Michael Drayton- Collected Poetical Works

by Michael Drayton

  So, almost through the world his fame flew from this Realme;

  That iustlie I may charge those ancient Bards of wrong,

  So idly to neglect his glorie in their Song.

  For some aboundant braine, there had been a storie

  Beyond the Blind-mans might to haue inhanc’t our glorie.

  Tow’rds the Sabrinian Sea then Parret setting on,

  To her attendance next comes in the beautious Tone,

  Crown’d with embroidred banks, and gorgeously arraid

  With all th’enamild flowers of manie a goodly Mead:

  In Orchards richly clad; whose proud aspyring boughes

  Euen of the tallest woods doe scornea iote to loose,

  Though Selwoods mighty selfe and Neroch standing by:

  The sweetnes of her soyle through euery Coast doth fly.

  What eare so empty is, that hath not heard the sound

  Of Tauntons fruitfull Deane? not matcht by any ground;

  By Athelney ador’d, a neighbourer to her Land:

  Whereas those higher hills to view faire Tone that stand,

  Her coadiuting Springs with much content behold:

  Where Sea-ward Quantock stands as Neptune he controld,

  And Blackdown In-land borne, a Mountain and a Mound,

  As though he stood to look about the Country round:

  But Parret as a Prince, attended heere the while,

  Inricht with euery Moore, and euery In-land Ile,

  Vpon her taketh State, well forward tow’rds her fall:

  Whom lastly yet to grace, and not the least of all,

  Comes in the liuely Carre, a Nymph, most louely cleere,

  From Somerton sent downe the Soueraigne of the Sheere;

  Which makes our Parret proude. And wallowing in excesse,

  Whilst like a Prince she vaunts amid the watry presse,

  The breathlesse Muse awhile her wearied wings shall ease,

  To get her strength to stem the rough Sabrinian Seas.

  POLY-OLBION: THE FOURTH SONG

  The Argument

  England and Wales striue, in this Song,

  To whether, Lundy doth belong:

  When eithers Nymphs, to cleere the doubt,

  By Musick meane to try it out.

  Of mightie Neptune leaue they aske:

  Each one betakes her to her taske;

  The Britaines, with the Harpe and Crowd:

  The English, both with still and loud.

  The Britaines chaunt King Arthurs glory:

  The English sing their Saxons storie.

  The Hills of Wales their weapons take,

  And are an vprore like to make,

  To keepe the English part in awe.

  There’s heaue, and shoue, and hold, and draw;

  That Severne can them scarce divide,

  Till Iudgment may the Cause decide.

  THIS while in Sabrin’s Court strong factions strangely grew,

  Since Cernwall for her owne, and as her proper due,

  Claim’d Lundy, which was said to Cambria to belong,

  Who oft had sought redresse for that her ancient wrong:

  But her inveterate Foe, borne-out by Englands might,

  O’re-swaies her weaker power; that (now in eithers right)

  As Severne finds no Flood so great, nor poorelie meane,

  But that the naturall Spring (her force which doth maintaine)

  From this or that shee takes; so from this Faction free

  (Begun about this Ile) not one was like to bee.

  This Lundy is a Nymph to idletoyes inclin’d;

  And, all on pleasure set, doth wholliegiue her mind

  To see vpon her shores her Fowle and Conies fed,

  And wantonlie to hatch the Birds of Ganimed.

  Of trafique or returne shee neuer taketh care:

  Not prouident of pelfe, as many Ilands are:

  A lustie black-brow’d Girle, with forehead broad and hie,

  That often had bewitcht the Sea-gods with her eye.

  Of all the In-laid Iles her Soueraigne Seuerne keepes,

  That bathe their amorous breasts within her secret Deepes

  (To loue her Barry much and Silly though shee seeme,

  The Flat Holme and the Steepe as likewise to esteeme)

  This noblest British Nymph yet likes her Lundy best,

  And to great Neptunes grace preferres before the rest.

  Thus, Cambria to her right that would her selfe restore,

  And rather then to lose Loëgria, lookes for more;

  The Nymphs of either part, whom passion doth invade,

  To triall straight will goe, though Neptune should disswade:

  But of the weaker sex, the most part full of spleene,

  And onely wanting strength to wreake their angry teene,

  For skill their challenge make, which euerie one profest,

  And in the learned Arts (of knowledges the best,

  And to th’heroïck spirit most pleasing vnder skie)

  Sweet Musick, rightlie matcht with heauenlie Poësie,

  In which they all exceed: and in this kind alone

  They Conquerers vow to be, or ouerthrowne.

  Which when faire Sabrine saw (as shee is wondrous wise)

  And that it were in vaine them better to advise,

  Sith this contention sprang from Countries like alli’d,

  That shee would not be found t’incline to either side,

  To mightie Neptune sues to haue his free consent

  Duetriall they might make: When he incontinent

  His Trytons sendeth out the challenge to proclaime.

  No sooner that divulg’d in his so dreadfull name,

  But such a shout was from neighboring Spring,

  That the report was heard through all his Court to ring:

  And from the largest the lesser Brooke,

  Them to this taske they seriouslie betooke:

  They fronts; and not the smallest Beck

  But with white Pebles makes her Tawdries for her neck;

  Lay forth their amorous breasts vnto the publique view,

  Enamiling the white, with veines that were as blew;

  Moore, each Marsh, each Mead, preparing rich array

  To set their Riuers forth against this generall day.

  Mongst Forrests, Hills, and Floods, was ne’re such heaue and shoue

  Since Albion weelded Armes against the sonne of Ioue.

  When as the English part their courage to declare,

  Them to th’appointed place immediatly prepare.

  A troupe of stately Nymphs proud Avon with her brings

  (As shee that hath the charge of wise Mineruas Springs)

  From Mendip tripping downe, about the tinny Mine.

  And Ax, no lesse imploy’d about this great designe,

  Leads forth a lustie Rout; when Bry, with all her throng

  (With very madnes swolne that she had stai’d so long)

  Comes from the boggie Mears and queachy fens below:

  That Parret (highly pleas’d to see the gallant show)

  Set out with such a traine as bore so great a sway,

  The soyle but scaroely serues to giue her hugenesse way.

  Then the Deuonian Tawe, from Dertmore deckt with pearle,

  Vnto the conflict comes: with her that gallant Girle

  Cleere Towridge, whom they fear’d would haue estrang’d her fall:

  Whose comming, lastlie, bred such courage in them all,

  As drew downe many a Nymph from the Cornubian shore,

  That paint their goodlie breasts with sundrie sorts of Ore.

  The British, that this while had stood a view to take

  What to her vtmost power the publique Foe could make,

  But slightlie weigh their strength: for, by her naturall kind,

  As still the Britan beares a braue and noble mind;

  So, trusting to their skill, and goodnes of their Cause,

  For speedie
Triall call, and for indifferent Lawes.

  At length, by both allow’d, it to this issue grew;

  To make a likely choise of some most expert crew,

  Whose number comming neere vnto the others dowre,

  The English should not vrge they were o’re-borne by powre.

  Yet hardlie vpon Powse they dare their hopes to lay,

  For that shee hath commerce with England euery day:

  Nor Rosse; for that too much shee Aliens doth respect;

  And following them, forgoes her ancient Dialect.

  The Venedotian Floods, that ancient Britans were,

  The Mountaines kept them backe, and shut them in the Reare:

  But Brecknock, long time knowne a Country of much worth,

  Vnto this conflict brings her goodly Fountaines forth:

  For almost not a Brooke of Morgany, nor Gwent,

  But from her fruitfull wombe doe fetch their hie descent.

  For Bretan, was a Prince once fortunate and great

  (Who dying, lent his name to that his nobler seat)

  With twice twelue daughters blest, by one and onely wife:

  Who for their beauties rare, and sanctitle of life,

  To Riuers were transform’d; whose pureness doth declare

  How excellent they were, by beeing what they are:

  Who dying virgins all, and Riuers now by Fate,

  To tell then former loue to the vnmaried state,

  To Seuerne shape their course, which now their forme doth beare;

  Ere shee was made a flood, a virgine as they were.

  And from the Irish seas with feare they still doe flie:

  So much they yet delight in may den companie.

  Then most renowned Wales, thou famous ancient place,

  Which still hast been the Nurse of all the British race,

  Since Nature thee denies that purple-cluster’d Vine,

  Which others Temples chafes with fragrant sparkling Wine;

  And being now in hand, to write thy glorious praise;

  Fill me a bowle of Meath, my working spirit to raise:

  And ere seuen Bookes haue end, I’le strike so high a string,

  Thy Bards shall stand amaz’d with wonder, whilst I sing;

  That Taliessen, once which made the Riuers dance,

  And in his rapture raiz’d the Mountaines from their trance,

  Shall tremble at my Verse, rebounding from the skies;

  Which like an earth-quake shakes the Tomb wherein he lies.

  First our triumphing Muse of sprightly Vske shall tell,

  And what to euery Nymph attending her, befell:

  Which Cray and Camlas first for Pages doth reteane;

  With whom the next in place comes in the tripping Breane,

  With Isker; and with her comes Hodny fine and cleere,

  Of Brecknock best belov’d, the Soueraigne of the Sheere:

  And Grony, at an inch, waits on her Mistress heeles.

  But entring (at the last) the Monumethian fields,

  Small Fidan, with Cledaugh, increase her goodly Menie,

  Short Kebby, and the Brooke that christneth Abergeny.

  With all her watry traine, when now at last she came

  Vnto that happie Towne which beares her onely name,

  Bright Birthin, with her friend faire Olwy, kindly meet her;

  Which for her present haste, haue scarcely time to greet her:

  But earnest on her way, she needsly will be gone;

  So much she longs to see the ancient Carleon.

  When Avon commeth in, then which amongst them all

  A finer is not found betwixt her head and fall.

  Then Ebwith, and with her slides Srowy; which forelay

  Her progresse, and for Vske keepe entrance to the Sea.

  When Munno, all this while, that (for her owne behoofe)

  From this their great recourse had strangely stood aloofe,

  Made proude by Monmouths name appointed her by Fate,

  Of all the rest herein obserued speciall state.

  For once the Bards foretold she should produce a King,

  Which euerlasting praise to her great name should bring,

  Who by his conquering sword should all the land surprise,

  Which twixt the Penmenmaur and the Pyreni lies:

  She therefore is allow’d her leasure; and by her

  They winne the goodly Wye, whome strongly she doth stirre

  Her powerfull helpe to lend: which else she had denide,

  Because her selfe so oft to England she allyed:

  But b’ing by Munno made for Wales, away she goes.

  Which when as Throggy sees, her selfe she headlong throwes

  Into the watry throng, with many another Rill,

  Repairing to the Welch, their number vp to fill,

  That Remny when shee saw, these gallant Nymphs of Gwent,

  On this appointed match, were all so hotlie bent,

  Where shee of ancient time had parted, as a Mound

  The Monumethian fields, and Glamarganian ground,

  Intreats the Taffe along, as gray as any glasse:

  With whom cleere Cunno comes, a lustie Cambrian Lasse:

  Then Elwy, and with her Ewenny holds her way,

  And Ogmore, that would yet be there as soone as they,

  By Avon called in: when nimbler Neath anon

  (To all the neighbouring Nymphs for her rare beauties known;

  Besides her double head, to helpe her streame that hath

  Her handmaids, Melta sweet, cleere Hepsey, and Tragath)

  From Brecknock forth doth breake; then and Cledaugh,

  By Morgany doe driue her through her watry saugh;

  With Tawy, taking part t’assist the Cambrian power:

  Then Lhu and Lager, giuen to strengthen them by .

  Mongst whom, some Bards there were, that in their sacred rage

  Recorded the Descents, and acts of euerie Age.

  Some with their nimbler ioynts that strooke the warbling string;

  In fingering some vnskild, but onelie vs’d to sing

  Vnto the others Harpe: of which you both might find

  Great plentie, and of both excelling in their kind,

  That at the Stethva oft obtain’d a Victors praise,

  Had wonne the Siluer Harpe, and worne Apollos Bayes:

  Whose Verses they deduc’t from those first golden times,

  Of sundry sorts of Feet, and sundry sutes of Rimes.

  In Englins some there were that on their subiect straine;

  Some Makers that againe affect the loftier vaine,

  Rehearse their high conceits in Cowiths: other-some

  In Owdells theirs expresse, as matter haps to come;

  So varying still their Moods, obseruing yet in all

  Their Quantities, their Rests, their Ceasures metricall:

  For to that sacred skill they most themselues apply;

  Addicted from their births so much to Poësie,

  That in the Mountaines those who scarce haue seene a Booke,

  Most skilfully will make, as though from Art they tooke.

  And as Loëgria spares not any thing of worth

  That any way might set her goodly Riuers forth,

  As stones by nature cut from the Strond;

  Her Dertmore sends them Pearle; Rock-vincent, Diamond:

  So Cambria, of her Nymphs especiall care will haue.

  For Conwy sends them Pearle to make them wondrous braue;

  The sacred , her mofse most sweet and rare,

  Against infectious damps for Pomander to weare:

  And Goldcliff of his Ore in plentious sort allowes,

  To spangle their artyers, and deck their amorous browes.

  And lastlie, holie Dee (whose pray’rs were highly priz’d,

  As one in heauenlie things deuoutlie exercis’d:

  Who, changing of his Foards, by divination had

  Fore-told the neighboring folke of fortune go
od or bad)

  In their intended course sith needs they will proceed,

  His Benediction sends in way of happy speed.

  And though there were such haste vnto this long-lookt howre,

  Yet let they not to call vpon th’Eternall Power.

  For, who will haue his worke his wished end to winne,

  Let him with hartie prayer religiouslie beginne.

  Wherefore the English part, with full deuout intent,

  In meet and godlie sort to Glastenbury sent,

  Beseeching of the Saints in Avalon that were,

  There offring at their Tombes for euerie one a teare,

  And humblie to Saint George their Countries Patron pray,

  To prosper their now in this mightie day.

  The Britans, like deuout, their Messengers direct

  To Dauid, that he would their ancient right protect.

  Mongst Hatterills loftie hills, that with the clowds are crown’d,

  The Vally Ewias lies, immur’d so deep and round,

  As they belowe that see the Mountaines rise so hie,

  Might thinke the stragling Heards were grazing in the skie:

  Which in it such a shape of solitude doth beare,

  As Nature at the first appointed it for pray’r:

  Where, in an aged Cell, with mosse and lvie growne,

  In which, not to this day the Sunne hath euer showne,

  That reuerent British Saint in zealous Ages

  To contemplation liu’d; and did so trulie fast,

  As he did onelie drinke what crystall Hodney yeelds,

  And fed vpon the Leeks he gather’d in the fields.

  In memorie of whom, in the reuoluing yeere

  The Welch-men on his day that sacred herbe doe weare:

  Where, of that holie man, as humblie they doe craue,

  That in their iust defence they might his furtherance haue.

  Thus either, well prepard the others power before,

  Conuenientlie be’ing plac’t vpon their equall shore;

  The Britans, to whose lot the Onset doth belong,

  Giue signall to the Foe for silence to their Song.

  To tell each various Straine and turning of their Rimes,

  How this in compasse falls, or that in sharpeness climes

  (As where they rest and rise, how take it one from one,

  As euery seuerall Chord hath a peculiar Tone)

  Euen Memorie herselfe, though striuing, would come short

  But the materiall things Muse helpe me to report.

  As first, t’affront the Foe, in th’ancient Britans right,

  With Arthur they begin, their most renowned Knight;

  The richness of the Armes their well-made Worthie wore,