A Chaine of Pearle. OR A Memoriall of the peerles Graces, and Heroick Vertues of Queene Elizabeth, of Glorious Memory.

Composed by the Noble Lady, Diana Primrose.

Dat ROSA mel apibus, quâ sugit ARANEA virus.

LONDON, Printed for Thomas Paine, and are to be sold by Philip Waterhouse, at his shop at the signe of St. Pauls-head in Canning-street neere London-stone. 1630.

TO ALL NOBLE LADIES, and GENTLE-WOMEN.

TO You the Honour of our Noble Sex,
I send this CHAINE, with all my best Respects:
Which if you please to weare, for her sweet sake,
For whom I did this slender POEM make.
You shall erect a Trophie to her Name,
And crowne your selues with neuer-fading Fame.
Devoted to your Vertues, DIANA P.

TO THE EXCELLENT LADY, the Composer of this Worke.

SHine forth (Diana) dart thy Golden Raies,
On Her blest Life and Raigne, whose Noble Praise
Deserues a Quill pluckt from an Angels wing,
And none to write it but a Crowned King.
Shee, Shee it was, that gaue vs Golden Daies,
And did the English Name to Heauen raise:
Blest be her Name! blest be her Memory!
That England crown'd with such Felicity.
And Thou, the Prime-Rose of the Muses nine,
(In whose sweete Verse ELIZA'S Fame doth shine,
Like some resplendent Star in frosty night)
Hast made thy Natiue Splendor far more bright;
Since all thy PEARLES are peerles-orient,
And to thy selfe a precious Ornament.
This is my censure of thy ROYALL CHAINE
Which a far better Censure well may claime.
DOROTHY BERRY.

THE INDVCTION.

AS Golden Phaebus with his radiant face
Enthron'd in his Triumphant Chaire of State,
The twinkling Stars and Asterismes doth chafe
With his Imperiall Scepter, and doth hate
All Consorts in his Starry Monarchy,
As preiudiciall to his Soveraignty.
So Great ELIZA, Englands brightest Sun,
The Worlds Renowne and everlasting Lampe,
Admits not here the least Comparison;
Whose Glories, doe the Greatest Princes dampe.
That ever Scepter swai'd or Crowne did weare,
Within the Verge of either Hemispheare.
Thou English Goddesse, Empresse of our Sex,
O Thou whose Name still raignes in all our hearts,
To whom are due, our ever-vowd Respects!
How shall I blazon thy most Royall parts?
Which in all Parts did so divinely shine,
As they deserue Apollo's Quili (not mine.)
Yet, since the GODS accept the humble Vowes
Of Mortalls; daigne (O Thou Star-crowned Queene)
T' accept these ill-composed Pearly-Rowes:
Wherein, thy Glory chieflty shall be seene:
For by these Lines so blacke and impolite,
Thy Swan-like Lustre shall appeare more white.
Thy Emperiall Majesties eternall Votary, DIANA.

A CHAINE OF PEARLE, OR A Memoriall of Q. Elizabeth.

The first Pearle. RELIGION.

THE goodliest Pearle in faire Eliza's Chaine;
Is true Religion, which did chiefly gaine
A Royall Lustre to the rest, and ti'de
The Hearts of ALL to her when Mary di'de.
And though Shee found the Realme infected much
With Superstition, and Abuses, such
As (in all humane Iudgement) could not be
Reform'd without domesticke Mutiny,
And great Hostility from Spaine and France;
Yet SHEE vndaunted, brauely did advance
Christs Glorious Ensigne, maugre all the Feares
Or Dangers which appear'd: and for ten yeares
SHEE swaid the Scepter with a Ladies hand,
Not vrging any Romist in the Land,
By sharpe Edicts the Temple to frequent,
Or to partake the holy Sacrament.
But factious Romanists not thus content,
Their Agents to their holy Fathersent,
Desiring him, by sollemne Bull, proclaime
ELIZABETH an Heretike, and name
Some other Soveraigne, which might erect
Their masking Masse, and hence forthwith eject
The Evangelicall Profession,
Which flourisht vnder her Protection.
The Pope to this Petition condescends,
And soone his Leaden Bull to England sends,
Which by one FELTON, on the Bishops Gate
Of London was affixed; But the STATE
For that high Treason punisht him with death,
That would dethrone his Queene, ELIZABETH.
Yet was this Ball of Wild-fire working still,
In many Romanists which had a will,
The present State and Governement to change;
That they in all Idolatrie might range.
And hence it came that Great Northumberland,
Associate with Earle of Westmerland,
And many moe, their Banners did display
In open Field; hoping to win the Day.
Against these Rebells, Noble SVSSEX went;
And soone their bloudy Purpose did prevent.
Westmerland fled, Northumberland did die,
For that soule Crime, and deepe disloyalty;
Having engaged Thousands in that Cause.
After which time, the QVEENE made stricter Lawes.
Against Recusants; and with Lyons heart,
Shee bang'd the Pope, and tooke the Gospells part.
The Pope perceiving that his Bull was baited
In such rude sort, and all his hopes defeated:
Cries out to Spaine for helpe; who takes occasion
Thereby t'attempt the Conquest of this Nation.
But such Sage Counsellers ELIZA had;
As, though both Spaine
In vlti­mam rabi­em fure­rem (que) conversi.
and Rome were almost mad
For griefe and anger, yet they still did faile,
And against England never could prevaile.

The second Pearle. CHASTITY.

THE next faire Pearle that comes in order here,
Is Chastity, wherein SHEE had no peere.
Mongst all the Noble Princesses which then
In Europe were the Royall Anadem.
And though for Beauty SHEE an Angell was,
And all our Sex did there in farre surpasse;
Yet did her pure vnspotted Chastitie
Her heavenly Beautie rarely beautifie.
How many Kings and Princes did aspire,
To win her Loue? In whom that Vestall Fire
Still flaming, never would Shee condescend
To Hymen's Rihtes, though much Shee did commend,
That braue French MONSIEVR who did hope to carry
The Golden fleece, and faire ELIZA marry.
Yea Spanish PHILIP, Husband to her Sister,
Was her first Sutor, and the first that mist her:
And though he promis'd that the Pope by Bull
Should license it, SHEE held it but a Gull
For how can Pope
Yet his Cano­nists say; Benè dis­pensal Do­minus Pa­pa contra Apostolum Extrae. de Renunc. Ca. post translatio­nem.
with Gods owne Law dispence?
Was it not time such Popes to cudgell hence?
Thus Her impregnable Virginity,
Throughout the World Her Fame did dignify.
And this may be a Document to all,
The Pearle of Chastity not to let fall:
Into the filthy durt of foule Desires,
Which Satan kindles with his Hell-bred fires:
For whether it be termed Virginall
In Virgins, or in Wiues stil'd Conjugall,
Or Viduall in Widdowes, God respects
All equally, and all a like affects.
And here I may not silent overpasse
That Noble Lady of the Court, which was
Sollicited by TAXIS that great DON,
Embassador for Spaine (when SHEE was gone)
Who to obtaine his will,
Primo Iacobi.
gaue her a Chaine
Of most rare Orient Pearle, hoping to gaine
That Worthy Lady to his Lust;
Related by theho­notable Kt. and Baronet, SIR Richard Hoūghton of Hough­ton Tow­er.
But Shee
That well perceiu'd his Spanish Policy,
His faire Chaine kept, but his foule Offer scorn'd,
That sought (thereby) her Husband to haue horn'd:
TAXIS repulst, sent to Her for his Chaine,
But (as a Trophie) Shee did it retaine;
Which Noble President may all excite,
To keepe this Pearle, which is so Orient bright.

The third Pearle. PRVDENCE.

HOW prudent was her Government appeard
By her wise Counsels, by the which SHEE steer'd,
In the most dangerous Times that ever were,
Since King or Queene did Crowne in England weare.
Her choice of Famous Councellers did show,
That Shee did all the Rules of Prudence know:
For though her Wit and Spirit were divine;
Counsels (Shee knew) were best, where more combine:
That for Experience and deepe Policy
Are well approved; whose Fidelity
Retaines them in the bonds of Loyall Loue,
And no great Pensions from their Prince can moue.
Thus rul'd SHEE prudently with all her power,
With Argus Eyes foreseeing every houre
All dangers imminent, least any harmes
Should vs befall by Spanish Arts or Armes:
This Gift in her was much more emminent,
In that it is so rarely incident
To our weake Sex: And as a precious stone,
Deepe set in Gold, shines fairer, then alone,
Or set in Lead; so did all Graces shine
In Her more gloriously, because Divine:
For Kings are Gods, and Queenes are Goddesses
On Earth, whose facred Vertues best expresses
Their true Divinitie: wherein, if WEE
Them imitate, tis our Felicity.
This Pearle of Prudence then, Wee all should prize
Most highly, for it doth indeede comprise
All Morall Vertues, which are resident
In that blest soule, where this is president.

The fourth Pearle. TEMPERANCE.

THE Golden Bridle of Bellerephon
Is Temperance, by which our Passion,
And Appetite we conquer and subdue
To Reasons Regiment: else may we rue
Our yeelding to Mens Syren-blandishments,
Which are attended with so foule Events.
This Pearle in HER was so conspicuous,
As that the
Edward
King Her Brother still did vse,
To stile HER His sweete Sister Temperance;
By which Her much admir'd Selfe-governance,
Her Passions still SHEE checkt, and still SHEE made
The World astonisht, that so vndismaid
SHEE did with equall Tenor still proceede
In one faire course, not shaken as a reed:
Semper eadem.
But built vpon the Rocke of Temperance:
Not daz'd with feare, not maz'd with any Chance;
Not wiih vaine Hope (as with an emptie Spoone)
Fed or allur'd to cast beyond the Moone:
Not with rash Anger to precipitate,
Not fond to loue, nor too too prone to hate:
Not charm'd with Parasites, or Syrens Songs,
Whose hearts are poison'd, though their sugred Tongues
Sweare, vow, and promise all Fidelity,
When they are bruing deepest Villany.
Not led to vaine or too profuse Expence,
Pretending thereby State Magnificence:
Not spending on these momentany pleasures
Her precious Time: but deeming her best Treasures
Her Subiects Loue,
Omnibus incutiens bland [...] per pectorae amorem.
which SHEE so well preserv'd,
By sweete and milde Deameanor, as it seru'd
To guard Her surer, then an Armie Royall;
So true their Loues were to Her, and so Loyall:
O Golden Age! O blest and happie Yeares!
O Musicke sweeter then that of the Spheares!
When Prince and people mutually agree
In sacred Concord, and sweete Symphonie!

The fift Pearle CLEMENCY.

HER Royall Clemency comes next in view,
The Vertue which in HER did most renew
The Image of Her Maker, who in that
Exceeds himselfe, and doth commiserate
His very Rebells, lending them the light
Of Sunne and Moone, and all those Diamonds bright.
monstrae, teterrima monstra.
So did ELIZA cast Her Golden Rayes
Of Clemency, on those which many wayes
Transgrest Her Lawes, and sought to vndermine
The Church and State, and did with Spaine combine.
And though by Rigor of the Law Shee might
Not wronging them, haue taken all Her right
Yet Her Innate and princely Clemencie
Mov'd Her to pardon their Delinquencie,
Which sought Her Gracious Mercy, and repented
Their Misdemeanors, and their Crimes lamented.
So doth the the Kingly Lyon with his foe,
Which once prostrate, he scornes to worke his woe.
So did this Vertues sacred Auri flame,
Immortalize our Great ELIZA'S Name.

The sixt Pearle; IVSTICE.

HER Iustice next appeares, which did support
Her Crowne, and was her Kingdomes strongest Fort.
For should not Lawes be executed well,
And Malefactors curb'd, a very Hell
Of all Confusion and disorder would
Among all States ensue. Hereto vnfold
The exemplary Penalties of those,
Which to the Realme were knowne, and mortall Foes:
And as some putrid members par'd away,
Least their transcendent Villany should sway
Others to like Disloyalty; would aske
A larger Volume, and would be a Taske
Vnfit for Feminine hands, which rather loue
To write of pleasing subiects, then approue
The most deserved slaughtering of any;
Which justly cannot argue Tyranny.
For though the Pope haue lately sent from Rome,
Strange Bookes and pictures painting out the Doome
Of his pretended Martyrs: as that they
Were baited in Beares skins, and made a prey
To wilde Beasts, and had Bootes with boiling Lead
Drawne on their Legges, and Hornes nail'd to their head;
Yet all our British world knowes these are fables,
Chimaera's, Phantasm's, Dreames, and very Bables
For Fooles to play with: and right Goblin-Sprights,
Wherewith our Nurses oft their Babes affrights.
His Holinesse these Martyrdomes may adde
To the Golden Legend; for they are as madde,
That first invented them, as
Vappa Voragino­sa.
he that write
That branelesse Booke: and yet some credit it.
For Cruelty and fond Credulity,
Are the maine Pillers of Romes Hierarchy.

The seventh Pearle. FORTITVDE.

THIS goodly Pearle, is that rare Fortitude,
Wherewith this Sacred Princesse was endu'd.
Witnesse Her braue vndaunted Looke, when Parry
Was fully bent SHEE should by him miscarry:
The Wretch confest, that Her Great Majestie
With strange amazement did him terrifie.
So Heavenly-Gracefull, and so full of Awe,
Was that Majesticke Queene, which when some saw,
They thought an Angell did appeare: SHEE shon
So bright, as None else could Her Paragon.
But that which doth beyond all Admiration
Illustrate Her, and in Her, this whole Nation;
Is that Heroicke March of Her's and Speech
At Tilbury, where Shee did All beseech
Brauely to fight for England, telling them
That what their Fortune was, should Hers be then.
And that with full Resolue Shee thither came,
Ready to win, or quite to loose the Game.
Which words deliver'd in most Princely sort,
Did animate the Army, and report
To all the World Her Magnanimity,
Whose haughtie Courage nought could terrify.
Well did Shee shew, Great Henry was Her Sire,
Whom Europe did for Valor most admire,
'Mongst all the Warlike Princes which were then
Enthronized with Regall Diadem.

The Eight Pearle. SCIENCE.

AMong the Vertues Intellectuall,
The Van is lead by that we Science call;
A Pearle more precious then th' Aegyptian Queene,
Quaft off to Anthony; of more Esteeme
Then Indian Gold, or most resplendent Gemmes,
Which ravish vs with their translucent Beames.
How many Arts and Sciences did decke
This HEROINA? Who still had at becke
The Muses and the Graces, when that Shee
Gaue Audience in State and Maiestie:
Then did the Goddesse Eloquence inspire
Her Royall Brest: Apollo with his Lyre,
Ne're made such Musicke; On her Sacred Lips
Angells enthron'd, most Heavenly Manna sips.
Then might you see her Nectar-flowing Veine
Surround the Hearers; in which sugred Streame,
SHEE able was to drowne a World of men,
And drown'd, with Sweetnes to reuiue agen.
Alasco, the Embassador Polonian,
Who perorated like a meere Slavonian,
And in rude rambling Rhetoricke did roule,
SHEE did with Atticke Eloquence controule
Her Speeches to our Academians,
Well shew'd Shee knew among Athenians,
How to deliver such well-tuned Words,
As with such Places punctually accords.
But with what Oratory-ravishments,
Did Shee imparadise Her Parliaments?
Her last most Princely Speech doth verify,
How highly Shee did England dignify.
Her Loyall Commons how did Shee embrace,
And entertaine with a most Royall Grace?

The ninth Pearle; PATIENCE.

NOW come we Her rare Patience to display;
Which, as with purest Gold, did paue her way
To Englands Crowne; for when her Sister rul'd,
Shee was with many great Afflictions schoold:
Yet all the while Her Mot, was Tanquam Ovis,
Nor could her Enemies proue ought amisse
In Her, although they thirsted for her bloud,
Reputing it once shed, their Soveraigne good.
Sometime, in Prison this sweere Saint was pent,
Then hastily away Shee thence was sent
To Places more remote, and all her Friends
Debar'd accesse; and none but such attends,
As ready were with poison, or with knife,
To Sacrifice this Sacred Princesse life,
At bloudy Bonners becke, or Gardiners nod;
Had they not bin pre [...]ented by that GOD,
Who did Susanna from the Elders free,
And at the last, gaue her, her Liberty.
Thus by her patient bearing of the Crosse,
Shee reaped greatest Gaine from greatest Losse,
(For he that looseth his blest Liberty,
Hath found a very Hell of misery:)
By many Crosses thus Shee got the Crowne;
To Englands Glory, and her great Renowne.

The tenth Pearle. BOVNTY.

AS Rose and Lillie challenge cheefest place,
For milke-white Lustre, and for Purple Grace:
So Englands Rose and Lillie, had no Peere,
For Princely Bounty shining every-where.
This made her Fame with Golden Wings to fly
About the World, aboue the Starry Sky.
Witnesse France, Portugall, Virginia,
Germany, Scotland, Ireland, Belgia;
Whose Provinces and Princes found her Aid
On all Occasions; which sore dismaid
Spaines King whose Europaean Monarchy,
Could never thriue during her Soveraignty;
So did Shee beare him with her Distaffe, so
By
Elisa­bethae fuit Terrae Re­gina Ma­risquè. Primo Iacobi.
Sea and Land Shee him did ouerthrow;
Yea, so that Tyrant on his knees Shee brought
That of braue England Peace he * beg'd, and thought
Himselfe most happie, that by begging so
Preserv'd all Spaine from Beggery and Woe.
Here all amaz'd my Muse sets vp her rest,
Adoring HER was so Divinely blest.
At nos horrifico cinefactam TE propè Busto,
Insatiabiliter deslebimus, aeternumque.
FINIS.

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