An Heroycke Embleme vpon the Warriour called Honora

Tara, Tantara, Honours signall come,
Whose best of Musicke is the warlike Drumme,
Come braue Tyndarian spirit, heare thy glorie,
Shrouded too long in pitchie darke, whose storie,
Shall shine and shew it selfe more faire, more bright,
Then chast Laona on the sablest night.
Now art thou much admird by euery eie,
Though lately vassld to captiuitie.
Now art thou showne to be a Monument,
Of former glorie, and an ornament,
it for the eare of Kings, now art thou one,
Highly esteemed, that was of late as none.
Now canst thou shew thy merit and desert,
To be deriued from a royall heart.
Not chafd with perfumes, like a Carpet Knight,
That cannot fight but in his Ladies sight.
Not sick ofth fashions, (like this amorous frie
Of Nouice, who nere knew Enemie)
Saue their disdainefull Mistres: not enthrald
To loue, for loue thou knowst not how its cald.
What stile it has, or what be louers charmes,
Saue that pure loue which thou dost beare to Armes.
Not seruile to each apish complement,
Saue Honours seruice, and Wares mannagement.
Not slaue to Fortune, nor engagd to fate,
But heire to resolution, an estate
More eminent and glorious to thy selfe,
Then all the raisers-Mammons mouldred-pelfe,
No vaine like proud of itles, but hast Art,
To make thy wa to Honour by Desert.
Not gae to prostitution, for the name
Of Souldiour hate such an ignoble slaine.
Not lure to lucre, but dost make thy blood,
An instrument vnto thy countris good:
Not in appearance, or in outward show,
To seem to know what thou didst neuer know,
Not humorous, occasioning offence,
But with pure valour mixing patience;
That two reduc't to one, one drawen from two,
Might make thee apt to speake, & prompt to doe.
Long hast thou slept, and some did thinke it ill
To wake thee, but to let thee sleepe on still.
But how can resolution lie inter'd
Alas how far haue vulgar iudgements er'd?
To thinke the senselesnes? No, thou didst but winke,
For to obserue what other men would thinke
Of thy retired silence, now thou hst
Rub'd ore thy gummie eies, & runnes as fast
To thy intendements forct from coast to coast,
As willing to redeeme what thou hast lost.
Hallow amaine, downe by the flowrie vale
Of honour and renowne display thy saile,
Trample on Bastard greatnesse, bruite their shame,
That are esteemed onely great in name,
Without demerit, tell them worth should be
Drawn from our selues, not from our familie.
Bid them wipe of that painting from their cheeke,
Its too effeminate and bid them seeke,
Actions that seeme them better, its not amber,
Sleeking, or chasing in a Ladies chamber,
Phantastick humors, amorous conceipts,
Fashion inuentors sinne seducing baits,
What such a Mounseyr wore, or what Tyres be
Of eminent request in Italie.
No, no, our perfum'd Gallants now must looke,
Like to the sonnes of Valour, smer'd with smoke,
Steeled with spirit, arm'd with best of youth,
Directly planted 'fore a Cannons mouth.
Shake not (my dapper Courtier) though thou heare
Nought but the voice of thunder euery where:
Or if the noise of armes breed in thee feare,
(No lesse then death) go on and stop thine eare?
Bouge not a foot (or if thou feare to kill)
Winke, and then say, thou murders gainst thy will.
How likest thou this? This is no camp for loue,
Nor must thy wreath be heere a Ladies gloue,
Anticke and apish fashions will not serue,
In this enobled field, such as deserue,
By a peculiar merit shall receiue
The Guerdon of their Valour, and in Graue
Shall finde a liuing monument, which men
Admiring much, shall euer honour them.
And is not this a nobler monument,
Then spend our time in fruitlesse complements.
Spend a whole age in making of a legge,
Or seeking how some office we may begge.
Trading for vndeserued Honour, got
By seruile meanes, and by the simplest sot,
That knowes not Honours essence, O may I
Rather then be so Honor'd wish to dye
In the obseurest manner, that when Time
Shall shroud my ashes in a homely shrine,
Some earthy vrne, yet may my memorie
Liue without reach of enuie after me.
Sacred Bellona, valours choicest Saint,
For now by thee flie we vnto our tent.
Infuse true resolution in the mnde
Of thy professors, that their spirits may finde
What difference there is in honours sight,
Twixt a good Souldier and a carpet-Knight.
His perume's powder, and his harmonie
Reports of Cannons, for his brauerie,
Barded with steele and Iron, for the voice,
Of amorous Ganimedes, the horrid noise
Of clattering armour, for a Downie bed
The chill cold ground, for pillow to their head,
Tincke with muske Roses, Target and their shield,
For gorgeous Roomes, the purprise of the field,
For nimble capring, Marching, for the tune
Of mouing consorts, striking vp a drumme,
For dainties, hunger; thus is honour fed,
With labour got, and care continued.
Can this content my Courtier? yes, it may.
When his laciuious night and fruitles day,
His manie idle howers employed worse,
(Though better deem'd) then such whose vagrant course
Incurs a penal censure; shall be past,
And he with whip of conscience throughly lash't,
Shall bid a due to Ladie vanitie
To Coures applause, to humors phantasie,
To honours vndeseru'd, to parasites,
To fashions-brocage, and to all delights.
Which reape no fruit, no guerdon, nor reward,
Saue care on earth, repentance afterward:
Where Iustice oft is forc't from her intent.
Goodnesse being onely cause of punishment.
Where violence (so strong be great men growne)
Makes right supprest', and iustice ouerthrowne.
Where sinnes in cloth of Tissue faire descri'de,
Make that wise Sages Axiome verifi'de.
" A great mans foe oft by experience proues,
" Of all that be, no thunder like to Ioues.
Heere Magistrates are clad in violet,
Because pure Iustice they doe violate.
Here vice is mounted, vertue liues despis'd,
The worst esteem'd, the better meanely priz'd.
Corruption rides on foote-cloth, (some auerre)
And vpright dealing shee does lackie her
Honour's afraide of Sergeants, merits sad,
And liues as one without obseruance had.
Wisdom's out of request, for temperance,
Shee's neuer knowne but in a Moris daunce.
And purple Iustice seldom's seene to passe,
To any Court, but riding one an Asse.
What then but valour should support the State,
And make a Realme by vice growne desolate.
See her owne shame, and in her shame conceiue,
The blest memorial of an happie graue,
"On then with honour, let the vsurer
Made stiffe with plenty, feele the shock of war,
And tremble, fearing least' should be his lot,
To loose by warre what his oppression got.
Let the prophane contemner of Gods power
Be mou'd by terrour, let the Paramour,
Glaz'd with a shamelesse fore head leaue her sinne.
They youthfull Prodigall, those nets hee's in.
Let the prodigious state-engrosser feele,
What harme h' as done vnto the Common-weale.
Let h'aspiring birth of Dathan see,
The end of them, and their conspiracie.
Let all lasciuious Minions hence reclaime,
Their odious liues, and put on robes of shame.
Let publique Haxsters (now the most of all)
That in their hear, would quarrell for the wall,
Stand to their Tacklings, let both youth and age,
Show distinct worths in distant Equipage.
Lead on Honora, that in time report,
May make a Campe Knight gracious in the Court.
So noblest minds in best of Actions showne,
May challenge Honour when it is their owne.