Englands Parnassus: or the choysest flowers of our moderne poets, with their poeticall comparisons Descriptions of bewties, personages, castles, pallaces, mountaines, groues, seas, springs, riuers, &c. Whereunto are annexed other various discourses, both pleasaunt and profitable.

Kings.

Kings are the Gods vicegerents on the earth, The Gods haue power, Kings from that power haue might: Kings should excell in vertue and in birth: Gods punish wrongs, & kings should maintaine right, They be the sunnes from which we borrow light, And they as Kings, should still in iustice striue With Gods, from whom their beings they deriue. M. Drayton.

The baser is he comming from a King, To shame his hopes with deeds degenerate: The mightier man, the mightier is the thing, That makes him honoured, or begets him hate: For greater scandall waits on greater state. The Moone being clouded, presently is mist, But litle starres may hide them where they list. The Crowe may bathe his cole-blacke wing in mire, And vnperceiu'd, flie with the filth away, But if she like the snow white swan desire, The staine vpon his siluer downe will stay, Poore groomes are sightles nights, kings glorious day.

Gnats are vnnoted wheresoeuer they flie, But Eagles are gaz'd vpon with euery eie. ƲƲ. Shakespeare.

— Since the heauens strong arms teach Kings, to stād, Angells are plac't about the glorious throne, To gard it from the stroakes of traitrous hand. Th. Dekkar.

When thou becom'st an earthly God, mens faults to ouersee, Forget not that eternall God, that ouerlooketh thee. W. Warner.

The least part of a King is allowing him, and none Lesse priuate then a Prince, the weale or woe of euery one. Idem.

He and his people make but one, a body, weake or strong, As doth the head, the limbs, or limbs the head assist, or wrōg. Idem.

Kings, Lords of times and of occasions, May take th'aduantage when and how they list. S. Daniell.

Kings will be alone, Competitors must downe, Neare death he stands, that stands to weare a crowne. Idem.

— It is a daungerous thing In rule of loue, but once to crosse a King. M. Drayton.

Endles cares concur with crowns, a bitter sweeting is raign. W. ƲƲarner.

Not all the water in the rough rude sea Can wash the balme from an anoynted King: The breath of worldly men cannot depose The deputie elected by the Lord. W. Shakespeare.

He knowes not what it is to be a King, That thinkes a Scepter is a pleasant thing. R. Greene.

A glittering Crowne doth make the haire soone gray, Within whose circle, a king is but arrested, In all his feasts hee's but with sorrow feasted, And when his feete disdaine to touch the mold, His head's a prisoner in a Iaile of Gold. M. Drayton.

Vnhappy Kings that neuer can be taught, To know themselues, or to discerne their fault. S. Daniell.

— No outragious thing From vassall actors can be wipte away, The Kings misdeeds can not be hid in clay. W. Shakespeare.

No Scepter serues dishonour to excuse, Nor kingly vaile can couer villainie. Fame is not subiect to authoritie. M. Drayton.

—Thinke not but Kings are men, and as the rest miscarry, Saue that their fame and infamy continually doth tarry. ƲƲ. VVarner.

Kings want no meanes to accomplish what they will, M. Drayton.

Mislikes are silly lets where Kings resolue them, Where counsell chasing will hath emperie, Deeds are too prest for reason to dissolue them, In mightie mindes a grounded vanitie. Like springs that ceassesse neuer stoppeth, Vntill her neighbour Oake she ouertoppeth. D. Lodge.

—Great men too well grac'd, much rigor vse, Presuming fauorites mischiefe euer bring: So that concluding, I may boldly speake, Minions too great, argue a king too weake. S. Daniell.

New kings do feare when old kings farther straine, Establisht state to all things will consent. Idem.

—Good from kings must not be drawne by force. Idem.

A Scepter like a pillar of great height, Whereon a mightie building doth depend: Which when the same is ouer-prest with waight, And past his compasse forc't thereby to bend. His massie roofe downe to the ground doth send. Crushing the lesser part, and murthering all Which stand within the compasse of his fall. M. Drayton.

Too true that tyrant Dyonisyus Did picture out the image of a king: When Damocles was placed in his throne, And ore his head a threatning sword did hang, Fastened vp only by a horses haire. R. Greene.