Vertues due: or, A true modell of the life of the right Honourable Katharine Howard, late Countesse of Nottingham, deceased. By T.P. Gentleman

Vertues due . THe Sunne but now began to gather fire , And lay a sharper edge vpon his beames , Abated to the fulnesse of the yeere , As fretted with the salt of Neptunes steames , When blacke solemnity enuide anew , And soyld his face with a more precious dewe : Dew'd with the most religion of affection , Made soft in nature , and in Heraldry : The one accusing fate for his election : The other , weeping his seuerity . Both from their Cyprus altars offring teares , Ynowe to make him aged in yong yeares . It was not for the gods Arcadian theft , When he drew dry their vdders milch-excesse , Nor for his mother Pthias , when she wept His rage , that earth malign'd his murrinesse . But , loe , affections law of like for like : It is our natures freedome to requite . For he had lustre on his infant rayes , To blandish out the glory of his Spring , Reft from the falling Load-starre of our dayes , Whose motion was the musike which I sing ; The measure of consent to all her sphere : Indeed she was the best in Cynthia's quiere . She was , ( and so are loosers still in leesing , When they recount the worth of what is lost ) And is not . Cold remembrance euer freezin● ▪ When it shall reade the story of what 's past . Yet as she was , repeate for president More of succession , then griefs argument . Was of her trayne . Eternities decreeing Did dedicate her in her parentage , Whose neere alliance askt as neere a beeing , And gently seal'd it on her virgin waxe : And so , for nature and election , Would Cynthia's self endeere her as her own . She gaue her ranke , respect , and full accesse , Agnizing her affinity and merit With fauours , graces after graciousnesse ; Wherein she seem'd as if she did inherit The trust and dignities , which long before Her Honourable Ancestors did store . Her parents honours did she extraduce Into her very disposition ; As if the generall Carcy were infusde And had no other formes of his diuision . Their ancient vnattainted loyalty Broad blow'ne , and flush vpon her infancy . Yet beauty was not onely of her blood : Her birth-day Solstice height vnto perfection . The Cantharis enuies a verdant bud , And birth does only counsaile to prosection . So learnd she with the change of euery spring , To saue her blood with heedfull dyeting . Her youth preseru'd it chaste with continence ; A virgin diet for the hote intention , Which might vnglosse his colour : adde expence , Both of the length & bredth of their dimension , But the example of her mariage bed , Were Oratory to perswade to wed . For after she had blest so many moones , As had Astrea , when she was transfixt ; With more austerity , than that which crownes The Romane chastity , did she commixe Her birth , her blood , Nobility and name , To flowe more lofty in as rich veyne : In Howards ample veynes ; a Family Of eminence , deryu'd without distent , From the first shield of all their Auncestry , To this of Charles , the latest Eminent : Whose fayth and fortunes may they ne're expire , But in a melting firmament of fire . She wedded , yet she was a Votary , To minister-in consecrated flame , And weare Dianaes bow vpon her thigh , Till on a day of sanctified name , To store eche Nymph with shafts , the goddesse bids , To fill her quiuers all with Poplar twigs , That grew vpon a leuin , which the sea Had season'd thriftily within the shore : There Neptune fell in loue with 〈◊〉 , That till this day ne're sawe the Nymph before , Ne're had his brest improou'd or softened , But like the temper of his Corall bed : From which he lately risse to lay her in , And plac'd his Aggot wreath vpon her browes , Whose potent charmes Diana pardon'd him , And gaue her back the freedome of her vowes ; So she might still be of her fayrie trayne , He war with Saturnes sonnes vpon the mayne . And now , Eliza , with her wedlocke fate , Did wed her to a higher dignity . She kept the chayre that did suborne her state , And grac'd it like the blue-eyde Cassiope : She ne're surcharg'd ability with grace , But still her owne dimensions fild the place : Wherein this noble Lady Katherine seemd T' anticipate her Mistris bounteous hand , As if her offices were but redeemd From vnder meriting , and she did stand Alone , and vnencountred in her worth ; One whom inheritance had called forth ; Or rather prouidence : for what she was , She was to others , through her selfe intended : Like to some interiected leafe of glasse , That breaks , yet heats , when neerer rayes offended . She was all Organs , euen to the mind , Whereby God did insinuate with mankind . Her whole mortality had this extent . She had affections of immortall sense : For she would pity much , and much relent : But the affect of greatest presidence Ouer her nature , held no sinne to this ; To leaue apt good vndone , or doo 't amisse . The more they misse of her that are imbayd , And fortune fixt for want of sea and scope , Their burden with their sayle being ouerlayd : Vnlesse they Anchor all their after-hope , They misse : alas , I write of that too soone , And lend her liuing-worth for griefe to come . Yet liu'd she to outliue that old report , Which now againe our new worlds formes approue : That , there is no retirement in the court , Where there is much variety to moue , And steale away . O , there 's no life like hers , That liu'd to bury her executers . For softnesse neuer seyz'd her appetite . A bloodlesse lyuor liues not on his heat : Her resolution was Pr●p●nticke right , And forward stem'd against the Moones retreat . No change , no liberty , no ful-eyde pleasure Could bring deuotions musike out of measure . It was for her , the million of her sexe , And calling , doe beside approue their kind ; Whose story often read , as oft begets Opinion , that the sexe is so inclin'd , And calling , so disposed vnto good , As well in Courtship , as in woman-hood . She was a woman ; yet , not one of those Whose erogated heate conuerts to hate . It was her honour to forgiue her foes , Euen in their ebbe , and full distent of state . Alas , she would not take aduantage than , Lest she should trip the fraylty of his man . She would not glory his humility , Nor actuate her old aggreeuances O're weake distresse , and present misery : Such conquest ! O , t is base and honourlesse . For when I doe but second Fortunes stroke , I wound a heart that is already broke . She was a Courtier too ; but as a Starre Vnfixt , and like Ori●● in a streame ; As free as featherd Faulcons in the ayre , Moou'd on no other line , but Cynthia's beame : Her freer spirit ne're was put in frame , Though she put on her self a Courtiers name . For she did hospitable bounty too , And euer kept her influence at home ; Which euery Courtier vses not to doe , Why , she was nothing Courtier , nor her owne : Her light was made a Sea-marke to distresse , Where Fortunes wracks arryu'd their needines . In Court , no study that would apprehend , Or aske Religion of her duty more , Than , what Eliza gaue , might still commend Her most magnificence , and fountayne store : She was not like a Conduit-pipe fast by , To turne the streame , & leaue the channel dry . How many seruants of that Royall trayne Could the fresh image of her loue excite , To witnesse , she preferd Elizaes fame Aboue her priuate reputations height ! She hated to be hyr'de to doe them good , Or begd to buy their merits , though she cou'd . And yet did her contentment stretch it selfe More amply : Greatnesse was aboue her feare ; A faith beyond the curse that followes wealth , Who euermore suspects eruptions neere , Whose change does change the state of their subiection , And giues this duty to the next election . Great & secure ! Me thinks , t is wondrous strange : But gracious not enuyde ! Impossible : For discontent makes worth his Fret of change , And not seruility it selfe speakes well Of Honourable birth or betterment : Respect , with him is feare ; & feare , contempt . I know not how respect came ouer all ; But the most humble did admire her most : A branch of ranke loue turnd to prodigall : Such loue is still exhaust , or ouerflowes . I le learne ye how she did diuert their hate : She made her selfe as humble as their state . The lyst of all her vertues had a name Of greater reuerence , than had the rest . Religion . T is a sessions to arraigne , Detect , and bring our actions to the test . And where that list was stack , remisse , & loose , Assure ye , it was frailty extraduc'de . She had no other principles ( God wot ) Whereby to leuell and conforme her life : All was not honest that was safely got : She would not by iniustice compasse right ; Nor vsde to say , T is Cas●r answeres all ; So thou reserue to stand , may kingdomes fall . Her life was but a modell imitation , Drawne with the freshest colours instance had In holy writ , which gaue it approbation ; They were her essence ( therfore could not fade ) Like colour layd in wine : her Lenten blacke Did sit , like Nessus shirt vpon her backe . At this perfection and maturity , She stood in natures frayle adoption heere , When heauen would vouchsafe her first to be A mother , and her vertues to appeare In propagated noblesse of a sonne , That layd his roote as far as she begunne . That first , L. William was of Effingham , A Barony , that field and Knighthood earnd With sweating spurs , when heraldry deraignd His hardiment . O , 't were a sight to learne , And put ambitious fire in any Swayne , To see Nobility so dearely gaynd . Heauen was delighted in his workmanship , And now became more bountious of his breath , Which sweld her womb to be more fruitful yet , Deriu'd a second labors where she left , A second blessing , and a Charles beside ; For Honours lofty bed did open wide . A third . Inuention , giue me backe , my selfe Deuided . All my numbers keepe consent , And with my soule my stiles ambition melt . Eche sinew of our duty be attent ; Forget the funerall state and maiesty , And prostitution wholly summon me . Call her by any epithite exprest In vertues Inuentory ; nay discourse Her mothers life : see with what liuelinesse She does insert it , freely , and vnforc'd . Be she the noble Countesse of Kildare , Or Cobhams Baronesse ; shee 's wondrous faire . A next . The Lady 〈◊〉 : here I sho●●d Confound my methode with a plentious vayne Of great deuotion , and of wyddowhood : But my more free proposements are restraynd , To shew the lost , their last similitude , To which the Lady Lus●● much accrude . Here , happinesse did flo●te at all the lyne : This day accounted for the greatest debt , That grace and goodest Stars could her asaigne : And till this day her circle neuer met ; Now was her happinesse so satisfide , She knew not what her wish might adde beside . Contentment crownd her streight beyond the may ne , And roughest oppositions in her birth ; The weeping Crocodile , the Syrens strayne , And all the Delinitions that inuert Our , Fye , what is t that we can call our owne ? She past the seas , & shipwrackt here at home Within the ha●en . Now , it was disposd With heauenly wisdome , to the best of vses . So , we are wise , to purchase from our foes , T' enrich the sea with that which land abuses . We doe secure vs in their feebled store . Securenesse hurts least , when it is most poore . The goodnesse of the Highest left her not ▪ For Neptune , conquering Argo vnarriu'd , Must disimbark the golden Fleece she brought , In her owne hauen to be stellifyde , And seem aboue her weeping Marble sphere , To swimme as free in heauen , as she did heere . 'T was onely in her wishes now to dye , When as her fulnesse fear'd to be o're-ioyd ; Like those that surfet of saciety , And yet their surquedry is euer voyd : These haue their fulnesse so intemperate , Nothing refreshes , till it suffocate . She would not haue her Summer beames to light Vpon the rancke , and thrifty slyme beneath , Where honours heat beget● the parasite , And other monstrous shapes , that wil bequeath Vnto their Cesar , Ioues owne heritance , And swell his greatnesse into arrogance . She fear'd that such shuld know her to be great . She knew her greatnesse was superlatiue . Nature , and grace , and stars their rest had set , And euery opposition left to striue . She wanted nothing of felicity , But free commission to desist and dye . She prayd it , and preuented constant fate , That would not her delight shuld see her sweat Out of conuerse familiar , and innate . Ioy , longer then t is fresh , is not compleat : But like to Times own tunes , that rauish not , Because they iygd it , when we were begot . This burthen would be fayne deliuered , When she had reckon'd to maturity , Appealing from the Moone that followed , The eyght , which mortals call an enemy Vnto conception . Fate and she complyde , And in a seuen-fold happinesse she dyde .