To the Right Honourable the Lord Burleigh, Lord high Threasurer of England. To you, Right Noble Lord, whose carefull brest Το menage of most grave affaires is bent; And on whose mightie shoulders most doth rest (As the wide compasse of the firmament The labor of lost time, and wit unstayd: And the dim vele, with which from commune vew E. S. To the Right Honourable the Earle of Oxenford, Lord high Chamberlayne of England, &c. RECEIVE, most Noble Lord, in gentle gree,1 The unripe fruit of an unready wit; Which, by thy countenaunce, doth crave to bee Defended from foule Envies poisnous bit. Which so to doe may thee right well befit, And also for the love which thou doest beare Gree, favor. To th' Heliconian ymps,1 and they to thee; They unto thee, and thou to them, most deare: Deare as thou art unto thyselfe, so love 2 That loves and honours thee; as doth behove. E. S. To the Right Honourable the Earle of Northumberland. THE sacred Muses have made alwaies clame And Registres of everlasting fame, To all that armes professe and chevalry. Which them succeed in fame and worth, are tyde By whose endevours they are glorifide; To patronize the authour of their praise, Which gives them life, that els would soon have dide, To thee therefore, Right Noble Lord, I send This present of my paines, it to defend. E. S. To the Right Honourable the Earle of Cumberland. REDOUBTED Lord, in whose corageous mind 1 Ymps, offspring. 2 "Him" is understood after "love." To you this humble present I prepare, For love of vertue and of martial praise; E. S. To the most Honourable and excellent Lord the Earle of Essex, Great Maister of the Horse to her Highnesse, and Knight of the Noble order of the Garter, &c. MAGNIFICKE Lord, whose vertues excellent Doe merit a most famous Poets witt To be thy living praises instrument; But when my Muse, whose fethers, nothing flitt, E. S. 1 Assaies, proofs, or trials. 3 2 Sdeigne, disdain. Sty, ascend. To the Right Honourable the Earle of Ormond and Ossory. RECEIVE, most Noble Lord, a simple taste Of the wilde fruit which salvage soyl hath bred; But where thyselfe hast thy brave mansione: * All goodly bountie and true honour sits. Receive, dear Lord, in worth, the fruit of barren field. E. S. To the Right Honourable the Lord Charles Howard, Lord high Admiral of England, Knight of the Noble order of the Garter, and one of her Majestie's privie Counsell, &c. AND ye, brave Lord, whose goodly personage 1 So faire a land as may be redd, i. e. as fair a land as any that can be read of. This nobleman lived in Ireland. Sith those huge castles of Castilian King, Is in this verse engraven semblably,2 That it may live to all posterity. E. S. To the Right Honourable the Lord of Hunsdon, high RENOWMED Lord, that, for your worthinesse Live, Lord, for ever in this lasting verse, 2 Sith, since. Semblably, with resemblance. E. S. 3 Deene, din. * Allusion is here made to the defeat of the Spanish Armada. He was cousin to Queen Elizabeth. |