[Footnote 158: See Introductory-note to the preceding poem. G.]
_Presented before the late Queenes Maiesty at the Lord Chancelors
House, 1602._[159]
[Footnote 159: This Lottery was presented to the Queen in the year
1602, at York House, the residence of Thomas Egerton, Lord Keeper, not
in 1601, as stated in Nichols' _Progresses_, vol iii. p. 570. See our
Memorial-Introduction for authority for this correction, and for the
names of the ladies who drew the successive 'lots,' and also other
points. COLLIER, as before, in a strangely curious remark,
supposes these lottery verses may be Samuel Rowland's "When gossips
meet," and as strangely does not connect them with Davies' name at all.
He, however, supplies interesting _memorabilia_, relating to these
Elizabethan Entertainments. He mis-names the poet-compiler of the
'Rhapsody' throughout, Davidson.]
_A Marriner with a Boxe vnder his arme, contayning all the seuerall
things following, supposed to come from the Carrick,[160] came into the
Presence, singing this Song_:
[Footnote 160: Or _Caract_, a large ship. Chaucer speaks of Satan
having "a tayle, broder than of a Carrike is the sayl." Sir Walter
Raleigh,--a contributor to the _Rhapsody_,--observes "in which river
the largest _Carack_ may, &c." Nicolas.]
_Cynthia_ Queene of Seas and Lands,
That fortune euery where commands,
Sent forth fortune to the Sea,
To try her fortune euery way.
There did I fortune meet, which makes me now to sing,
There is no fishing to the Sea, nor seruice to the King.
All the Nymphs of _Thetis_ traine
Did _Cinthias_ fortunes entertaine:
Many a Iewell, many a Iem,
Was to her fortune brought by them.
Her fortune sped so well, as makes me now to sing,
There is no fishing to the Sea, nor seruice to the King.
Fortune that it might be seene,
That she did serue a royall Queene,
A franke and royall hand did beare,
And cast her fauors euery where.
Some toyes fell to my share, which makes me now to sing,
There is no fishing to the Sea, nor seruice to the King.[161]
[Footnote 161: Mr. Nichols, in his _Progresses of Queen Elizabeth_, cites the
following passage from a speech made at her entertainment at Cowdray,
to prove that the line in the text was an "olde saying."
"Madame it is an olde saying '_There is no fishing to the sea, nor
service to the King_;' but it holds when the sea is calm, and the King
virtuous."... Vol. iii., pp. 95-571. Nicolas. The sense is
that there is no fishing to be compared (in result) to sea-fishing, nor
any service to be compared with the king's. G.]
And the Song ended, he vttred this short Speech:
_God saue you faire Ladies all: and for my part, if euer I be brought
to answere for my sinnes, God forgiue my sharking, and lay vsury to
my charge. I am a Marriner, and am now come from the sea, where I had
the fortune to light upon these few trifles. I must confesse I came
but lightly by them, but I no sooner had them, but I made a vow, that
as they came to my hands by Fortune, so I would not part with them but
by Fortune. To that end I haue euer since carried these Lots about me,
that if I met with fit company I might deuide my booty among them. And
now, (I thanke my good Fortune,)! I am lighted into the best company
of the world, a company of the fairest Ladyes that euer I saw. Come
Ladies try your fortunes, and if any light upon an unfortunate Blanke,
let her thinke that Fortune doth but mock her in these trifles, and
meanes to pleasure her in greater matters._
_The Lots._