HIS MAIESTIES POETICALL EXERcises at vacant houres.
AT EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY Robert Walde-graue printer to the Kings Maiestie.
Cum Priuilegio Regali.
AMOR
PAX
PACIS alumnus
INFESTA malis.
TO THE KING OF SCOTLAND.
VVHere others hooded with blind loue do flie,
Low on the ground with buzzard CVPIDS wings,
A heauenlie loue, from loue of loue thee brings,
And makes thy MVSE to mount aboue the skie.
Young Muses be not woont to flie too hie,
Age taught by time, such sober ditties sings,
But thy youth flies from loue of youthfull things,
And so the wings of time doth ouerflie.
Thus thou disdainst all worldlie wings as slow,
Because thy MVSE with Angels wings doth leaue
Times wings behind, and CVPIDS wings below,
But take thou heed, least Fames wings thee deceaue.
With all thy speed from Fame thou canst not flee,
But more thou flees, the more it followes thee.
HENRIE CONSTABLE.
SONET TO THE ONELY ROYAL POET.
WHere shall the limits lye of all your fame?
Where shall the borders be of your renowne?
In East? or where the Sunne again goeth down?
Or shall the fixed Poles impale the same?
Where shall the pillars which your praise proclame
Or Trophees stand, of that exspected crowne?
The Monarch first, of that triumphant towne
Reuiues in you, by you renewes his name.
For that which he performd in battels bold,
To vs his bookes with wonders doth vnfold.
So we of you far more conceaue in minde,
As by your verse we plainelie (Sir) may see.
You shall the writer and the worker be,
For to absolue that CAESAR left behinde.
M. W. FOVLER.
‘Musa Coelo beat.’
IN SERENISSIMVM INVICTISSIMVMQVE SCOTIAE REGEM JACOBVM SEXTVM.
Τουνόματος τὶς πέζα τεοῦ χωρησεν ἐπούνους ,
Παμβασιλεῦ? σοφίας τίς κλέος αἰπὺ τεῆς?
Αρ Υπεριονίδαο σελασφόρον ἄντυγα Φοίβου
Πρῶτα θεασαμενοι? μὴ Ζεφύροιο δόμος?
Αρα πόλων κρυεροῖς πεφρικυῖαι πειρασιν ἄρκτοι,
Οψονται πτεροεν κῦδος ἔνερθε τεόν?
Σὸν δὲ πρὸς αὶθαλόεσσαν ἀνίπταται αιθερος αἴγλην
Εῦ̓χος, ἀπειρεσίου πάντα διῇξαν ὅρον.
ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΣ Ο ΔΑΜΜΑΝ.
IDEM LATINE.
QVae Regio in terris Rex inuictissime laudes
Aut capiat mentis lumina clara tuae?
Anne Hyperionide qui primùm orientia Solis
Fulgura percipiunt? an Zephyritis humus?
Anne Polis quae frigutiunt glaciali bus Arcti,
Luce tuum videant conserere arua iubar?
At tua in aetherios penetrat se gloria coetus,
Fecit vt immensum totius orbis iter.
HADR. DAMMAN à BISTERVELT Gandauensis Flander.
Aliud eiusdem.
PAllados armiferae digitis in fortibus vrbem,
Temporibus priscis imposuêre patres:
Scilicet auspicijs animi, & foelicibus armis,
Vrbibus immensae conciliantur opes.
Sed meliùs numquā mentem Dea iunxit & arma
Scotigenûm Regi quàm sociata dedit:
Et quis in optandis regnum florescere rebus,
Et nitidos Scotis non videt ire dies?
TO THE KINGS MAIESTIE OF SCOTLAND.
IF ALEXANDER sighed vvhen he came,
Vnto the Tomb vvhere fierce ACHILLES lay:
If he had cause, that blessed age to blame,
Since HOMER lacks his merites to display.
If he vvith teares his sorrovves did bevvray,
To see his Father PHILIP conquer all,
And that more Worlds behinde there did not stay,
Which for revvard of his deserts might fall:
Then may I mone, our times, our iudgement small,
Vnvvorthy records of your sacred skill:
Then must our Poets on nevv Muses call,
To graunt them guifts to imitate your quill.
I like the flie, that burneth in the flame,
Should shevv my blindnes to attempt the same.
HENRIE LOK.
THE EXORD, OR PREFACE OF THE SECOND VVEEK OF DVBARTAS.
THou mightie God that of the worlde
The birth did make me see,
Vnfold her cradle also now,
Her childhead show to me:
And make my Spreit to walke athort
The turning flourisht wayes
Of sauorie Gardens, wherinto
Still crook't but any staies
Of Riuers foure the courses quick:
Declare me what offence,
From Eden both chas'd ADAMS selfe
And seed for his pretence:
And tell who of immortall did
Himself a mortall macke
To bring from heauen the Antidote
To vs which we did lacke:
Giue thou me grace the storie of
The Church to sing aright,
And als the storie of the Kings,
And graunt that by thy might
I guide the world vnto her graue,
My purpose making lest,
Euen from the first of Sabboths all,
Vnto the hind most rest.
Well know I that this surgie sea,
Is lacking march or ground,
But ô thou holie Pilote great,
Will guide me safe and sound
Vnto the port of my desire,
Where drouked then I shall
Extoll thy mercies manifolde,
And pay my vowes withall.
O SACRED Floure-delis whose youth
Doth promise to vs all,
That euen thy famous Lawrels greene
Match Alexanders shall,
Since that (for to obey thy will,)
I flie vnto the skies,
Conuoy my course with louing eie,
And help the faultes that rise
From my too blunted frutelesse pen,
In Pampeloun so someday,
Mot thou win home thy crowne againe,
The which was rest away:
So of thy neighbours euermore
Mot thou the honour be,
The loue of all thy subiects true,
And foes to feare for thee:
So neuer mot the heauen against
Thee shew his wrathfull face,
But the Eternall be thy arme,
His Spirit thy guiding trace:
So with my shearing sword in hand
And fighting at thy side,
Mot I ore-cled with blood and stoure
So boldlie by thee bide
As for to cleaue the Spanish Host,
Or force some sieged Towne,
The combat done for Virgill serue
To publish thy renowne.
GOD did not onelie (soueraigne Prince)
The whole command bestow,
On our forefather ADAM of
This earth, and all below:
In making subject to his yoak
The skealie swimming race,
Who with their little sinnes do cleaue,
The frothie Seas apace:
And those that haue no other hold,
But horrour of deserts:
And those that bricoll through the waist
Of aire that fedders parts:
But chus'd him als a dwelling place,
Which happie was, and more
With climat temperate and faire,
The which the deintie flore
With variant ameling paimented
Of springing floures most sweet,
Adornd with Pomons fruicts, and als
With Zephyrs smells repleet:
Where God himself did leuell just,
The allees with his lyne,
Ore-couered all the hilles with trees,
With Haru'st the vallies syne,
And with the sound of thousand brookes
Adiornd the sweetest sleepe
Made cabinets faire at proofe of Sunne
Which out his beames did keep:
He squared a yard, and als he did,
Plant, clenge, and labour syne
The euerliuing fairnesse of
A fertill Orchard fine:
The Sacred Riuers courses als
He parted here and there,
And with a thousand coulors paints
The face of Meddowes faire.
THE TRANSLATORS INVOCATION.
O Thou that mightilie does toone
My warbling holie Harpe,
And does sublime my Poëme als
That I thereon do carpe,
And marying so my heauenly verse
Vnto the Harpes accords,
Inspires my sacred Muse to sing
Vnto the Lord of Lords.
O now inflame my furious Spreit,
That furiously I may
These Furies (mankinds plagues allace!)
With furious Pen display:
That I his fame doe not betray,
Who Azure Skie doth decke
With blazing lights, and on the earth
His Trophees doth erect:
The loue of Heauen, the honour of earth,
The wonder of our age,
Who whill that furious bloodie MARS
Doth in his Countrey rage
(Alluring ORPHEVS) with his songs
He sweetlie doth inchaunt
The MVSES nyne to leaue their leeds
That they before did haunt
And take them to his vulgare toung,
Their Ethnique heades withall
He crownes with holie twists and faire
Of LIBAN Cedres tall.
Then ô thou guider of my Spreit,
And leader of my pen,
Graunt, that as he his subject faire
Doth (liberall) to me len,
That so he len his loftie stile,
His golden draughts, his grace,
Wherewith in variant coulors he
Adornes the papers face,
That I may viuelie paint him forth:
Peace PAN, peace pratling Muse,
Heare PHOEBVS in a borrowed tongue
His owne discourses vse.
THE FVRIES.
WHere am I caried to? in world
No more may I be found:
The earth that I do tread vpon,
And all this vaulted round,
Which bringing home, & guiding back
The daies and nights againe,
Be wrathfull now with me, reguides
My longsum woe and paine:
The aire I breath by longest draughts,
The Sea I swimme into,
10 Is not now of the first borne dayes
The work most glorious lo.
This wretched roundnes can not be
The plenteous worlde no more,
Which God with orn'ments brauelie deckt,
So diuers and in store:
No, this is but a Prison vyle,
A Hell fulfild with fray,
And of the first worlde but the tombe
Most miserable alway.
20 O SPRITE that quickens all, great God,
That in thy justice maid,
(Transformd from father myld in Iudge:)
This changement that I said,
Change me, and cast me ouer againe,
Addres my feeble hand,
And make that into my discourse
No humane thing may stand.
That I thy instrument may bee,
And eloquentlie syne,
To our posteritie may sing 30
This doolefull change of thyne.
BEFORE our first fore-father had,
Too impudentlie bold,
His back turnd vnto God, his face
Vnto the Serpent olde:
Euen all this WHOLE, was like vnto
Ane instrument in toone,
Well set, and well accorded iust:
And when as that was doone,
So learn'dlie plaid on, as the sound 40
Most rarelie dulce alway,
Proclam'd the praise of God, who on
The same did freedonne ay.
The man in seruing God, was seru'd
Of all the world apace:
The bodies dead and liuing als,
Did striue in euerie cace
To nourish still that holie peace,
And with ane ardent loue,
To please their double head, each other 50
Embrast for that behoue.
The lowest of a concord blest
Resounded with the hie,
The wak with dry, the cold agreed
With that which hottest be.
And syne that sacred innocent,
The bright ASTREA Queene,
It fastned fast with mastik firme,
Of holie loue that beene.
This CVPID hid, that maries yet 60
By straitest bonds and olde
The Adamant stone with heauie yrne,
Quick-siluer with the golde:
The Ambre with the straw or chaff,
And in the wauie raigne,
PINNE with her spie, the Whaile with her
That guides her through the Maine:
That makes the Sperge so freindlie with
The bosse and trembling Reed,
70 The Mirt with Oliue tree, the Elme
With boughs that wine doe breed.
That makes the earie Bustard with
The galliard horse confether,
And the Parroquets painted makes
With Wolues to liue together.
That ioynes the Moore-hen with the swift
And feirie futted Hart,
The Goat with Sargone, Partrichis
With Does into ane part:
80 All this is but a spunke, a glance,
A shaddow and a trace,
Of such a loue as raignd into
The formest age allace:
Where as our Muses low from heir
With most harmonious sounds,
Deuinely sang with them aboue
Into the circled rounds.
But Man as being the speciall, and
The most resounding string
90 Of this WHOLES Lute, too bended out
Of toone doth with it bring
The rest of brangling sinewes all,
As now it rendre macks,
In place of sweet enchanting air,
So great and murmuring cracks,
As ENYON makes astonisht quyte,
Euen cruell ENYON who
The old debaits of CHAOS does
Renew with greener wo.
The Heauen that euer fair did blincke 100
Vpon his maistresse ay,
That nought but MAN and Honny in
Her brest did powre alway,
Now sweeps her with his floods, and with
His yce her dosinnis quyte,
And beatis her with his haill, and gaigs
Her with his fires in spyte:
And with his snow doth make her olde,
And ielouslie doth darde,
Both night and day vpon her bones, 110
His thundring fyerie farde.
And RHEA that doth birst for spyte,
And cholere in these daies,
A thousand vapours blacke against
The Heauen now doth she raise:
And by the port halfe open of
The gulfe profound and how,
Does sudle all his brow with clouds,
And mists that of her grow.
The Cocke sensyne doth with his voyce 120
The Lyon bold effray,
The Glead, the Chicken: and the Sheepe,
That baisdlie trembles ay,
Flees from the rau'ning Woolfe: and in
Great NEPTVNES fleeting plaine,
The Lobster feares for Polipus:
And Polipus againe
For Congre-Eels feares: and neerthelesse,
The selfe same Lobster to
Ouercums this Eele, who victor is, 130
Euen of her victor lo:
Yea, euen do, by a secret MARS,
Most noysome quarrels ludge
In very senselesse stocks of plants,
Reteining still their grudge.
Thou DENYS, euermore a childe,
O Father sleepie still,
If plant beside the leauie keall
Thy fertill stocke they will,
140 He drawes himselfe abacke beliue,
And paile growne all his leaues,
For spite, or feare, by flight himselfe
From neighbourhead such bereaues.
As in like maner, to reuenge
The branches bearing wine,
Neere Rew, and Origane, planted keal,
By them is killed syne.
The tree Dodonean, and the tree
By ATTIQVE land beloued,
150 The traces leaues of ancient pickes,
Remaining vnremooued
Euen in their widdow holes. O thou
Invincible debate,
That makes the one, ne liue can, where
The other liu'd of late:
That raignes into the verie tombe,
Doth to the PARQVES resist,
And neuer does thy hatred wash
In flouds of LETHES mist.
160 Euen so a Tambour cou'red with
A simple muttons skinne,
Doth burst affraidlie, onely at
The sound and ratling dinne
Of bloodie rauening Woolfs-skinne: And
Sick-like the trypes well throwne
Of that so glutton brigand, breakes
With secret force vnknowne
The guts of sheepe: whome in the place
Of longsome bleating still,
170 They after hend their death make on,
A sweet Lute speake at will.
And of the royall Egle als
The strange deuouring plume,
Does wondrously the fethers of
All other foules consume.
The Heauen, first mobile, with the selfe
Doth carie and remoue
More swifter farre then any wind,
By this his course aboue
The rest of all the heauens: backdrawing 180
Their Torches giuing light,
From ALEXANDERS Alters, to
The Pillars HERCVLES pight.
But mortall ADAM, as the king
Of all things heere belaw,
He being straied, vnto the way
Of death does all things draw:
And, blinded Pilot, on a Sea
Most deadlie and in fire,
This worlds Ship guides against the rocks 190
Of furious heauenlie ire:
Which softlie sliding of before,
Was fleeting euer still,
Both vnder-a skilfull Skipper, and
A Zephyre calme at will.
For or he did reuolt, he could
Not cast his wondring eies
Vpon no part, but through it all
Almightie God he sees.
He finds him in the earth, as to 200
The Seas, he feeles him there,
Contemplats him in Heauen, and sees
Him painted in the air.
Our world was nothing, but a great
Large Shop, that open stood,
Where magnifiquelie God displaid
His treasures fair and good.
This WHOLE was but a mirrour fair,
Which bright on euery side,
210 The goodnes represented viue,
With great God that doth bide.
But man vnhappy can not find,
Since this his sinne and fall,
Plant, stone, or liuing creature,
Yard, wood, nor flood at all,
Plaine, Feild, Hill, Dale, Sea, Shore, or Hauen,
Where he may draw his breath,
That hath not written into the brow
The hard doome of his death.
220 In short, euen all the compasse of
This Fabrique large and round,
Is but a very store-house of
Gods wrath that doth abound.
Man, in rebelling thus against
The soueraigne great, I say,
Doth feele his subjects all enarm'd
Against him euerie way.
The air by winds sturr'd, AMPHITRITE
Doth stormie make a gild,
230 The Heauen most sadlie black, The earth
With brierie thornes fulfild,
As fredd now from the oth of their
Fidelitie and trust,
The honour doe reuenge on him
Euen of the Godhead just.
The influence maligne of starres,
Coniured doth prouide,
A secret Hangman for to plague,
His arrogance and pride.
240 The Moone doth deaze and fundie him,
Her brother rosts him quite,
The air, when he lookes for it least,
Pursues him in a spite.
By brimstoned thunders, and by raines,
By blasting of the cornes,
By frosts confirmd, hair-rimmes, and Snowes,
And hailstones sharpe as thornes.
And VVLCANE whiles fallin out of Heauen,
Whiles irritate by art,
Whiles kindled vnder richest roofes 250
By chance in anie part,
Whiles vom'd out of a mountaine, whose
Tempestuous gulfe hath store,
Both of Saltpeeter and of Pitch,
And Brimstone byting sore,
Doth rage against him: startling still,
For furie, as appeares,
And wrackes in lesse space then a day,
The labour-of thousand yeares.
The Sea by her debording steales 260
His Isles from him withall,
His flockes vp-swallows, and ore-whelmes,
His townes and makes them fall.
The Earth all wearie on her face
Such burthen for to keepe,
(A burthen cursed and prophane,)
Whiles sinks in darkest deepe
A whole great countrie, and withall,
The windie tops and hie
Of proudest Palices, into 270
Her entrailes hid they be.
IT IS in hatred euen of him,
That after manie wayes,
Shee doth ingratelie barren haru'sts
Produce vs now a dayes.
And for the corne, that we do sow,
(Deceitfull) doth vs pay
With thirsles burning corne, and with
The vaprous Darnell ay.
280 And with the Fitches smoaring corne,
With sticking Burres and rough,
And guylefull hope of Windle-stray,
That's but an emptie slough.
All this were little, if that, as
Step-mother cruell, sho
Would not produce the Wort-berrie,
Our furious enemie. Lo
The Hen-bane blacke, and Ches-bow als,
That cold-ryfe doth vs keepe
290 Doufe, yeuking flesh, and shuddring colde,
And makes vs euer sleepe.
The stonnishing Carpase, Humlocke als,
That smores vs by his might,
Yee-feet, Yce-hands, and makes vs isk,
And dims our clearest sight.
Sardonien Percell, Sennon-drawer,
And with a laughing cheere,
The Wolfe-bane, Burne-toung, swelling lips,
And crying still with heere.
300 The weeping Aconitum, and
The Ixia binding sore,
Sad hearted Flacke-wort, fosterer of
Hydropsie more and more.
March-Lillies als, that yeukars be,
Of flancks the gnawers rude,
The Mandragore full colde, and Ew,
That kendles vp the blude.
Plants, who doe by their root, their suck,
Or by their little seed,
310 A death vnmercifull, before
The time vnto vs breed.
The Earth that knowes we loue (as we
Were bred, of brutish kindes,)
Our life lesse, and our honour, then
Her mettals hid in mindes:
She with her hooks, deceitfullie,
Doth mixe for vs and mell
The scumme of Siluer and Arsnicke:
With cruell poyson fell
Our inward parts deuours: and so 320
Doth justlie punish right
Our couetous lusts with torments sharpe,
That she makes on vs light.
So as, whiles, from one onely mind,
They (foolish) draw apace,
The tortour of soule, and martring of
Our bodie both, allace.
And what more shall I say? but that
A Pilot full of skill,
And aided by the breathing of 330
A friendlie wind at will,
He cannot with lesse trauell guide
The winged fleeting Ship,
That softlie on the azure salt
Of humide field doth slip.
And that the jugler fine, so well
Can no waies make to dance,
Make skarmushes, runne, and retire,
And syne againe aduance
His little Marmosets, whome to 340
His auarice doth giue
A Sprite, that by the onely art
And workemanship doth liue,
As we most happy did command
The silent flocks, that do,
All skalie, cleaue the stormie fluds,
That they doe swimme into:
And all the flying songsters sweet,
And the rebellious bands,
That rush out through the woods, or runnes 350
Athwart the bairest lands:
And at the wind euen of our voyce,
They trembled fast afraid,
And each winke of our eies, to them
A law was they obaid:
And to their holie office so
They bent were night and day,
As euen they vncommanded did
Vs seruice euery way.
360 But by the shappering that fell out
Our Parents light among,
Alas, they of our slaues are now
Become our tyrants strong:
The fearefull hideous Whale, if that
We saile vpon the Maine,
In weltring with a stroake, euen all
At once, the bulluring plaine,
Doth bury vnderneath the waues
Our fleeting Castell fair,
370 That plaies the Dolphin on the Seas,
And Eagle in the air.
And if we go into the feilds,
So manie deadlie bands
Of spotted venoms, and of Pests
Cyniphien, on all hands
Do lie into embuscade dern'd.
The Wolfe on other side,
With Lyon, Sanglier, and with Beere
And Leopard doth abide,
380 Most iealous of the right diuine,
Against their head conspire,
And pitielesse teare him, in reuenge
Of the eternall ire.
The Forrests thick, they haue no bush,
Nor thicket great at all,
That doth not hide a hangman, to
Giue vs our death and fall.
We euery cauerne do suspect, and
Euery hedge we see,
The smallest branch, that stighles, makes 390
Vs sore afraid to be.
If that, we dwelling be at home,
The spitefull Mastie bolde,
The Bull wood-headed, and the Horse,
Whose courage cannot folde,
With teeth, with horned brow, and with
Their feet do make vs warre
Most sorie: seeing Tyrants such
On earth, promenney darre.
No: There is not so small a midge, 400
That boldlie gainst vs cleene,
Will spare to shoot the arrowes of
His little furie keene.
ALAS: what hideous fraisome shapes?
What horrible ghosts I see?
What thundring loud? what roring cries?
What terrible howlings hie?
Am I not on the elrish Shore
Of PHLEGETON, braying in Hell?
O TISIPHON, MEGERE, ALECTO als, 410
Thou furie sad and fell,
What denne makes you the cauernes quite
Most fraisome and profound
Of darkest Hell? ô monsters most
Abhominable vnder ground,
Yee Ministers of PLVTO, with
The throwne and stormie brow,
O Daughters of the shadie night,
What heere then do yee now?
The man alas, without your crosse, 420
Your whips and tortours sore,
Doth he not feele the horrours els
Of paines anew, and more?
For our fore-beer, no sooner left
The sacred soile of grace,
To liue into this earth, or rather
Tombe and lowest place,
Where raignes a thousand deaths, when as
The voice eternall ay,
430 Els thundring summond did the troupes,
That guiltie were alway.
That Sulphurd STYX and PHLEGETON, drinks
All burning in a fire,
Thicke ACHERON, and COCYTE als,
All in a bloodie ire.
O Sisters with the eddrie haire
O Eumenids cruel yee,
What? Of your selues for euermore,
Will yee the tortourers be?
440 Soone quite me all the horrour of
Your cursed houses paile,
Come vomit heere your poysons blacke
In this vnhappy vaile.
Haue yee no feare to languish heere,
For exercises lake,
For ADAM builds you a hundreth Hels
Here for his vices sake
FROM top to bottom eat these words
AVERNE all trembled apace:
450 The sweirest night, her horrours did
Redouble in euerie case.
And als that stincking goulfe, where fraies
Do raigne for euermore,
Was suddaine fil'd with pitch, with Sulphre,
And rozen in great store.
The GORGONES, SPHINX, and HYDRAES, and
The Pythons, monsters rair,
The cauerns deepe did open of
Their glutton bellies thair:
Euen as the fire that hid into 460
A vapour thicke remaines,
Doth grudging murmure at the cloud,
That pressing it retaines,
Doth Cannon, thunder, astonish als,
And whirling long in round,
Doth, wrathfull, make the Element
That windie is, resound.
Euen so, these Sisters three, these three
Most hideous rages vile,
Do raise a thousand tempests, boun 470
To leaue their hell a whyle.
And each of them alreadie goes,
And hurles his yrnie cart,
Vpon the Bridges barres of yrne,
Ay brangling on all part.
That nine times Planks Stix, and in prison
Where horrible darknes tumbles,
With braying, running, wandring still,
Most terrible horrible rumbles.
Then fraifull HYDRE, and CERBERE als, 480
That muttin makes a sturre,
Who on one bodie hath the heads,
Both of a Mastich curre,
A Serpent, Bull, and of an Ounce,
Whose cruell eies do pearce,
And of a Woolfe, a Horse, a Beare,
And of a Lyonesse fearce.
With brangle of lights doth bark, doth whisle,
And route doth euermore,
Make murmuring, loudlie howle and bray, 490
And rummish fast and rore.
Such Pell-mell dinnes, and ringing reards,
And tempests strange to heare,
Do from one corps proceed at once,
That manie heads doth beare.
Then hauing of our day atteind
Vnto the calmed port,
Then wings of Aquilo they with
A whirre more suddaine short
500 Flee towards man: wherewith their hands
Sore tortring they assay,
Who cruellest paines can forge for him
To suffer euerie way.
OF ATROPOS the verie shape,
Lo, Hunger comes at ones,
Her blackned skinne is pearced with
The sharpe points of her bones:
She euer greedie longing gants,
With hollow suncken eie,
510 With cheekes togeather clapped close,
And in her mouth they see
Her wide-set teeth come Saffron hew'd:
Her emptie bowels cleare,
Do through the rinckles of her skinne
Transparantlie appeare.
And for her bellie, hath she nought
Of bellie but the place,
Her knees and elbows hidelesse on
520 Her carcasse swels a pace.
A monster most insatiable,
Whome to, but for a fill,
All that is liuing heere below,
But skarcelie suffice will.
Her swallowing throat goes seeking still
Her meat in verie meats:
One dish another summonds, and
Her gourmand entrails eats,
And toomes at once. The verie flesh
530 Euen of her children young,
May skantlie stanch her raging lust,
Thus of her hunger sprung:
But euen sometimes (ô gluttonie
Of strangest sort and rare)
To fill her foule-some guts, to eat
Her guts she doth not spare:
That she thereby, may make it more,
She makes her body lesse,
And to our father cruell so,
She doth her selfe addresse.
And furthermore, from hels she brings 540
Vnto this combat heere,
The rage, the weaknes, and the thrist,
Her likest sisters deere.
THE warre comes after, bruzing lawes,
And bruzing maners all,
Loue-teares, shed-blood, and burning Innes,
And raizing euery wall:
In-under his brasen feet, the earth
All creepes and trembles fast,
His mouth it is a firie coale, 550
His voice a thunders blast:
Each finger of his hand, it is
A Cannon that doth bray,
And euerie awfull looke of his
A lightning flaming ay.
The great disorder, and the fray,
Dispair, and flight, do poste,
And winged euer, go before
His cruell murthering Hoste:
As burnings, and the swelling pride, 560
And great impietie vile,
The quarrelous scisme, sacke, and all
Impunitie for a while.
The crueltie, the horrour, the
Destruction and ruine,
Though all accompanie him, whereas
He barbrous marches syne.
The doole, the solitarines, with
The pouertie that peeps,
570 The bloodie footsteps of his host
Vndaunted following keeps.
AND if that I be not deceau'd,
Another furie lo
That doth a battrie dresse against
Our first forefather to,
Of thousand thousand Cannons, I
Heare, feele, though not in sight,
The more that she is weake, the more
Hath she of force and might:
580 All vlcer'd, feuerous, blind, and fond,
And foolish is she nam'de.
Sad, deafe, crooke-backed, and of legs
And armes, both is she lam'de.
The poyson with the manie names,
Deaths minister alace,
That comes at posting gallope, and
Returnes at slowest pace.
Il-fauoured, troubling rest, and als
Fantastike, miserable eke,
590 She kils, but cracke betraies the heart,
Vnsatiable blood doth seeke
The daughter of intemperance, and
Of Heauen misorder'd cleene,
A cruell euill discouerd, but
More cruell hid vnseene.
IN SOMMER Meidowes, Grashoppers
Haue not so many aboue,
So manie Creikets vnder, as did
Infernall voyces moue,
600 And murmure round about, nor vnder
A calmed Heauen and still,
The King enamailed of the people,
That gather Honnie will:
So many little buzzing burds
Guides not, when he doth cast
Euen of his little hollow ludge
The first foundations fast,
As this effraying monster hath
Of Soldats at command,
That raging charge the man abaisd 610
At euery part and hand.
So as a regiment incens'd,
And horrible giuing fraies,
Now for to yoke a skarmish hot,
The first of all assaies
Gainst ADAMS head, which is the house
Most holy hallowed ay,
Of all the faculties of the soule,
And reasons forth, and stay.
A King that neighbour will bereaue 620
Another Kings Empire,
Before he fight into the feilds,
Or open warres desire,
He first corrupts by richest gifts
His Counsels truth at length,
Well knowing that a Counsell good
Is of a King the strength.
Euen so, this Furie banisht from
The CHAOS darke and low,
Do for Forerinners, Frenesie, 630
And Madnes als let go:
Whereof the one in heating much,
The other drying sore
The weake braines, they do stop the course,
And blunt do more and more
The sharpnes of mans judgement, and
Engrauing makes remaine
(Abusers) in the Spreit, a Squadre
Of CHIMERS fancies vaine.
640 The CAROS, POPLESIE, and the
LETHARGIE sleeping ay,
As casten of hazarders, assailes
Their foe the best they may,
At former part, but yet by armes,
That are contrary clene,
For making yci-colde the braines,
His brethren dosened bene,
And makes the liuing man like to
A dead in euery sort,
650 If of forgetfull LETHE, he
Do not repasse the port.
The Palsie els doth vndertake
A warre and battaile bolde,
Els Spasmus sturres, the one doth slacke,
The other strait doth holde
The Senewes of weake ADAM, els
They doe the passage dit,
Vnto the liuing subtill Spreits,
That would go downe by it.
660 Then euen as he, who hand to hand,
And onely man to man
Com'd to a Combat set, assaies
All kind of wards he can,
Eschewes, rebaits, strikes out, and doth
Obserue his times aright,
And casting whiles, doth make vpon
The sparkling eies to light
Of this his foe his clocke, syne with
The farre end of his blead,
670 Doth steadfast make his life to part
In gushing streames and read.
The sicknes, to the end that she
May haue the better skair,
Of our forefather tied to bed
(Who scarse can turne him thair)
Els with so many bonds she doth,
The Ophthalmie let go,
Which with a seething blood within
The sight as cruell so,
Giues thousand stogs, she also breeds 680
The Pearle vpon the eie,
That dimmes the shine, and Cataract,
That darke and cloudie bee:
Whereof the one by gathering of
To grosse ane humour pight
Within the bright Spreits guider, doth
The dore close of the light.
The other doth as with a cloath,
Enuious syle and hide,
The Christall shining humour, that 690
Doth in his eies abide.
This done, euen with a gird to our
Fore-beer flees withall,
This cruell Dragon mercilesse,
Whome squeinancy they call:
That scoaps vnto his throat, and with
Blood loppred lacking heat,
He hauing of the how-throat bolle,
The Muskles boldned great:
In him alone doth giue a proofe, 700
Of his so obstinate strength,
Wherewith he is to fight, against
His future race at length.
Like HERCVLES, who when as yet,
In swadling cloathes he lay,
Buire on his brow engrau'd his great
Vndaunted courage ay:
Beginning with his hands, no hand
But strongest turkesse els,
Most boldlie wraithfull for to smoare 710
The Dragon bearing shels,
A maister stick that promises
The Trophee Lernien sure,
The Spaignoll triumph, and the firre
Cleonien that they bure.
The second regiment sets on
By deadlie forces fell,
Beginning with the Squadre of all
The vitall partes to mell;
720 That in the stomack camped are.
And els that humour grosse
Lights-stopper, him ASTHMATIQVE makes
Ay panting in a Crosse.
And the Corrozîue flowing of
A gutter dropping slow,
His spongious lightes doth vlcerate, and
Him dries cum'd Ptisick so.
The Peripneumonie withall
A hote consuming braize,
730 Goes cruell in his breathing boares
And heat doth kendle and raize.
And als the pittilesse Empiem doth
Him sease among the rest,
With an Apostume filling vp
The howest of his brest.
And furthermore the Pleurisie
Doth brod him in the sides,
In making euer boile that blood
Which vnder his ribbes abides.
740 The Mare therefter smores him and
With thickest fleume doth he,
As Spreit importune, heauie, presse
His brest that panting be.
MY GVIDE Vrania oracle
That chassis errors vaine,
Name me this warriour trembling ay,
For furie and disdaine.
And whose enarmed hand doth not,
With firie torch assaile,
The wings but euen the armies heart 750
And ouer it doth preuaile.
Who for hir campions hath the Cough,
The irkesum ganting lo,
The Souning swerfis, thrist, shuddering, and
The colde-rife trembling to.
The bating of the pulse, the heat,
The rauing strange withall
And paine of head. O is not this
The furie whome we call
The burning perrilous Feuer, who 760
Inconstantlie doth take
Mo faces then VERTVMNVS, and
Who (fine) her self can make
Continuall whiles, whiles tierce, whiles quart,
And whiles but for a day,
Whiles slow, whiles kindled vp, euen as
The mater as they say
Which in our feeble bodies is
The cause of all this change,
Hath slow, or promptlie readie hath 770
This secreet motion strange.
Well ought I for to know thee, ô
Thou traitrous mastish vile,
Who four yeares had thee in my hart,
For hostesse all the while.
So as I beare as yet euen of
Thy greatest force, allace,
The markes into my soule, and in
The bodie manie a trace.
For leauing that thou soucked out, 780
And cruellie did seeke
The blood out of my veines, and of
My bones the Marrey eik,
I of my Spreit the vertue feele
All slokened to be fall,
The vigour of my Spreit cum'd gourd,
The sharpnes blunted all.
And als my memorie, the which
Was somewhat yet before,
790 Is like (ô dolour just) vnto
The water, where a score
Is als sone vanisht quite as drawne.
Yea, surelie, I almost
My former studies, to my shame,
And greatest grief, haue lost.
And als my Spreit a Table like,
That voide, hath but a frame,
Like Coruin, Trapesuntius, or
Like Gaze, forgot my name,
800 That Greek, whose learned voice, and whose
Most facond hand and pen,
Did teach the Romane language to
The verie Romane men.
And for that cause in spite of my
Most carefull studies ay,
My verse are feuerous now become,
By habitude alway.
Verse, sometimes animated, with
A furie most deuine,
810 And sometimes shuddering, with a most
Vnlearned coldnesse syne.
BVT OF the Regiment that is third
The cruell Squadres fall,
Vnto the quarter, that conteines
The vertues naturall all:
The vertues that do piece and piece
Most happely procure,
Als-well our nourishment, as our
Vp-growing alway sure.
The Boulime whiles, whiles lacks of meat 820
Through ANOREXIA will,
Dog-hunger whiles, whiles lyes his meat
Through BRADIPEPSIA still.
Whiles she that makes the appetite,
So monstrous and so great,
In how parts of our stomack, doth
She take her lodging seat.
Then after with the Liuer doth
The saffrond Gulsoch fight,
For hauing stopt way to the Gall 830
Chollerick, by his might
He doth his kindled venome skaill
Throughout the corps. (In place
Of finest blood.) which outwardlie
Turnes yeallow hewed apace.
In contrare doufe Hydropsie makes
Him like for colde to sterue,
Whill time it make the Fleume in place
Of purest blood to serue.
But I the sliddrie bowels see 840
Below (allace) by foes
Assaild, that are a thousand times
Far mutinaire then those:
The Colick with hir preson'd windes
Breids them a raging paine,
The dolour Iliack doth throw
Them sore, most inhumaine
Doth stop their purging conduits, and
Detestable she makes
Euen of manns mouth a pestilent 850
And filthie stinking jakes.
The read dissenterie all enarmd
With throwings sore againe,
Doth painefullie draw out the blood
Of manie an opned vaine.
The Stonie grauell doth the neares
On other part inuade,
By gathering of an humour, which
The rigour of heat hath made
860 To change into a Stone, which stops
(Malicious) without more
The sliddrie vreter, carier of
Salt vrine skalding sore,
Euen as the Diabete doth, by
The contrair louse at last
The greace of all our bodie in
The vrine seething fast,
And causing thirst, distils as much,
As all the matter may,
870 Full bruddie furnish raine vnto
The gutter running ay.
And to the members that vs makes,
For ages following heere,
Leaue of our bodies dead, so quicke
And manie Mirrours cleere,
Yoakes fiercely the vnablenes
To liue in VENVS law:
And the continuall flowing of
The seed vnripe and raw.
880 Who preasis (restlesse Tyrants) for
To leese and to destroy
The vnconceaued Babes thereby,
Their Parents to anoy.
THE SQADRE fourt, wherein the Chouks,
As Soldats do remaine,
The vile deuouring Cancer, and
The Gout a cruell paine,
Together with the Hyues, and with
The boudned Oedems cleare,
890 Plouks, Shirres, and atrie Phlegmons, sends
A hundreth brags with beare
Vnto the place assieged, and syne,
Their blind rage doth them make,
Because they cannot harme the fort,
The plaine field for to sacke.
From hand in sheath ô cruell foes,
Your mightlesse Swords let fall,
The death a thousand times hath both
Of blood and senews all,
Bereft your foe, and nought the lesse, 900
Without all hold or stay
Your pitilesse hand his beautie doth
Dishonour euery way
His members all makes laidlie, and does
With blunted knife beginne
To saw his joynts, and Leiths, and for
To hacke his wrinckled skinne.
I thinke I see into the mid'st
Of wilde and open lands,
Of Wolues, and suttle Foxes als 910
The cruell craftie bands,
Who hauing on the softest Sand,
By chance of meeting found
The Lyon streaked, who on lyue
Commanded all the ground,
And whose most horrible austrun face
(Retaining former spite)
Did melt a far, euen with his beames,
Their former boldnes quite:
They (cruell) teare him, and against 920
Their King that is deceased,
Affraidly prooues, to practise that,
Whereat, they feeblie preased.
Shall I among these dwynings count,
(Whose cruell boldnes fell,
Seemes, as it were, with outward scroofe
Of vexed man to mell?)
The ouglie lowsie Phtiriase: ô
The shamefull plague and vile,
930 That euen makes Kings more filthie then
Their Beggers all the while:
Who clad with clouts, and eaten vp
With Vermin euer still:
Both night and day, for yeuking are
Compel'd to fidge their fill.
Kings swarming all with Lice, when as
The rubbing cannot stay,
Nor yet oft changed beds can giue
Them slaiking any way.
940 For euen as from a Surge, the Waues
Are sliding after Waues:
So swarme doth follow after swarme,
Their flesh too fertill craues
His owne deuourers to produce,
And whill spent be the blood,
It of it selfe the selfe doth make
The execrable food.
But what? Thinke not that Fortune blind,
Whose turning Wheele still slides.
950 The Campe of third EVMENIDE fell
Confus'dlie pell-mell guides:
I of her Soldats see, who as
Conducted well by reason,
Makes choyce, aswell of nature, age,
As of the quartered season,
The Portugall is bruddie so,
In Phtisiques as we see,
The Ebre in Chouks, the Arne in those
That Epilepticke be:
960 One Inde into Grangores, Sauoy in
Goitrous doth abound,
In pest-folkes Sardine, Lepruse are
In Aegypt many found.
The places manners like, or the
Strong influence aloft
Of mightie Heauen that gouerns all.
So tender childhood soft,
Is gnawn with Wormes, the children that
Their rawnes gender will,
And for their weakenes hes their wombe,
That loose runnes euer still:
The Skall vpon their head doth of 970
Their saltest fleumes proceed.
They for a time beare many a blybe,
Of worssome that doth breed
Euen of the menstruall humour, which
As new wine raging fast,
In seething in the bodie, makes
A plouckie skinne at last.
The youth into Hemorragie
Most easilie doth fall,
In Feuers hot, in Dwinings, and 980
In Phrenesie withall.
And feeble age hath commonly
For his too irksome Hosts,
The coldrife bloodlesse shakings, and
The fashious coughing hoasts,
Katharres and Gouts. So likewise the
Sciaticke, hard to mend
The Feuer, that the humour of
Melancolie doth send.
The bloodie fluxis, Pests, and als 990
The watrie swelling great,
Are nurished with vs when weake
Autumnus brookes his seat.
The Fike, the Skab, the Langour als
Of ALCIDE doth vs take,
And raging charge vs in the spring,
That both is hot and wake.
And then the Diarrhee, with the
Hot-euill, a seeknes sore,
1000 Assailleth vs importunatlie
In Sommer euermore.
As Pleurisie, the hoast and rheume
Do seeldome make repaire,
But couered with the whitest flocks
Of heauenlie fethers fair,
And Souldiers sweirlie keeping home
Into the house do hold
Of gelded sonne to aigit yeir,
Thair garnison full cold.
1010 And some I see (whose venome doth
Delite but in a throng)
Vnleauing of the first from corps
To corps to slide along,
As the Ameriquain, and als
The Leprosie, and Byle,
The Phtisie, mesels, and the pests
Red Charbucle and vyle.
And further some I see, which for
Sadd heritage, allace,
1020 We (seiklie) leaue our sonnes, which they
From age to age embrace.
The Choakes and Goitre both into
That ranke they euer stood,
The Gout, the Grauell, Leprosie,
With all that spilles the blood,
Rumbursnes, white Hydropsie als,
The languishing Ptisie eik,
The Epilepsie dead withall,
Bred of a vaprous reik.
1030 For the effect successiue of thair
Venome vnespied,
Is to the flowing Sperma of
Their fathers surelie tied.
But ô allace: what stratagems,
What strongest armes can we
Now vse against those warriours, who
Deceatfull traitours be.
I meane these traiterous paines whome art,
As most imperfite knowes
Not by the name, but onely by, 1040
Effects that thereof growes.
Such as the suffocation of
The bruddie matrice quick,
The Swowning wan, and skunnering euill
That skailles conuentions thick.
When as a vapour, I know not what,
Long keeped close I trow,
Into, I know not what a part,
It doth, I know not how.
Can he eschew the cruelties 1050
Fulfild with craftie wyles
Of those so obstinate ills, who are,
Abusers by their gyles
Of cunning med'ceners hands, and who
Once from the bodie chased,
Are in the half dead members vnder
An other name replaced.
Or rather Schollers euen of the
Fond Metempsichosis straunge.
Teacht by that SAMIEN learnd. The one 1060
Doth metamorphosd change
In far worse ill. Cum'd either of
Th'affinity that doth lye,
Twixt fattish humors or betwixt,
The members vext thereby:
Or els through the vnlearnd abuse,
Or the malitious greed,
Of those that of Apollos arte,
Are practisers indeed.
1070 Euen as the sturdie that transformd.
And changd is euerie way
In Falling-ill, the Rage into
Lethargie sleeping ay.
The constitution ill into,
Hydropesie full colde,
The Slee-ping dulnes oft transform'd
In Palsie doth vs holde.
Short ADAM like a Hart is who
Doth in a wodds nuik stay,
1080 And thrusting in into the soile
Is at the latter bay
All teared with lyam-hounds, whome of
The one doth bite his back,
One pulles his flanke, an other at
His breast dooth bussie snack:
One scoupes vnto his throate, and one
His fouch is loath to leaue
One holds his eare, and one vnto
His neck doth hinging cleaue.
1090 He als is like a mightie Bull,
Whose pridefull horne doth egg,
The sleeprie byting little swarmes
Of manie a spitefull cleg:
Who bumming do come out, and their
Assailer do assaile,
And valiauntlie doe on his skin
Their Squadre campe and naile,
The Bull doth with his forked head,
The windes beat euery where,
1100 The ground scraps with his cloves, his taile
His sydes beates heere and there.
And flying longs both forrests, rocks,
And forcie streames and clenches,
The place where he receaued his hurt,
But not his hurts eschewes.
In end, with needels ouercled,
Behoues him to be slaine,
Or at the least as dead into
That place for to remaine.
For man he is inuaded with 1110
A thousand langors sore,
And euery other liuing thing
It gets a proofe no more
But of a verie few of euils:
The falln-ill onlie assailes,
The Squadres gatherers of the hoat
And the Venerian Quailes.
The sheepe doth feare the skab, and als
The dulling Sturdie still,
The dog-ill, and the Madnesse they 1120
Oppres the mastish will.
And further, euerie one of them
Before his birth doth beare,
Of strongest simples knawledge such
As they haue need to leare.
And neuer doth he feele his euill
Steale neare to him so soone,
But he als sone the remedie
Hath readie to be done.
For the slow-past Shelpaddock hath 1130
Th [...] Humlock icie-colde,
To serue for soueraigne remedy.
The Ramme doth rightlie hold
The Rhew his counter-poison, and
The Sacred Lawrell tree,
For Reubarb serues to Partrich, Merle,
And Gea that painted be,
The Beare for medicine meet for him,
The Mandragore obserues.
And the Marcellian crommie for 1140
Lucinas Goates it serues.
But we are ignorant of all,
Euen after hauing had
Acquired in bookes a knowledge, that
Sophistique is and bad.
An art ay snappring, and withall,
A knowledge quite vnknowne,
Which neuer enters but into
The hoarie heads, and thrown
1150 Of men who worne, and broken with
A labour too ingrate,
In seeking others healthes, they leese
Their owne, such is their state:
Or rather, who do make themselues,
By others perrils sore,
Full famous Doctors, and by drinks
Vntimous doe they store,
And fill with Hillocks the Church-yard,
And lacking feare or shame,
1160 Do bourreaus make themselues be paid,
For murthers made by thame.
I doe not speake heere of the good,
The learned and the wise,
Into whose hearts, the feare of God
Imprinted deepely lies,
And who doe skilfully within
Our bodies stay and tie,
Our spreits of life, that otherwise,
Were readie out to flie:
1170 For I doe surely honor these,
As heauenly men celest,
Healthes leaning stocks, and bannishers
Of euery death and Pest.
Dame Natures counsellers, and the
Almighties agents ay,
And Stewards, and Store-maisters wise,
Of flourishing age alway.
But if that any paine by art
Of man may slaked be,
These learned learn'd it haue euen of 1180
Their Colledge dumme we see:
For we doe the Phaebotomie
Of the Sea-horsses take,
Of the wilde Goats the Recipeis
That for the eies we make.
Of Ibis and the Heron we
The Laxatiue clisters haue,
Of Beares and Lyons the Austere
Great diets we receaue.
Now all these Campions fearce they do, 1190
The bodie but persew.
Some inwardly do make assault,
And outwardlie anew:
Or if that any take them to
The soule most pleasant faire,
That no waies is directlie but
For that they will not spare
To crosse her feeble Officers,
And spoile her worklumes fine,
Whereby she (learn'd) so many works 1200
Makes subtilie deuine.
BVT LO foure fearefull Captaines now,
Whose furie hoat assaies,
To dresse a batterie great against
The Spreit in many waies:
His constancie in a brangle puts,
And promptlie drawes apace,
Euen from the path of reason quite,
Their judgement blind alace,
Opinions Children who thought they 1210
Inuisible be cleine,
Yet they their harmefull motions through,
The bodies makes to sheine.
The first is irksomnes, the which
A drumlie cloud doth holde,
And from the crowne euen of the head
Vnto the foot doth folde:
Doth rauing drant both night and day,
Growes old or age be neere,
1220 The longest skorie rinckles on
His face as Furres appeare:
And in a dowisome quiet nooke
He carefull euer thrists,
Als manie sighs out of his breast,
As teares from eies out brists.
He guides the tarndnesse, which to eat
The selfe doth neuer faile,
The weeping pitie, and withall
The heauie sadnes paile:
1230 And the enrag'd dispair, which with
Straiks blea-hewde beats the sell,
Who with Coales, Aspiks, Tedders als
For Armour meet doth mell.
The throwart eied enuie withall
Fat of the leanes ay
Of dearest friends, who restleslie
Doth gnaw her selfe away:
Like famisht POLIPVS, who in
Vnhaps doth bath her still,
1240 And (most ill willie) but on teares
Her wrath doth feed and fill.
And als the jelousie, which but
To slumber once doth feare,
And euer (most suspicious) hath
The Flea into the eare:
And farre mo eies then he who being
By HERMES witcht at last,
Did the Inachien beautie let
Be stolne he sleeping fast.
THE Second Captaine sure is joy, 1250
Excessiuelie to glade,
Who skoups, and lightlie starties, and
Whome to the street that made
By APPIVS was, to narrow is,
Whose sences all they do
Euen at the wishes als enjoy
Most pleasant pleasures to:
Who guides effronted vanterie that
Doth euer faine and lie,
A flatterer, and importune, and 1260
That euer crying be:
And pride brow-bender Gyant who
Wings on his backe doth beare,
And with his loftie forhead hits,
The Starrie sylring cleare:
And many others like the Bels,
Who boldned in a raine,
Do swelling emptie rise vpon
The wake and humid plaine.
The feare whose sides incessantly 1270
Do bussie beat apace,
Whose bosome hath no heart, nor vaines
Haue blood in any case:
Nor spreit hath counsaile, yet she daunts
Vs quite that feeble dame,
Euen with the terrour pale, and with
The Land-wart blushing shame:
And swearnesse als at slowest pace
Which euer comes and creepes,
The which with willing yrnes her armes 1280
At all times fastned keepes:
Who lashlie dreames both night and day,
A barren, vndought eik,
A vile paralitique feeble one,
Who begging aid doth seeke.
And thou ô Couetousnes the which
The earth, nor yet the aire,
Nor sea, or heauen can euer fill
Or stanch thy lusting caire.
1290 Who crookes for eyes, and groundlesse deepes,
For entrailles carries ay,
And clookes for hands, thou fences with
Poore ADAM euery way,
Thou does vnto the combate bring,
Ambition boudned vaine,
That burnes in slow and soaking fire,
Whose passion to containe
Or bound in EPICVRVS worlds,
Is bootelesse to essay,
1300 Who in his hand doth Scepters als
In paintrie carrie ay.
Thou brings the greedie Auarice,
Enarmed all with cleekes,
And cled with glew, who neuer briggs
For her safe passage seekes,
Both through CHARIBDIS baying, and
Through traitrous SYRTES fell,
Who growes the miserabler the more
Her wealth growes with her sell.
1310 A monster fierce without respect,
Or loue, or faith, who will
Her neighbours sorelie harme, but yet
Her self more euer still.
Who puts her hand in euerie thing,
Moechanicklie too vyle.
Lyke TANTALYS in middst of goods,
Full poore euen all the whyle.
Who nombers neuer what she hath,
But what she lak'th doth count,
1320 A foule, who though well winged, yet
She hie doth neuer mount.
Thou wrathfull contrare ADAM does
Lead forward to the warre,
The wrath, the which alreadie goes
Then thunder swifter farre.
Who sullen like a Sanglier makes
Her awfull teeth to crack,
Her haire starts wouddershunes, and whiles
Her burning eyes doth make
To reill, whiles tieth to the ground: 1330
Whose horrible face it will
Whiles paill, whiles firie, rout with voice
Most wilde and elrage still:
The ground stamps with her feet, her hands
On other rash apace:
She poison, fire, and cruell sworde,
Into that foming cace
Beares in her hand, them for to kill,
Whome syne she doth lament,
And lightlies death prouiding that 1340
Her fellow also went:
Like as a hinging wall which by
The winde louse shaken bene,
Doth bruze the self on that, the which
Vnder it all bruz'd is clene.
Thou makes vnto the fight to come
Squar'd arrowes bearing loue,
Which tyrants painting will I not
After all th'Apellesis proue
That FRANCE hath borne, and shortlie then, 1350
Beneath thy Standarts faire,
Thou makes als manie Soldats els
For to be marching there
As there be verry goods, or for
Resemblance so doth trow
The King of beasts who of him selfe
Is not the maister now.
But if these passions that pursewes
And touches vs so neere,
1360 Would swiftlie passe away as doth,
A glancing lightening cleere
Then were it nothing, but allace
They oftentimes doe leaue
The venomed sting into the soule
Which hurting they deceaue:
From that so drumlie spring doth flow,
The deadlie poisons fell,
The SODOMIES, thefts, and incests,
And treasons vile to tell.
1370 The blasphemies, the false contracts,
Conspiring, drunkenesse eik,
The Sacriledge, wait-laying, murther,
And Reafe that praies do seek.
Allace these langors (that be worse
Then thousand deaths be farr,)
Are different from the langores that
Makes with the bodie warre.
Who are auowedlie enemies,
And by their malice do,
1380 Giue to the Patient manie a signe
Of healthes attaining to.
Whiles by the brangling pulse, and whiles
Euen by their colour viue,
Whiles by the stinging needels of
Strong dolour that doth grieue.
So as well knowing once the euill,
That doth vs brooke and binde,
It is not too difficill syne,
The remedie to finde.
1390 But these our euils for that they in
Our vnderstanding raigne,
Who onelie ought and may discerne
Of them, they do remaine
Vnknowne at all and for that cause
Doth PODALIRIVS stay,
To runne to ANTICIRE to get
His health in anie way.
And furthermore the Feuerous man,
We feuerous do him call,
Hydropique we hydropique name, 1400
Dissimuling not at all
Inunder the deceatfull masque,
Of fained words the paine
That crewell, doth our members with
Her torments sharpe demaine.
Contrariwise, the Spreit is of
The self the flatterer ay,
The owne skabb clawes, and with a style
That lyar is alway
By cloaking of his vices lets 1410
The Vlcer blinde to feare,
The Cautere needles quite for it
Of reason for to heare:
And sure if euer vice did cleith
The self in anie where
With the vnspotted famous cloak
Of holie vertue faire
It certainlie is in our age
Worse by a hundreth folde,
Then when on all the earth the waues 1420
Quite vniuersal rolde.
Of sinnes discourse I will not that
Are vildest in degree,
Wherewith the bedds infamous of
The greatest spotted be.
For feare that in offending of
The holies tender eare,
I rather seeme to teach them then
To wish them to forbeare.
1430 They who vpon their bodies with
Grangores gnawne and deformed,
Beares Woods, faire Meidowes, Castles als
In threads of Gold transformed.
And whose hands prodigall into
Once shifting of the Cairts,
One Iusting proud, one Banquet great,
Doe wast with glorious hearts
The treasures gathered by the paines
And niggard trauels sore.
1440 Of their forebeers occurrars, cal'd,
Are liberall euermore.
They whose affected going, and
Whose fairded deintie cheekes,
Whose accent all effeminat,
Whose bonnie blincks and keeks,
Whose feeble coward heart and spreit,
Whose soft and souple weed
Declares, that they are onelie men
Of outward shew indeed.
1450 O these be courtlie proper and feat,
Those who from bed to bed
Like Goat-bucks wander vagabonds,
Whose charming mouthes haue led
And chaste SVSANNAES tysted halfe
And euer famisht, flee
To euerie pray: ô surely these
Are Louers cal'd we see.
They who by false contracts, and by
Vnlawfull measures do
1460 Acquire (oppressours) substance, yea,
And princely riches too:
And goes Sophisticating all
The simple strangers ay,
And hundreths doe for hundreths lend,
Are Stewards good they say.
Who in reuenges badd desire,
Do euer thrist and burne,
Who bathes themselues in blood, and puts
No difference in their turne
Of ranke, of Sexe, of age, but still 1470
Most cruell they defile,
Colde blooded into euery corps
Their murthering hands and vile,
Are men of most magnanime spreit.
O would to God that FRANCE
Were voyd of men of spreit, since that
Our manhead doth aduance,
And fight for our ilwillers, and
Suckes out our blood apace,
Makes wast our Cities, and doth bresh 1480
Our verie sides allace.
O would to God the Targe, the Pike,
The Sword might changed be
In ploughs for to mannure the Land.
O shall I neuer see
The Spiders long and threadie feet
Full busie for to weaue,
Within the hollowest of a healme
Deckt with a pennage braue?
But if ye French-men greene so fast 1490
To Battailes for to go,
And if that awfull Ennyon seethes
Into your bowels so,
What gaine or profite holdes you heere,
And makes you stay so long?
Our fields of bestiall voyd, of wealth
Are all our Cities strong.
Then go ye, runne ô warlike youth
Whome no distresse can dant,
Another Gaulien Greece into 1500
Natolia for to plant:
Go run in Flanders, and do yee
Most mercifull releeue
Your brethren Belges from the yoake
Of Spaine that doth them greeue.
Run vnto Portugale, and people
Of new Gallicia now,
And do your names engraue againe
In PORT-VLISSES brow.
THus louing Reader as thou sees,
Now haue I made an end,
Vnto this worke which man did write,
But by the Lord is pend:
Wherein as I haue preast to make
The Authour knowne to all,
That into Brittaine Ile remaine,
Where he before was thrall
Within the onelie bounds of France,
So doubt I not thou will
Excuse my blotting of his face,
And blame my lacke of skill
Which letted me to imitate
His hard and loftie verse,
His arrowes headed blunt by me,
As earst could no waies pearce.
But since both profite may heerein,
And pleasure reaped be,
Though metamorphos'd all I grant,
And quite transform'd by me:
Yet ought thou justlie loue and like
My painefull trauels bent,
It is sufficient vnto me,
Thou know my good intent.
FINIS.
THE LEPANTO OF IAMES THE SIXT, King of Scotland.
I Sing a wondrous worke of God,
I sing his mercies great,
I sing his justice heere-withall
Powr'd from his holy seat.
To wit, a cruell Martiall warre,
A bloodie battell bolde,
Long doubtsome fight, with slaughter huge
And wounded manifold.
Which fought was in LEPANTOES gulfe
Betwixt the baptiz'd race,
10 And circumsised Turband Turkes
Rencountring in that place.
O onely God, I pray thee thrise,
Thrise one in persons three,
Alike Eternall, like of might,
Although distinct yee be.
I pray thee Father, through thy Sonne,
Thy word immortall still,
The great ARCHANGEL of records
And worker of thy will,
20 To make thy holie Spreit my Muse,
And eik my pen inflame,
Aboue my skill to write this worke
To magnifie thy name.
INTO the turning still of times,
I erre, no time can be,
Where was and is, and times to come,
Confounded are all three.
I meane before great God in Heauen,
(For Sunne and Moone deuides
The times in Earth by houres and dayes, 30
And seasons still that slides.)
Yet Man, whome Man must vnderstand,
Must speake into this cace,
As man, our flesh will not permit,
Wee heauenlie things imbrace.
Then, as I els began to say,
One day it did fall out,
As glorious God in glistering throne,
With Angells round about
Did sit, and Christ at his right hand, 40
That craftie Satan came,
Deceauer, Lyar, hating man,
And Gods most sacred name.
This olde abuser stood into
The presence of the Lord,
Then in this manner Christ accus'de,
The sower of discord.
I know thou from that City comes,
CONSTANTINOPLE great,
Where thou hast by thy malice made 50
The faithles Turkes to freat.
Thou hast inflamde their maddest mindes
With raging fire of wraith,
Against them all that doe professe
My name with feruent fayth.
How long ô Father shall they thus,
Quite vnder foote be tred,
By faithles folkes; who executes
What in this snake is bred.
60 Then Satan answerd, Fayth? quoth he,
Their Faith is too too small,
They striue me thinke on either part,
Who farthest backe can fall,
Hast thou not giuen them in my hands,
Euen boath the sides I say,
That I, as best doth seeme to me,
May vse them euery way?
THEN IEHOVA, whose nod doth make,
The heauens and mountaines quake,
70 Whose smallest wrath the centres makes,
Of all the Earth to shake.
Whose worde did make the worlde of nought,
And whose approouing syne,
Did stablish all even as wee see,
By force of voice deuine.
This God began from thundering throte,
Graue wordes of waight to bring,
All christians serues my Sonne though not
Aright in everie thing.
80 No more shall now these Christians be
With Infidels opprest,
So of my holie hallowed name
The force is great and blest,
Desist ô tempter. GABRIEL come
O thou ARCHANGEL true,
Whome I haue oft in message sent
To Realmes and Townes anew.
Go quicklie hence to Venice Towne,
And put into their minds
90 To take reuenge of wrongs the Turks
Haue done in sundrie kinds.
No whisling winde with such a speed,
From hilles can hurle ore heugh,
As he whose thought doth furnish speed,
His thought was speed aneugh.
This Towne it stands within the Sea,
Fiue miles or there about,
Vpon no Ile nor ground, the Sea
Runnes all the streets throughout.
Who stood vpon the Steeple head 100
Should see a wondrous sight,
A Towne to stand without a ground,
Her ground is made by slight:
Strong Timber props dung in the Sea
Do beare her vp by art,
An Ile is all her market place
A large and spacious part,
A Duke with Senate joynd doth rule,
Saint MARKE is patron chiefe,
Ilk yeare they wedde the Sea with rings 110
To be their sure reliefe.
The Angell then ariu'd into
This artificiall Towne,
And chang'd in likenes of a man,
He walkes both vp and downe,
While time he met some man of spreit,
And then began to say,
What doe we all? me thinke we sleepe:
Are we not day by day
By cruell Turks and infidels 120
Most spitefullie opprest?
They kill our Knights, they brash our forts,
They let vs neuer rest.
Go too, go too, once make a proofe:
No more let vs desist
To bold attempts God giues successe,
If once assay we list:
With this he goes away, this man
Vnto another tels 130
The purpose whereunto they both
Agree among them fels.
This other to another tels,
And so from hand to hand
It spreads and goes, and all that heard
It, necessare it fand.
And last of all, it comes vnto
The Duke and Senates eare,
Who found it good, and followed furth
The same as ye shall heare.
140 THE Towne was driuen into this time,
In such a piteous strait
By Mahometists, that they had els
Giuen ouer all debait:
The Turke had conquest Cyprus Ile,
And all their lands that lay
Without the bounds of Italie,
Almost the whole I say:
And they for last refuge of all,
Had moou'd each Christian King
150 To make their Churches pray for their
Reliefe in euerie thing.
The Towne with piteous plaints did call
Vpon the Lord of might,
With praying still and fasting oft,
And groning all the night,
Was nothing heard but sobs and sighs,
Was nothing seene but teares,
Yea sorrow draue the brauest men
With mourning to their beares.
160 The women swound for sorrow oft,
The babe for woe did weepe,
To see the mother giuing milke
Such dolefull gesture keepe.
Young men and maids within the towne
Were ay arraid in blacke,
Each Eau'n the Sunne was sooner hid
Then earst, the night to macke.
No VENVS then, nor CVPID false
durst kyth or once appeare,
For paile distresse had banisht them, 170
By sadde and sory cheare.
As Seas did compasse them about,
So Seas the Streets did ri [...].
So Seas of teares did ever flowe,
The houses all within.
As Seas within were joynd with howles,
So Seas without did raire,
Thair carefull cries to Heauen did mount
Resounding in the aire.
O stay my Muse, thou goes too farre, 180
Shewe where we left before,
Lest trikling teares so fill my penne
That it will write no more.
THEN VENICE being in this state,
When GABRIEL there was sent,
His speaches spred abroad, made Towne
And Senat both so bent
To take reuenge, as they implorde
The Christian Princes ayd,
Of forces such, as easilie, 190
They might haue spard and maid.
At last, support was granted them,
The holie league was past,
Als long to stande, as twixt the Turkes
And Christians warre shoulde last.
It was agreed, that into March,
Or Aprill every yeare,
The armie shoulde on easterne Seas,
Convene from farre and neare.
THVS bent vpon their interprise, 200
The principalls did conveene,
Into MESSENA to consult,
What order should haue beene,
Obseru'd in all their armie great:
There DON IOAN d'AVSTRIA came,
Their Generall great, and VENIER als
Came there in Venice name.
From GENES ANDREA DOREE came
And Rome COLONNE sent,
210 When they with others many daies
Had into counsaile spent,
In end ASCAGNIO DE LA CORNE
A Martiall man and wise
His counsaile gaue, as ye shall heare
Vpon their enterprise.
THREE causes be (ô Chieftaines braue)
That should a Generall let,
On Fortunes light vncertaine wheele
The victorie to set:
220 First, if the losse may harme him more,
Then winning can auaile,
As if his Realme he doe defend
From them that it assaile:
The next is when the contrare Host
Is able to deuide
For sicknes sore or famine great
Then best is to abide.
The third and last, it is in case
His forces be too small,
230 Then better farre is to delay,
Then for to perish all:
But since of these two former points
We need not stand in doubt,
Then though we leese, we may defend
Our Countries round about.
As to the last, this armie is
So awfull strong and faire,
And furnisht so with necessares
Through your foreseing cair,
That nought doth rest but courage bolde. 240
Then since your state is such,
With trust in God assay your chance
Good cause availeth much.
But speciallie take heede to this,
That ere yee make away,
Ye order all concerning warre,
Into their due array:
For if while that yee see your foes,
Yee shall continewe all,
Then shall their suddaine sight with feare 250
Your brauest Spreits appall,
Each one commande a sundry thing,
Astonisht of the cace,
And everie simple Soldat shall
Vsurpe his Captaines place.
This counsall so contents them all,
That everie man departs,
With whispering much, and so resolues
With bolde magnanime harts.
THEIR preparations being made, 260
They all vpon a day,
Their biting ankers, gladlie wayed,
And made them for the way.
The Grecian Fleet, for HELENS cause,
That NEPTVNS town did sack:
In braue array, or glistring armes,
No match to them could mak.
There came eight thousand Spaniards braue,
From hotte and barren SPAINE,
Good ordour kepars, cold in fight, 270
With proud disdainfull braine.
From pleasant fertill ITALIE,
There came twelue thousand als,
With subtill spreites bent to reuenge,
By craftie meanes and fals.
Three thousande ALMANS also came,
From Countries colde and wide,
These monney men with awfull cheare
The chok will dourelie bide.
280 From diuers partes did also come,
Three thousand venturers braue,
All voluntaires of conscience mou'd,
And would no wages haue.
Armde Galleyes twice a hundr'and eight,
Six shippes all wondrous great,
And fiue and twentie loadned Shipps
With baggage and with meate.
With fourtie other little barkes
And prettie Galeots small,
290 Of these aforesaide was compound
The Christian Nauie all.
THIS cloude of Gallies thus began
On NEPTVNS back to rowe,
And in the Shippes the marriners,
Did skippe from towe to towe
With willing mindes they hailde the Tyes,
And hoist the flaffing Sayles,
And strongest towes, from highest mastes,
With force and practique hayles.
300 The Forceats lothsomlie did rowe,
In Gallies gainst their will,
Whome Galley masters oft did beat,
And threaten euer still.
The foming Seas did bullor vp,
The risking Oares did rashe,
The Soldats peeces for to clenge
Did shoures of shotts delashe.
BVT as the Deuill is reddie bent,
Good workes to hinder ay,
310 So sowd he in this Nauie strife,
Their good successe to stay:
Yet did the wisdomes of the Chiefes
And of the generall most,
Compound all quarrels and debates
That were into that Host,
Preferring wisely as they ought,
The honor of the Lord,
Vnto their owne, the publicke cause,
To priuate mens discord.
THE feathered fame of wondrous speed 320
That doth delite to flee
On tops of houses pratling all
That she can heare or see,
Part true, part false: this monster strange
Among the Turks did tell,
That diuers Christian Princes joynd,
Resolu'd with them to mell.
Then spies were sent abroad, who tolde
The matter as it stood,
Except in Arithmetique (as 330
It seemd) they were not good,
For they did count their number to
Be lesse then was indeed,
Which did into the great Turks mind
A great disdaining breed:
A perrillous thing, as euer came
Into a Chieftaines braine,
To set at nought his foes (though small)
By lighleing disdaine.
Then SELYM sent a nauie out, 340
Who wanderd without rest,
Whill time into LEPANTOES gulfe
They all their Ankers kest.
IN season when with sharpest hooks
The busie shearers cowe
The fruitfull yallow lockes of golde,
That doe on CERES growe,
And when the strongest Trees for weight
Of birth do downward bow
350 Their heauie heads, whose colourd knops
In showers raines ripelie now,
And Husband-men with woodbind crownes
To twice borne BACHVS dance,
Whose pleasant poyson sweet in tast,
Doth cast them in a trance:
Into this riping season sure,
The Christian Host I say,
Were all assembled for to make
Them Readie for the way:
360 But or they from MESSENA came,
The Vines were standing bair,
Trees voyd of fruit and CERES polde,
And lacking all her hair:
But when that leaues, with ratling falles
In banks of withered boughes,
And carefull laborers do begin,
To yoke the painefull ploughes
The Nauies neere to other drew,
And VENIER (sent before)
370 Gaue false Alarum, sending word,
The Turks had skowp'd the score,
That fiftie Galleis quite were fled,
This word he sent expresse,
To make the Christians willinglie
To battell them adresse,
As so they did, and enterd all,
(Moou'd by that samin slight.)
Into LEPANTOES gulfe, and there
Preparde them for the fight.
380 WHILL this was doing heere on earth,
Great God who creats all,
(With wakrife eie preordoning
What euer doth befall.)
Was sitting in his pompous Throne,
In hiest Heauen aboue,
And gloriouslie accompanied
With justice and with loue:
The one hath smiling countenance,
The other frowning cheare.
The one to mercie still perswades 390
Him as a Father deare,
The other for to powre his plagues
Vpon repining sinne,
And fill the fields with wofull cries,
The houses all with dinne,
But yet the Lord so temperates them,
That both doe brooke their place,
For Iustice whiles obtaines her will,
But euermore doth grace:
IEHOVA als hath ballances, 400
Wherewith hee weighs aright
The greatest and the heauiest sinnes
With smaller faults and light,
These grace did mooue him for to take,
And so he weighed in Heauen,
The Christian faults with faithlesse Turkes,
The ballance stood not eauen,
But sweid vpon the faithlesse side:
And then with awfull face,
Frownd God of Hosts, the whirling Heauens 410
For feare did tremble apace,
The staiest Mountaines shuddred all,
The grounds of earth did shake,
The Seas did bray, and PLVTOES Realme
For horrour colde did quake.
Hovv soone AVRORAS ioyfull face,
Had shead the shadie night,
And made the chiuering Larks to sing
For gladnes of the light,
420 And PHOEBE with inconstant face,
In Seas had gone to rest;
And PHOEBVS chasing vapours moist,
The Skie made blew celest:
The Generall of the Christian Host
Vpon his Galley Mast,
The bloodie signe of furious MARS
Made to bee fixed fast.
Then as into a spacious towne,
At breaking of the day,
430 The busie worke-men doe prepare
Their Worklumes euery way,
The Wright doth sharpe his hacking Axe,
The Smith his grinding File,
Glasse-makers beets their fire that burnes
Continuall not a while,
The Painter mixes colours viue,
The Printer Letters sets,
The Mason clinckes on Marble Stones,
Which hardlie drest he gets:
440 Euen so, how soone this Warriour world
With earnest eies did see
You signe of Warre, they all prepard
To winne or els to die:
Heere Hagbutters prepard with speed
A number of Bullets round,
There Cannoners, their Canons steild
To make distroying sound,
Here Knights did dight their burnisht brands,
Their Archers bowes did bend,
450 The Armorers on Corslets knockes,
And Harnesse hard did mend,
The feirie Marriners at once
Makes all their tackling clair
With whispering dinne, and cries confus'de,
Preparing here and there:
As busie Bees within their Hyues
With murmuring euer still,
Are earn'st vpon their fruitfull worke
Their emptie holes to fill.
The Flags and Enseigneis were displaid, 460
At ZEPHYRS will to waue,
Each painted in the colours cleere
Of euery owner braue.
BVT all this time in carefull minde,
The Generall euer rolde,
What manner of array would best
Fit such an Armie bolde,
To pance on this it paind him more,
This more did trouble his brest,
Then Canons, Corse-lets, Bullets, tackle, 470
And swordes, and bowes, the rest,
And at the last with ripe aduise,
Of Chieftaines sage and graue
He shead in three in Cressents forme,
This martiall Armie braue:
The Generall in the battaile was,
And COLONNE vndertooke
The right wing with the force of GENES,
The left did VENIER brooke.
WHEN this was done, the Spanish Prince 480
Did row about them all,
And on the names of speciall men
With louing speach did call,
Remembring them how righteous was
Their quarrell, and how good,
Immortall praise, and infinit gaines,
To conquer with their blood,
And that the glorie of God in earth,
Into their manhead stands,
Through just reliefe of Christian soules 490
From cruell Pagans hands:
But if the ennemie triumphed
Of them and of their fame,
In millions men to bondage would
Professing Iesus name.
The SPANIOL Prince exhorting thus
With glad and smiling cheare,
With sugred wordes, and gesture good,
So pleas'd both eie and eare
500 That euerie man cryed victorie:
This word abroad they blew,
A good presage that victorie
Thereafter should ensew.
THE Turquish Host in maner like
Themselues they did array,
The which two, BASHAAS did command
And order euerie way.
For PORTAN BASHA had in charge,
To gouerne all by land,
510 And ALI-BASHA had by Sea
The onely cheife command.
These BASHAAS in the Battaile were,
With mo then I can tell,
And MAHOMET BEY the right wing had,
The left OCHIALI fell.
Then ALI-BASHA visied all
With bolde and manly face,
Whose tongue did vtter courage more
Then had alluring grace:
520 He did recount amongst the rest
What victorie Turks obtaind
On catife Christians, and how long
The OTTOMANS race had raignd.
He told them als, how long themselues
Had victours euer bene,
Euen of these same three Princes small,
That now durst so conuene,
And would yee then giue such a lie
Vnto your glories past,
As let your selues be ouerthrowne 530
By loosers at the last?
This victorie shall Europe make
To be your conquest pray,
And all the rare things therein till,
Ye carry shall away:
But if ye leese, remember well
How ye haue made them thrall,
This samin way, or worse shall they
Demaine you one and all,
And then shall all your honours past 540
In smoke euanish quite,
And all your pleasures turne in paine
In dolour your delite:
Take courage then, and boldlie to it,
Our MAHOMET will aid,
Conducting all your shots, and stroakes,
Of Arrow, Dart, and blaid:
For nothing care but onely one
Which onelie doth me fray,
That ere with them we euer meet 550
For feare they flee away:
This speach did so the Armie please,
And so their minds did mooue,
That clincks of Swordes, and rattle of Pikes,
His speaches did approoue.
THE glistering cleare of shining Sunne
Made both the Hosts so glance,
As fishes eies did reele to see
Such hewes on Seas to dance:
But TITAN shinde on eies of Turkes 560
And on the Christian backes,
Although the wauering wind the which
But seldome setling tackes,
The Turkes did second euer still
Whill but a little space
Before the chocke, ô miracle,
It turnd into their face,
Which Christians joyfull as a seale
And token did receaue,
570 That God of Hosts had promis'd them
They victorie should haue.
Hovv soone a Cannons smokie throat
The Seas did dindle all,
And on BELLONA bold and wise,
And bloodie MARS did call,
And that the sounding cleare of brasse
Did als approoue the same,
And kindled courage into men
To winne immortall fame.
580 But what? Me thinke I doe intend
This battaile to recite,
And what by Martiall force was done
My pen presumes to write,
As if I had you bloodie God,
And all his power seene,
Yea to descriue the God of Hosts
My pen had able beene:
No, no, no man that witnes was
Can set it out aright,
590 Then how can I by heare-say do,
Which none could do by sight:
But since I rashlie tooke in hand,
I must assay it now,
With hope that this my good intent
Ye Readers will allow:
I also trust that euen as he
Who in the Sunne doth walke
Is colourd by the samin Sunne,
So shall my following talke
Some sauour keepe of Martiall acts, 600
Since I would paint them out,
And God shall to his honour als
My pen guide out of dout.
THIS warning giuen to Christians they
With Turks yoake heere and there,
And first the sixe aforesaid Ships
That were so large and fair,
And placed were in the former ranks,
Did first of all persew
With Bullets, Raisers, Chaines, and nailes, 610
That from their peeces flew:
Their Cannons rummisht all at once,
Whose mortall thudding draue,
The fatall Turks to be content
With THETIS for their graue.
The Fishes were astonisht all,
To heare such hideous sound,
The Azur Skie was dim'd with Smoke,
The dinne that did abound,
Like thunder rearding rumling raue 620
With roares the highest Heauen,
And pearst with pith the glistering vaults
Of all the Planets seauen:
The piteous plaints, the hideous howles,
The greeuous cries and mones,
Of millions wounded sundrie waies,
But dying all at ones,
Conjoynd with former horrible sound,
Distemperd all the aire,
And made the Seas for terrour shake 630
With braying euery where:
Yet all these vnacquainted roares,
The feareful threatning sound,
Ioynd with the groning murmuring howles
The courage could not wound
So farre of Turquish Chieftaines braue,
As them to let or fray
With boldest speed their greeuous harmes
With like for to repay,
640 Who made their Cannons bray so fast
And Hagbuts cracke so thicke,
As Christians dead in number almost
Did countervaile the quicke,
And sent full many carcages
Of Seas to lowest ground,
The Cannons thuds and cries of men
Did in the skie resound:
But Turks remaind not long vnpaid
Euen with their proper coyne,
650 By bitter shots which Christians did
To former thundring ioyne:
Dead drop they downe on euery side,
Their sighing Spreits eschews,
And crosses Styx into disdaine,
To heare infernall newes:
Yea skarcelie could the ancient bote
Such number of soules containe,
But sobbed vnderneath the weight
Of Passengers prophane.
660 While here the Father stood with Sonne,
A whirling round doth beare
The lead that dings the Father in drosse
And fils the Sonne with feare,
Whill there a Chieftaine shrillie cries,
And Soldats doth command,
A speedie Pellet stops his speach,
And staies his pointing hand,
Whill time a clustered troupe doth stand
Amasst together all,
670 A fatall Bullet them among
Makes some selected fall:
The hideous noise so deaf'd them all,
Increasing euer still,
That readie Soldats could not heare
Their wise commanders will,
But euery man as MARS him mou'd,
And as occasion seru'd
His dutie did the best he might,
And for no perrill sweru'd,
Their olde commanders precepts past 680
They put in practise then,
And onely memorie did command
That multitude of men.
THVS after they with Cannons had
Their dutie done a farre,
And time in end had wearied them
Of such embassad warre,
A rude recounter then they made,
Together Galleis clipt,
And each on other rasht her nose,
That in the Sea was dipt: 690
No manner of man was idle then,
Each man his armes did vse,
No skaping place is in the Seas
Though men would MARS refuse:
The valiant Knight with Coutlasse sharpe
Of fighting foe doth part
The bloodie head from bodie pale:
Whill one with deadlie dart
Doth pearce his enemies heart in twaine, 700
An other fearce doth strike
Quite through his fellowes Arme or Leg,
With pointed brangling Pike:
The Cannons leaues not thundering of,
Nor Hagbuts shooting still,
And seldome Powder wasts in vaine
But either wound or kill:
Yea euen the simple forceats fought
With beggers boltes anew,
730 Wherewith full manie principall men
They wounded sore and slew:
Whill time a Christian with a sworde,
Lets out a faithlesse breath,
A Turke on him doth with a darte,
Reuenge his fellowes death,
Whill time a Turk with arrow doth,
Shoot through a Christians arme,
A Christian with a Pike dooth pearce
The hand that did the harme:
720 Whill time a Christian Cannon killes
A Turke with threatning sound,
A Hagbut hittes the Cannoner,
Who dead, falles to the ground:
The beggers boltes by forceates casten,
On all hands made to flie,
Iaw-bones and braines of kild and hurt,
Who wisht (for paine) to die:
The clinkes of swords, the rattle of Pikes,
The whirre of arrowes light,
730 The howles of hurt, the Captaines cryes
In vaine do what they might,
The cracks of Gallies broken and bruzd,
Of Gunns the rumbling beire
Resounded so, that though the Lord
Had thundered none could heare:
The Sea was vernished red with blood,
And fishes poysond all,
As IEHOVA by MOSES rod
In Aegipt made befall.
740 THIS cruell fight continued thus
Vncertaine all the while,
For Fortune oft on either side,
Did frowne and after smile,
It seem'd that MARS and PALLAS both 780
Did thinke the day too short
With bloodie practise thus to vse
Their olde acquainted sport:
For as the slaughter ay increast,
So did the courage still,
Of Martiall men whome losse of friends
Enarm'd with eigre will,
The more their number did decrease
The more that they were harmd,
The more with MARS then were they fild
With boldning spite inarm'd: 790
Now vp now downe on either side,
Now Christians seemd to winne,
Now ouerthrowne, and now againe,
They seem'd but to beginne.
My pen for pitie cannot write,
My haire for horrour stands,
To thinke how many Christians there
Were kild by Pagane hands.
O Lord throughout this Labyrinth 800
Make me the way to vew,
And let thy holy three-folde Spreit
Be my conducting clew:
O now I spie a blessed Heauen,
Our landing is not farre:
Lo good victorious tidings comes
To end this cruell warre.
IN ALL the time that thus they fought,
The Spanish Prince was clipt
With ALI-BASHA, whome to meet 810
The rest he had oreslipt:
And euen as throughout both the Hosts,
Dame Fortune varied still,
So kythde she twixt those Champions two,
Her fond inconstant will:
For after that the Castels foure
Of Galleis both, with sound,
And slaughter huge, their Bullets had
In other made rebound,
820 And all the small Artillerie
Consumde their shots below
In killing men, or els to cut
Some Cable strong or Towe:
Yet victorie still vncertaine was,
And Soldats neuer ceast
(With interchange of Pikes and Darts.)
To kill, or wound at least.
In end, when they with blood abroad
Had bought their meeting deare,
830 The victorie first on Spanish side
Began for to appeare:
For euen the Spanish Prince himselfe
Did hazard at the last,
Accompanied with boldest men
Who followd on him fast,
By force to winne the Turquish decke,
The which he did obtaine,
And entered in their Galley syne
But did not long remaine:
840 For ALI-BASHA proou'd so well,
With his assisters braue,
That backward faster then they came
Their valiant foes they draue,
That glad they were to skape themselues,
And leaue behind anew
Of valiant fellowes carcases,
Whom thus their enemies slew.
The Generall boldned then with spite,
And vernisht redde with shame,
850 Did rather chuse to leese his life
Then tine his spreading fame:
And so of new encouraged
His Souldiers true and bolde,
As now for eigrenesse they burne
Who earst were waxed colde:
And thus they entred in againe
More fiercelie then before,
Whose rude assault could ALI then
Resist not anie more,
But fled vnto the forte at STEVIN. 860
For last refuge of all,
Abiding in a doubtsome feare
The chance he did befall.
A MACEDONIAN souldier then
Great honour for to win,
Before the rest in earnest hope
To BASHA bold did rin,
And with a Cutlace sharp and fyne
Did whip mee off his head,
Who lackt not his reward of him 870
That did the Nauie lead:
The Generall syne caus'd fixe the head
Vpon his Galley Mast,
At sight whereof, the faithlesse Host
Were all so sore agast,
That all amas [...] gaue backe at once,
But yet were staid againe,
And neuer one at all did scape,
But taken were or slaine
OCHIALI except, with three times ten 880
Great Galleis of his owne,
And many of the Knights of MALT
Whome he had ouerthrowne:
But if that he with his conuoy
Had mist a safe retreat,
No newes had SELYM but by brute
heard euer of this defeat.
WHEN thus the victorie was obteind,
And thankes were giuen to God,
890 Twelue thousand Christians counted were
Releeu'd from Turquish rod.
O Spanish Prince whome of a glance
And suddainlie away
The cruell fates gaue to the world
Not suffering thee to stay.
With this the still night sad and blacke
The earth ouer shadowed then,
Who MORPHEVS brought with her and rest
To steale on beasts and men.
900 BVT all this time was Venice Towne
Reuoluing what euent
Might come of this prepared fight,
With doubtsome mindes and bent:
They long'd, and yet they durst not long
To heare the newes of all,
They hoped good, they feard the euill,
And kest what might befall:
At last the joyfull tidings came,
Which such a gladnes bred,
910 That Matrons graue, and Maids modest,
The Market place bespred:
Anone with chearefull countenance
They dresse them in a ring,
And thus the formest did begin
Syne all the rest to sing.
CHORVS VENETVS.
SIng praise to God both young and olde
That in this towne remaine,
With voice, and euerie Instrument,
Found out by mortall braine:
Sing praises to our mightie God,
Praise our deliuerars name,
Our louing Lord, who now in need,
Hath kythd to be the same,
The faithles snares did compasse vs,
Their netts were set about,
But yet our dearest Father in Heauen,
He hath redeemd vs out.
Not onlie that, but by his power,
Our enemies feet they slaid,
Whome he hath trapt, and made to fall
Into the pit they made:
Sing praises then both young and olde,
That in this towne remaine,
To him that hath releeued our necks,
From Turquish yoak prophaine.
Let vs wash off our sinnes impure,
Cast off our garments vile,
And hant his Temple euerie day,
To praise his name a while.
O praise him for the victorie,
That he hath made vs haue,
For he it was reuengd our cause,
And not our armie braue:
Praise him with Trumpet, Piphre, and drumme,
With Lutes, and Organes fine,
With Viols, Gitterns, Cistiers als,
And sweetest voices syne:
Sing praise, sing praise both young and olde,
Sing praises one and all,
To him who hath redeemd vs now,
From cruell Pagans thrall.
IN HEARING of this song mee thinks
My members waxes faint,
Nor yet from dulnes can I keepe,
My minde by no restraint.
But lo my Y [...]nie head doth nod,
Vpon my Adamant brest,
My eie-lidds will stand vp no more,
But falles to take them rest.
And through my weak and wearie hand,
Doth slide my pen of lead,
And sleep doth els possesse mee all,
The similitude of dead.
The God with golden wings through ports,
Of horne doth to me creepe,
Who changes ofter shapes transformd
Then PROTEVS in the deepe.
How soone he came, quite from my minde,
He worldlie cares remou'd,
And all my members in my bed,
Lay still in rest beloud.
And syne I heard a joifull song
Of all the fethered bands
Of holie Angels in the heauen,
Thus singing on all hands.
CHORVS ANGELORVM.
SIng let vs sing with one accord
HALLELV-IAH on hie,
With euery elder that doth bow
Before the Lambe his knee:
Sing foure and twentie all with vs
Whill Heauen and earth resound
Replenisht with IEHOVAS praise
Whose like cannot be found:
For he it is, that is, and was,
And euermore shall be,
One onelie one vnseparate,
And yet in persons three.
Praise him for that he creat hath
The Heauen, the earth and all,
And euer hath preseru'd them since
From their ruine and fall:
But praise him more if more can be,
That so he loues his name,
As he doth mercie shew to all
That doe professe the same:
And not alanerlie to them
Professing it aright,
But euen to them that mixe therewith
Their owne inuentions slight:
As specially this samin time
Most plainlie may appeare,
In giuing them such victorie
That not aright him feare:
For since he shewes such grace to them
That thinks themselues are just,
What will he more to them that in
His mercies onelie trust?
And sith that so he vses them
That doubt for to be sau'd,
How much more them that in their hearts
His promise haue engrau'd?
And since he doth such fauour shew
To them that fondlie pray
To other Mediatours then
Can helpe them any way:
O how then will he fauour them,
Who praiers do direct
Vnto the Lambe, whome onely he
Ordaind for that effect?
And since he doth reuenge their cause
That worship God of bread,
(An errour vaine the which is bred,
But in a mortall head)
Then how will he reuenge their cause
That onelie feare and serue,
His dearest Sonne, and for his sake
Will for no perrils swerue:
And since that so he pities them
That beare vpon their brow,
The marke of Antichrist the whoore
That great abuser now,
Who does the truest Christians
With fire and sword inuade,
And make them holie Martyrs that
Their trust in God haue laid,
How will he them that thus are vsde,
And beares vpon their face
His speciall marke, a certaine signe
Of euerlasting grace?
Put end vnto the traueils (Lord)
And miseries of thy Sancts,
Remouing quite this blindnes grosse
That now the world so dants:
Sing praises of his mercie then
His superexcellence great,
Which doth exceed euen all his works
That lie before his seat:
And let vs sing both now and ay
To him with one accord,
O holie, holie, God of Hosts,
Thou euerliuing Lord.
THVS ended was the Angels song,
And also heere I end:
Exhorting all you Christians true
Your courage vp to bend,
And since by this defeat ye see,
That God doth loue his name
So well, that so he did them aid
That seru'd not right the same.
Then though the Antichristian sect
Against you do conjure,
He doth the bodie better loue
Then shadow be ye sure:
Do ye resist with confidence,
That God shall be your stay
And turne it to your comfort, and
His glorie now and ay.
FINIS.
SONET.
THe azur'd vaulte, the crystall circles bright,
The gleaming fyrie torches powdred there,
The changing round, the shyning beamie light,
The sad and bearded fyres, the monsters faire:
The prodiges appearing in the aire,
The rearding thunders, and the blustering winds,
The foules, in hew, in shape, and nature raire,
The prettie notes that wing'd musiciens finds:
In earth the sau'rie floures, the mettal'd minds,
The wholesome hearbes, the hautie pleasant trees,
The syluer streames, the beasts of sundrie kinds,
The bounded roares, and fishes of the seas:
All these, for teaching man, the LORD did frame,
To do his will, whose glorie shines in thame.
I. R. S.
LA LE PANTHE DE IAQVES VI. ROY D'ESCOSSE, Faicte francoise par le Sieur Du BARTAS.
IMPRIME A EDINBVRG PAR ROBERT WALDE-GRAVE, Imprimeur du Roy.
Anno Dom. 1591.
Auec Priuilege de sa Majesté.
AV LECTEVR.
LECTEVR, ne pense point qu'un desir d'augmēter ma reputation m'ait poussé à trauailler apres ceste versiō. Quelque poureté d'espritqu'il y ait en moy, si suis-je, par la grace de Dieu, beaucoup plus fecond en matiere, qu'en motz: & l'inuention me couste moins, que l'elocution. C'est pourquoy i'auoy fait voeu à mes plus sainctes Muses, de ne mettre jamais la main à traduction ou paraphrase quelcōque. Mais, que ne pourroit sur moy, je ne dis pas la grandeur, ains l'admirable esprit du Roy d'Escosse? La graue douceur, la belle & artificieuse liaison, les viues & parlantes descriptions de sa Lepāthe m'ont tellement rauy, que j'ay este contraint de fausser mon serment. Accepte donques, ie te prie, ceste plante que l'Apollon de nostre temps a semé de sa propre main, & les Graces ont arrousé du nectar plus diuin qui coule de leur bouche. Et bien que pour estre transportée en autre solage, elle ait perdu ses plus belles fleurs: toutesfois son estoc, ses branches, & la plus part de ses fueilles luy sont demeurées. Le peintre peut bien exprimer & le pourfil, & les couleurs d'un beau visage: mais non l'air, le geste, & moins encor la parolle. Que si mesme quand au sens tu trouues que cest extraict ne respond point entierement à son original, propose toy que cest ouurage ne faisoit que sortir encores tout bluetāt de la forge Royale, quand je luy donnay la façon françoise: & que depuis sa Majesté l'a rebattu, & relimé, & breffait tel, qu'il semble estre sorti de la boutique d'Homere.
LA LEPANTHE DE IAQVES VI. ROY D'ESCOSSE, FAICTE Françoise par le Sr Du BARTAS.
IE chante du grand Dieu la iustice & bonté,
Vn exploit de ses mains non encore chanté:
Vn combat hazardeux, vne dure iournée:
Ie descry dans ces vers la bataille donnée
Sur le flot LEPANTHOIS, qui se vid arrousé
Et du sang Circoncis, & du sang baptizé.
VIEN, vien donques, Seigneur, ô Maiesté diuine,
Tout-puissante, immortelle, vne en trois, en vn trine,
O Pere de ce Tout, ie te prie trois fois,
Par ton vnique Fils, ton immortelle voix,
Le bras de ton vouloir, l'Ange du tesmoignage,
Que ton Esprit sacré sur l'or de ceste page
Face couler vn vers, en graces si parfaict,
Qu'il passe merùeilleux les merueilles du faict.
Le trois-fois Saint ayant pour throne le haut Pole,
Les Anges pour archers, à son flanc sa Parole,
L'Eternel vid vn iour, (l'erre car deuant DIEV
Le Temps enfant du Ciel, ne peut point auoir lieu.
Le temps desia passé, qui passera, qui passe,
Tousiours confus ne sont qu'un temps deuant sa face.
Mais quoy? l'homme mortel pour parler clairement
Aux hommes, est contraint parler humainement:
La chair n'attaint au ciel, & les langues mortelles
Beguayent en parlant des choses eternelles.)
Il vid, di-ie, au milieu de la troupe celeste
L'ennemi de son nom, & des hommes la peste:
Le Saint vid a ses pieds le premier imposteur,
De crimes forgeron, seme-yuraye, menteur,
Auquel Christ parle ainsi: Monstre plein d'impudence,
Tu viens (le sçay-ie pas?) de l'antique Byzance
Pour remplir boute-feu, d'ire & forcenement,
Du Turc porte-turban le fier entendement
Contre ceux qu'à mon nom l'humble genouil flechissent.
PERE permettras-tu que ces chiens les pestrissent
Sous leurs profanes pieds? que ceux qui sont sans foy
Triomphent des humains qui t'adorent en moy
D'une foy viue armez? qu'en despit de ton ire
Ils soient executeurs de tout ce qu'il conspire?
Quelle foy? dit Satan: ne sçay-tu pas qu'ils font,
Impudens, à qui mieux couronnera son front
Du laurier de reuolte? a tu pas exposée
Et la gent Muzulmane, & la gent baptizée
Entre mes rouges mains, a fin que leur supplice
Responde à leur forfait, responde à ma malice?
Adonques l' Eternel qui du seul croulement,
De son chef rayonneus meutiusqu' au fondement
Les montagneux rochers, fait chanceler le Pole,
Bouleuerse l'Enfer: ce DIEV dont la Parole
D'un rien fit de ce Tout l'ouurage si parfait,
Et le maintient encore en l'estat qu'il l'afait,
Prononça, non des motz, ains des bruyants tonnerres:
Dragon crache-venin, ruzé fufil des guerres,
Vilain, lasche la prise, espargne les Chrestiens,
Et n'ose, ô Tentateur, t'attaquer plus aux miens.
Tout Chrestien sert mon Fils, & bien qu'en mainte sorte,
Il demente aueuglé le sacré nom qu'il porte,
Qu'il erre en plusieurs points: si veux-ie toutes-fois
Que le nom de mon Christ luy serue de pauois:
Tant ce doux nom m'est sainct: tant ie veux qu'on hōnore
Ce beau nom que l'Enfer, le Ciel, la Terre adore.
Affronteur cesse donc. Mais toy Force de DIEV
Qui de zele empenné discours de lieu en lieu,
Comme mon ambassade, ô loing-volant Archange
GABRIEL, l'un des chefs de l'astreuse phalange,
Va t'en viste à Venice, & graue dans le coeur
De leur graue Senat vne guerriere ardeur,
De venger tant de torts que les dextres cruelles
Des rasez Muzulmans ont fait à mes fideles.
Il court tost, & plustost qu'un vent roule caillous
Ne haste entre deux monts son murmurant courrous.
Sa pensée luy sert d' vne vistesse extreme,
Car il n'est à peu pres que pensée luy-mesme.
La trafiqueuse mer de tous costez enferme
Ceste ville, qui n'est Isle, ny terre ferme,
Ville, qui flotte en l'eau, ville sans fondement,
Qu'une forest plantée en l'onde artistement
A grands coups de belier supporte, & porte aux nuës,
Grand'ville qui n'a point moins de mers, que de ruës.
Montésur vne tour à cent bouches d'airain,
Tu vois vne mer seche, vn champ fait à la main,
Vn abbregé du monde, vne isle riche & grande,
Ou preside vn seul Duc, ou le Senat commande.
Saint MARC est leur Patron: & leur espouse encor
La marchande Thetis, que d'une bague d'or,
Ils estrenent chasqu' an. Le messager celeste
Arriué là dedans prend la forme, & le geste
D'vn bourgeois ia chenu: se promeine, & trouuant
Vn sage citadin, met ces motz en auant.
Helas! que faisons nous? sommes nous lethargiques?
Nous sommes oppressez, par ces cruels Ethniques,
Et ne le sentons point? noz forts sont mis à bas,
Noz guerriers esgorgez, & ne le voyons pas?
Allons, que tardez vous? chargeons ceste racaille,
Vuidons noz vieux debats par vn iour de bataille.
DIEV secourt les hardis Cela dit, ils enfuit.
Ce propos courageus de bouche en bouche suit
Tous le coins de la ville: Il paruient à l'oreille
De l'auguste Senat: qui soudain se reueille
De son profond sommeil: l'approuue, & sage faict
Ce qu'il doit, ce qu'il peut pour le mettre en effect.
Ce peuple estoit tenu par les lunez gendarmes
De si court qu'ilz n'auoient que les seuls voeus pourarmes:
La Cypre estoit ia prise, & le bord mugissant
D'Adrie, estoit le bord de son sceptre impuissant.
Il supplie l'Eglise esparse par la terre,
Qu'en priant elle arrache au Seigneur le tonnerre
Qui gronde sur son chef: La ville engemissant,
Importune sans fin le trois-fois-Tout-puissant:
Tous les iours elle ieusne: elle ioint ses mains sainctes:
On ne voit rien que pleurs: on n'entend rien que plaintes.
Les hommes plus guerriers sont mandez au cercueil
Frappez tant seulement du fer mousse du dueil:
La femme donne laict de tristesse se pasme:
L'enfançon qui le void de ducil rend presque lame.
La plus gaye ieunesse a d'vn noir vestement,
Affublé tout son corps: le plus riche ornement
De l'azur estoillé, le clair cierge du monde,
Plustost qu'il ne souloit se replonge en son onde
D'vn front rebarbatif, affreux, & renfrongné:
La blaffarde Misere a tout d'vn coup donné
La chasse à Cupidon. Dans leurs maisons dorées
Flottent les tiedes pleurs: autour, les mers irées.
Les eaux bruyent autour: dedans, les hurlements:
Leur cri des-esperé perçant les Elements
Monte iusques au Ciel. MVSE, tourne en arriere
Et, sage, remetz toy sur ta route premiere.
Crains-tu pas que les pleurs sur mon papier coulants,
Effaçent les noirs traitz de mes discours sanglants?
TELLE estoit la Cité, quand l'empenné message
De son peuple marin r'allume le courage.
Noz Roys, sollicitez par elle tous les iours,
Vont en fin accordant le demandé secours.
La saincte ligue est faicte: & sur la verte riue
Du fort MESSENIEN tout l'ost Chrestien arriue.
Là, comme General DON-IEAN l' Austrichien
Luit ainsi qu'vn Soleil: l'honneur Venitien
VENIER s'y trouue aussi: le Geneuois DORIE,
Et COLOMNE pilier du pilier d'Hesperie,
De la ville à sept monts. Or plusieurs iours s'estant
Entre ces braues chefs passez en consultant,
ASCAIGNE de la Corne, homme prudent & braue
Auance ce discours non moins facond que graue:
SEIGNEVRS, on ne doit pas hazarder vn estat
Sur le rouët leger d'vn incertain combat
Quand la guerre se fait dans les propres entrailles
De nostre cher païs: quand des dures batailles
Le bien-heureux succez n'apporte tant de fruict
Auxvainqueurs, qu'aux vaincuz vne grand'route nuit:
Et beaucoup moins encor quand l'armée ennemie
Combatuë du Ciel, de faim, d'Epidemie
Peu à peu se desbande: ou quand plus d'estendarts
Marchent en l'ost hayneux, qu'aux nostres des soudarts.
Lors certes il vaut mieux laisser cuuer leurrage,
Et caler voile vn peu, que faire entier naufrage.
O genereux Heros, puis que nous nefaisons
Laguerre à Soliman sur l'huis de noz maisons,
Que son ost ne se rompt: & que nostre exercite
Superbe est composé de tant d'hommes d'eslite,
Si fort, si bien muny: que pour estre vainqueur
Sans doute rien ne peut luy manquer que le coeur:
Attaquons l'ennemi, iectants sus lapuissance
Du DIEV donne-lauriers l'ancre de l'esperance.
Bon droit vaut mieux que force. Il est vray que plustost
Que nous venons aux mains, il faut policer l'ost,
L'asseurer, l'exercer: de peur qu'à l'impourueuë
Du Barbaresque arroy l'esblouissante veuë
N'esbranle les plus fiers: que les commandements
Diuers n'aillent troublant noz croisez regiments:
Et le soldat couché freschement sur le rolle
N'vsurpe de son chef l'office & la parolle.
Il finit: & soudain par vn murmure doux
Son genereux conseilest approuué de tous.
Ilz s'en vont satisfaicts: & dans les creux nauires
R'emportent eschauffez des genereuses ires.
Ce camp, par qui iadis ILION fut razé,
En armes & valeur cedoit au baptizé.
Là, l'Espaigne rostie, areneuse, infertile,
De ses filz basanez en faict venir huict mile:
Superbes, bien reglez, de leur honneur ialoux,
Froids au cōmencemēt, mais chauds aux meilleurs coups.
L'Italie, tetin, & verger de la terre
Y fait couler la fleur de ses hommes de guerre:
Douze mille soldatz vindicatifz, gentilz,
A bien faire, à mal faire, esgalement subtilz.
Puis on void sur le dos de l'ondeuse campaigne
Venir des vagues champs de la froide Allemaigne
De guerriers fourmilliere, & boutique de MARS,
Trois mille champions, venaux, mais bons soudarts.
Là se trouuent aussi trois mille volontaires
Bouïllants d'vn zele sainct: deux cents & huict galeres,
Vingt & cinq naus de charge, auec six grands vaisseaux,
Qui semblent des Palais, non des nefz sur les eaux.
Et deus fois vingt encor fustes, fregates, barques
Portent le camp sacré des fidelles Monarques.
CE peuple vagabond, ceste ville de bois
Commence à desmarer le septiesme du mois
Qui nage tout en moust. D'vn alaigre courage
Les nochers vont grimpant de cordage en cordage:
Hissant, haussant les draps: & donnent, rois des eaux,
Par force & par engin des aisles aux vaisseaux.
Seuls les forçats mi nuds d'vne rame ferrée
Rompent à contre coeur l'eschine de Nerée:
Mais le Comite fier en front, en mine, en voix
Les menace tous-iour, & les bat maintes-fois.
Ia d'auirons bruyans vne forest esmuë
Par vn nombreux accord le Sel baueux remuë:
L'artillerie orage: & les soldats dispos
D'une gresle de plomb font empouler les flots.
SATHAN, qui hait malin toute sainte entreprise,
Le noir feu du discord dans l'ost Chrestien attise.
Le General l'esteint de l'eau de son bon sens:
Et faict, bien aduisé, que les chefz plus puissans
Ne regardent qu'à DIEV: & d'vn coeur heroique
A l'interest priué preferent le publique.
LE RENOM loing volant (quisus les hautes tours
D'vne langue d'airain caquetant tous les iours,
Dict le vray, dict le faux:) haste ses peintes aisles,
Et des apprestz Chrestiens porte au Turc les nouuelles.
L'espion desguisé, legier, ingenieux:
Dont le corps est couuert, & d'oreilles & d'yeux
Se fourre bien par tout: mais soniect semesconte
Et fait que l'ennemi, desdaigneus, ne tient conte
De l'exercite sainct: vice qui souuent perd
Maint Capitaine en chef plus hazardeux qu'expert.
La f [...]otte de SELIM au-gré des vents errante
Mouille l'ancre à la fin augoulphe de Lepanthe.
Le tanné moissonneur auoit desia tondu
CERES aux cheueuxd'or: BACCHVS auoit perdu
Et son pampre & ses fruicts: les branches verdissantes
Ne craquent sous le faiz des pommes rougissantes:
Le bois des premiers froids paslement estonné
Laisse tomber son poil sur le gazon fené:
Et ia le laboureur du soc de sa charruë
Pour y semer du blé le pourri champ remuë,
Quand lapproche se faict Lors VENIER le ruzé,
VENIER second Vlysse ayant l'ost abusé
Par vne fausse alarme, & seméles nouuelles
De la blesme terreur des soldatz infideles:
Qu'on ny void que discord, fuite, temerité:
Et que cinq-fois dix naus ont leur camp ia quitté,
Faict que noz champions d'vn plus constant courage
Mesprisent des Payens, & le nombre & la rage.
Tandis le Sainct ouurier de ce rond bastiment,
Qui void tout, qui sur tout commande absolument,
Assis au lieu plus haut de la voute empyrée
Void slanquer les piliers de sa chaire dorée
De IVSTICE & d'AMOVR. L'vn a le front riant,
Et l'autre rensrongné: l'vn vapour nous priant,
Et l'autre contre nous: l'vn à Pitié le pousse,
L'autre fait que vengeur L'ETERNEL se courrouce,
Qu'il desploye ses fleaux, & rempli [...]se les chams
De hurlemens affreux, les toictz de cris trenchans.
Mais le DIEV tousiour-vn si dextrement accorde
Et la LOY porte-glaiue, & la MISERICORDE:
Qu'encor que la premiere obtienne rarement,
De ses breuetz sanglants le iuste appointement:
Et que l'autre tousiours parvienne à ses attentes:
Elles sont toutes-fois esgualement contentes.
Puis L'ETERNEL prenant la balance en ses mains,
Et par grace y pesant les pechez des humains,
Des cruelz Sarrasins void trebucher les fautes:
Et celles des Chrestiens demeurer tousiours hautes.
Lors ilfronça son front dont la Terre trembla,
Pluton fremit de peur, & la Mer se troubla
Bruyantement haueuse Aussi tost quel' Aurore
Peinte d'or, de safran, de vermeillon encore,
A bani la nuict sombre: & qu'en tire-lirant
L'allouëtte a donné d'un bec doux-souspirant
Vngay bon-iour au iour: que Phoebé change-face
Dans le parc de Thetis ses moreaus vistes chasse:
Que Phoebus dissipe-ombre a d'un feu tremblotant
Frappé l'acier fourbi du casquet esclatant:
IEAN d'AVSTRE va plantant sur la hunc venteuse
De MARS fauche-soudars l'enseigne furieuse.
Ainsi que les ouuriers diligemment subtils,
Sur la pointe du iour preparent leurs outilz:
Son feu tousiour viuant là le vitrier attise:
L'artiste menuisier là ses rabotz aiguise:
Le serrurier sa lime: & là le bon maçon,
Au rebelle Porphyre oser donner façon.
Là ses viues couleurs l'aigu peintre meslange:
Et là ses plombs parlants le prompt Imprimeur range:
Ce monde de soldats ne void si tost flotter
Le signal du combat, qu'il s'en court apprester
Ses instruments guerriers: & gaillard boult d'enuie
Ou de gaigner la Palme, ou de perdre la vie.
Le braue Cheualier son glaiue raieunit,
Ses armes l'armeurier: Le soldat se munit
Et de corde & de plomb: & l'artilleur ia couche
Des Canons brise-nefz la ruineuse bouche:
L'Archer bande son arc: & les nochers criars,
A leur oeuure attentifs courent de toutes parts.
Tous, tous sont occupez, ainsi que les auettes,
Qui peintes voletant sur l'esmail des fleurettes
Suççottent là dessus l'alme sueur du ciel,
Qu'en leurs troux doux-bruyans elles changent en miel.
On ne void rien parmi les troupes marinieres
Que drapeaux bou-boufans, gonfanons, & bannieres,
Ou zephyrese iouë, orgueilleux de mesler
Son aisle enfante-fleurs, doux esuantail de l'air,
Parmi tant de couleurs, armoiries, deuises.
IEAN d'AVSTRE cependant, oisif tu ne mesprises
L'ordre de la bataille: & ton entendement
N'est pas moins trauaillé de ce chaud pensement,
Que le reste du camp a ses mains occupées
Aux cordes, traitz, canons, bales, armes, espées.
Tu menes la bataille, & fais que le Romain
A main droite combat, VENIER à lautre main.
CE chef rodant autour de la floite fidelle
Par nom & par surnom les plus vaillants appelle:
De leur deuot dessein propose l'equité,
Le butin de Turquie, & limmortalité.
Dict que l'honneur diuin gist comme en leur courage:
Que leur seule valeur peut d'vn cruel seruage
Affranchir leurs germains: mais en tournant le front,
Ils trahissent leur gloire: & miserables font
Que le peuple qui sainct la Foy de Christ embrasse
Gemira dans les ceps de l'OTTHO MANE race.
De ce noble orateur l'auguste royauté
Le front fierement beau, le port, la grauité
Dore tant de ses mots la coulante merueille:
Que tout le camp raui par l'oeil, & par l'oreille
Dict Victoire, victoire, ô victoire: & le flot,
D'vn language bruyant redit trois-fois ce mot.
I e t'accepte, ô mot sainct (crie le Prince sage)
Mot sacré, ie te pren pour vn heureux presage.
LE Turc range de mesme en bataille ses osts,
PORTAV commande en terre, ALY dessus les flots.
Fier il conduit le gros des troupes infidelles,
OCHIAL & MEEMET gouuernent les deux aisles.
Lors ALY le BASCHA soigneux va visitant
D'vn visage asseuré l'exercite flottant:
Et practiquant guerrier, vne masle eloquence,
Ilraconte comment la Turquesque vaillance
A tousiour triomphé du peuple porte croix:
Qu'eux mesmes ont vaincu ia desia tant de fois
Ces chefs qui leur font teste: & la longue durée
Des sceptres d'OTTHOMAN race en terre adorée.
He! voulez vous (dit il) rompuz, desfaicts, chassez,
Dementir le renom de voz gestes passez?
Faire cent-fois vainqueurs à voz vaincuz hommage?
Et du terroir Chrestien mespriser le pillage?
Mais perdant, vous serez accablez de gros fers:
Et gehenez nuict & iour seruirez à voz serfz:
Voz heurs deuiendront pleurs: & ceste renommée
Qui pousse au Ciel voz faitz ira toute en fumée.
Courage donc Soldats: MAHOM sera pour nous,
Et de noz fers trenchants guidera tous les coups.
Que s'il fault auoir peur, ayez peur que la crainte
Du burin de Nature en leur poictrine empreinte
Ne leur donne plustost que de venir aux mains,
Et la iambe des cerfz & laislé pied des dains.
Le son enflambe-coeurs de ces motz heroiques
Est suiui quand & quand d'vn branslement de piques,
Du tin tin des estocs, & d'vne voix qui sort
De tout l'ost sans ardeur, sans force, sans accord.
Les rayons clair-luisans de la torche du monde
Donnant dessus l'acier font berluer sous l'onde
Les troupeaux escaillez. Le Soleil radieux
Frappe les Sainctz à dos, & le Turc sur les yeux.
Et les vents vagabonds qui deuant la meslée
Des Byzantins cruels chocquoient la pouppe aislée,
Si tost qu'on vint aux coups (ô miracle!) donna
Sur leur visage fier. Le Turc s'en estonna
Et le Chrestien le prit pour augure fidelle,
Que le DIEV des combatz defendroit sa querelle.
Si tost que le gosier bruyantement fumeux,
Des longs canons troubla l'Ocean escumeux:
Que fier iladiourna BELLONE au grand courage:
Et MARS le furieux, sanglant, aime-carnage:
Que de l'airain plié le son haut-resonnant
Eut embrazé les coeurs d'vn desir bouillonnant
De renom eternel. Pouuret, que veux-tu dire?
Veux-tu d'vn digne vers ces durs assautz descrire?
Ozes-tu peindre au vif DIEV tout tel qu'il estoit
Quand son bras tempesteux pour ses filz combattoit?
L'oculaire tesmoin n'y pourroit point suffire:
Et toy qui n'en sçais rien que par vn ouir-dire
En viendras bien à bout? mais ie l'ay proiecté,
Ie l'ay desia promis, le sort en est iecté,
Croyant que le lecteur visera, fauorable,
Moins à mes rudes vers, qu'àmon desir louable.
Que comme ceux qui vont tous les iours au soleil
Sont teincts des rais ardents qui partent de son oeil:
Mes propos retiendront quelque couleur naïfue
Du MARS qu'ils veulent peindre: & que la source viue
D'eloquence & sçuoir, le grand DIEV, dont ie veux
La gloire icy chanter, accomplira mes voeus.
Le signe estant donné, la bataille commence,
Les six plus grandes nefz vers la teste on auance:
On afuste, on prent mire, on tire des canons,
D'ou sortent des cailloux, bouletz, ramez, chainons,
Qui donnent dans les Turcs: & sous les eaux pourprées
Enterrent à lopins leurs bandes demembrées.
Le peuple sans poulmon és abysmes s'enfuit
Tout d'vn coup, estonné d'vn tant horrible bruit:
Le cielest affeublé de cent nuës fumeuses:
On oit bruire àl'entour cent bouches salpetreuses,
Et leur ton ton-tonant erre: & prompt,
I'ay voulu icy imiter l'Onomatopoee de l'autheur.
rompt le rondDu plancher estoillé. Les hurlements que font
Tant & tant de blessez qui par cent mille portes
Font leurs ames sortir despiteusement fortes,
Conioincts aux premiers bruitz, chamaillis, tremblemēts,
Troublent tout en vn couples craintifz elements.
Mais non les chefs des Turcs, qui vont pleins de courage
C'est orage chasser par vn contraire orage:
Et leurs bouletz ardents abattent tant de corps,
Que le nombre est esgal des viuans & des morts.
Les Turcs sont repayez en la mesme monnoye:
Nostre canon les bat, les brise, les foudroye.
Rompuz qui çà qui là tombent dedans les flots:
Leur esprit dedaigneux sort auec les sanglots,
Trauerse en blasphemant la riuiere infernale,
Et visited'Enfer la nuict sombrement pale.
Du passager CHARON le gemissant bateau
De trop d'ombres chargé s'enfondre dedans l'eau.
Tandis qu'un pere ardent apres le fier carnage
Et de geste, & de voix, donne à son filz courage,
Vn boulet empenné d'une ardente vapeur
Donne au pere la mort, donne à l'enfant la peur.
Tandis que de la main, tandis que de la bouche
Vn chef cōmande aux siens, vn volant plomb luy bouche
Les conduits du language, & roidit, inhumain,
Les nerfz iadis si forts de sa parlante main.
Tandis qu'vn escadron emplotoné se serre,
Le murmurant effort d'vn ensoulfré tonnerre,
Fatal, n'en choisit qu'vn, effleurant le chapeau
Du voisin, doz de l'autre, & d'vn autre la peau.
Cest effroiable son, faict que des Capitaines
Bien qu'ilz orient fort haut, les parolles sont vaines.
Chascun mene les mains selon qu'il est poussé
Ou de l'obiect present, ou d vn MARS insensé.
Il est chef & soldat: & ses mains exercées,
Font proufit seulement des batailles passées.
S'estant donc saluez sur les champs ondoyants,
Par des ambassadeurs mortellement bruyants
On parle de plus pres: l'vn & l'autre ost approche:
La nef choque la nef, la nef la nef accroche:
Tout bras, tout glaiue aigu, tout dard est employé:
Celuy qui fuit les coups, est dans la mer noyé.
Icy le Cheualier trenche net vne teste,
Et là quand vn guerrier magnanime s'appreste
A creuer d'vn espieu le coeur d'vn fier soudart,
Vn tiers d'vn bois tremblant l'outre de part en part.
Tousiour le canon tonne, & l'harquebuse pette:
Iamais du fer creusé la foudreuse tempeste
Ne les menace en vain: chaque plomb a son blanc:
Et s'il ne tuë point, il verse aumoins du sang.
Le forçaire au doux son du sainct mot de franchise
Vne guerriere ardeur dans sa poitrine attise:
Et s'armant de crochetz, de barres, d'auirons,
Blesse, assomme tous ceux qu'il trouue aux enuirons.
Cependant qu'vn Chrestien priue ce Turc de vie,
La vie du Chrestien est par vn Turc rauie.
Lors que d'vn traict Turquois vn sainct bras est attaint,
Le bras decoche traict est percé d'vn bois sainct.
Et sur le mesme poinct que d'une forte bale
L'artilleur Musulman pousse en l'onde infernale
Vn baptizé soldat, l'harquebusier croisé
Tuë le canonier, qui mire peu ruzé
Le beau coup qu'il a faict: & donne trop grand prise
A cil qui seulement contre sa teste vise.
Des fresnes aiguisez le dru tremoussement,
Le chamaillis du fer, des traicts le frissement,
Des blessés languissants l'effroiable language,
L'entrechoc des vaisseaux, & des canons l'orage,
Meslés s'en vont si haut sur les eaux resonnant,
Qu'on ne peut mesme ouir le bruit du ciel tonnant.
La mer n'estrien que sang: & la race escaillée
S'enyure du poison de son onde souillée:
Et semble qu'à ce coup de L' Amramide sainct,
Le deuorant baston eut tout ce goulphe teint.
Leur valeur rend long temps douteuse la meslée:
Mesme ost & gaigne & perd. Et la fortune aislée
Void chasque bataillon de picques herissé
Or d'vn riant visage, or d'vn oeil courroucé.
MARS trouue le iour court pour practiquer sa rage:
Le massacre croissant, fait croistre le courage:
Plus le nombre descroit, plus descroit la pitié:
La perte des amis cause vne inimitié,
Qui rend chasque soldat durant ce triste esclandre
Fort à donner les coups, insensible à les prendre.
Quand ie pense combien de Chrestiens sont tombez
Sous l'homicide fil des coutelas courbez
Du peuple Byzantin, d'horreur mon poil se dresse,
Ma plume ne peut peindre vne telle tristesse.
O DIEV par ton esprit esclaire mes esprits:
Et d'un saint peloton guide moy par les plis
De ce Daedale obscur: courage, terre, terre:
Ie descouure vn bon port: Ie voy finir la guerre.
Ia l'oreille me corne, & dans les creuses naux
Semble que i'oy desia mille chants triomphaux.
L'Espagnol Cheualier qui courageux desire
Du Colonnel Payen attaquer la nauire,
Hurte, passe à trauers flotz, prouës, esperons,
Bales, piques, espieux, dardz, flesches, auirons:
Agraffe nef à nef, esprouue sa vaillance.
Mais le sort n'est pas moins constant en inconstance,
En ce duël priué, qu'és combatz generaux.
On tire incessamment des chasteaux des deux naux.
Les canons plus en coup qu'en murmure effroyables
Rompent corps, iambes, bras, mastz, antennes & cables.
On rend les traicts iectez: & du commencement
L'entr'approche des chefs s'achepte cherement.
A la fin toutes-fois la victoire commence
Regarder d'vn bon aeil l'Espagnole vaillance.
DON-IEAN accompagné des plus braues guerriers,
Prodigue de son sang, entre des beaus premiers
Dans le vaisseau vaincu du BASCHA, qui colere
Se despitant de veoir les croix dans sa galere,
Rechasse les vainqueurs, & fait qui'ls laissent morts
Sur son tillac sanglant pour gage plusieurs corps.
Le Prince esperoné de despit & de honte,
Et chez qui l'amour sainct de la gloire surmonte
L'amour doux de la vie, encourage si bien
Et d'exemple & de voix le bataillon Chrestien
Que son craintif glaçon en vn brasier s'allume,
Et qu'il r'entre dedans plus fier que de coustume.
Le Turc de tant de gents à la fin combattu
Gaigne pour se sauuer la prouë au bec-pointu.
Vn soldat Grec l'attaque: & fait saulter par terre
Son sacrilege chef d'vn coup de cimeterre.
Le coup n'est sans guerdon: & le chef degoutant
Est fiché sur le mast de son vaisseauflotant.
Ce trophée estonna les Turcs de telle sorte,
Que la volante peur loing des coups les emporte.
Mais ils sont tost apres par noz voiles r'attaints.
Et sans qu'vn OCHIAL trompa noz longues mains
Gaignant vn seur Asyle auec trente galeres,
Ou maint Heros Malthois esprouuoit les miseres
Du forçat qui battu battoit tousiour Neptun,
SELIM n'en eust rien sçeu que par vn bruit commun.
La bataille gagnée au SEIGNEVR on rend graces:
On suit barques, esquifs, houlques, galeres, nasses:
On y trouue enferrez douze mille de ceux
Que CHRIST le grand Pasteur dans son parc a rec eus.
On haut-loue DON-IEAN vray foudre de la guerre,
Dont le ciel a voulu faire monstre à la terre:
Et puis la retiré, non sans cause ialoux
Qu'vn astre si luisant flamboiast parminous.
La Nuict respand adonc sur les choses mortelles
Pour couuer le repos ses doux-pesantes aisles:
Va tous les animaux de son miel enchantant:
Et mene auecques soy Morphée linconstant.
Venize est en suspens, & d'vne ame flottante
Attend l'euenement de l'attaque sanglante.
Elle se veut promettre, & n'ose toutes-fois
(Tant le passé l'esmeut) la mort de l'ost Turquois.
De ioye & de douleur sa poitrine est attainte:
Elle esere le bien, & du mal elle a crainte.
En fin du bon succez de ce cruel combat
Le message certain paruient iusqu'au Senat:
Du Senat, à la Ville. Vne ioye incroiable
Saisit le coeur de tous. La troupe venerable
Des Dames aux vieux ans, & des Vierges encor,
Reprenant ses carquans, bagues, & chaines d'or,
Et se tournant en rond dans la place publique
Au branle de ses pieds marient ce Cantique.
CHOEVR VENETIEN.
CHante, ô peuple, ton DIEV: Ieunes & vieux chantez,
De voix & d'instruments celebrez ses bontez.
De CHRIST le grand Sauueur chantez l'amour extreme,
Sauueur qui s'est monstré vray Sauueur à vous-mesme.
Le laqs des ennemis nous tenoit enserrez,
Les Turcs autour de nous auoient tendu leurs retz:
DIEV nous a mis au large, & leur propre artifice,
Miserable, a serui de fosse à leur malice.
Chante, ô peuple, ton DIEV: Ieunes & vieux chantez,
Vieux & ieunes de DIEV celebrez les bontez.
Qui du profane ioug de la gent Sarrasine
N'aguere a deschargé vostre saigneuse eschine.
Lauez tous voz pechez dans l'eau du repentir:
Nets entrez dans son Temple: & faictes retentir
Ceste route des Turcs, victoire renommée
Que nous tenons de luy, & non de nostre armée.
Chrestiens, saisissez-vous de voz luths doux-sonnants,
Prenez cistres, tabours, fifres haut-resonnants,
Donnez aux orgues vent: embouchez voz trompettes:
Animez violons, guiterres, espinettes:
Chantez tous d'vn accord: Ieunes & vieux chantez,
Et de vostre Sauueur celebrez les bontez.
DECE Cantique sainct la douce melodie
Rend & mon corps pesant, & mon ame engourdie.
Ia ma teste de fer s'encline doucement
Vne, deux, & trois fois deuers mon sein d'aymant:
La paupiere est du tout sur mon oeil abaissée,
Et ma plume de plomb chet de ma main lassée.
Et bref, mon corps viuant proprement ne vit pas:
Caril est possedé du frere du Trespas.
Lors le DIEV Sommeilleux, le viste, le peint Ange,
Qui plus souuent de front, qu'vn vain Protée change,
Morphée aux aisles d'or s'escoule lentement
Par la porte de corne en mon entendement.
Chez soy l'ame si tost ne luy permit l'entrée
Que de tous soings humains elle fut seque strée:
Et qu'elle ouit ces vers doucement animez
Par le charmeur gosier des courriers emplumez.
CHOEVR DES ANGES.
CHantons freres volants: chantons tous d'vn accord,
Le los de l'Immortel, le los du DIEV tresfort.
Anciens qui marchants sur les voutes plus hautes,
Deux-fois-douze adorez l'Agneau efface-fautes,
Louez le auecques nous: & faictes que les cieux
Ne resonent voutez, que son nom glorieux.
SEVL il est, il sera, il fut tousiour en estre,
Des estres la fontaine, & des estres le maistre:
Vn en trois, trois en vn, distinct, non diuisé:
Qui dans le rien d'vn rien ce Tout a composé,
Et le tient en estat: ô Citadins porte-aisles,
O vous vies sans corps, ô troupes immortelles
Louez le de ceste oeuure: & si faire se peut,
Louez le encore plus de ce que doux il veut
N'espandre seulement les ruisseaux de sa grace
Sur celuy qui deuot son pur seruice embrasse:
Ains sur celuy qui meu de telle quelle foy
Mille menuz fatras mesle parmisa loy.
DIEV le monstre à ce coup. Mais quoy? ses vrais fidelles
Sentiront plus à plein ses faueurs eternelles.
DIEV, DIEV sera leur bras. Carpuis qu'il est ainsi
Que, clement, il poursuit d vn paternel soucy
Ceux qui, Pharisiens, s'enflent de leur iustice,
Que feroit-il à ceux qui confessent leur vice?
A ceux de qui l'esprit par l'Esprit Saint dompté
Ne veulent recourir qu'à sa saincte bonté?
Puis qu'il aide à celuy dont le salut chancele,
Et que doit esperer celuy quil Esprit séele
Du cachet de salut? Puis qu'il p [...]rte faueur
A celuy qui se feint Sauueur dessus Sauueur,
Et s'adresse aux Dieux vains: ô qu'il sera propice
A cil qui fait ses voeus au Soleil de Iustice!
A l'Agneau sacré sainct, à qui seul le Seigneur
A donné de tout temps l'estat de Moienneur!
Chrestiens, s'il est ainsi que sa dextre combatte
Pour celuy qui, bigot, adore vn Dieu de paste:
(Erreur par trop grossier) pourra il mespriser
Ses vrais adorateurs? pourra-il refuser
Aide à cil qui zelé de son feu seul s'enflame,
Et qui fait pour son nom bon marché de son ame?
Puis qu'il cherit celuy qui porte au front escrit,
Trompé des faux docteurs, le séel de l'Antechrist:
De la grande Putain, de qui les mains cruelles,
Et par fer & par feu poursuiuent les fidelles:
He! n'aimera-il pas cil qui pour son amour
Est des cruels tyrans mal mené nuict & iour?
Qui luy rend tesmoignage? & qui dessus sa face
Porte eternellement la marque de sa grace?
O SEIGNEVR fay cesser, fay cesser les trauaux
Qui torturent les Saincts: donne fin à leur maux:
Et chasse, ô trois-fois Bon, l'ignorance profonde,
Qui d'vn nuage espais affeuble tout lemonde.
Et nous ses messagers d'astres clairs reuestus
Celebrons sa bonté, gloire de ses vertus.
Chantons tous d'vne voix, ô bandes emplumées,
Chantons, ô Sainct, ô Sainct, ô Sainct DIEV des armées.
Leur chant prendicy fin. Icy prend fin le mien.
O toy qui nes de faict moins que de nom Chrestien,
Bon coeur, espere en DIEV, qui mesme fauorise
Ceux qui n'ont seulement qu'vn vain titre d'Eglise.
Que si de l'Antechrist le blasphemant courroux
Plus felon que iamais coniure or contre nous:
Sçache que DIEV cherit plus le corps que l'ombrage
Chrestien, monstre à ce coup inuaincu ton courage,
Et t'asseure que CHRIST fera de ton ennuy,
Sortir proufit pour toy, sortir honneur pour luy.
FIN.