THE BEAME OF BRIGHTNESSE.
Or The three faire Sisters of Christendome.
Containing: A Disputation betweene the three famous Citties in Europe.
Viz. Venice, Paris and London, with their differences.
Composed by William Venner, Gentleman.
AT LONDON Printed for Iohn Wright, and are to be sold at his shop in Newgate Market, neere Christ-church. 1611.
To the right VVorshipfull Sir John Watts, Knight, one of the prudent fore-seeing Aldermen of this honorable and famous Citty of London.
IN the time of your honorable gouernment in this Citty, it was my chance right worshipful to rime before you, and being more worthilie esteemed, then my deserts could merit, I did thinke it a point of my duty, to dedicate this worthlesse worke, onely to shew a kind of thankfulnes, assuring my selfe that since I receiued grace for extempore, this poore Inuention shall scape free from disgrace, hauing so worthy a Patron to defend it, Thus commending a ring posie rather then an Epistle I end, wishing your Worships endlesse felicity.
Your worships at all duty William Ʋenner.
To the courteous, not captious Reader, health.
I Make no doubt, but there are many of my countrymen which haue seene the beautie and riches both of Paris and Venice, who may happily blame me for my breefe description. But gentle reader I answere it thus, I could Willingly haue giuen them a larger praise, had their merrit beene equall with Londons: And this moreouer I desire those which shall mislike my Labour to mend it, and none shall be more willing and ready to applaude them then my selfe. I haue begun the foundation, if any please to build vppon it, I shall thanke him for beautyfiing my rough building, But hoping they will iudge of me, as I would doe of them in this case, I leaue it to their mildest and most fauourable censure.
Your friend, VV. V.
The three faire Sisters of Christendome, conteining a Disputation of the three famous Citties in Europe, and their differences: viz. Paris in France, Venice and London.
Paris to London.
PRoud English Sister fall vpon thy knee,
and aske forgiuenesse of my angry gate:
Thy shining beauty hath dishonored mee,
thy fained loue deserues my mortall hate.
Know I am Paris that doth check thee so,
Whose fame & beauty through the world doth go.
London to Paris.
Faire famous sister, 'tis no swelling pride,
that makes me term'd the beautie of the earth:
What all men giue, thy enuie cannot hide,
although thou seek'st for to aduance thy birth,
Thus much Ile speake without reproche to thee,
Thou knowst when thou wast seruant vnto me.
Venice to London.
Peace prating girle, call her not thy inferior,
shee hath that in her, thou canst not obtaine:
Both I and shee, will now be thy superior,
to call thee Sister now we both disdaine.
I am ingirt with Seas, shee with the land,
And what canst thou haue more at thy command?
London to Venice.
Venetia's virgin maske thy blushing face,
thy walls salt water are, salter's thy sinne:
Thy common Curtizans sheweth thy deep disgrace
though by their lust thou dost much profit winn.
Thou harbourest murther, rape, and iealousie,
My maiden-streetes doe scorne their company.
Both to London.
Doost thou accuse vs of so small abuses,
we can condemne thy streets of twenty more:
First thy Stage Players seruing for no vses,
but to inrich themselues to make thee poore.
Next cousning wits that on poore guls are whetting
And all thy shops polluted are with cheating.
London to both.
Blush both with shame, for this you haue reported,
since I am gouerned with the sword of right:
[Page]True Iustice in my maiden Towne is seated,
whose honor makes my beauty shine more bright:
My wedded Lord doth sit in Iustice chaire,
For to aduance me, thrice honored Lord Mayor.
And for those players that do so offend you,
they can lay open all your secret vices:
And for your vertues they likwise wil cōmend you,
you speake but what foule enuie you intises:
Within my maiden walls I scorne to heare them.
Yet all the world for action comes not neere them.
But to come to, a neare particular,
chant out your worthes wherwith you are indued:
When you haue done with tearmes familiar,
Ile shew you what within me may be viewed.
She that her fame with truth doth most make glister
Shall be esteemed for the worthiest Sister.
Both to London.
Wee are content, thy motion's reasonable,
beshrew the heart of them that would deny it:
And let it be recorded in a table,
that all may read our praises that passe by it.
Paris.
Pray sister peace (if I be not mistaken,)
Hir pride and state shall by my worth be shaken.
Venice.
Paris begin, and London listen to it,
her faire discription will force thee looke pale:
If not, then London know, Venice will do it,
yet will we both vouchsafe to heare thy tale.
Chearly sweet London, do not looke so thin,
Me thinkest thou faint'st before our tale begin.
London to both.
Stretch out your fame vnto the largest bower,
Ile sit and heare your praise with patience:
Know worthy sisters, that it is my order,
to grace a strangers words with audience,
Report the truth, and then my griefe is cured,
Ile speake no falshood, be yee both assured.
Paris description of her selfe.
My name is Paris, London view my face,
know I am Grand-mother to mighty France,
And am well scituated in a place,
where gods and goddesses may seeme to dance.
In me there flowes faire fountaines & sweet springs,
I am the seate of the first Christian Kings.
My riches passeth all my skill to tell,
yet thus much to report I may be bold:
[Page]What other Cities haue, I haue to sell,
from meanest mettall, to the purest gold▪
Orrenges, Limmons, White and Clarret wine,
London, thou borrowest from my tree and Vine.
I want for nothing that the earth can yeeld,
my gouernment is ciuill, rich, and faire,
I stand on drye ground in a pleasant field,
the heauens breath in me, their wholsome ayre.
Except sweet Venice, none in Europs horrizon,
Compares with Paris, Paris without comparison.
For my religion, 'tis the Romaine faith,
in me the holy Monkes and Friars sing:
The holy Vicar, much good of me saith,
whose loue I do esteeme aboue my King.
Rich in religion, rich in wealth and all,
Last; whiles the world stands, Paris cannot fall.
Venice to London.
How likes faire London of the French maids words
I am assur'd I shall not neede to speake:
I see thy heart is cut as twere with swords,
and thou for Lady Paris art too weake.
Therefore I count my speeches should be vaine,
Vnlesse thy pride should stir me vp againe.
London to both.
Pardon me both, I was almost a sleepe,
to heare the singing of the holy Fryars,
Me thought their bells such ratling did keepe,
within my eares: yet grant me my desires.
Faire Venice speake your worth, Paris defend it,
And when you both haue done, Ile helpe to mend it.
Venice description of her selfe to London.
I know that I thy patience shall disturbe,
but yet poore Londō, thou of force must heare me,
Know I am Venice, mistresse of the Orbe,
no humaine force on th'earth, ther'is can feare me.
My walls are mighty galleis on the maine,
I feare not Roome, nor stand in awe of Spaine.
No ratling Cart or Waggon runnes in me,
but gentle Gundels swimming ore the streame.
I am admired for my courtesie,
great Dukes do quaile, if I of anger dreame.
Ile beg for no Kings loue, deride all hate,
I'me more then Venice, the Venetian state.
In rich attire all my men goe clad,
my women masked from the scorching sunne,
To trade with me all forreners are glad,
I gaine by all, and all by me haue wonne.
[Page]Each Curtizan that doth in me remaine,
Doth tribute pay out of the gould they gaine.
Thus doe I dwell securely in the sea,
what I can wish is brought me by the maine:
And though salt water comes in euery where,
yet all my welles sweet water doe containe,
Of all the world my state is holden wise,
All call me the faire flower of marchandise.
For my religion Paris, tis like to thine,
I loue the Pope and seeme not to gainsay him:
But if he once command the least of mine,
Ile smile at his command, and not obay him.
Thus doe I liue a famous Virgin free,
Commanding all, yet none commandeth me.
Paris to London.
I wounded thee but this faire Queene hath slain thee
her royall praise hath strucke thee to the heart:
And London know we euer will disdaine thee,
if thou from vs in this dumbe shew depart.
Therefore lets heere what you can briefly say,
Although you beare your share of shame away.
London to both.
I must confesse you are exceeding faire,
and both your largenesse farre surpasseth mine:
and both well stor'd with fruite and choisest wine:
Since this and more my eye in you doth see,
giue leaue, Ile shew you what there is in me.
Both to London.
Speake free thy mynde for we ar both content,
and will acknowledge thou art wonderous kind.
Sith that thy Iudgment is so frendly spent,
vpon our worthes, our fauor thou shalt finde.
We long to heare thy worth what it may be,
If thou canst equall ours weele all agree.
Londons Description.
First Lady Paris I adresse to you,
you stand on Champion ground and so do I,
No stately shipping comes vnto your view:
thankes be to heauen my dwellings not so drie,
Paris wants seas, Venice wants hills of chalke,
London wants neither water, nor sweet walke.
At both your riches London doth not grudge,
if thou desire some of my wealth to see,
Walke but directly ouer my faire bridge,
to my exchange and then youle honor me,
From thence to Paules, & more wealth shal be spied,
But winke not with your left eye in Cheapside.
My honorable Lord doth gouerne me,
with his wise brethren and a worthy shrieue:
Where equity and Iustice you shall see,
in larger measure then you can beleeue,
As wide as is the world my fame doth ring,
I am a seate for Prince for Queene and King
I am arts Mistris and the tradsmans nurse,
I am the high way to Pernassus mount:
How many strangers come with loden purse,
to buy the water of my Nimphy fount.
For trades I am a plaine community,
For art a tenfould Vniuersity,
Both to London.
Peace speake no more, our anger is abated,
No more weele striue for soueraignity:
Thy worth of vs is now beloud, not hated,
giue vs thy hand weele sweare true amity.
Venice is faire, Paris is large and wide,
London is ritch it cannot be denyed.
London to both.
You interrupt me ere my tale is done,
foure Tearmes are holden in me euery yeare:
My countrymen vnto me ride and runne,
and doe inritch me, yet I am not deare,
[Page]Yet this is nothing to that I now shall tell,
By which you both shall say I doe excell.
My maisters can command their seruants so,
they must fulfill it without all replie:
If they command, their men with speed to goe,
with willing mind all sloath they doe defie.
Yet giue me leaue I must speake one thing more,
More worth then all, that I haue spoke before.
For my Religion it is profound,
in Iesus Christ I build my cheefest hope:
Gods word, the sacred scripture is my ground,
and not the diuelish doctrine of the Pope.
You both are blinded with his false illusion,
which not foreseene will worke your own confusion.
Both to London.
Sweete sister peace for you haue sham'd vs both,
and prickt our consciences with endlesse griefe:
We must giue thee the best, though we are loath,
yet hast thou got it and thou must be cheefe
Thinke kindly of vs, worthiest of the three,
And let our Trafficke with thee still be free.
London to both
Thinke you of me, as I will doe of you,
no pride nor enuie dwelleth in my heart:
[Page]You gaue me that which is mine owne by due,
yet still with me you shall haue sisters part:
Vse me for trafficke and transporting still,
My heart is free to thinke the least of ill.
Now farewell Sisters England calls me hence,
and I must goe, good haps betide you both,
Yet thus much vnderstand without offence,
to change my wealth with both I would be loath.
Yet will I yeeld the best on this condition,
That you cast off your grounded superstition.
Paris to both.
Farewell sweet London thou hast conquered me,
I now must take my leaue and flie for France:
My studie shall be to speake well of thee,
thy words haue strooke poore Paris in a trance,
Faire sister Venice thrise farewell to thee,
But to braue London I must seruant be,
London to Paris.
Nay say not so, no seruant you shall be,
Dublin and Edenborough my faire handmaids are,
Faire Hollands Girles their duties shew to me,
tis I deliuered them from hand of war,
Paris, in loue, faire London takes thy hand,
To thee vnited in a true-loues band.
The Beame of Brightnesse. Paris adiew.
Much honored Maide, eterniz'd be thy fame,
may Paris liue to doe thee seruice still:
Heauens plague on them, that seeke to worke thy shame,
or haue intent to wroke thee any ill.
The winde is Nore, and I will post to France,
Where Londons name, I Paris will aduance.
Venice to London.
Paris is gone to France, but wretched I,
will hast vnto the Adriattick sea:
My streets shall salt teares weepe, and nere be dry,
sith that I am constrained to obay.
Yet louely London, this report of mee,
I am the second, worthiest next to thee.
London to Venice.
Be sure me Venice, but I will report,
thy fame and credit may coequall mine:
Yet one thing there is wanting in thy Court,
which I containe, that is Gods word deuine.
Yet truly Venice, this Ile say to thee,
I loue thee, and thou shalt haue peace with mee.
Venice farewell.
More louely then my loue can set thee forth,
more famous far, then fame hath skill to call thee:
[Page]My might is much, but little to thy worth,
and thus I wish all endlesse ioyes befall thee.
London command mee, where thou wilt and when,
God prosper thee, thus Venice sayes Amen.
Londons Conclusion.
They both are gone, and left me heare alone,
I wish them well, though first they enuied mee,
I euer shall enioy my natiue home.
to let my country-men my beauty see.
Venice commands the Seas, Paris the land,
London, both sea and land, at her command.
Great God preserue my royall Emperour,
the Queene, the Prince, the Councell, & my Lord,
His worthy brethren, and each venturour,
that can for them and me their loue affoord.
Plant Preachers in me, to beate vices downe,
Last with thy hand defend my maiden towne.
Amen.
FINIS.