Haue the rather prefumed humbly to offer vnto your Honour the dedication of this little Poëme, for that the noble and vertuous Gentlewoma of whom it is written, was by match neere alied, and in affection greatly deuoted vnto your LadiЛhip. The occafion why I wrote the fame, was afwell the great good fame which I heard of her deceaffed, as the particular 10 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,

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THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE.

as that the Lady Anne Howard, eldest daughter to John 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 first of Ianuarie.

1591.

Your Honours humbly euer.

Lon

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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 breft,
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.

ΙΟ

In ftead of them, and their sweete 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 strands,
And grifly Ghosts to heare this dolefull teene.

In gloomie euening, when the wearie Sun,
After his dayes long labour drew to rest,
And sweatie fteedes now hauing ouer run
The compast skie, gan water in the west,
I walkt abroad to breath the freshing ayre
In open fields, whose flowring pride opprest
With early frofts, had lost 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 she conceiued hath through meditation
Of this worlds vainneffe, and lifes wretchednesse,
That yet my foule it deepely doth empassion.

So as I muzed on the miserie

In which men liue, and I of many most,
Most miserable man; I did espie
Where towards me a fory wight did cost,
Clad all in black, that mourning did bewray :
And Iaakob ftaffe in hand deuoutly croft,
ike to fome Pilgrim, come from farre away.

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