Collected Works of Michael Drayton

by Michael Drayton

  And to what part of heauen it happ’d to stray,

  There should path out another milkie way.

  22

  Attainde the top, halfe spent a while to blow,

  Now round about he casts his longing eyes,

  The gentle earth salutes him from below,

  And couered with the comfortable skies,

  Viewing the way that he is now to goe,

  Cheer’d with the beames of Isabels faire eyes,

  Downe from the turret desperately doth slide,

  Night be successefull, fortune be his guide.

  23

  With his descent, her eye so still descends,

  As feare had fix’d it to fore-warne his fall,

  On whom her hope and fortune now depends,

  When suddaine feare her sences doth appall;

  For present aide her god-like hand extends,

  Forgets herselfe, and speedie aide doth call;

  Silent againe, if ought but good should hap,

  She begs of heauen his graue may be her lap.

  24

  Now she intreates the darke distempred ayre,

  Then by strong Magicks she coniures the wind,

  Then she inuokes the gloomie night by prayre,

  Then with her spells the mortall sence to bind;

  And fearing much lest these yet frustrate are,

  Now by the burning tapers she diuin’d,

  Intreating Thames to giue a friendly passe,

  The deerest fraught ere on her bosome was.

  25

  The rushing murmure stills her like a song,

  But yet in feare the streame should fall in loue,

  Suspects the drops that on his tresses hung,

  And that the billowes for his beautie stroue,

  To this faire body that so closely clong,

  Which when in swimming with his breast he droue;

  Palled with griefe she turnes away her face,

  Iealous that he the waters should embrace.

  26

  This angry Lyon hauing slipp’d his chaine,

  As in a feuer makes King Edward quake,

  Which knew (too well) ere he was caught againe,

  Deere was the blood must serue his thirst to stake,

  Many the labours had beene spent in vaine,

  And he inforc’d a longer course to take,

  Saw further vengeance hanging in the wind,

  That knew the pride and greatnes of his mind.

  27

  The faction working in this lingring jarr•,

  How for the Scot free passage might be made,

  To lay the ground of a succesfull warre,

  That hope might breede fresh courage to inuade;

  And whilst our safetie standeth out so farre,

  More dangerous proiects eu’ry where are layd;

  That some in hand home troubles to enure,

  Others in France do forraigne broiles procure.

  28

  By these discentions that were lately sowne,

  Inciting Charles to open Armes againe,

  Who seazing Guyne, pretended as his owne,

  That Edward should vnlawfully detaine,

  Proceeds to make a further title knowne.

  T’our Lands in Pontieu, and in Aquitaine,

  When wanted homage hath desolu’d the truce,

  Waking his wrongs by Isabels abuse.

  29

  This plot concluded that was long in hand,

  (Which to this issue prosperously had thriu’d)

  The Base whereon a mightie frame must stand,

  With mickle Art, yet with more fcare cont•iu’d;

  So strongly builded by this factious band,

  As from the same their safetie is deriu’d,

  Till their full-rooted and inueterate hate,

  Getting more strength might deepely penetrate.

  30

  When choise of such to sway this French affaire,

  Which as a sharpelesse and vnweldie masse,

  Might well imploy the strength of all their care;

  So hard and perlous to be brought to passe,

  Which it behooues them quickly to prepare,

  That being now so setled as it was,

  Craues a graue spirit, whose eminence and powre,

  Might like a stiffe gale checke this threatning showre.

  31

  This must a Session seriously debate,

  That depth of iudgement crau’d to be discust,

  That so concernes the safetie of the state,

  And in a case so plausible and iust,

  As might haue quench’d all sparckes of former hate,

  ight be thought euen pollicie might trust,

  Could enuy master her distracted will,

  Or apprehend sacietie in ill.

  32

  Tarleton, whose tongue mens eares in chaines could tie,

  And as a fearefull thunder-bolt could pierce,

  In which there more authoritie did lie,

  Then in the Sybils sage propheticke verse,

  Whose sentence was so absolute and hie,

  As had the power a iudgement to reuerse;

  On the Queenes part with all his might doth stand,

  To lay this charge on her well-guiding hand.

  33

  What helpes her presence to the cause might bring,

  Being a wife, a sister, and a mother,

  And in so great and pertinent a thing,

  To right her lonne, her husband, and her brother,

  Her gratious helpe to all distributing,

  To take of her what they should holde of other;

  Which colour serues t’effect in these extreames,

  That which (God knowes) King Edward neuer dreames.

  34

  Torleten, is this thy spirituall pretence?

  Would God thy thoughts were more spirituall,

  Or lesse perswasiue were thy eloquence.

  But O! thy actions are too temporall;

  Opinion lends too great preheminence,

  Thy reasons subtile, and sophisticall;

  Would all were true thy supposition saith,

  Thy arguments lesse force, or thou more faith.

  35

  These suddaine broiles that were begun of late,

  Still kept in motion by their secret sleight,

  By false suggestions so interminate;

  That as a ballast of some solide weight,

  Betwixt these aduerse currents of debate,

  Kept their proceeding in a course so streight,

  As lends the Queene an ampler colour still,

  By generall meanes to worke a generall ill.

  36

  She which thus fitly found both wind and tyde,

  And sees her leisure serue, the howre so neare,

  All her endeuours mutually apply’d,

  Whilst for her purpose things so fitly were,

  And thus aduantage quickly had espy’d,

  As one whose fortunes taught the worst to feare,

  Seeing the times so variously inclinde,

  And eu’ry toy soone altring Edwards minde.

  37

  Her followers such as friendlesse else had stood,

  Suncke, and deiected by the Spensers pride,

  Who bare the brands of treason in their blood,

  Which but with blood there was no way to hide;

  Whose meane was weake, whose will was but too good,

  Which to effect did but the howre abide,

  And knew all meanes that mischiefe could inuent,

  That any way might further her intent.

  38

  Whilst Mortimer which now so long hath laine

  From our iust course, by fortune lately crosst,

  In Fraunce now strugling how he might regaine

  That which before he had in England lost,

  All present meanes doth gladly entertaine,

  No jote dismaide in all these temp
ests tosst:

  Nor his great minde can thus be ouerthrowne,

  All men his friends, all countries are his owne.

  39

  And Muse, transported by thy former zeale,

  Led in our progresse where his fortune lies,

  To thy faire ayde I seriously appeale,

  To sing this great man his magnanimous guise,

  The auntient Heroes vnto me reueale,

  whose worths may raise our nobler faculties,

  That in my verse, transparent, nete, and cleere,

  His character more liuely may appeere.

  40

  Such one he was, of him we boldely say,

  In whose rich soule all soueraigne powres did sute,

  In whome in peace th’elements all lay

  So mixt, as none could soueraignty impute;

  As all did gouerne, yet all did obey,

  His liuely temper was so absolute,

  That t’seemde when heauen his modell first began,

  In him it shewd perfection in a man.

  41

  So throughly seasond, and so rightly set,

  As in the leuell of cleere iudgements eye,

  Time neuer tuch’t him with deforming fret,

  Nor had the powre to wrap him once awry,

  Whose stedfast course no crosse could euer let,

  His eleuation was so heauenly hie,

  Those giddy tempests that the base world proue,

  State vnder where he Planet like did moue.

  42

  Which this faire Queene that had a knowing spirite,

  And sawe the beauties resting in his minde,

  One that had throughly lookt into his merit,

  Aboue the value of the vulgar kinde,

  That rightly did his Grandsires deedes inherit,

  When now the ages in their course declinde,

  when the old world, being weake began to bow,

  To th’effeminate basenes that it rests at now.

  43

  What weighs he wealth, or what his Wigmore left?

  Let needlesse heapes, things momentary stand,

  He counts not his that can be rapde by theft,

  Man is the sole Lord both of sea and land,

  And still is rich of these that is not reft,

  Who of all creatures hath an vpright hand;

  And by the starres is onely taught to know,

  That as they progresse heauen, he earth should do.

  44

  Wherefore wise Nature forcde this face of ground,

  And through the deeps shewd him the secret way,

  That in the flouds her iudgements might be found,

  Where she for safety did her treasure lay;

  Whose store, that he might absolutely sound,

  Shee gaue him courage for her onely kay,

  That he alone of all her creatures free,

  Her glory, and her wondrous works should see.

  45

  Let wretched worldlings sweate for mud and earth,

  whose groueling bosomes licke the recreant stones,

  And pesants carke for plenty, and for dearth,

  Fame neuer lookes vpon these prostrate drones,

  Man is allotted at his princely birth,

  To manage Empires, and to sit on thrones,

  Frighting coy Fortune when she sternst appeares,

  Which else scornes sighes, and jeeteth at our teares.

  46

  When now Report with her fleet murmuring wing,

  Tucht the still entrance of his listning eare,

  A fleete preparde this royall Queene to bring,

  And her arriuall still awaited neare,

  When euery sound a note of loue doth sing,

  The ioyfull thoughts that in his bosome were:

  The soule in doubt to make her function lesse,

  Denies the vtterance fully to expresse.

  47

  Quoth he, Slide billowes gently for her sake,

  Whose sight can make your aged Nereus yong,

  For her faire passage euen allies make,

  On the sleeke waters wast her sailes along;

  And whilst she glides vpon the pleasant lake,

  Let the sweete Syrens rocke her with a Song:

  Though not Loues mother that dooth passe this way,

  Fairer than she thats borne vpon the sea.

  48

  You Sea-bred creatures, gaze vpon her eie,

  And neuer after with your kinde make warre;

  O steale the accents from her lip that flie,

  Which like the musickes of the Angels are,

  And them vnto your amorous thoughts apply,

  Comparde with which, Aryons did but jarre:

  Wrap them in aire, and when blacke tempests rage;

  Vse them as charmes the rough seas to asswage.

  49

  France, send to fetch her with full sholes of oares,

  With which her fleete may euery way be plide,

  And being landed on thy happie shoares,

  As the vast nauie dooth at anckor ride;

  For her departure when the wilde sea roares,

  Ship mount to heauen, there brightly stellifide:

  Next Iasons Argo on the burnisht throne,

  Assume thee there a constellation.

  50

  Her person hence conuaide with that delight,

  Which best the languish of her iournies easde,

  That to her pleasure dooth it selfe inuite,

  Whereon her mind, and subtil fancie seasde,

  And that (most deare) her liking might excite,

  Which then this Lorde, naught more her presence pleasd,

  where, when with state she first her time could take,

  Thus the faire Queene her Mortimer bespake.

  51

  O Mortimer, great Mortimer, quoth shee,

  What angry power did first this meane deuise,

  To seperate Queene Isabell and thee,

  whome loues eternall vnion strongly ties;

  But if supposde this fault beganne by mee,

  For a iust pennance to my longing eyes:

  (Though guiltlesse they) this punishment assignde,

  To gaze vpon thee, till they leaue me blinde.

  52

  Tis strange, sweete friend, how thou arte altred thus,

  Since first in Court thou didst our fauours weare,

  whose shape seemde then not mortall vnto vs,

  when in our eye thy brow was beauties spheare,

  In all perfection so harmonious,

  A thousand seuerall graces mooving there;

  But what then couldst thou be, not now thou arte,

  An alien first, last home-borne in my heart.

  53

  That powerfull fate thy safetie did inforce,

  And from the worst of danger did thee free,

  Still regular, and constant in one course,

  Wrought me a firme and euen path to thee,

  Of our affections as it tooke remorce,

  Our birth-fix’t starres so happily agree;

  Whose reuolution seriously directs

  Our like proceedings, to the like effects.

  54

  New forme of counsaile in the course of things,

  To our dissignement findes a neerer way,

  That by a cleere and perfect managing,

  Is that firme prop whereon we onely stay;

  Which in it selfe th’authoritie doth bring,

  That weake opinion hath no power to sway;

  Confuting such, whose sightlesse iudgement sit,

  In the thicke ranke with euery vulgar wit.

  55

  Then since pleasde Time our wish’d content assures,

  Imbrace the blessings of our mutuall rest;

  And whilst the day of our good hap endures,

  And we as fauorites leane on Fortunes breast,

  Which doth for vs this vacancie procure,

  In choice m
ake free election of the best;

  Ne’re feare the s•orme before thou feele the shower,

  My sonne a King, an Empire is my dower.

  56

  Of wanton Edward when I first was woo’d,

  Why cam’st thou not into the Court of France?

  Thy selfe alone then in my grace hadst stood;

  Deere Mortimer, how good had beene thy chance?

  My loue attempted in that youthfull mood,

  I might haue beene thine owne inheritance;

  Where entring now by force, thou hold’st thy might,

  And art deseisor of anothers right.

  57

  Honour thou Idole women so adore,

  How many plagues doost thou retaine to grieue vs,

  When still we finde there is remaining more,

  Then that great word of Maiesty can giue vs;

  Which takes more from vs then it can restore,

  And of that comfort often doth depriue vs,

  That with our owne selues sets vs at debate,

  And mak’st vs beggars vnder our estate.

  58

  Those pleasing raptures from her graces rise,

  Strongly inuading his impressiue breast,

  That soone entranced all his faculties,

  Of the prowd fulnesse of their ioyes possest;

  And hauing throughly wrought him in this wise,

  Like tempting Syrens sing him to his rest,

  When eu’ry power is passiue of some good,

  Felt by the spirits of his high-rauisht blood.

  59

  Like as a Lute that’s touch’d with curious skill,

  In musickes language sweetely speaking plaine,

  When eu’ry string his note with sound doth fill,

  Taking the tones, and giuing them againe,

  And the eare bath’s in harmony at will,

  A diapason closing eu’ry straine;

  So their affections set in keyes so like,

  Still fall in consort as their humors strike.

  60

  When now the path to their desire appeares,

  Of which before they had been long debar’d,

  By desolution of some threatning feares,

  That for destruction seem’d to stand prepar’d,

  Which the smooth face of better safetie beares,

  And now protected by a stronger guard,

  Giues the large scope of leisure to fore-cast

  Euents to come, by things alreadie past,

  61

  These great dissignements setting easly out,

  By due proportion measuring eu’ry pace,

  T’auoide the cumbrance of each hindring doubt,

  That might distort the comlinesse and grace,

  Comming with eu’ry circumstance about,

  Strictly obseruing person, time and place;

  All ornaments in faire discretions lawes,

  Could giue attire to beautifie the cause.

  62

  The Embassie in termes of equall height,