eies are onely plea'sd with his faire brow,
Me thinks and he should Loue to, by his face;
Yet and perhaps the German loues me now,
If outward gesture shew the inward grace,
Why should not I then aunswer Fredericks Loue,
Whose were enough an Empresses to moue.
45.
Answer (quoth I?) what answer shall I giue?
A virgin, Princesse, daughter to a King:
Except my Father, vnder whome I liue,
Say to me This is he whose nuptiall ring
Thy Princely selfe must weare, this is the man,
Loue him: then could I answer soone, I can.
46.
Thus with a sigh her speach she smothereth,
But loue so would not close her waking eies,
Which way so ere the Vergin turns, vimeth,
Shee could but thinke she Frederic espies.
And more she thinks (such thoughts can fancy moue.)
The louely Prince is suing for her loue.
47.
Nor yet when radiant Phosphorus appearing,
Vshers Aurora banishing the night:
The tawney liuery of bright Phebus wearing,
Can all-harts-conquering loue bee put to flight,
The lesse her loue she seeketh to bewray,
The more it's seene by seeing euery day.
48.
How oft would she vnto her mother Queen,
Sweetly commend this Princes pedegree:
How oft would she haue blushing ready been,
To tell the titles of his Emperie,
His manners now, then's godly youth relating,
And then his hopes of age prognosticating.
49.
Her mother Queen obserues her speeches well,
And smiling sayes; Our Daughter is in loue,
She likes it tho, and to the King can tell,
Her passions, which his Highnes doth approue:
Yet least she should perceiue they did reioyce,
They ieasted with the Virgine for her choyce.
50.
But afterwards the sapient King perpending,
Great Ioues commandement, Rheins great family;
His Vertues, Kingdomes, and Religion tending,
All to aduancement of true piety:
What feare 'twould strike to foes, to hell what terror,
What loue both Court & country beares this mirror.
51.
Admiring and reioycing in his mind,
We see in this (quoth he) Ioue hath his hand,
Our vision was none idle dreame we find,
Wherein we did receiue the heauens command:
Since heauen and Earth and all do promise vs,
This Princely mariage shall proue prosperous.
52.
When therefore royall Rhine sollicets me,
(For that befits his errand and our state)
I will obey Ioues heauenly deity,
And knit that knot which heauens make fortunate:
Be bould to sue, and feareles to receiue,
Rhines louely Frederick shall but aske and haue.
53.
Now as the Caedar or Semelian vine,
Hourely encreaseth in the vernall spring,
Spreading their braunches with a tender twine,
So loue encreaseth in this loue-sick King;
His eye inflames his hart, his hart endures
Loue flames, still feircer, which his eie procures.
54.
No maruell for the eie procures the flame,
Feeds it procur'd, his eie's both fire and fuell;
No sooner looks he on this beautious dame,
But by reflection feeles a heate more cruell.
Hers do the like, whose cheekes, with ruby die,
Bewray her heart, his spies she by his eie.
55.
Sometimes (but who can write the art of Loue?)
Their louely eie-browes speake one to the other;
Sometimes a beck, which secretly they moue,
Maks known the thought which silence seeks to smother,
And oft withall when they assunder be,
They sigh for sorrow that they cannot see.
56.
But Frederick more impatient of delay,
Casts with his Princely Selfe what best to doe,
How he his thoughts may to the King bewray;
And won the Lady, loue incites him to.
The former fauors which the King had shown,
Making him hope Eliza was his owne.
57.
Whose speach presented to the King and Queen,
They grant faire passage to his Princely shute;
Loue hid before now's in the Louers seene,
And now hath got a tongue which erst was mute,
Now reuells court, now royall festiualls,
London prepares against their nuptialls.
58.
And now my muse since many winged Fame,
Doth with as many tongues as Argus eyes
The wisht-for Hymenaean rites proclaime,
Of these two great Imperiall Maiesties:
Helpe me to nurse that more then Pean mirth,
In heauen conceiud an'd brought forth on the Earth.
59.
Now moist Aquarius with his gelid vrne,
On Pisces poures his cold AEdonian waues:
Now watred drops to ysicles do turne,
And AEol brings his armies from the Caues,
But all to shew sure signes of good to come,
The times are altered by supernall doome.
60.
Aquarius to Aries giues place,
Pisces to Taurus, winter to the spring,
AEol within the Cauerns hides his face,
Nor can feirce Vrsa (wonder at the thing)
Squize the hoare snow from twixt her horrid nailes
Nor vexe our Climate with tempestuous hailes.
61.
Warme Delius packs hence the frosty cold,
Whose faire approach calme Zephyrus ensues:
VVith violets be decking Tellus mold,
And fostering her Infants with his dewes,
Fau [...]ius likewise in greene liueries,
Adornes each field with flowers of sundry dies.
62.
Which, of the mountaine Nymphs no soner seen,
But admiration enters at their eyes:
To view earhs frosty mantle turn'd to green,
And Summer thus with Winter simpathize.
Contending who should first trip to the flowers,
And fill their skirts to deck their pretty bowers.
63.
Heere get they Roses, there Pinckst Daffadillies,
Sweet-Marierum, Carnations, Camomel,
Primroses, Crowfoot, Marigolds, and Lillies,
Ʋenus-hayre, Sothern wood, Daisies, Pimpernel
Rosmarie, and Time, Cowslips, with thousands mo.
Of diuers sorts whose names I do not know.
64.
They cannot tell for their variety,
Which first to crop, where first to lay their hand:
So thick the flowers in euery meddow be,
They know not how, where, or whereon to stand
Variety giues Earth so great a grace,
With Natures store enricht in euery place.
65.
They cannot tread but on the hearbs they rush,
Nor on the hearbs but presse their leaues so sweet:
Nor on the leaues but their sweet flowers crush,
Nor crush the flowers but gild their harmful feet,
Nor gild their feet with their depressed dewes,
But sauor odoriferous ensues.
66.
Now Phillis with new tresses wantoneth,
And Princely Poplar shades the hollow brooke:
Now Philomela sweetly warbleth,
Among the branches glorious on to look:
The heauens aspiring Lark begins to sing,
In welcome of this vnexpected spring.
67.
The Naiades all laying mantles by,
To bath and sport them to the riuers bound them:
Where weauing Garl [...]nds on the Gowlans nye,
Before they leaue the louely fountaines crowne them
Th'vnfrosty streames run by the warme banke side,
Checkquerd with ornaments of Floraes pride.
68.
The Rhenist husbandman with axe in hand
To lop dead branches and to dresse his vines:
Seing their Spring, struck with amaze doth stand,
To view in winter such right summer signes:
But seeing new sowne corne shot to the blade,
He blest himselfe, supported with his spade.
69.
True birth-exploring Rhenus hearing newes:
Forth from his Limphane waues the match was done:
For which both heauen and earth made ioyfull shewes,
With Heauen and Earth to make a third begun,
His Reinish waters turned to Reinish wine,
And all his sandes like golden Tagus shine.
70.
Faire Heidelbergian Neccaris runs tripping
VVarlik Germania hops and leapes for ioy,
VVith all her nimphs Ercinia falls a skipping
All, all their best to shew their mirth imploy,
Men thought to see the frisks of Sea and Land,
Orpheus againe had tane his harpe in hand.
71.
To orient pearles his pretty pibbles turning:
Oceanus puts forth his Sea-green head:
Al rapt with ioy (no place was left for mourning)
He curls his lockes his beard begins to spread,
When straight for silence becking with his rod,
The windes are whisht and thus begins the God.
72.
Great Neptunes nephew Monarchs of the flood,
Your silence and attention is requir'd:
That which the Fates foretold vs for our good,
What Heauen, and Earth, and Seas so long desird
Now comes to passe, the Palatine of Rhein,
Is linckt with Brittains blest, most royall line.
73.
From whose faire loynes the heauens haue promist vs,
An issue hopefull, happy, fortunate,
VVho to the world shal shine most glorious,
Restoring age her former golden state,
Now wartes shall cease, Enuy shall be bound,
And cast in darknes, neuer to be found.
74.
Now shall the Smith of swords a mattock make,
And darts to culters turne, the Earth to carue:
The martial halbert shall be made a rake,
Bucklers for scuttles, fauchions for sickles serue.
The Soldiers Armes shal be the husbands now,
And fierce wars yeeld vnto the peacefull plow.
75.
The Oxe shall hold the Demi-lance in scorne,
The drum and fife shall henceforth cease to sound:
Our trumpets now shal be the Hunters horne,
VVhilst silly Wat runs panting fore the hound,
No poysonous VVolfbane now springs in our field,
No stinking Hemlocks shall our meadowes yeeld.
76.
The Serpent Elaps shall no poyson keepe;
The Dragon Amphisbana dwine away:
The Wolfe no more shall vex the sillie sheep,
The Lion on the Oxe no more shall prey,
The fatall Rauen, and the ougly Owle shall fly,
To Athos, Babes and those deserts by.
77.
The Oliue branch now crownes the head of Peace,
The Bramble yeilds the sauor of the Rose;
The Thornes drop mirh, wild Vines with grapes increase,
The Corke tree hony, the Willow pepper grows,
The Alder sugar, the Beach-tree Cinamon,
Where Acorns grew, sweet Balsam springs thereon.
78.
Ginger, Cloues, Saffron, Spiknard all do grow,
And spring with plenty in the vntild feild,
And from the Rocks doth sweet Ambrosa flow:
The Winds doe Aromatick odours yeild;
The watrie places spring Malobathrum,
The Fountains milk, the floods pure Nectar run.
79.
Seas natiue pibbles gild the glorious shoare,
And the salt foame to Amber doth conuert;
Rich Plenty now presents her golden store,
And vnto Mortalls doth her gifts impart:
Old yeelds to New, Quarrels to Peace's might,
Impiety to Faith, and Wrong to Right.
80.
Vaine Superstition vailes to Pietie,
Deceipt to Truth, Doubt vnto Demonstration,
Darknes to Light, Pluto to Ioues deity,
Hell to bright Heauen, Damnation to Saluation:
All shall be brought to pristin aequipage,
While to the world reuerts the golden age.
81.
Reioyce Germania, ioy to see this day,
And thou possessor of the light most cleere;
The worlds admir'd great Britania,
In honour of this change let ioyes appeare:
Such happines attends this royall choyce,
As equall cause nere had you to reioyce.
82.
Nay all be blith, let plows keep holliday,
The Oxe refuse his yoke, let harrows rust,
The lopper leaue his vines halfe lopt to play;
The Clowne crie hoigh, with points of lether trust:
For vines vnlopt shall yeild a fruitfull store,
And earth vntil'd shall spring as't did before.
83.
Let hearts want hatred, wrath be banisht quite,
And hasty words of modestie bereauen,
Let suits so cease that Clarks haue nought to write;
In stead of these sing Carrols to the heauen:
Let Courts be scaffolds for Clyents to gaze,
While Common Pleas be turn'd to common playes.
84.
Let Caesars selfe descend to see this sport,
Great Lords be merry with the lowly Lowne,
Cry helter, skelter, let the lawes come short;
Crafts-men leaue work, May-games in euery towne:
Let Courtiers act some amorous Comedie,
With Iigs at end on't, to the Plow-iaggs by.
85.
Let Souldiers lay by Armes, yet sleep secure,
Let only Loue be held a Warriour;
Let beds be fields where they the fight endure,
The conquer'd being pleas'd with loss by war:
Let neuer cloud dare to approach the day,
But let the times with pleasure pass away.
86.
Let all the world be fild with Hymens voice,
The world in wisht Vacuna's gouernment,
At good to come let Britans all reioice,
And euery yeere in Happines be spent:
Let euery month, each day, houre, minute be,
Crown'd, blest, succesfull and from perils free.
87.
But Thee, the best of Kings, heroick IAMES,
The true Defendor of the sacred Word;
As now this world thy royall worth proclaimes;
So euer let all worlds the like afford:
Euer extolling thee with golden phrases,
Who gilds the world with thine immortall praises.
88.
Thou mighty Off-spring of Imperiall Race,
From whom great Kings do claime their greatest blood;
Yet thy knowne vertues giue thee higher grace,
Thine Off-spring great, thy vertues make thee good:
Thy speech, thy prudence, wisdome to foresee,
In all assayes to all apparent be.
89.
Thy royall brest scorns worth by meere opinion,
Nor holds chiefe honor to possesse a Crowne,
Thy honor'd thoughts are how to raise Religion,
And in thy kingdomes pull Abuses downe:
In thee gods feare, with innate Piety,
And mild aspect, is mixt with Maiesty.
90.
God-like th'art slow to wrath, swift to reward,
Iuditious to rule and helpe the right;
Thy Subiects to thy lawes haue due regard,
Won by thy fauor, vnconstrain'd by might:
By thee, the Gospell, from thy Temples rent,
That true-light-giuing word hath gouernment.
91.
By thee the Sheep escape the iawes of Hell,
Without thee Faith would scarcely find her name,
Thou manst her cause, and dost performe it wel,
For which the world eternizeth thy fame:
Thou 'mongst thine owne art set in Honors top,
'Mongst faithfull Aliants held their chiefest prop.
92.
Thou art what heauenly guifts can make thee bee,
What Subiects praiers, what Art can fabricate,
What Fame can yeild thy sacred Maiestie;
What can be added to thy glorious state:
If ought, then this thou dost prefer 'tis knowne,
Religions cause in all before thine owne.
93.
Kings were deny'd thy royall sons to be,
Because they did not hold their faiths aright,
Thine end was how to establish pietie,
And on that end most blessedly hast light:
To happinesse now nothing doth remaine,
Vnlesse the same be acted o're againe.
94.
Be Iouiall then (great King) cast care away,
Rheins blood is not inferior to the best,
With whom thou hast confirm'd a league for ay;
And giuen the Gospell an eternall rest:
In which there is more cause of wonder showne,
Then when was made the Scots and English one.
95.
Wherefore againe be Iouiall great King,
And thou blest Queen, of Denmarks royall line;
Thou fairest faire, thou beautious, Beauties spring,
Thou humane patterne of the powers diuine:
Be Iouiall (sweet Queen) cast care away,
In honor of this happy Nuptiall day.
95.
And you (choice paire of Princes) ioine your hands,
And with your hands your hearts, with hearts your loues,
And with your loues, speech such as loue commands;
With speech ioine kisses like to Paphian Doues:
From whose faire loynes, heauens grant a royall line
To raigne for euer Rheins great PALATINE.
96.
You speckled Glaucian Nymphs, you flesh-fish Elues,
Come from your creeks, skip from your pumice pores,
VVith rishy haire-laces trick vp your selues,
And with faire flowers bestrew your flood-gate dores,
To get the Topaze stir your little bones,
And make your shoares to glitter with the stones.
98.
And you pure floods, skud with your christal streams,
And crowne your Founts with flowers of various sorts,
Sing, but let Io be your merry Theames;
And let your hearts be cogniz'd by your sports:
All helpe to grace the Nuptials with vs,
And so left speaking great Oceanus.
99.
From euery chink skips out a Nereiad,
Old Nereus, their father, being first,
VVith all the rest: All of these tydings glad,
It was the thing for which they long did thirst;
VVith ioyfull acclamations one by one,
They kneeling, make this hearty Orizon.
100.
For euer liue great Brittains King and Queen,
For euer liue Rheins Prince and royall bride:
For euer may their Ofsprings both be seen,
Long wisht for, hop't for, Heauens euer be their guide,
Nor let vs euer cease to pray for them,
To which they all deuoutly said Amen.
101.
Amen quoth Thames, Grant, Dariom, Owse & Rheine,
Skern, Scurfe, Swale, Seuerne, Humber, Iske, and Clun,
Wisk, Weer, and Wharfe, Nid, Tease, Tweed, Trent & Tyne,
Aire, Sheld, Tay, Calder, Vre, Danow and Dun,
Wa [...]me, Cald [...]e, Peterel, Frith, Lune, Ments and Chaine.
With hundred others whome I cannot name.
102.
While Neptunes brood thus triumph on the Seas,
Venus must needs haue Vulcane play his part:
This royall match doth so the Lady please,
In show of honor, he must shew his art,
Which to obtaine shee kindly comes vnto him,
And like a suitor thus begins to woo him.
103.
Loue, to my selfe, then is my selfe more deare,
The heauens Protector, and the Gods defender:
To whom Ioue owes those bolts make Mortals feare,
Who to my selfe thy Loue didst euer tender.
To whom I owe for kindnes done at Troy,
And for the Armes thou made my warlike Boy.
104.
Yet ere I pay my louing Vulcane know,
I am constraind to sue to thee for more,
Thou'lt not denie thy wife and Goddesse now,
Thou neuer didst deny me ought before,
It's not for martiall Armes (sweet hart) I sue,
W'haue done with those, wee'l hence bid wars adue.
105.
Indeed I once was forc't for that to woo;
But not so now, And it's for my selfe beside:
Nay and a thing befits thy Ʋenus too,
I must not, nay I will no be deni'd,
For if you do indeed ile hang the lip,
And neuer with thee more to meadows trip.
106.
Sweet thus it is, I heare by heauens designe,
A royall Nuptiall shortly like to bee:
Twixt Frederick the Palatine of Rhine,
Aud faire Eliza of great Brittanie.
And how King Iames bestirs him euery way,
To make great Triumphs gainst the wedding day.
107.
Londons great Thames they all in hast prepare,
Where ore they build Briggs, Chaines, and Fabricates
Of Art, which well with Pallas may compare,
To entertaine these high imperiall States.
Where they in honour of this day desire,
To shew on waters, powers of subtile fire.
108.
VVherefore (Sweet Chuck) for my sake, ready be
To help these fire-workes, do a maisters part,
Thou art the God of fire, then ouersee,
And teach the English thine Ignean Art.
I would not for the world that Art should misse
For want of Thee, and then she gaue a kisse.
109.
Now as the waxen Torch no sooner feeles
The scorching heat of Lemnius fire approaching:
But straight's on low, euen so this Suitor steeles,
Her Lemman Vulcan with alures incroaching,
He bristles vp, and turning white o'th eye,
He thus to Venus gins to make reply.
110
(Sweet Duck) what need you to entreat me so,
You may command, and I must needs obey,
You know I am yours whether I will or no,
Faire Venus wil is Vulcans lock and key,
Besides for this, trouble your selfe no more
I heard what hand Ioue had in this before.
111.
Kind mouse and (then he knept) lo heeres my hand,
For thy sake I wil do them what I can:
I and my forge shall be at their command,
Or neuer hold me for an honestman.
As I'me a God, (and then againe he knept)
Turn'd white o'th' eye, and so the Clubfoot slept.
112.
No sooner did this Nuptiall day adproach,
And Trumpets warne them of this glorious sight:
But some on foot, some horst, some in their coach,
Repare to Thames with all their maine and might.
Where Barges, Oares, and Scullers did appeare,
Aweight for Atlas bigge enough to beare.
113.
Troopt with his peeres great Brittains King ascends
A lofty stately Turret made for view:
Vith whom Queene Anne, Prince Charles, Prince Fre­derick wends,
With faire Eliza (oh that heauenly shew)
So ritch, so graue, Maiestick, are they gone,
As if great Ioue ascended to his throane.
114.
With that lame Ʋulcan from the lofty Tower,
Straight falls to worke and gins to stir his stump:
Where with a peale of ordnance for an hower,
Giues them faire welcome all with many a thump:
VVho yet before his thundring fires were showne,
Makes one good legge (God knowes) he had but one
115.
Next after this the squibs skip vp the ayre,
Makes cloudes by thousands, spread them like a net:
Such like as when the Titans durst to dare
The Gods aboue, and they on Phlegra met,
Such were the flashes, cracks, and heauens face,
As when the Gods had Gyants in the chase,
116.
But no such feare, withall the nimble fire,
Giues eares contentments, pleasures to the eye:
The cunning squibs while they the Heauens aspire,
Make twenty shapes on house and casements nie:
They skip, they run, they fall, and keep a quoile,
VVhile all the Thames was ready for to boile,
117.
Scarce this was done, when by Ʋulcanian arts,
A sell, fierce, fiery Dragon gins to mount:
VVho with his taile the ayre so swiftly parts,
As makes a thunder, Teeth withouten Count.
VVhet, gnash, and crash, his Irish Dart tonguethere,
Threatens to kill and poyson who comes neere.
118.
Saint George on horseback with his speare and sheild,
Confronts the Serpent, and with martiall looks
Makes towards the Dragon in the airy field,
And with vndaunted spirit his speare he shook,
The Dragon, in whose scales laid hart and might.
Prouokes this worthy warriour to the fight.
119.
Both with like courage and with equall force,
They first aloofe charge each the other there:
Saint George being mounted on his warlik horse,
Assailes the Dragon with his conquering speare:
The furious Dragon fiercely doth assaile,
To meet th'encounter with his scale arm'd tayle.
120.
VVhere he attempts with twining circling rounds.
To graspe the Warriour and to teare his skin:
George with his speare preuents those murdering wounds
And giues the hurt the Dragon ment to him:
When mad with ire he makes a horrid yell,
Spoutes thundring fire, earth trembling at the knell.
121.
Now careles of himselfe not dreading ill,
The Dragon flies to fight neere hand to hand:
He feares not death so hee his foe may kill,
The battell doubtfull for the while doth stand,
They slice the ayre with blowes on either side,
Till light and thunders through the Regions ride.
122.
At last these doubts Saint George the valiant
Puts out of doubt, and hath the Serpent kild:
The puissant victor vp the ayre doth vaunt,
While Earths below with acclamations fild.
Thus brauely ending this Vulcanian fight,
Another shew presents it selfe to fight,
123.
On Thames a steepy mountaine Vulcan founds,
Where bushes, thickets, hearbs, and flowers appeare:
VVhereout a kennell of wel-mouthed hounds,
Do rouze a stately stagge, who flies for feare,
He wheeles, imbosts, and runs for feare to dye,
They follow chanting with a heauenly crye.
124.
At last, so hotly they the sttagge pursue,
They pinch the haunches of the fearefull Deare;
Aire reboating thunders out a new,
He striues to scape, but still was neare the neere:
Forcelesse at last, seeing no way but death,
He brayes, he weeps, he dies and vanisheth.
125.
Next after this a worke of admiration;
For Art, Deuise, Nouelty, and Wit
Whose true description passeth my relation,
Is show'n these royall Princes as they sit:
A seeming Martiall Nauy, brauely man'd,
Fraught with rich spoiles, coms sayling t'wards the land
126.
Thames grones to beare the burden of the weight,
Their Oares do make the water seeme to rore,
Their glittering streamers daze the lookers sight,
Their drums and trumpets deafe all neere the shore:
Thus the braue warlick Britans do assayle,
A Turkish Towre which they attempt to scale.
127.
The Trumpets sound defiance to the Turke,
The Turke defies the Britan to his face,
On either side the soldiers fall to work;
Turks to sinke ships, Britans the Tower to race:
The Tower the Britans batter from the Main,
To sinke the ships, the Turks shoot back againe.
128.
But yet at last maugre the Scythians might,
The valiant Britans haue attain'd the land,
Prouoking of the miscreants to fight;
And while the Turks on wall and Turrets stand,
With Scythian purfles, steele Tartarian bowes,
And forked arrowes to resist their foes.
129.
Yet in despite of these the Britan enters,
Trumpets, and drums still heart them to the battle,
Darts like to snow-flags fly in thousand splenters;
Cannons make waters, ayre, and earth to rattle,
Cast from Phalarrick instruments of warres,
The wild-fires fly in number like the starres.
130.
Looke how when Aquilo in caues ypent,
Aeol vnwitting, breaks his prison doores,
And boisterous Auster hath the Cauerns rent
To front his Aduerse, whil'st the welkin rores:
So fares it with the Mountaines and the Vallies,
The while the Britan, 'gainst the Scythian sallies.
131.
Thus long they combate still with fresh supplies,
Both pel-mel meeting make their armors clatter,
Turks from the Tower fall thick as haile from skies,
While warlike Britans do their Turrets batter:
So fast they fall, as scarce was one remaining,
Of all the Turks their lofty Towers maintaining.
132.
With that, the warlike Britans Mars-like bold,
With ladders striue the Turrets top to wend;
First at the scout-holes taking nimble hold,
Thence battlemets, and thence to top ascend:
Where the Turks vanquisht Britans do display.
St. George his Cross in honor of the day.
133.
Thus was the first day spent, where Britans make
Their hearts appeare, by their apparant showes;
Where Lipareius for his Venus sake,
Presents these vncoth arts to Princely viewes:
Now Mars withall to please his Cyprian Dame,
Next day prepares a chiefe Olimpian game.
134.
A stately place within the Court is built,
Smooth as a die, round, emptie, spatious,
Prepar'd for Martiall Knights to run at tilt,
And try in arms who was most valorous:
In glittering armor euery Gallant's bent,
To try his warlick force at Tournament.
135.
Where on great horse with rich Caparison,
Th'heroick Britans long the Tilt-yard ride,
Who brauely, ere the tilting was begun,
Themselues into two equall troops diuide:
Where to his launce, his Horse and armor trusting,
Each Knight prepares in order for the iusting.
136.
No sooner siluer trumpets gin to found,
But straight two Champions one at other flie,
Their furious steeds make furrows in the ground,
Their shiuer'd speares pir, whistling vp the skie;
Thunders and lightnings from their Armes and speares
Fly, while their plumes be fir'd about their eares.
137.
Thus each in Order with his horse and lance,
His martiall foe seemes stoutly to defie,
VVhere with such fury they them-selues aduance,
As feare and wonder strike the standers by,
Such warlike feats of armes and Chiualry,
As mighty Mars himselfe, admir'd to see.
138.
Next after this they do erect a Race,
To which the swiftest coursers should repaire,
VVith proclamations made in euery place,
A goulden Cup should be the winners share,
The prize, day, hower, and place known euery where,
Vnto the course repair they far and neer.
139.
Where, when they came each leads his nimble steed
Ore the faire course, scarse can the keepers lead:
They champ their golden snaffles, while they bleed,
They foam, they neigh, the earth they proudly tread,
They prank, they fret impatient of delay,
Each hoping 't is hee shhall beare the cup away.
140.
Being at the start and all in order set,
Saith George pronounc'd, the dust begins to rise:
Now happy's he can from his fellow get,
Their nimble feet out-strip the lookers eies,
VVhile soone the swiftest gaines the golden prize,
VVith thousand praises and ten thousand cries.
141.
Next this Palestrian wrastlers in the field,
Their bodies suppled by Ceromatists:
To try by force, to force each other yeeld,
VVith naked armes and brests approach the lists,
VVhere the behoulders all admire to see,
How ably agile these Luctators be.
142.
At first encounter, cunningly they set
Their stable nimble feet, next with their hands
This seekes, that striues, how surest hold to get,
That he may spoyle his Aduerse as he stands:
Where arme with arm, and foot with foot combining,
They trip, preuent, chip, fall with inturns twyning.
143.
Others (for ioy) with great dexteritie,
In Tuthill fields at Goaff play vp and downe;
Where the balls mount with such celerity,
As aire makes Eccho. Others at Ballowne,
With woodden bracers make the bladders fly,
With much contentment to the gazers by.
144.
Soone after Phillis with her Nimphs attended,
Calls forth the Forrest, her Windsorian fawnes,
To dance, who dance, that dance cannot be mended,
So gallantly they frisk it ore the lawnes:
The groues and valleies eccho with the playing,
Of Harps, and Bag-pipes while these Nimphs be may­ing.
145.
In honor of these Nuptials all reioyce,
No Towne, or Citie, but congratulates,
No Temple but it fild with Hymens voice;
No bels but ring, no one but blesse the Fates:
No street, no entry, no mans windows seen,
But's strewd, deckt, trim'd, with flowers and rishes green.
146.
But that Palladian Palace built for Kings,
That spaceous beauteous, White-halls ioyes surmount,
That glorious Court with heauenly musick sings;
Sweet as the Muses 'bout their amber fount:
The Citizens (like swarms) conglomerate,
To see these Princes and their Nuptiall state.
147.
Comick Thalia here ascends the [...]tage,
Here Corybantes with their Cimbals dance,
With Lydian Pageants like the former age,
Where vpon cords their bodies they aduance;
With such, so great, so rare dexteritie,
As King and Queen, and Princes come to see.
148.
With Saelings, Hangings, Pauements all excelling,
The place prepar'd is deckt in curious sort:
The fire with Aromatick sauors smelling,
While these imperiall Princes view the sport,
Nought was vnshown, vnsaid, worth sight or hearing
In honour of this nuptiall day appearing.
149.
Now if Apollo and Mnemosine,
Should change their daughter, Muses helpe my verse;
Till I but tould you what mine eies did see:
Yet what I saw we could not all reherse,
I saw a banquet that my selfe can say,
Describe the sight can neither I nor they.
150.
Seru'd vp in golden dishes bring they thither,
What Brittain, Denmarke, Spaine, France can afford:
Arabs or Persia, put the world together
The world nere saw so sumptuous a Board.
Thinke what was wanting to their geniall cheare,
What Sea or Land can yeeld that all was there.
151.
Nor that alone, the gods by ioynt consent,
Present them Nectar and Ambrosia:
Nor want they ought can giue their harts content:
With princely mirth to passe the time away,
All this I see, and onely say I kno'e it,
But how it was set forth some better Poet.
152.
Ne yet with these can th'amorous Palatine,
Content his eares, or eies, or appetite,
Mongst all these plenties Frederick would pine,
Wert not for one dish 'boue the rest condite:
On which to feede impatient of delay,
Hee wisheth day were night, or night the day.
153.
And see, at last that day so long desir'd,
A day, no day was euer seene so bright:
The day of daies now's happily expir'd,
Faire Phaebs hasting to produce the night,
A Night, no night was euer equall seene,
Wherein the Prince enioyes his virgin Queen.
154.
Sweet Venus to thy golden Chariot hast thee,
Drawne through the regions by thy siluer doues:
Hymen, the wonders of the world haue grac't thee,
Why hasts not thou to grace their bedright loues?
Light Tapers Hymen, beauties Queene is wed,
With Io Pean sing the bride to bed.
155.
Hast honour'd God of vnpoluted louers,
Thou royall Lord of lawfull propagation:
Thy royall wedlock to the world discouers,
Thy sacred power and care for procreation.
Bring (only thou canst bring) the Virgin Bride,
And lay the Princesse by the Prince his side.
Chast Vesta yeelds to thy connubiall powers:
And Cypris selfe accknowledgeth thy might,
Withall confessing all her dallying howers,
Only by thee legitimate and right.
Light Tapers Hymen, beauties Queene is wed,
With Io Pean sing the bride to bed.
157.
Thou honourer of that Thessalian mountaine,
The heauens-aspiring Pindus hast thee hither:
Forsake thy Phocis, and Castalian fountaine,
Brittaine out-peeres them, put them altogether,
Greece yeelds thee nought but Brittaine yeelds thee more,
And what Greece wants great Britaine hath in store.
158.
Heere haue the Muses fountaines of their owne,
Heere mountaines woods and patrons to defend them:
Heere is the Temple of true wedlock knowne,
Heere therefore rest thee, Hymen heere attend them,
Light Tapers Hymen, beauties Queene is wed,
With Io Pean sing the bride to bed.
159.
Each aged Sire no sooner knits the knot,
Betwixt his daughter and some good mans sonne:
But thour't a guest, thou must not be forgot,
Its thee they most desire, when all is done
The Ʋirgin yeelds trusting no one but thee,
Her maiden girdle to thy custody.
160.
Haste thou great Off-spring of Vrania,
The Muses glory, and Pernassus pride,
The knot is knit, confime the same for ay,
FREDERICK intreats thee with his Princely Bride:
Light Tapers, Hymen, Beauties Queen is wed,
With Io Paean sing the Bride to bed.
161.
Now, now's the time when thou must play thy part,
Rhein for a wife, ELIZA hath procur'd,
More sweet by Nature, then Venus could by art,
When she Adonis to her loue allur'd:
Her sweetest perfumes neuer could compare,
VVith sweet ELIZA'S breath, which sweets the aire.
162.
Now Swan-like Ioue when he to Ledae wended,
Or to his Danae in a showre of gold,
VVith FREDERIC for pomp could haue contended,
VVhen he espous'd this Queen of heauenly mold:
Light Tapers, Hymen, beauties Queene is wed,
With Io Pean sing the bride to bed.
163.
Faire Virgin, flower of all Diana's traine,
Off-spring of Ioue, and of Mnenie sine,
The Goddess-graces all in thee remaine,
To make thy Earth, the heauens Epitome:
To thee doth golden Ceres giue her haire,
Diana cheekes, and Iuno forehead faire.
164.
To thee Minerua giues her chastest eyes,
Pomona paps, Latona lilly hands,
Astraea arms, Venus lips, rosie dies,
Tethis thy pretty feet whereon thou stands;
Gratia thy gesture, what creature's like thee liuing,
Whose euery part is of a Goddess giuing.
165.
Hermione was neuer halfe so faire,
No though Orestes were the Iudge of beautie;
Ne yet might Hellen with this Queen compare,
Make Paris Iudge, to Hellen bound by duetie:
Light Tapers, Hymen, beauties Queene is wed,
With Io Paean sing the Bride to bed.
166.
Thou flower of youth, Sonne to the Gods aboue,
The heauens delight and earths felicity:
To thee the Gods each one to show their Loue,
Present their gifts worthy eternity.
To thee great Ioue giues an heroyck hart,
And mighty Mars his courage doth impart.
167.
On thee Apollo doth his wit bestow,
Vranus forme, Cyllenius eloquence,
To thee God Cupid hath bequeathd his Bow,
Neptune his treasures of magnificence,
Saturne thy manners; what mortall can compare,
With him whom all the gods haue fram'd so rare.
168.
Theseus was neuer halfe so braue a creature,
Though Ariadne iudg'd betwixt them two:
Hyppolitus nere had so comly feature;
Make Phedra iudge who did the yongling woo,
Light Tapers, Hymen, this heauenly couple's wed,
With Io Paean sing the Bride to bed.
269.
If euer for heroick nuptiall rites,
In the delight or honor did appeare,
This Nuptiall both for honour and delights:
Out strips the best and all that euer were;
As far as floods out-strip the litte springs,
Or seas the floods, or mighty meanest things.
170.
So sweet a pare no age did euer see:
No age shall euer see them paraleld,
No loue, night Court was or will euer bee,
That linkt, attended, such sweet Princes held,
Light Tapers Hymen this heauenly couple's wed,
With Io Paean sing the Bride to bed.
171.
The Bridegroom now hath cast his nuts about,
As Casting thoughts away in nonage weaker,
The bride-cake's broak and hurld the prease throughout,
In signe of future Plenty to the breaker:
Gold in abundance giue they to the poore,
Betookning bounty, Maiesty and store.
172.
Graue Senators, chast Matrons, doe invite thee,
Young louely Lords, faire Virgins do intreat,
These may and wish for marriage that incite thee;
Denie their suit? 't were sin and pitty great.
Light tapers Hymen this heauenly couple's wed,
With Io Pean sing the Bride to bed.
173.
See, see they come, Hymen hath tapers light,
Britans and Rhein [...]sts let your hearts reioyce:
And you that now professe your faiths aright,
With hallowed Hymus to heauens lift vp your voice,
Here towards her chamber comes the Ʋirgin Bride,
Drawne from her royall faire Queen-mothers side.
174.
See with what state Hymen his Tapers brings,
You Virgin Ladies that attend along:
List likewise how melodiously shee sings,
Helpe Hymeneus sing his vnder song,
Hymen O Hymen, beauties Queen is wed,
With Io Paean sing we Bride to bed.
175.
See where faire Concord comes sweet garlands weaving
And loue her louely flowers before her stro'ing:
Neither, their places or their office leauing,
Till they haue crown'd the Virgin as shee's going;
Venus and Iuno on either side instruct her,
The Virgin blushing while the Queenes conduct her.
176.
Halfe nilling-willing with her eies demisse,
Shee forward steps, but with a backward pace:
With a blush her beauty wrapped is,
Like Roses shut which promise greater Grace,
Hymen O Hymen this beauties Queene is wed,
With Io Pean sing the Bride to bed.
177.
Like as bright Cynthia in her golden shine,
Attended on with many aglittering Star:
Whose radiant Beauties though they bee deuine,
Yet Cynthya's praecedes the fairest far,
Euen so Eliza mongst her Nymphs most faire,
Exceeds their most with more, past all compare.
178.
Her tresses eurl'd by Lydian art she weares,
With Emralds, Rubies, Amathists bedeckt,
With Diamonds dangling at her Princely eares,
Her neck adorn'd with pearls of best respect:
Topar and Berill; who i'st can number them?
No Iewels wanted to adorne this Gem.
179.
Thus rich attir'd, but richer far in beauty,
Eliza meets her worthy PALATINE;
Whil'st all the Court in shew of loue and duty,
Cry, Heauens preserue the Princess and the Rheine:
Hymen, O Hymen this heauenly couples wed,
With Io Paean, sing the Bride to bed.
180.
Against this mirrour to her chamber came
Aglaia had prepar'd her Princely bed:
Where, laid no sooner this imperiall Dame,
And purple curtains bout the Princess spread
But all retire, leauing to wait no other,
Saue louely Cupid, and his louelier Mother.
181.
Propitious may the Heauens for euer be,
Propitious Earth with all they both containe,
Propitious proue for euer Ioues decree,
The golden-age reducing back againe:
Now Hymen cease thine hymenaean voice
For Frederick enioyes his royall choice.
FINIS.
THere is great strife twixt death and loue,
Which of them is the stronger,
And which of them can strike the stroake,
Whose wound endures the longer.
HENRY FREDERICK, sayd they both,
Shall be our marke to trie;
Which of vs twaine can doe the deede,
To get the victorie:
Death HENRY strikes, God Cupid strikes,
Faire FREDERICKS strength to proue.
So HENRY dyes a sodaine death,
So FREDERICK is in loue:
VVe know Loue is as strong as Death,
But Death to Loue must yeeld:
For Death is past, loue still remaines,
God Cupid wins the Field.

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