THE KING'S Prophecy: OR Weeping joy.. Expressed in a Poem, to the Honour of England's too great Solemnities. Ios. Hall. LONDON Printed by T. C. for Simon Waterson. 1603. THE KING'S PROPHECY or weeping joy.. 1. WHat Stoic could his steely breast contain (If Zeno self, or who were made beside Of tougher mould) from being torn in twain With the cross Passions of this wondrous tide? Grief at ELIZA'S tomb, orecomne anon With greater joy at her succeeded throne? 2. Me seems the world at once doth weep & smile, Washing his smiling cheeks with weeping dew, Yet cheering still his watered cheeks the while With merry wrinkles that do laughter show; Amongst the rest, I can but smile and weep, Nor can my passions in close prison keep. 3. Yet now, when Grief and joy at once conspire To vex my feeble mind with adverse might, Reason suggests not words to my desire, Nor deigns no Muse to help me to indite; So doth this civil strife of Passions strong, Both move and mar the measures of my song. 4. For long agone, when as my weaker thought Was but assaylde with change of joy & pain: I wont to find the willing Muse unsought, And vent my numbers in a plenteous vain, Whether I wished to write some lofty verse, Or with sad lines would straw some sable hearse. 5. So, when but single Passions in the field Meet Reason sage; soon as she list advance Her awful head; they needs must stoop, & yield Their rebel arms to her wise governance: Whence, as their mutin'drage did rashly rise Ylike by Reason's power it cowardly dies. 6. But when that Passions rank arrays beset Reason alone, without or friend, or Fere, Who wonders if they can the conquest get And reave the crown her royal head did wear? Go yet tumultuous lines, and tidings bring What Passion 〈◊〉 in Reason's silence sing. 7. Oft did I wish the closure of my light, Before the dawning of that fearful day Which should succeed Eliza's latest night, Sending her glorious soul from this sad clay, Up to a better crown than erst she bore Upon her weary brows, and Temples hoar: 8. For than I feared to find the frowning sky Clothed in dismal black, and dreadful red, Then did I fear this earth should drenched lie With purple streams in civil tumults shed: Caesar & Pompey. Like when of yore in th'old Pharsalian downs, The two cross Eagles grappled for the crown. 9 Or when the riper English Roses grew On sundry stalks, from one self root ysprung, Lanc. & York. And strove so long for praise of fairer hue, That million of our Sires to death were stung With those sharp thorns that grew their sweets beside Or such, or worse I weened should now betide. 10. Nor were lewd hopes ought lesser than my dread, Nor less their Triumphs then my plained woe, Triumphs, and Plaints for great Eliza dead; My dread, their hope for England's overthrow: I feared their hopes, & wailed their pleasant cheer, They triumphed in my griefs, & hoped my fear. II. Waiting for flames of cruel Martyrdom, Already might I see the stakes addressed, And that stale strumpet of imperious Rome, High mounted on her seven-headed beast, Quaffing the blood of Saints in bowls of gold, Whiles all the surplus stains the guiltless mould. 12. Now might I see those swarms of Locusts sent, 〈◊〉 Hell's cursed offspring, hired slaves of Spain, Till the world saw, and scorned their intent, Of a sworn foe to make a Sovereign; How could but terror with his cold affright Strike my weak breast upon so sad foresight? 13. though on that day before the world began Eliza died, and with the closing year March. 25. Her days upclosde; when I the light did ban, And chide the Heavens that they left not there: And thought it wrong (yet God that thought forefended) That the world's course with her course was not ended. 14. Now, not more worlds could hire my closed light Ere but the setting of that Euen-sun, Which late her breathing saw with beams so bright, And early rising found her life for done; Ah most unhappy wights that went before, That died ere this, or that are yet unborn! 15. Oh turned times beyond all mortal fear, Beyond all mortal hopes! Not till this day Began the fullness of our bliss appear; Which dangers dimmed erst with fresh dismay: Still ever checking joy with servile care, Still charging us for Tragic times prepare. 16. False stars, and falser wizards that foresaine By their aspects the state of earthly things: How been your bold predictions proved vain, That here broke off the race of British Kings? Which now alone began; when first we see Fair Britain form to a Monarchy. 17. How did I better long agone presage, (That joys me still I did presage so right) When in the wardship of my weaker age Virgil's fourth eclogue translated and applied to the birth of Hen. the prince. My puis-ne Muse presumed to recite The vatick lines of that Cumean Dame, (Which Maro falsely sung to pollio's name) 18. To the dear Natals of thy princely son, O dreadest Sovereign; in whose timely birth Me seemed I saw this golden age begun, I saw this weary load of Heaven and Earth Freshly reviv'd, rouse up his fainting head, To see the sweet hopes this day promised. 19 And now I live (I wished to live so long Till I might see these golden days succeed, And solemn vowed that mine eternal song Should sound thy name unto the future seed) I live to see my hopes; o let me live Till but my vowed verse might me survive. 20. So may thy worth my lowly Muse upraise, So may mine hie-up-raised thoughts aspire That not thy Bartas self, whose sacred lays The yielding world doth with thyself admire, Shall pass my song, which nought can rear so high, Save the sweet influence of thy gracious eye. 21. Mean while, amongst those throngs of Poesies Which now each trivial Muse dares harshly sing This vulgar verse shall feed plebeian eyes, Nor press into the presence of my King; So may it safely praise his absent name; That never present tongue did void of blame. 22. Well did the wise Creator, when he laid Earth's deep foundations, charge the watery main, This Northern world should by his waves be made Cut from the rest, and yet not cut in twain Divided, that it might be blest alone, Not sundered, for this fore-set union. 23. For here he meant in late succeeding time, To seat a second Paradise below; Or for composed temper of the Clime, Or those sound blasts the cleansing North doth blow. Britain compared with the old Paradise Or, for he saw the sinfill continent Should with contagious vice be overwent. 24. 1 1 Rivers of Paradise. For great Euphrates and the swelling Nile, With Tigris swift; he bade the Ocean hoar Serve for the great moat of the greatest Isle, 2 2 Word and Sacram: And wash the snowy rocks of her steep shore As for that tree of life fair Eden's pride, He set it in our mids, and every side. 25. From oft attempted, oft repulsed spite More than one Angel guards our safer gate; Nought wants of highest bliss, & sweetest delight That ever was attained by mortal state. But that gives life to all, and all exceeds He sets his princely Image in his steed. 26. His lively Image, in whose awful face Appear deep stamps of dreadful majesty, Whose glorious beams from his diviner grace Dazzle the weak, and dim the bolder eye. Mercy sits on his brow; and in his breast Under his Lion's paw, doth courage rest. 27. Deep wisdom doth adorn his princely head, justice his hand, his lips grave Eloquence, And that which seld in Prince's breast is bred, (The Prince's greatest praise, and best defence) Purest religion hath his heart possessed. O Island more than fortunate and blessed. 28. heavens chiefest care, Earth's second Paradise, Wonder of Times, chief boast of Nature's style, Envy of Nations, precedent of bliss, Mistress of Kingdoms, Monarch of all Isles; World of this world, & heaven of earth; no less Can serve to shadow out thine happiness. 29. Thou art the world's sole glory, he is thine; Fron him thy praise is fetched, the worlds from thee, His from above; So the more famous been His rarest graces, more thy fame shall be. The more thy fame grows on, the fairer show His heavenly worth shall make to foreign view. 30. Like when by night, amids the cleansed sky, The Sun's fair sister by her lovely rays Gathers a circled Halo up on high, Of kindly vapours that her spouse did raise: She thus enclosed in her clear oval round, Doubles her light unto the gazing ground. 31. But for the only bane of blessed state Is ignorance of bliss; let me dear Dread For thy diviner Oracles relate The sum of those sweet hopes that long have fed Thy liegest Nation; Pardon thou the while Mine high attempt, harsh verse, and ruder style. 32. And yet thrice happy mates, whom that great king endows with equal peace: so more his reign Above your hopes, eternal comfort bring To your late nephews race; as ye may deign Credulous ears to my Prophetic lines, Truer than those were fetched from Delphic shrines. 33. He that gives crowns (as crowns from heaven are sent The sum of Bazil. Doron drawn in form of prophecy into verse. Not since the day that Ishay's youngest son Rose from the fold; hath ever yet besprent With the sweet oil of sacred unction An holier head: then that this present day The weight of England's royal crown doth sway. 34. Nor can his subjects more him fear or love, (Loyal their love, and lowly is their fear) Then he shall love and fear his King above, Whose name, place, Image, Sceptre he doth bear, Religion's spring, Autumn of Heresy, Winter of Atheism his reign shall be. 35. And thou great Rome, that to the Martian plain Long since didst lowly stoop; and leave for lore Thy lofty seat of Hills: shalt once again Creep lower to the shade of Tiber's shore: Yet lower shall his Arm thy ruins fell, Down from thy Tiber into lowest Hell. 36. Not number shall, but weight his laws commend; Which wisely made, shall justly be maintained, His gentle brows shall first severely bend And lower at vice: whose course eftsoons restrained They smooth shall wax again; mixing by measure Ounces of grace, with drams of just displeasure. 37. So have I seen a Morn of cheerful May O'ercast with clouds to threaten sormfull stoures, Which yet ere Noon, hath proved the clearest day: Whiles brighter morns have brought us evening showers; His frowns shall fright the ill; his mercious cic Shall raise the humble soul of Modesty. 38. The treble mischief that was wont infest Our holy state (ah me what state can miss Some stain of native ill) shall be redressed By timely care: and now shall fairly rise The noble name of our diviner trade, From out the dust wherein it long hath laid. 39 Longlay it in the dust of wrong disdain; Exposed to every rascal Peasants spite: O times! but now, were best my rage contain Until I mought a second Satire write. But ah fond threat, as if these mended days Would once deserve the brand of my dispraise? 40. Nor shall the Lordly Peers once overlook Their humble vassals dwelling all below: Like as we see some large out-spreading Oak Ore-drop the silly shrubs that under grow. Nor noble blood shall want true honours fee, Whiles it shall light on Grooms of low degree 41. Nor now the greedy Merchant that for gain Sails to both Poles, & sounds both Indian seas When his long beaten bark from forth the main Vnlades her weary freight; shall as he please Raise by excessive rate his private store, And to enrich himself make thousands poor. 42. Under the safer shadow of his wing Shall exiled Aliens shrowded their restless head; And here alone shall forced exile bring Better contentment to the banished Then home-smelt smoke; O I land kind & free In favouring those that once befrended thee. 43. And for the Prince's eye doth life inspire To loyal breasts (like as the vernal sun Cheers the revived earth with friendly fires That lustles lies when those hot rays are gone) Oft shall his presence bless our hungry eyes, To our Horizon oft this sun shall rise. 44. For ere the world's great lamp shall thrice decline Into his Southern spherc, and thrice retire Up to the turning of his Northern line, Our second Sun shall in his earthly gyre Turn once to all the realms his light doth guide; And yet observe his yearly race beside. 45. Then shall my Suffolk (England's Eden hight As England is the worlds) be over blest And surfeit of the joy of that dear sight Whose pleasing hope their hearts so long possessed Which his great Name did with such triumph greet When erst it loudly echoed in our street. 46. And thou, renowned Drury 'mongst the rest, Above the rest; whether thee still detain, The snowy Alps, or if thou thoughtest it best To trust thy speed unto the watery plain, Shalt him receive; he thee, with such sweet grace As may beseem thy worth and noble race. 47. The iron doors of janus by his hand Shall fast be bard; unless some hostile might (If any hostile might dares him withstand) Shall break those bars; and boldly shall excite Our sleeping Lion; who but once awoke Woe to the wight that did his wrath provoke. 48. Wise and not wrongful Stratagems shall speed His justest war, and straighter discipline Shall guide the war like troops himself shall lead To doubtful field; O let the shield divine Protect my Liege's head; and from on hie Let it be girt with crowns of victory. 49. His frequent Court (yet fear I to foresaine Too much of Prince's courts, which ages past Have long since noted with the secret stain Of wanton dalliance and luxurious waist) His Court shall be a church of Saints: quite free From filth, excess and servile flattery. 50. Hence ye false Parasites, whose only guise Is feeding Princes ears with wrongful praises, And ever who mought hope to honour rise, By what large bribes their lewder brocage raises. The Courtiers only grace shall henceforth lie In learning, wisdom, valour, honesty. 51. O Court fit for thy King; and like to none But heavens Court, where nought impure may bide; Like as thy King resembleth God alone, For such on earth were vain to seek beside. Well might I here his virtues roll rehearse, But them his life speaks better than my verse. 52. Yet let me not thy learned Muse omit, The only credit of our scorned skill, Redoubted Liege; whose rarely polished writ Savours of long sleep in that sacred hill; Look that the Muses all shall once agree, As thou hast honoured them, to honour thee.