ALBIONS Remembrance of FREDERICKE and ELIZABETH.
1
SITH Norths bright Nymph, and Albions Rosie
The sweetest, meekest of the Lady-kind
Must bound from vs to build her Summers bowre Flowre
At Heidelberge, now in this flowry time;
And that for Rhine, she must abandon Thames,
For Germany leauing the land of IAMES:
2
And sith Her presence sweete we must no more
Injoy, (alas) which was the ioy of hearts
To all Her sex, as HENRIES was before
To those of His, men, women of all parts;
Which came to Court, to veiw the worth, and State
Which their did shine through Him and Her of late:
3
Sith that, I say, now Hymen doth her call
From th'Ile of IEMMES to dwell in Germaines ground;
So that her face no more hence see wee shall,
Her face, the grace of Country, Court and Towne;
What rests? but that we wish her asmuch ioy
As by her absence we must reape annoy.
4
For like as did deere Henry by his death
Make men to mourne, but mirth to Angels bring;
So the departure of Elizabeth
Make Britans sigh, but Germaines for to sing:
Thus in one yeare, we drinke of double woes,
By loosing first our Lilly, then our Rose.
5
Which double losse might well our Iland drowne
In sorrowes sea, except there did remaine
A Lilly-Rose with ioy our land to crowne,
To salue the sorrowes which wee do sustaine:
Henry, Eliza: both their flowers bequeath,
To make for Charles a Lilly-rosie wreath.
6
Castor and Pollux of all brothers that haue bene were the most louingst, as Aratus, Apollodorus & Hyginus do write, & euen so louing, that the one would needs halue with the other his immortall State. Plutarch doth likewise tell how that Cleomenes of Lacedemonia did loue his brother Enclides so deerely, that he made him his coequall in the Kingdome: and in our time or memory, there was neuer one that loued his brother more deerely then our peerelesse Prince Henry did his brother Duke Charles.
For like as
Pollux to his brother deere
Castor by name, his glory did impart;
Haluing with him his owne Immortall Sphere,
So much had Castor of Prince Pollux heart:
Euen so would Henry halue his Princely State,
That his lou'd Charles might it participate.
7
Me thinkes I see sweete HENRY with his hand
Plucking the choisest flowers of Paradise;
One day to decke this twise defloured Land
With Syons store, to make it happy thrise;
Euen now he makes a Garland for the day,
That CHARLES shall beare Constantixes crowne away.
8
Likewise Eliza goes to breed and bring
Forth to the light, sonnes of a noble kinde,
Whose worth one day, shall make vs Britans sing,
When they with CHARLES vnanimely combin'd
(
This shall be shewed in our Sybilla Britannica containing Prophesies in siue sundry Languages, which seeme to promise no lesse.
As is fore-rold) in spight of Turkish might
Shall once regaine great Constantine his right.
9
Gonilda the faire, daughter of Canute the Danish King of England, married to Henry the 3. Emperour, & Mathilda or Maud, the daughter and heire of Henry the 1. K. of England, maried to Henry the 5. Emperour; reade hereof William of Malmesbury, and Roger Houeden their Histories.
A better hap, we hope this Match shall haue,
Then once two English-Germaine Matches had,
That to their Countries did no Issue leaue;
Which made Gonilda and Mathilda sad:
Kings daughters both, the second Englands Dame,
To Emperours matcht, both HENRIES by their name.
10
And better then had once that match in France,
Twixt Francis and our Scotlands noble Queene,
That Mary hight; and yet a better chance
Then of that Match for to ensue was seene
Twixt Spaine and England, when Queene Mary thought
With Phillip a great Vnion to haue wrought.
11
Robert surnamed the Noble, Prince Palatine & Emperour, had by his wife Elizabeth the Empresse & goodly children, fiue sons & three daughters, whereof reade in Custinianus, Munsteru [...], & Reusnerus: and from them two, Princ [...] [...]dericke and Princesse Elizabeth are both lineally descended, hee in the ninth, and shee in the tenth degree, as may be seene in the Pedegree I haue lately published) the which numbers in them vnited make vp King IAMES his auspicious & lucky number of Nineteene, which is likewise the number of the coelestial Lyon, according to Hyginus, & Germanicus Caesar writing vpon Aratus; as also of the Kingdomes & Prince-domes into which the Ile of Britanny, with Ireland, in former ages, haue bene deuided; the which are now all happely vnited in One, in the person of the Lilly-Lyon of the North, and in this vnited State long may they continue, aye vntill all the Kingdomes of the earth bee fully vnited in the glorious person of the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah, who delighteth to feede among the Lillies; as it is in the Canticles.
The heauens
Eliza will with Issue blesse
By Fredericke her Spouse from Caesars sprung,
Such is our hope, and such shall be our wish,
That songs may be of their sweete Issue sung;
When as it shall befall them as it hath
Before to * Robert and Elizabeth.
12
The two
Henries Kings of
England the 1. and the 2. had either of them a daughter named
Mathilde or
Maud, and both of them were married to two
Henries of
Germany: the first King
Henries Mathilde was his onely daughter and heire, and was wedded at fiue yeeres old to
Henry the 5. Emperour, and was crowned Empresse at
Mentz, on Saint
Iames his day, in the yeere 1114. being of the age as said is of 5. who after the decease of her husband, dying without issue,
annó 1116. returned to her father King
Henry, bringing with her the Imperiall Crowne, and Saint
Iames his hand, in honour whereof hee founded the Abbey and Church of S.
Mary in
Reading, as
William of
Malmsbury, William of
Gemite, Roger Houedon, and
Thomas Walsingham doe write. The which deed of this North-South descended Lady (for her father was King of
England, and her mother another renowned
Mathildis was a daughter of
Scotland borne of S.
Margaret, and King
Malcolme) me thinkes did beare this good signification; that once a
Iames, and he the son of a Matchlesse
Mary, both of them hauing in their persons vnited the Royall blouds of both Countries, should euen at the feast of the Annunciation of the glorious Virgin MARY, enter to the vniting of these Kingdomes, and that he should at the Feast of Saint
Iames receiue the Imperiall Crowne of the same vnited Kingdomes on his happy head: Whereof there is more to be read in our Poem, that sheweth both by Theology & Astrology the auspiciousnesse of his Maiesties entry to this Crowne; for whereas there haue bene three diuers designes attempted before at three diuers times, to vnite this Iland with three diuers Nations,
Germany, France, & &
Spaine, by the meanes of the Marriages of three Queene-heires,
Maud and the two
Maries, it was the great Vnion-Makers will to make the fore-said three Matches all fruitlesse, to the end that it might be first fully and perfitely vnited with, and in it owne selfe, before any other such Vnion with any forraine Nation should be made, as by those three marriages was intended and expected; and when I compare the designes & deeds of the three
Maries together; first of
Mary of
England by her Mariage with King
Phillip, labouring to vnite this Iland in whole, or in part with
Spaine; next of
Mary of
Lorvaine by the Mariage of her yong daughter
Mary of
Scotland with
Francis the Dolphin, to deuouring to vnite it with
France, and lastly of the same
Mary of
Scotland, by her second Marriage with her deerest cousen,
Henry, Lord
Darly, Earle of
Rosse, and Duke of
Albuny, great-grand-child of King
Henry the 7. intending to vnite this Iland with it selfe, in her happy Issue, when as I compare together, I say, the fore-said three diuers designes and endeuours of the fore-said three
Maries, I am constrained to giue out this verdite and censure concerning the same; that the first two
Maries were with
Martha in the Gospell combred about many things, but that the third
Mary, with
Mary in the same Gospell,
had chosen the better part, which was not to be taken from her. The other Mathildis or Maude, married into Germany, was the daughter of King Henry the second, wedded to Henry surnamed the Lyon, Duke of Bauier and Saxe, and bare him diuers children, namely Henry Duke of Saxe, &c. and Prince Palatine in right of his wife Agnes, heire of the Palatinate, by meanes whereof Prince Fredricke is descended from the said King Henry the 2. in the 17. degree. Another of their said children was Otho Lord of Brunswicke, and Earle of Yorke, created by his vnckle King Richard, sur-named Lyons-heart, who also was chosen Emperour afterwards, and from him Prince Charles Duke of Yorke, is both on his fathers and his mothers side descended, in the 13. and 14 degrees, though some haue written, that he left no Issue by any of his wiues. He is much wronged by Historians, for that he was an enemy to the Popes vsurped super-Imperiall power, and his. Temporall vsurpations; for when as hee did feast Pope Innocent the 3. in Rome, being then his friend, it chanced that hee made a motion to haue some things restored to the Empire, which the Pope did possesse, where-with he was so highly offended, that he presumptuously took vp a sword to haue stricken the Emperor, and afterwards did both Excommunicate him, and pronounce the sentence of deposition against him, whom before hee had aduanced to that dignity: reade Vrspergensis, Cuspinianus, Carion, Pedro de Mexia, and others.
Heauens her vouch safe both the
Mathilda's fate
Two Henries girles both of South-britanny,
Betroth'd to Henries, two of greatest state
They Germaines both; that Britanes once may see,
When with the first Mathilde Eliza shall
Weare on her head the wreath Imperiall.
13
And as the next Mathilda oft was seene
To blesse her Spouse with plenteous Progeny.
Both with a Caesar and a Palatine,
To rule in Brunswicke, Rhine, and Saxony:
So may Eliza with Mathilda beare
Vnto her Spouse a Caesar and a Peere.
14
Iagello great Duke of Lithuany married Hedwigis heire of Poland, & daughter of Lodowick King of Hungary
And like as once the braue
Hungarian Heire,
Elizabeth did crowne her Casimire
Great Polands King, when as shee to him bare
Sixe sonnes, besides as many daughters deere;
So may to our Elizabeth befull,
Like fruitefull fate to crowne her Spouse withall.
15
Poland, on S. Valentines day; and his sonne Casimire King of Poland married about the same time Elizebeth heire of Hungary, the daughter of Albert the 2. Emperour, Arch-duke of Austria, and King of Boheme and Hungary, by whom he had sixe sonnes, whereof foure were Kings of Poland, Hungary, and Boheme, and as many daughters.
That euen as hee from
Casimire doth spring,
And from his wife twise Queene Elizabeth,
So his Elizabeth may make him sing,
When he by her such hopefull children hath;
Like hap to both, sith both had hap to marry,
Eliza's two about mid-February.
16
Henry who did his sweetest sister loue
With heart so pure, so sure, me thinkes I see
How he doth beg leaue of the Powers aboue
For to come downe from heauen to Germany:
Bringing with him a Garland for the day,
That Heidelberge salutes her Queene of May.
17
Abrahams hill in Dutch, named Abrinsberge, is a hill on the right hand of Heidelberge, and is in the ancient Records of that Citty called S. Abrahami Mons, as Irenicus, Leodius, and Marquardus do witnesse.
Me thinkes I see him, from Saint
Abrahams hill
By Heidelberge inspiring euery wight,
How to vnite their Powers, wit and skill,
Their Towne to decke with greatest glory bright,
Against the day that his deere Sister sweete,
In greatest state must ride along the streete.
18
But first I see him from his owne Saint Iames,
Inspiring all the Worthies of this Isle
With greatest state to bring her to the Thames,
In such array, that twise ten thousand mile
Both tongues and Tribes may talke of that daies glory,
When she departs; and put it in some Story.
19
Come Nobles all, come Worthies, Beauties bright
With your best things adorne Eliza's day,
Flocke from all parts, and grace you with her sight,
Before that she, sweete one, be gone her way;
Let euery wight that any honour hath
Come honour all-belou'd Elizabeth.
20
William of Malmes berry and Mathew of Westminster in their Histories do make mention of the great magnificence was vsed of the Nobility of England in conueying of Gonilda the faire daughter of the Danish King of England Canute to her ship; it was so great, that they exhausted their whole treasure for costly apparell to themselues, and pretious presents to the Bride at her departure: The Musitians and Minstrels, at feasts and banquets, were alwaies wont to celebrate the stately and Princely pompe thereof in their songs, thinking that they could neuer sufficiently magnifie and extoll the same.
Let not the glory of
Gouilda's day
So much extol'd in English History,
When as she did from England take her way
To her Spouse Henry into Germany:
Let not her day Elizaes day surpasse,
Sith she's as good, as e're Gonilda was.
21
Flocke men and women from the farthest parts
To view Elizaes face, her grace, her glory;
Come and adore this worthy Queene of hearts,
And hauing seene her keepe in memory
What once yee saw, who ne're shall liue the howre,
To see trans-planted such a gallant Flowre.
22
Yee tender Virgins come before her face,
Her face wherein all manner-worth doth shine,
And with a song see yee salute her Grace,
Lauding Eliza with her Ʋalentine;
Wishing that them as many daies may crowne,
As there grows Vines vpon the Rhenish ground.
23
And yee bright starres extend your influenter.
And for her sake, so yee the Season frame
That it obscure not her magnificence,
But rather adde some luster to the same:
Thou golden Phoebus bind thy brightest raies
To last as long, as shall her progresse daies.
24
That as the skies her nuptiall rites did grace,
With sweetest smiles after a stor my time
Of boisterous blasts, so euery time and place,
Both heauen and earth their bounties may combine,
With Flora and her Nymphes of greatest state
Belou'd Eliza to congratulate.
25
But if our heauens will needs some sorrow show,
And shed some teares when as she doth depart,
And weepe with vs, as grieuing to forgoe
So sweete a wight, that cheer'd each eie and heart:
Yet must heauens weeping end, when she shall rise
Her cleeren esse bene enough to cleere the skies.
26
A Season sweete, to sweete Elizaes due,
A Beamy time befits so braue a Wight,
Fresh Flora flaunting in her garish hue
And Violet weed, must tend her day and night,
With all her traine, till they Eliza crowne,
Heidelberge by interpretation is as much as a Hill or Towne of Myrtles, from the which it takes the name, according to the opinion of Franciscus Irenicus, Michael Bohemus, and Paulus Melissus, because of the great aboundance of Myrtle, berries which grow thereabout, they are called here in England Whirtle-berries, and in Scotland Blea-berries.
With Myrtle-wreath, amids the *
Myrtle-towne.27
The Argosie wherein Prince Iason went
To Colehos ground to fetch the golden Fleece,
Once stellified amids the firmament,
After that it had long decored Greece.
This ship turn'd starre, e'ne
The Constellarion called Argo, in honour of Iasons ship, consisteth of many stars, wherof 18. are of the first, second, & third magnitudes; it doth risein the Spring season according to the obseruation of Astronomers; the 13. of March after Ptolomies Kalender, but somewhat sooner according to the Ephemerides of the Modernes, and somewhat later according to the ancient Kalender of the Romanes, which placeth the rising thereof vpon the fifth of Aprill: See Prolomeus, Aratus, Hyginus, Picolominaeus, Maginus, Stadius, and others.
now she doth arise
To calme the seas, and for to cleere the skies.
28
When I behold the twinkling of her face,
Shee lookes as if shee had a deepe desire
To leaue a while her high aethereall place
Which she now holds amongst those flames of fire,
For to descend amids our Riuer Thames,
Thence to transport the golden Fleece of IAMES.
29
Castor & Pollux were borne the seuenth of Aprill, and on the same day antiently their birth was celebrated in honour of them, for that they did scoure the seas from Pirates and Rouers, so that after their death they were held of Mariners and Sailers for their Patrons and Protectors from the danger of Pyrates: See the ancient Pontificall Kalender, Arotus, Hyginus, and others.
Castor and
Pollux which therein did saile,
Borne in Aprill to banish Piracie
Bid their star'd ship take downe herflags and vaile
To the Prince-Henry of great Britanny;
You ship (say they) it beares a better Fleece,
Then that which once our Arge fetcht to Greece.
30
The Virgin-signe
Of Eliza's natruity in the signe of Virgo; see more in our Poem made vpon that subiect; & in a goodtime, two of the said Virgo's brightest starres, the one called Spica Virginis of the first magnitude, the other called Cingulum Virginis of the third magnitude, do arise at night, the one the seuenth, the other the eighth of Aprill, as it were for Elizaes sake, to light her all the nights of her voiage, chiefly vpon the sea: See Hyginus, Maginus, Picolominaeus.
which did
Eliza beare
Bids fast arise two of her greatest lights,
Her Zona-starre, and then her Spica cleere
To chase all Langour from so many nights,
As her deere daughter in her Ship must stay,
And for her sake she turnes the night to day.
31
Tethis commands her daughter Doris then
Her wonted bitternesse to set aside,
For feare to be rebuk'd of Gods and men,
If any frownes should in her face be spi'd:
Sith heauen and earth (saith she) do smile to day;
It's meete that we put bitternesse away.
32
The louing
Sixe famous Historians Plinius, Pausanias, Plutarchus, Athenaeus, Elianus, & Solinus doe relate admirable examples, of the affection of the Dolphins towards Mankind, and of their forewardnesse to rescue them from dangers on the sea: It is the swiftest of all creatures by land or sea, swifter then an arrow, or a swallow, it hath no gall, it delighteth in Musicke, and loues to be called Simon, it is alwaies in motion, both sleeping and waking, and so is the tongue of it moueable, contrary to the nature of Sea-creatures, it will eate out of a mans hand; it loues to leape and play about ships on the sea, it fore-smelleth Tempests and stormes before they fall, they haue borne little boies on their backes from shore to shore, they haue rescued many from the danger of drowning in the sea, they haue brought the bodies of the dead in the sea to the shore; they haue proued many waies thankefull to such as haue deliuered them from the hands of Fishers, as they did to Caeranus the Milesiane whom they deliuered from shipwracke when all his fellowes did drowne, and when his funerall-fire was in making, neere to the sea-side of Miletus they were seene in the neerest they could come to the shore, to solemnize in their manner Coeranus their redeemers obsequies. There is such a kind of brotherly loue amongst them, that when any one of them chanceth to bee taken, they do in great troupes repaire before the Taker, making signes of entreaty for their fellowes release. Aelianus doth write that there is, in diuers respects, a great similitude and resemblance betweene the Lyon, the King of land-beasts, and the Dolphin the King of sea-creatures▪ Finally, the Ancients had the Dolphins in so great veneration, for their admirable Mankind-nature, that they esteemed it a thing vnlawfull to take them, or to do them any harme; and therefore Oppianus exclaimeth against the Bizantins for their vnkind killing & eating of so kind a creature: the which thing learned Casaubonus hath likewise obserued in his Commentaries vpōn Athenaeus.
Dolphins they do flocke apace,
From farthest coasts her Argoe to attend;
And that they may their fill behold her face
Aboue the Masts they often bound and bend,
Waiting if any dangerous storme should be,
Them to rescue from ship-wrackes ieopardy.
33
As once they did that louing
The daughter of Smintheus loued by Aenalus as is in Plutarch.
Lesbian Lasse
With her deere Lad turn'd o're into the seas
Bring safe to shore, when greatest danger was,
And that sowre death with speed began to sease
On their sweete foules, which quite had drowned bene;
If that Ioues Dolphins had not bene their friend.
34
Arion the Musition his rescuage by a Dolphin is celebrated by the common testimony of Historians, and both Herodotus & Hyginus do write, how that Pyranthus or Periander King of Corinth, who loued Arion for his melodie and skill of Musick, did reare vp a stately monument & statue in honour of that Dolphin that rescued him, and made hang the mercilesse Marriners which had intended his death, before the said Monument. Finally, Stesichorus and Plutarchus do report, how that Telemachus, the son of Vlisses, being saued by a Dolphin from drowning, his father in remembrance therof euer bare thereafter the picture of a Dolphin in his Shield, Signet, and Sword pomell.
So did they once sweete-an'd
Arion saue
Amids the waues from Sailers hurtfull hand:
Telemachus nie drown'd they did not leaue,
But him rescu'd, and fet him on the land:
The Spartane Captaine Phalant they did free
From mournefull shipwrackes present misery.
35
Now if the Mankind Dolphins had such care
To shield and saue the persons nam'd before,
With many others which recorded are
In Histories; would they not yet much more
Tamisis Nymph rescue from danger neere,
Whose Grandame was a Dolphins deerest deere.
36
No sooner Neptune gets her in his bounds,
But with his Trident, he doth calme the seas,
Tethis his Queene her welcomes to their grounds,
And in glad wise giues order for her ease:
Aeol doth that, he neuer did before,
With musky breath hee blowes her to the shore.
37
So soone as Rhine receiues her Rosie smell,
That pure chast floud, wherein
Eustathius vpon the Geography of Dionysius, Iulianus the Emperour in his Epistle to Maximus the Philosopher, and Politianus in his Epistle to Iacobus Cardinalis Papiensis, with others more, doc make mention of the Riuer of Rhines admirable nature, in iudging of Wedlocke-breach, for if yong children bee set on the said water, if they haue beene wel-gotten, it beareth them vp, and, as it were, sendeth them backe againe with her approbation to their honest mothers; where as such as haue beene begotten with any spot or blot, comming by false play, shee ouerwhelmeth them, or rather swalloweth them vp in the midst of her pooles; shewing thereby, that she would be auenged in the same manner vpon their polluted mothers if they were in their place.
strange iudgement lies,
And finds how much she doth in worth excell;
Rhine doth reioyce, and her salutes this wise:
Welcome pure Nymph, most worthy to be Queene,
Of all the shamefast faces I haue seene.
38
Stately Tam-Isis might of thee be proud,
That art another
Isis and
That Gathelus and Scota were of the Argiuian & Aegyptian bloud of Osiris & Isis, and that they were the true Progenitors of the most part of our Ilanders, it shall bee shewed in our booke of Britannish antiquities. According to Strabo, Berosus, Diodorus, Plutarchus, Plinius, & others, Isis was the daughter of Inachus the first King of Argiues, and the wife of Osiris her owne brothers sonne; for Phoroneus King of Argiues was his father, who was the sonne of Inachus. They reigned first amongst the Argiues, and then amongst the Egyptians, whom they taught ciuility, Arts and Sciences, of whom they were honored as their King and Queene during their life, and after their death as their Patrons and Gods, because of the great happinesse which they enioyed by the meanes of their gouernment so long as they liued.
her child,
For Scota was of honoured Isis brood;
So was Gathele once famous in your Ile;
But looke how deere thou wast to Thames before,
As deere to Rhine thou art, and shall be more.
39
In signe whereof I sweare by Tethys Queene,
I'le welcome thee with greatest cheere I can;
For on thy day a wonder shall be seene,
Which neuer yet was seene of any man.
No wonted water shall be seene in Rhine,
For all my streames shall taste of Rhenish wine.
40
All day the Dolphins shall bee seene to dance,
And cut their capers on my floting flore,
Fresh Tethys Girles shall think't a happy chance,
If they that day may faile along my shore
To view the Face, the Grace and Maiesty
Of faire Tamisis Nymph of Britanny.
41
The Palsgraues ground, the first that she shall touch
At her arriuall, shall be gaily spred
With sweetest flowres, with choycest posies, such
As Flora sets to make her softest bed:
The dainties of each Garden, Wood and Dale,
Shall kisse her feet, and say, Elizahaile.
42
The Heau'n-wrought-hangings of the flowry Queene,
Along shall lye the paths that she must pace;
Dame Vesta's Carpets wowne with blew and greene,
With red and white, shall think't their greatest grace
Along to lye vnder Elizaes feet,
In euery high-way, and in euery streeet.
43
Likewise Cybele with her holy hands,
Prepares a Garland for Eliza's day,
Of Gemmes and Flowers, the best in any lands,
For it's her minde to crowne her Queene of May.
Harke how she warnes her Nymphes with siluer-bell,
To gather flowres to crowne her Rosimell.
44
The musky Rose, the Mari-gold and Lilly,
The Tulipan, the gallant Gilly-flowre,
The Pinke, the Primrose, Panse and Daffadilly,
The flowry Girles fetch home vnto her bowre:
Each flowre she sorts, as they do most excell,
To crowne the head of honour'd Rosimell.
45
Cybele enstiled the mother of the Gods, because (belike) shee was the first Woman that euer bare Kings in her belly, was pictured sitting in a Chariot drawne with Lyons, crowned and clothed with gold and precious stones. See Albricus in his booke de Imaginibus Deorum. The May garland that she makes for Eliza, consisteth of nine choyce Flowres, and nine precious stones, representing the starres of Ariadnes Northerne Crowne, being nine in number, according to Ouidius, Hyginus, and Germanicus Caesar writing vpon the Astronomy of Aratus.
To euery flowre she ioynes an Orient Gemme,
The Diamond, the Saphire, Chrysolite,
The Emerald, the Topaz, th'Opall then,
The Turcas, lacynth, and the Margarite:
Then in her Coach, with Lyons drawne, she hies
To Heidelberge, more glansing then the skies.
46
Loe how she comes, attir'd in greatest state,
Attended on of all the flowry crew.
The Hilly-vally-Nymphes so nice and neat,
Some in their kirtles greene, some in their blew;
With violet Skarfes to vaile each Lilly-face,
Till all vnuaile before Eliza's Grace.
47
The Syluan Pan is gone to Palestine
With Deiope, to bring a paire of Trees
Palmes of both kindes for our paire-Palatine,
To make two May-poles to present their eyes:
Which so they plant, that their leau'd tops may meet,
And cheere each other with their kisses sweet:
48
For Heau'n and Earth delight to see together
Such as they ioyne by holy bands of loue,
And would haue each one for to cheere another;
Whereas sad absence doth full often proue
The breake of hearts, the married couples bane,
Which strongest loue in many breasts hath slaine.
49
A signe whereof wise Nature doth vs show
In the Palme-trees, which being set asunder
From mutuall sight, no fruit is seene to grow
Of either kinde; but faint, as if some thunder
Had blasted both; they pine and droope as dead,
And haue no heart once to hold vp their head.
50
But looke how soone that they may see each other,
Or that the winde doth dust betweene them driue,
As soone both he and she their hearts recouer,
Both flourish fast, both beare fruit and reuiue:
As they would kisse, their leauie lippes they moue;
Thus doe the Palmes teach marryed folkes to loue.
51
Plinius, Philostratus, Diophanes, Pontanus, and others doe write, that there is a certaine secret sence of matrimonial loue betweene the Palmes, Male and Female, and that so vehement and earnest, that they do commonly droope, languish, and wax barren, except that they may either rouch, or at least see one another; and Theophrastus, Herodotus, and Athenaeus do witnesse, how that both fertility and maturity are much aduanced and furthered in the Female-palme by the meanes of the flowre and fruite of the Male-palme tied thereunto, or yet if the dust and powder of the Hee-palme be spread thereupon: and if two Palmes Male and Female be planted on the two-sides of a Brooke or Riuer, the one ouer against the other, they will stretch out their boughes and branches one to another, as if they would kisse or embrace, and therefore the learned Aegyptians and Greekes, make the Palmes to bee the Heroglyphicke or ensigne of loue betweene man and wife. The Palme is likewise the Symbole of a godly life, according to S. Eucherius, because, whereas all other Trees, are seene to be smaller aboue, and greater below; the Palme contrary-wise is smaller below, and greater aboue; resembling the godly and deuote man, or woman, who is alwaies great and strong in things heauenly which are aboue, but small and weake in things earthly which are below. S. Ambrose makes the Palme to be the Symbole of Innocencie, and Saint Hierome, of our Lords Crosse: Lastly, according to the common-consent of both Philosophers and Diuines, it is the symbole, or signe, of triumphant victory, because as Aristoteles, Theophrastus, Plutarchus, Gellius and others do deliuer, it hath this admirable property, that if a great and huge weight of stones bee laid vpon the backe thereof, it doth not yeeld, or bow downe-wards, as other Trees do, but it bendeth vp-wards, and riseth vp against the weight arch-wise; of the which excellent Tree, our Poem, called a mysticall May-pole, presented to King Iames, makes further mention.
Philostratus doth celebrate a paire
Of such kinde Palmes: the like Pontanus writes
Of two such other trees both fresh and faire;
Of Calabrie, which were the cheife delights,
Brunduse the one, Hydrunt the other bred,
Both for their loues are highly honored.
52
The three Graces are imagined to be three yong comely and graceful Goddesses, going together, linkt arme in arme, whereof reade more in Phornutus, de Natura Deorum and others.
Neere
Heidelberge the
Graces three together
Link't arme in arme, shall grac'd Eliza greet,
Blessing the day that brought her Graces thither,
(For in her face the choisest graces meete)
Which Sisters three come dansing o're the Greenes,
In grace and face much like three British Queenes,
53
Aglaia bright, when first I her behold,
Me thinkes I see sweete Scotlands heire, Queene Mary,
Such as she was, when all deckt vp in gold,
The Dolphin Francis did her gladly marry
In Maries Church enstiled Nostredame
Where first was sung their Hymens Hymne and Psame.
54
Euphrosynë when next I her consider,
Lookes like all-lou'd Eliza, Englands Queene,
When she was wooed of th'other Francis brother,
Nam'd Francis Monsieur; such as haue her seene,
Do say forsooth, this land borne neuer hath
A gracefuller then Queene Elizabeth.
55
Thalia doth the face and grace present
Of gracefull Anne, Queene of Great Britannie,
Such as she was when King lames to her went
Beyond the sea, to wed her solemnly:
Who as she hath the first twaines Titles ioyn'd,
So their two worths she hath in her combin'd.
56
Thus the three Graces, in most gladsome guise
In the three faces of three famous Queenes;
Link't arme in arme in rosie weed them hyes
Leaping and dancing or'e the downes and greenes:
And thus they sing; All baile Eliza faire,
Grand-mothers, Mothers, and God-mothers heire.
57
Thrice gracefull Lady welcome to our Clime,
Welcome the Flowre and Rose of Britanny,
Welcome the hope and honour of our time,
Welcome the pearle and praise of Germany:
Long may thy face grace Germany and Rhine.
Both vs and ours, so may thy Ʋalentine.
58
The three Graces are brought in presenting three Roses, the first a single white one, the second a single red one, the third a double one, white and red together; because that the Rose is held of the learned to be the Hierogliphicke, Symbole, or signe of gracefulnesse, comlinesse, and loue: And the Philosophers doe thinke that the odour, and colour thereof doth proceed from the influence of the gracefull Planet Venus. The Mages, or Sages of the Indians, and Persians, did much vse the Rose, with the oyle and water thereof, to conciliate the gracefull & fauourable aspect of Kings, Queenes, Princes & Potentates. And we reade how that Aelius Verus, the Emperour, was wont to lye on a bed of Roses, as it were to draw from thence a kinde of gracefull influence, which hee might afterwards impart to his people. Read Orus Apollo, and Pierius in their Hierogliphickes.
Each of the three a Rose to her presents,
The first a white Rose in milke-white array;
The next in her carnation vestiments,
A red-carnation Rose, sweet, fresh and gay;
The third, whose habit is of white-red hue,
A white-red Rose, and saies: Sweet Rose adue.
59
In the ancient ensigne of Heidelberge was painted a most comely and gracefull Nymph, standing on a Myrtle-hill, and at a fresh fountaine there. A monument thereof is to bee seene in Marble; for a crowned Lyon, or Lyonesse holds in its pawes a Scutchion, in the bottome whereof is the said Myrtle Nymph, painted with a bundle of Myrtle-berries in her hand. Read hereof Paulus Melissus, and Marquardus Freiherus
Braue
Heidelbergs renowned Myrtle-Nymph,
Whose comely face all commers do behold
With much delight, at the fresh springing lymph,
That fountaine faire, so sweet, so cleere, so cold:
Mounted vpon her Lyonesse of state,
Shall meet Eliza at the Cities gate.
60
The Nymph no sooner sees Eliza bright,
But all amaz'd she bids her Lyon stay,
For I (quoth she) must from thy backe alight,
Tam-Isis Nymph for to adore to day.
Stand still proud steed, for both must I and thou,
This blisse-still-day before Eliza bow.
61
Vncrowne thy head of thy gold Diadem,
Thou best of beasts, thou stately Lyon-queene,
For it is due vnto a greater Dame,
A sweeter yet then euer thou hast seene.
See how she doth with glansing glory shine,
Go honour her, and crowne her Queene of Rhine.
62
The Lyon is the Symbole of our Sauiour, who is called the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda in the Reuelation. And hee is a Lilly-Lyon, because he feedeth among the Lillies, as it is in the Canticles. And the Lyon inuironed with Lilies, is the Royall badge of our Soueraigne. The Lyon rampant is likewise the badge both of the Palatine Princes, and of the princely house of Howards, in whose Illustrious discent I haue found 12 of the same Emperours, and twise 12 of the same Kings, which doe occurre in the Pedigrees common to King Iames and Prince Fredericke, as shall bee (God willing) shewed other-where. The first that ere bare the Lyon for his badge, was Hercules the Egyptian, as we may gather out of Herodotus, and Diodorus. And Gathelus, who was of the same bloud that Hercules was of, brought this Ensigne first into Britanny; and Agamemnon king of the Argiues, who was of the same bloud with Gathelus, whose father Argus Nilus was likewise King of the Argiues, and had in him vnited the Arginian and Egyptian bloud, hee did likewise beare the Lyon in his shield, as witnesseth Pausanias; who telleth how that Idomenous King of Creet bare a Cocke in his Scutchion, which is esteemed to bee the Symbole of triumphant victory: for the Lyon himselfe, though he be the most magnanimous and strongest of all beasts, so that S. Basil, with others, enstileth him King of beasts, yet hee stands in feare of the Cocke, chiefly the white, as St. Ambrose doth deliuer, besides the ancients, Zoreaster, Plinius, Lucretius, Aelianus, Proclus, with others. The reason whereof Proclus thinketh to be thus, because that the Cocke and the Lyon, being both of them in a certaine peculiar manner gouerned by the influence of the Sunne, the Cocke receiueth more of the force thereof (which doth appeare by his accurate obseruing of the times of the night and day) then the Lyon doth, and therefore being in that respect his inferiour, the law of Nature tyeth him to reuere and feare the Cocke as his superiour. Others doe adde, that the Cocke representeth the power Coelestiall and Spirituall; and the Lyon the power terrestriall and temporall. Moreouer the Lyon is the Simbole, or Ensigne, not onely of magnanimity and strength, and of religious feare, but also of vigilancy and watchfulnesse; because that according to the common consent of the learned, namely Aristoteles, Manethon, Plinius, Aelianus, Plutarchus, and Macrobius, hee sleepeth with his eyes open, which do likewise shine as full of light and withall stirreth his taile in the meane time that hee is asleepe, of which hee is neuer ouercome. The Lyon is likewise the Symbole of Clemency, because among all the wilde beasts he alone spareth such persons as do prostrate themselues before him, and by signes and speeches do pray him to shew pitty, as Plinius, Aelianus and others do witnesse. It is also the Symbole of iust reuenge, because [...] the said Authors, together with Oci [...]na, doe deliuer, he marketh most diligently such as inuade him, and hurt him; and though he bee in neuer so great a throng, if he can, he pursueth him, and killeth him; whereas hee onely terrifieth, or throweth downe the man that had onely aimed at him, but not hurt him. Hanno of Carthage was the first man that tamed the Lyon, which hee vsed in the bearing of his baggage. Berenice Queene of Egypt had a Lyon so tame, that she would suffer him to licke her face, and eate with her at the Table. Others haue taken tame Lyons to the field to fight against their enemies. But aboue all, the history of Androcles, reported by Aelianus, and Gellius, is notable, whom a Lyon fed three yeares in the time hee was fugitiue; and afterwards being both taken, not onely spared, when as hee was casten to him for his prey, but also protected him from the the furious inuasion of a Libbard, and folded himselfe at his feet, & shewed all the signes of amity that he could, though some good space had past since they had liued together in the den. The ground and cause of all the which affection, was for that Androcles had pulled a thorne out of the poore Lyons foote, and healed his soare, at the very first time that he chanced to repose himselfe in the faid den, not caring what became of him. The which matter beeing signified to Caesar, Androcles was restored to his liberty, and the Lyon his old Host giuen him for his guerdon, of whom it was thus commonly said when as they went along the streets; Behold the man who was the Lyons Physitian, and the Lyon who was the mans Host.
The Lilly-lyon of the
North to day,
Sends to our Towne his onely daughter deere,
Vpon her Crowne to beare thy crowne away:
Wherefore be sure, so soone as thou comes neere
To Norths great Lyons bright Elizabelle,
Thou quit thy Crowne, and call her Lyonnelle.
63
Come after me, and do all this and more,
For this is but the thousandth of her due,
Sith that the worth of all that went before
She hath in her; I tell the thing that's true,
In signe whereof I sweare by
Venus, the Lady of loue, is the patronesse of the Myrtle-tree, & as Nicander writeth, shee ware a Myrtle garland the day shee wan the Golden Apple by the iudgement of Paris.
Myrtle-queene,
I'le do the thing that neuer yet was seene.
64
For her sweet sake my well shall spring with wine,
My streaming spouts to day shall not grow dry,
But run such liquor as the land of Rhine,
Doth brue for the best mouthes of Maiesty.
And if I had as many pearles as vines,
They should turne drinke to these two Valentines.
65
The best Ambrosie euer Bacchus brew'd,
Fetcht from Palerme of Italy and Greece;
Those beauties bright shall be therewith bed [...]w'd,
Which do attend vpon this golden fleece:
The strangest tunne that euer wight did see,
To welcome them, shall run with Malmesie.
66
The Myrtle-bunch that I haue borne so long
With great applause Eliza's lap shall fill;
For to Tamisis Nymph it doth belong
Who now's the Nymph of this our Myrtle-hill:
Wherefore let Hils and Dales resound her fame,
Sith all the Nymphes must her Myrtilla name.
67
Because the Myrtles of Heidelberge are but wilde, low shrubs, therefore the Nymphe to congratulate Eliza, wisheth shee had the Myrtle-tree, which Plinius and others do tell once grew in old Romes first plot, and some of those Myrtles of Egypt, which according to Theophrastus and Athenaeus are the most fragrant of all other. The greater Myrtle groweth plenteously in Spaine, and in Italy, about Naples, the smaller in Germany and France; the leaues are alwaies greene, the flowres faire and white. It is the onely Tree that yeeldeth both oyle and wine, also the Myrtle-berries of old time serued in steed of pepper. It doth likewise affoord a kind of sweete perfume to hee burned; it was chosen to make an attonement, and to rarefie the marriage betweene the Romans and the Sabins, because Venus is the patronesse thereof. Hence it is, that the wise Egyptians and Greekes haue made the Myrtle-tree to bee the Symbole of matrimoniall loue; and in a country of Greece called Trezenie, there is a kind of Myrtle whose leaues are full of holes, representing the wounds and heart-holes of languishing louers. It is like-wise the Symbole or Ensigne of such honest mirth and gladnesse, as is vsed at Banquets and Feasts; For of old times, as Plutarchus and Horatius do testifie, at Banquets, a branch of Myrtletle went round about the Table, whereby, each one of the Feasters was inuited to sing some honest song to reioyce the company: And the Myrtle-Nymph of Heidelberge wisheth that her Cittizens should renew, or represent, this old custome at their Feasts made in honour of Elizabeths arriuall, by making her Myrtle-berry in steed of a Myrbranch go round about the Table to inuire them to sing their best songs for Elizabeths sake. The same Nymph like-wise promiseth that her Myrtle-berries at Eliza's comming shall haue the same vertue that the Myrtle-rod, by Plinius and others, is reported to haue; which is to chase all wearinesse from folkes limmes, come they neuer so far off to see Eliza's solemnities.
Or if I had the Myrtle-tree that stood
In Romes first plot, hard by Mount-Palatine,
Or yet those Myrtles nie to Nilus floud
Of fragrant smell, which there are to be seene:
A Myrtle-May-pole, with a Myrtle-wreath
Should grace the gates of lou'd Elizabeth
68
Oh, if I had the hands for to aduance
Myrtilla's state amidst as many Townes,
As their are Myrtle-trees in Spaine and France,
In Italy, or yet in Germans bound;
All should be hers to twise ten thousand score;
For why, her worth deserues as much and more.
69
Yet for a signe, I wish her all the hap
Which this my Myrtle-emblems sence resounds;
Lo how I lay into her louely lap,
As many berries as be Towers or Townes
Twixt purest Rheine, and fruitfull Nilus Floud,
About whose Bankes so many Myrtles stood.
70
Yee Virgin troupes, which flocke within our wals
From many miles to view Myrtilla's glory;
Forget not when my shoure of Berries fals
Vpon her cloaths to catch each Myrtle-berry:
This Berry shall all wearinesse debarre
From your soft limmes, tho yee come neere so farre.
71
Each worthy Burgesse of the Myrtle-towne
Keepe yee a feast in honour of this day;
Call all your poore to sing and dance the round,
And striue who shall the Berry beare away:
At all your feasts, this Berry yee present,
In signe of gladnesse, glee, and merriment.
72
The Myrtle-bough befits
The Myrtle-Tree, saith D [...] d [...]naus, is called Myrsine in Greek, because of a yong Lady in Athens so named, who in beauty excelled all the Lasses and Ladies of that Citty, and in strength and Actiuity all the lusty Lads and Gallants of Greece; for the which shee was tenderly beloued of Minerua, or Pallas, the Patronesse of Wisedome and Valour, who willed her to bee alwaies present at Turney and Tilt, running, vauting, and other such exercises of Armes, to the end that fitting as Iudge of their Actiuity, shee might giue the Garland-prize to such as best deserued the same. But some of thē which were vanquished, were so much displeased with her iudgement, that they slue her. The which thing so soon [...] as Pallas perceiued, she caused the sweete Myrtle to spring vp out of her bloud, and called it Myrsine, in honour and remembrance of her.
Myrsina's Peere
Eliza lou'd, in whom the worth doth dwell,
Which once Myrsina had Minerua's deere,
That did in wit and valour both excell:
Shee gaue the prize as iudge of Chiualrie
Till her sweete bloud turn'd to a Myrtle-tree.
73
Great Ioue vouchsafe vs once to see the day
When we shall reape such honour'd victory
Vpon proud Turkes, that our Myrsina may
Sit downe to iudge of feats of Chiualry:
As once shee did, at Henries sports of warre,
Reward two Wights, Montgomry, Lochinwarre.
74
When I consider the late fire-fight,
Shew'd on the Thames twixt Christen-men and Turkes,
And how a Turke by kindled Cannons might
Lost both his hands; met-thinkes that in it lurkes
This lucky signe; th'vnited Northerne States
Out of Turks hands shall wring their Townes and seats.
75
Of such Prophesies, God-willing, shal be aboundantly spoken in our Sibylla Britannica; in the meane time, it is to be noted, that Iohannes Leunclauius in the Preface of his Mussulmane History, Dedicated to the Prince-electors, doth deliuer, how that old Oracles do promise that the Turke shall bee finally and totally ouer-throwne at the Riuer of Rhine, by the vnited forces of three Kings. And Michael Nostradamus telleth, how that the day shall be, when the Princes of the Pole-article, or the North, to the number of sixe, shall ioyne with the chiefe, or Prince of Scotland, and that they shall bring great terror and tribulation to the Mahumetane Turkes. Lastly, the most glorious Prophesie that I find of any Prince, is of a Prince of the name of Charles, the which, Carion in his Chronicle hath applyed to Charles the fifth, King of Spaine and Emperour; but truely, that most worthy, valorous, and victorious Prince hath left the accomplishment thereof to some other Charles then himselfe, as the tenure of the prediction conferred with his deedes, howsoeuer glorious, may testifie: and it hath bene alwaies my most ardent wish euer since I began to be some-what curious in this kind, that that Prophesie alledged by Carion out of the old Chronicles of Magdeburg, might haue one day his full accomplishment in the person of Prince Charles, and that as he doth Symbolize with Castriote, alias Scanderbeg, in the common stile of Prince, or Duke of Albany, so may hee like-wise with him in his Prowesse against the Turkes, and in his Titles of Christs Champion, and the terrour of Turkes. Whereof, who will, may read more in our Poem made vpon Prince Charles his Natiuity.
No lesse is promis'd by old Prophesies,
Which wee haue seene in Latine, Greeke, and French,
With other tongues, which promise victories
To Northerne hands, how they combin'd shall drench
Constantinople in a foaming floud
Which shall be made of spilt Barbarian bloud.
76
O happy sight to see Prince Charles one day
Together with the States of Germany,
Against proud Turkes his Banner to display
That as he's nam'd the Duke of Albany;
So men may him a Scanderbeg enstile,
Th'horrour of Turkes, the Hercles of this Ile.
77
CHRIST IESVS name sweete Charles of Britanny
With Scanderbeg, thy Champion, and thy Knight,
Adde vnto his one Northerne Albany,
Sixe Albanies; choose him thy fields to fight
'Gainst Mahomet, and grant him for his hire,
Constantines Towne, with the proud Turkes Empire.
78
That our Myrsina may her Brother Crowne
With Palmy-wreath in signe of victory,
And like Debora sing his high renowne,
Thanking great loue for the felicity;
It pleas'd him to her brother Charles to giue,
In whose sweete face lou'd Henry still doth liue.
79
The Maids and Matrons shall with cheerefull voyce
Extoll Myrsina and her honour raise
Vp to the skies; both aged men and boies
Shall hop and danse, and loud resound her praise;
Agnising her to be the sweetest Wight
That euer lodg'd in Heidelberge all night.
80
Three Emperours 3 daughters, of the name of Mathilde or Maud, haue ben married to three Palatine Princes; the first Mathildis was the daughter of Otho the second, Duke of Saxe and Emperour, married to Siffrid Prince Palatine; the second, was the daughter of Rodulph the first, Earle of Habspurg and Emperour, married to Prince Lodowicke, surnamed the Seuere; & the third Mathildis was the daughter of Adolph Earle of Nassaw and Emperour, married to Rodolph Prince Palatine: And as for Kings daughters that haue bene married to the Palatines, we reade in Henninges, Dauid Rorarius, and Marquardus Freherus, how that Blanch, the eldest daughter of Henry the fourth King of England, was the first wife of Lodowicke the fourth, Prince Palatine, sonne to Robert the Emperour, who, as Fabian and Cooper in their Chronicles doe write, came heere into England, Anno, 1403, and was receiued of the said King Henry with great Triumph. Our English Writers, though they agree that the said Lady Blanch was married about this time to a Duke of Bauier, and hee the Emperours sonne, yet they make no particular mention of any such Match, as the aboue named Germaines do auouch, but rather otherwise: Ranulph of Chester, Walsingham, Fabian, and Stow, doe not expresse the Dukes name that married her; Polydorus erroniously calleth him Iohn, sonne to the Duke of Bauier; Hal, and Hollinshed name him William Duke of Bauier, sonne to Lewis the Emperour, but this could not be; for both English and Dutch Historians and Genelogicians write, that the said Duke William married Maud daughter to Henry Duke of Lancaster, whose other daughter Blanch married Iohn of Gant Earle of Richmond, and in her right, Duke of Lancaster, and that she suruiued her husband foure yeares, and that he died Anno 1377. some 25. yeares before the marriage of Blanch, the eldest daughter of Henry the fourth; who, according to the truth, was married to Lodowicke Duke of Bauier, the sonne of Robert Prince Palatine and Emperour, who had bene chosen but a short space before, by the Electors, and came heere into England, as is said aboue. And as for the rest of the Kings daughters, mentioned in the Poem, Ludomille of Boheme, was the daughter of Primislay the 2. King of Boheme, and of Constance his wife, the daughter of Bela the third, King of Hungary, shee was married to Lodowick the father of Otho the Illustrious Prince Palatine, and Duke of Bauiere. Beatrice of Sicilie, wife to Robert the second, Prince Palatine, was the daughter of Fredericke King of Sicilie, according to Cuspinianus, Carion, Rheusnerus, Marquardus and Brunnius: as for Munsterus, he doth not expresse his propper name, but Henninges, and Albizius make her the daughter of King Peter. Dorothie of Denmarke, the wife of Fredericke the second Prince Palatine, was the daughter of Christiern the second, King of Denmarke. Elizabeth of Hungary was wife to Heary Duke of Bauier, the yonger brother of Lodowicke called the Seuere, Prince Palatine, and Daughter and Heire of Bela, the fourth, King of Hungary. Lastly, Anne of Polony, was the daughter of Conrade, Prince of Poland, and one of the three wiues of the fore-said Lodowicke the Seuere, so called, for that out of an vndiscreete humor of iealously, hee practised a filthy cruelty vpon his wife Mary of Brabant, in causing her head to bee cut off, for that shee had written a letter to a Captaine of his owne, named Henry Rucco, which came into his hands: for the which abhominable fact, hee was so terrified with an horrible vision by night, that his head became before the next morning as white as wooll, so that hee repenting him of his iealousy and cruelty, founded the Monastery of Furstenfield, and endowed the same with rich possessions, as Cuspinianus and Henninges do write. Thus wee see, how that it fared much more hardly with this good Lady Mary of Brabant, then it did, with Cunegunde the sister of Henry Prince Palatine, maried to Henry the second, Emperour, who got leaue to purge her selfe of the like false suspition, by going bare-foote (as she did, without hurt) vpon a number of Plough-shares red hot, as the same Cuspinianus with Vrspergensis doe write. And in William of Malmesbury, and Ranulph of Chester wee reade how that Queene Emme, mother to King Edward the Confessor, being accused of adultery with Edwin, Bishop of Winchester, purged her selfe in the same manner. Semblably wee reade in Cuspinianus, Paulus Emylius, and Francis de Belle-forest, how that Charles the Grosse King of France and Emperour, accused his wife Richarda, a daughter of Scotland, of playing false play with Luitwald Bishop of Vercelle in Lumbardy, her chiefe Councelor, but she cleered her selfe to her great honour, and her iealous, yea, impotent husbands great shame. So did Gonilda the faire, daughter of Canute King of England, accused to her husband Henry the third Emperour, of the like fault, who when as shee could find none to fight in the defence of her honesty against her slanderous accuser, being so strong and of so huge a Statute, it pleased God to enspire a little boy with Dauids courage, whom shee had brought out of England with her, who encountring with the reproachfull Goliah, first cut his knee, and being fallen to the ground, cut off his head, and brought it to the good Empresse Gonilda, who thanked God with great reioysing for working such a wonder for her sake by the hands of a boy, being of so low a Stature, that he was commonly called Mimecan, or the Dwarfe, as William of Malm [...]ssbury, Mathew of estminster, and Ranulph of Chester haue written.
The three
Mathilda's Girles of
Caesars three
Which wedded were to Princes three of Rhine,
Had not more worth, more grace, more Maiesty
Then lou'd Eliza Princesse Palatine:
Blanch once a daughter of South-britanny
VVas not her match, nor Anne of Polony.
81
Nor yet Bohemies Lady Ludomille,
Nor Beatrice the Girle of Sicilie,
Nor she of Bauier, whom they name Sybille;
No more her Match was Denmarkes Dorothy:
From Hungary and Bauier Ladies two
Eliza's both might t' our Eliza bow.
82
The Muses then of Heidelberge shall come
Before her face, with Pamphlets full of praise,
Some Dutch, some French, some Latine, other some
In Greeke, her name and same abroad to blase:
Some shall in Verse, and other some in Prose
Record the worth of such a gallant Rose.
83
Church-Holy-Ghost which Caesar Robert fram'd
Prince Palatine and King of Germany,
With his Empresse, Elizabeth surnam'd;
When it receiues the Rose of Britanny:
Shall pray great Ioue that shee see neuer death,
Till shee bee stil'd Empresse Elizabeth.
84
Me-thinkes I see how Robert from his shrine
With his Eliza sleeping in that place
Awake to welcome their sonnes Ʋalentine
Wishing them both all health, wealth, hap, and grace:
That as they both do from them iointly spring,
So may them Ioue to all their honours bring.
85
One thing will want, which much I wish were there
An Organd-quior of Surpliz'd Saints to sing,
Such as we heare in Paules and Westminster,
Heauens, earths delight; but thou Concording King
To Holy-Ghost-Church helpe for to restore
Such holy-state as once she had before.
86
O if S. Giles which Edinburgers holds
With Heidelbergers Holy-Ghost could sing
Such Organd-anthems shall bee sung in Paules
Of Londoners, the day that they shall bring
This Lady home, whose worth and dignity
Should bee solemniz'd of these Citties three.
87
On the left hand of Heidelberge is a Hil called Heiligenberg which is by interpretation, the Hill of all Saints, where, according to Franciscus Irenicus, and Thomas Leodius, was anciently a Temple erected in honour of all the Heathen Gods called Pantheon, like vnto that of Rome, mentioned in Dion Cassius, which Pope Boniface, as Platina testifieth, conuerted into a Church called Al-Saints.
When first
Myrsina mounts
Pantheon Hill
By Heidelberge, mee-thinkes a Lady-bright
Panthaea nam'd, Myrsina comes vntill,
Adorn'd with beauty, modesty, and might:
Such as she had, when her lou'd Abradate
In Perse was Lord of Susas Lilly-state.
88
This Princely Dame whom Xenophon doth praise
Both for her beauty and her chastity,
When to King Cyrus she a captiue was,
Who had good proofe of her pudicity:
As soone as shee doth her Myrsina meete,
Shee in this manner her begins to greete.
89
Welcome Myrsina to Pantheon Hill,
Welcome pure Pearle, whom I Panthaea loue;
Welcome to me, and shall be euer still,
To Wights below, and vnto Gods aboue:
Blest be the feete that fetcht this glasse to me
Of thy sweete face, wherein mine owne I see.
90
As ardent loue may last betweene you twaine,
As did 'twixt me, and my deere Abradate,
Ioue from aboue his blessings powre amaine
Downe on your heads, and make so mount your state
Amongs your Peeres, as much as Iuno's Lilly
Surmounts the Primrose, Panse or Daffadilly.
91
Alcestis loued so entirely & deerely her louing husband Admetus, King of Thessaly, that she choosed to die, thereby to deliuer her said husband from imminent death, as is in Euripides, or as writeth Palaphatus more probably, that shee made herselfe the captiue of Accastus, to deliuer her husband from his captiuity, who was afterwards deliuered by Hercules, and restored to her louing husband. And as for Pericles, Prince of Athens, he loued so deerely his louing Aspasia, that he neuer went out a doores from her, but he kissed her, as writes Plutarchus.
Such vnquench't fire as once the breasts did burne
Of Admetus and his Alcestis deere,
Burne both your breasts till both to ashes turne,
Or both turne starres amidst pure Venus spheare:
So liue, so loue, that time you surname may
A Pericles, and an Aspasia.
92
Then for a token of her loue so deere,
Towards Myrsina, for whose sake she came,
She her bequeathes a Lilly-crowne to weare,
And her entreates not to neglect the same:
And that this signe her grace should neuer leaue,
For Panthaea, who her that garland gaue.
93
The Lilly is the King of Flowers, in regard both of the fairenesse, & the tallnesse thereof. In Salomons Canticles it is the Symbole of our Sauiour, In S. Hilary it is the Symbole of the glorious Angels. It is likewise the Symbole, or Ensigne of publicke hope, as may appeare by the Imperiall Medals of Alexander Pius, Aemilianus, Claudius, Tiberius, Adrianus, and others. Finally, it is the Symbole of beauty and pudicity, according to S. Hierome, and great store thereof did grow in the Persian fields about Susa, the delicate and most sweet winter-seat of the Kings of Persia. The which Cities name is by interpretation, a Lilly, as Athenaeus doth witnesse, and was so named according to the testimony of Stephanus in Vrbibus, from the abound [...]nce of faire Lillies there growing. It was once the Citty of Abradate and Panthaea, who are so highly praised by Xenophon, & afterwards by St. Hierom. When Cyrus had ouercome the Assyrians, this Persian Princesse was taken, her husband Abradate, Prince of Susa, being then absent in Bactria, hee being the most worthy and valorous Chiefetaine of his time, and she both the most vertuous and the most beauteous Lady of all Asia; who when as some of King Cyrus his Courtiers did comfort her the best way they could, telling her amongs other matters, that in steed of an Abradate, she was to be honoured with the loue and society of a Cyrus, no sooner heard she these words, but she began to beate her breast, to teare her haire, and to rent her cloathes, and vaile from top to toe, taking vp amids her mournfull maids, a most bitter lamentation. The consideration of whose incomparable beauty and worth, made Cyrus to forbeare to come into her sight, as fearing to be ouercome with the vigour of her vertue. Her husband being returned, and hauing receiued tokens from her, with letters, letting him to vnderstand, how that he should be welcome to Cyrus, he made all possible haste of comming to Cyrus his Court, accompanied with a thousand horsemen in goodly array. Vnto whom Panthaea hauing made report of the religion, vertue, temperancy, continency and compassion of King Cyrus, shewed in her behalfe, when as it lay in his power to doe with her what he would, Abradate replied, saying; and what wouldst thou (my deere Panthaea) that I did to requite these curtesies of Cyrus? Who answered; what shouldst thou do else (my deere Abradate) but follow the footsteps of his vertue, in labouring to be like vnto so worthy a wight. And being come before Cyrus, he saith; for the inestimable curtesie thou hast shewed in the behalfe of my Panthaea, thy prisoner, I can make thee no other requitall, but offer vnto thee my selfe, my friendship, my society and seruice euer hereafter, for the aduancing of thine honor. And afterwards, when as Abradate was to go to fight against the Aegyptians in the cause & quarrell of Cyrus, Panthaea had prepared for him a costly Chariot, with most gorgeous and glorious armour, which when he did put on, she exhorted him to shew himselfe a stout chiefetaine for Cyrus his sake, who had bin so fauourable to them. With which speech Abradate being highly delighted, clapping her head, and kissing her lippes, hee cast his eyes vpwards to heauen, vsing these words: Vouchsafe great Ioue, that I may shew my selfe a husband worthy of such a wife as Panthaea, & a wight worthy of the frindship of such a one as Cyrus. Who had heard this matchlesse Lady encourage her louing husband to shew all possible prowesse for the honor of Cyrus, or had seene her kissing the very Chariot wherein her sweetest one did sit, would haue much wondred; but much more by many degrees, who had heard her intreating, & adiuring her Nurse by her loue towards her, to sow her vp in one winding-sheet with her slaine husband: Or who had seene her laying his head on her lap, and powring her owne heart-bloud into his wounds: For when as Cyrus vnderstanding of his most worthy friends fall in the field, fighting most valiantly, he vsed all the meanes he possible could of comforting & cheering vp his peerelesse widow Panthaea, telling her how that there should bee nothing left vndone in honour of Abradate, that was due vnto a most valorous and chiualrous Chiefetaine; and praying her to perswade herselfe of his most feruent and constant affection, both for Abradates sake, and her owne, he likewise prayed her to tell him vnto whom she had a liking to be carryed. Who answered; Doe not yee trouble your selfe, noble Cyrus, giue me but leaue a little more to be mourne my deere husband, and yee shall know then to whom I desire to go, when I haue put an end to my mourning. And so it fell out within a few houres, that the end of her mourning, and the end of her life was all one; Abradate was the man whom she loued as much as her owne soule, and more then all the men in the world, while he was aliue; and Abradate was the man whom she loued more then her owne selfe when he was dead. In one word, it was Panthaea's death to be aliue without Abradate, and her sweetest life to dye with her deere Abradate.
Panthaea thus she takes her leaue, and sayes:
Adue deere One, more sweet then Iuno's flowre,
To thee most due; as many be thy dayes,
As once grew Lillies round about my bowre
In Persian fields, and in my Lilly-towne,
As many dayes weare thou the Lilly-crowne.
94
When I Panthaea's Lilly-face behold,
Her rosie lippes, her teeth of Iuory,
And when I looke vpon her lockes of gold,
And how her eyes are cleerer then the sky,
I call to minde our Mary Clarabell,
The all-grac'd Grand-dame of faire Rosimell.
95
Me thinkes she lookes as Mary did that day
The Lilly-prince did her so louely wed
In peerelesse Paris; such as saw her, say:
That nere a sweeter Saint to Church was led
In any Age, in any Land, or Clime:
For of all Princes, Mary was the prime.
96
Michael Eyzingerus in his Thesaurus principum, most worthily affirmeth, that there was in this most noble Queene, a gratious kinde of contention betweene good Nature and Grace, which of the two should bestow most of their perfections vpon her princely person; Nature striuing to heape on her head the height of exquisite beauty; and Grace on the other part, replenishing her heroicall heart with the very comble and heape of vertue & bounty.
Nature and
Grace did each of them contend,
Which of the two should most her magnifie;
Both of them did their vtmost strength extend
Her Minde and Body for to beautifie.
But her I leaue to my Muse Clarabell,
For to conclude with her childe Rosimell.
97
Abrinsberg is a hill on the right hand of Heidelberg, and both in the Dutch appellation, & the Latine records it is called St. Abrahams hill; & by Trithemius it is named also St. Michaels mount.
Then viewes
Eliza holy
Abrah'ms hill,
Which men do likewise tearme Saint Michaels mount,
And there (me seemes) an Angels quire doth fill
Their eares with aires, euen such as they were wont
To warble forth, when soules from sinfull wayes,
Turne to the path that leades to paradice.
98
Abrah'm and Sarah there do seeme to meet,
Ioynt hand in hand as marryed folkes befits.
Fred'ricke and his Elizabeth to greet,
And then a while both downe beside them sits,
Talking of duties betweene man and wife,
Of the ardent and constant loue that should be betweene man & wife, the Author hath discoursed more amply in his Golden Legends of Abraham & Sara, Isaac, and Rebecca, Iacob & Rahel, vpon which it pleased her Grace to bestow the reading some while agoe.
How they should shun all iealousie and strife:
99
Then blesse they them with Isaac, and his mate
Rebecca lou'd, whom beauty did commend,
But bounty more; they wish a happy fate
Vnto them both, with life that may not end,
Till many yeares them and their seed do crowne,
With highest hap amidst the Mirtle-towne.
100
Liue Princely-paire in health and honour still,
Liue Princely-paire in concord, peace, and loue,
Liue Princely-paire to grace your Abrah'ms hill,
Till yee exchang't with Abrah'ms hill aboue.
Be honour'd all your dayes, and after death,
Be honour'd ay, Fred'ricke, Elizabeth. *⁎*
THE SVMME OF DIVERS Pedigrees common to the two most Noble Princes FREDERICKE and ELIZABETH, Collected by the Authour, in Honour of their Highnesses.
IT is the common consent, and constant opinion, of Hystorians, and Genelogians, that the Palatine Princes are lineally descended from glorious Charlemaigne, once the most Augustious Emperour of Romans & Germanes, & King of France, most Christian, and it was chiefly in consideration hereof, that they were preferred before many other Princes, & Potentates of great power in Germany, in the election of the Emperour, & namely before the Duke of Saxe, a Prince of great puissance, authority and command; notwithstanding that both Otho the 3. Emperor, & Pope Gregory the 5. which did ordaine the sanction of the seuen Electors (according as Blondus, Polydorus, Bergomensis, Nauclerus, Crantzius, Balaeus, and Egnatius do deliuer) were both of them Princes of the house of Saxe, for the said Emperour Otho, belike considering with himselfe, how that hee had done a greater wrong to Charlemaigne in bereauing his race of the Golden Crowne of the Empire, by the meanes of his foresaid Electionary sanction or decree, thē he had done, when as he opened his Sepulcher, and bereft his Corps of the Golden Crosse did hang about his neck (as Ditmarus, who liued in those daies, doth write) for the which it is said that he was in his sleepe visited & affrighted with a reuengefull vision of the said Charlemaigne, menacing him with death, which shortly after did ensue: Otho, I say, considering the wrong afore-said, done to Charlemaigne and his Race, endeauored by al meanes to yeeld them some competent satisfaction, and [Page]therefore preferred the Count Palatine of the Rhine, being of the Imperiall bloud, and Male Race of Charlemaigne, before the Duke of Saxe, and the rest of the Princes of the Empire, in the fore-said Election. Besides, that the first Emperour, which was elected by the seuen Electors, which was Henry the second, Duke of Bauier, being likewise a Prince of the Saxon bloud, and afterwards enstiled Saint Henry, for his singular Piety & Chastity, as Vrspergensis, Frisingensis, Egnatius, Cuspinianus, & others do witnesse, he to make yet some further satisfaction to Charlemaignes Race, did both marry the daughter of Siffrid, Prince Palatine, named Cunegunde, and did like-wise restore vnto his brother-in-law Henry the first of this name, Prince Palatine, the Dukedome of Banier, as we learne out of Ditmarus & others. And it was, no doubt, in regard of their fore-said descent from Charlemaigne, that a certaine super-Imperiall priuiledge was cōferred vnto the Palatine Prince, which is, as the goldē Bul of the Emperor Charls the 4. doth beare, that he may, in some case, cite and summon the Emperor to appeare and answere before him Iudicially.
And because that in honor of the two most Noble Princes, lately maried, Frederick & Elizabeth, we haue drawne diuers Pedigrees & descents, both from glorious Charlemaigne, and frō many other Emperors, & Kings of diuers countries, cō mon to them both, especially seuen; therfore mee thought it good, to exhibite vnto the readers a sūmary view of the same, reseruing the more speciall handling thereof to another labour and worke in Latine. In the first foure of the said seuen Pedigrees, cōmon to both the said Princes, our most gratious Soueraigne King Iames, & his most Noble son-in-law Prince Fredericke are in one & the selfe same degree of descent from the 20 Emperors, and 24. Kings therein mentioned. In the fifth Pedigree, our most gratious Queene Anne, and the said Prince, are likewise in one and the same degree of Descent, From the 4. Emperours and 3. Kings therein named: And in th sixth and seuenth, Prince Fredericke, and Princesse Elizabeth do happely and iointly fall into one and the same degree of descent from the Emperour and 8. Kings contained therein: Likewise Prince Charles, and Prince Fredericke, two brothers-in-law, [Page]are colineally descended from two-borne-brothers, to wit, from Henry prince Palatine, and Duke of Saxe the elder of the two, from whom Prince Fredericke is in the 15. degree; and from Otho Earle of Yorke and Emperour, the yonger brother, from whom P. Charles Duke of Yorke being likewise the yonger, of the said two brothers-in-law, is descended, both on his fathers and his mothers side, in the 13. and 14. degree; though, as I noted other-where, some do hold that he had no children by any of his wiues.
The first of the fore-said seuen common pedigrees containeth fifteene Emperours of Romans, Greekes, and Germans, with eight Kings of diuers Countries, as namely, Germanie, Bauier, (for anciently it was a Kingdome) Hungary, Boheme, Sicile, and England, whereof two Kings are therein specified: to wit, Edward the elder, and Henry 2. from whom P. Fredericke is descended by both his daughters; to wit, Maude the elder, married to Henry the Lyon, Duke of Saxe and Bauier, and Leonora the yonger, married to Alphonse the 8. King of Castile, Whereby we may see that like as P. Fredericke is descended from the Kings of England, so is King Iames likewise descended from diuers of the Germane Emperours, especially by the meanes of his most Noble mother, and the most Illustrious house of Loraine, whence it doth follow, that hee is capable of the Imperiall dignity, as being of the bloud of Germanie, and of the Empire.
The second common Pedigree, containeth fiue Emperours of Constantinople, together with seuen Kings of France, Hungary, Aragon, Valence, and Sicile.
The third common Pedigree containeth seuen Kings of England, Scotland, Ierusalem, Castile, France, Naples, and Sicile; of which number, are Edmond Ironside, and Henry the first Kings of England, (besides King Henry the 2. mentioned in the first Pedigree) together with Malcolme Cammore King of Scotland.
The fourth common Pedigree is from S. Lod [...]wicke, or Lewis the incomparable King of France, from whom King Iames, and Prince Fredericke on their most Noble mothers side, Mary, and Lucy-Iuliane, are lineally descended in one [Page]and the same degree with King Lodowick the 13. of this name, being all three in the 12 degree.
The fifth pedigree containeth foure Emperors, and three Kings of Boheme, and Poland.
The sixth pedigree containeth seuen Kings of Arragon, Ʋalence, France, Nauarre, England, Castile, and Leon, of which number are Edward the 2. and Edward the 3. Kings of England, and Iohn of Gant his sonne, Knight of the renowned Order of the Garter, Earle of Richmond, Darby, Leicester, and Lincolne, Palatine of Chester, Great Constable of France, and High Steward of England, Duke of Aquitane and Lancaster, and King of Castile and Leon; from whom prince Fredericke, and princesse Elizabeth are lineally descended, the one by his sonne. Iohn Earle of Sommerset, Marquis Dorset, the other by his daughter Philippa married to Iohn King of Portugale, & both in the tenth degree, which is the eleuenth from King Edward the 3. as the pedigree I haue lately published doth shew.
The seuenth and last Pedigree common to both the said Princes, is from Lodowicke the 5. Duke of Bauier and Emperour, and his wife Margaret the Empresse, and Countesse of Holland; together with King Iohn of France, from the which Emperour and Empresse they are both in the 12 degree. So that the number of the Emperours contained in the said seuen pedigrees. common to both, falleth out to be twenty & fiue; and the number of the Kings of diuers countries therin specified, is thirty, and aboue; and euen so many Kings besides 12. Emperours, haue we found in the Princely descent of the Illustrious house of Howards, as wee shall (God willing) shew in another worke.
One thing there is, which the special affection I do beare to the honour of the name of Iames, will not suffer me to smother vp, and that is; That our most gracious Souerainge King Iames, the first of this name in Britanny, and likewise the first Christian vniter of the two kingdomes therof, and the son & heire of a Matchlesse Q. Mary, together with his Noble son-in-law, P. Fredericke are both of them in the 13. degree of lineall descent from Iames the first of this name, surnamed [Page]the Fortunate, son and heire of a worthy Queene Mary, and the vniting King of Aragon and Valence, of whom six famous Spanish Chroniclers, Rodericus Toletanus, Rodericus Sanctius, Alphonsus à Carthagena, Franciscus Tarapha, Lucius Marinius, and Damianus à Goes make most honourable mention. And from the same vniting King of Aragon, Iames the Fortunate, who was likewise the Author of two seuerall Orders of Knighthood (as Polydorus, Zuingerus, and others do write) Prince Fredericke, and Princesse Elizabeth, are yet another way lineally descended, and that both in one & the same degree, of the number of fifteene. It is likewise worthy of obseruation, that whereas there haue beene but only two Emperours of the Palatine Family he [...] [...]e; the one a yonger brother, and Duke of Baui [...] [...] Lodowicke the 5. the other an elder brother [...] [...]ount Palatine, which was Robert, surnamed t [...] [...] [...]hat the two Princes lately married, are descended equally from them both, with their Empresses, Margaret and Elizabeth; from the first two, both in the 12 degree; and from the other two, He in the 9. & She in the 10 degree. And my hearty wish is, that these two names aforesaid, Margaret and Elizabeth may proue as lucky Imperially, for Frederickes and Elizabeths Imperiall preferment in Germany, as the same names haue heretofore done royally for King Iames their fathers royall preferment in Britanny.
It is also worth the noting, that as there haue beene as yet but only two Emperours of the Palatine family, so haue they had a very different fortune in their acceptance towards the Pope; for Lodowicke the 5. Duke of Bauier, and Emperour, as is said before, from whom Prince Fredericke is the 12, was highly hated of Benedict the 12, and before him, yet more, of Iohn the 22 (whose name is so numerous, that he might haue well said with the vncleane spirit in the Gospell, my name is Legion) and yet after him of a third pope, Clement the 6. The which three popes (most like the three Furies) did no other thing else, from day to day, but heape hellish sentence vpon sentence of excōmunication & depriuation against the good Emperour; who not withstanding all their Infernall fulminations, and Cerbereall oblatrations, receiued more honour in [Page] Rome, at the hands of both Clergy & Laity there, then they all three did in Auinion; and in spite of the Diuell, liued longer in the Empire, then they all three did in the Papacy. But who list to learne more of the quarrels and contentions betweene the good Emperour Lodowike, and the foresaid three euill popes of Auinion, let them read the histories of Blondus, Sabellicus, Merula, Cuspinianus, and Thomas Walsingham, who likewise do tell, how that Edward the third, King of England, who went ouer into Germany to salute the said Emperour, & to treat of an alliance with him against France, was met of the said Emperour at Colein, and admitted to be his Vicar generall in the Empire. And the same Lodowickes father, named Lodowicke the Seuere, Prince Palatine, together with his brother Henry, Duke of Bauier, had likewise chosen Richard, Earle of Cornwall, son of King Iohn, to be Emperour; like as Robert the first of this name, Prince Palatine, (for this Title is in Aurea Bulla as well as that of Count Palatine) did choose the foresaid King Edward the third, to be Emperour after the death of Lodowicke the 5. though hee (too modestly indeed) refused the said dignity. By which particulars wee may espy how that the Palatine Princes haue been in former times very officious to the Kings of England, and their children; hoping that they shall hereafter proue yet more officious & forward in the same kind, then euer they haue done before, to the end that old prophesies may take effect, which doe promise, that the Imperiall dignity shall for many yeares continue in Britanny, as our Sibylla Britannica shall largely shew.
The other Emperour of the Palatine house, was Robert, surnamed the Noble, who reigned in great honor, 9 yeares and 9 moneths, from whom prince Fredericke is the 9.) as the pedigree lately published doth shew) and who was so highly beloued of pope Boniface the 9. that hee not onely furthered and confirmed his election, but also granted him, towards a subsidy, one yeares tythes of the Clergy, through all Germany, as Cuspinianus and others do write. So that this good Pope in doing this good office, and in vsing so well the worthy Emperour, did answere to his name, and was a Boniface indeed, farre otherwise then did Benedictus the 12. and Clement [Page]the 6 in the behalfe of the other Palatine Emperour named before. And for mine owne part, I wish with all my heart that many such Bishops may sit in the Apostolicall Chaire, as may both in their own persons giue vnto God the things that are Gods, & vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars; and with blessed S. Peter, teach all Christians to feare God, & honor the King. The foresaid Robert the good Emperour, & who was so highly beloued of the good pope Boniface the 9. was a prince renowned for his great spirit, quicke wit, heroicall courage, for his loue and study of Iustice, (for the which cause he was surnamed Robertus Iustimanus) & for his carefull endeuouring to repaire the ancient glory of the Empire. Hee came into England with a goodly company (as Fabian & Cooper do write) in the yeare 1403. to see the magnificence of the Court, and the commodities of the Countrey, who of King Henry the 4. was honorably & triumphantly receiued & feasted; and during his abode lodged at S. Iohns by Smithfield: & lastly conueyed towards the seaside, where either departed frō other with exchange of rich & pretious gifts: for this Robert (saith our said English Author) was a prince of great bounty, liberality, and magnificence, and shewed diuers effects thereof towards the English at his departure. He was likewise the first Emperor that euer ware S. Georges renowned order, commonly called, The Order of the Garter, as Maximilian the 2. another glorious Emperour was the eighth. He was likewise the first of the three Palatines, which haue ben honored with the foresaid noble Order; Iohn Casimire being the second, who receiued it at the hands of famous Queene Elizabeth, about the same time of the yeare, & day of the moneth, (to wit, the 8. of February) that P. Fredericke being the third, receiued it at the hands of our gracious K. Iames. The said Emperor Roberts wife was named Elizabeth the Empresse, & princesse Palatine, and was a Lady of singular vertue, piety, bounty, chastity & charity towards the poore; who brought forth to her worthy husband many fine children, to wit, fiue sons, by the meanes of the yongest whereof, P. Fredericke is descended from the said Emperor & Empres in the 9. degree; & three daughters, by the meanes of the eldest wherof, named Margaret, princesse Elizabeth is likewise descended from them in the 10 degree; the which numbers in thē vnited, make vp K. Iames his luckly number of Nineteene. Thus wee see; that like as our most gracious King [Page] Iames, with his hopefull children, prince Charles, & princesse Elizabeth are lineally descended from two Margarets, and one Elizabeth of Britany, being the renowned daughters of prince Edward, surnamed the Outlaw: K. Edward the 4. and K. Henry the 7. in whose tripled right (the two Margarets being married to two kings of Scotland, Malcolme Cammore, and Iames the 4.) he doth at this day happily and rightfully enioy this Crowne. So are they likewise descended lineally from other two Margarets & an Elizabeth of Germany, to wit, frō Margaret Countesse of Holland, Dutchesse of Bauier, & Empresse, wife to Lodowicke the Emperour, from Elizabeth Dutchesse of Bauier, princesse Palatine, and Empresse, wife to Robert the Emperour: and sustly, from Margaret, Dutchesse of Loraine, the eldest daughter of the said Robert the Emperour, and Elizabeth the Empresse, and who was married to the most noble and valorous prince Charles, surnamed Marcelle, or the warlike Duke of Loraine, from whom I haue deriued our hopefull P. Charles his pedigree; and that as well on his noble mothers as on his happy fathers side, and yet more from Emperours, Kings and Princes of the name of Charles, to the number of 9. besides those of other names, as also I haue done from P. Albert, Marquise of Brandeburge, who for his incomparable courage was called the Achilles of Germany; wishing with all my heart, that like as prince Charles was borne on his day, & doth participate of his bloud, so he may likewise inherit his heroical prowesse, and so one day be enstiled the Achilles of Britanny: the which our hearty wish is more fully expressed in an Astrologicall and Historicall poem made vpon his Natiuity. And thus for the present are we contented to shut vp this Genealogicall summe with this six-line-Epigram, in honour of Fredericke and Elizabeth, whom the God of heauen prosper and preserue.
Both from Augustus and Augusta spring
Lodwicke-Margret, Robert-Elizabeth,
Both in one month Ioue to the light did bring.
Augustus nam'd, which this good presage hath:
AVGVSTVS fate one day must them befall,
And him AVGVSTVS, her AVGVSTA call.
FINIS.