The Argument.
The south and North crownes ioynd by that great King
Who of all Kinges hea'uns blissinges most embrace
His works his witt heauens care him saif to bring
To happie end: his two rair impes of grace
In whom heis bles'd more then in anye thing
By warr the youngest reules the earth in peace
The Prophet leaues the Prince amaizd at last
He foyles six Knights then to his armie past.
Bvt heir o Scotland heir beginnes thy spring
of honor wealth fame glorie praise & blisse
Eune now & not til nou high hea'uns doth bring
Thy happines thy good thy al I wish
Thy fame thy name fore're eternizing
If sinfull pride beare not thy wayes amis
Hence shall thy glorie and thy greatnes grow
Swelling o're seas and o'ra all landes shall flow.
Their o're the glob of Sea and earth he stands
Whiche to the North ioynes sowthes fair Diadem
And Boreas spatious impire all commands
And all wheir Titan coolls his firie team
If thow can number furth the Occean sands
Or all those spangled golden wonders name
In radiant coache that course heauns lists a pace
Then may'st thow compt his blisd and frutfull race
This, this, is hee, eu'ne hee, whome havin propoines
Greate Jou's eternall motto for to beare
whoes Soule refyning sighs heart-scolding grones
shall on this Altar of Deuotion reare
Trew zeall trew faith and trew repenting moin's
From whence ascends the sueit perfums of Pra're
To the one-trin whoe from his merceis Throne
Shall rain doun plenteus showrs of Greace anone.
From so great Dangers shall the Lord him saue
And to suche hight of happines him bring
That tho nogth els could eche ones ears bereaue
Yet this shall be ane euerlasting Signe
For eche to sing, his mild Sweit virtues grave
Without correction bent to eche designe
His Bountie clemencie and equitie
His constant minde and his stabilitie.
The least of nothing can my Muse record
Whoes wings is lag'd with vapors gros and fatt
but this I know that his imperiall sword
shall Slyce doun sinne and scheild the desolat
But should I thus with seiming scheuis debord
His praise so Infinit so intricat
No no deir muse serche not wheir is no end
Onlie him self him self can comprehend
For all the Muses at his Birth desending
Throu the cleir Welkin of oure westerne clyms
As when a firie flashe of lightning Bending
With twinkling rays glids dounward often tims
A mid the tufted plains so they attending
On his blist Birth, infuse their sacred rims
His spreit within, and with Ambrosiall kisses
In his blisd soule, they breath a heau'ne of blisses.
This done they with a wreath of starrs haif cround
His Tempills which a Tripill croune adorne
With dowble Bayis and Lawrell much renound
They give two glorious titles new'r outworne
And maks his voice diuinlie to resound
Our all the earth on wings of fame still borne
O miracle his voice lyik lightning darte
The golden schowrs of poleist witt and arte.
His Muse shall flie with sweitest eloquence
In learned layes to charme all spreits all sences
And like a Queene in pomps magnificence
Sche's richest still when lairgest in expences
In Scarlot heir in crimsone their and thence
In purple robs adorning royall prences
More ritche then golden Tesseu's swelling cost
With rairest Jems and pretious stones imbost,
And then anone in Arm's addrest for warr
A steill bright sword she'is brauelie brandishing
Heir dois she place the thundring connons their
To Mars she bids the roiring trumpets sing
The victor getts her lawrell for his schare
That bring him more then Cresus gold could bring
But now in sabel blak her self she suits
And Magick spells diuinlie she refuits.
Then Sanct like sits she in a secret Cell
And sacred phraises sent from heavin above
Furth from her pen in plentie doeth distell
Confounding all that quest'ouns vaine wold prove
And from her witts deip tressour springs a well
Whoes source from Gods celesti'all throne doth move
On golden channell slyds this siluer streame
And drouns her foes in groundles Gulfs of shame,
Yea how soew'r her self she list t'adorne
With Diadems or coats of warlick steill
Or wisdoms grauer suits she list haue borne
Yet euriething becums her schaip so weill
That still her self she seims whoes rising morne
Shall haue no night whoes mightie flowing Nile
Our flows all lands and with hir swelling wawe
Holds hirs in peace and vthers all in awe.
This Prince more wealth peace honor greatnes brings
Then all that swey'd his Scepter ewerbefore
But heir since heaune him by his worth desings
That to all times and aige shall him restore
Since all and ewrie thing his praises sings
I can but lessen what all tyms maks more
But in his seid rare blessings shall attend him
Which it sall pleas almightie Joue to send him
In midst of famous Scotland does their ly
A valey grac'd with Nature airt and care
As fertill as the soill of Araby
As plesaunt as Thessalian Tempe fair
On which from heaune no blustring Tempests flye
Nor Zephire blou's but sweit and wholsome air
A long whoes side the Ochell montans rise
And lifts their swelling topps aboue the skyis.
Doun through the midst of this fair valey glids
The christall Forth with glansing siluer hew
Whoes roaring stream on golden channell slids
With murmur sweit in Thetis bosume blew
Of brooks supply'id with lib'rall store besids
Which tops of towring montans still renew
Whoes springs the dry insatiat meids suppleis
And moister lends to herbs to fructs and treis,
In midst of this fair valey doth arise
A mightie mounting roche of wondrous height
On whoes ambitious bak as in the skyis
A Citie stands impregnabile to sight
A Castell on his loftie crest espyis
The valeys rownd about the montans hight
Below the roch the glanncing River glids
In whoes cold streams hee coolls his horie sids
When Titan doth vp to the sowth aspire
Ascending through heauens vaults of brightest azure
These loftie turrets seim to haue desire
To view their beauteis pride whill thay haue leasure
Then sett they all the rowling flood on fire
Whoes trembling billous show their golden Treasur
The smilling flood Illustrats them with beams
Whill as their beautie beautifeis her streams.
Within this Paradise of all delight
Thus grac'd with airts proud wealth and Naturs care
Shall to the world be borne that lamp of light
Whoes schyning shaip yow at beholding their
But ah too soone snatcht vp from humane sight
Whoes lose shall mak the western-world dispair
That heauins can raise them to their former blis
Since they haue rest so great a Good as this.
O could hee leiue he were a worthie Prence
By nature in her ritchest wealth enrold
And fraught with all the guifts of excellence
That either Man could wisch or heauins vnfold
But o too wise and too too sone taine hence
Heauin scorns that earth so great a good should hold
Albione be war least heauins vpon the lowr
Who thus vntimelie cutts thy fairest flowr.
Then shall arise a Prince of his owne kind
Borne of his dame and of his sire begot
Whoes matchles haughtie and heroick mind
Shous heauens assignes great empires for his lot
Heir doth he marche in arms to warr Inclind
Ou'r Danub Neill Euphrates Ganges note
And treds on all as on that fearfull here
Gainst his victorious Arms that dars prepare.
He at his royall fathers heigh command
This greate and weghtie chairge shall vnder go
For dred reuenge with warrs hote burning brand
Send from that angrie Monarchs breist shall thro
A thundering tempest out all sea and land
With schame lose foyle blood ruin wrak and wo
For why his waiting slaues ar warr and death
T'unbind his browes knit vp in cloudes of wrathe.
To whoes braue sone thus sent the lord hath granted
If hee his thoghts hoord in that heauenlie place
With him and his hee sure hes couenanted
To pour ane Ocean of his plenteous grace
Nor his greate Syrs dominions shalbe wanted
But all from fertill Jnde to Oscades
All shalbe his and his victorious hand
Our sea and earth all nations shall command.
And lo that dreadfull Serpent scourge of earth
Whoes pride aloft him to the heavns doth rear
Shall yeeld to his all-conquering arme whoes worthe
From his prowd head this Diadem shall tear
And Ioyne it to his oune by right of Birth
Then to his sauiours sacred tomb shall bear
This glorious standart this triumphant Signe
Of sinn of death of hells great tameing King.
Nature and all her train on him attend
Putting the golden key Into his hand
Of earth and seas ritche treasure to the end
That all obey and he may all command
Ceare wisdome foirsicht virtue to him send
Fortun fast bound with many thousand band
Loue Beautie youth striue to adorne him more
Then virtue grace and wisdoms plenteous store.
The tuelf greate Labors of that antick Lord
Was Iustlie praisd and magnifeit allone
Yet much more worth to him sall be restord
Then Men beasts monsters conquerd one by one
Wheir onlie strength noght witt did aide afford
Ou'r murdred beasts his glorie shall not shone
But Kings subdew't and mightie nations strong
Shall to his fame and endles praise belong.
This Prince shall always feill heauins gratious loue
And happie fortuns shall consort him still
Proud conquering Mars still by his side shall moue
Fair victorie shall eu'r obey his will
His infancie she nwrsing shall remoue
To noble hoppes and his strong yeers furthfill
With statlie Trophes and his aige with balms
With crouns with Lawrells and triumphant palms.
The boundles sea shall seeme to him a brook
Heaun threatning Alps shall seime ane easie way
Two horned Po shall his proud streams rebook
Beholding his victorious armie stay
His glassie Cave he leaus and cums to look
Wheir as a thousand cisterns eu'rie day
To pay their endles siluer tribute hyis
whichtil that time did newer view the skyis.
The aiged flood cums grauelie from his cell
Doun from his head hings dangling siluer tressis
From eu'rie hair a christall spring doth fall
Ay when he sweats a roaring Steams foorth praissis
Eche sigh raise vp a waue eche groan foretell
A fearfull inundation following passes
His vrinkled Brou's a pearly dew distelleth
His greennishe eis with endles tears still filleth.
The Nimphs with daunsing round about him trips
Aganes the Sonne their azure mantils shone
From vaue to vaue the wanton faries skips
Whole scoolls of fishe heir swims their leaps anone
Their watrie Lord with Ice cold schivering lips
Thus chyds his streams you foolish streams allone
Ah will you thus heauns champion ganestand
When sea and Earth obeis his conquiring hand.
Proud brooke becalme abate thy raging torrent
Gainst him whome Ioue hath loude lift not thy horne
Rol smothe youe waues lash not your swelling current
Furth at his glorious fleet, which should be borne
On youre smooth backe but dance an easie currant
With me your aged flood with years not worne
Till his victorious armie march before
Their glistring ensing's; on our eastern shore
His fear'd renoune like thundring cannons roars
In eche mans ears through all lands touns and tours
And tempest like it beitts the baltike shoars
Clouds of his wrathe in haills scharp stormie shours
Tumbling throgh mightie winds aloft still soar's
At whoes dreid sound all nat'ions sadlie lour's
And ou'r all lands it fleis at last it falls
And beats doun bulwarks touns tours gates and walls.
This valorous Prince wise cumlie fair and neat
In eurie thing him self shall bravelie bear
His Enemeis he shall no sooner threat
Than hee shall ouer throw with schame and fear
The terror of his name sall tyrannes beat
Doun from their throns who yeelds before he warre
For Joue noght geu's him sparinglie good hap
But alway pours doun plentie in his lap.
Thus thy greate house thy race thy of spring faire
Vnbred vnborne all those and mor's enrold
On heauens brasse leafes by the almighteis cair
For all ensuing aiges to behold
Be thankfull serue loue Praise his merceis rare
That in heauins birth did frost their Births vnfold
So thy blisd race shalbe more blessed still
Nor time nor age thy blesse'd Seid shall kill.
And thou deir Countrie with all Grace contented
That heau'ne on fertill Earth can thee afford
Let not thy mind with pride be once atteinted
For those great blessings of thy greatious Lord
Let not fair rates approch be so prevented
And Blise Once geuin with shame soone bak restoerd
But O allace heir my poore Soule doth faint
O then I fear a thankfull mynd thou's want.
Which if thou doe th'almighte's smyles shall turne
To hote consumeing wrathe and coales of fire
That shall thy intrealls all thy bouells burne
Thou's feill his iust sad wrathe and dreadfull ire
For which thy maids and hearmles babes shall murne
Nor shall thy Plagues watre famien death retire
Till thow be wallouing in a crimsone flood
And dround almost in thy oune guiltie blood.
Greate Ioue shall send straunge Nations farr and neir
Within thy natiue land thee to distroy
Earths farrest ends thy widowes plaints shal heare
Wheir weiping aer thy mornings shall convoy
From Pole to Pole beneath heavins volts so cleir
Echo shall sadlie soond thy sad annoy
Annoy cuts his discours, thus wofull harted
Wheir with the Prophetizing spreit departed.
Long time he silent stood at last againe
He thus began braue Prince in time bewarre
Lest when the croune thou freilie shalt obtaine
Thou let not sinn and vice creip in so farr
That Joue his endles Blessings he refraine
And thee and thyne with endles vengeaunce marr
Which if thou doe no: than thou heir hast sene
What hath for thee and thine prepared bene.
Thus said the Prophet whill the Prince reioisd
Those of his royall of spring thus to sie
In heauins so framde by Ioue so weill disposede
And rendring thanks to his greate majestie
Eune then a vow hee on him self impoisd
His Kingdome once at peace his crowne made frie
Hee with ane armie great Christs tomb wold view
And with sterne warrs wold Sarasens Persew,
Then said he to that graue and antient Syre
Wise holie father let me once be bold
Thy blisd and happie name for to require
Of whom my verie soules content I hold.
Great Prince quod he I yeeld to your desire
Rimour I hight your slave and seruand old
My loue and my last duetie to discharge
I hither came as you shall know at large.
For the appointed time is drawing neir
When my poore soule must leaue this ruind toure
Know then an Angell did to me appeir
And of these reuelationes gaue me power
Onlie for thee, becaus the Lord doeth heare
The wofull plaintes and groninges eurie houre
Of thy still torterd land which hea'uns surmonted
And mercie begd where mercie neuer wanted.
That onlie thou selected for reliefe
By the one-trine eternall maiestie
Crost with misfortune sorow paine and greif
For that vilde slaughter sacralegiouslie
In Joues sole sacred house but that mischeif
Hath thy vnfaind repentance freed from thee
Should heir by me heau'ns endles bountie know
For to remoue thy cares, and confort show.
Persist thou still then in thy iust desire
For mightie Joue stands Arm'd against thy foe's
Now all thy Bad misfortuns shall retire
Hence shalt thou euer winn and neuer lose
Thou frielie shalt Posses a frie Empire
And such renoune such fame and glorie goes
Of thy greate name that thou shalt haue more praise
Then euer had a Prince before thy dayes.
Now quod the Prince old father I wald know
If theis great kings shal beautifie my name
No no quod he but from thy loynis shall grow
One trie whois fruict shall flurishe still with fame
And one the bankis of siluer forth shall show
Tuo branches faire for to adorne that stream
Who turnis and bous his crooked schoris about
To keip such heaune blest treasur eon got out.
And so fairweill this said throu schaples air
Hee went away, a light cleir bright and schining
Enlightned all the Place so cleir and fair
As Phebus seimd but Phebe thence refining
His paill old Beautie spent with aige and cair
The Prince his kneis and dafled eies inclining
Downe fals he straight lyfe seemd to leaue his statione
Stroke blind with light and dumb with admiratione.
When hee recouerd of this brain-sicke trance
He look't, about but could no wheir behold
The cause of such a golden rediance
Nor anie wheir sie that graue Prophet old
Which chang't and altred much his countenance
Tiuxt dout and feare yet neids from thence hee wold
Finding a beaten Path doun to the plane
That leids him wheir his horse doth yet remane.
Hee taks him straight and doth from thence depart
Revoluing oft into his Princelie mynd
If by Illusioun visioun dreame or airt
Or if he rest in Spreit such things dewynd
But weying weil eche things with ioyfull heart
He nothing think vnpossible to find
By mighte Ioue altho mans shallow witt
Can hardlie be induc'd to credet it
Thus whill he thinks thus whill he musing rids
Six knights all arm'd weill monted he espyis
Cum towards him he for defence provyds
Yeild yeild thy self or die the formest cryis
He noght replyid but boldlie them abyds
Drauing his noble brand them all defyis
And in schort tyme so quaild them with rebook
That thrie he kild two chas'd and one he took.
Then foreward on his Iournay doth he hold
And of his prisoner defirs to know
Who reul'd that land hee thus vnto him told
To day this cuntrie did me homage ow
But I too rasche my fond attempts to bold
Hearing of straungers landet heir below
Wold with these few my cuntries-wrong prevent
But yow allone hath marr'd my fond Intent.
And If yow to King Eduard doth pertaine
Or to oure Prince I pray yow schow to me
Or with theas lait cum troups if yow remane
Whom I but forsight thus wold go to sie
I hold of Eduard said the Prince agane
Theirof I'm sorie said the knight pardie
Great pitie war't in such vnlaughfull warre
So excellent a Knight should armour beare.
Thus Iest they thus they talk till they haue gone
Farr on the way at last they might discry
A warlick troup in glistring armour schone
Whom by their arms the Prince knew presentlie
They knowing him with heigh applause eche one
Made know'ne how weill they lyk't his companie
He to his prisoner him self revield
Whoe pardon begd and thanks to heaune did zeild.
Whill days great Lord ou'r heauns giult roof farr past
Beholding Thetis beautie where she lyis
Redarting bak his amors til at last
Her loue fird smills seimd to Inflame the skyis
He hurlls his golden Quliells doun in the wast
Breathles for haist he blusht yet doun he hyis
Wher on the trembling siluer waues she stood
Than diue they both doune throgh the christell flood,
Eune then the Knight the King and all his trane
Intreats that night beneth his rooff to rest
Wheir too the King doth yeild thus bak agane
Right to his Pallace they them selfs addrest
But this braue Prince not long did heire remane
For why a Ioyfull hope his heart possest
Wheirfore he schipt in haist and took the Sea
Hoping on his provd foe reuengd to be.