The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser, Volume 5 | Page 4

the bosom of his Soveraine, And _Right and Loyall_** did his word maintaine. [* I. e. the Earl of Leicester.] [** Leicester's motto.]
"I saw him die, I saw him die as one 190 Of the meane people, and brought foorth on beare; I saw him die, and no man left to mone His dolefull fate that late him loved deare; Scarse anie left to close his eylids neare; Scarse anie left upon his lips to laie 195 The sacred sod, or requiem to saie.
"O trustlesse state of miserable men, That builde your blis on hope of earthly thing, And vainly thinke your selves halfe happie then, When painted faces with smooth flattering 200 Doo fawne on you, and your wide praises sing; And, when the courting masker louteth* lowe, Him true in heart and trustie to you trow! [* _Louteth_, boweth.]
"All is but fained, and with oaker* dide, That everie shower will wash and wipe away; 205 All things doo change that under heaven abide, And after death all friendship doth decaie. Therefore, what ever man bearst worldlie sway, Living, on God and on thy selfe relie; For, when thou diest, all shall with thee die. 210 [* _Oaker_, ochre, paint.]
"He now is dead, and all is with him dead, Save what in heavens storehouse he uplaid: His hope is faild, and come to passe his dread, And evill men (now dead) his deeds upbraid: Spite bites the dead, that living never baid. 215 He now is gone, the whiles the foxe is crept Into the hole the which the badger swept.
"He now is dead, and all his glorie gone, And all his greatnes vapoured to nought, That as a glasse upon the water shone, 220 Which vanisht quite so soone as it was sought. His name is worne alreadie out of thought, Ne anie poet seekes him to revive; Yet manie poets honourd him alive.
"Ne doth his Colin, carelesse Colin Cloute, 225 Care now his idle bagpipe up to raise, Ne tell his sorrow to the listning rout Of shepherd groomes, which wont his songs to praise: Praise who so list, yet I will him dispraise, Untill he quite* him of this guiltie blame. 230 Wake, shepheards boy, at length awake for shame! [* _Quite_, acquit.]
"And who so els did goodnes by him game, And who so els his bounteous minde did trie*, Whether he shepheard be, or shepheards swaine, (For manie did, which doo it now denie,) 235 Awake, and to his song a part applie: And I, the whilest you mourne for his decease, Will with my mourning plaints your plaint increase. [* _Trie_, experience.]
"He dyde, and after him his brother dyde, His brother prince, his brother noble peere, 240 That whilste he lived was of none envyde, And dead is now, as living, counted deare; Deare unto all that true affection beare, But unto thee most deare, O dearest Dame, His noble spouse and paragon of fame. 245
"He, whilest he lived, happie was through thee, And, being dead, is happie now much more; Living, that lincked chaunst with thee to bee, And dead, because him dead thou dost adore As living, and thy lost deare love deplore. 250 So whilst that thou, faire flower of chastitie, Dost live, by thee thy lord shall never die.
"Thy lord shall never die, the whiles this verse Shall live, and surely it shall live for ever: For ever it shall live, and shall rehearse 255 His worthie praise, and vertues dying never, Though death his soule doo from his bodie sever: And thou thy selfe herein shalt also live; Such grace the heavens doo to my verses give.
"Ne shall his sister, ne thy father, die; 260 Thy father, that good earle of rare renowne, And noble patrone of weake povertie; Whose great good deeds, in countrey and in towne. Have purchast him in heaven an happie crowne: Where he now liveth in eternall blis, 265 And left his sonne t'ensue those steps of his.
"He, noble bud, his grandsires livelie hayre, Under the shadow of thy countenaunce Now ginnes to shoote up fast, and flourish fayre In learned artes, and goodlie governaunce, 270 That him to highest honour shall advaunce. Brave impe* of Bedford, grow apace in bountie, And count of wisedome more than of thy countie! [* _Impe_, graft, scion.]
"Ne may I let thy husbands sister die, That goodly ladie, sith she eke did spring 275 Out of this stocke and famous familie Whose praises I to future age doo sing; And foorth out of her happie womb did bring The sacred brood of learning and all honour; In whom the heavens powrde all their gifts upon her.
"Most gentle spirite breathed from above, 281 Out of the bosome of the Makers blis, In whom all bountie and all vertuous love