Classic Poem

PEMBROOKE .

Loe heere the labour which she did impose,
Whose influence did predominate my Muse :
The starre of wonder my desires first chose
To guide their trauels in the course I vse :
She, whose cleare brightnesse had the powre t'infuse
Strength to my thoughts, from whence these motions came,
Call'd vp my spirits from out their low repose,
To sing of State, and tragicke notes to frame.

I, who (contented with an humble song,)
Made musique to my selfe that pleasd me best,
And onely told of D ELIA , and her wrong,
And praisd her eyes, and plaind mine owne vnrest :
(A text from whence my Muse had not digrest)
Madam, had not thy well grac'd Antony ;
(Who all alone, hauing remained long,)
Requir'd his Cleopatras company.

Who if she here doe so appeare in Act,
That he can scarce discerne her for his Queene,
Finding how much she of her selfe hath lackt,
And miss'd that grace wherein she should be seene,
Her worth obscur'd, her spirit embased cleene ;
Yet lightning thou by thy sweete chearefulnes,
My darke defects, which from her powres detract,
He may her gesse by some resemblances.

And I hereafter in another kinde,
More suting to the nature of my vaine,
May peraduenture raise my humble minde
To other musique in this higher straine ;
Since I perceiue the world and thou dost daigne
To countenance my Song, and cherish me,
I must so worke Posteritie may finde,
My loue to verse, my gratitude to thee.

Now when so many Pennes (like Speares) are charg'd,
To chase away this tyrant of the North ;
Grosse Barbarisme , whose powre grown far inlarg'd
Was lately by thy valiant brothers worth
First found, encountred, and prouoked forth :
Whose onset made the rest audacious,
Whereby they likewise haue so well discharg'd
Vpon that hideous Beast incroching thus.

And now must I with that poore strength I haue,
Resist so foule a foe in what I may :
And arme against Obliuion and the Graue,
That else in darkenesse carries all away,
And makes of all an vniuerfall pray ;
So that if by my Penne procure I shall
But to defend me, and my name to saue,
Then though I die, I cannot yet die all ;

But still the better part of me will liue,
And in that part will liue thy reuerent name,
Although thy selfe dost farre more glory giue
Vnto thy selfe, then I can by the same
Who dost with thine owne hand a bulwark frame
Against these monsters, (enemies of honour)
Which euermore shall so defend thy Fame,
As Time, or they shall neuer prey vpon her.

Those Hymnes which thou dost consecrate to heauen,
Which Israels Singer to his God did frame :
Vnto thy voyce Eternitie hath giuen,
And makes thee deare to him from whence they came
In them must rest thy venerable name,
So long as Sions God remaineth honoured ;
And till confusion hath all zeale bereauen,
And murthered Faith, and Temples ruined.

By this (great Lady) thou must then be knowne,
When Wilton lies low leuell'd with the ground :
And this is that which thou maist call thine owne,
Which sacrilegious Time cannot confound ;
Heere thou suruiu'st thy selfe, heere thou art found
Of late succeeding ages, fresh in fame :
This monument cannot be ouerthrowne,
Where, in eternall Brasse remaines thy Name.

O that the Ocean did not bound our stile
Within these strict and narrow limites so :
But that the melodie of our sweete Ile,
Might now be heard to Tyber, Arne , and Po :
That they might know how far Thames doth out-go
The Musike of declined Italy :
And listning to our Songs another while,
Might learne of thee, their notes to purifie.

O why may not some after-comming hand
Vnlocke these limites, open our confines,
And breake asunder this imprisoning band,
T'inlarge our spirits, and publish our designes ;
Planting our Roses on the Apenines?
And teach to Rheyne , to Loyre , and Rhodanus .
Our accents, and the wonders of our Land,
That they might all admire and honour vs.

Whereby great Sydney and our Spencer might,
With those Po -singers being equalled,
Enchaunt the world with such a sweet delight,
That their eternall Songs (for euer read)
May shew what great Elizaes raigne hath bred.
What musicke in the kingdome of her peace
Hath now beene made to her, and by her might,
Whereby her glorious fame shall neuer cease.

But if that Fortune doth denie vs this,
Then Neptune , locke vp with the Ocean key
This treasure to our selues, and let them misse
Of so sweet riches : as vnworthy they
To tast the great delights that we inioy.
And let our harmony so pleasing growne,
Content our selues, whose errour euer is
Strange notes to like, and disesteeme our owne.

But, whither doe my vowes transport me now,
Without the compasse of my course enioynd?
Alas, what honour can a voyce so low
As this of mine, expect hereby to find?
But, (Madam,) this doth animate my mind,
That yet I shall be read among the rest,
And though I doe not to perfection grow,
Yet something shall I be, though not the best.