As Essex hath of old beene named, Calues and Styles,
Fayre Suffolke, Mayds and Milke, and Norfolke, Many Wyles.
So Cambridge hath been call’d, Hold Nets, and let vs winne;
And Huntingdon, With weele stalke through thick and thinne.
Northamptonshire of long hath had this Blazon, Loue,
Below the girdle all, but little else aboue.
An outcrie Oxford makes, The Schollers haue been heere,
And little though they payd, yet haue they had good cheere.
Quoth warlike Warwickshire, Ile binde the sturdy Beare.
Quoth Worstershire againe, And I will squirt the Peare.
Then Staffordshire bids Stay, and I will Beet the Fire,
And nothing will I aske, but good will for my hire.
Beane belly Lestershire, her attribute doth beare.
And Bells and Bag-pipes next, belong to Lincolneshire.
Of Malt-horse, Bedfordshire long since the Blazon wan.
And little Rutlandshire is tearmed Raddleman.
To Darby is assign’d the name of Wooll and Lead.
As Nottinghams, of old (is common) Ale and Bread.
So Hereford for her sayes, Giue me Woofe and Warpe.
And Shropshire saith in her, That Shinnes be euer sharpe,
Lay wood vpon the fire, reach hither mee my Harpe,
And whilst the blacke Bowle walks, we merily will carpe.
Old Chesshire is well knowne to be the Chiefe of Men.
Faire Women doth belong to Lancashire agen.
The lands that ouer Ouze to Berwicke foorth doe beare,
Haue for their Blazon had the Snaffle, Spurre, and Speare.
Now Nen extreamely grieu’d those barbarous things to heare,
By Helidon her sire, that thus deliuered were:
For as his eld’st, shee was to passed ages knowne,
Whom by Aufona’s name the Romans did renowne.
A word by them deriu’d of Auon, which of long,
The Britans cald her by, expressing in their tongue
The full and generall name of waters; wherefore shee
Stood much vpon her worth, and iealous grew to bee,
Lest things so low and poore, and now quite out of date,
Should happily impaire her dignitie and state.
Wherefore from him her syre imediatly she hasts;
And as shee foorth her course to Peterborough casts,
Shee falleth in her way with Weedon, where tis sayd,
Saint Werburge princely borne, a most religious Mayd,
From those peculier fields, by prayer the Wild-geese droue,
Thence through the Champaine shee lasciuiously doth roue
Tow’rds faire Northampton, which, whilst Nen was Auon cald,
Resum’d that happy name, as happily instald
Vpon her Northerne side, where taking in a Rill,
Her long impouerish’d banks more plenteously to fill,
She flourishes in state, along the fruitfull fields;
Where whilst her waters shee with wondrous pleasure yeelds,
To Wellingborough comes, whose Fountaines in shee takes,
Which quickening her againe, imediately shee makes
To Owndle, which receiues contractedly the sound
From Auondale, t’expresse that Riuers lowest ground:
To Peterborough thence she maketh foorth her way,
Where Welland hand in hand, goes on with her to Sea;
When Rockingham, the Muse to her faire Forrest brings,
Thence lying to the North, whose sundry gifts she sings.
O deare and daintie Nymph, most gorgeously arayd,
Of all the Driades knowne, the most delicious Mayd,
With all delights adorn’d, that any way beseeme
A Syluan, by whose state we verily may deeme
A Deitie in thee, in whose delightfull Bowers,
The Fawnes and Fayries make the longest dayes, but howers,
And ioying in the Soyle, where thou assum’st thy seat,
Thou to thy Handmaid hast, (thy pleasures to awayt)
Faire Benefield, whose care to thee doth surely cleaue,
Which beares a grasse as soft, as is the daintie sleaue,
And thrum’d so thicke and deepe, that the proud Palmed Deere,
Forsake the closser woods, and make their quiet leyre
In beds of platted fogge, so eas’ly there they sit.
A Forrest and a Chase in euery thing so fit
This Iland hardly hath, so neere allide that be,
Braue Nymph, such praise belongs to Benefield and thee.
Whilst Rockingham was heard with these Reports to ring,
The Muse by making on tow’rds Wellands ominous Spring,
With Kelmarsh there is caught, for coursing of the Hare,
Which scornes that any place, should with her Plaines compare:
Which in the proper Tearmes the Muse doth thus report;
The man whose vacant mind prepares him to the sport,
The Finder sendeth out, to seeke out nimble Wat,
Which crosseth in the field, each furlong, euery Flat,
Till he this pretty Beast vpon the Forme hath found,
Then viewing for the Course, which is the fairest ground,
The Greyhounds foorth are brought, for coursing then in case,
And choycely in the Slip, one leading forth a brace;
The Finder puts her vp, and giues her Coursers law.
And whilst the eager dogs vpon the Start doe draw,
Shee riseth from her seat, as though on earth she flew,
Forc’d by some yelping Cute to giue the Greyhounds view,
Which are at length let slip, when gunning out they goe,
As in respect of them the swiftest wind were slow,
When each man runnes his Horse, with fixed eyes, and notes
Which Dog first turnes the Hare, which first the other coats,
They wrench her once or twice, ere she a turne will take,
Whats offred by the first, the other good doth make;
And turne for turne againe with equall speed they ply,
Bestirring their swift feet with strange agilitie:
A hardned ridge or way, when if the Hare doe win,
Then as shot from a Bow, she from the Dogs doth spin,
That striue to put her off, but when hee cannot reach her,
This giuing him a Coat, about againe doth fetch her
To him that comes behind, which seemes the Hare to beare;
But with a nimble turne shee casts them both arrere:
Till oft for want of breath, to fall to ground they make her,
The Greyhounds both so spent, that they want breath to take her.
Here leaue I whilst the Muse more serious things attends,
And with my Course at Hare, my Canto likewise ends.
POLY-OLBION: THE FOUR AND TWENTIETH SONG.
The Argument
The fatall Welland from her Springs,
This Song to th’Ile of Ely brings:
Our ancient English Saints reuiues,
Then in an oblique course contriues,
The Rarities that Rutland showes,
Which with this Canto shee doth close.
THIS way, to that faire Fount of Welland hath vs led,
At Nasby to the North, where from a second head
Runs Auon, which along to Seuerne shapes her course,
But pliant Muse proceed, with our new-handled sourse,
Of whom from Ages past, a prophecie there ran,
(Which to this ominous flood much feare and reuerance wan)
That she alone should drowne all Holland, and should see
Her Stamford, which so much forgotten seemes to bee;
Renown’d for Liberall Arts, as highly honoured there,
As they in Cambridge are, or Oxford euer were;
Whereby shee in her selfe a holinesse suppos’d,
Tha
t in her scantled banks, though wandring long inclos’d,
Yet in her secret breast a Catalogue had kept
Of our religious Saints, which though they long had slept,
Yet through the chrystned world, for they had wonne such fame
Both to the British first, then to the English name,
For their abundant Faith, and sanctimony knowne,
Such as were hither sent, or naturally our owne,
It much her Genius grieud, to haue them now neglected,
Whose pietie so much those zealous times respected.
Wherefore she with her selfe resolued, when that shee
To Peterborough came, where much shee long’d to be,
That in the wished view of Mcdhamsted, that Towne,
Which he the greatst of Saints doth by his Name renowne,
Shee to his glorious Phane an Offring as to bring,
Of her deare Countries Saints, the Martyrologe would sing:
And therefore all in haste to Harborough she hy’d,
Whence Lestershire she leaues vpon the Northward side,
At Rutland then ariu’d, where Stamford her sustaines,
By Deeping drawing out, to Lincolneshire she leanes,
Vpon her Bank by North, against this greater throng,
Northamptonshire to South still lyes with her along,
And now approching neere to this appointed place,
Where she and Nen make shew as though they would imbrace;
But onely they salute, and each holds on her way,
When holy Welland thus was wisely heard to say.
I sing of Saints, and yet my Song shall not be fraught
With Myracles by them, but fayned to be wrought,
That they which did their liues so palbably belye,
To times haue much impeach’d their holinesse thereby:
Though fooles (I say) on them, such poore impostures lay,
Haue scandal’d them to ours, farre foolisher then they,
Which thinke they haue by this so great aduantage got
Their venerable names from memory to blot,
Which truth can ne’r permit; and thou that art so pure,
The name of such a Saint that no way canst endure;
Know in respect of them to recompense that hate,
The wretchedst thing, and thou haue both one death and date:
From all vaine worship too; and yet am I as free
As is the most precise, I passe not who hee bee.
Antiquitie I loue, nor by the worlds despight,
I can not be remoou’d from that my deare delight.
This spoke, to her faire ayd her sister Nen shee winnes,
When shee of all her Saints, now with that man beginnes.
The first that euer told Christ crucified to vs,
(By Paul and Peter sent) iust Aristobulus,
Renown’d in holy Writ, a Labourer in the word,
For that most certaine Truth, opposing fire and sword,
By th’ Britans murthered here, so vnbeleeuing then.
Next holy Ioseph came, the mercifulst of men,
The Sauiour of mankind, in Sepulchre that layd,
That to the Britans was th’Apostle; in his ayd
Saint Duvian, and with him Saint Fagan, both which were
His Scollers, likewise left their sacred Reliques here:
All Denizens of ours, t’aduaunce the Christian state,
At Glastenbury long that were commemorate.
When Amphtball againe our Martyrdome began
In that most bloody raigne of Dioclesian:
This man into the truth, that blessed Alban led
(Our Proto-Martyr call’d) who strongly discipled
In Christian Patience, learnt his tortures to appease:
His fellow-Martyrs then, Stephen, and Socrates,
At holy Albans Towne, their Festiuall should hold;
So of that Martyr nam’d, (which Ver’lam was of old.)
A thousand other Saints, whom Amphiball had taught,
Flying the Pagan foe, their liues that strictly sought,
Were slaine where Lichfield is, whose name doth rightly sound,
(There of those Christians slaine) Dead field, or burying ground.
Then for the Christian faith, two other here that stood,
And teaching, brauely seald their Doctrine with their blood:
Saint Ialius, and with him Saint Aron, haue their roome,
At Carleon suffring death by Dioclesians doome;
Whose persecuting raigne tempestuously that rag’d,
Gainst those here for the Faith, their vtmost that ingag’d,
Saint Angule put to death, one of our holiest men,
At London, of that See, the godly Bishop then
In that our Infant Church, so resolute was he.
A second Martyr too grace Londons ancient See,
Though it were after long, good Voadine who reprou’d
Proud Vortiger his King, vnlawfully that lou’d
Anothers wanton wife, and wrong’d his Nuptiall bed;
For which by that sterne Prince vniustly murthered,
As he a Martyr dy’d, is Sainted with the rest.
The third Saint of that See (though onely he confest)
Was Guithelme, vnto whom those times that reuerence gaue,
As he a place with them eternally shall haue.
So Melior may they bring, the Duke of Cornwalls sonne,
By his false brothers hands, to death who being done
In hate of Christian faith, whose zeale lest time should taint,
As he a Martyr was, they iustly made a Saint.
Those godly Romans then (who as mine Authour saith)
Wanne good King Lucius first t’imbrace the Christian faith,
Fugatius, and his friend Saint Damian, as they were
Made Denizens of ours, haue their remembrance here:
As two more (neere that time, Christ Iesus that confest,
And that most liuely faith, by their good works exprest)
Saint Eluan with his pheere Saint Midwin, who to win
The Britans, (com’n from Rome, where Christned they had bin)
Conuerted to the Faith then thousands, whose deare graue,
That Glastenbury grac’d, there their memoriall haue.
As they their sacred Bones in Britaine here bestow’d,
So Britaine likewise sent her Saints to them abroad:
Marsellus that iust man, who hauing gathered in
The scattered Christian Flocke, instructed that had bin
By holy Ioseph here; to congregate he wan
This iustly named Saint, this neuer-wearied man,
Next to the Germans preach’d, till (voyd of earthly feare)
By his couragious death, he much renown’d Treuere.
Then of our Natiue Saints, the first that di’d abroad;
Beatus, next to him shall fitly be bestow’d,
In Switzerland who preach’d, whom there those Paynims slue,
When greater in their place, though not in Faith, ensue
Saint Lucius (call’d of vs) the primer christned King,
Of th’ancient Britons then, who led the glorious ring
To all the Saxon Race, that here did him succeed,
Changing his regall Robe to a religious Weed,
His rule in Britaine left, and to Heluetia hied,
Where he a Bishop liu’d, a Martyr lastly died.
As Constantine the Great, that godly Emperour,
Here first the Christian Church that did to peace restore,
Whose euer blessed birth, (as by the power diuine)
The Roman Empire brought into the British Line,
Constantinoples Crowne, and th’ancient Britans glory.
So other here we haue to furnish vp our Story,
Saint Melon welneere, when the British Church began,
(Euen early in the raigne of Romes Valerian)
Here leuing vs for
Rome, from thence to Roan was cald,
To preach vnto the French, where soone he was instauld
Her Bishop: Britaine so may of her Gudwall vaunt,
Who first the Flemmings taught, whose feast is held at Gaunt.
So others foorth she brought, to little Britaine vow’d,
Saint Wenlocke, and with him Saint Sampson, both
Apostles of that place, the first the Abbot sole
Of Tawrac, and the last sate on the See of Dole:
Where dying, Maglor then, thereof was Bishop made,
Sent purposely from hence, that people to perswade,
To keepe the Christian faith: so Goluin gaue we thither,
Who sainted being there, we set them here together.
As of the weaker Sex, that ages haue enshrin’d
Amongst the British Dames, and worthily diuin’d:
The finder of the Crosse Queene Helena doth lead,
Who tough Rome set a Crowne on her Emperiall head,
Yet in our Britaine borne, and bred vp choicely here.
Emerita the next, King Lucius sister deare,
Who in Heluetia with her martyred brother di’d;
Bright Vrsula the third, who vndertooke to guide
Th’eleuen thousand Mayds to little Britaine sent,
By Seas and bloody men deuoured as they went:
Of which we find these foure haue been for Saints preferd,
(And with their Leader still doe liue incalenderd)
Saint Agnes, Cordula, Odillia, Florence, which
With wondrous sumptuous shrines those ages did inrich
At Cullen, where their Liues most clearely are exprest,
And yearely Feasts obseru’d to them and all the rest.
But when it came to passe the Saxon powers had put
The Britans from these parts, and them o’r Seuerne shut,
The Christian Faith with her, then Cambria had alone,
With those that it receiu’d (from this now England) gone,
Whose Cambrobritans so their Saints as duely brought,
T’aduance the Christian Faith, effectually that wrought,
Their Dauid, (one deriu’d of th’royall British blood)
Who gainst Palagius false and damn’d opinions stood,
And turn’d Menenias name to Dauids sacred See,
Th Patron of the Welsh deseruing well to be:
With Cadock, next to whom comes Canock, both which were
Prince Brechans sonnes, who gaue the name to Brecnocksheere;
The first a Martyr made, a Confessor the other.
So Clintanck, Brecknocks Prince, as from one selfe same mother,
A Saint vpon that sear, the other doth ensue,
Whom for the Christian Faith a Pagan Souldier slue.
Michael Drayton- Collected Poetical Works Page 117