Honors fame in triumph riding. Or, The life and death of the late honorable Earle of Essex

Honors fame , in Triumph riding . FRom forth the dust , my lines desire to rayse bright honors fame , in triumphs state to ride , Whose liuing worth did so adorne his prayse , as that his glory shall to the world abide The only Mirror of a valiant mind , Whose Honors thoughts , not to base wealth inclin'd , Doe make him liue , though long since dead , And crownes with bayes his buried head . Whil'st breath gaue strength , vnto his warlike arme , he did vphould the pompe of Englands state : He stroue to shield his natiue soyle from harme , and did the pride of proudest foes abate : A kingdomes eyes once sawe his faithfull trust , And did accompt his actions wise and iust : Greate Maiestie , and wisedomes Queene , Would say his like was neuer seene . Euen from his youth , till yeares of riper strength , in vertues schoole , a studious life he spent : His Honors thoughts desir'd & gain'd , at length , Mineruaes food the sweet of his content : Apollo deckt his Muse in siluers shine , And wrapt in gold his goulden thoughts diuine : Honours wonder , wisedoms mirror , In his braue breast liued together . When creeping time had brought to manhoods yeers this honored bud al glorious in his spring , Then as the sunne from forth a cloude appears , and doth his light with greater brightnes bring : So did this prince : his thoughts maiesticall Made him to be great Lesters Generall ; Braue troupes of horse he brauely led , And thus at first his fame was spred . But when to France his warlike mind had brought him selfe , well arm'd , vpon baye Traces back : The king and Lords his loue and fauor sought , nor gold nor coyn that valiant prince could lack . I sawe his sword all bath'd in Foemans bloud , A broken lance in Traces breast there stood : French king and Peers did dignifie This Peerlesse warriers Cheualry . But when he went to fruitfull Portingale , for to inthroane a mournefull bannisht king , How did his deeds his prayse to heauen exhale ! his honors worth you sacred Muses sing . Spaines Chronicle , and Lisborne gates can tell , His warlike arme deserued wondrous well : His foes themselues keepe in record , That none durst combat with that Lord . When Sun-burnt Spaine in heate of angers toyle , Did with his Lords in sollome counsell set : Vowing to worke faire Albions vtter spoile , Against whose state his brest with spleene did fret : This newes no sooner vnto Albian came , But this braue prince , was thought the worthiest man : And as Spaine ment to worke our woe , He thither went , and vsed them so . Let Cales tell forth the honor of his deeds , His valiant prowes , and his iustice such : As who so but their owne description reed , Will say of truth , that he deseru'd as much As euer any noble Conquerer did , His Conquering sword was with such mercie led : As datelesse time shall speake his fame , And blaze the honor of his name . In field , in Court , in peace , in war , he stood Inuironed with honor and desart : From him did flow the streames of vertues flood , He doubtles had a sound and faithfull hart , To Prince and States , and for the publike weale , The things amisse he alwaies sought to heale : Thus did he stand belou'd of all , And yet the Fates decreed his fall . Vnhappie time that sent him from this land , Vnhappie warres that his imployment sought : Vnhappie broiles rais'd by rebellious hand , Vnhappie cause that fowle suspition wrought : Vnhappie all , for all vnhappie be , Vnhappie those that wisht his miserie : Vnhappie meanes that did direct , The cause to worke vntrue suspect . His noble selfe , had he bene fortunate , Irelands peace had well effected bin : Without mistrust of danger to the state , But when to march his armie did begin , Some misse there was , directions all not kept , Enuie rous'd vp , that winkt but neuer slept : Aduantage tooke , when harmeles thought , To good effect would all haue brought . In course of warre , a Prince both wise and iust , Must not by booke his march and battells make : To each occasion turne his hand he must , And as offence is giuen , so wisely take Aduantage of the cause , the time and place , Precribed rules will else procure disgrace : These paper plots wantes iudgement right , To teach an army how to fight . But this I thinke , and heauens me witnesse beare , Though ill successe vpon his Troopes did wait His honours minde , still kept a princely care Warres worke to doe without corrupt deceit , And willingly he neuer did intend His force against his countries good to bend : But seeming ill was ill approu'd By them who not his honour lou'd . Harmelesse in thought when he a peace had made , He back returnes to his beloued Queene , Thinking to rest secure vnder her shade , To whome she had a gratious mistris beene : But wanting warrant for his back returne , Displeased anger softly gan to burne : And some that did a flame desire , Threw flax and oyle into the fire . This action thus when it at first begun , And he restraind from Court a prisoner sent : In Ireland shinde faire Englands golden Sun , Whose valiant minde to vertuous actions bent : With wisdomes care and honoured labor sought , The meanes whereby rebellions land was brought : Vnto that peace which first was framde , By him whome some vniustly blamde . The Queene of iustice hearing what was done , That perfite honour with an humble minde : With low submission to her Throne did runne , And crau'd he might her mercies fauour finde : Her Princely heart contentments ioy imbrac'd , And in her loue , loues Lord againe was plac'd : Then was there hope that shortly he , To place in Court restorde should be . But Enuie , why didst thou againe conspire ? Abusde occasion , why didst thou displease ? Suspition , why didst thou inflame new fire ? Were all agreed bright honours crest to seaze ? What secret action did inact the thing , That discontent to Mercies Queene did bring ? She was appeasde , what new sowne seede , Brought forth such fruite her wrath to breede . Was all things well , and all things ill so soone ? Was no mistrust , and now mistrust abounding : Wa's t then a time to light a torch at noone ? Was honour them self-honors course confounding ? Why this was strange , from Court to keepe him still , T' was not amisse to doubt some farther ill : Such worshippers of policie , Commits most fowle idolatrie . But by this meanes true honour was restrainde , From her the mistris of his life and death : He found himselfe of base-bred groomes disdainde , In passion then he sight forth sorrowes breath : The presence of his Queene whose sight most ioyd him , Had giuen him life , the want thereof destroid him . Oh that a Loyall heart should be , Shut from his Soueraignes clemencie . Let but the man of honour and renowne , That is adorned with his Soueraignes loue : Whose heart is sound vnto the State and Crowne , Whose thoughts do alwaies faithfull motions moue : If exilde from his King he should remaine , And as a Traitor beare dishonours staine : What would he thinke , or what course take ? Let noble mindes the answere make . From hence at last greefes boundlesse Ocian flowes , Turning woes streames into a flood of sorrow : And to such height sad discontentment growes , As that it seekes some meanes of helpe to borrow : Hope tells a course , that s crost , an other sought , This vrg'd occasion his confusion wrought : Still to his Queene he striues to goe , Kept back afresh , begins his woe . Thus monthes and yeares in restles harbour tost , A patient hope indures a raging storme : Bright honors ship did find it selfe neare lost , His Cable burst , and all his tacklings torne : Through rockes , through cliffes , through walls of brasse , His noble minde did then resolue to passe : For if to Thetis get he could , Saue life , and men , and ship he should . Thence did proceed the rigor of that day , When haples life to liue did helpeles striue : Dispaire inrag'd did beare too great a sway , Hope could not at his wish for hauen arriue : Reuenge , mistrust and hate , preuention wrought , With bloody mouthes , they his destruction sought From euill to worse , poore Earle he fled , So was he to the slaughter led . Guarded with friends , vntimely forth he goes , To raise a force so strong his part to take : As that he might remoue his setled foes , And to his Queene a quiet passage make : But faithles hate did presently deuise , Proclayme him traytor , out aloude he cries ; The name of traytor kild him dead , So he aliue was murthered . Doubtles I thinke he had no Traytors hart , 'Gainst Queene and State he did no treason plot ; No more did they that then did take his part : He onely stroue 'gainst them that lou'd him not : But yet the Lawe their act did treason make . Such hostile armes no subiects vp must take . Thus when he thought an euill to shun , A greater euill by him was done . The Law hath past , Iustice his stroke hath strooke , And he is dead , yet shal he still suruiue : Vpon his honoured Vertues will I looke , And make them liue as were himselfe aliue : He dyde for treason ; yet no Traytor . Why ? The Treason done , he did it ignorantly . Intent and purpose in the act , Is that which makes a Traytors fact . But God forbid such Action should be good , As rashly into rude Combustion throwes A Kingdomes State , and wraps her brest in blood ; Where peace in pomp with glorious plenty growes . And for this cause , I thinke that Iustice ment , To make his death a mournfull President : His tryall could example giue . Why did not Mercy let him liue ? Because that Mercy not arightly knew His heart , whom she disloyall did account , Report did feed her taste with Gall and Rue ; For by his fall , some other vp must mount , And so they haue the Gallowes top vnto ; For euer so may such like Mounters doe : But God is iust , so shall they finde , That lay their plots with bloudy minde . With humble lynes to Englands honored State , A Souldiers passion doeth desire to flye , Who neuer sought that Lord to ruinate , Nor chase him with bloud-thirsty cruelty . True honour ? No , some baser stuffe it was , That sought to bring that stratageme to passe : For in that time Peeres were no men , They walkt about like shaddowes then ▪ Yet in the ranke of Honour , Honours grace , Reuerend , renowm'd , religious , vertuous , learn'd , Graue , sober , chaste , vpheld a Primates place , Whose godly wisdome Englands eyes discearnd , His soule diuine was to that Earle a friend , Whom froward fate bequeath'd to fatall end : But now their soules in purest loue , Liue with their Christ in heauens aboue . Then Honours Seat , and Wisdomes fountayne pure , Iudgement approu'd , the rule of Conscience sound , His grieued thoughts did woes extreme endure , As did his loue : so did his griefes abound . A Iustice Chiefe , an equall loue preferres : No kingdome hath two worthyer Iusticers : Both these did mourne when Honour fell ; For both were knowne to wish him well . And in my mind of Lords & Earles I view A mourning troup , whose looks all downward thrown , Told to the world , that they were mourners true ; They reapt the fruit that sorrowes seed had sown : Ladies wise , fayre , and chaste , they weeping went , Sad time sad cause procur'd their discontent : Though Law strict course of Iustice kept , The most and best of all sorts wept . Then Noble minds wil help my Muse to mourne The losse of him , whom Honour did aduance , In their sad thoughts , haue Sable robes bin worne , They sigh to thinke of that sinister chance , Whose bloudy hand with fatal death snatcht hence That honored Earle , true Honours Excellence . Doe him this right , and Honour gayne , Pluck from his Hearse false rumors stayne . Oh how I grieue ! Report doeth wound my soule : So many treasons 'gainst that Earle obiected , Who whilst he liu'd , could those reports controule ; And but in one , that last , and least detected : Kill him no more , too well we know hee 's dead , Whose life would now a ioyes content haue bred . No paper-powder rays'd vp smoke , Can Fames true honored vertues choke . It 's false , to say , hee would a King haue bin : From faith & honor he made no such digression : His heart was cleare from such so foule a sin , He alwayes stood for this approu'd Succession , Which happily doeth now the Throne possesse : Heauens mighty God protect his Mightinesse . Dead Earle , amidst bright Angels wings , Amen thy heauenly Spirit sings . Damme vp your mouthes , foule Enuies insolence , Fil not the world with monstrous mouthed lies , Of hate and malice you are the Instruments , Though smoothly you can closely temporize : Wrong not the dead , nor liuing honor wound : Let not one fault all vertues worth confound . To make the best of things misdone , Hath alwayes greatest honour wonne . No cause there was , that in his lucklesse fall , So proudly some should triumph as they did , Against an Earle to spit impoysoned gall : But bloudy thoughts were made in bloud so red As heat and rage too much himselfe forgot , And boldly spake , he car'd not how , nor what . No vp-start groome sprung from the Cart , Should braue the honour of a lands desart . So vse base minds in greatnesse to forget The place whence first they their beginning had , Their proud disdayne the noblest brest would hit : The fall of honour makes them wondrous glad . So was 't : or else he rather would haue wept , Then proudly such a ruffling coyle haue kept : In this I ioy , his Prophecy The time hath turn'd to foolery . He was not last , though last that so shall end . We haue a Bud , sprung from that honored Branch : God , in thy loue doe thou that Earle defend , And so his state by vertues steps aduance , As he may grow an honour to his King , Whose mercy did his youth to honor bring : And he that drest his fathers dish , Lord , let his end be worse then his . England , beare witnesse , deceased Honour dyde Rich in thy Loue , his Loue was pure to thee , Not for his gayne ; but for thy good he tryde , To doe what might become his Dignity : He hated Bribes , Extortion he defide , Gayne by thy losse , his noble heart denyde : To doe thee good , he spent his wealth , His Ioy consisted in thy health . The Church of God , Diuine religious Grace Was grac'd by him , his heauenly sanctity , Vnto the written Truth of God gaue place , His heart did loue the reuerend Ministery : All Popish trash , and Romes inuentions vilde , Were from his Soule , as hatefull things exilde . Good men from foes hee did protect , The poore he neuer did reiect . He was no Churle , nor wretch-like couetous , His noble Brest , as drosse , base gold esteemd , Valiant , Liberall , Wise and Vertuous , His honor more then all worlds wealth he deemd . Some could in print his honored Bounty scorne , That largely bare from him great sheaues of corne . Such tricks as these Time-seruers vse . What Vertue will they not abuse ? He faythfull was and constant to his friend , In Loue and Iustice alwayes permanent , His Honours Word , who did thereon depend , Found , that true Action with his Promise went , No purse nor pocket could that Lord contayne Who giues most . Fy , he scorn'd such hateful gain . No partiall eye made bad things good ; T'wixt both , that Prince vprightly stood . He was not hollow , like the Vaults of hell , His soundnesse fled from base hypocrisy , He fetcht no rules from hel-borne Machiauel , His learning was diuine Philosophy , His word and deed without a false intending , In Honors Lyst went on , the Truth commending ; His vertues steps to Truth enclinde , Close subtile falshood vnderminde . In deeds of Warre , he was a Souldier tryde , True Fortitude dwelt in his valiant brest , The hope of England on his Sword relyde , Amongst our Worthies let him stand for best : When he was armde in warres Habilliments , His Glorie seemde a matchlesse Excellence ; His person , as his vertues rare , Might Peerelesse with the world compare . His Wisdome , Learning and his Eloquence , His well-grac't speech and flowing vtterance , His quicke conceit and Wisdomes comprehence : All these rare Gifts his honour did aduance , And made him liue the Mirrour of our time , Beyond whose worth , no worthier step could clime . God and Nature did consent , To make his Substance excellent . He was not proud , but humble , courteous , meeke : Ambitious then , who rightly terme him can ? From Articke Pole to the Antartike seeke , But neuer finde a brauer Gentleman : Crosse all the Zoans , and in no Clymate dwells A Vertue , that his Vertues worth excells : But he is dead , yet shall he liue , Fame to his praise shall honor giue . Where 's now the heart of Flint or Marble stone , That mournes not for the losse of him so deare ? The Flower of a Kingdomes pride is gone : No Time , no land brought foorth a worthyer Peere : No King nor Queen a better seruant had , No Subiect more did make his countrey glad : And for his fault , to mourne with mee , Millions of weeping eyes I see . Who so beheld the choise of natures arte , with noble presence and Maiestick steps , When from his chamber honor did depart , to place preparde a fatall death to fetch , Might there haue seene shine in a princely eye , The beames of honour and nobilitie : Valiant prowesse , resolution rare , Vndanted thoughts to death did beare . He like himselfe in roabes of honor clad , with countnance cleare and lookes heroicall , Went on as if in heart he had beene glad , to meete his friends at some great feastiuall . His noble minde the path of death did tread , As if it did vnto some triumph lead . And thus by this thinke in thy thought , Thou see'st him to the scaffold brought . Nay weepe not yet , reade on , an Earle behold , as constant as is heauens celestiall frame : See how he mounts with valiant courage bold , in bloud to write the letters of his fame . Vpon the scaffold see him walking now , To deaths spectators doth he humbly bow : Oh her 's a sight yet comes a worse , To make the world that time to curse . The oracle of godly wisdome then , with siluer sound , these speeches forth did send : My Lords , and all you worthy Gentlemen , that comes to see the period of my end . I not denie , but this confesse I must , My triall hath beene honourably , iust : And so the lawe my cause did trie , As iustice doom'd me thus to die . Yet in the presence of that all Creators sight , before whose throne I presently shall stand : Against the state I neuer bent my might , nor gainst my soueraigne reard a traitors hand , Some priuate foes my sword would haue displast , By whom I thought my honour was disgrast : From that intent grew my amis , For which offence death welcome is . With things below I haue not now to deale , my peace twixt God and conscience must I make ▪ And that my Christ his wounds my wounds may heale pray all with me that God for Christ his sake , Would in his death intombe my sinnes most vilde , That dying , I may dye his faithfull childe : So kneeling downe , zeale , sorrow , faith , To God a heauenly praier saith . Not any tongue more heauenly graces spake , not any hart more godly sorrow felt : Not any Prince a wiser prayer could make , not any soule with God and conscience delt More plainely , nor made better testament , That from this world his soule to glorie went , With gracious spirit he begins , And gratiously his prayer ends . Then rising vp , with vnstainde glorie still , he doth himselfe for stroake of death prepare : Off goes his gowne , and with an humble will , his band throwne hence , his neck holeaueth bare . His doublet next , his honoured selfe layes by , with smiling lookes , and cheerefull maiestie , To read , and weep , is order kept , With him that sigh'd , and writ , and wept . The hand that then should send him to his graue , he calles to see , feare playes the hangmans part , But Noblenesse , a noble welcome gaue , my friend said he , why faints thou in thy hart . Resolue to doe thy office cheerefully , The deaths man kneeling , doth for pardon crye . Honor bids rise , why shouldst thou feare , Thou art but Iustice minister . Thus nobly did the life of honors breath , a conqueror like all worldes respects subdue : So did he triumph in the gates of death , as if he then no such like danger knew . Oh let his fame vnto the world be spred , Whose fortitude was neuer conquered : Let thy conceit his action see , And reade , and sigh , and weepe with me . Now takes heleaue of all the standers by , his comely grace was vertues ornament : Griefe then drownd vp each sad beholders eye , whilst his blest soule was wrapt in sweet content . Then kneeling downe , all prostrate flat he lies , With neck on block , his bloud to sacrifice , And to his deaths man say he did , Strike when thou seest my armes are spred . There might you see how Honour downe was throwne , and yet his eyes from earth to heauen ascends : His youth was like a lofty Ceder growne , but now his death his soule to heauen commends . My Christ saith he , I come , thy armes vnfolde , My soule do thou in thy imbracements holde : And thus he bids the world adue , And then his armes abroad he threw . Stay , pawse , thinke , sigh , weepe first , & then read on , now comes a sight to rend woes hart in sunder : No mournefull eye did euer looke vpon a wofull worke perform'd with greater wonder . Resolued honour now perceiue you may , All fearles for the stroake of death doth stay : His eyes , his lookes to heauen commends , The place to which his soule intends . Base wretch , whose hand true honors bloud should spill , deaths axe did first into his shoulder strike : Vpreard againe he strikes a blow as ill , nor one nor other were directed right . Honor ne're moou'd , a third blow did deuide The body from the worlds admired pride : Was that the way to lose a head , To haue an Earle so butchered ? From gaping wounds pure streames of bloud gusht forth from azurd vaines the foode of life distild : Wisedome , loue , faith , renowne and honor both , were all at once thus hackt , thus chopt , thus kild . There was a sight to send forth sorrowes floud , A Swanny whitenes wrapt in robes of bloud : But thinke you saw him , and for his sake , Then let your teares woes period make . Thus masacard in strength of lusty youth , was Englands Earle , whose worth the world admir'd His life till now had prou'd his honors truth , vntimely was his fatall death conspir'd . If any read , whose hand was stain'd therein , Let some vild death , make known his damned sin , The rest that mourne , let sorrowes tide Make honors fame in triumph ride . Go to the Courts of Denmarke , France & Spaine , and sadly tell his dolefull tragicke seane : And marke what sighs your words will entertaine , and see what teares from honored eies will streame In any place within earths compasse round , This tale but told , may sighs and teares be sound : Faire Ladies they with drownd vp eies To honors fame will sacrifice . And when report hath tolde his sorrowes story , his life and death , and actions done by him : Then reard vp hands will wonder at his glory , each hearer seemes in sorrowes flouds to swim , And then they say , would not his Queene forgiue His fault that such a peerelesse prince might liue ? Yes , had she knowne asmuch as they , He had not then beene cast away . Her Royall brest was falsly oft accusde , of cruell deeds but She was mercies childe For honors death She well may be excus'd , by priuate tales rough worke was smoathly filde . Could he but once Her glories sight haue gaind , And vnto Her , his wrongs and woes complaind : Then had he liu'd , and that they knew , Whose hate her hart from him withdrew . But could her eyes these weeping lines peruse , her princely teares would show hir sorrows griefe : Her selfe would say , they did hir grace abuse , that in that action were the actors chiefe . And truth to say , I thinke her Maiesty : Was chiefest mourner in that tragedy , Though now a fluent nimble wit , Can bouldly play the polliticke . I doe not striue Inuectiuely to speake , nor haue I will , a wilfull harme to doe : A peace confirm'd I would by no meanes breake , yet can I not like fawning flatterers woe . Let truth be truth , and free the dead from wrong , And blame him not that sings this sorrowes song , For him who did a souldier loue , Whose death a souldiers griefe doeth moue . Vnto his Country , his honours bloud he gaue , which for his Country , more better had bin spent : Vnkinde his Country , that worthy bloud to craue , which was for her , and for her seruice bent . His mother England hauing slaine her sonne , The world will say it was vnkindly done : Though iustice may with this dispence , It wanted mercies influence . This Yron world hath Angell mercy left , worlds worldlings they that vertue hence haue driuen : This rotten age is of that grace bereft , that mercy now is onely plac'd in heauen . And thither is the ghost of honor fled , Through ayerie orbes by heauenly angels led , Vnto that place where ioye excels , And there the soule of honour dwels : Where God and Christ , and holy ghost combinde , inuironde are with glory more , then if Ten hundred thousand sunnes at once all shinde , and clearly should their radient splendence guise . Amidst that glory the soule of Essex stands , In endlesse ioy vpheld by Angels hands , Then mourne no more , heauen hath his spirit , Whose life on earth such praise did merit . But now heauens God , King , Queene & Prince and state , inuiron round within thy loues protection : Let Britons Monarch like the worlds triumphe rate , rule still in peace , rulde by thy lawes direction . His Nobles blesse , and let no priuate hate , Procure the meanes our peace to ruinate : And thus my Muse his farewell giues , And tels the world Fames honour liues .