TO THE RIGHT

HONORABLE AND VERtuous Lady Helena Marqueffe of North-hampton.

Haue the rather prefumed humbly to offer vnto your Honour the dedication of this little Poème, for that the noble and vertuous Gen

tlewoma of whom it is written, was by match neere alied, and in affection greatly deuoted vnto your Ladifhip. The occafion why I wrote the fame, was afwell the great good fame which I heard of her deceaffed, as the particular goodwill which I beare vnto her husband Mafter Arthur Gorges, a louer of learning and vertue, whofe houfe, as your Ladifhip by mariage hath honoured, fo doe I find the name of them by many notable records, to be of great antiquitie in this Realme; and fuch as haue euer borne themfelues with honourable reputation to the world, & vnfpotted loyaltie to their Prince and countrey: befides fo lineally are they defcended from the Howards,

ΙΟ

as that the Lady Anne Howard, eldest daughter to Iohn Duke of Norfolke, was wife | to Sir Edmund, 20 mother to Sir Edward, and grandmother to Sir William and Sir Thomas Gorges Knightes. And therefore I doe affure my felfe, that no due honour done to the white Lyon, but will be most gratefull to your Ladifhip, whofe husband and children do fo neerely participate with the bloud of that noble family. So in all dutie I recommende this Pamphlet, and the good acceptance thereof, to your honourable fauour and protection.

don this firft of Ianuarie.

Lon

1591.

Your Honours humbly euer.

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Ed. Sp. /

Hat euer man he be, whose heauie

mynd

With griefe of mournefull great mishap oppreft,

Fit matter for his cares increase would fynd:

Let reade the rufull plaint herein
expreft,

Of one (I weene) the wofulft man aliue;
Euen fad Alcyon, whose empierced brest,
Sharpe forrowe did in thousand peeces riue.

But who so else in pleasure findeth sense,
Or in this wretched life dooth take delight,
Let him be banisht farre away from hence:
Ne let the facred Sifters here be hight,
Though they of forrowe heauilie can fing;
For euen their heauie fong would breede delight:
But here no tunes, faue fobs and grones fhall ring.

In ftead of them, and their fweete harmonie,
Let those three fatall Sifters, whofe fad hands.
Doe weaue the direfull threeds of destinie,
And in their wrath breake off the vitall bands,
Approach hereto : and let the dreadfull Queene
Of darkenes deepe come from the Stygian ftrands, 20
And grifly Ghofts to heare this dolefull teene. /

In gloomie euening, when the wearie Sun,
After his dayes long labour drew to rest,
And fweatie fteedes now hauing ouer run
The compaft fkie, gan water in the west,
I walkt abroad to breath the freshing ayre
In open fields, whofe flowring pride oppreft
With early frofts, had loft their beautie faire.

There came vnto my mind a troublous thought,
Which dayly doth my weaker wit possesse,
Ne lets it reft, vntill it forth haue brought
Her long borne Infant, fruit of heauineffe,
Which the conceiued hath through meditation
Of this worlds vainneffe, and lifes wretchedneffe,
That yet my foule it deepely doth empaffion.

So as I muzed on the miferie

In which men liue, and I of many moft,

Moft miferable man; I did efpie
Where towards me a fory wight did coft,
Clad all in black, that mourning did bewray:
And Iaakob ftaffe in hand deuoutly croft,
Like to fome Pilgrim, come from farre away.

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40

His careleffe lockes, vncombed and vnfhorne,
Hong long adowne, and beard all ouer growne,
That well he seemd to be fome wight forlorne;
Downe to the earth his heauie eyes were throwne
As loathing light and euer as he went,
He fighed soft, and inly deepe did grone,
As if his heart in peeces would haue rent.

Approa/ching nigh, his face I vewed nere,
And by the femblant of his countenance,
Me feemd I had his perfon feene elsewhere,
Moft like Alcyon feeming at a glaunce;
Alcyon he, the iollie Shepheard fwaine,
That wont full merrilie to pipe and daunce.
And fill with pleasance euery wood and plaine.

Yet halfe in doubt, because of his difguize,

I foftlie fayd, Alcyon? There withall

He lookt a fide as in difdainefull wife,

Yet stayed not: till I againe did call.

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Then turning back, he saide with hollow found,
Who is it, that dooth name me, wofull thrall,
The wretchedft man that treads this day on groud?

One, whom like wofulneffe impreffed deepe,
Hath made fit mate thy wretched cafe to heare,
And giuen like caufe with thee to waile and wepe:
Griefe finds fome ease by him that like does beare,
Then ftay Alcyon, gentle fhepheard stay
(Quoth I) till thou haue to my truftie eare
Committed, what thee dooth fo ill apay.

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