A panegyrike congratulatorie to the Kings Maiestie Also certaine epistles, by Samuel Daniel.

TO THE LORD HENRY HOWARD, ONE OF HIS MAIESTIES PRIVIE COVNCEL.

PRaise, if it be not choice, and laide aright, Can yeeld no lustre where it is bestowde, Nor any way can grace the giuers Arte, (Tho'it be a pleasing colour to delight,) For that no ground whereon it can be shew'd Will beare it well, but Vertue and Desart. And though I might commend your learning, wit, And happy vttrance, and commend them right, As that which decks you much, and giues you grace, Yet your cleere iudgement best deserueth it, Which in your course hath caried you vpright, And made you to discerne the truest face, And best complexion of the things that breed The reputation and the loue of men. And held you in the tract of honestie Which euer in the end we see succeed, Though oft it may haue interrupted bin, Both by the times and mens iniquitie. For sure those actions which do fairely runne In the right line of Honor, still are those That get most cleane, and safest to their end, And passe the best without confusion, Either in those that act or else dispose, Hauing the scope made cleere whereto they tend.

When this by-path of cunning doth s'imbroile And intricate the passage of affaires, As that they seldome fairely can get out; But cost, with lesse successe, more care and toile Whilst doubt and the distrusted cause impaires Their courage, who would else appeare more stout. For though some hearts are builded so, that they Haue diuers dores, whereby they may let out Their wills abroad without disturbancie, Int'any course, and into eu'ry way Of humour, that affection turnes about, Yet haue the best but one t' haue passage by. And that so surely warded with the Guarde Of Conscience and respect, as nothing must Haue course that way, but with the certaine passe Of a perswasiue right, which be'ng compard With their conceipt, must thereto answere iust, And so with due examination passe. Which kind of men, rais'd of a better frame Are meere religious, constant and vpright, And bring the ablest hands for any' effect, And best beare vp the reputation, fame And good opinion that the Action's right, When th'vndertakers are without suspect. But when the bodie of an enterprise Shall goe one way, the face another way, As if it did but mocke a weaker trust, The motion being monstrous cannot rise To any good, but falls downe to bewray That all pretences serue for things vniust. Especially where th'action will allow Apparancie, or that it hath a course Concentrike with the Vniuersall frame Of men combind, whom it concerneth how

These motions turne and intertaine their force, Hauing their being resting on the same. And be it, that the vulgare are but grosse Yet are they capable of truth, and see, And sometimes gesse the right, and doe conceiue The Nature of that text, that needes a glosse, And wholy neuer can deluded be, All may a few, few cannot all deceiue. And these strange disproportions in the traine And course of things, do euermore proceede From th'ill-set disposition of their minds, Who in their actions cannot but retaine Th'incumbred formes which do within them breede, And which they cannot shew but in their kindes. Whereas the wayes and councells of the Light, So sort with valour and with manlinesse, As that they carry things assuredly Vndazeling of their owne or others sight: There be'ng a blessing that doth giue successe To worthinesse, and vnto constancie. And though sometimes th'euent may fall amisse, Yet shall it still haue honour for th' attempt, When Craft begins with feare, and endes with shame, And in the whole designe perplexed is. Vertue, though luckelesse; yet shal skape contempt, And though it hath not hap, it shall haue fame.