HIS majesties POETICAL EXERcises at vacant hours.  
AT EDINBURGH PRINTED BY Robert Walde-graue printer to the King's Majesty.  
Cum Privilegio Regali.   title page border not found in McKerrow: At left, Love wearing a crown and holding a heart; at right, Peace holding an olive branch; other decorations at top and bottom center 
AMOR  
PAX  
PACIS alumnus  
INFESTA malis.   

THE AUTHOR TO THE READER.  
Receive here beloved Reader, a short Poetic discourse, which I have selected and translated, from amongst the rest of the works of Dv'BARTAS: as a vive mirror of this last and most decrepit age. here shalt thou see clearly, as in a glass, the miseries of this wavering world: to wit, the cursed nature of mankind, and the heavy plagues of God. And specially here may thou learn not to flatter thyself, in cloaking thy odious vices, with the delectable colour of virtue: an error, alas, over common in this hypocritical age, not only in particular men of all degrees: but even generally in ranks, estates, and offices. But that this Treatise may seem the les obscure unto thee, I have insert before the same, the Authors preface and Exord of the whole work, that thereby thou may rightly conceive the coming in of this portion thereof. And in case thou find aswell in this work, as in my LEPANTO following, many incorrect errors, both in the dytement and orthography, I must pray thee to accept this my reasonable excuse, which is this. Thou considers, I doubt not, that upon the one part, I composed these things in my very young and tender years: wherein nature, (except she were a monster) can admit no perfection. And now on the other part, being of riper years, my burden is so great and continual, without any intermission, that when my engine and age could, my affairs and fasherie will not permit me, to re-mark the wrong orthography committed by the copiars of my unlegible and ragged hand, far les to amend my proper errors: Yea scarcely but at stolen moments, have I the leisure to blenk upon any paper, and yet not that, with free and unvexed spirit. Always, rough and unpolished as they are, I offer them unto thee: Which being well accepted, will move me to hast the presenting unto thee, of my APOCALYPS, and also such number of the PSALMS as I have perfected: & encourage me to the ending out of the rest. And thus (beloved Reader) recommending these my labours to thy friendly acceptation: I bid thee heartily Farewell.   

TO THE KING OF SCOTLAND.  
WHere others hooded with blind love do fly,  
Low on the ground with buzzard CUPIDS' wings,  
A heavenly love, from love of love thee brings,  
And makes thy MUSE to mount above the sky.  
Young Muses be not wont to fly too high,  
Age taught by time, such sober ditties sings,  
But thy youth flies from love of youthful things,  
And so the wings of time doth overfly.  
Thus thou disdainest all worldly wings as slow,  
Because thy MUSE with Angels wings doth leave  
Times wings behind, and CUPIDS' wings below,  
But take thou heed, lest Fame's wings thee deceive.  
With all thy speed from Fame thou canst not flee,  
But more thou flees, the more it follows thee.  
HENRY CONSTABLE.   

SONNET TO THE ONLY ROYAL POET.  

WHere shall the limits lie of all your fame?  
Where shall the borders be of your renown?  
In East? or where the Sun again goeth down?  
Or shall the fixed Poles empale the same?   

Where shall the pillars which your praise proclaim  
Or Trophies stand, of that expected crown?  
The Monarch first, of that triumphant town  
Revives in you, by you renews his name.  
For that which he performed in battles bold,   

To us his books with wonders doth unfold.  
So we of you far more conceive in mind,  
As by your verse we plainly (Sir) may see.  
You shall the writer and the worker be,  
For to absolve that CAESAR left behind.   
M. W. FOULER.  Musa Coelo beat.  

IN SERENISSIMUM INVICTISSIMUMQVE SCOTIAE REGEM JACOBUM SEXTUM.  

Τουνόματος τὶς πέζα τεοῦ χωρησεν ἐπούνους,  
Παμβασιλεῦ? σοφίας τίς κλέος αἰπὺ τεῆς?  
Αρ Υπεριονίδαο σελασφόρον ἄντυγα Φοίβου  
Πρῶτα θεασαμενοι? μὴ Ζεφύροιο δόμος?  
Αρα πόλων κρυεροῖς πεφρικυῖαι πειρασιν ἄρκτοι,  
Οψονται πτεροεν κῦδος ἔνερθε τεόν?  
Σὸν δὲ πρὸς αὶθαλόεσσαν ἀνίπταται αιθερος αἴγλην  
Εῦ̓χος, ἀπειρεσίου πάντα διῇξαν ὅρον.   
ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΣ Ο ΔΑΜΜΑΝ.   

IDEM LATINE.  

QVae Regio in terris Rex invictissime laudes  
Aut capiat mentis lumina clara tuae?  
Anne Hyperionide qui primùm orientia Solis  
Fulgura percipiunt? an Zephyritis humus?  
Anne Polis quae frigutiunt glaciali bus Arcti,  
Luce tuum videant conserere arua iubar?  
At tua in aetherios penetrat se gloria coetus,  
Fecit ut immensum totius orbis iter.   
HADR. DAMMAN à BISTERVELT Gandavensis Flander.   

Aliud eiusdem.  
PAllados armiferae digitis in fortibus urbem,  
Temporibus priscis imposuêre patres:  
Scilicet auspicijs animi, & foelicibus armis,  
Vrbibus immensae conciliantur opes.  
Sed meliùs numquam mentem Dea iunxit & arma  
Scotigenûm Regi quàm sociata dedit:  
Et quis in optandis regnum florescere rebus,  
Et nitidos Scotis non videt ire dies?   

TO THE KING'S MAJESTY OF SCOTLAND.  
IF ALEXANDER sighed when he came,  
Unto the Tomb where fierce ACHILLES lay:  
If he had cause, that blessed age to blame,  
Since HOMER lacks his merits to display.  
If he with tears his sorrows did bewray,  
To see his Father PHILIP conquer all,  
And that more Worlds behind there did not stay,  
Which for reward of his deserts might fall:  
Then may I moon, our times, our judgement small,  
Unworthy records of your sacred skill:  
Then must our Poets on new Muses call,  
To grant them gifts to imitate your quill.  
I like the fly, that burneth in the flame,  
Should show my blindness to attempt the same.  
HENRY LOK.   

THE EXORD, OR PREFACE OF THE SECOND WEEK OF DUBARTAS.  
THou mighty God that of the world  
The birth did make me see,  
Unfold her cradle also now,  
Her childhead show to me:  
And make my Spreit to walk athort  
The turning flourished ways  
Of savoury Gardens, wherinto  
Still crooked but any stays  
Of Rivers four the courses quick:  
Declare me what offence,  
From Eden both chased ADAM'S self  
And seed for his pretence:  
And tell who of immortal did  
Himself a mortal macke  
To bring from heaven the Antidote  
To us which we did lack:  
Give thou me grace the story of  
The Church to sing aright,  
And als the story of the Kings,  
And grant that by thy might  
I guide the world unto her grave,  
My purpose making lest,  
Even from the first of sabboth's all,  
Unto the hind most rest.  
Well know I that this surgie sea,  
Is lacking march or ground,  
But o thou holy Pilot great,  
Will guide me safe and sound  
Unto the port of my desire,  
Where drouked than I shall  
Extol thy mercies manifold,  
And pay my vows withal.  
O SACRED Floure-delis whose youth  
Doth promise to us all,  
That even thy famous Laurels green  
Match Alexander's shall,  
Since that (for to obey thy will,)  
I fly unto the skies,  
Convoy my course with loving eye,  
And help the faults that rise  
From my too blunted fruitless pen,  
In Pampeloun so someday,  
Mot thou win home thy crown again,  
The which was rest away:  
So of thy neighbours evermore  
Mot thou the honour be,  
The love of all thy subjects true,  
And foes to fear for thee:  
So never mote the heaven against  
Thee show his wrathful face,  
But the Eternal be thy arm,  
His Spirit thy guiding trace:  
So with my shearing sword in hand  
And fight at thy side,  
Mot I ore-cled with blood and stoure  
So boldly by thee bide  
As for to cleave the Spanish Host,  
Or force some sieged Town,  
The combat done for Virgil serve  
To publish thy renown.  
GOD did not only (sovereign Prince)  
The whole command bestow,  
On our forefather ADAM of  
This earth, and all below:  
In making subject to his yoke  
The skealie swimming race,  
Who with their little sins do cleave,  
The frothy Seas apace:  
And those that have no other hold,  
But horror of deserts:  
And those that bricoll through the waist  
Of air that fedders parts:  
But choosed him als a dwelling place,  
Which happy was, and more  
With climate temperate and fair,  
The which the dainty flore  
With variant ameling paimented  
Of springing flowers most sweet,  
Adorned with Pomons' fruits, and als  
With Zephyrs smells repleet:  
Where God himself did level just,  
The allees with his line,  
Ore-covered all the hills with trees,  
With Harvest the valleys sign,  
And with the sound of thousand brooks  
Adiornd the sweetest sleep  
Made cabinets fair at proof of Sun  
Which out his beams did keep:  
He squared a yard, and als he did,  
Plant, clang, and labour sign  
The everliving fairness of  
A fertile Orchard fine:  
The Sacred rivers courses als  
He parted here and there,  
And with a thousand colours paints  
The face of Meadows fair.   

THE TRANSLATORS INVOCATION.  
O Thou that mightily does toone  
My warbling holy Harp,  
And does sublime my poem als  
That I thereon do carp,  
And marrying so my heavenly verse  
Unto the haps accords,  
Inspires my sacred Muse to sing  
Unto the Lord of Lords.  
O now inflame my furious Spreit,  
That furiously I may  
These Furies (mankind's plagues alas!)  
With furious Pen display:  
That I his fame do not betray,  
Who Azure Sky doth deck  
With blazing lights, and on the earth  
His Trophies doth erect:  
The love of Heaven, the honour of earth,  
The wonder of our age,  
Who while that furious bloody MARS  
Doth in his Country rage  
(Alluring ORPHEUS) with his songs  
He sweetly doth enchant  
The MUSES nine to leave their leeds  
That they before did haunt  
And take them to his vulgar tongue,  
Their Ethnique heads withal  
He crowns with holy twists and fair  
Of LIBAN cedars tall.  
Then o thou guider of my Spreit,  
And leader of my pen,  
Grant, that as he his subject fair  
Doth (liberal) to me len,  
That so he len his lofty stile,  
His golden draughts, his grace,  
Wherewith in variant colours he  
Adorns the papers face,  
That I may vivelie paint him forth:  
Peace PAN, peace prattling Muse,  
Hear PHOEBUS in a borrowed tongue  
His own discourses use.   

THE FURIES.  

WHere am I carried to? in world  
No more may I be found:  
The earth that I do tread upon,  
And all this vaulted round,  
Which bringing home, & guiding back  
The days and nights again,  
Be wrathful now with me, reguides  
My longsum woe and pain:  
The air I breath by longest draughts,  
The Sea I swim into,  
Is not now of the first borne days  
The work most glorious lo.  
This wretched roundness can not be  
The plenteous world no more,  
Which God with orn'ments bravely decked,  
So divers and in store:  
No, this is but a Prison vile,  
A Hell fulfilled with fray,  
And of the first world but the tomb  
Most miserable always.  
O SPIRIT that quickens all, great God,  
That in thy justice maid,  
(Transformed from father mild in judge:)  
This changement that I said,  
Change me, and cast me over again,  
Address my feeble hand,  
And make that into my discourse  
No human thing may stand.  
That I thy instrument may be,  
And eloquently sign,  
To our posterity may sing  
This doleful change of thine.  
BEFORE our first forefather had,  
Too impudently bold,  
His back turned unto God, his face  
Unto the Serpent old:  
Even all this WHOLE, was like unto  
Ane instrument in toone,  
Well set, and well accorded just:  
And when as that was done,  
So learn'dlie played on, as the sound  
Most rarely dulce always,  
Proclaimed the praise of God, who on  
The same did freedonne ay.  
The man in serving God, was served  
Of all the world apace:  
The bodies dead and living als,  
Did strive in every case  
To nourish still that holy peace,  
And with ane ardent love,  
To please their double head, each other  
Embraced for that behove.  
The lowest of a concord blest  
Resounded with the high,  
The wak with dry, the cold agreed  
With that which hottest be.  
And sign that sacred innocent,  
The bright ASTREA Queen,  
It fastened fast with mastic firm,  
Of holy love that been.  
This CUPID hid, that maries yet  
By straightest bonds and old  
The Adamant stone with heavy iron,  
Quicksilver with the gold:  
The Amber with the straw or chaff,  
And in the wavie reign,  
PIN with her spy, the Whaile with her  
That guides her through the Main:  
That makes the Sperge so friendly with  
The boss and trembling Reed,  
The Mirt with Olive tree, the Elm  
With boughs that wine do breed.  
That makes the earie Bustard with  
The galliard horse confether,  
And the Parroquets painted makes  
With Wolves to live together.  
That joins the Moorehen with the swift  
And feirie futted heart,  
The Goat with Sargone, Partrichis  
With Does into ane part:  
All this is but a spunk, a glance,  
A shadow and a trace,  
Of such a love as reigned into  
The formest age alas:  
Where as our Muses low from heir  
With most harmonious sounds,  
Devinely sang with them above  
Into the circled rounds.  
But Man as being the special, and  
The most resounding string  
Of this WHOLES Lute, too bended out  
Of toone doth with it bring  
The rest of brangling sinews all,  
As now it rendre macks,  
In place of sweet enchanting air,  
So great and murmuring cracks,  
As ENYON makes astonished quite,  
Even cruel ENYON who  
The old debaits of CHAOS does  
Renew with greener wo.  
The Heaven that ever fair did blincke  
Upon his mistress ay,  
That nought but MAN and Honey in  
Her breast did power always,  
Now sweeps her with his floods, and with  
His ice her dosinnis quite,  
And beatis her with his hail, and gaigs  
Her with his fires in spite:  
And with his snow doth make her old,  
And jealously doth dared,  
Both night and day upon her bones,  
His thundering fiery fared.  
And RHEA that doth birst for spite,  
And choler in these days,  
A thousand vapours black against  
The Heaven now doth she raise:  
And by the port half open of  
The gulf profound and how,  
Does sudle all his brow with clouds,  
And mists that of her grow.  
The Cock sensyne doth with his voice  
The Lion bold effray,  
The Glead, the Chicken: and the Sheep,  
That baisdlie trembles ay,  
Flees from the ravening Wolf: and in  
Great NEPTUNES fleeting plain,  
The Lobster fears for Polipus:  
And Polipus again  
For Congre-Eels fears: and ne'ertheless,  
The self same Lobster to  
Ouercums this Eel, who victor is,  
Even of her victor lo:  
Yea, even do, by a secret MARS,  
Most noisome quarrels ludge  
In very senseless stocks of plants,  
Retaining still their grudge.  
Thou DENYS, evermore a child,  
O Father sleepy still,  
If plant beside the levy keall  
Thy fertile stock they will,  
He draws himself aback believe,  
And pail grown all his leaves,  
For spite, or fear, by flight himself  
From neighbourhood such bereaves.  
As in like manner, to revenge  
The branches bearing wine,  
Near Rew, and Origane, planted keal,  
By them is killed sign.  
The tree Dodonean, and the tree  
By ATTIQVE land beloved,  
The traces leaves of ancient picks,  
Remaining unremoved  
Even in their widow holes. O thou  
Invincible debate,  
That makes the one, ne live can, where  
The other lived of late:  
That reigns into the very tomb,  
Doth to the PARQVES resist,  
And never does thy hatred wash  
In floods of LETHE'S mist.  
Even so a Tambour covered with  
A simple muttons skin,  
Doth burst affraidlie, only at  
The sound and rattling din  
Of bloody ravening Woolfs-skinne: And  
Sick-like the tripes well thrown  
Of that so glutton brigand, breaks  
With secret force unknown  
The guts of sheep: whom in the place  
Of longsome bleating still,  
They after heard their death make on,  
A sweet Lute speak at will.  
And of the royal Eagle als  
The strange devouring plume,  
Does wondrously the feathers of  
All other fowls consume.  
The Heaven, first mobile, with the self  
Doth carry and remove  
More swifter far than any wind,  
By this his course above  
The rest of all the heavens: backdrawing  
Their Torches giving light,  
From ALEXANDER'S Altars, to  
The Pillars HERCULES pight.  
But mortal ADAM, as the king  
Of all things here belaw,  
He being strayed, unto the way  
Of death does all things draw:  
And, blinded Pilot, on a Sea  
Most deadly and in fire,  
This world's Ship guides against the rocks  
Of furious heavenly ire:  
Which softly sliding of before,  
Was fleeting ever still,  
Both under-a skilful Skipper, and  
A Zephyre calm at will.  
For or he did revolt, he could  
Not cast his wondering eyes  
Upon no part, but through it all  
Almighty God he sees.  
He finds him in the earth, as to  
The Seas, he feels him there,  
Contemplats him in Heaven, and sees  
Him painted in the air.  
Our world was nothing, but a great  
Large Shop, that open stood,  
Where magnifiquelie God displayed  
His treasures fair and good.  
This WHOLE was but a mirror fair,  
Which bright on every side,  
The goodness represented vive,  
With great God that doth bide.  
But man unhappy can not find,  
Since this his sin and fall,  
Plant, stone, or living creature,  
Yard, wood, nor flood at all,  
Plain, Feild, Hill, Dale, Sea, Shore, or Haven,  
Where he may draw his breath,  
That hath not written into the brow  
The hard doom of his death.  
In short, even all the compass of  
This Fabric large and round,  
Is but a very storehouse of  
God's wrath that doth abound.  
Man, in rebelling thus against  
The sovereign great, I say,  
Doth feel his subjects all enarmed  
Against him every way.  
The air by winds stirred, AMPHITRITE  
Doth stormy make a gild,  
The Heaven most sadly black, The earth  
With brierie thorns fulfilled,  
As fredd now from the oath of their  
Fidelity and trust,  
The honour do revenge on him  
Even of the Godhead just.  
The influence malign of stars,  
Conjured doth provide,  
A secret Hangman for to plague,  
His arrogance and pride.  
The Moon doth deaze and fundie him,  
Her brother roasts him quite,  
The air, when he looks for it least,  
Pursues him in a spite.  
By brimstoned thunders, and by rains,  
By blasting of the corns,  
By frosts confirmed, hair-rimmes, and snows,  
And hailstones sharp as thorns.  
And WLCANE whiles fallin out of Heaven,  
Whiles irritate by art,  
Whiles kindled under richest roofs  
By chance in any part,  
Whiles vomed out of a mountain, whose  
Tempestuous gulf hath store,  
Both of Saltpetre and of Pitch,  
And Brimstone biting sore,  
Doth rage against him: startling still,  
For fury, as appears,  
And wracks in less space than a day,  
The labour-of thousand years.  
The Sea by her debording steals  
His Isles from him withal,  
His flocks up-swallows, and o'erwhelms,  
His towns and makes them fall.  
The Earth all weary on her face  
Such burden for to keep,  
(A burden cursed and profane,)  
Whiles sinks in darkest deep  
A whole great country, and withal,  
The windy tops and high  
Of proudest Palices, into  
Her entrails hide they be.  
IT IS in hatred even of him,  
That after many ways,  
She doth ingrately barren haru'sts  
Produce us now a days.  
And for the corn, that we do sow,  
(Deceitful) doth us pay  
With thirsles burning corn, and with  
The vaprous Darnell ay.  
And with the Fitches smoaring corn,  
With sticking Burrs and rough,  
And guileful hope of Windle-stray,  
That's but an empty slough.  
All this were little, if that, as  
Stepmother cruel, sho  
Would not produce the Wort-berrie,  
Our furious enemy. Lo  
The Hen-bane black, and Chesbow als,  
That cold-ryfe doth us keep  
Doufe, yeuking flesh, and shuddering cold,  
And makes us ever sleep.  
The stonnishing Carpase, hemlock als,  
That smores us by his might,  
Yee-feets, Yce-hands, and makes us isk,  
And dims our clearest sight.  
Sardonien Parcel, Sennon-drawer,  
And with a laughing cheer,  
The Wolfe-bane, Burne-toung, swelling lips,  
And crying still with here.  
The weeping Aconitum, and  
The Ixia binding sore,  
Sad hearted Flacke-wort, fosterer of  
hydropsy more and more.  
March-Lillies als, that yeukars be,  
Of flanks the gnawers rude,  
The Mandragore full cold, and Ewe,  
That kendles up the blood.  
Plants, who do by their root, their suck,  
Or by their little seed,  
A death unmerciful, before  
The time unto us breed.  
The Earth that knows we love (as we  
Were bred, of brutish kinds,)  
Our life less, and our honour, than  
Her metals hid in minds:  
She with her hooks, deceitfully,  
Doth mix for us and mell  
The scum of Silver and Arsenic:  
With cruel poison fell  
Our inward parts devours: and so  
Doth justly punish right  
Our covetous lusts with torments sharp,  
That she makes on us light.  
So as, while, from one only mind,  
They (foolish) draw apace,  
The torture of soul, and martring of  
Our body both, alas.  
And what more shall I say? but that  
A Pilot full of skill,  
And aided by the breathing of  
A friendly wind at will,  
He cannot with less travel guide  
The winged fleeting Ship,  
That softly on the azure salt  
Of humid field doth slip.  
And that the juggler fine, so well  
Can no ways make to dance,  
Make skarmushes, run, and retire,  
And sign again advance  
His little Marmosets, whom to  
His avarice doth give  
A Spirit, that by the only art  
And workmanship doth live,  
As we most happy did command  
The silent flocks, that do,  
All scaly, cleave the stormy floods,  
That they do swim into:  
And all the flying songsters sweet,  
And the rebellious bands,  
That rush out through the woods, or runs  
Athwart the bairest lands:  
And at the wind even of our voice,  
They trembled fast afraid,  
And each wink of our eyes, to them  
A law was they obeyed:  
And to their holy office so  
They bent were night and day,  
As even they vncommanded did  
Us service every way.  
But by the shappering that fell out  
Our Parents light among,  
Alas, they of our slaves are now  
Become our tyrant's strong:  
The fearful hideous Whale, if that  
We sail upon the Main,  
In weltering with a stroke, even all  
At once, the bulluring plain,  
Doth bury underneath the waves  
Our fleeting Castle fair,  
That plays the Dolphin on the Seas,  
And Eagle in the air.  
And if we go into the fields,  
So many deadly bands  
Of spotted venoms, and of Pests  
Cyniphien, on all hands  
Do lie into embuscade derned.  
The Wolf on other side,  
With Lion, Sanglier, and with Beer  
And Leopard doth abide,  
Most jealous of the right divine,  
Against their head conspire,  
And pitielesse tear him, in revenge  
Of the eternal ire.  
The Forests thick, they have no bush,  
Nor thicket great at all,  
That doth not hide a hangman, to  
Give us our death and fall.  
We every cavern do suspect, and  
Every hedge we see,  
The smallest branch, that stighles, makes  
Us sore afraid to be.  
If that, we dwelling be at home,  
The spiteful Mastie bold,  
The Bull wood-headed, and the Horse,  
Whose courage cannot fold,  
With teeth, with horned brow, and with  
Their feet do make us war  
Most sorry: seeing Tyrants such  
On earth, promenney dare.  
No: There is not so small a midge,  
That boldly 'gainst us clean,  
Will spare to shoot the arrows of  
His little fury keen.  
ALAS: what hideous fraisome shapes?  
What horrible ghosts I see?  
What thundering loud? what roaring cries?  
What terrible howl hie?  
Am I not on the elrish Shore  
Of PHLEGETON, braying in Hell?  
O TISIPHONE, MEGERE, ALLECTO als,  
Thou fury sad and fell,  
What den makes you the caverns quite  
Most fraisome and profound  
Of darkest Hell? o monsters most  
Abominable under ground,  
Ye Ministers of PLUTO, with  
The thrown and stormy brow,  
O Daughters of the shady night,  
What here then do ye now?  
The man alas, without your cross,  
Your whips and tortures sore,  
Doth he not feel the horrors else  
Of pains anew, and more?  
For our fore-beer, no sooner left  
The sacred soil of grace,  
To live into this earth, or rather  
Tomb and lowest place,  
Where reigns a thousand deaths, when as  
The voice eternal ay,  
Else thundering summoned did the troops,  
That guilty were always.  
That Sulphurd STYX and PHLEGETON, drinks  
All burning in a fire,  
Thick ACHERON, and COCYTE als,  
All in a bloody ire.  
O Sisters with the eddrie hair  
O Eumenids cruel ye,  
What? Of yourselves for evermore,  
Will ye the tortourers be?  
Soon quite me all the horror of  
Your cursed houses pail,  
Come vomit here your poisons black  
In this unhappy vail.  
Have ye no fear to languish here,  
For exercises lake,  
For ADAM builds you a hundredth Hells  
Here for his vices sake  
FROM top to bottom eat these words  
AVERNUS all trembled apace:  
The sweirest night, her horrors did  
Redouble in every case.  
And als that stinking gulf, where frays  
Do reign for evermore,  
Was sudden filled with pitch, with Sulphur,  
And resin in great store.  
The GORGONES, SPHINX, and HYDRA'S, and  
The Python's, monsters rair,  
The caverns deep did open of  
Their glutton bellies their:  
Even as the fire that hid into  
A vapour thick remains,  
Doth grudging murmur at the cloud,  
That pressing it retains,  
Doth Cannon, thunder, astonish als,  
And whirling long in round,  
Doth, wrathful, make the Element  
That windy is, resound.  
Even so, these Sisters three, these three  
Most hideous rages vile,  
Do raise a thousand tempests, boun  
To leave their hell a while.  
And each of them already goes,  
And hurls his yrnie cart,  
Upon the Bridge's bars of iron,  
Ay brangling on all part.  
That nine times Planks Styx, and in prison  
Where horrible darkness tumbles,  
With braying, running, wandering still,  
Most terrible horrible rumbles.  
Then fraifull HYDRE, and CERBERE als,  
That muttin makes a stir,  
Who on one body hath the heads,  
Both of a Mastic cur,  
A Serpent, Bull, and of an Ounce,  
Whose cruel eyes do pierce,  
And of a Wolf, a Horse, a Bear,  
And of a Lioness fierce.  
With brangle of lights doth bark, doth whistle,  
And rout doth evermore,  
Make murmuring, loudly howl and bray,  
And rummish fast and roar.  
Such pell-mell dinnes, and ringing reards,  
And tempests strange to hear,  
Do from one corpse proceed at once,  
That many heads doth bear.  
Then having of our day atteind  
Unto the calmed port,  
Then wings of Aquilo they with  
A whirr more sudden short  
Flee towards man: wherewith their hands  
Sore torturing they assay,  
Who cruelest pains can forge for him  
To suffer every way.  
OF ATROPOS the very shape,  
Lo, Hunger comes at ones,  
Her blackened skin is pierced with  
The sharp points of her bones:  
She ever greedy longing gants,  
With hollow sunken eye,  
With cheeks together clapped close,  
And in her mouth they see  
Her wide-set teeth come Saffron hewed:  
Her empty bowels clear,  
Do through the rinckles of her skin  
Transparantlie appear.  
And for her belly, hath she nought  
Of belly but the place,  
Her knees and elbows hidelesse on  
Her carcase swells a pace.  
A monster most insatiable,  
Whom too, but for a fill,  
All that is living here below,  
But scarcely suffice will.  
Her swallowing throat goes seeking still  
Her meat in very meats:  
One dish another summons, and  
Her gourmand entrails eats,  
And toomes at once. The very flesh  
Even of her children young,  
May scantly staunch her raging lust,  
Thus of her hunger sprung:  
But even sometimes (o gluttony  
Of strangest sort and rare)  
To fill her foule-some guts, to eat  
Her guts she doth not spare:  
That she thereby, may make it more,  
She makes her body less,  
And to our father cruel so,  
She doth herself address.  
And furthermore, from hells she brings  
Unto this combat here,  
The rage, the weakness, and the thirst,  
Her likest sisters dear.  
THE war comes after, bruising laws,  
And bruising manners all,  
Love-teares, shed-blood, and burning Inns,  
And raizing every wall:  
Inunder his brazen feet, the earth  
All creeps and trembles fast,  
His mouth it is a fiery coal,  
His voice a thunder's blast:  
Each finger of his hand, it is  
A Cannon that doth bray,  
And every awful look of his  
A lightning flaming ay.  
The great disorder, and the fray,  
despair, and flight, do post,  
And winged ever, go before  
His cruel murdering Host:  
As burnings, and the swelling pride,  
And great impiety vile,  
The quarrellous schism, sack, and all  
Impunity for a while.  
The cruelty, the horror, the  
Destruction and ruin,  
Though all accompany him, whereas  
He barbarous marches sign.  
The dole, the solitariness, with  
The poverty that peeps,  
The bloody footsteps of his host  
Undaunted following keeps.  
AND if that I be not deceived,  
Another fury lo  
That doth a battery dress against  
Our first forefather to,  
Of thousand thousand Cannons, I  
Hear, feel, though not in sight,  
The more that she is weak, the more  
Hath she of force and might:  
All ulcered, feverous, blind, and fond,  
And foolish is she named.  
Sad, deaf, crookebacked, and of legs  
And arms, both is she lamed.  
The poison with the many names,  
Death's minister alas,  
That comes at posting gallop, and  
Returns at slowest pace.  
Ill-favoured, troubling rest, and als  
Fantastic, miserable eke,  
She kills, but crack betrays the heart,  
Unsatiable blood doth seek  
The daughter of intemperance, and  
Of Heaven misordered clean,  
A cruel evil discovered, but  
More cruel hid unseen.  
IN SUMMER Meidowes, Grasshoppers  
Have not so many above,  
So many Creikets under, as did  
Infernal voices move,  
And murmur round about, nor under  
A calmed Heaven and still,  
The King enamailed of the people,  
That gather Honey will:  
So many little buzzing burds  
Guides not, when he doth cast  
Even of his little hollow judge  
The first foundations fast,  
As this Esaying monster hath  
Of Soldats at command,  
That raging charge the man abaisd  
At every part and hand.  
So as a regiment incensed,  
And horrible giving frays,  
Now for to yoke a skarmish hot,  
The first of all assays  
'Gainst ADAM'S head, which is the house  
Most holy hallowed ay,  
Of all the faculties of the soul,  
And reasons forth, and stay.  
A King that neighbour will bereave  
Another King's Empire,  
Before he fight into the fields,  
Or open wars desire,  
He first corrupts by richest gifts  
His Counsels truth at length,  
Well knowing that a Counsel good  
Is of a King the strength.  
Even so, this Fury banished from  
The CHAOS dark and low,  
Do for Forerinners, Frenzy,  
And Madness als let go:  
Whereof the one in heating much,  
The other drying sore  
The weak brains, they do stop the course,  
And blunt do more and more  
The sharpness of man's judgement, and  
Engraving makes remain  
(Abusers) in the Spreit, a Squadre  
Of CHIMERS fancies vain.  
The CAROS, POPLESIE, and the  
LETHARGY sleeping ay,  
As casten of hazarders, assails  
Their foe the best they may,  
At former part, but yet by arms,  
That are contrary clean,  
For making yci-colde the brains,  
His brethren dosened been,  
And makes the living man like to  
A dead in every sort,  
If of forgetful LETHE, he  
Do not repass the port.  
The Palsy else doth undertake  
A war and battle bold,  
Else Spasmus stirs, the one doth slack,  
The other straight doth hold  
The sinews of weak ADAM, else  
They do the passage dit,  
Unto the living subtle Spreits,  
That would go down by it.  
Then even as he, who hand to hand,  
And only man to man  
Comed to a Combat set, assays  
All kind of wards he can,  
Eschews, rebaits, strikes out, and doth  
Observe his times aright,  
And casting while, doth make upon  
The sparkling eyes to light  
Of this his foe his clock, sign with  
The far end of his blead,  
Doth steadfast make his life to part  
In gushing streams and read.  
The sickness, to the end that she  
May have the better skair,  
Of our forefather tied to bed  
(Who scarce can turn him their)  
Else with so many bonds she doth,  
The Ophthalmie let go,  
Which with a seething blood within  
The sight as cruel so,  
Gives thousand stogs, she also breeds  
The Pearl upon the eye,  
That dims the shine, and Cataract,  
That dark and cloudy be:  
Whereof the one by gathering of  
To gross ane humour pight  
Within the bright Spreits guider, doth  
The door close of the light.  
The other doth as with a cloth,  
Envious syle and hide,  
The crystal shining humour, that  
Doth in his eyes abide.  
This done, even with a gird to our  
Fore-beer flees withal,  
This cruel Dragon merciless,  
Whom squeinancy they call:  
That scoaps unto his throat, and with  
Blood loppred lacking heat,  
He having of the how-throat bowl,  
The muscles boldened great:  
In him alone doth give a proof,  
Of his so obstinate strength,  
Wherewith he is to fight, against  
His future race at length.  
Like HERCULES, who when as yet,  
In swaddling clothes he lay,  
Buire on his brow engraved his great  
Undaunted courage ay:  
Beginning with his hands, no hand  
But strongest turkess else,  
Most boldly wraithfull for to smoare  
The Dragon bearing shells,  
A master stick that promises  
The Trophy Lernien sure,  
The Spaignoll triumph, and the fir  
Cleonien that they bure.  
The second regiment sets on  
By deadly forces fell,  
Beginning with the Squadre of all  
The vital parts to mell;  
That in the stomach camped are.  
And else that humour gross  
Lights-stopper, him ASTHMATIQVE makes  
Ay panting in a Cross.  
And the Corrozîue flowing of  
A gutter dropping slow,  
His spongeous lights doth ulcerate, and  
Him dries cumed phthisic so.  
The Peripneumonie withal  
A hot consuming braize,  
Goes cruel in his breathing boars  
And heat doth kindle and raze.  
And als the pitiless Empiem doth  
Him seize among the rest,  
With an Apostume filling up  
The howest of his breast.  
And furthermore the Pleurisy  
Doth broad him in the sides,  
In making ever boil that blood  
Which under his ribs abides.  
The Mare therefter smores him and  
With thickest phlegm doth he,  
As Spreit importune, heavy, press  
His breast that panting be.  
MY GUIDE urania oracle  
That chassis errors vain,  
Name me this warrior trembling ay,  
For fury and disdain.  
And whose enarmed hand doth not,  
With fiery torch assail,  
The wings but even the army's heart  
And over it doth prevail.  
Who for her campions hath the Cough,  
The irkesum ganting lo,  
The Souning swerfis, thirst, shuddering, and  
The colde-rife trembling to.  
The bating of the pulse, the heat,  
The raving strange withal  
And pain of head. O is not this  
The fury whom we call  
The burning perilous Fever, who  
Inconstantlie doth take  
more faces than VERTUMNUS, and  
Who (fine) herself can make  
Continual while, whiles tierce, whiles quart,  
And whiles but for a day,  
Whiles slow, whiles kindled up, even as  
The matter as they say  
Which in our feeble bodies is  
The cause of all this change,  
Hath slow, or promptly ready hath  
This secret motion strange.  
Well ought I for to know thee, o  
Thou traitorous mastish vile,  
Who four years had thee in my heart,  
For hostess all the while.  
So as I bear as yet even of  
Thy greatest force, alas,  
The marks into my soul, and in  
The body many a trace.  
For leaving that thou soucked out,  
And cruelly did seek  
The blood out of my veins, and of  
My bones the Marry eik,  
I of my Spreit the virtue feel  
All slokened to be fall,  
The vigour of my Spreit cumed gourd,  
The sharpness blunted all.  
And als my memory, the which  
Was somewhat yet before,  
Is like (o dolour just) unto  
The water, where a score  
Is als soon vanished quite as drawn.  
Yea, surely, I almost  
My former studies, to my shame,  
And greatest grief, have lost.  
And als my Spreit a Table like,  
That void, hath but a frame,  
Like Coruin, Trapesuntius, or  
Like Gaze, forgot my name,  
That Greek, whose learned voice, and whose  
Most facond hand and pen,  
Did teach the Roman language to  
The very Roman men.  
And for that cause in spite of my  
Most careful studies ay,  
My verse are feverous now become,  
By habitude always.  
Verse, sometimes animated, with  
A fury most divine,  
And sometimes shuddering, with a most  
Unlearned coldness sign.  
BUT OF the Regiment that is third  
The cruel Squadres fall,  
Unto the quarter, that contains  
The virtues natural all:  
The virtues that do piece and piece  
Most happily procure,  
Als-well our nourishment, as our  
Upgrowing always sure.  
The Boulime while, whiles lacks of meat  
Through ANOREXIA will,  
Dog-hunger while, whiles lies his meat  
Through BRADIPEPSIA still.  
Whiles she that makes the appetite,  
So monstrous and so great,  
In how parts of our stomach, doth  
She take her lodging seat.  
Then after with the Liver doth  
The saffrond Gulsoch fight,  
For having stopped way to the Gall  
Choleric, by his might  
He doth his kindled venom skaill  
Throughout the corpse. (In place  
Of finest blood.) which outwardly  
Turns yellow hewed apace.  
In contrare doufe hydropsy makes  
Him like for cold to starve,  
while time it make the phlegm in place  
Of purest blood to serve.  
But I the sliddrie bowels see  
Below (alas) by foes  
Assailed, that are a thousand times  
Far mutinaire than those:  
The Colic with her presoned winds  
Breids them a raging pain,  
The dolour iliac doth throw  
Them sore, most inhuman  
Doth stop their purging conduits, and  
Detestable she makes  
Even of man's mouth a pestilent  
And filthy stinking jakes.  
The read dysentery all enarmd  
With throwings sore again,  
Doth painfully draw out the blood  
Of many an opened vain.  
The Stony gravel doth the neares  
On other part invade,  
By gathering of an humour, which  
The rigour of heat hath made  
To change into a Stone, which stops  
(Malicious) without more  
The sliddrie ureter, carrier of  
Salt urine scalding sore,  
Even as the Diabete doth, by  
The contrary louse at last  
The grease of all our body in  
The urine seething fast,  
And causing thirst, distills as much,  
As all the matter may,  
Full bruddie furnish rain unto  
The gutter running ay.  
And to the members that us makes,  
For ages following here,  
Leave of our bodies dead, so quick  
And many Mirrors clear,  
Yokes fiercely the unableness  
To live in VENUS' law:  
And the continual flowing of  
The seed unripe and raw.  
Who preasis (restless Tyrants) for  
To lose and to destroy  
The unconceaved Babes thereby,  
Their Parents to annoy.  
THE SQADRE fourth, wherein the Chouks,  
As Soldats do remain,  
The vile devouring Cancer, and  
The Gout a cruel pain,  
Together with the Hives, and with  
The boudned Oedems clear,  
Plouks, Shirres, and atrie Phlegmons, sends  
A hundredth brags with bear  
Unto the place assieged, and sign,  
Their blind rage doth them make,  
Because they cannot harm the fort,  
The plain field for to sack.  
From hand in sheath o cruel foes,  
Your mightless Swords let fall,  
The death a thousand times hath both  
Of blood and senews all,  
Bereft your foe, and nought the less,  
Without all hold or stay  
Your pitiless hand his beauty doth  
Dishonour every way  
His members all makes laidlie, and does  
With blunted knife begin  
To saw his joints, and Leiths, and for  
To hack his wrinkled skin.  
I think I see into the midst  
Of wild and open lands,  
Of Wolves, and subtle Fox's als  
The cruel crafty bands,  
Who having on the softest Sand,  
By chance of meeting found  
The Lion streaked, who on live  
Commanded all the ground,  
And whose most horrible austrun face  
(Retaining former spite)  
Did melt a far, even with his beams,  
Their former boldness quite:  
They (cruel) tear him, and against  
Their King that is deceased,  
Affraidly proves, to practise that,  
Whereat, they feebly pressed.  
Shall I among these dwynings count,  
(Whose cruel boldness fell,  
Seems, as it were, with outward scroofe  
Of vexed man to mell?)  
The ugly lousy Phtiriase: o  
The shameful plague and vile,  
That even makes Kings more filthy than  
Their Beggars all the while:  
Who clad with clouts, and eaten up  
With Vermin ever still:  
Both night and day, for yeuking are  
Compelled to fidge their fill.  
King's swarming all with Lice, when as  
The rubbing cannot stay,  
Nor yet oft changed beds can give  
Them slaiking any way.  
For even as from a Surge, the Waves  
Are sliding after Waves:  
So swarm doth follow after swarm,  
Their flesh too fertile craves  
His own devourers to produce,  
And while spent be the blood,  
It of itself the self doth make  
The execrable food.  
But what? Think not that Fortune blind,  
Whose turning Wheel still slides.  
The Camp of third EUMENIDE fell  
Confus'dlie pellmell guides:  
I of her Soldats see, who as  
Conducted well by reason,  
Makes choice, aswell of nature, age,  
As of the quartered season,  
The Portugal is bruddie so,  
In Phtisiques as we see,  
The Ebre in Chouks, the Arne in those  
That epileptic be:  
One Ind into Grangores, Savoy in  
Goitrous doth abound,  
In pest-folkes Sardine, Lepruse are  
In Egypt many found.  
The places manners like, or the  
Strong influence aloft  
Of mighty Heaven that governs all.  
So tender childhood soft,  
Is gnawn with Worms, the children that  
Their rawness gender will,  
And for their weakness hes their womb,  
That lose runs ever still:  
The Skall upon their head doth of  
Their saltest phlegms proceed.  
They for a time bear many a blybe,  
Of worssome that doth breed  
Even of the menstrual humour, which  
As new wine raging fast,  
In seething in the body, makes  
A plouckie skin at last.  
The youth into Hemorragie  
Most easily doth fall,  
In Fevers hot, in Dwinings, and  
In frenzy withal.  
And feeble age hath commonly  
For his too irksome Hosts,  
The coldrife bloodless shake, and  
The fashious coughing hosts,  
Katharres and Gouts. So likewise the  
Sciaticke, hard to mend  
The Fever, that the humour of  
Melancholy doth send.  
The bloody fluxis, Pests, and als  
The watery swelling great,  
Are nourished with us when weak  
Autumnus brooks his seat.  
The Fike, the Scab, the languor als  
Of ALCIDE doth us take,  
And raging charge us in the spring,  
That both is hot and wake.  
And then the diarrhea, with the  
Hot-evill, a seeknes sore,  
Assailleth us importunately  
In Summer evermore.  
As Pleurisy, the host and rheum  
Do seldom make repair,  
But covered with the whitest flocks  
Of heavenly feathers fair,  
And Soldiers sweirlie keeping home  
Into the house do hold  
Of gelded son to aigit year,  
Their garnison full cold.  
And some I see (whose venom doth  
Delight but in a throng)  
Vnleaving of the first from corpse  
To corpse to slide along,  
As the Ameriquain, and als  
The Leprosy, and bile,  
The Phtisie, mesels, and the pests  
Red Charbucle and vile.  
And further some I see, which for  
Sad heritage, alas,  
We (seiklie) leave our sons, which they  
From age to age embrace.  
The Chokes and Goitre both into  
That rank they ever stood,  
The Gout, the Gravel, Leprosy,  
With all that spill the blood,  
Rumbursnes, white hydropsy als,  
The languishing Ptisie eik,  
The Epilepsy dead withal,  
Bred of a vaprous reik.  
For the effect successive of their  
Venom unespied,  
Is to the flowing Sperma of  
Their fathers surely tied.  
But o alas: what stratagems,  
What strongest arms can we  
Now use against those warriors, who  
deceitful traitors be.  
I mean these traitorous pains whom art,  
As most imperfect knows  
Not by the name, but only by,  
Effects that thereof grows.  
Such as the suffocation of  
The bruddie matrice quick,  
The Swooning wan, and skunnering evil  
That skailles conventions thick.  
When as a vapour, I know not what,  
Long keeped close I trow,  
Into, I know not what a part,  
It doth, I know not how.  
Can he eschew the cruelties  
Fulfilled with crafty wiles  
Of those so obstinate ills, who are,  
Abusers by their guiles  
Of cunning med'ceners hands, and who  
Once from the body chased,  
Are in the half dead members under  
An other name replaced.  
Or rather Scholars even of the  
Fond Metempsichosis strange.  
Teached by that SAMIEN learned. The one  
Doth metamorphosed change  
In far worse ill. Cumed either of  
Th'affinity that doth lie,  
Twixt fattish humours or betwixt,  
The members vexed thereby:  
Or else through the unlearnd abuse,  
Or the malicious greed,  
Of those that of Apollo's art,  
Are practisers indeed.  
Even as the sturdy that transformed.  
And changed is every way  
In Falling-ill, the Rage into  
Lethargy sleeping ay.  
The constitution ill into,  
Hydropesie full cold,  
The Slee-ping dullness oft transformed  
In Palsy doth us hold.  
Short ADAM like a Hart is who  
Doth in a wodds' nuik stay,  
And thrusting in into the soil  
Is at the latter bay  
All teared with lyam-hounds, whom of  
The one doth bite his back,  
One pulls his flank, an other at  
His breast doth busy snack:  
One scoupes unto his throat, and one  
His fouch is loath to leave  
One holds his ear, and one unto  
His neck doth hinging cleave.  
He als is like a mighty Bull,  
Whose pridefull horn doth egg,  
The sleeprie biting little swarms  
Of many a spiteful cleg:  
Who bumming do come out, and their  
Assailer do assail,  
And valiantly do on his skin  
Their Squadre camp and nail,  
The Bull doth with his forked head,  
The winds beat every where,  
The ground scraps with his cloves, his tail  
His sides beats here and there.  
And flying longs both forests, rocks,  
And forcie streams and clenches,  
The place where he received his hurt,  
But not his hurts eschews.  
In end, with needles overclad,  
Behoves him to be slain,  
Or at the least as dead into  
That place for to remain.  
For man he is invaded with  
A thousand langors sore,  
And every other living thing  
It gets a proof no more  
But of a very few of evils:  
The falln-ill only assails,  
The Squadres gatherers of the hot  
And the Venerean Quails.  
The sheep doth fear the scab, and als  
The dulling sturdy still,  
The dog-ill, and the Madness they  
Oppress the mastish will.  
And further, every one of them  
Before his birth doth bear,  
Of strongest simples knawledge such  
As they have need to leer.  
And never doth he feel his evil  
Steal near to him so soon,  
But he als soon the remedy  
Hath ready to be done.  
For the slow-past Shelpaddock hath  
Th● Humlock icie-colde,  
To serve for sovereign remedy.  
The Ram doth rightly hold  
The Rhew his counter-poison, and  
The Sacred Laurel tree,  
For Reubarb serves to Partridge, Merle,  
And Gea that painted be,  
The Bear for medicine meet for him,  
The Mandragore observes.  
And the Marcellian crommie for  
Lucina's Goats it serves.  
But we are ignorant of all,  
Even after having had  
Acquired in books a knowledge, that  
Sophistique is and bad.  
An art ay snappring, and withal,  
A knowledge quite unknown,  
Which never enters but into  
The hoary heads, and thrown  
Of men who worn, and broken with  
A labour too ingrate,  
In seeking others healths, they lose  
Their own, such is their state:  
Or rather, who do make themselves,  
By others perils sore,  
Full famous Doctors, and by drinks  
Vntimous do they store,  
And fill with Hillocks the Churchyard,  
And lacking fear or shame,  
Do bourreaus make themselves be paid,  
For murders made by thame.  
I do not speak here of the good,  
The learned and the wise,  
Into whose hearts, the fear of God  
Imprinted deeply lies,  
And who do skilfully within  
Our bodies stay and tie,  
Our spreits of life, that otherwise,  
Were ready out to fly:  
For I do surely honour these,  
As heavenly men celest,  
Healths leaning stocks, and bannishers  
Of every death and Pest.  
Dame Nature's counsellors, and the  
Almighty's agents ay,  
And Stewards, and Store-maisters wise,  
Of flourishing age always.  
But if that any pain by art  
Of man may slaked be,  
These learned learned it have even of  
Their College dumb we see:  
For we do the Phaebotomie  
Of the Sea-horsses take,  
Of the wild Goats the Recipeis  
That for the eyes we make.  
Of Ibis and the Heron we  
The Laxative clysters have,  
Of Bears and Lions the Austere  
Great diets we receive.  
Now all these Campions fierce they do,  
The body but pursue.  
Some inwardly do make assault,  
And outwardly anew:  
Or if that any take them to  
The soul most pleasant fair,  
That no ways is directly but  
For that they will not spare  
To cross her feeble Officers,  
And spoil her worklumes fine,  
Whereby she (learned) so many works  
Makes subtly divine.  
BUT LO four fearful Captains now,  
Whose fury hot assays,  
To dress a battery great against  
The Spreit in many ways:  
His constancy in a brangle puts,  
And promptly draws apace,  
Even from the path of reason quite,  
Their judgement blind alas,  
Opinions Children who thought they  
Invisible be cleine,  
Yet they their harmful motions through,  
The bodies makes to sheine.  
The first is irksomeness, the which  
A drumlie cloud doth hold,  
And from the crown even of the head  
Unto the foot doth fold:  
Doth raving drant both night and day,  
Grows old or age be near,  
The longest skorie rinckles on  
His face as Furs appear:  
And in a dowisome quiet nook  
He careful ever thrists,  
Als many sighs out of his breast,  
As tears from eyes out brists.  
He guides the tarndnesse, which to eat  
The self doth never fail,  
The weeping pity, and withal  
The heavy sadness pail:  
And the enraged despair, which with  
Straiks' blea-hewde beats the sell,  
Who with Coals, Aspics, Tedders als  
For Armour meet doth mell.  
The throwart eyed envy withal  
Fat of the leans ay  
Of dearest friends, who restlessly  
Doth gnaw herself away:  
Like famished POLIPUS, who in  
Vnhaps doth bathe her still,  
And (most ill willie) but on tears  
Her wrath doth feed and fill.  
And als the jealousy, which but  
To slumber once doth fear,  
And ever (most suspicious) hath  
The Flea into the ear:  
And far more eyes than he who being  
By HERMES witched at last,  
Did the Inachien beauty let  
Be stolen he sleeping fast.  
THE Second Captain sure is joy,  
Excessivelie to glade,  
Who skoups, and lightly starties, and  
Whom to the street that made  
By APPIUS was, to narrow is,  
Whose senses all they do  
Even at the wishes als enjoy  
Most pleasant pleasures to:  
Who guides effronted vanterie that  
Doth ever feign and lie,  
A flatterer, and importune, and  
That ever crying be:  
And pride brow-bender Giant who  
Wings on his back doth bear,  
And with his lofty forehead hits,  
The Starry sylring clear:  
And many others like the Bells,  
Who boldened in a rain,  
Do swelling empty rise upon  
The wake and humid plain.  
The fear whose sides incessantly  
Do busy beat apace,  
Whose bosom hath no heart, nor veins  
Have blood in any case:  
Nor spreit hath counsel, yet she daunts  
Us quite that feeble dame,  
Even with the terror pale, and with  
The Landwart blushing shame:  
And swearnesse als at slowest pace  
Which ever comes and creeps,  
The which with willing yrnes her arms  
At all times fastened keeps:  
Who lashlie dreams both night and day,  
A barren, undought eik,  
A vile paralitique feeble one,  
Who begging aid doth seek.  
And thou o Covetousness the which  
The earth, nor yet the air,  
Nor sea, or heaven can ever fill  
Or staunch thy lusting cairo.  
Who crooks for eyes, and groundless deeps,  
For entrails carries ay,  
And clookes for hands, thou fences with  
Poor ADAM every way,  
Thou does unto the combat bring,  
Ambition boudned vain,  
That burns in slow and soaking fire,  
Whose passion to contain  
Or bound in EPICURUS worlds,  
Is bootless to essay,  
Who in his hand doth Sceptres als  
In paintrie carry ay.  
Thou brings the greedy Avarice,  
Enarmed all with cleekes,  
And clad with glue, who never briggs  
For her safe passage seeks,  
Both through CHARYBDIS baying, and  
Through traitorous SYRTESES fell,  
Who grows the miserabler the more  
Her wealth grows with her sell.  
A monster fierce without respect,  
Or love, or faith, who will  
Her neighbours sorely harm, but yet  
Herself more ever still.  
Who puts her hand in every thing,  
Moechanicklie too vile.  
Like TANTALYS in midst of goods,  
Full poor even all the while.  
Who numbers never what she hath,  
But what she lak'th doth count,  
A foul, who though well winged, yet  
She hie doth never mount.  
Thou wrathful contrare ADAM does  
Led forward to the war,  
The wrath, the which already goes  
Then thunder swifter far.  
Who sullen like a Sanglier makes  
Her awful teeth to crack,  
Her hair starts wouddershunes, and whiles  
Her burning eyes doth make  
To reill, whiles toeth to the ground:  
Whose horrible face it will  
Whiles pail, whiles fiery, rout with voice  
Most wild and elrage still:  
The ground stamps with her feet, her hands  
On other rash apace:  
She poison, fire, and cruel sword,  
Into that foaming case  
Bears in her hand, them for to kill,  
Whom sign she doth lament,  
And lightlies death providing that  
Her fellow also went:  
Like as a hinging wall which by  
The wind lose shaken been,  
Doth bruise the self on that, the which  
Under it all bruised is clean.  
Thou makes unto the fight to come  
Squared arrows bearing love,  
Which tyrants painting will I not  
After all th'Apellesis prove  
That FRANCE hath borne, and shortly then,  
Beneath thy standards fair,  
Thou makes als many Soldats else  
For to be marching there  
As there be very goods, or for  
Resemblance so doth trow  
The King of beasts who of himself  
Is not the master now.  
But if these passions that pursewes  
And touches us so near,  
Would swiftly pass away as doth,  
A glancing lightning clear  
Then were it nothing, but alas  
They oftentimes do leave  
The venomed sting into the soul  
Which hurting they deceive:  
From that so drumlie spring doth flow,  
The deadly poisons fell,  
The SODOMIES, thefts, and incests,  
And treasons vile to tell.  
The blasphemies, the false contracts,  
Conspiring, drunkenness eik,  
The Sacrilege, wait-laying, murder,  
And Reafe that prays do seek.  
Alas these langors (that be worse  
Than thousand deaths be far,)  
Are different from the langores that  
Makes with the body war.  
Who are avowedlie enemies,  
And by their malice do,  
Give to the Patiented many a sign  
Of healths attaining to.  
Whiles by the brangling pulse, and whiles  
Even by their colour vive,  
Whiles by the stinging needles of  
Strong dolour that doth grieve.  
So as well knowing once the evil,  
That doth us brook and bind,  
It is not too difficile sign,  
The remedy to find.  
But these our evils for that they in  
Our understanding reign,  
Who only ought and may discern  
Of them, they do remain  
Unknown at all and for that cause  
Doth PODALIRIUS stay,  
To run to ANTICIRE to get  
His health in any way.  
And furthermore the Feverous man,  
We feverous do him call,  
Hydropique we hydropique name,  
Dissimuling not at all  
Inunder the deceitful mask,  
Of feigned words the pain  
That cruel, doth our members with  
Her torments sharp demain.  
Contrariwise, the Spreit is of  
The self the flatterer ay,  
The own skabb claws, and with a style  
That liar is always  
By cloaking of his vices lets  
The Ulcer blind to fear,  
The Cautere needles quite for it  
Of reason for to hear:  
And sure if ever vice did cleith  
The self in any where  
With the unspotted famous cloak  
Of holy virtue fair  
It certainly is in our age  
Worse by a hundredth fold,  
Then when on all the earth the waves  
Quite universal rolled.  
Of sins discourse I will not that  
Are vildest in degree,  
Wherewith the beds infamous of  
The greatest spotted be.  
For fear that in offending of  
The holies tender ear,  
I rather seem to teach them then  
To wish them to forbear.  
They who upon their bodies with  
Grangores gnawn and deformed,  
Bears Woods, fair Meidowes, Castles als  
In threads of Gold transformed.  
And whose hands prodigal into  
Once shifting of the carts,  
One justing proud, one Banquet great,  
Do waist with glorious hearts  
The treasures gathered by the pains  
And niggard travels sore.  
Of their forebeers occurrars, called,  
Are liberal evermore.  
They whose affected going, and  
Whose fairded dainty cheeks,  
Whose accent all effeminate,  
Whose bonny blincks and keeks,  
Whose feeble coward heart and spreit,  
Whose soft and supple weed  
Declares, that they are only men  
Of outward show indeed.  
O these be courtly proper and feat,  
Those who from bed to bed  
Like Goat-bucks wander vagabonds,  
Whose charming mouths have led  
And chaste SUSANNAES' tysted half  
And ever famished, flee  
To every pray: o surely these  
Are Lovers called we see.  
They who by false contracts, and by  
Unlawful measures do  
Acquire (oppressors) substance, yea,  
And princely riches too:  
And goes Sophisticating all  
The simple strangers ay,  
And hundreds do for hundreds lend,  
Are Stewards good they say.  
Who in revenges bad desire,  
Do ever thirst and burn,  
Who baths themselves in blood, and puts  
No difference in their turn  
Of rank, of Sex, of age, but still  
Most cruel they defile,  
Cold blooded into every corpse  
Their murdering hands and vile,  
Are men of most magnanime spreit.  
O would to God that FRANCE  
Were void of men of spreit, since that  
Our manhood doth advance,  
And fight for our ilwillers, and  
Sucks out our blood apace,  
Makes waste our Cities, and doth bresh  
Our very sides alas.  
O would to God the Targe, the Pike,  
The Sword might changed be  
In ploughs for to manure the Land.  
O shall I never see  
The Spiders long and threadie feet  
Full busy for to weave,  
Within the hollowest of a helm  
Decked with a pennage brave?  
But if ye Frenchmen green so fast  
To Battles for to go,  
And if that awful Ennyon seethes  
Into your bowels so,  
What gain or profit holds you here,  
And makes you stay so long?  
Our fields of bestial void, of wealth  
Are all our Cities strong.  
Then go ye, run o warlike youth  
Whom no distress can daunt,  
Another Gaulien Greece into  
Anatolia for to plant:  
Go run in Flanders, and do ye  
Most merciful relieve  
Your brethren Belges from the yoke  
Of Spain that doth them grieve.  
Run unto Portugal, and people  
Of new Gallicia now,  
And do your names engrave again  
In PORT-ULISSES brow.   

THus loving Reader as thou sees,  
Now have I made an end,  
Unto this work which man did write,  
But by the Lord is penned:  
Wherein as I have priest to make  
The Author known to all,  
That into Britain I'll remain,  
Where he before was thrall  
Within the only bounds of France,  
So doubt I not thou will  
Excuse my blotting of his face,  
And blame my lack of skill  
Which letted me to imitate  
His hard and lofty verse,  
His arrows headed blunt by me,  
As erst could no ways pierce.  
But since both profit may herein,  
And pleasure reaped be,  
Though metamorphosed all I grant,  
And quite transformed by me:  
Yet ought thou justly love and like  
My painful travels bend,  
It is sufficient unto me,  
Thou know my good intent.   
FINIS.   

THE LEPANTO OF JAMES the sixth, King of Scotland.  
AT EDINBURGH PRINTED BY Robert Walde-graue Printer to the King's Majesty.  
Cum privilegio Regali.   title page border not found in McKerrow: at left, Truth holding a book and pen (?) with a king's or prince's body under her foot; at right, Chastity with Cupid beneath her foot 
VERITAS.  
CASTITAS.   

THE authors PREFACE TO THE READER.  
IT falls out often, that the effects of men's actions comes clean contrary to the intent of the Author. The same find I by experience (beloved Reader) in my poem of LEPANTO: For although till now, it have not been imprinted, yet being set out to the public view of many, by a great sort of stolen Copies, purchased (in truth) without my knowledge or consent, it hath for lack of a preface, been in some things misconstrued by sundry, which I of very purpose thinking to have omitted, for that the writing thereof, might have tended in my opinion, to some reproach of the skilful learnedness of the Reader, as if his brains could not have conceived so uncurious a work, without some manner of Commentary, and so have made the work more displeasant unto him: it hath by the contrary fallen out, that the lack thereof, hath made it the more displeasant to some, through their mistaking a part of the meaning thereof. And for that I know, the special thing misliked in it, is, that I should seem, far contrary to my degree and Religion, like a Mercenary Poet, to pen a work, ex professo, in praise of a foreign Papist bastard: I will by setting down the nature and order of the poem, resolve the ignorant of their error, & make the other sort inexcusable of their captiousness. The nature then of this poem, is an argument, à minore ad majùs, largely entreated by a Poetike comparison, being to the writing hereof moved, by the stirring up of the league and cruel persecution of the Protestants in all countries, at the very first raging whereof, I compiled this poem, as the exhortation to the persecuted in the hindmost eight lines thereof doth plainly testify, being both begun and ended in the same Summer, wherein the league was published in France. The order of the cantic is this: First, a Poetic preface, declaring the matter I treat of: wherein, I name not DON-IOAN, neither literally nor any ways by description, which I behoved to have done, if I had penned the whole poem in his praise, as VIRGIL, Arma virumque cano, & HOMER, Dic mihi musa virum, of whose imitation I had not been ashamed, if so my purpose had been framed. Next follows my invocation to the true God only, and not to all the He and She Saints, for whose vain honours, DON-IOAN fought in all his wars. Next after my invocation, follows the poetic History of my comparison, wherein following forth the ground of a true History, (as VIRGIL or HOMER did) like a painter shadowing with umbers a portrait else drawn in gross, for giving it greater vivenes, so I eike or pair to the circumstances of the actions, as the rules of the poetic art will permit: which Historicke comparison continues till the song of the Angels: in the which I compare and apply the former comparison to our present estate, taking occasion thereupon to speak some what of our religion. lastly the Epilogue of the whole in the last eight lines, declares fully my intention in the whole, and explains so fully my comparison and Argument, from the more to the less, as I cannot without shameful repetition speak any more thereof. And in a word: what so ever praise I have given to DON-IOAN in this poem, it is neither in accounting him as first or second cause of that victory, but only as of a particular man, when he falls in my way, to speak the truth of him. For as it becomes not the honour of my estate, like an hireling, to pen the praise of any man: So becomes it far less the highness of my rank and calling, to spare for the fear or favour of whomsoever living, to speak or write the truth of any. And thus craving pardon (beloved Reader) for this longsome Apology (being driven thereto, not by nature, but by necessity) I bid you heartily farewell.   

THE LEPANTO OF JAMES THE sixth, King of Scotland.  
I Sing a wondrous work of God,  
I sing his mercies great,  
I sing his justice herewithal  
Poured from his holy seat.  
To wit, a cruel Martial war,  
A bloody battle bold,  
Long doubtsome fight, with slaughter huge  
And wounded manifold.  
Which fought was in LEPANTOES gulf  
Betwixt the baptised race,  
And circumsised Turban Turk's  
Rencountring in that place.  
O only God, I pray thee thrice,  
Thrice one in persons three,  
Alike Eternal, like of might,  
Although distinct ye be.  
I pray thee Father, through thy Son,  
Thy word immortal still,  
The great ARCHANGEL of records  
And worker of thy will,  
To make thy holy Spreit my Muse,  
And eik my pen inflame,  
Above my skill to write this work  
To magnify thy name.  
INTO the turning still of times,  
I err, no time can be,  
Where was and is, and times to come,  
Confounded are all three.  
I mean before great God in Heaven,  
(For Sun and Moon divides  
The times in Earth by hours and days,  
And seasons still that slides.)  
Yet Man, whom Man must understand,  
Must speak into this case,  
As man, our flesh will not permit,  
We heavenly things embrace.  
Then, as I else began to say,  
One day it did fall out,  
As glorious God in glistering throne,  
With Angels round about  
Did sit, and Christ at his right hand,  
That crafty Satan came,  
deceiver, Liar, hating man,  
And Gods most sacred name.  
This old abuser stood into  
The presence of the Lord,  
Then in this manner Christ accused,  
The sour of discord.  
I know thou from that City comes,  
CONSTANTINOPLE great,  
Where thou hast by thy malice made  
The faithless Turks to fret.  
Thou hast inflamed their maddest minds  
With raging fire of wrath,  
Against them all that do profess  
My name with fervent faith.  
How long o Father shall they thus,  
Quite under foot be tread,  
By faithless folks; who executes  
What in this snake is bred.  
Then Satan answered, Faith? quoth he,  
Their Faith is too too small,  
They strive me think on either part,  
Who farthest back can fall,  
Hast thou not given them in my hands,  
Even both the sides I say,  
That I, as best doth seem to me,  
May use them every way?  
THAN jehovah, whose nod doth make,  
The heavens and mountains quake,  
Whose smallest wrath the centres makes,  
Of all the Earth to shake.  
Whose word did make the world of nought,  
And whose approving sign,  
Did 'stablish all even as we see,  
By force of voice divine.  
This God began from thundering throat,  
Grave words of weight to bring,  
All christians serves my Son though not  
Aright in every thing.  
No more shall now these Christians be  
With Infidels oppressed,  
So of my holy hallowed name  
The force is great and blessed,  
Desist o tempter. GABRIEL come  
O thou ARCHANGEL true,  
Whom I have oft in message sent  
To Realms and Towns anew.  
Go quickly hence to Venice Town,  
And put into their minds  
To take revenge of wrongs the Turks  
Have done in sundry kinds.  
No whistling wind with such a speed,  
From hills can hurl over heugh,  
As he whose thought doth furnish speed,  
His thought was speed aneugh.  
This Town it stands within the Sea,  
Five miles or there about,  
Upon no Isle nor ground, the Sea  
Runs all the streets throughout.  
Who stood upon the Steeple head  
Should see a wondrous sight,  
A Town to stand without a ground,  
Her ground is made by slight:  
Strong Timber props dung in the Sea  
Do bear her up by art,  
An I'll is all her market place  
A large and spacious part,  
A Duke with Senate joined doth rule,  
Saint MARK is patron chief,  
Ilk year they wed the Sea with rings  
To be their sure relief.  
The Angel then arrived into  
This artificial Town,  
And changed in likeness of a man,  
He walks both up and down,  
While time he met some man of spreit,  
And then began to say,  
What do we all? me think we sleep:  
Are we not day by day  
By cruel Turks and infidels  
Most spitefully oppressed?  
They kill our Knights, they brash our forts,  
They let us never rest.  
Go too, go too, once make a proof:  
No more let us desist  
To bold attempts God gives success,  
If once assay we list:  
With this he goes away, this man  
Unto another tells  
The purpose whereunto they both  
Agree among them fells.  
This other to another tells,  
And so from hand to hand  
It spreads and goes, and all that heard  
It, necessare it found.  
And last of all, it comes unto  
The Duke and Senate's ear,  
Who found it good, and followed forth  
The same as ye shall hear.  
THE Town was driven into this time,  
In such a piteous strait  
By Mahometists, that they had else  
Given over all debate:  
The Turk had conquest Cyprus I'll,  
And all their lands that lay  
Without the bounds of Italy,  
Almost the whole I say:  
And they for last refuge of all,  
Had moved each Christian King  
To make their Churches pray for their  
Relief in every thing.  
The Town with piteous plaints did call  
Upon the Lord of might,  
With praying still and fasting oft,  
And groaning all the night,  
Was nothing heard but sobs and sighs,  
Was nothing seen but tears,  
Yea sorrow drove the bravest men  
With mourning to their bears.  
The women swoon for sorrow oft,  
The babe for woe did weep,  
To see the mother giving milk  
Such doleful gesture keep.  
Young men and maids within the town  
Were ay arrayed in black,  
Each Eau'n the Sun was sooner hid  
Then erst, the night to macke.  
No VENUS then, nor CUPID false  
durst kith or once appear,  
For pail distress had banished them,  
By sad and sorry cheer.  
As Seas did compass them about,  
So Seas the Streets did ri●●●.  
So Seas of tears did ever flow,  
The houses all within.  
As Seas within were joined with howls,  
So Seas without did raire,  
Their careful cries to Heaven did mount  
Resounding in the air.  
O stay my Muse, thou goes too far,  
Show where we left before,  
Lest trikling tears so fill my pen  
That it will write no more.  
THAN VENICE being in this state,  
When GABRIEL there was sent,  
His speeches spread abroad, made Town  
And Senate both so bend  
To take revenge, as they implored  
The Christian Princes aid,  
Of forces such, as easily,  
They might have spared and maid.  
At last, support was granted them,  
The holy league was past,  
Als long to stand, as twixt the Turks  
And Christians war should last.  
It was agreed, that into March,  
Or April every year,  
The army should on eastern Seas,  
Convene from far and near.  
THUS bend upon their enterprise,  
The principals did convene,  
Into MESSENA to consult,  
What order should have been,  
Observed in all their army great:  
There DON JOAN d'AVSTRIA came,  
Their General great, and VENIER als  
Came there in Venice name.  
From GENES ANDREA DOREE came  
And Rome COLONNE sent,  
When they with others many days  
Had into counsel spent,  
In end ASCAGNIO DE LA CORN  
A Martial man and wise  
His counsel gave, as ye shall hear  
Upon their enterprise.  
THREE causes be (o Chieftains brave)  
That should a General let,  
On Fortune's light uncertain wheel  
The victory to set:  
First, if the loss may harm him more,  
Then winning can avail,  
As if his Realm he do defend  
From them that it assail:  
The next is when the contrare Host  
Is able to divide  
For sickness sore or famine great  
Then best is to abide.  
The third and last, it is in case  
His forces be too small,  
Then better far is to delay,  
Then for to perish all:  
But since of these two former points  
We need not stand in doubt,  
Then though we lose, we may defend  
Our Countries round about.  
As to the last, this army is  
So awful strong and fair,  
And furnished so with necessares  
Through your foreseeing cair,  
That nought doth rest but courage bold.  
Then since your state is such,  
With trust in God assay your chance  
Good cause availeth much.  
But specially take heed to this,  
That ere ye make away,  
Ye order all concerning war,  
Into their due array:  
For if while that ye see your foes,  
Ye shall continue all,  
Then shall their sudden sight with fear  
Your bravest Spreits appall,  
Each one command a sundry thing,  
Astonished of the case,  
And every simple Soldat shall  
Usurp his captains place.  
This counsel so contents them all,  
That every man departs,  
With whispering much, and so resolves  
With bold magnanime hearts.  
THEIR preparations being made,  
They all upon a day,  
Their biting anchors, gladly weighed,  
And made them for the way.  
The Grecian Fleet, for HELEN'S cause,  
That NEPTUNE'S town did sack:  
In brave array, or glistering arms,  
No match to them could make.  
There came eight thousand Spaniards brave,  
From hot and barren SPAIN,  
Good order keepers, cold in fight,  
With proud disdainful brain.  
From pleasant fertile ITALY,  
There came twelve thousand als,  
With subtle spreites bend to revenge,  
By crafty means and fals.  
Three thousand ALMANS also came,  
From Country's cold and wide,  
These money men with awful cheer  
The chok will dourelie bide.  
From divers parts did also come,  
Three thousand ventures brave,  
All voluntaires of conscience moved,  
And would no wages have.  
Armed Galleys twice a hundr'and eight,  
Six ships all wondrous great,  
And five and twenty loaded Ships  
With baggage and with meat.  
With forty other little barks  
And pretty galliots small,  
Of these aforesaid was compound  
The Christian Navy all.  
THIS cloud of Galleys thus began  
On NEPTVNS back to row,  
And in the Ships the mariners,  
Did skip from tow to tow  
With willing minds they hailde the Ties,  
And hoist the flaffing Sails,  
And strongest tow, from highest masts,  
With force and practic hails.  
The Forceats lothsomlie did row,  
In Galleys 'gainst their will,  
Whom Galley masters oft did beat,  
And threaten ever still.  
The foaming Seas did bullor up,  
The risking Oars did rash,  
The Soldats pieces for to clang  
Did showers of shotts' delashe.  
BUT as the Devil is ready bent,  
Good works to hinder ay,  
So sowed he in this Navy strife,  
Their good success to stay:  
Yet did the wisdoms of the Chiefs  
And of the general most,  
Compound all quarrels and debates  
That were into that Host,  
Preferring wisely as they ought,  
The honour of the Lord,  
Unto their own, the public cause,  
To private men's discord.  
THE feathered fame of wondrous speed  
That doth delight to flee  
On tops of houses prattling all  
That she can hear or see,  
Part true, part false: this monster strange  
Among the Turks did tell,  
That divers Christian Princes joined,  
Resolved with them to mell.  
Then spies were sent abroad, who told  
The matter as it stood,  
Except in Arithmetic (as  
It seemed) they were not good,  
For they did count their number to  
Be less than was indeed,  
Which did into the great Turk's mind  
A great disdaining breed:  
A perilous thing, as ever came  
Into a Chieftains brain,  
To set at nought his foes (though small)  
By lighleing disdain.  
Then SELYM sent a navy out,  
Who wandered without rest,  
while time into LEPANTOES gulf  
They all their Ankers kest.  
IN season when with sharpest hooks  
The busy shearers cow  
The fruitful yellow locks of gold,  
That do on CERES grow,  
And when the strongest Trees for weight  
Of birth do downward bow  
Their heavy heads, whose coloured knops  
In showers rains ripely now,  
And Husbandmen with woodbine crowns  
To twice borne BACCHUS dance,  
Whose pleasant poison sweet in taste,  
Doth cast them in a trance:  
Into this riping season sure,  
The Christian Host I say,  
Were all assembled for to make  
Them Ready for the way:  
But or they from MESSENA came,  
The Vines were standing bair,  
Trees void of fruit and CERES polled,  
And lacking all her hair:  
But when that leaves, with rattling falls  
In banks of withered boughs,  
And careful labourers do begin,  
To yoke the painful ploughs  
The Navies near to other drew,  
And VENIER (sent before)  
Gave false Alarm, sending word,  
The Turks had skowped the score,  
That fifty Galleys quite were fled,  
This word he sent express,  
To make the Christians willingly  
To battle them address,  
As so they did, and entered all,  
(Moved by that samen slight.)  
Into LEPANTOES gulf, and there  
Prepared them for the fight.  
while this was doing here on earth,  
Great God who creates all,  
(With wakrife eye preordoning  
What ever doth befall.)  
Was sitting in his pompous Throne,  
In highest Heaven above,  
And gloriously accompanied  
With justice and with love:  
The one hath smiling countenance,  
The other frowning cheer.  
The one to mercy still persuades  
Him as a Father dear,  
The other for to power his plagues  
Upon repining sin,  
And fill the fields with woeful cries,  
The houses all with din,  
But yet the Lord so temperates them,  
That both do brook their place,  
For justice whiles obtains her will,  
But evermore doth grace:  
jehovah als hath balances,  
Wherewith he weighs aright  
The greatest and the heaviest sins  
With smaller faults and light,  
These grace did move him for to take,  
And so he weighed in Heaven,  
The Christian faults with faithless Turks,  
The balance stood not even,  
But sweid upon the faithless side:  
And then with awful face,  
Frowned God of Hosts, the whirling Heavens  
For fear did tremble apace,  
The stayest Mountains shuddred all,  
The grounds of earth did shake,  
The Seas did bray, and PLUTO'S Realm  
For horror cold did quake.  
How soon AURORAS joyful face,  
Had shed the shady night,  
And made the chivering Larks to sing  
For gladness of the light,  
And PHOEBE with inconstant face,  
In Seas had gone to rest;  
And PHOEBUS chase vapours moist,  
The Sky made blew celest:  
The General of the Christian Host  
Upon his Galley Mast,  
The bloody sign of furious MARS  
Made to be fixed fast.  
Then as into a spacious town,  
At breaking of the day,  
The busy workmen do prepare  
Their Worklumes every way,  
The Wright doth sharp his hacking Axe,  
The Smith his grinding File,  
Glass-maker's beets their fire that burns  
Continual not a while,  
The Painter mixes colours vive,  
The Printer Letters sets,  
The Mason clinckes on Marble Stones,  
Which hardly dressed he gets:  
Even so, how soon this Warrior world  
With earnest eyes did see  
You sign of War, they all prepared  
To win or else to die:  
here Hagbutters prepared with speed  
A number of Bullets round,  
There Cannoners, their Canons steild  
To make destroying sound,  
Here Knights did dight their burnished brands,  
Their Archers bows did bend,  
The Armourers on corselets knocks,  
And Harness hard did mend,  
The feirie Mariners at once  
Makes all their tackling clair  
With whispering din, and cries confus'de,  
Preparing here and there:  
As busy Bees within their Hives  
With murmuring ever still,  
Are earn'st upon their fruitful work  
Their empty holes to fill.  
The Flags and Enseigneiss were displayed,  
At ZEPHYRS will to wave,  
Each painted in the colours clear  
Of every owner brave.  
BUT all this time in careful mind,  
The General ever rolled,  
What manner of array would best  
Fit such an Army bold,  
To pance on this it pained him more,  
This more did trouble his breast,  
Then Canons, Corselets, Bullets, tackle,  
And sword, and bows, the rest,  
And at the last with ripe advise,  
Of Chieftains sage and grave  
He shed in three in Crescents form,  
This martial Army brave:  
The General in the battle was,  
And COLONNE undertook  
The right wing with the force of GENES,  
The left did VENIER brook.  
WHEN this was done, the Spanish Prince  
Did row about them all,  
And on the names of special men  
With loving speech did call,  
Remembering them how righteous was  
Their quarrel, and how good,  
Immortal praise, and infinite gains,  
To conquer with their blood,  
And that the glory of God in earth,  
Into their manhood stands,  
Through just relief of Christian souls  
From cruel Pagan's hands:  
But if the enemy triumphed  
Of them and of their fame,  
In millions men to bondage would  
Professing jesus name.  
The SPANIOL Prince exhorting thus  
With glad and smiling cheer,  
With sugared words, and gesture good,  
So pleased both eye and ear  
That every man cried victory:  
This word abroad they blew,  
A good presage that victory  
Thereafter should ensue.  
THE Turquish Host in manner like  
Themselves they did array,  
The which two, BASHAAS did command  
And order every way.  
For PORTAN BASSA had in charge,  
To govern all by land,  
And ALI-BASHA had by Sea  
The only chief command.  
These BASHAAS in the Battle were,  
With more than I can tell,  
And MAHOMET BEY the right wing had,  
The left OCHIALI fell.  
Then ALI-BASHA visied all  
With bold and manly face,  
Whose tongue did utter courage more  
Than had alluring grace:  
He did recount amongst the rest  
What victory Turks obtained  
On caitiff Christians, and how long  
The OTTOMANS race had reigned.  
He told them als, how long themselves  
Had victors ever been,  
Even of these same three Princes small,  
That now durst so convene,  
And would ye then give such a lie  
Unto your glories past,  
As let yourselves be overthrown  
By losers at the last?  
This victory shall Europe make  
To be your conquest pray,  
And all the rare things therein till,  
Ye carry shall away:  
But if ye lose, remember well  
How ye have made them thrall,  
This samen way, or worse shall they  
demain you one and all,  
And then shall all your honours passed  
In smoke vanish quite,  
And all your pleasures turn in pain  
In dolour your delight:  
Take courage then, and boldly to it,  
Our MAHOMET will aid,  
Conducting all your shots, and strokes,  
Of Arrow, Dart, and blaid:  
For nothing care but only one  
Which only doth me fray,  
That ere with them we ever meet  
For fear they flee away:  
This speech did so the Army please,  
And so their minds did move,  
That clincks of sword, and rattle of Pikes,  
His speeches did approve.  
THE glistering clear of shining Sun  
Made both the Hosts so glance,  
As fishes eyes did reel to see  
Such hews on Seas to dance:  
But TITAN shined on eyes of Turks  
And on the Christian backs,  
Although the wavering wind the which  
But seldom settling tacks,  
The Turks did second ever still  
while but a little space  
Before the chock, o miracle,  
It turned into their face,  
Which Christians joyful as a seal  
And token did receive,  
That God of Hosts had promised them  
They victory should have.  
How soon a Cannons smoky throat  
The Seas did dindle all,  
And on BELLONA bold and wise,  
And bloody MARS did call,  
And that the sounding clear of brass  
Did als approve the same,  
And kindled courage into men  
To win immortal fame.  
But what? Me think I do intend  
This battle to recite,  
And what by Martial force was done  
My pen presumes to write,  
As if I had you bloody God,  
And all his power seen,  
Yea to descrive the God of Hosts  
My pen had able been:  
No, no, no man that witness was  
Can set it out aright,  
Then how can I by hearsay do,  
Which none could do by sight:  
But since I rashly took in hand,  
I must assay it now,  
With hope that this my good intent  
Ye Readers will allow:  
I also trust that even as he  
Who in the Sun doth walk  
Is coloured by the samen Sun,  
So shall my following talk  
Some savour keep of Martial acts,  
Since I would paint them out,  
And God shall to his honour als  
My pen guide out of doubt.  
THIS warning given to Christians they  
With Turk's yoke here and there,  
And first the six aforesaid Ships  
That were so large and fair,  
And placed were in the former ranks,  
Did first of all pursue  
With Bullets, Raiser's, Chains, and nails,  
That from their pieces flew:  
Their Cannons rummisht all at once,  
Whose mortal thudding drove,  
The fatal Turks to be content  
With THETIS for their grave.  
The Fishes were astonished all,  
To hear such hideous sound,  
The Azure Sky was dimmed with Smoke,  
The din that did abound,  
Like thunder rearding rumling rave  
With roars the highest Heaven,  
And pierced with pith the glistering vaults  
Of all the Planets seven:  
The piteous plaints, the hideous howls,  
The grievous cries and moans,  
Of millions wounded sundry ways,  
But dying all at ones,  
conjoined with former horrible sound,  
Distempered all the air,  
And made the Seas for terror shake  
With braying every where:  
Yet all these unacquainted roars,  
The fearful threatening sound,  
joined with the groaning murmuring howls  
The courage could not wound  
So far of Turquish Chieftains brave,  
As them to let or fray  
With boldest speed their grievous harms  
With like for to repay,  
Who made their Cannons bray so fast  
And Hagbuts crack so thick,  
As Christians dead in number almost  
Did countervail the quick,  
And sent full many carcages  
Of Seas to lowest ground,  
The Cannon's thuds and cries of men  
Did in the sky resound:  
But Turks remained not long unpaid  
Even with their proper coin,  
By bitter shots which Christians did  
To former thundering join:  
Dead drop they down on every side,  
Their sighing Spreits eschews,  
And crosses Styx into disdain,  
To hear infernal news:  
Yea scarcely could the ancient boat  
Such number of souls contain,  
But sobbed underneath the weight  
Of Passengers profane.  
While here the Father stood with Son,  
A whirling round doth bear  
The lead that dings the Father in dross  
And fills the Son with fear,  
while there a Chieftain shrilly cries,  
And Soldats doth command,  
A speedy Pellet stops his speech,  
And stays his pointing hand,  
while time a clustered troop doth stand  
Amasst together all,  
A fatal Bullet them among  
Makes some selected fall:  
The hideous noise so deafed them all,  
Increasing ever still,  
That ready Soldats could not hear  
Their wise commanders will,  
But every man as MARS him moved,  
And as occasion served  
His duty did the best he might,  
And for no peril swerved,  
Their old commanders precepts past  
They put in practice then,  
And only memory did command  
That multitude of men.  
THUS after they with Cannons had  
Their duty done a far,  
And time in end had wearied them  
Of such embassad war,  
A rude recounter than they made,  
Together Galleys clipped,  
And each on other rashed her nose,  
That in the Sea was dipped:  
No manner of man was idle then,  
Each man his arms did use,  
No skaping place is in the Seas  
Though men would MARS refuse:  
The valiant Knight with Coutlasse sharp  
Of fight foe doth part  
The bloody head from body pale:  
while one with deadly dart  
Doth pierce his enemy's heart in twain,  
An other fierce doth strike  
Quite through his fellows Arm or Leg,  
With pointed brangling Pike:  
The Cannons leaves not thundering of,  
Nor Hagbuts shooting still,  
And seldom Powder wastes in vain  
But either wound or kill:  
Yea even the simple forceats fought  
With beggars bolts anew,  
Wherewith full many principal men  
They wounded sore and slew:  
while time a Christian with a sword,  
Let's out a faithless breath,  
A Turk on him doth with a dart,  
Revenge his fellows death,  
while time a Turk with arrow doth,  
Shoot through a Christians arm,  
A Christian with a Pike doth pierce  
The hand that did the harm:  
while time a Christian Cannon kills  
A Turk with threatening sound,  
A Hagbut hits the Cannoner,  
Who dead, falls to the ground:  
The beggars bolts by forceates casten,  
On all hands made to fly,  
jawbones and brains of killed and hurt,  
Who wished (for pain) to die:  
The clinks of swords, the rattle of Pikes,  
The whirr of arrows light,  
The howls of hurt, the captains cries  
In vain do what they might,  
The cracks of Galleys broken and bruzd,  
Of guns the rumbling beire  
Resounded so, that though the Lord  
Had thundered none could hear:  
The Sea was varnished red with blood,  
And fishes poisoned all,  
As jehovah by MOSES rod  
In Egypt made befall.  
THIS cruel fight continued thus  
Uncertain all the while,  
For Fortune oft on either side,  
Did frown and after smile,  
It seemed that MARS and PALLAS both  
Did think the day too short  
With bloody practice thus to use  
Their old acquainted sport:  
For as the slaughter ay increased,  
So did the courage still,  
Of Martial men whom loss of friends  
Enarmed with eager will,  
The more their number did decrease  
The more that they were harmed,  
The more with MARS then were they filled  
With boldening spite inarmed:  
Now up now down on either side,  
Now Christians seemed to win,  
Now overthrown, and now again,  
They seemed but to begin.  
My pen for pity cannot write,  
My hair for horror stands,  
To think how many Christians there  
Were killed by pagan hands.  
O Lord throughout this Labyrinth  
Make me the way to view,  
And let thy holy threefold Spreit  
Be my conducting clew:  
O now I spy a blessed Heaven,  
Our landing is not far:  
Lo good victorious tidings comes  
To end this cruel war.  
IN ALL the time that thus they fought,  
The Spanish Prince was clipped  
With ALI-BASHA, whom to meet  
The rest he had o'erslipped:  
And even as throughout both the Hosts,  
Dame Fortune varied still,  
So kythde she twixt those Champions two,  
Her fond inconstant will:  
For after that the Castles four  
Of Galleys both, with sound,  
And slaughter huge, their Bullets had  
In other made rebound,  
And all the small Artillery  
Consumed their shots below  
In kill men, or else to cut  
Some Cable strong or Tow:  
Yet victory still uncertain was,  
And Soldats never ceased  
(With interchange of Pikes and Darts.)  
To kill, or wound at least.  
In end, when they with blood abroad  
Had bought their meeting dear,  
The victory first on Spanish side  
Began for to appear:  
For even the Spanish Prince himself  
Did hazard at the last,  
Accompanied with boldest men  
Who followed on him fast,  
By force to win the Turquish deck,  
The which he did obtain,  
And entered in their Galley sign  
But did not long remain:  
For ALI-BASHA proved so well,  
With his assisters brave,  
That backward faster than they came  
Their valiant foes they drove,  
That glad they were to scape themselves,  
And leave behind anew  
Of valiant fellows carcases,  
Whom thus their enemies slew.  
The General boldened then with spite,  
And varnished red with shame,  
Did rather choose to lose his life  
Then tine his spreading fame:  
And so of new encouraged  
His Soldiers true and bold,  
As now for eigrenesse they burn  
Who erst were waxed cold:  
And thus they entered in again  
More fiercely than before,  
Whose rude assault could ALI then  
Resist not any more,  
But fled unto the fort at STEVIN.  
For last refuge of all,  
Abiding in a doubtsome fear  
The chance he did befall.  
A MACEDONIAN soldier then  
Great honour for to win,  
Before the rest in earnest hope  
To BASSA bold did run,  
And with a Cutlace sharp and fine  
Did whip me off his head,  
Who lacked not his reward of him  
That did the Navy lead:  
The General sign caused fix the head  
Upon his Galley Mast,  
At sight whereof, the faithless Host  
Were all so sore aghast,  
That all amass gave back at once,  
But yet were stayed again,  
And never one at all did scape,  
But taken were or slain  
OCHIALI except, with three times ten  
Great Galleys of his own,  
And many of the Knights of MALT  
Whom he had overthrown:  
But if that he with his convoy  
Had missed a safe retreat,  
No news had SELYM but by brute  
heard ever of this defeat.  
WHEN thus the victory was obtained,  
And thanks were given to God,  
Twelve thousand Christians counted were  
Relieved from Turquish rod.  
O Spanish Prince whom of a glance  
And suddenly away  
The cruel fates gave to the world  
Not suffering thee to stay.  
With this the still night sad and black  
The earth over shadowed then,  
Who MORPHEUS brought with her and rest  
To steal on beasts and men.  
BUT all this time was Venice Town  
Revolving what event  
Might come of this prepared fight,  
With doubtsome minds and bend:  
They longed, and yet they durst not long  
To hear the news of all,  
They hoped good, they feared the evil,  
And kest what might befall:  
At last the joyful tidings came,  
Which such a gladness bred,  
That Matron's grave, and Maids modest,  
The Market place bespread:  
Anon with cheerful countenance  
They dress them in a ring,  
And thus the formest did begin  
Sign all the rest to sing.  

CHORUS VENETUS.  

SIng praise to God both young and old  
That in this town remain,  
With voice, and every Instrument,  
Found out by mortal brain:  
Sing praises to our mighty God,  
Praise our deliverars name,  
Our loving Lord, who now in need,  
Hath kythd to be the same,  
The faithless snares did compass us,  
Their nets were set about,  
But yet our dearest Father in Heaven,  
He hath redeemed us out.  
Not only that, but by his power,  
Our enemy's feet they slaid,  
Whom he hath trapped, and made to fall  
Into the pit they made:  
Sing praises then both young and old,  
That in this town remain,  
To him that hath relieved our necks,  
From Turquish yoke profane.  
Let us wash off our sins impure,  
Cast off our garments vile,  
And haunt his Temple every day,  
To praise his name a while.  
O praise him for the victory,  
That he hath made us have,  
For he it was revenged our cause,  
And not our army brave:  
Praise him with Trumpet, Piphre, and drum,  
With Lutes, and Organs fine,  
With Viols, Gitterns, Cistiers als,  
And sweetest voices sign:  
Sing praise, sing praise both young and old,  
Sing praises one and all,  
To him who hath redeemed us now,  
From cruel Pagan's thrall.   

IN HEARING of this song me thinks  
My members waxes faint,  
Nor yet from dullness can I keep,  
My mind by no restraint.  
But lo my Y●nie head doth nod,  
Upon my Adamant breast,  
My eielidds will stand up no more,  
But falls to take them rest.  
And through my weak and weary hand,  
Doth slide my pen of lead,  
And sleep doth else possess me all,  
The similitude of dead.  
The God with golden wings through ports,  
Of horn doth to me creep,  
Who changes ofter shapes transformed  
Then PROTEUS in the deep.  
How soon he came, quite from my mind,  
He worldly cares removed,  
And all my members in my bed,  
Lay still in rest beloved.  
And sign I heard a joyful song  
Of all the feathered bands  
Of holy Angels in the heaven,  
Thus singing on all hands.    

CHORUS ANGELORUM.  

SIng let us sing with one accord  
HALLELUJAH on high,  
With every elder that doth bow  
Before the Lamb his knee:  
Sing four and twenty all with us  
while Heaven and earth resound  
Replenished with JEHOVAS praise  
Whose like cannot be found:  
For he it is, that is, and was,  
And evermore shall be,  
One only one unseparate,  
And yet in persons three.  
Praise him for that he create hath  
The Heaven, the earth and all,  
And ever hath preserved them since  
From their ruin and fall:  
But praise him more if more can be,  
That so he loves his name,  
As he doth mercy show to all  
That do profess the same:  
And not alanerlie to them  
Professing it aright,  
But even to them that mix therewith  
Their own inventions slight:  
As specially this samen time  
Most plainly may appear,  
In giving them such victory  
That not aright him fear:  
For since he shows such grace to them  
That thinks themselves are just,  
What will he more to them that in  
His mercies only trust?  
And sith that so he uses them  
That doubt for to be saved,  
How much more them that in their hearts  
His promise have engraved?  
And since he doth such favour show  
To them that fondly pray  
To other Mediators than  
Can help them any way:  
O how then will he favour them,  
Who prayers do direct  
Unto the Lamb, whom only he  
Ordained for that effect?  
And since he doth revenge their cause  
That worship God of bread,  
(An error vain the which is bred,  
But in a mortal head)  
Then how will he revenge their cause  
That only fear and serve,  
His dearest Son, and for his sake  
Will for no perils swerver:  
And since that so he pities them  
That bear upon their brow,  
The mark of Antichrist the whore  
That great abuser now,  
Who does the truest Christians  
With fire and sword invade,  
And make them holy Martyrs that  
Their trust in God have laid,  
How will he them that thus are used,  
And bears upon their face  
His special mark, a certain sign  
Of everlasting grace?  
Put end unto the traveils (Lord)  
And miseries of thy Sancts,  
Removing quite this blindness gross  
That now the world so daunts:  
Sing praises of his mercy then  
His superexcellence great,  
Which doth exceed even all his works  
That lie before his seat:  
And let us sing both now and ay  
To him with one accord,  
O holy, holy, God of Hosts,  
Thou everliving Lord.   

THUS ended was the Angel's song,  
And also here I end:  
Exhorting all you Christians true  
Your courage up to bend,  
And since by this defeat ye see,  
That God doth love his name  
So well, that so he did them aid  
That served not right the same.  
Then though the Antichristian sect  
Against you do conjure,  
He doth the body better love  
Than shadow be ye sure:  
Do ye resist with confidence,  
That God shall be your stay  
And turn it to your comfort, and  
His glory now and ay.    
FINIS.   

SONNET.  
THe azur'd vault, the crystal circle's bright,  
The gleaming fiery torches powdered there,  
The changing round, the shining beamy light,  
The sad and bearded fires, the monsters fair:  
The prodiges appearing in the air,  
The rearding thunders, and the blustering winds,  
The fowls, in hue, in shape, and nature raire,  
The pretty notes that winged musiciens finds:  
In earth the sau'rie flowers, the metalled minds,  
The wholesome herbs, the haughty pleasant trees,  
The silver streams, the beasts of sundry kinds,  
The bounded roars, and fishes of the seas:  
All these, for teaching man, the LORD did frame,  
To do his will, whose glory shines in thame.  
I. R. S.   

LA LE PANTHE DE IAQVES VI ROY D'ESCOSSE, Faicte francoise par le Sieur Du BARTAS.  
IMPRIME A EDINBVRG PAR ROBERT WALDEGRAVE, Imprimeur du Roy.  
Anno Dom. 1591.  
avec Privilege de sa Majesté.   

AV LECTEUR.  
LECTEUR, ne pense point qu'un desir d'augmēter ma reputation m'ait poussé à trauailler apres ceste version. Quelque poureté d'espritqu'il y ait en moy, si suis-je, par la grace de Dieu, beaucoup plus fecond en matiere, qu'en motz: & l'inuention me couste moins, que l'elocution. C'est pourquoy i'auoy fait voeu à mes plus sainctes Muses, de ne mettre jamais la main à traduction ou paraphrase quelconque. Mais, que ne pourroit sur moy, je ne dis pas la grandeur, ains l'admirable esprit du Roy d'Escosse? La grave douceur, la bell & artificieuse liaison, les vives & parlantes descriptions de sa Lepanthe m'ont tellement rauy, que j'ay este contraint de fausser mon serment. accept donques, ie te pry, ceste plant que l'Apollon de nostre temps a semé de sa propre main, & les Graces ont arrousé du nectar plus diuin qui coule de leur bouche. Et bien que pour estre transportée en autre solage, elle ait perdu ses plus belles fleurs: toutesfois son estoc, ses branches, & la plus part de ses fueilles luy sont demeurées. Le peintre peut bien exprimer & le pourfil, & les couleurs d'un beau visage: mais non l'air, le geste, & moins encor la parolle. Que si mesme quand au sens tu trowes que cest extraict ne respond point entierement à son original, propose toy que cest ouurage ne faisoit que sortir encores tout bluetāt de la forge royal, quand je luy donnay la façon françoise: & que depuis sa Majesté l'a rebattu, & relimé, & breffait tel, qu'il semble estre sorti de la boutique d'Homere.   

PREFACE DV TRADUCTEUR A LAUTHEUR.  

JAQVES, si tu marchois d un pied mortel ça bas,  
Hardy i'entreprendroy de tallonner tes pas:  
I'estendroy tous mes nerfs, & ma course sacrée  
Loing, loing lairroit à dos les aisles de Borée.  
Mais puis qu Aigle noweau tu te guindes és cieux,  
Collé bas, ie te suy seulement de mes yeux:  
Mais plustost du desir: ou, si ie me remuë,  
Ombre ie vole en terre, & toy dedans la nuë.   

He! fusse-ie urayment, o Phoenix Escossois,  
Ou lombre de ton corpse, ou l'Echo de ta voix.  
Si ie n'auoy l'azur, l'or, & l'argent encore  
Don't ton plumage astré brillantement s'honnore,  
Au moins i'auroy ta form: & simon rude vers  
N'exprimoit la douceur de tant d'accords divers,  
Il retiendroit quelque air de tes voix plus qu'humaines,  
Mais, Pies, taisez vous pour ouyr les Camoenes.    

LA LEPANTHE DE IAQVES VI. ROY D'ESCOSSE, FAICTE Françoise par le Sr Du BARTAS.  

IE chante du grand Dieu la justice & bonté,  
un exploit de ses mains non encore chanté:  
un combat hazardeux, une dure iournée:  
je descry dans ces vers la bataille donnée  
Sur le flot LEPANTHOIS, qui se vid arrousé  
Et du sang Circoncis, & du sang baptizé.   

VIEN, vien donques, Seigneur, ô Maiesté divine,  
Tout-puissante, immortelle, une en trois, en un trine,  
O Pere de ce Tout, ie te pry trois fois,  
Par ton vnique Fils, ton immortelle voix,  
Le bras de ton vouloir, l'Ange du tesmoignage,  
Que ton Esprit sacré sur l'or de ceste page  
Face couler un vers, en graces si parfaict,  
Qu'il pass merùeilleux les merueilles du faict.   

Le trois-fois Saint ayant pour throne le haut Pole,  
Les Anges pour archers, à son flanc sa Parole,  
L'Eternel vid un iour, (l'erre car devant DIEV  
Le Temps enfant du Ciel, ne peut point avoir lieu.  
Le temps desia passé, qui passera, qui pass,  
Tousiours confus ne sont qu'un temps devant sa face.  
Mais quoy? l'homme mortel pour parler clairement  
Aux hommes, est contraint parler humainement:  
La chair n'attaint au ciel, & les langues mortelles  
Beguayent en parlant des choses eternelles.)  
Il vid, di-ie, au milieu de la troupe celeste  
L'ennemi de son nom, & des hommes la pest:  
Le Saint vid a ses pieds le premier imposteur,  
De crimes forgeron, seme-yuraye, menteur,  
Auquel Christ parle ainsi: Monstre plain d'impudence,  
Tu viens (le sçay-ie pas?) de l'antique Byzance  
Pour remplir boute-feu, d'ire & forcenement,  
Du Turc porte-turban le fire entendement  
Contre ceux qu'à mon nom l'humble genouil flechissent.  
PERE permettras-tu que ces chiens les pestrissent  
Sous leurs profanes pieds? que ceux qui sont sans foy  
Triomphent des humains qui t'adorent en moy  
D'une foy vive armez? qu'en despit de ton ire  
Ils soient executeurs de tout ce qu'il conspire?   

Quelle foy? dit Satan: ne sçay-tu pas qu'ils font,  
Impudens, à qui mieux couronnera son front  
Du laurier de revolt? a tu pas exposée  
Et la gent Muzulmane, & la gent baptizée  
Entre mes rouges mains, a fin que leur supplice  
respond à leur forfeit, respond à ma malice?   

Adonques l' Eternel qui du seul croulement,  
De son chef rayonneus meutiusqu' au fondement  
Les montagneux rochers, fait chancellor le Pole,  
Bouleuerse l'Enfer: ce DIEV dont la Parole  
D'un rien fit de ce Tout l'ouurage si parfait,  
Et le maintient encore en l'estat qu'il l'afait,  
Prononça, non des motz, ains des bruyants tonnerres:   

Dragon crache-venin, ruzé fufil des guerres,  
villain, lasche la prise, espargne les Chrestiens,  
Et n'ose, ô Tentateur, t'attaquer plus aux miens.  
Tout Chrestien sert mon Fils, & bien qu'en mainte sort,  
Il demente aveuglé le sacré nom qu'il port,  
Qu'il err en plusieurs points: si veux-ie toutes-fois  
Que le nom de mon Christ luy serve de pauois:  
Tant ce doux nom m'est sainct: tant ie veux qu'on honnore  
Ce beau nom que l'Enfer, le Ciel, la Terre adore.  
Affronteur cesse donc. Mais toy Force de DIEV  
Qui de zele empenné discours de am en am,  
come mon ambassade, ô loing-volant Archange  
GABRIEL, l'un des chefs de l'astreuse phalange,  
Va t'en viste à Venice, & grave dans le coeur  
De leur grave Senat une guerriere ardeur,  
De venger tant de torts que les dextres cruelles  
Des rasez Muzulmans ont fait à mes fideles.   

Il court tost, & plustost qu'un vent roule caillous  
Ne haste entre deux monts son murmurant courrous.  
Sa pensée luy sert d' une vistesse extreme,  
Car il n'est à peu pres que pensée luy-mesme.   

La trafiqueuse mer de tous costez enferme  
Ceste ville, qui n'est Isle, ny terre ferme,  
Ville, qui flotte en l'eau, ville sans fondement,  
Qu'une forest plantée en l'onde artistement  
A grands coups de belier support, & port aux nuës,  
Grand'ville qui n'a point moins de mers, que de ruës.  
Montésur une tour à cent bouches d'airain,  
Tu vois une mer seche, un champ fait à la main,  
un abbregé du monde, une isle rich & grand,  
Ou preside un seul Duc, ou le Senat command.  
Saint MARC est leur Patron: & leur espouse encor  
La marchande Thetis, que d'une bague d'or,  
Ils estrenent chasqu' an. Le messenger celeste  
Arriué là dedans prend la form, & le geste  
D'vn bourgeois ia chenu: se promeine, & trouuant  
un sage citadin, met ces motz en avant.   

Helas! que faisons nous? sommes nous lethargiques?  
Nous sommes oppressez, par ces cruels Ethniques,  
Et ne le sentons point? noz forts sont mis à bas,  
Noz guerriers esgorgez, & ne le voyons pas?  
Allons, que tardez vous? chargeons ceste racaille,  
Vuidons noz vieux debats par un iour de bataille.  
DIEV secourt les hardis Cela dit, ils enfuit.  
Ce propos courageus de bouche en bouche suit  
Tous le coins de la ville: Il paruient à l'oreille  
De l'auguste Senat: qui soudain se reveille  
De son profond sommeil: l'approuue, & sage faict  
Ce qu'il doit, ce qu'il peut pour le mettre en effect.   

Ce peuple estoit tenu par les lunez gendarmes  
De si court qu'ilz n'auoient que les seuls voeus pourarmes:  
La Cypre estoit ia prise, & le bord mugissant  
D'Adrie, estoit le bord de son sceptre impuissant.  
Il supply l'Eglise esparse par la terre,  
Qu'en priant elle arrache au Seigneur le tonnerre  
Qui gronde sur son chef: La ville engemissant,  
Importune sans fin le trois-fois-Tout-puissant:  
Tous les iours elle ieusne: elle joint ses mains sainctes:  
On ne voit rien que pleurs: on n'entend rien que plaintes.  
Les hommes plus guerriers sont mandez au cercueil  
Frappez tant seulement du fer mousse du dueil:  
La femme donne laict de tristesse se pasme:  
L'enfançon qui le void de ducil rend presque lame.  
La plus gay ieunesse a d'vn noir vestement,  
Affublé tout son corps: le plus rich ornement  
De l'azur estoillé, le clair cierge du monde,  
Plustost qu'il ne souloit se replonge en son onde  
D'vn front rebarbatif, affreux, & renfrongné:  
La blaffarde Misere a tout d'vn coup donné  
La chasse à Cupidon. Dans leurs maisons dorées  
Flottent les tiedes pleurs: autour, les mers irées.  
Les eaux bruyent autour: dedans, les hurlements:  
Leur cri des-esperé perçant les Elements  
Monte iusques au Ciel. MVSE, turn en arriere  
Et, sage, remetz toy sur ta rout premiere.  
Crains-tu pas que les pleurs sur mon papier coulants,  
Effaçent les noirs traitz de mes discours sanglants?   

TELLE estoit la Cité, quand l'empenné message  
De son peuple marin r'allume le courage.  
Noz Roys, sollicitez par elle tous les iours,  
Vont en fin accordant le demandé secours.  
La saincte ligue est faicte: & sur la verte rive  
Du fort MESSENIEN tout l'ost Chrestien arrive.   

Là, come General DON-IEAN l' Austrichien  
Luit ainsi qu'vn Soleil: l'honneur Venitien  
VENIER s'y trouue aussi: le Genevois DORIE,  
Et COLOMNE pilier du pilier d'Hesperie,  
De la ville à sept monts. Or plusieurs iours s'estant  
Entre ces braves chefs passez en consultant,  
ASCAIGNE de la corn, homme prudent & brave  
advance ce discours non moins facond que grave:   

SEIGNEVRS, on ne doit pas hazarder un estat  
Sur le rouët leger d'vn incertain combat  
Quand la guerre se fait dans les propres entrailles  
De nostre cher païs: quand des dures batailles  
Le bien-heureux succez n'apporte tant de fruit  
Auxvainqueurs, qu'aux vaincuz une grand'route nuit:  
Et beaucoup moins encor quand l'armée enemy  
Combatuë du Ciel, de faim, d'Epidemie  
Peu à peu se desbande: ou quand plus d'estendarts  
Marchent en l'ost hayneux, qu'aux nostres des soudarts.  
Lors certes il vaut mieux laisser cwer leurrage,  
Et caler voile un peu, que fair entier naufrage.   

O genereux Heros, puis que nous nefaisons  
Laguerre à Soliman sur l'huis de noz maisons,  
Que son ost ne se rompt: & que nostre exercite  
superb est composé de tant d'hommes d'eslite,  
Si fort, si bien muny: que pour estre vainqueur  
Sans doubt rien ne peut luy manquer que le coeur:  
Attaquons l'ennemi, iectants sus lapuissance  
Du DIEV donne-lauriers l'ancre de l'esperance.  
Bon droit vaut mieux que force. Il est uray que plustost  
Que nous venons aux mains, il faut policer l'ost,  
L'asseurer, l'exercer: de peur qu'à l'impourueuë  
Du Barbaresque arroy l'esblouissante veuë  
N'esbranle les plus fiers: que les commandements  
divers n'aillent troublant noz croisez regiments:  
Et le soldat couché freschement sur le rolle  
N'vsurpe de son chef l'office & la parolle.   

Il finit: & soudain par un murmur doux  
Son genereux conseilest approwé de tous.  
Ilz s'en vont satisfaicts: & dans les creux nauires  
R'emportent eschauffez des genereuses ires.   

Ce camp, par qui iadis ILIUM fut razé,  
En armes & valeur cedoit au baptizé.  
Là, l'Espaigne rostie, areneuse, infertile,  
De ses filz basanez en faict venir huict mile:  
Superbes, bien reglez, de leur honneur ialoux,  
Froids au cōmencemēt, mais chauds aux meilleurs coups.  
L'Italie, tetin, & verger de la terre  
Y fait couler la fleur de ses hommes de guerre:  
Douze mill soldatz vindicatifz, gentilz,  
A bien fair, à mal fair, esgalement subtilz.  
Puis on void sur le dos de l'ondeuse campaign  
Venir des vagues champs de la froide Allemaigne  
De guerriers fourmilliere, & boutique de MARS,  
Trois mill champions, venaux, mais bons soudarts.  
Là se trouuent aussi trois mill volontaires  
Bouïllants d'vn zele sainct: deux cents & huict galeres,  
Vingt & cinq naus de charge, avec six grands vaisseaux,  
Qui semblent des Palais, non des nefz sur les eaux.  
Et deus fois vingt encor fustes, fregates, barks  
Portent le camp sacré des fidelles Monarques.   

CE peuple vagabond, ceste ville de bois  
Commence à desmarer le septiesme du mois  
Qui nage tout en moust. D'vn alaigre courage  
Les nochers vont grimpant de cordage en cordage:  
Hissant, haussant les draps: & donnent, rois des eaux,  
Par force & par engin des aisles aux vaisseaux.  
Seuls les forçats mi nuds d'vne rame ferrée  
Rompent à contre coeur l'eschine de Nerée:  
Mais le Comite fire en front, en mine, en voix  
Les menace tous-iour, & les bat maintes-fois.  
Ia d'auirons bruyans une forest esmuë  
Par un nombreux accord le Sel baveux remuë:  
l'artillery orage: & les soldats dispos  
D'une gresle de plomb font empouler les flots.   

SATAN, qui hait malin toute saint enterprise,  
Le noir feu du discord dans l'ost Chrestien attise.  
Le General l'esteint de l'eau de son bon sens:  
Et faict, bien advisé, que les chefz plus puissans  
Ne regardent qu'à DIEV: & d'vn coeur heroic  
A l'interest priué preferent le public.   

LE RENOM loing volant (quisus les hautes tours  
D'vne langue d'airain caquetant tous les iours,  
Dict le uray, dict le faux:) haste ses peintes aisles,  
Et des apprestz Chrestiens port au Turc les nowelles.  
L'espion desguisé, legier, ingenieux:  
Dont le corps est couuert, & d'oreilles & d'yeux  
Se fourre bien par tout: mais soniect semesconte  
Et fait que l'ennemi, desdaigneus, ne tient conte  
De l'exercite sainct: vice qui souuent perd  
Maint captain en chef plus hazardeux qu'expert.  
La f●otte de SELIM au-gré des vents errant  
Moville l'ancre à la fin augoulphe de Lepanthe.   

Le tanné moissonneur avoit desia tondu  
CERES aux cheueuxd'or: BACCHUS auoit perdu  
Et son pampre & ses fruits: les branches verdissantes  
Ne craquent sous le faiz des pommes rougissantes:  
Le bois des premiers froids paslement estonné  
Laisse tomber son poil sur le gazon fené:  
Et ia le laboureur du soc de sa charruë  
Pour y semer du blé le pourri champ remuë,  
Quand lapproche se faict Lors VENIER le ruzé,  
VENIER second ulysse ayant l'ost abusé  
Par une fausse alarm, & seméles nowelles  
De la blesme terreur des soldatz infideles:  
Qu'on ny void que discord, fuite, temerité:  
Et que cinq-fois dix naus ont leur camp ia quitté,  
Faict que noz champions d'vn plus constant courage  
Mesprisent des Payens, & le nombre & la rage.   

Tandis le Sainct ouurier de ce rond bastiment,  
Qui void tout, qui sur tout command absolument,  
Assis au am plus haut de la voute empyrée  
Void slanquer les piliers de sa chair dorée  
De justice & d' AMOVR. L'vn a le front riant,  
Et l'autre rensrongné: l'vn vapour nous priant,  
Et l'autre contre nous: l'vn à Pitié le pousse,  
L'autre fait que vengeur L' ETERNEL se courrouce,  
Qu'il desploye ses fleaux, & rempli●se les chams  
De hurlemens affreux, les toictz de cris trenchans.  
Mais le DIEV tousiour-vn si dextrement accord  
Et la LOY porte-glaiue, & la MISERICORDE:  
Qu'encor que la premiere obtienne rarement,  
De ses brevetz sanglants le just appointment:  
Et que l'autre tousiours parvienne à ses attentes:  
Elles sont toutes-fois esgualement contents.   

Puis L' ETERNEL prenant la balance en ses mains,  
Et par grace y peasant les pechez des humains,  
Des cruelz Sarrasins void trebucher les fautes:  
Et celles des Chrestiens demeurer tousiours hautes.  
Lors ilfronça son front dont la Terre trembla,  
Pluton fremit de peur, & la Mer se troubla  
Bruyantement haveuse Aussi tost quel' Aurore  
Peinte d'or, de safran, de vermeillon encore,  
A bani la nuict sombre: & qu'en tire-lirant  
L'allouëtte a donné d'un bec doux-souspirant  
Vngay bon-iour au iour: que Phoebé change-face  
Dans le parc de Thetis ses moreaus vistes chasse:  
Que Phoebus dissipe-ombre a d'un feu tremblotant  
Frappé l'acier fourbi du casquet esclatant:  
JEAN d' AUSTRE va plantant sur la hunc venteuse  
De MARS fauche-soudars l'enseigne furieuse.   

Ainsi que les ouuriers diligemment subtils,  
Sur la point du iour preparent leurs outilz:  
Son feu tousiour vivant là le vitrier attise:  
L'artiste menuisier là ses rabotz aiguise:  
Le serrurier sa lime: & là le bon maçon,  
Au rebel porphyr oser donner façon.  
Là ses vives couleurs l'aigu peintre meslange:  
Et là ses plombs parlants le prompt Imprimeur range:  
Ce monde de soldats ne void si tost flotter  
Le signal du combat, qu'il s'en court apprester  
Ses instruments guerriers: & gaillard boult d'enuie  
Ou de gaigner la palm, ou de perdre la vie.  
Le brave chevalier son glaiue raieunit,  
Ses armes l'armeurier: Le soldat se munit  
Et de cord & de plomb: & l'artilleur ia couch  
Des Canons brise-nefz la ruineuse bouche:  
L'Archer band son arc: & les nochers criars,  
A leur oewre attentifs courent de toutes parts.  
Tous, tous sont occupez, ainsi que les auettes,  
Qui peintes voletant sur l'esmail des fleurettes  
Suççottent là dessus l'alme sueur du ciel,  
Qu'en leurs troux doux-bruyans elles changent en miel.  
On ne void rien parmi les troupes marinieres  
Que drapeaux bou-boufans, gonfanons, & bannieres,  
Ou zephyrese iouë, orgueilleux de mesler  
Son aisle enfante-fleurs, doux esuantail de l'air,  
Parmi tant de couleurs, armoiries, deuises.   

JEAN d' AUSTRE cependant, oisif tu ne mesprises  
L'ordre de la bataille: & ton entendement  
N'est pas moins travaillé de ce chaud pensement,  
Que le rest du camp a ses mains occupées  
Aux cords, traitz, canons, bales, armes, espées.  
Tu menes la bataille, & fais que le Romain  
A main droite combat, VENIER à lautre main.   

CE chef rodant autour de la floite fidelle  
Par nom & par surnom les plus vaillants appelle:  
De leur deuot dessein propose l'equité,  
Le butin de Turquie, & limmortalité.  
Dict que l'honneur diuin gist come en leur courage:  
Que leur seule valeur peut d'vn cruel servage  
Affranchir leurs germans: mais en tournant le front,  
Ils trahissent leur gloire: & miserables font  
Que le peuple qui sainct la Foy de Christ embrasse  
Gemira dans les ceps de l' OTTHO MANE race.   

De ce noble orateur l'auguste royauté  
Le front fierement beau, le port, la gravité  
Dore tant de ses mots la coulante merueille:  
Que tout le camp raui par l'oeil, & par l'oreille  
Dict Victoire, victoire, ô victoire: & le flot,  
D'vn language bruyant redit trois-fois ce mot.  
I e t'accepte, ô mot sainct (cry le Prince sage)  
Mot sacré, ie te pren pour un heureux presage.   

LE Turc range de mesme en bataille ses osts,  
PORTAV command en terre, ALY dessus les flots.  
fire il conduit le gros des troupes infidels,  
OCHIAL & MEEMET gouuernent les deux aisles.   

Lors ALY le BASCHA soigneux va visitant  
D'vn visage asseuré l'exercite flottant:  
Et practiquant guerrier, une masle eloquence,  
Ilraconte comment la Turquesque vaillance  
A tousiour triomphé du peuple port croix:  
Qu'eux mesmes ont vaincu ia desia tant de fois  
Ces chefs qui leur font teste: & la longue durée  
Des sceptres d' OTTHOMAN race en terre adorée.  
He! voulez vous (dit il) rompuz, desfaicts, chassez,  
Dementir le renom de voz gestes passez?  
fair cent-fois vainqueurs à voz vaincuz hommage?  
Et du terroir Chrestien mespriser le pillage?  
Mais perdant, vous serez accablez de gros fers:  
Et gehenez nuict & iour seruirez à voz serfz:  
Voz heurs deviendront pleurs: & ceste renommée  
Qui pousse au Ciel voz faitz ira toute en fumée.  
Courage donc Soldats: MAHOM sera pour nous,  
Et de noz fers trenchants guidera tous les coups.  
Que s'il fault avoir peur, ayez peur que la crainte  
Du burin de Nature en leur poictrine empreinte  
Ne leur donne plustost que de venir aux mains,  
Et la iambe des cerfz & laislé pied des dains.   

Le son enflambe-coeurs de ces motz heroiques  
Est suiui quand & quand d'vn branslement de piques,  
Du tin tin des estocs, & d'vne voix qui sort  
De tout l'ost sans ardeur, sans force, sans accord.  
Les rayons clair-luisans de la torch du monde  
Donnant dessus l'acier font berluer sous l'onde  
Les troupeaux escaillez. Le Soleil radieux  
Frappe les Sainctz à dos, & le Turc sur les yeux.  
Et les vents vagabonds qui devant la meslée  
Des Byzantins cruels chocquoient la pouppe aislée,  
Si tost qu'on vint aux coups (ô miracle!) donna  
Sur leur visage fire. Le Turc s'en estonna  
Et le Chrestien le prit pour augure fidelle,  
Que le DIEV des combatz defendroit sa querelle.   

Si tost que le gosier bruyantement fumeux,  
Des longs canons troubla l'Ocean escumeux:  
Que fire iladiourna BELLONA au grand courage:  
Et MARS le furieux, sanglant, aime-carnage:  
Que de l'airain plié le son haut-resonnant  
Eut embrazé les coeurs d'vn desir bouillonnant  
De renom eternel. Powret, que veux-tu dire?  
Veux-tu d'vn dign vers ces durs assautz descrire?  
Ozes-tu peindre au vif DIEV tout tel qu'il estoit  
Quand son bras tempesteux pour ses filz combattoit?  
L'oculaire tesmoin n'y pourroit point suffire:  
Et toy qui n'en sçais rien que par un ouir-dire  
En viendras bien à bout? mais ie l'ay proiecté,  
je l'ay desia promis, le sort en est iecté,  
Croyant que le lecteur visera, favourable,  
Moins à mes rudes vers, qu'àmon desir louable.  
Que come ceux qui vont tous les iours au soleil  
Sont teincts des rais ardents qui partent de son oeil:  
Mes propos retiendront quelque couleur naïfue  
Du MARS qu'ils veulent peindre: & que la source vive  
D'eloquence & sçuoir, le grand DIEV, dont ie veux  
La gloire icy chanter, accomplira mes voeus.   

Le sign estant donné, la bataille commence,  
Les six plus grandes nefz vers la teste on advance:  
On afuste, on prent mire, on tire des canons,  
D'ou sortent des cailloux, bouletz, ramez, chainons,  
Qui donnent dans les Turcs: & sous les eaux pourprées  
Enterrent à lopins leurs bands demembrées.   

Le peuple sans poulmon és abysmes s'enfuit  
Tout d'vn coup, estonné d'vn tant horrible bruit:  
Le cielest affeublé de cent nuës fumeuses:  
On oit bruire àl'entour cent bouches salpetreuses,  
Et leur ton ton-tonant err: & prompt, 
I'ay voulu icy imiter l'Onomatopoee de l'autheur.  rompt le rond  
Du plancher estoillé. Les hurlements que font  
Tant & tant de blessez qui par cent mill portes  
Font leurs ames sortir despiteusement fortes,  
Conioincts aux premiers bruitz, chamaillis, tremblemēts,  
Troublent tout en un couples craintifz elements.  
Mais non les chefs des Turcs, qui vont pleins de courage  
C'est orage chasser par un contrair orage:  
Et leurs bouletz ardents abattent tant de corps,  
Que le nombre est esgal des viuans & des morts.  
Les Turcs sont repayez en la mesme monnoye:  
Nostre canon les bat, les brise, les foudroye.  
Rompuz qui çà qui là tombent dedans les flots:  
Leur esprit dedaigneux sort avec les sanglots,  
traverse en blasphemant la riuiere infernale,  
Et visited'Enfer la nuict sombrement pale.  
Du passager CHARON le gemissant bateau  
De trop d'ombres chargé s'enfondre dedans l'eau.  
Tandis qu'un pere ardent apres le fire carnage  
Et de geste, & de voix, donne à son filz courage,  
un boulet empenné d'une ardente vapeur  
Donne au pere la mort, donne à l'enfant la peur.  
Tandis que de la main, tandis que de la bouche  
un chef command aux siens, un volant plomb luy bouche  
Les conduits du language, & roidit, inhumain,  
Les nerfz iadis si forts de sa parlante main.  
Tandis qu'vn escadron emplotoné se serre,  
Le murmurant effort d'vn ensoulfré tonnerre,  
Fatal, n'en choisit qu'vn, effleurant le chapeau  
Du voisin, doz de l'autre, & d'vn autre la peau.  
Cest effroiable son, faict que des Capitaines  
Bien qu'ilz orient fort haut, les parolles sont vaines.  
Chascun mene les mains selon qu'il est poussé  
Ou de l'obiect present, ou d un MARS insensé.  
Il est chef & soldat: & ses mains exercées,  
Font proufit seulement des batailles passées.   

S'estant donc saluez sur les champs ondoyants,  
Par des ambassadeurs mortellement bruyants  
On parle de plus pres: l'vn & l'autre ost approach:  
La nef choque la nef, la nef la nef accroche:  
Tout bras, tout glaiue aigu, tout dard est employé:  
Celuy qui fuit les coups, est dans la mer noyé.   

Icy le chevalier trench net une teste,  
Et là quand un guerrier magnanime s'appreste  
A creuer d'vn espieu le coeur d'vn fire soudart,  
un tiers d'vn bois tremblant l'outre de part en part.   

Tousiour le canon ton, & l'harquebuse pette:  
jamais du fer creusé la foudreuse tempest  
Ne les menace en vain: chaque plomb a son blanc:  
Et s'il ne tuë point, il verse aumoins du sang.   

Le forçaire au doux son du sainct mot de franchise  
une guerriere ardeur dans sa poitrine attise:  
Et s'armant de crochetz, debars, d'auirons,  
Blesse, assomme tous ceux qu'il trouue aux enuirons.   

Cependant qu'vn Chrestien prive ce Turc de vie,  
La vie du Chrestien est par un Turc rauie.  
Lors que d'vn traict Turquois un sainct bras est attaint,  
Le bras decoche traict est percé d'vn bois sainct.  
Et sur le mesme poinct que d'une forte bale  
L'artilleur mussulman pousse en l'onde infernale  
un baptizé soldat, l'harquebusier croisé  
Tuë le canonier, qui mire peu ruzé  
Le beau coup qu'il a faict: & donne trop grand prise  
A cil qui seulement contre sa teste vise.   

Des fresnes aiguisez le dru tremoussement,  
Le chamaillis du fer, des traicts le frissement,  
Des blessés languissants l'effroiable language,  
L'entrechoc des vaisseaux, & des canons l'orage,  
Meslés s'en vont si haut sur les eaux resonnant,  
Qu'on ne peut mesme ovir le bruit du ciel tonnant.  
La mer n'estrien que sang: & la race escaillée  
S'enyure du poison de son onde sovillée:  
Et semble qu'à ce coup de L' Amramide sainct,  
Le deuorant baston eut tout ce goulphe teint.   

Leur valeur rend long temps douteuse la meslée:  
Mesme ost & gaigne & perd. Et la fortune aislée  
Void chasque bataillon de picques herissé  
Or d'vn riant visage, or d'vn oeil courroucé.   

MARS trouue le iour court pour practiquer sa rage:  
Le massacre croissant, fait croistre le courage:  
Plus le nombre descroit, plus descroit la pitié:  
La part des amis cause une inimitié,  
Qui rend chasque soldat durant ce triste esclandre  
Fort à donner les coups, insensible à les prendre.   

Quand ie pense combien de Chrestiens sont tombez  
Sous l'homicide fil des coutelas courbez  
Du peuple Byzantin, d'horreur mon poil se dress,  
Ma plume ne peut peindre une telle tristesse.  
O DIEV par ton esprit esclaire mes esprits:  
Et d'un saint peloton guide moy par les plis  
De ce Daedale obscur: courage, terre, terre:  
je descowre un bon port: je voy finir la guerre.  
ja l'oreille me corn, & dans les creuses naux  
Semble que i'oy desia mill chants triomphaux.   

L'Espagnol chevalier qui courageux desire  
Du Colonnel Payen attaquer la nauire,  
hurt, pass à travers flotz, prouës, esperons,  
Bales, pikes, espieux, dardz, flesches, auirons:  
Agraffe nef à nef, esprouue sa vaillance.  
Mais le sort n'est pas moins constant en inconstance,  
En ce duël priué, qu'és combatz generaux.  
On tire incessamment des chasteaux des deux naux.  
Les canons plus en coup qu'en murmur effroyables  
Rompent corps, iambes, bras, mastz, antennes & cables.  
On rend les traicts iectez: & du commencement  
L'entr'approche des chefs s'achepte cherement.   

A la fin toutes-fois la victoire commence  
Regarder d'vn bon aeil l'Espagnole vaillance.  
DON-IEAN accompagné des plus braves guerriers,  
Prodigue de son sang, entre des beaus premiers  
Dans le vaisseau vaincu du BASCHA, qui colere  
Se despitant de veoir les croix dans sa galere,  
Rechasse les vainqueurs, & fait qui'ls laissent morts  
Sur son tillac sanglant pour gage plusieurs corps.  
Le Prince esperoné de despit & de honte,  
Et chez qui l'amour sainct de la gloire surmonte  
L'amour doux de la vie, encourage si bien  
Et d'exemple & de voix le bataillon Chrestien  
Que son craintif glaçon en un brasier s'allume,  
Et qu'il r'entre dedans plus fire que de coustume.   

Le Turc de tant de gents à la fin combattu  
Gaigne pour se sawer la prouë au bec-pointu.  
un soldat Grec l'attaque: & fait saulter par terre  
Son sacrilege chef d'vn coup de cimeterre.  
Le coup n'est sans guerdon: & le chef degoutant  
Est fiché sur le mast de son vaisseauflotant.   

Ce trophée estonna les Turcs de telle sort,  
Que la volante peur loing des coups les emporte.  
Mais ils sont tost apres par noz voiles r'attaints.  
Et sans qu'vn OCHIAL trompa noz longues mains  
Gaignant un seur Asyle avec Trent galeres,  
Ou maint Heros Malthois esprouuoit les miseres  
Du forçat qui battu battoit tousiour Neptun,  
SELIM n'en eust rien sçeu que par un bruit commun.   

La bataille gagnée au SEIGNEUR on rend graces:  
On suit barks, esquifs, houlques, galeres, nasses:  
On y trouue enferrez douze mill de ceux  
Que CHRIST le grand Pasteur dans son parc a rec eus.  
On haut-loue DON-IEAN uray foudre de la guerre,  
Dont le ciel a voulu fair monstre à la terre:  
Et puis la retiré, non sans cause ialoux  
Qu'vn astre si luisant flamboiast parminous.   

La Nuict respand adonc sur les choses mortelles  
Pour couuer le repos ses doux-pesantes aisles:  
Va tous les animaux de son miel enchantant:  
Et mene auecques soy Morphée linconstant.   

Venize est en suspens, & d'vne ame flottante  
Attend l'euenement de l'attaque sanglante.  
Elle se veut promettre, & n'ose toutes-fois  
(Tant le passé l'esmeut) la mort de l'ost Turquois.  
De ioye & de douleur sa poitrine est attainte:  
Elle esere le bien, & du mal elle a crainte.  
En fin du bon succez de ce cruel combat  
Le message certain paruient iusqu'au Senat:  
Du Senat, à la Ville. une ioye incroiable  
Saisit le coeur de tous. La troupe venerable  
Des Dames aux vieux ans, & des Vierges encor,  
Reprenant ses carquans, bagues, & chains d'or,  
Et se tournant en rond dans la place public  
Au branle de ses pieds marient ce Cantique.   

CHOEUR VENETIEN.  

CHante, ô peuple, ton DIEV: jeunes & vieux chantez,  
De voix & d'instruments celebrez ses bontez.  
De CHRIST le grand Sauueur chantez l'amour extreme,  
Saweur qui s'est monstré uray Sauueur à vous-mesme.  
Le laqs des ennemis nous tenoit enserrez,  
Les Turcs autour de nous avoient tendu leurs retz:  
DIEV nous a mis au large, & leur propre artifice,  
Miserable, a servi de fosse à leur malice.  
Chante, ô peuple, ton DIEV: jeunes & vieux chantez,  
Vieux & ieunes de DIEV celebrez les bontez.  
Qui du profane ioug de la gent Sarrasine  
N'aguere a deschargé vostre saigneuse eschine.  
Lavez tous voz pechez dans l'eau du repentir:  
Nets entrez dans son Temple: & faictes retentir  
Ceste rout des Turcs, victoire renommée  
Que nous tenons de luy, & non de nostre armée.  
Chrestiens, saisissez-vous de voz luths doux-sonnants,  
Prenez cistres, tabours, fifres haut-resonnants,  
Donnez aux orgues vent: embouchez voz trumpets:  
Animez violons, guiterres, espinettes:  
Chantez tous d'vn accord: jeunes & vieux chantez,  
Et de vostre Sauueur celebrez les bontez.   

DECE Cantique sainct la douce melody  
Rend & mon corps peasant, & mon ame engourdie.  
ja ma teste de fer s'encline doucement  
une, deux, & trois fois deuers mon sein d'aymant:  
La paupiere est du tout sur mon oeil abaissée,  
Et ma plume de plomb chet de ma main lassée.  
Et bref, mon corps vivant proprement ne vit pas:  
Caril est possedé du frere du Trespas.   

Lors le DIEV Sommeilleux, le viste, le peint Ange,  
Qui plus souuent de front, qu'vn vain Protée change,  
Morphée aux aisles d'or s'escoule lentement  
Par la port de corn en mon entendement.  
Chez soy l'ame si tost ne luy permit l'entrée  
Que de tous soings humains elle fut seque strée:  
Et qu'elle ouit ces vers doucement animez  
Par le charmeur gosier des couriers emplumez.    

CHOEUR DES ANGES.  

CHantons freres volants: chantons tous d'vn accord,  
Le los de l'Immortel, le los du DIEV tresfort.  
Anciens qui merchants sur les voutes plus hautes,  
Deux-fois-douze adorez l'Agneau efface-fautes,  
Lovez le auecques nous: & faictes que les cieux  
Ne resonent voutez, que son nom glorieux.   

SEUL il est, il sera, il fut tousiour en estre,  
Des estres la fontaine, & des estres le maistre:  
un en trois, trois en un, distinct, non divisé:  
Qui dans le rien d'vn rien ce Tout a composé,  
Et le tient en estat: ô Citadins porte-aisles,  
O vous vies sans corps, ô troupes immortelles  
Lovez le de ceste oewre: & si fair se peut,  
Lovez le encore plus de ce que doux il veut  
N'espandre seulement les ruisseaux de sa grace  
Sur celuy qui deuot son pur service embrasse:  
Ains sur celuy qui meu de telle quelle foy  
mill menuz fatras mesle parmisa loy.  
DIEV le monstre à ce coup. Mais quoy? ses urais fidelles  
Sentiront plus à plain ses faveurs eternelles.  
DIEV, DIEV sera leur bras. Carpuis qu'il est ainsi  
Que, clement, il poursuit d un paternel soucy  
Ceux qui, Pharisiens, s'enflent de leur justice,  
Que feroit-il à ceux qui confessent leur vice?  
A ceux de qui l'esprit par l'Esprit Saint dompté  
Ne veulent recourir qu'à sa saincte bonté?  
Puis qu'il aide à celuy dont le salut chancele,  
Et que doit esperer celuy quil Esprit séele  
Du cachet de salut? Puis qu'il p●rte faveur  
A celuy qui se feint Saweur dessus Saweur,  
Et s'adresse aux Dieux vains: ô qu'il sera propice  
A cil qui fait ses voeus au Soleil de justice!  
A l'Agneau sacré sainct, à qui seul le Seigneur  
A donné de tout temps l'estat de Moienneur!  
Chrestiens, s'il est ainsi que sa dextre combatte  
Pour celuy qui, bigot, adore un Dieu de paste:  
(Erreur par trop grossier) pourra il mespriser  
Ses urais adorateurs? pourra-il refuser  
Aide à cil qui zelé de son feu seul s'enflame,  
Et qui fait pour son nom bon marché de son ame?  
Puis qu'il cherit celuy qui port au front escrit,  
Trompé des faux docteurs, le séel de l'Antechrist:  
De la grand Putain, de qui les mains cruelles,  
Et par fer & par feu poursuiuent les fidelles:  
He! n'aimera-il pas cil qui pour son amour  
Est des cruels tyrants mal mené nuict & iour?  
Qui luy rend tesmoignage? & qui dessus sa face  
port eternellement la mark de sa grace?   

O SEIGNEUR fay cesser, fay cesser les travaux  
Qui torturent les Saincts: donne fin à leur maux:  
Et chasse, ô trois-fois Bon, l'ignorance profonde,  
Qui d'vn nuage espais affeuble tout lemonde.  
Et nous ses messengers d'astres clairs reuestus  
Celebrons sa bonté, gloire de ses vertus.  
Chantons tous d'vne voix, ô bands emplumées,  
Chantons, ô Sainct, ô Sainct, ô Sainct DIEV des armées.   

Leur chant prendicy fin. Icy prend fin le mien.  
O toy qui nes de faict moins que de nom Chrestien,  
Bon coeur, espere en DIEV, qui mesme fauorise  
Ceux qui n'ont seulement qu'vn vain titre d'Eglise.   

Que si de l'Antechrist le blasphemant courroux  
Plus felon que iamais conjure or contre nous:  
Sçache que DIEV cherit plus le corps que l'ombrage  
Chrestien, monstre à ce coup inuaincu ton courage,  
Et t'asseure que CHRIST fera de ton ennuy,  
Sortir proufit pour toy, sortir honneur pour luy.    
FIN.