Classic Poem

By Phill: Messinger.

Madame
Before I ow'd to you the name
Of Seruant, to your birth, your worth your fame
I was soe, and t'was fitt since all stand bound
To honour Vertue in meane persons found
Much more in you, that as borne great, are good
W ch is more then to come of noble blood
Or be A Hastings; it being too well knowne /
An Empresse cannot challenge as her owne
Her Grandsires glories; And too many staine
W th their bad Actions the noble straine
From whence they come, But as in you to be
A branch to add fresh honor to the tree
By vertue planted, and adorne it new
Is graunted vnto none or Very few
To speake you further would appeare in me
Presumption or a seruants flattery
But there may be a tyme when I shall dare
To tell the world and boldly what y u are
Nor sleight it Madame, since what some in me
Esteeme a blemish, is a guift as free
As their best fortunes, this tooke from the graue
Penelopies chastitie, and to it gaue
Still liuing Honors; this made Aiax strong
Vlisses wise: such power lies in a Song
W ch Phaebus smiles on w th can find noe Vrne
While the Sea his course, or starrs obserue their turne
Yet t'is not in the power of tinckling Rime
That takes rash iudgments and deceiue the tyme
W th Mountebanke showes a worke that shold indure
Must haue a Genius in it, strong, as pure
But you beginne to smile, as wondring why
I should write thus much to y u now since I
Haue heretofore been silent may y u please /
To know the cause it is noe new disease
Growne in my iudgment, nor am I of those
That thinke good wishes cannot thriue in prose
As well as Verse: but that this Newyeares day
All in their loues and duties, what they may
Present vnto you; though perhaps some burne
W th expectation of a glad returne
Of what they Venture for. But such I leaue
To their deceiptfull guifts giuen to deceiue
What I giue I am rich in, and can spare
Nor part for hope w th ought deserues my care
He that hath little and giues nought att all
To them that haue is truly liberall.