Nosce Teipsum: Royal Dedication

To that cleere maiestie which in the North
Doth, like another Sunne in glory rise;
Which standeth fixt, yet spreads her heauenly worth;
Loadstone to hearts, and loadstarre to all eyes.

Like Heau'n in all; like th' Earth in this alone,
That though great States by her support doe stand,
Yet she herselfe supported is of none,
But by the finger of the Almightie's hand:

To the diuinest and the richest minde,
Both by Art's purchase and by Nature's dowre,
That euer was from Heau'n to Earth confin'd,
To shew the vtmost of a creature's power:

To that great Spirit, which doth great kingdomes mooue,
The sacred spring whence right and honor streames,
Distilling Vertue, shedding Peace and Loue,
In euery place, as Cynthia sheds her beames:

I offer up some sparkles of that fire,
Whereby wee reason, liue, and moue, and be;
These sparkes by nature euermore aspire,
Which makes them to so high an highnesse flee.

Faire Soule, since to the fairest body knit,
You giue such liuely life, such quickning power,
Such sweet celestiall influences to it,
As keepes it still in youth's immortall flower:

(As where the sunne is present all the yeere,
And neuer doth retire his golden ray,
Needs must the Spring bee euerlasting there,
And euery season like the month of May.)

O! many, many yeeres may you remaine,
A happy angell to this happy Land;
Long, long may you on Earth our empresse raigne,
Ere you in Heauen a glorious angell stand.

Stay long (sweet spirit) ere thou to Heauen depart,
Which mak'st each place a heauen wherein thou art.