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EPITHALAMIES. OR, Encomiasticke Triumphall Verses, Consecrated to the Im∣mortall memory, of the royall Nuptials of the two Parragons of Christen∣dome FREDERICKE and ELIZABETH.
HEe* 1.1 that vpon the Poles hath hing'd the skyes
Who made the Spheares, the Orbs, and Planets seuen.
Whose justice dams, whose mercy justifies,
What was, is, shall be, in earth, Hell, or Heauen:
Whom men and Angels lauds and magnifies,
(According as his Lawes command hath giuen)
The poore, the Rich, the Begger and the King,
In seuerall Anthems his great praises sing.
Then as the meanest doe their voices stretch,
To lawd the sempiternall Lord of Lords:
So I a lame Decrepit-witted wretch,
With such poore Phrases as my skill a floords:
From out the Circuit of my braine did fetch,
Such weake inuention as my wit records.
To write the tryumphs of this famous Ile,
On which both Heauen & earth with ioy doth smile.
My Genius therefore my inuention moues,
TO sing of Britaines great Olympick Games,
Of mirth, of Heau'n and earths beloued loues,
Of Princely sports, that noble mindes enflames
To doe the vtmost of their best behoues;
To fill the world with their atchieued Fames.
T'attaine Eternities all-passing bounds,
Which neither Fate, nor Death, nor Time confounds.
Guns, Drums, and Trumpets, Fire-workes, Bonfires, Bels.
With acclamations, and applausefull noyse:
Tilts, Turneyes, Barriers, all in mirth excels,
The ayre reuerberates our earthly ioyes.
This great Tryumphing, Prophet-like fore-tels
(I hope) how* 1.2 Leathes Lake all griefe destroyes,
For now blacke sorrow from our Land is chac'd,
And ioy and mirth each other haue embrac'd.
How much Ichouah hath this Iland blest,
The thoughts of man can neuer well conceaue:
How much we lately were with woes oprest.
For him* 1.3 whom Death did late of life bereaue.
And in the midst of griefe, and sad vnrest,
To mirthfull sport* 1.4 freely giu'es vs leaue:
And when we all were drench'd in blacke dispaire,
Ioy conquered greife, and comfort vanquish'd care.
Thou high and mighty 〈…〉〈…〉 ••••••,
Count Pallatine and pal〈…〉〈…〉 of the ••••••••••:
Bauares great Duke, whom God on high doth life,
To be the tenth vnto the Worthies nine.
Be euer blest with thy beloued* 1.5 Guilt,
Whom God, and best of men makes onely thine:
Let annually the day be giuen to mirth,
Wherein the Nuptials gaue our loy loyes new birth.
Right gracious Princesse, great Elizabeth
In whose Heroicke, pure, white Iuory breast,
True vertue liues, and liuing flourisheth:
And as their Mansion hath the same possest:
Belou'd of God aboue, and men beneath,
In whom the Goddesses and graces rest.
By vertues power, Ichonah thee hath giuen,
Each place doth seeme (where thou remain'st) a heauen.
The Royall bloud of Emperours and Kings,
Of Potent Conquerours, and Famous Knights
Successiuely from these two Princes springs:
Who well may claime these titles as their rights:
The Patrons Christendome to vnion brings,
Whose vnity remoted Lands vnites,
And well in time (I hope) this sacred worke,
Will hunt from Christian Lands the faithlesse Turke.
By this happy marriage, great Britaine, France, Denmarke, Germa∣ny, & the most part of Christendon••e are vnited eyther in affini¦ty or consanguinity.
Since first the framing of the worlds vast Roome,
A fitter, better match was not combinde;
So old in wisdome, young in beauties bloome,
And both so good and graciously inclinde.
And from this day, vntill the day of doome;
I doubt succeeding ages shall not finde;
Such wisdome, beauty, grace, compact together,
As is innate in them, in both in eyther.
None (but the Diuell and his infernall crue)
At this beloued heau'nly match repines,
None (but such fiends, which hell on earth doth spue)
Which wish Eclips of their illustrious shines,
The Gods themselues with rare inuentions new,
With inspiration mans deuice refines;
And with their presence vndertakes these taskes,
Deuises, motions, Reuels, playes, and Maskes.