ISAHACS INHERITANCE; DEW TO OVR HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE, IAMES THE SIXT OF SCOTLAND, OF ENGLAND, FRANCE AND IRELAND THE FIRST.
By E. W.
Fors vnita valet.
AT LONDON Imprinted for Iohn Harrison, dwelling in Pater-noster rowe at the signe of the Vnicorne and Bible. 1603.
TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull the Maister, Maister-wardens, assistance, and other the brethren of the most worshipfull societie of the Drapers in London: E. W. wisheth all happinesse and aeternall felicitie.
RIght Worshipfull, though my vnskilfull Muse, praesuming in her infancie to soare aboue her reach, feared at first the vulgar view of her vnpollish'd lines, least her wings scortched like those of Icarus, her downe-fall should be as great as Phaetons; knowing that snarling Zoylous will sooner bite with his blacke tooth of enuie, then any well-willer can read and iudge with fauourable censure: yet soone resoluing to make choise of your worships for her Mecaenas, the aduancers of the vertuous, the mainteiners of the learned, friends to the Muses, and helpers to all forward proceedings, thus farre she is bold to peepe foorth her head: assured neuerthelesse that some Agesilaus will tell her, he will neuer prooue sutorem expertum, qui paruo pedi magnos induat calceos, and that she is no way to be commended, who tunes [Page]so high notes with so slender an Oaten Pipe: But such she will answer that her will was better then her worke, and as the Painters [...] sometimes handles his Pensill, when he should but grinde his colours, so he that will prooue his craftes-maister, must ayme at the famest: but those which shall be such cynicall censorers of her first simtes, let them take the like taske, mend hers, and she will yeeld vp the Bucklers. Thus not doubting of your worships fa [...]able acceptance, crauing no more: friendly censure, hoping no [...] kinde countenance the chiefe of her wish: all which shall arme her against each foule-mouthd Momus, or carping Diogenes, she commits the tuition of this her poore Orphan to your most worthie protection. Resting
Your worships most humbly deuoted Edw: Wilkinson.
ISAHACS INHERITANCE.
Dew To our high and mighty Prince Iames the sixt of Scotland, of England, France and Ireland the first.
1.
WHen first our warlick Brute,
AEneas great gransier of Brute.
sprung from the stockeOf graue Aeneas, stemme of vertues race,
Abode the stocke of Fortune like a rocke,
Which surging billowes would in vaine displace,
And in his exile did the g [...]ues vnlocke
Of Troian bondage, freeing from disgrace
His country men, who subiugate in Greece
Were there dispoyled of their golden fleece.
2.
He with this remnant, erst like wandering sheepe
Disperst 'mongst wolues, whose hide ous iawes did reeke
With luke war me bloud of these, which oft did sleepe
Hid in the rocke, caue, den, or riuers creeke,
As safest place, in safety them to keepe.
Poore captiues, who to each vassaile were both meeke,
Humble, and duteous, as we vsuall see
The bondman is in his captiuity.
3
With these (I say) our gran-sire tooke his course,
To seeke new habitation, and aboade:
Whose ancestors ere while, without remorce
Were fired from the sight of Troian roade:
(Which to recite would craue too long discourse,)
And thus with Brute and's followers it stoode,
They were all vagrant, though the Phrygian plaine,
Did to their nation by due right pertaine.
4
After a long and tedious Pilgrimage,
Straying now heere, now there, each way vncertaine,
Like to the straggling of Deucalions forrage
After the inundation: and in vaine
Spent being the flower of his youthfull age,
Hopelesse almost a countrie to regaine,
Where to implant a new the Troyans line,
Which now alacke to lowe ebbe did decline.
5
Ioyning his troopes with Corinens band,
[...] yeare [...]
A Troian like himselfe, distrest as he,
At length arriuing on this Westerne sand,
Displaying colours, shewing victorie
Had crown'd him Monarch of olde Albions land,
Her name he chang'd to worthy Britannie:
Which Ile being Spring then to their Winter past,
Promisd a haruest too, for aye to last.
6
Now blush proud Rome at thy aspyring minde,
That by thy Ʋirgils Pen challengd'st descent
From Troyan issue, yea from Aeneas kinde,
When by thy Sybils oracles 'twas ment
Brute should inhabite Britaine, and we finde
It prooued true, to Albions great content:
Yet Maro I collaude thee, who wouldst make
Thy Caesar his descent from Troye to take.
7
Thou aimedst faire,
[...] which [...] tolde [...] [...]gustus [...]rily he [...] a Ba [...] sonne.
but Caesar knew thou flatterd'st,
Wherefore with penny-dole thou wast rewarded:
Aeneas yet by loftie stile thou madest
T'arriue in Italie, and to Lauinia wedded.
The daughter of Latinus, this sure thou forgedst
With colourable gloze to haue defended
Thy wits inuention, yet Rome it selfe well knowes,
Romulus her founder was, this her name shewes.
8.
And Romulus nere sprang of Troian line,
Rhea a Vestall virgin was his mother,
But who his father was doubtfull hath bin,
A silly shepheard nurst him, and his brother,
Faustulus
When they were both reiected of their kinne
Whom they for fire tooke, knowing none other:
But grant Aeneas did Laninia wedde
King Numitor nere from his loynes descended.
Father to Rhea.
9.
But whether wandrest thou so farre my muse?
Muse not to thinke Rome forg'd so smooth a tale,
It is no changeling it will not refuse,
To forge a greater lye, if it auaile
And serue her turne for profitable vse,
And helpe her in her errours to preuaile:
Crie, crie her mercy, it comes to her by kinde,
To forge, deceiue, and lie, as we well finde.
10
Returne I then to sing the soundest truth
Of Brute our sire, Ilions new reuiuer,
Who being arriued here with Troian youth,
Few in number, and a small remainder
Of that they were, (which to rehearse breedes ruth.
And for such losse I tremble to remember)
Planted himselfe by destinies degree,
Finding this Ile his resting place to bee.
11.
Here built he a new Troy, London our cittie,
For a remembrance of olde Ilions wall:
Here did he establish lawes both good and witty,
Which might th'audatious to orders good recall,
Here did he gouerne long with loue and pitty,
And naught in's raigne but good did him befall
He gouern'd as sole Monarch all the Ile,
Till death the soule of body did beguile.
12.
[...] (alas) for now new Britaines bounds
[...] deuided into sundry shares:
[...] sell the Westerne groundes,
[...] all the realme,
[...]
which ere since beares [...] of Cornewall, the sons of Brute here frowns,
[...] a diadem amongst them weares:
[...] nature thus farre thought it meete,
[...] which felt the sower, should tast the sweete.
13.
[...] he hath which must beare soueraingty,
[...] amongst them part the rest:
[...] hardly beare superiority,
[...] to haue an equall thinkes it best.
[...] diuides his signiority,
[...] else the brother should detest,
[...] sprung from one stocke disdaine to see,
[...] branches highest in degree.
14.
[...] end diuision which first bred,
[...] Humber to Seuerne smoothly gliding
[...] shard, wishing his brethren dead,
[...] haue all for his owne abiding,
[...] partners he must be contented,
[...] his cares it were no welcome tyding.
[...] S [...]uern backe ward must beare sway
[...] from Humber takes his way.
15.
[...] shaking her dissheuiled haire,
[...] and snarl'd, compos'd with vipers broode,
[...] her venimous serpents in the ayre,
[...] their amity, which as yet firme stood:
[...] of brotherhood, brethrē though they were
[...] forgot, being parted by the flood.
[...] not all, not many yeares were past,
[...] this middle region gan to waste.
16
The brother which was eldest stood in doubt
The yonger loued him not, but wisht his death,
Memsus slue [...] brother Ma [...]
And to preuent all harmes, he cast about
To saue himselfe, and stop his brothers breath:
This bad example doubtlesse causd a route
Of stag-hairde Ruffians, carelesse to vnsheath
Their slicing fauchions, gainst their brothers throate,
If by his death they might set all on floate.
17
Scarce ages two in such disorder wasted,
[...] who [...] to quished [...] slue [...] prison Morgan slame [...] Cunedag [...]
But middle Britaine swaide by womans beck,
The fruites of her diuision too soone tasted,
When neighbouring kingdomes sought to breake her neck,
Albany, Camber, Cornewall hether hasted,
To spoile her of her plumes themselues to deck:
Soone after which themselues at variance fall,
And one being slaine, the other gouernes all.
18
Thus Britaine was reduc'd to her full force,
And gouern'd by one Monarch as before,
Now florishd she, but soone hauing runne that course,
Porres Porres Porres slame.
Dissention grew twixt brethren as of yore,
Alack it should be so, it breeds remorce
To thinke that Porrex should his brother gore,
But mothers hate, much greater ruth hath bred,
Jdion [...] [...] Porres [...] which Brut [...] line was extin guished.
Which slue the other sleeping in his bed.
19
Monster of women which could her owne bowels tare,
And glut her with the bloud of her owne childe,
Whom did she thinke, by offpring should repaire
The ancient stocke of Brute, now cleane exil'd?
Whom meant she should her Britaine walles vpreare,
When she her hands with her sonnes gore defil'd?
Whom though she should this desolate Ile defend,
When all her hopes on Brutes stocke did depend?
20
Now laye she open to inuasions,
To ciuill discord, mutinies, and iarres,
Now was she subiect to intrusions,
As well to forraine as domesticke warres,
Now neighbouring regions made incursions,
Now was she intangled dangerously in snares.
For so it falles, when kingdomes lacke a guide,
Subiect are harmes, no good can them betide.
21
Much like they are to ship, where Pilots wanting,
Which tost and turmoyld is in surging waues,
Subiect to be ore whelm'd, subiect to splitting,
Against some hideous rocke, when winde quite shaues
And tares away her failes, subiect to drowning,
Making the depth to be the Saylers graues:
Such is the state of Realmes, where heads are scant,
Britains this was thy greefe, thy woe, thy want.
22
The giddie-headed multitude were glad,
They were exempted from a Kings command,
Thus lawes dissolu'd the good scarce from the bad
Could be discern'd; broke was all friendships band
In this tempestuous, dangerous, and sad
Tumultuous time, where none could surely stand,
Not yet his goods, or chattels safe possesse,
Nor know where for his harmes to seeke redresse.
23
Thus enemie to thy selfe thou long didst liue,
In [...]ll discord, shedding guiltleste bloud:
When father enuied that the sonne should thriue,
And haire-braind youth malign'd the ageds good,
When Politicians to surmount did striue,
But hinder'd by the vulgar, who as wood,
And raging in a madnesse, would permit
No base intruder in Caesars throne to sit.
24
Vntill Mulmutius Duke of Cornewalls sonne,
Commiserating greatly thy distresse,
Brought thee from many Monarchies to one,
From all thy troubles yeelding thee release,
Peace-meale when thou wast totterd, broke, and torne,
He ioynted thee, and did thy greefes redresse:
He constituted lawes for thy tranquillitie,
Called Mulmutius lavves.
Which kept thee after long in amitie.
25
Nere till his time was worne a wreath of golde,
His temples were the first such mettall bore,
This he deseru'd, for courage sterne and bould
He was indued with, and what is more
Wisdome surpasde his courage twenty fould,
Which causd his fame both farre and wide to fore.
Here Britaine flourished, her stormes were calm'd,
Her wounds this king with soueraigne oyle embalm'd.
26
Now trophies were vpreard for victory,
The Lawrell bowe in signe of peace she bare,
Now was she glittering in her cheefest glory,
For happinesse none with her might compare,
Her father Neptune now no more is sorrie,
Britaine inuirond vvith the sea.
But lulles her in his lappe, (a thing most rare)
Gladly begirts her, hoping she is free,
From like distresse, woe, or calamitie.
27
England, and Scotland, Cornewall, Wales and all
Stands ioyntly now a Britaine; And as then
A wise Mulmutius from the sunnes downe-fall,
Shone as a bright starre to our countrimen,
Deliuering them from that their present thrall,
Renuing their full libertie againe,
Swaging their outrages for gouernment,
And making lawes to serue his good intent.
[...]36.
An [...] doth a kingdome better florish
[...] vnited, and when part
[...] neither doth diminish,
Any [...]: well alwayes fares the hart
[...] firmely knit, they it establish
[...] to indure each smart:
[...] the limmes will not the hart defend,
[...] thody soone will haue an end.
37.
[...] with few yeeres besides,
[...] since mongst our selues we had
[...] billowes, surging waues
[...] betweene the white Rose and the red,
[...] seuerd kingdome had her sides
[...] selfe, her selfe her owne bloud shed
[...] ciuill mutinies: O griefe
[...] hopelesse of all releefe.
38.
[...] Richmond liu'd to be thy guide,
[...] pilot to direct thy course
[...] heauen, which before wert wide
[...] yea and which was worse,
[...] huge rockes, ready thy side
[...] sinke thy selfe without remorce:
[...] Rose will [...] [...] white vniting,
[...] aloft kept thee from sinking.
39.
[...] still long time in peace,
[...] his scepter long time swaide,
[...] in his raigne did encrase,
[...] willing [...] Prince obeyed,
[...] behinde him after his discease,
[...] of renowne, [...] robes arayed,
Who shone long time, especially the last,
Whose sempiternall fame shall neuer waste.
40.
But Richmonds issue female must continue
Our happinesse begunne: Margaret a gemme
Of peerelesse price, who past with her retinue
To Edenbrough, to a glorious stemme
King Iames the fourth, who royally in lieu
Of kindenesse, crown'd her with his diadem,
From whose faire Princely loynes we fetch discent
Of James our king: King be he permanent.
41.
He and his Linage Caesars throne possesse,
Whilst Sunne giues light by day, or Moone by night,
Aeternall Joue with happinesse them blesse,
Inable them with power to keepe their right,
Nere let their Monarchy againe be lesse
Then now it is, euen whole Britaines might,
Enlarge it rather of thy heauenly grace,
And neuer let decay the Stewards race.
42.
Iames our dread King thy steward is on earth,
(According to our hopes iust let him be,)
To execute his office here beneath,
That so his soule may gaine eternity:
To him (O Lord) in mercie thou bequeath
A hart reple at with heauenly pollicie,
His Princely grace with wisedome (Lord) indue,
To roote out vice, and wickednesse subdue.
43.
Inable him with power to extirpate
All heresies, as he hath euer done,
T'aduance thy truth, thy foes to subingate,
That they thy Church may neuer ouer-runne,
Infuse thy sacred spirit in his hart
That wisperers against thy truth he shimmer
Let him vnmaske such, as in vertues cloake
Wrap vp themselues, when all their deedes are smoake.
44
[...] shall we boast a Steward iust thou hast,
And my (though first we greeu'd) at our late change,
The sweete milke of thy Gospell we shall taste,
[...] ha'done, and not in errours range.
[...] obtaine by mercie at the last
[...] Si [...]n: hen wilt thou not estrange
[...] vs, but louingly embrace
[...] looke, receiuing vs to grace.
45
[...] we shall dayly pray,
[...] of promise thou hast plac'd him,
[...] spring neuer may decay:
[...] dowrie thou hast grac'd him,
[...] still flourish like the Baye,
[...] those that euer haue de fac'd him:
[...] like yeeres many let him see,
[...] and loyall subiects be.
FINIS.