Couentry, that do'st adorne[1] The Countrey wherein I was borne, Yet therein lyes not thy prayse Why I should crowne thy Tow'rs with Bayes: 'Tis not thy Wall, me to thee weds...
Must I needes write, who's hee that can refuse, He wants a minde, for her that hath no Muse, The thought of her doth heau'nly rage inspire, Next powerfull, to those clouen tongues of fire....
This while we are abroad, Shall we not touch our Lyre? Shall we not sing an ODE? Shall that holy Fire, In vs that strongly glow'd, In this cold Ayre expire?
Douer, to doe thee Right, who will not striue, That dost in these dull yron Times reuiue The golden Ages glories; which poore Wee Had not so much as dream't on but for Thee?...
Such was old Orpheus cunning, That sencelesse things drew neere him, And heards of beasts to heare him, The stock, the stone, the Oxe, the Asse came running, Morley! but this enchaunting...
The Ryme nor marres, nor makes, Nor addeth it, nor takes, From that which we propose; Things imaginarie Doe so strangely varie, That quickly we them lose.
Olde CHAVCER doth of Topas tell, Mad RABLAIS of Pantagruell, A latter third of Dowsabell, With such poore trifles playing: Others the like haue laboured at Some of this thing, and some of that,...
That ten-yeares-trauell'd Greeke return'd from Sea Ne'r ioyd so much to see his Ithaca, As I should you, who are alone to me, More then wide Greece could to that wanderer be....
If in opinion of iudiciall wit, Primaleons sweet Invention well deserue: Then he (no lesse) which hath translated it, Which doth his sense, his forme, his phrase, obserue....
Chapman; We finde by thy past-prized fraught, What wealth thou dost vpon this Land conferre; Th'olde Grecian Prophets hither that hast brought, Of their full words the true interpreter:...
Like as a man, on some aduenture bound His honest friendes, their kindnes to expresse, T'incourage him of whome the maine is own'd; Some venture more, and some aduenture lesse,...
Such men as hold intelligence with Letters, And in that nice and Narrow way of Verse, As oft they lend, so oft they must be Debters, If with the Muses they will haue commerce:...
In new attire (and put most neatly on) Thou Murray mak'st thy passionate Queene apeare, As when she sat on the Numidian throne, Deck'd with those Gems that most refulgent were....
Driue forth thy Flocke, young Pastor, to that Plaine, Where our old Shepheards wont their flocks to feed; To those cleare walkes, where many a skilfull Swaine To'ards the calme eu'ning, tun'd his pleasant Reede,...
Ph'be looke downe, and here behold in mee, The elements within thy sphere inclosed, How kindly Nature plac'd them vnder thee, And in my world, see how they are disposed;...
That learned Father which so firmly proues The soule of man immortall and diuine, And doth the seuerall offices define, Anima. Giues her that name as shee the body moues,...
Thou which do'st guide this little world of loue, Thy planets mansions heere thou mayst behold, My brow the spheare where Saturne still doth moue, Wrinkled with cares: and withered, dry, and cold;...
When conquering loue did first my hart assaile, Vnto mine ayde I summond euery sence, Doubting if that proude tyrant should preuaile, My hart should suffer for mine eyes offence;...
Into these loues who but for passion lookes, At this first sight, here let him lay them by, And seeke elsewhere in turning other bookes, Which better may his labour satisfie....