At such a time great men conuey their treasure
Into the trusty Citie : wayts the leisure
Of bloud and insurrection, which warre clips,
When euery gate shutts vp her Iron lips,
Imagine now a mighty man of dust,
Standeth in doubt, what seruant he may trust,
With Plate worth thousands : Iewels worth farre more,
If he proue false, then his rich Lord proues poore :
He calls forth one by one, to note their graces,
Whilest they make legs he copies out their faces,
Examines their eye-browe, consters their beard,
Singles their nose out, still he rests afeard :
The first that comes by no meanes heele alow,
Has spyed three Hares starting betweene his brow,
Quite turnes the word, names it Celeritie,
For Hares do run away, and so may he :
A second shewne : him he will scarce behold,
His beard’s too red, the colour of his gold :
A third may please him, but tis hard to say,
A rich man’s pleasde, when his goods part away.
And now do cherrup by, fine golden nests
Of well hatcht bowles: such as do breed in feasts,
For warre and death cupboards of plate downe pulls,
Then Bacchus drinkes not in gilt-bowles, but sculls.
Let me descend and stoope my verse a while,
To make the Comicke cheeke of Poesie smile ;
Ranck peny-fathers scud (with their halfe hammes,
Shadowing their calues) to saue their siluer dammes,
At euery gun they start, tilt from the ground,
One drum can make a thousand Vsurers sound,
In vnsought Allies and vnwholesome places,
Back-wayes and by-lanes, where appeare fewe faces,
In shamble-smelling roomes, loathsome prospects,
And penny-lattice-windowes, which reiects
All popularitie : there the rich Cubs lurke,
When in great houses ruffians are at worke,
Not dreaming that such glorious booties lye
Vnder those nasty roofes : such they passe by
Without a search, crying there’s nought for vs,
And wealthie men deceiue poore villaines thus:
Tongue-traueling Lawyers faint at such a day,
Lye speechlesse, for they haue no words to say.
Physitions turne to patients, their Arts dry,
For then our fat men without Phisick die.
And to conclude, against all Art and good,
Warre taints the Doctor, lets the Surgion blood.
Such was the fashion of this Land, when the great Land-Lady thereof left it: Shee came in with the fall of the leafe, and went away in Spring: her life (which was dedicated to Virginitie,) both beginning & closing vp a miraculous Mayden circle: for she was borne vpon a Lady Eue, and died vpon a Lady Eue: her Natiuitie & death being memorable by this wonder: the first and last yeares of her Raigne by this, that a Lee was Lorde Maior when she came to the Crowne, and a Lee Lorde Maior when she departed from it. Three places are made famous by her for three things, Greenwich for her birth, Richmount for her death, White-hall for her Funerall: vpon her remounting from whence, (to leand our tiring prose a breathing time) stay, and looke vpon these Epigrams, being composed,
1. Vpon the Queenes last Remoue
being dead.
THe Queene’s remou’de in solemne sort,
Yet this was strange, and seldome seene,
The Queene vsde to remoue the Court,
But now the Court remou’de the Queene.
2. Vpon her bringing by water
to White Hall.
THe Queene was brought by water to White Hall,
At euery stroake, the Oares teares let fall.
More clung about the Barge : Fish vnder water
Wept out their eyes of pearle, and swom blind after.
I thinke the Barge-men might with easier thyes
Haue rowde her thither in her peoples eyes :
For howsoe’re, thus much my thoughts haue skand,
S’had come by water, had she come by land.
3. Vpon her lying dead at
White Hall.
THe Queene lyes now at White Hall dead,
And now at White Hall liuing,
To make this rough obiection euen,
Dead at White Hall at Westminster,
But liuing at White Hall in Heauen.
Thus you see that both in her life and her death shee was appointed to be the mirror of her time: And surely, if since the first stone that was layd for the foundation of this great house of the world, there was euer a yeare ordained to wondred at, it is only this: the Sibils, Octogesimus, Octauus Annus, That same terrible 88. which came sayling hither in the Spanish Armado, and made mens hearts colder
then the frozen Zone, when they heard but an inckling of it: That 88. by whose horrible predictions, Almanack-makers stood in bodily feare their trade would be vtterly ouerthrowne, and poore Erra Pater was threatned (because he was a Iew) to be put to baser offices, then the stopping of mustard-pots: That same 88. which had more prophecies waiting at his heeles, tha[n] euer Merlin the Magitian had in his head, was a yeare of Iubile to this. Platoes Mirabilis Annus, (whether it be past alreadie, or to come within these foure yeares) may throw Platoes cap at Mirabilis, for that title of wonderfull is bestowed vpon 1603. If that sacred Aromatically-perfumed fire of wit (out of whose flames Phoenix poesie doth arise) were burning in any brest, I would feede it with no other stuffe for a twelue-moneth and a day than with kindling papers full of lines, that should tell only of the chances changes, and strange shapes that this Protean Climactericall yeare hath metamorphosed himselfe into. It is able to finde ten Chroniclers a competent liuing, and to set twentie Printers at worke. You shall perceiue I lie not, if (with Peter Bales) you will take the paines to drawe the whole volume of it into the compasse of a pennie. As first, to begin with the Queenes death, then the Kingdomes falling into an Ague vpon that. Next, follows the curing of that feauer by the holesome receipt of a proclaymed King. That wonder begat more, for in an houre, two mightie Nations were made one: wilde Ireland became tame on the sudden, and some English great ones that before seemed tame, on the sudden turned wilde: That same Parke which great Iulius Cæsar inclosed, to hold in that Deere whome they before hunted, being new circled (by a second Cæsar) with stronger pales to keepe them from leaping ouer. And last of all (if that wonder be the last and shut vp the yeare) a most dreadfull plague. This is the abstract, and yet (like Stowes Chronicle of Decimo Sexto to huge Hollinshead) these small pricks in this Set-card of ours, represent mighty Countreys; whilst I haue the quill in my hand, let me blow them bigger.
The Queene being honoured with a Diademe of Starres, France, Spaine, and Belgia, lift vp their heads, preparing to do as much for England by giuing ayme, whilest she shot arrowes at her owne brest (as they imagined) as she had done (many a yeare together) for them: and her owne Nation betted on their sides, looking with distracted countenance for no better guests than Ciuill Sedition, Vprores, Rapes, Murders, and Massacres. But the wheele of Fate turned, a better Lottery was drawne, Pro Troia stabat Apollo, God stuck valiantlie to vs. For behold, vp rises a comfortable Sun out of the North, whose glorious beames (like a fan) dispersed all thick and contagious clowdes. The losse of a Queene, was paid with the double interest of a King and Queene. The Cedar of her gouernment which stood alone and bare no fruit, is changed now to an Oliue, vpon whose spreading branches grow both Kings and Queenes. Oh it were able to fill a hundred paire of writing tables with notes, but to see the parts plaid in the compasse of one houre on the stage of this new-found world! Vpon Thursday it was treason to cry God saue king Iames
king of England, and vppon Friday hye treason not to cry so. In the morning no voice heard but murmures and lamentation, at noone nothing but shoutes of gladnes & triumphe. S. Georg
e and S. Andrew that many hundred yeares had defied one another, were now sworne brothers: England and Scotland (being parted only with a narrow Riuer, and the people of both Empires speaking a language lesse differing than english within it selfe, as the prouidence had enacted, that one day those two Nations should marry one another) are now made sure together, and king Iames his Coronation, is the solemne wedding day. Happiest of all thy Ancestors (thou mirror of all Princes that euer were or are) that at seauen of the clock wert a king but ouer a peece of a little Iland, and before eleuen the greatest Monarch in Christendome. now
Siluer Crowds
Of blisfull Angels and tryed Martys tread
On the Star-seeling ouer Englands head :
Now heauen broke into a wonder, and brought forth
Our omne bonum from the holesome North
(Our fruitfull soueraigne) Iamus, at whose dread name
Rebellion swounded, and (ere since) became
Groueling and nerue-lesse, wanting bloud to nourish,
For Ruine gnawes her selfe when kingdomes flourish,
Nor are our hopes planted in regall springs,
Neuer to wither, for our aire breedes kings :
And in all ages (from this soueraigne time)
England shall still be calde the royall clime.
Most blisfull Monarch of all earthen powers,
Seru’d with a messe of kingdomes, foure such bowers
(For prosperous hiues, and rare industrious swarmes)
The world containes not in her solid armes.
O thou that art the Meeter of our dayes,
Poets Apollo! deale thy Daphnean bayes
To those whose wits are bay-trees, euer greene,
Vpon whose hye tops Poesie chirps vnseene :
Such are most fit, t’apparell Kings in rimes,
Whose siluer numbers are the Muses chimes,
Whose spritely caracters (being once wrought on)
Out-liue the marble th’are insculpt upon :
Let such men chaunt thy vertue, then they flye
On Learnings wings vp to Eternitie.
As for the rest, that limp (in cold desert)
Hauing small wit, lesse iudgement, and least Art :
Their verse! tis almost heresie to heare,
Banish their lines some furlong, from thine eare :
For tis held dang’rous (by Apolloes signe)
To be infected with a leaprous line.
O make some Adamant Act (n’ere to be worne)
That none may write but those that are true-borne :
So when the worlds old cheekes shall race and peele,
Thy Acts shall breath in Epitaphs of Steele.
By these Comments it appeares that by this time
King Iames is proclaimed: now does fresh blood leape into the cheekes of the Courtier the Souldier now hangs vp his armor, and is glad that he shall feede vpon the blessed fruites of peace: the Schollar sings hymnes in honor of the Muses, assuring himselfe now that Helicon will bee kept pure, because Apollo himselfe drinkes of it. Now the thriftie Citizen casts beyond the Moone, and seeing the golden age returned into the world againe, resolues to worship no Saint but money. Trades that lay dead & rotten, and were in all mens opinion vtterly dambd, started out of their trance, as though they had drunke of Aqua Cælestis, or Vnicornes horne, and swore to fall to their olde occupations. Taylors meant no more to be called Merchant-taylors but Merchants, for their shops were all lead foorth in leases to be turned into ships, and with their sheares (in stead of a Rudder) would they haue cut the Seas (like Leuant Taffaty) and sayld to the West Indies for no worse stuffe to make hose and doublets of, than beaten gold: Or if the necessitie of the time (which was likely to stand altogether vpon brauery) should presse them to serue with their iron and Spanish weapons vpon their stalls, then was there a sharpe law made amongst them that no workman should handle any needle but that which had a pearle in his eye, nor any copper thimble, vnlesse it were linde quite through, or bumbasted with Siluer. What Mechanicall hardhanded Vulcanist (seeing the dice of Fortune run so sweetly, and resoluing to strike whilst the iron was hote) but perswaded himselfe to bee Maister or head Warden of the company ere halfe a yeare went about? The worst players Boy stood vpon his good parts, swearing tragicall and busking oathes, that how vilainously soeuer he randed, or what bad and vnlawfull action soeuer he entred into, he would in despite of his honest audience, be halfe a sharer (at least) at home, or else strowle (thats to say trauell) with some notorious wicked floundering company abroad. And good reason had these time-catchers to be led into this fooles paradice, for they sawe mirth in euery mans face, the streetes were plumd with gallants, Tabacconists fild vp whole Tauernes: Vintners hung out spicke and span new Iuy bushes (because they wanted good wine) and their old raine-beaten lattices marcht vnder other cullors, hauing lost both company and cullors before. London was neuer in the high way to preferment til now; now she resolued to stand vpon her pantoffles: now (and neuer till now) did she laugh to scorne that worme-eaten prouerbe of Lincolne was, London is, & Yorke shall bee, for she saw her selfe in better state then Ierusalem, she went more gallant then euer did Antwerp, was more courted by amorous and lustie suiters then Venice (the minion of Italy) more loftie towers stood (like a Coronet, or a spangled head-tire) about her Temples, then euer did about the beautifull forehead of Rome: Tyrus and Sydon to her were like two thatcht houses, to Theobals: ye grand Cayr but a hogsty. Hinc illæ lachrymæ, She wept her belly full for all this. Whilst Troy was swilling sack and sugar, and mowsing fat venison, the mad Greekes made bonfires of their houses: Old Priam was drinking a health to the wooden horse, and before it could be pledged had his throat cut. Corne is no sooner ripe, but for all the pricking vp of his eares is pard off by the shins, and made to goe vpon stumps. Flowers no sooner budded, but they are pluckt vp and dye. Night walks at the heeles of the day, and sorrow enters (like a tauerne-bill) at the taile of our pleasures: for in the Appenine heigth of this immoderate ioy and securitie (that like Powles Steeple ouer-lookt the whole Citie) Behold, that miracle-worker, who in one minute turnd our generall mourning to a generall mirth, does nowe againe in a moment alter that gladnes to shrikes & lamentation.
Here would I faine make a full point, because posteritie
should not be frighted with those miserable Tragedies, which now my Muse (as Chorus) stands ready to present. Time would thou hadst neuer bene made wretched by bringing them forth: Obliuion would in all the graues and sepulchres, whose ranke iawes thou hadst already closd vp, or shalt yet hereafter burst open, thou couldst likewise bury them for euer.
A stiffe and freezing horror sucks vp the riuers of my blood: my haire stands an ende with the panting of my braines: mine eye balls are ready to start out, being beaten with the billowes of my teares: out of my weeping pen does the incke mournefully and more bitterly than gall drop on the palefac’d paper, euen when I do but thinke how the bowels of my sicke Country haue bene torne, Apollo therefore and you bewitching siluer-tongd Muses, get you gone, Inuocate none of your names: Sorrow & Truth, sit you on each side of me, whilst I am deliuered of this deadly burden: prompt me that I may vtter ruthfull and passionate condolement: arme my trembling hand, that it may boldly rip vp and Anatomize the vlcerous body of this Anthropophagized plague: lend me Art (without
any counterfeit shadowing) to paint and delineate to the life the whole story of this mortall and pestiferous battaile, & you the ghosts of those more (by many) then 40000. that with the virulent poison of infection haue bene driuen out of your earthly dwellings: you desolate hand-wringing widowes, that beate your bosomes ouer your departing husbands: you wofully distracted mothers that with disheueld haire falne into swounds, whilst you lye kissing the insensible cold lips of your breathlesse Infants: you out-cast and downe-troden Orphanes, that shall many a yeare hence remember more freshly to mourne, when your mourning garments shall looke olde and be for gotten; And you the Genij of all those emptyed families, whose habitations are now among the Ant
ipodes: Ioyne all your hands together, and with your bodies cast a ring about me: let me behold your ghastly vizages, that my paper may receiue their true pictures: Eccho forth your grones through the hollow truncke of my pen, and raine downe your gummy teares into mine Incke, that euen marble bosomes may be shaken with terrour, and hearts of Adamant melt into compassion.
What an vnmatchable torment were it for a man to be bard vp euery night in a vast silent Charnell-house? hung (to make it more hideous) with lamps dimly & slowly burning, in hollow and glimmering corners: where all the pauement should in stead of greene rushes, be strewed with blasted Rosemary: withered Hyacinthes, fatall Cipresse and Ewe, thickly mingled with heapes of dead mens bones: the bare ribbes of a father that begat him, lying there: here the Chaplesse hollow scull of a mother that bore him: round about him a thousand Coarses, some standing bolt vpright in their knotted winding sheets: others halfe mouldred in rotted coffins, that should suddenly yawne wide open, filling his nosthrils with noysome stench, and his eyes with the sight of nothing but crawling wormes. And to keepe such a poore wretch waking, he should heare no noise but ofToads croaking, Screech-Owles howling, Mandrakes shriking: were not this an infernall prison? would not the strongest-harted man (best with such a ghastly horror) looke wilde and runne madde? and die? And euen such a formidable shape did the diseased Citie appeare in: For he that durst (in the dead houre of gloomy midnight) haue bene so valiant, as to haue walkt through the still and melancholy streets, what thinke you should haue bene his musicke? Surely the loude grones of rauing sicke men; the strugling panges of soules departing: In euery house griefe strinking vp an Allarum: Seuants crying out for maisters: wiues for husbands, parents for children, children for their mothers: here he should haue met some frantically running to knock vp Sextons; there, others fearfully sweating with Coffins, to steale forth dead bodies, least the fatall hand-writing of death should seale vp their doores. And to make this dismall consort more full, round about him Bells heauily tolling in one place, and ringing out in another: The dreadfulnesse of such an houre, is in-vtterable: let vs goe further.
If some poore man, suddeinly starting out of a sweete and golden slumber, should behold his house flaming about his eares, all his family destroied in their sleepes by the mercilesse fire; himselfe in the very midst of it, wofully and like a madde man calling for helpe: would not the misery of such a distressed soule, appeare the greater, if the rich Vsurer dwelling next doore to him, should not stirre, (though he felt no part of the danger) but suffer him to perish, when the thrusting out of an arme might haue saued him? O how many thousands of wretched people haue acted this poore mans part? How often hath the amazed husband waking, found the comfort of his bedde lying breathlesse by his side! his children at the same instant gasping for life! and his seruants, mortally wounded at the hart by sicknes! the distracted creature, beats at death doores, exclaimes at windowes, his cries are sharp inough to pierce heauen, but on earth no eare is opend to receiue them.
Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker Page 199