Doth promise fruite worthy the noble kind E. S. To the right honourable the Lord of Hunsdon, high Chamberlaine to her Majesty. R ENOWMED Lord, that, for your worthinesse The record of enduring memory. E. S. To the right honourable the Lord of Buckhurst, one of her Majesties privie Counsell. IN vain I thinke, right honourable Lord, By this rude rime to memorize thy name, Whose learned Muse hath writ her owne record But, sith thou maist not so, give leave a while To the right honourable Sir Fr. Walsingham, knight, principall Secretary to her Majesty, and one of her honourable privy Counsell. THAT Mantuane Poets incompared spirit, Whose girland now is set in highest place, Had not Mecænas, for his worthy merit, It first advaunst to great Augustus grace, Might long perhaps have lien in silence bace, Ne bene so much admir'd of later age. This lowly Muse, that learns like steps to trace, Flies for like aide unto your Patronage, That are the great Mecænas of this age, As wel to al that civil artes professe, As those that are inspir'd with Martial rage, And craves protection of her feeblenesse : Which if ye yield, perhaps ye may her rayse In bigger tunes to sound your living prayse. E. S. To the right noble Lord and most valiaunt Captaine, Sir John Norris, knight, Lord president of Mounster. WHO ever gave more honourable prize To the sweet Muse then did the Martiall crew, That their brave deeds she might immortalise In her shril tromp, and sound their praises dew ? Who then ought more to favour her then you, Moste noble Lord, the honor of this age, And Precedent of all that armes ensue? Whose warlike prowesse and manly courage, Tempred with reason and advizement sage, Hath fild sad Belgicke with victorious spoile; In Fraunce and Ireland left a famous gage; And lately shakt the Lusitanian soile. Sith, then, each where thou hast dispredd thy fame, Love him that hath eternized your name. E. S. To the right honourable and most vertuous Lady R EMEMBRAUNCE NCE of that most Heroicke spirit, The hevens pride, the glory of our daies, Which now triumpheth, through immortall merit Of his brave vertues, crown'd with lasting baies Of hevenlie blis and everlasting praies; Who first my Muse did lift out of the flore, His goodly image, living evermore In the divine resemblaunce of your face; Which with your vertues ye embellish more, And native beauty deck with heavenlie grace : For his, and for your owne especial sake, Vouchsafe from him this token in good worth to take. E. S To the most vertuous and beautifull Lady, NE may I, without blot of endlesse blame, You, fairest Lady, leave out of this place; But with remembraunce of your gracious name, Wherewith that courtly garlond most ye grace And deck the world, adorne these verses base. For thereunto doth need a golden quill, E. S. To all the gratious and beautifull Ladies in the Court. THE Chian Peincter, when he was requirde To make his worke more absolute, desird As time her taught, in lowly Shephards weeds, Am now enforst, a farre unfitter taske, For trumpets sterne to chaunge mine Oaten reeds, And sing of Knights and Ladies gentle deeds; Whose praises having slept in silence long, Me, all too meane, the sacred Muse areeds To blazon broade emongst her learned throng: Fierce warres and faithful loves shall moralize my song. Helpe then, O holy virgin! chiefe of nyne, O, helpe thou my weake wit, and sharpen my dull tong! |