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

TO THE LADY LVCIE, COVN∣TESSE OF BEDFORD.

THough virtue be the same when low she stands In th'humble shadowes of obscuritie As when she either sweats in martiall bands, Or sits in Court, clad with authoritie: Yet Madame, doth the strictnesse of her roome Greatly detract from her abilitie: For as inwalld within a liuing tombe Her handes and armes of action, labour not; Her thoughts as if abortiue from the wombe, Come neuer borne, though happily begot. But where she shath mounted in open sight An eminent, and spacious dwelling got. Where shee may stirre at will, and vse her might, There is she more her selfe, and more her owne: There in the faire attyre of honour dight, She sits at ease and makes her glory knowne, Applause attends her hands, her deedes haue grace, Her worth new-borne is straight as if fulgrowne, With such a goodly and respected face Doth vertue looke, that's set to looke from hie, And such a faire aduantage by her place Hath state and greatnesse to doe worthily. And therefore well did your high fortunes meete With her, that gracing you, comes grac't thereby, And well was let into a house so sweete So good, so faire; so faire, so good a guest, Who now remaines as blessed in her seate,

As you are with her residencie blesst. And this faire course of knowledge whereunto Your studies, learned Lady, are addrest, Is th'onely certaine way that you can goe Vnto true glory, to true happines: All passages on earth besides, are so Incumbred with such vaine disturbances, As still we loose our rest, in seeking it, Being but deluded with apparances. And no key had you else that was so fit T'vnlocke that prison of your Sex, as this, To let you out of weakenesse, and admit Your powers into the freedome of that blisse That sets you there where you may ouersee This rowling world, and view it as it is, And apprehend how th'outsides do agree With th'inward being of the things, we deeme And hold in our ill-cast accounts, to be Of highest value, and of best esteeme. Since all the good we haue rests in the mind, By whose proportions onely we redeeme Our thoughts from out confusion, and do finde The measure of our selues, and of our powres. And that all happinesse remaines confind Within the Kingdome of this breast of ours. Without whose bounds, all that we looke on, lies In others Iurisdictions, others powres, Out of the circuit of our liberties. All glory, honor, fame, applause, renowne, Are not belonging to our royalties, But t'others wills, wherein th'are onely growne. And that vnlesse we finde vs all within, We neuer can without vs be our owne: Nor call it right, our life we liue in. But a possession held for others vse, That seeme to haue most int' rest therein.

Which we do so disseuer, parte, traduce, Let out to custome fashion and to shew As we enioy but onely the abuse, And haue no other Deed at all to shew. How oft are we constrained to appeare With other countenance then that we owe, And be our selues farre off, when we are neere? How oft are we forc't on a clowdie hart, To set a shining face, and make it cleere. Seeming content to put our selues apart, To beare a part of others weaknesses: As if we onely were compos'd by Arte, Not Nature, and did all our deedes addresse T'opinion, not t'a conscience what is right: As fram'd b'example, not aduisednesse Into those formes that intertaine our sight. And though Bookes, Madame, cannot make this minde, Which we must bring apt to be set aright, Yet do they rectifie it in that kinde, And touch it so, as that it turnes that way Where iudgement lies: And though we cannot finde The certaine place of truth, yet doe they stay, And intertaine vs neere about the same. And giue the Soule the best delights that may Encheere it most, and most our spirits inflame To thoughts of glory, and to worthy ends. And therefore in a course that best became The cleerenesse of your heart, and best commends Your worthy powres, you runne the rightest way That is on Earth, that can true glory giue, By which when all consumes, your fame shal liue.