Classic Poem

XLI .

And as that monarch merits endlesse praise,
Who by his vertue doth a state acquire,
So all the world with scornfull eyes may gaze
On their degener'd stemmes which might aspire,
As having greater pow'r, their power to raise,
Yet of their race the ruine do conspire:
And for their wrong-spent life with shame do end,
" Kings chastis'd once, are not allow'd t' amend. "

XLII .

Those who reposing on their princely name,
Can never give themselves to care for ought,
But for their pleasures every thing would frame,
As all were made for them, and they for nought,
Once th' earth their bodies, men will spoyle their fame,
Though whilst they live, all for their ease be wrought:
And those conceits on which they do depend,
Do but betray their fortunes in the end.

XLIII .

This selfe-conceit doth so the iudgement choake,
That when with some ought well succeeds through it,
They on the same with great affection look,
And scorne th' advice of others to admit;
Thus did brave Charles the last Burgundian duke
Deare buy a battell purchas'd by his wit:
By which in him such confidence was bred,
That blinde presumption to confusion led.

XLIV .

O! sacred counsell, quint-essence of souls,
Strength of the common-wealth, which chaines the fates,
And every danger (ere it come) controuls,
The anker of great realmes, staffe of all states;
O! sure foundation which no tempest fouls,
On which are builded the most glorious seats!
If ought with those succeed who scorne thy care,
It comes by chance, and draws them in a snare.

XLV .

Thrice happy is that king, who hath the grace
To chuse a councell whereon to relye,
Which loves his person, and respects his place,
And (like to Aristides ) can cast by
All private grudge, and publike cares imbrace,
Whom no ambition nor base thoughts do tye:
And that they be not, to betray their seats,
The partiall pensioners of forreine states.

XLVI .

None should but those of that grave number boast,
Whose lives have long with many vertues shin'd;
As Rome respected the Patricians most,
Use nobles first, if to true worth inclin'd:
Yet so, that unto others seeme not lost
All hope to rise, for else (high hopes resign'd)
Industrious vertue in her course would tyre,
If not expecting honour for her hyre.

XLVII .

But such as those a prince should most eschue,
Who dignities do curiously affect;
A public charge, those who too much pursue,
Seeme to have some particular respect,
All should be godly, prudent, secret, true,
Of whom a king his councell should elect:
And he, whilst they advise of zeale and love,
Should not the number, but the best approve.

XLVII .

But such as those a prince should most eschue,
Who dignities do curiously affect;
A public charge, those who too much pursue,
Seeme to have some particular respect,
All should be godly, prudent, secret, true,
Of whom a king his councell should elect:
And he, whilst they advise of zeale and love,
Should not the number, but the best approve.

XLIX .

But what avails a senate in this sort,
Whose pow'r within the capitoll is pent?
A blast of breath which doth for nought import,
But mocks the world with a not act'd intent;
Those are the counsels which great states support,
Which, never are made knowne but by th' event:
Not those where wise men matters do propose,
And fooles thereafter as they please dispose.

L .

Nor is this all which ought to be desir'd,
In this assembly (since the kingdomes soule)
That with a knowledge more then rare inspir'd,
A Common-wealth, like Plato's , in a scroule
They can paint forth, but meanes are too acquir'd,
Disorders torrent freely to controule;
And arming with authority their lines,
To act with justice that which wit designes.

LI .

Great empresse of this universall frame,
The Atlas on whose shoulders states are stay'd,
Who sway'st the raynes which all the world do tame,
And mak'st men good by force, with red array'd:
Disorders enemy, virgin without blame,
Within whose ballance, good and bad are weigh'd.
O! soveraigne of all vertues, without thee
Nor peace, nor warre, can entertained be.

LI .

Great empresse of this universall frame,
The Atlas on whose shoulders states are stay'd,
Who sway'st the raynes which all the world do tame,
And mak'st men good by force, with red array'd:
Disorders enemy, virgin without blame,
Within whose ballance, good and bad are weigh'd.
O! soveraigne of all vertues, without thee
Nor peace, nor warre, can entertained be.

LIII .

O! not without great cause all th' ancients did
Paint magistrates plac'd to explane the laws,
Not having hands, so bribery to forbid,
Which them from doing right too oft with-draws;
And with a veile the iudges eyes were hid,
Who should not see the partie, but the cause:
Gods deputies, which his tribunall reare,
Should have a patent, not a partiall eare.

LIV .

Ane lack of justice hath huge evils begun,
Which by no meanes could be repair'd againe:
The famous syre of that most famous sonne,
From whom (while as he sleeping did remaine)
One did appeale, till that his sleep was done,
And whom a widow did discharge to raigne
Because he had not time plaints to attend,
Did lose his life for such a fault in th' end.

LV .

This justice is the vertue most divine,
Which like the King of kings shews kings inclin'd,
Whose sure foundations nought can under-mine,
If once within a constant breast confin'd:
For otherwise she cannot clearly shine,
While as the magistrate, oft changing minde,
Is oft too swift, and sometimes slow to strike,
As led by private ends, not still alike.

LVI .

Use mercie freely, justice, as constrain'd,
This must be done, although that be more deare,
And oft the forme may make the deed disdain'd,
Whilst justice tasts of tyranny too neare;
One may be justly, yet in rage arraign'd,
Whilst reason rul'd by passions doth appeare:
Once Socrates because o're-com'd with ire,
Did from correcting one (till calm'd) retyre.

LVII .

Those who want meanes their anger to asswage,
Do oft themselves, or others rob of breath;
Fierce Valentinian , surfetting in rage,
By bursting of a veyne did bleed to death;
And Theodosus , still but then, thought sage,
Caus'd murther thousands, whilst quite drunk with wrath,
Who to prevent the like opprobrious crime,
Made still suspend his edicts for a time.

LVII .

Those who want meanes their anger to asswage,
Do oft themselves, or others rob of breath;
Fierce Valentinian , surfetting in rage,
By bursting of a veyne did bleed to death;
And Theodosus , still but then, thought sage,
Caus'd murther thousands, whilst quite drunk with wrath,
Who to prevent the like opprobrious crime,
Made still suspend his edicts for a time.

LIX .

This lady that so long unarm'd hath stray'd,
Now holds the ballance, and doth draw the sword,
And never was more gloriously array'd,
Nor in short time did greater good afford;
The state which to confusion seem'd betray'd,
And could of nought but bloud, and wrongs, record,
Loe, freed from trouble, and intestine rage,
Doth boast yet to restore the golden age.

LX .

Thus doth thy father (generous prince) prepare,
A way for thee to gaine immortall fame,
And layes the grounds of greatnesse with such care,
That thou may'st build great works upon the same;
Then since thou art to have a field so faire,
Whereas thou once may'st eternize thy name,
Begin (whileas a greater light thine smothers)
And learne to rule thy selfe, ere thou rul'st others.