Classic Poem

When first mine Eyes beheld your Princely Name,
And found from whence this friendly Letter came;
As in excesse of Joy, I had forgot,
Whether I saw it, or I saw it not:
My panting Heart doth bid mine Eyes proceed,
My dazeled Eyes invite my Tongue to read;
Which wanting their direction, dully mist it:
My Lips, which should have spoke, were dumbe, and kist it,
And left the Paper in my trembling Hand,
When all my Senses did amazed stand;
Even as a Mother comming to her Child,
Which from her presence hath beene long exil'd,
With gentle Armes his tender Necke doth straine,
Now kissing it, now clipping it againe;
And yet excessive Joy deludes her so,
As still she doubts, if this be hers, or no.
At length awakened from this pleasing Dreame,
When Passion somewhat left to be extreme,
My longing Eyes with their faire Object meet,
Where ev'ry Letter's pleasing, each Word sweet.
 It was not Henries Conquests, nor his Court,
That had the power to win me by report;
Nor was his dreadfull Terror-striking Name,
The cause that I from Wales to England came;
For Christian Rhodes , and our Religions Truth,
To great Atchievement first had wonne my Youth:
This brave Adventure did my Valour prove,
Before I e'r knew what it was to love.
Nor came I hither by some poore event,
But by th' eternall Destinies consent;
Whose uncomprised Wisedome did fore-see,
That you in Marriage should be link'd to mee.
By our great M ERLIN was it not fore-told,
(Amongst his holy Prophesies enrol'd)
When first he did of T UDORS Name divine,
That Kings and Queenes should follow in our Line;
And that the Helme (the T UDORS ancient Crest)
Should with the golden Flower-de-luce be drest;
As that the Leeke (our Countries chiefe Renowne)
Should grow with Roses in the English Crowne.
As C HARLES his Daughter, you the Lilly weare,
As Henries Queene, the blushing Rose you beare;
By France's Conquest, and by Englands Oath,
You are the true made Dowager of both;
Both in your Crowne, both in your Cheeke together,
Joyne T ETHERS love to yours, and yours to T ETHER .
 Then cast no future Doubts, nor feare no Hate,
When it so long hath beene fore-told by Fate;
And by the all-disposing doome of Heav'n,
Before our Births, we to one Bed were giv'n.
No P ALLAS here, nor J UNO is at all,
When I to V ENUS yeeld the golden Ball;
Nor when the Grecians Wonder I enjoy,
None in revenge to kindle fire in Troy:
 And have not strange events divin'd to us,
That in our love we should be prosperous?
When in your presence I was call'd to dance,
In loftie Tricks whilst I my selfe advance,
And in a Turne, my footing fayl'd by hap,
Was't not my chance to light into your Lap?
Who would not judge it Fortunes greatest grace,
Sith he must fall, to fall in such a place?
 His Birth from Heav'n, your T UDOR not derives,
Nor stands on tip-toes in Superlatives,
Although the envious English doe devise
A thousand Jests of our Hyperbolies;
Nor doe I clayme that Plot by ancient Deeds,
Where P HOEBUS pastures his fire-breathing Steeds;
Nor doe I boast my God-made Grandsires Scarres,
Nor Gyants Trophies in the Titans Warres;
Nor faine my Birth (your Princely Eares to please)
By three Nights getting, as was H ERCULES ;
Nor doe I forge my long Descent to runne
From aged N EPTUNE , or the glorious Sunne:
And yet in Wales , with them that famous bee,
Our learned Bards doe sing my Pedigree;
And boast my Birth from great C ADWALLADER ,
From old Caer-Septon , in Mount Palador ;
And from E NEONS Line, the South-Wales King,
By T HEODOR , the T UDORS Name doe bring.
My Royall Mothers Princely Stocke began,
From her great Grandam, faire G WENELLIAN ;
By true descent from L EOLIN the Great,
As well from North-Wales , as faire Powslands Seat:
Though for our Princely Genealogie,
I doe not stand to make Apologie;
Yet who with Judgements true impartiall Eyes,
Shall looke from whence our Name at first did rise,
Shall finde, that Fortune is to us in debt;
And why not T UDOR , as P LANTAGINET ?
 Nor that terme Croggen , Nick-name of disgrace,
Us'd as a by-word now in ev'ry place,
Shall blot our Bloud, or wrong a Welshmans Name,
Which was at first begot with Englands shame.
Our valiant Swords our Right did still maintaine,
Against that cruell, proud, usurping Dane ,
Buckling besides in many dang'rous Fights,
With Norwayes, Swethens , and with Muscovites ;
And kept our Native Language now thus long,
And to this day yet never chang'd our Tongue:
When they which now our Nation faine would tame,
Subdu'd, have lost their Countrey, and their Name.
Nor ever could the Saxons Swords provoke
Our Britaine Necks to beare their servile Yoke:
Where Cambria's pleasant Countries bounded bee
With swelling Severne , and the holy Dee ;
And since great B RUTUS first arriv'd, have stood,
The onely remnant of the Trojan Blood.
To every Man is not allotted Chance,
To boast with H ENRY , to have conquer'd France:
Yet if my Fortunes be thus rays'd by thee,
This may presage a further good to me;
And our Saint D AVID , in the Britaines Right,
May joyne with G EORGE , the Sainted English Knight;
And old Caer-marden , M ERLINS famous Towne,
Not scorn'd by London , though of such renowne.
 Ah, would to God, that Houre my Hopes attend,
Were with my Wish brought to desired end!
Blame me not, Madame, though I thus desire,
Many there be, that after you inquire;
Till now your Beautie in Nights Bosome slept,
What Eye durst stirre, where awfull H ENRY kept?
Who durst attempt to sayle but neere the Bay,
Where that all-conqu'ring great A LCIDES lay?
Your Beautie now is set a Royall Prize,
And Kings repayre to cheapen Merchandize.
If you but walke to take the breathing Ayre,
O RITHIA makes me, that I B OREAS feare;
If to the Fire, J OVE once in Lightning came,
And faire E GINA makes me feare the flame;
If in the Sunne, then sad Suspition dreames
P HOEBUS should spread L UCOTHOE in his Beames;
If in a Fountaine you doe coole your Bloud,
N EPTUNE I feare, which once came in a Floud;
If with your Mayds, I dread A POLLO'S Rape,
Who cous'ned C HION in an old Wives shape;
If you doe banquet, B ACCHUS makes me dreed,
Who in a Grape E RIGONE did feed;
And if my selfe your Chamber-doore should keepe,
Yet feare I H ERMES , comming in a Sleepe.
Pardon (sweet Queene) if I offend in this,
In these Delayes, Love most impatient is;
And Youth wants pow'r his hot Spleene to suppresse,
When Hope alreadie banquets in Excesse.
 Though Henries Fame in me you shall not find,
Yet that which better shall content your mind;
But onely in the Title of a King
Was his advantage, in no other thing:
If in his love more pleasure you did take,
Never let Queene trust Britan , for my sake.
Yet judge me not from Modestie exempt,
That I another P HAETONS Charge attempt;
My Mind, that thus your Favours dare aspire,
Shewes, that 'tis touch'd with a celestiall fire;
If I doe fault, the more is Beauties blame,
When she her selfe is author of the same:
“All Men to some one qualitie incline,
Onely to Love is naturally mine.
 Thou art by Beautie famous, as by Birth,
Ordain'd by Heav'n to cheere the drouping Earth;
Adde faithfull Love unto your greater State,
And be alike in all things fortunate.
A King might promise more, I not deny,
But yet (by Heav'n) he lov'd not more then I.
And thus I leave, till time my Faith approve,
I cease to write, but never cease to love.