Bel-vedére, or, The Garden of the muses

Of Ambition.

Ambition is a humour that aspires, And slayes it selfe in seeking high desires.

AMbition, with the Eagle loues to build. Ambition being once inur'd to raigne, Can neuer brooke a priuat state againe. Ambitious fauorites alwaies mischiefe bring. Th'aspirer once attain'd vnto the to••, Cuts off those meanes where••y himselfe got vp. Ambition yet tooke neuer lasting root. High aimes, young spirits, birth of loyall line: Make men play false, where kingdomes are the s••a••es. Th' ambitious will find right, or else make ••ight. It is ambitions sicknes, hauing much, To vexe vs with defect of that we haue. Might makes a title where he hath no right. Those men that commonly o're-looke too much, Doe ouer-see themselues, the••r sta••e is such. Ambitious minds, a world of wealth would haue. Ambitious minds to get a prince•• traine,

Would afterward of beggers life be faine. Ambition, paine, and loue, brookes no delay. Lyons doe neuer cast a gentle looke On any beast, that would vsurpe their den. Who climbes too soone, oft time repents too late. Bloud and alliance nothing doe preuaile, To coole the thirst of hot ambitious breasts. Aspiring things are readie still to fall. Bruises are sooner caught by reaching high, Than when the mind is willing to sloope low. Many vsurpe, but most in mischiefe end. Fortune doth neuer grudge at them that fall: But enuie stings and biteth them that climbe. Aspiring thoughts led Phae••on awry. Reware ambition, 'tis a sugred ill, That fortune layes, presuming minds to kill. Ambitious Icarus did climbe too high. Ambitions bold and true begotten sonne, Is quite spent in desire, ere hope be wonne. Gaze••s on starres, oft stumble at small stones. Seldome can proud presumption be enthroan'd To liue esteemd; or die, to be bemoan'd. Ambition, no corriuall will admit. The man that doth presume aboue his state, In stead of loue, incurres but deadly hate. Highest attempts to low disgraces fall. Craft giues ambition leaue to lay his plot, And crosse his friend, because he sounds him not. Competitors the subiects dearely buy. Presuming will counts it high preiudice To be reproou'd, although by sound aduise. Beware ambition in felicitie. Such reaching heads as neuer thinke them well, After their fall, their owne mishaps may tell.

High mounting Eagles soone are smitten blind. Ambitions dying, is great glorie wonne.

Similies on the same subiect.

AS breath on steele, as soone is off as on, So climbers are as quickly downe as vp. As nothing in substance is more light than aire, So nothing can out-goe ambitious thoughts. As winds being vp, doe blow more violent, So proud vsurpers tyrannise in height. As bad men grieue at good mens happinesse, So high aspirers grudge at lowlines. As powder fier'd, is but a suddaine flash, Euen so ambition is no more than smoke. As B••ts doe flutter, not directly flie, So climbers aime at much, and misse of all.

Examples likewise on the same.

F••ederic••e the third, was by his bastard sonne Ambitious Manf••o•• dispossest of life Geta murdered Antoni••s his brother, Through his ambitious mind to rule alone. Crassus procur'd himselfe a shamefull death, Through his ambitious spight at Caesars fame. Marius, not satisfied with former praise, Through his ambition soone abridg'd his dayes. Plato would haue good men exalted still, But none that sauour'd of ambition. Saith Aristotle, kingdomes soone decay, Where pride, or else ambition beareth sway.