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This boast as earst not now for glory strives, But (man's last hope) we fight to save our lives.

"It seemes, that Fortune, curious of our fame,
For some great end hath brought us to those straits,
Where we, when victors, all the praise may claime,
And leave (if dead) the burden on the Fates;
The greatest deeds adorning any name,
Were done by men, when in most desp'rat states:
High resolution desp'rat valour brings,
Who hope for nothing, may contemne all things.

"My hands, and not my tongue, must make you stout, [leave; Which bloudy paths, where you may tread, shall If mix'd with theirs, what though our bloud gush out? Strive to revenge our death, not life to save, And let our falls presse downe their bands about, Which by our ruine, ruine may receive; So may they rue our losse, as too deare bought: Who live,still something, but the dead wailenought."

The trumpets' sound drown'd the last words in th'

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But when they once did swords in bloud imbrue,
The en'mies challeng'd, changing blows or breath,
All irritated then, more earnest grew,
The publike wrong enlarg'd by private wrath;
Who felt their wounds, and did, who gave them view,
They no revenge allow'd, till seal'd by death;
All (save their foes, no object else in sight,
Nor Heaven, nor Earth) seem'd in the ayre to fight.
Weake words in vaine would pow'rfull deeds forth
The trumpets' sounds my daring lines abate; [set:
All there concurr'd what generous thoughts could
whet,

Bright glory angling hearts with honour's baite;
Franke courage then with desp'rate furie met,
Pride with contempt, and with old wrongs new hate:
Then, Fame was spy'd attending with a pen,
To register the acts of worthie men.

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They others' bodies fiercely did pursue,
And theirs expos'd to all, as not theirs, loe,
Them from themselves a generous ardour drew,
What suffering carelesse, onely bent to do,
A way for foes enforc'd, armes, as untrue,
[too;
Seem'd (red with bloud) to blush, though wounded
Some swords, through armour, forc'd a passage quite;
Some beaten backe did burst, and breake for spite.

Though many brave men grac'd the Hebrew band,
Saul (as a sunne amidst lesse lights who shin'd)
First (as for state) for valour striv'd to stand,
Of body high, but yet more high in minde,
And (emirent) there where he did command,
Made friends, and foes, both cause to marke him,
Till his example strange effects did breed, [finde,
Which some would second, others would exceed.

Brave Ionathan, proud Ammon to abate,
When his fierce squadron was imbark'd in bloud,
A godly anger, and a holy hate,
(No ill effects come from a cause so good)
Of many lives did cleare the doubtfull date,
Which flow'd in th' ayre amidst a crimson flood:
And what his looks, or words, did most perswade,
His hands in action demonstration made.

Shafts severall roomes (by conquest) now did gaine,
Which were of late all in one lodging pent,
For quivers, quivering bodies, them containe;
The bow as barren then, the off-spring spent,
Whilst breaking strings(as sighing)seem'd to plaine,
And burst at last, in vaine loath to be bent,
Or as an abject tree to be throwne downe,
Which interest had in Ionathan's renowne

Though arrows first, made, by commission, warre, And what hands bragg'd, seem'd through the ayre to breathe,

Straight forward courage scorn'd to fight afarre,
By blows, at hazard, trafficking with death;
He with a tree more strong did squadrons marre;
The speare, a gyant, darts were dwarffs of wrath;
It, even when crush'd, a number did confound;
To venge the whole, each splinter gave a wound.
That which true worth most honour bath to use,
When this great Hebrew's hand to tosse began,
Which onely cuts, where other weapons bruise,
Of armes the glory, ornament of man;

A storme of stroaks in foes did feare infuse,
Which there wrought wonders, fame forever wanne:
His face seem'd clad with flames, th' eyes lightned so,
Starres to his owne, and comets to his foe.

Couragious Abner courted glorie's love,
No rash director, but to action swift,
That even his place pale envy did approve,
As his desert, and not his soveraigne's gift;
It seem'd a thousand hands his sword did move,
His minde so high a generous rage did lift:
At heart, or eye, which should the first arrive,
The lightning glance and thundring blow did strive,

Like Autumn's spoyls a publicke prey which fall,
When low stretch'd out lay Ammon's loftie brood,
It did their king amaze, but not appall,
Though in their wounds acknowledging his blood,
Yet he (whose strength was lessened in them all
A while relenting (as distracted) stood:

But when weake passions urg'd the us'd releefe, Rage in their fountaines dry'd the streames of griefe.

The foaming tyrant, swolne with high disdaine,
(What had cool'd some him further did enflame)
To bound at once, state, fortune, life, and raigne;
Not victory, no, vengeance was his ayme;
A glorious life not hoping more to gaine,
He thought by death to frustrate threatened shame,
But, of foes kill'd, would first a mount have made,
Where (as in triumph) he might lye, when dead.

I know not if more bent to give, or take,
That which (well weigh'd) is an indifferent thing,
The raging Pagan, thus his people spake,
"What poore life can not, liberall death doth bring,
And you (though subjects) may my equals make,
Loe, without treason you may match your king:
Crowne, throne, or scepter, fates no more allow,
And by the sword all may be soveraignes now."

As two great torrents striving for one way, Raise mounts of sands, raze heights, spoile tree, and town,

And (that th' one's name the other swallow may) What ever doth resist, beare thence, or drowne; So, of their fury what the course did stay, [downe, Saul's matchlesse sonne, and Ammon's lord beat Th'eyes earnest gave, whil'st they at distance stay'd, That, by their hands, the rest should straight be pay'd.

When Israel's gallant had beheld a space,
The fierce Barbarian opening up the throng,
He cry'd to ali aloud, "Give place, give place,
Let none usurpe what doth to me belong;
This man my life, and I his death must grace,
Who marre the match would but to both do wrong:
A vulgar band must not his end procure,
He stands too glorious to fall downe obscure."

Some drawn by feare, and some by reverence mov'd,
The distance twixt them vanish'd soone away;
Like rivali bulls which had one heifer lov'd,
And through the flocks with brandish'd hornes did
stray,

Whil'st th' one resolv'd, and th' other desp'rate prov'd,
Both with great fury did enforce their way,
Whose troups, enflam'd by hearing their high words,
Did in their action emulate their lords.

Those two transported did together rinne,
As if both boasts did onely in them fight,
They, with short processe, ground did lose and wine,
Vrg'd, shuan'd, forc'd, fayn'd, bow'd, rais'd, hand,
leg, left, right.

Advanc'd, retir'd, rebated, and gave in,
With reason fury, courage joyn'd with slight:
So earnest mindes and bended bodies press'd,
That then the blowes, the ayming more distress'd.

To sell his life the Ethnicke onely sought,
But valu'd it so much, though but in vaine,
That clouds of darts, and swords too few were thought
To force the fortresse where it did remaine,
So that, (by one to last extreames thus brought)
His fury was converted to disdaine;

Shame joyning with despaire, death did impose,
Ere more, then crowne or life, he liv'd to lose.

By blowes redoubled charging every way,
Whilst he but wish'd who did him kill, to kill,
Bloud leaving him, his danger did betray,
Which rage in vaine, would have dissembled still,
And th' other storm'd so long with one to stay,
Who might elsewhere fields with dead bod.es fill;
Just indignation all his strength did bend,
The heart conjuring hands to make an end.
The Hebrew us'd at once both strength and art;
Th' one hand did ward, a blow the other gave,
Which bit his head (the marke o: many a dart)
Whose batt red temples fearefull sense did leave;
The treacherous helmet tooke the strongest part,
And bruis'd those braines which it was set to save;
Yet dying striking, last he th' earth did wound,
Whose fall (as some great oakes) made it rebound.

His eyes againe began to gather light,
And Ionathan (when victor) to relent,
But straight just hate presented, as in sight,
His barbarous actions, and abborr'd intent;
How (vainely vaunting of a victor's right)
That all his thoughts to cruelty were bent:
Whose raging minde, on captives strangely strict,
Then bondage, spoyle, or death would more inflict.
"Thou tyrant, thou," said he, "who didst devise,
Else farre from fame, for ill to be renown'd,
Those halfe-blinde Hebrews whom thou did'st despise,
They vengeance urge, they, they, give thee this
wound;"

With that, by his right eye (who striv'd to rise)
The flaming sword amidst his braynes he drown'd:
Whose guilty ghost, where shadowes never end,
With indignation, grudging did descend.

As if Hell's furies had thy sprite inspir'd,
Prodigious creature, monster inhumane,
Loe, what have all thy cruelties acquir'd,
Which thus with interest time returnes againe,
But Hell, when hence, and here, whence now retir'd,
Yet with this comfort thou abandon'st breath,
That thy remembrance odious may remaine :
The hand of Ionathan adorn'd thy death.

As some fierce lyon, raging through the fields,
Doth hunt another, when another yeelds,
(Which of beasts kill'd contemnes the tasted bloud)
Yet, wanton, riots, as for sport not food;
So Iacob's gallant (breaching many shields)
Bent for more prey, with him no longer stood,
And till their chiefe his followers follow'd too,
Nought did seeme done, whil'st ought remain'd to do.

All Israel's squadrons, circling Ammon in,
Straight at his center threatning were to meet,
Which poynt (the last man kill'd) all march'd to
winne,

Where halfe dead bodies made a breathing street,
All striv'd to end, as lately to begin,
Whilst dust did dry what bloud and sweat made weet;
Mars courting courage, first shin'd bright about,
But then with horrour turn'd his inside out.

Saul as ov'r bodies then did raigne in hearts,
O how farre chang'd from what he first had been!
And by piaine valour, scorning usuall arts,
The emulous Abner eminent was seene;
These three, at first which charg'd from divers parts,
Seem'd foes oppos'd, their foes, as chanc'd, between

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Whom (from encountring, that them nought might
They but beat downe, to make a patent way. [stay)

When hopes on doubts no longer did depend,
Whilst Israel's colours victory did beare,
Some seem'd to grieve that warre so soone would end,
And striv'd in time what trophees they might reare;
Whilst flattring Glory, lofty thoughts to bend,
In gorgeous robes did whisper in each eare,
"What brave man now my beauties will embrace,
To breed (Fame's minions) an immortali race?"

When through the camp their soveraign's death was
known,

A sad confusion seaz'd on Ammon's brood,
Then lords of none, no, no, nor yet their owne,
As strangers stray'd, they all distracted stood,
And ere by foes, ev'n by themselves ore-thrown,
An ycie coldnes-e did congeale their bloud:
"None fully vanquish'd are till first they yeeld,
And, till first left, doe never lose the field."

Hopes (though once high) then faln down in their
No way was left for a secure retreat; [feet,
To flye was shamefull, yet to live was sweet,
And they themselves more lov'd, then foes did hate;
Them death(stilisterne) where ever turn'd, did meet:
Each sword's bright glance, seem'd summons from
their fate:

O how base feare doth make some sprights to faile,
Heart faint, hands weake, eyes, dimme, the face
grows pale.

Of broken bands the trouble was extreme,
Who felt ils worst, and yet imagin'd more:
Spoile, danger, bondage, feare, reproach,and shame,
Did still encroach beside, behinde, before;
And yet their hearts (if hearts they had) did dreame,
Those in one masse, and all confusion's store:
They, wishing death, although they fear'd to dye,
First from themselves, then from all else did flye.

The slaughter then all measure did surpasse;

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No, no, their breasts such fancies fond not bred,
As if themselves had their delivery wrought;
By piety not by ambition led,

Farre from vaine praise, they Israel's safety sought,
Charg'd by God's hand, they knew that Ammon fled,
And from his favour derogating nought,
Where tumid Gentiles would have bragg'd abroad,
Their glory was to glorifie their God.

Sweet freedome's treasure did enrich their eyes;
Whilst joyfull Jabesh opened up her ports,
Men, women, children, people of all sorts,
With voyces as distracted pierc'd the skyes;
O how each one of them the rest exhorts,
To sound his praise who pittied had their cryes!
And (as wrong founded) any joy was griefe,
Save for God's glory, more then their reliefe.

Wives forth with haste did to their husbands rinne,
Who told to them (describing dangers past)
"Hence Saule first charg'd, there Abner entred in,
Here we about them did a compasse cast;
There Ionathan with Nahas did beginne,
And kill'd him here, where, loe, he lyes at last:"
But forward kindenesse this discourse doth stay,
Th' one's lips must point that which another's say.

Troups call'd alow'd (mov'd by this battell much)
"Where are they now who ask'd if Saul should
raigne?

Let swords (yet smoking) purge the land of such,
Who from base envy bursted out disdaine;"
Yet them milde Saul would suffer none to touch,
But said, no cloud so cleare a day should staine:
And since the Lord all Israel had releev'd,
None should be kill'd for him, no, nor yet griev❜d.
Ere flames, yet hot, extinguish'd were againe,
The Lord's great prophet will'd them all to go
To Gilgall straight, there to confirme his raigne,
In that new state grown fearfull to each foe;
Where sacred offrings liberally were slaine,
The late delivery to acknowledge so: [minds,
As bloud from beasts, praise flow'd from gratefull
Each one himselfe for further service binds.

Whilst victors rag'd, bloud from each hand did raine; By sacrifice the kingdome's right renu'd,

The liquid rubies dropping downe the grasse,
With scarlet streames the fatall fields did staine;
Till they, with dust congeal'd (a horrid masse)
(By bodies stop'd) a marrish did remaine,
Through which who waded, wounded did appeare,
And loath'd that bloud which once was held so
deare.

They who when strong, their neighbours did deride,
And (then of ruine, dreaming nothing lesse)
Would warre with God, and in the height of pride
His chosen people labour to oppresse;
They now all kill'd, else scattered on each side,
Felt what they threatned, bondage and distresse:
"Thus oft they fall, who others doe pursue,
Men drinke the dregs of all the ills they brew."

Though Israell thus had Ammon quite ore-throwne,
Saul, nor his sonue, did not insult the more;
No pompe through Iabesh past with trumpets blowne,
The pointed captives fettred them before,
So first when victors eminently showne,
That their new state a triumph might decore,
Whilst two fold glory just applauses claym'd,
A king and conquerour both at once proclaim'd.

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This speech to Israel, matchlesse Samuel made,
Loe, granted is all that for which you su'd, [leade:
There stands the king, who should your squadrons
My sonnes are here, time hath my strength subdu'd;
Age crown'd with white triumphs upon my head;
Eyes dimme, legges weake, (infirmities growne rife)
Death hath beseig'd the lodging of my life.

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Though all my dayes in charge, I challenge you,
Let each man speake (as he hath reason) free,
Before the lord, and his anointed now;

No crimes conceale, I come accus'd to be, [bow ?
What bragge, or bribe, hath made my judgment
Whose oxe, or asse, hath taken beene by me?
Whome have I harm'd, or wrong'd, in goods or fame?
I stand to satisfie who ever claime."

The people straight (applauding) did reply, [best;"
"With heart, and hands still pure, thou didst the
For witnesses, then, both, who loud did cry,
With his lievtenant, did great God attest:
O happy indge, who well did live and dye,
Still prais'd on th’Earth! in Heaven with glory rest;
At that great day, whom all with Christ shall see,
To judge those iudges who not follow'd thee.

"Then," said the prophet, "since by all approv'd,
I must with you, before that God contend,
Who from Caldea, Israel's syre remov'd,
And highly honour'd as his speciall friend;
Who sav'd milde Isaac, holy Iacob lov'd,
And in all countries did him still attend:
(A covenant contriv'd, with all his race)
Who multiply'd them much, in little space.

"From rigorous Ægypt's more then burthenous yoke,
When taught by wonders to admire his might,
He led them forth, free from each stumbling block;
In deserts wilde, him to contemplate right;
And did give laws, as of that state the stock,
A rare republike, at perfection's height;
The Lord (great generall of those chosen bands)
Took townes, gain'd battels, and did conquer lands!

"But when he once had stablish'd well their state,
(All those great works remembred then no more)
Your fathers, false, apostates, and ingrate,
(Abhomination) idols did adore,

So that (incens'd with indignation great)
Their jealous God would them protect no more;
Who, that they so might humbled be againe,
To bondage base abandon'd did remaine.

"With hearts brought low, and souls rais'd up aloft,
When godly griefe dissolv'd it selfe in groans,
The Lord, first mov'd with sighs, with teares made soft,
Charm'd with the musicke of their pretious moans,
For their delivery sent great captaines oft,
Who did their state restore, bruis'd strangers' thrones:
Till successe did to all the world make knowne,
That, save by sinne, they could not be ore-throwne.

"Ganst Aram, Moab, and Canaan, foes,
Proud Midians, Ammons, and Philistines' lands,
Brave Othniel, Ebud, and Debora rose,
Then Ighte, Gideon, Sampson, strong of hands,
Whil'st God the generall, his lievtenants those,
Oft (few in number) thundred downe great bands;
And by weake meanes oft thousands fled from one,
A cake, an oxen goad, an asse's bone.

"From dangers oft though wonderfully sav'd,
Whil'st Israel's sceptre God did onely sway,
Yet (as stray'd fancies fondly had conceiv'd)
When Ammon's ensignes Nahas did display,
Straight, as without a lord, a king, you crav'd,
As th' abject Gentiles, basely to obey;
With trust in princes, and in mortall strength,
Which lodg'd in nostrils, must dislodge at length.

"Yet if your king and you do serve him right, The Lord, of both will highly blesse the state; And, if prophanely walking in his sight,

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Will visit both in wrath, with vengeance great,
And that you may behold your sinne, his might,
Too haughty minds by terrour to abate:
You shall (though of such change no signe there be)
Straight clad with clouds, Heaven's indignation see.'
Heavens, must'ring horrour in a dreadfull forme,
His beams drawn back, pale Phobus did retyre;
As the world's funerals threatning to performe,
Some flames flash'd forth, not lights, but sparks of yre,
And in ambushment layd behinde a storme,
Colds interchoaking, did grosse engines fire
To batter th' Earth, which planted there by wrath,
From clouds' vast concaves thund'red bolts of death.

This signe so full of terrour thus procur'd,
A generall feare each minde with griefe did sting,
Till all cry'd out that they had beene obdur'd,
And highly sinn'd in seeking of a king;
The Lord, they said (his light from Heaven obscur'd)
Might for their ore-throw armies justly bring;
Then Samuel urg'd to mediate their peace,
Avoyding vengeance, and entreating grace.

The holy man who view'd them thus to smart,
Did aggravate how farre they first did faile,
Yet them assurd, when flowing from the heart,
That true repentance would with God prevaile;
From whom he wish'd, that they would not depart,
To trust in trifles which could not availe:
Since he, when pleas'd, in mercies did abound,
And with a frowne might all the world confound.

The Lord (he said) who did them first affect
Them (from his law if they did not remove)
By hoasts of Heaven, and wonders would protect,
By promise bound, and by his boundlesse love,
Lest strangers spoyling whom he did elect,
Weake, or inconstant, he might seeme to prove :
Then he to God for them did earnest call,
And with their king, when blest, dismist them all.

Saul thus, when seiz'd of Israel's regall seat,
Whom God chose, Samuel did anoint, all serve,
From private thoughts estrang'd, in all growne great,
Though first elected, studied to deserve;
His owne no more, since sacred to the state,
He sought how it to free, to rule, preserve:
For whice, retyr'd, what course was fit, he dream'd,
Save when in action, as of sight asham'd.

DEDICATION

OF THE TRAGEDY OF CROESUS.

TO HIS SACRED MAJESTY.

DISDAINE not, mighty prince, those humble lines,
Though too meane musicke for so dainty eares,
Since with thy greatnesse, learning's glory shines,
So that thy brow a two-fold lawrell beares:
To thee the Muses, Phoebus now resignes,
And vertues hight eternall trophees reares:
As Orpheus' harpe, Heavens may cnstall thy pen,
A liberall light to guide the mindes of men.

Although my wit be weake, my vowes are strong,
Which consecrate devoutly to thy name
My Muse's labours, which, ere it be long,
May graft some feathers in the wings of Fame,
And with the subject to conforme my song,
May in more loftly lines thy worth proclaime,
With gorgeous colours courting glorie's light,
Till circling seas doe bound her ventrous flight.

Ere thou wast born, and since, Heaven thee endeeres,
Held backe, as best to grace these last worst times;
The world long'd for thy birth three hundred yeeres,
Since first fore-told wrapt in propheticke rimes;
His love to thee, the Lord's deliveries cleeres,
From sea, from sword, from fire, from chance, from
crimes,

And that to him thou onely might be bound,
Thy selfe was still the meanes foes to confound.

I doe not doubt but Albion's warlike coast,
(Sill kept unconquer'd by the Heaven's decree)
The Picts expell'd, the Danes reptl'd, did boast
(In spite of all Rome's power) a state still free,
As that which was ordain'd (though long time crost
In this Herculean birth) to bring forth thee,
Whom many a famous sceptred parent brings
From an undaunted race to doe great things.

Of this divided ile the nurslings brave,
Earst, from intestine warres could not desist,
Yet did in forraine fields their names engrave,
Whilst whom one spoil'd the other would assist:
Those now made one, whilst such a head they have,
[now,

What world of words were able to resist ?

Thus hath thy worth (great James) conjoyn'd them
Whom battles oft did breake, but never bow.

And so, most justly thy renowned deeds
Doe raise thy fame above the starry round,
Which in the world a glad amazement breeds,
To see the vertues (as they merit) crown'd,
Whilst thou (great monarch) who in power exceeds,
With vertuons goodnesse do'st vast greatnesse bound,
Where, if thou lik'dst to be more great then good,
Thou might'st soone build a monarchie with bloud.

O! this faire world without the world, no doubt,
Which Neptune strongly guards with liquid bands,
As aptest so to rule the realmes about,
She by herselfe (as most majesticke) stands,
Thence (the world's mistris) to give judgement out,
With full authority for other lands,
Which on the seas would gaze, attending still,
By wind-wing'd messengers, their soveraigne's will.

The southerne regions did all realmes surpasse,
And were the first which sent great armies forth;
Yet soveraignty that there first founded was,
Still by degrees hath drawne unto the north,
To this great climate which it could not passe,
The fatall period bounding all true worth:
For, it cannot from hence a passage finde,
By roring rampiers still with us confinde.

As waters which a masse of earth restraines,
(If they by swelling high begin to vent)
Doe rage disdainefu ly over all the plaines,,
As with strict borders scorning to be pent:
Even so this masse of earth, that thus remaynes,
Wall'd in with waves, if (to burst out when bent)
(The bounding flouds ore-flow'd) it rush forth, then
That deluge would ore-run the world with men.
Then since (great prince) the torrent of thy power
May drowne whole nations in a scarlet floud,
On infidels thy indignation powre,
And bathe not Christian bounds with Christ an bloud:
The tyrant Ottoman (who would devoure
All the reedeemed souls) may be withstood,
While as thy troups (great Albion's emperor) once
Do comfort Christ's afflicted flock which moanes.

Thy thundring troups might take the stately rounds
Of Constantine's great towne renown'd in vaine,
And barre the barbarous Turks the baptiz'd bounds,
Reconquering Godfrey's conquests once againe;
O, well spent labours! O illustrious wounds!
Whose trophees should eternall glory gaine,
And make the lyon to be fear'd farre more,
Then ever was the eagle of before.

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But, O thrice happy thou that of thy throne
The boundlesse power for such an use controuls!
Which if some might command to raigne alone,
Of all their life they would be-bloud the scrouls,
And to content the haughtie thoughts of one
Would sacrifize a thousand thousand souls, [might,
Which thou do'st spare, though having sprite and
To challenge all the world as thine owne right.
Then unto whom more justly could I give
Those famous ruines of extended states
(Which did the world of libertie deprive
By force or fraud to reare tyrannick seats)
Then unto thee, who may and will not live
Like those proud monarchs borne to stormy fates?
But whil'st, frank-sprited prince, thou this wouldstflee,
Crowns come unsought, and scepters seek to thee.

Vnto the ocean of thy worth I send

Those runnels, rising from a rash attempt;
Not that I to augment that depth pretend,
Which Heavens from all necessitie exempt,
The Gods small gifts of zealous mindes commend,
While hecatombes are holden in contempt:
So (sir) I offer at your vertues' shrine
This little incense, or this smoke of mine.

TO THE AUTHOR OF

THE MONARCHICKE TRAGEDIES.
Invite the curious pompe-expecting eyes
WELL may the programme of thy tragicke stage
To gaze on present showes of passed age,
Which just desert Monarchicke dare baptize. [arise
Crownes, throwne from thrones to tombes, detomb'd
To match thy Muse with a monarchicke theame,
That whilst her sacred soaring cuts the skyes,
A vulgar subject may not wrong the same:
And which gives most advantage to thy fame,
The worthiest monarch that the Sunne can see,
Doth grace thy labours with his glorious name,
And daignes protector of thy birth to be:
Thus all monarchicke, patron, subject, stile,
Make thee the monarch-tragicke of this ile.
S. ROBERT AYTON.

IN

PRAISE OF THE AUTHOR,

AND

HIS TRAGEDY OF DARIUS.

A SONNET.

GIVE place all ye to dying Darius' wounds,
While this great Greek him in his throne enstalls,
Who fell before seven-ported Thebes' wals,
Or under Ilion's old sky-threatening rounds.
Your sowre-sweet voyce not halfe so sadly sounds,
Though I confesse, most famous be your fals,
Slaine, sacrific'd, transported, and made thrals;
Thrown headlong, burnt, and banish't from your
Whom Sophocles, Euripides have song, [bounds:
And Eschylus in stately tragicke tune:
Yet none of all hath so divinely done
As matchlesse Menstrie in his native tongue.
Thus Darius' ghost seemes glad now to be so,
Triumpht on twise by Alexanders two.

10. MURRAY.

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