[Footnote 177: From close of 'A New Post' consisting of 'Essayes' by
Sir John Davies. See Prose Works in Fuller Worthies' Library. G.]
When I peruse heauen's auncient written storie,
part left in bookes, and part in contemplation:
I finde Creation tended to God's glory:
but when I looke upon the foule euasion,
Loe then I cry, I howle, I weepe, I moane,
and seeke for truth, but truth alas! is gone.
Whilom of old before the earth was founded,
or hearbs or trees or plants or beasts, had being,
Or that the mightie Canopie of heauen surrounded
these lower creatures; ere that the eye had seeing:
Then Reason was within the mind of Ioue,
embracing only amitie and loue.
The blessed angels' formes and admirable natures,
their happie states, their liues and high perfections,
Immortall essence and vnmeasured statures,
the more made known their falls and low directions.
These things when Reason doth peruse
she finds her errors, which she would excuse.
But out alas! she sees strife is all in vaine;
it bootes not to contend, or stand in this defence.
Death, sorow, grief, hell and torments are her gaine,
and endlesse burning fire, becomes our recompence.
Oh heauie moane! oh endlesse sorrowes anguish,
neuer to cease but euer still to languish.
When I peruse the state of prime created man,
his wealth, his dignitie and reason:
His power, his pleasure, his greatnesse when I scan,
I doe admire and wonder, that in so short a season,
These noble parts, should haue so short conclusion:
and man himselfe, be brought to such confusion.
In seeking countries far beyond the seas, I finde,
euen where faire Eden's pleasant garden stood:
And all the coasts vnto the same confinde,
gall to cruell wars; men's hands embru'd in blood,
In cutting throats, and murders, men delight:
so from these places Reason's banisht quite.
O Ierusalem! that thou shouldst now turn Turke,
and Sions hil, where holy rites of yore were vs'd:
Oh! that within that holy place should lurke
such sacrilege: whereby Ioue's name's abusde.
What famous Greece, farewel: thou canst not bost
thy great renowne: thy wit, thy learning's lost.
The further search I make, the worse effect I finde:
All Asia swarmes with huge impietie:
All Affrick's bent vnto a bloody minde:
all treachers[178] gainst Ioue and his great deitie.
Let vs returne to famous Britton's king,
whose worthy praise let all the world goe sing,
[Footnote 178: = traitors [treacherous]. G.]
Great Tetragramaton, out of thy bounteous loue
let all the world and nations truely know,
That he plants peace, and quarrell doth remoue:
let him be great'st on all the earth belowe.
Long may he liue, and all the world admire,
that peace is wrought as they themselues desire.
What Vnion he hath brought to late perfection,
twixt Nations that hath so long contended:
Their warres and enuies by him receiue correction,
And in his royal person all their iars are ended.
And so in briefe conclude, ought all that liue
giue thanks to him for ioy that peace doth giue.
By power and will of this our mightie king
reason doth shew that God hath wroght a wonder:
Countries distract he doth to Vnion bring
and ioynes together States which others sunder:
God grant him life till Shiloe's comming be
in heauen's high seate he may enthronized be.
VIII. ON THE DEATH OF LORD CHANCELLOR ELLESMERE'S SECOND WIFE IN
1599.[179]
You, that in Judgement passion never show,
(As still a Judge should without passion bee),
So judge your selfe; and make not in your woe
Against your self a passionate decree.
Griefe may become so weake a spirit as mine:
My prop is fallne, and quenchèd is my light:
But th' Elme may stand, when with'red is the vine,
And, though the Moone eclipse, the Sunne is bright.
Yet were I senselesse if I wisht your mind,
Insensible, that nothing might it move;
As if a man might not bee wise and kind.
Doubtlesse the God of Wisdome and of Loue,
As Solomon's braine he doth to you impart,
So hath he given you David's tender hart.
Yr. Lps in all humble Duties
and condoling with yr. Lp. most affectionately
Jo. Davys.
[Footnote 179: I take this Sonnet from Collier's 'Bibliographical
Catalogue' _sub nomine_ (Vol. I. p. 192). It is thus introduced by
him: "It is stated correctly by the biographers of [Sir] John Davys
that he was patronized by Lord Ellesmere, and among the papers of his
lordship is preserved the following autograph Sonnet, which appears to
have been addressed to the Lord Chancellor, on the death of his second
wife in 1599." Further: The following note is appended, also in the
hand-writing of Sir John Davys:--"A French writer (whom I love well)
speakes of 3 kindes of Companions, Men, Women, and Bookes: the losse
of this second makes you retire from the first: I have, therefore,
presumed to send y^{r}. L^{p} one of the third kind, w^{ch} (it may
bee), is a straunger to your L^{p}. yet I persuade me his conversation
will not be disagreeable to y^{r} L^{p}." See Memorial-Introduction for
notices of Ellesmere and his wives. G.]