ENCOVRAGMENTS FOR THE VVarres of France.

To excitate and induce all generous minded and heroick Noble-Men, Gallant Gentlemen, and couragious Souldiers, who vnder the Conduct and Regiment of the most Martiall and magna­nimous Lord the [...]arle of Mortoun are worthilie disposed to serue our King his most sacred Majestie in France.

By WILLIAM DOUGLASSE North-Britaine.

Alter erit tum [...] et altera quae vehat Argo
Dilectos heroas: erunt etiam altera bella
At (que) iterum ad Troiam magnus mittetur Achilleis
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EDINBVRGH, Printed by Iohn Wr [...]i [...]toun▪ 1627. Cum Privilegio.

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TO THE RIGHT HONOV­rable and truely Noble Lord William Earle of Mortoun, Lord Dalkieth, and Aberdoure, &c.

IT is a maxime and generall obserued in Philosophy that all things naturally tends and inclines to the center of the owne kinde: if so in things Physicall where altogether nature beares the sway, much more in matters Politicall where reason rules & hath the Preheminence, yea, even in Religion and pietie, as the common Proverbe goeth Charitie begins at the selfe.

What marvell then, right Noble Lord, that I (although the meanest of all such who stand oblished and ingadged to your L. in all humble duetie and service) yet hauing the honour to bee one of your L. Name, & presuming vpon the good report I heare in the mouthes of all men of your L. good nature, courteous hu­mane & affable disposition haue adventured and taken the bold­nesse in this litle triviall taske, and extemporaniall lynes (the very first essay & fruit of my Muse) to addresse my self, and haue recourse vnto your honourable L. the true and worthie center of my Sphere & Horizon: and that my Darkenesse beeing inlight­ned, by the meanest reflects that flowes from the Sunshine of your L. worth, I may, darre appeare in publicke & the more boldly shew my self to the view of the World in this learned and Apollo-bred age. It is cleare & evident, that the mirthlesse [Page] Musicke of the Droning Bee, is no wayes so pleasant as the melodious warbling of the matchlesse Mearle or rarest Phi­lomel and the rest of Heavens sweet singing Quiristers yet doth shee not ceaese to fill the vacuitie of the spacious Aire, and to please the eare of the Auditours in giving them all that na­ture hath giuen her, so I in this time of necessitie and common concurrance while as euerie man endevors to bee some way stedable to the most worthie proceedings of our most sacred Soveraignes intended Warres, though I can neither doe as others, nor say or sing as others, yet with others I will bee bold to shew foorth my goodwill, though it were but to roll and tumble my Tub with Diogenes, and with the Bee to blast soorth the bombing sound, of my barren Song. And as for your honourable L. who is the due subject of my Songe, I am perswaded that as the naugh­tiest mettall, even Lead it selfe, being presented to the most rare Al­chimist stone by the touche and vertue thereof, is presentlie transformed into Gold: so no question this drosse of my plumbish Poesie being once presented & touched with the most rare vertue of your L. fauour, shall incontinent bee Metamorphosed in a gol­den shape: & las the weary Dove flying to the safe Ark of your L. protection with this one leaf of the olive maybee sheltered & enioy a sure couer from all the stormy blastes, not of the vncertaine god AEolus, but of the certaine windie Devi [...] Zoilus, such a dam­nable detracter, who is well practised and learned in his arte of carping & calumniating other mens workes, but was never so well learned himself, as to vnderstand but these three words [...] [...]. So hoping, yea, assuring my self your L. out of your euer accustomed courtesie and goodnesse, will excuse and take in good part this my boldnesse and presumption and so much the rather, my chiefe aime heerein being the glorie of God, the eredit of our King and Country, & the celebration of your L. duelie deserved honour and praise, wherein I haue done as I could though not as I would: yet protesting when a more fauouring influence [Page] shall, afford mee seme matter of greater importance the same also shall come foorth vnder the shelter of your L. honourable Name whom I haue chosen to bee the great Protectour and onlie Mae­cenas of my Muse as I am and shall ever remaine,

Your L. owne in all humble duetie and affectionat service while I breath, W. D.

To the Courteous Reader.

KInd courteous Reader, whosoe're thou bee,
Who viewes these Infant ishues of my braine
Let mee receiue no censures sharpe from thee
Since these my verse but from a novice vaine
In tennours low I studie to bee plaine,
Leauing a higher stile for great engines,
This birth abortiue doe not then disdaint,
Tho bee not heere elaborat my lines
Not vsde as yet on Heliconian Mountaines
On Pindus toppe, or Acidalian Fountaines
Your servant in all bound duetie. W. D.

TO MY MVCH RE­SPECTED FRIEND AND Cousing Mr. William Douglasse.

I Can not but commend thy 'spyring Spreit,
Who now so soone dost haunt Parnassus springs
And for due declaration of thy wit
So high dost soare with Pegasean wings,
Since tender yeares such tribute now imbringes:
Vnto Apollo & the Muses shrine,
In grauer age when thou some subiect sings,
What shall the greatnesse bee of thy engine?
How aptly heere thy tennours doth combine
Precedents past to matters now in hand
Of Countrie men, while Courage doth incline
With valour to advance by Sea and Land?
Praise worthy thou, of Douglasses a Mearle
To Douglasses doth sing and Mortouns Earle.
Ge. Colquhoun.

In Amici & Condiscipuli mihi dilectissimi M, Gulielmi Douglasij Libellum.

MIra canis, sed vera canis: cum annalibus olim
Douglasidum memoras fortia facta virûm
Gallorum fraudes, Scotorum camine laudes
pangis: Saxonidas pingis honore duces
Ergo tibi nomen Patrium, ergo in amore paterno
vincta est pro meritis terra Britanna tuis.
Ge. Dunlopus.

EPIGRAMS, Vpon the most Honourable and braue resolution of the right Worthie, Vertuous, Noble, Heroicke, Martiall and Magna­nimous Lord William Earle of Mortoun, Lord Dalkieth and Aberdoure &c. One of his most sacred Maiesties most Hono­rable Priuie Counsell in both Kingdomes: and great Generall to all the hie minded and couragious No­ble-men, Gallant Gentle-men, and braue Souldi­ers who followes and accompanyes his Honou­rable Lordshippe to France.

NOW is the time if e're in any age
For Martiall men and Gallants to goe foorth,
Against the French, to vindicat with rage,
Their wrongs and vilipending of Our Worth
What hath the valiant Scots of Galls nowgaind
Eight hundreth yeares who haue their state maintain'd?
In Parliament worthie Colmannus wise
Much 'gainst this League did constantly contend
Who Thane of Marre in braue Achaius dayes
When Charli-mane did heere his Legat send
An aide of Scotts doth earnestlie implore
'gainst Saxons, who supprest the Celticke shore.
Colmannus wise with grace and grauitie
Vnto his King and Nobles doth declare,
To Scotts that League must prejudiciall bee,
'Gainst English in one Ile who natiues are
Since aide of French stood in vncertaintie
Of Elementes vnconstant wind and Sea.
Time hath confirmde Colmannus counsell good
Who 'gainst this League his speeches did propone,
Spent by the Scotts what speates of bravest blood,
In fending France whiles English them oppone?
Abroad in France at home in Britannie
What bravest Scots did in that quarrell die?
Were French e're since victors in any Warre
Wherein not Scots did chiefest credit carrie?
To English braue since French inferiour farre
In valour, worth, in matters militarie:
So long with them beene at such deepe debate,
Were not for Scots vndone long since their state:
The English Archers so by the French were fearde,
Whiles Edward the blacke Prince who praisde so much
Through most of France his statelie Trophies rierde,
With his victorious troupes wrought matters such
That numbers small of his with easie toyle
Whole Myriads of feeble French would foyle.
If not impeded by those ciuill jarres
And by the Martiall Scots wel-knowne might,
What valiantly was wonne by them in Warres,
And what they did possesse by Normand right
The worthie English in Celticke Diadame
Vnto this day had still maintainde the same.
Now Warres of Lancaster and Yorke are done,
And both the Roses well long since are joynde
And Scotland now and England all in one
Vnder one King are happilie conjoynde
Vnit in boundes, in bodies, mindes, and loue
Gainst all the Worlde invincible to prooue.
Since then the French most madde in their intent,
Hath incitate our most couragious King
That for reuenge and for their ruine bent
Deserued warres doth duelie 'gainst them bring:
And by his generall braue Buckinghame
He hath begun their fronters for to tame,
It is full time for Scots for to concurre
And by their Kings and Englands injurie
Vnto their proper splene to bee a spurre
And 'gainst the French for to encrease their furie.
That Archers of the Corps so long neglected
Nor is our gens d'armes as due respected.
Nor haue they kept in minde that League so old
Nor dueties done to them, which were so great;
Into their histories not wee inrolde
The actions of the Scots doth not entreat
Our deedes in France both recent and of old
By Forrainers not by the French or told
How can the Scots forget in ages all
In latest times their great ingratitude?
Since God this Land from errours did recall,
Resaued heere pretending much our gude.
Since that our Queene of Scotland onlie heir.
In France espoused to their Dolphine their.
When they as Friends had seazed in their hand
Our Fortresses, and strengths of importance
They much opprest the people of this Land,
And euerie where as victors did advance,
Badlie for Soule and bodies ruine bent
Did use tyrannicall gouernement.
Which Tyrannie had longer heere indurde,
If English (we not meriting so much)
With strongest troupes to hardnesse all inurde
Had not them forcde to composition such
That soone they left the limites of this Land,
For which to England yet wee obligde stand.
Then Martiall Mortoun with thy Men at armes
Like thy Ancestors worthilie aduance:
Let to thy Foes notorious bee their harmes
By Douglasse Name sounded againe throught France:
That they who French wont to defend before
Now of their spoiles and victories may glore.
As in the Warres of Scots by oldest right
The Vanguard to the Douglasse did belong,
So first of Scots against the French to fight
Leade thou our trained troupes their lands along,
That ancient valour which in ages old
May now againe reviue in Douglasse bold.
Two Douglasse Earles (their valour this proeur'de)
In Turoues Dukedome were worthilie invest
[Page] Which yet their successours if not injurde
Vnto this day had still the same possest:
Since thou hast right from thy ancestors race
Let now thy Sword thee in Possession place.
Right Gallant Guilliam King Achaius Brother
Transported first fiue Thousand Scotts to France
As wise and valiant he, as any other
With Lillies first the Lyon did advance,
For rare exployts right fast his fame did flie
Through Flanders, France through Spaine and Italie.
Most famous Florence was by him restorde,
By cruell Gothes when brought to great decay:
With Monuments and buildings braue decorde,
Which keepes in minde his name vnto this day,
And yet respects the Scots with Honoures hie
Since they restorers of their libertie.
So valiant William of statelie Douglasse stemme
Is now the first into thir sturring times
Gallants transportes from Scotlands Diademe
To conquesse and to kepee those Celtick climes
The bloody heart with Lyon to erect,
King Charles Foes with terrour to correct.
That hee in France may possiblie repeat
Those Provinces which doe him to belong,
Since he as heire to conquering William great,
Deprivde of Normandie receiues great wrong
[Page] By and attoure his right and greatest claime
To all the rest of Celticke Diademe.
Hee is the Man to whom the mates of Mars
Directed hath the drift of their designes
His Grandour chiefest end of wished Warres
He highest aime whom hope to most assignes
That tru elie him we Charles the great may see
Greater nor Charles the great or fifth to bee.
For, shall wee not expect to be compleat
What prophesied by sacred Sibill Songs?
In Gods owne time he'le raise some man of Spreit
To free his Church and vindicate their wrongs
The Antichrist with all his cursed crew,
The tyran Turke the Lord in Hell will spew.
And is there one from east to occident
A Potent Prince so for this purpose meete,
As is King Charles our Monarche eminent.
In whom those Prophesies shall bee compleet:
That so Gods Saintes enjoy may libertie
Hence by his Sworde from proud oppressours free.
So then it restes for all that seeke renowne
With their braue King concurre in such a quarrell
His old vnconquered Caledonian Crowne
For such pretence they will refuse no perrell;
Invincible they will their courage show,
That all the Worlde may still their courage know.
FINIS.

An Acrostiche or Alphabeticall Sonnet to the said Noble Earle.

VVyse, valiant, vertuous, Worlds admired worth
In courtesie, and courage next to none
Loved of all, heroike heart goe foorth,
Let armes aduance thy old Ancestoures Throne:
In our vnconquerde soill at of this one
As many good was ere of any Name?
Mars had not else foure hundreth yeares by gone
Doubled the Douglasse still augmenting Fame
Or was the Vandgard euer lost with shame,
Whereas chiefe Chiftaine Douglasse did appeare?
Grand honour of the royall Diadame
Loe, for their woethin Parliament they beare
And yet more praise expects of thee alone
Since seldome God gaue vertue More to one.
Anagr.

An Echo resounding and answering to the same purpose.

COme Echo canst thou answere to my call? E. all.
What votes thou to this Earles brave adventer? E. enter.
Will thou stand good then for all future euill? E. I will.
But what? all future chances are vncertaine? E. Certaine.
Who then doth know mens afterward estates? F. Fates.
And cannot their presages faile for euer? E. never.
Who doth inspire them? God from Heauen hic? E. eaven he.
[Page] VVhat shall the Earle of his paines exonor? E. honor.
And since he goes what shall he bring againe? E. Gaine.
VVhat gaine? For by long time Fame will decay? E. nay.
Shall none forget to memorate this voage? E. no age.
Then who is fitte to conquere such a Pearle? E a Earle.
And who bee's Master of this matchles Fortoun? E. Mortoun.

Quod Galli arctissima jamdiu cum Scotis neces­situdine neglecta pactis (que) violatis stristissimis & antiquis­simis Scotiam iustissime contra seipsos armarunt.
Carmen Elegiacum.

TEmporibus priscis fulsit victoria Gallis
Vllene quae Scotis non fuit auxiliis?
Mirum igitur Gallos vincendos milite Scoto
Victores toties milite Scotigeno:
Nempe sui nostro cum regno faedris icti
immemores, fragilem nunc violasse fidem
Constat: ut in Celtis nō sunt data praemia nostris
Debita, nec laus, nec gloria militibus:
Quid referam Fratres Anglos cum classe retentos?
Quid referam oppressos Relligione pios?
Quid Cereris sacrum arcanae puerilibus ausis
Vulgatum memorem, spreta (que) connubia.
Carolus ille ergo noster regum editus alto
Gallorum, Anglorum, Scotigenum (que) satu;
Normannaeque ducis qui longa ab origine Gentis
Ius certum in Celtas nunc habet imperij,
Armis accinctus justis hic Carolus ensem
distrinxit justum, justa (que) bell a movet,
Vindicet vt fraudes, vt debita forte reposcat
sceptra, ut (que) oppressos subleues ense pios.
FINIS.

Quod Nobilissimus Mortoniae Comes ex antiquissima & Invi­ctissima Douglasiorum Familia cujus majores toties Gallis opem temporibus aerumnosis tulerunt, nunc in Gallos ex Scotia primus milites ducat.

SI qui de nostris vnquam meruere camaeuis,
Vel si vnquam Musae quid potuere meae.
An non te quem prima decent praeconia laudis
Carmine nunc celebret Calliopeia mea?
Tune ille antiqui magna de stirpe Douglassi
Regis ut & patriae raptus amore tuae,
Prima Caledoniae qui primus belliger infers
In Francos meritis arma petita suis.
Qui regem Patriam (que) tuam virtutibus ornas:
Exuperas proavos qui probitate pios.
Tanta tua baec virtus nostr [...] bene nota Monarchae
te facit astrigeras Martis adire Domos.
Tanta tua boec virtus regali milite structum
mittit te ad Trojam major Achille novam.
Te duce longinquos quis non percurrat ad Indos
Succinctus gladio jussa subire tua:
Hostis imo armatas procedentem ante catervas
Si te tam validum viderit ire ducem,
Non modo terga dabit sed ter verba baec geminabit.
Heu cum Scotigenis venit ad arma Deus.
Qualis vt aethereis si Iuppiter esset in armis,
qualis et in castris Mars foret ipse suis:
Talis eris dum bella gerens sub imagine Martis
structus eris clypeo tu Iove nate tuo.
Marte igitur part [...]s qui diu latuere triumphos
Nomini ut & patriae tute repone tuae.
FINIS.
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