Michael Drayton- Collected Poetical Works

by Michael Drayton

  So Bishops can shee bring, which of her Saints shall bee,

  As Asaph, who first gaue that name vnto that See;

  Of Bangor, and may boast Saint Dauid which her wan

  Much reuerence, and with these Owdock and Telean,

  Both Bishops of Landaff, and Saints in their Succession;

  Two other following these, both in the profession,

  Saint Dubric whose report old Carleon yet doth carry,

  And Elery in Northwales, who built a Monastery,

  In which himselfe became the Abot, to his praise,

  And spent in Almes and Prayer the remnant of his dayes.

  But leauing these Diuin’d, to Decuman we come,

  In Northwales who was crown’d with glorious Martyrdome.

  Iustinian, as that man a Sainted place deseru’d,

  Who still to feed his soule, his sinfull body steru’d:

  And for that height in zeale, whereto he did attaine,

  There by his fellow Monkes most cruelly was slaine.

  So Cambria, Beno bare; and Gildas, which doth grace

  Old Bangor, and by whose learn’d writings we imbrace,

  the knowledge of those times; the fruits of whose iust pen,

  Shall liue for euer fresh, with all truth-searching men:

  Then other, which for hers old Cambria doth auerre,

  Saint Senan, and with him wee set Saint Deiferre,

  Then Tather will we take, and Chyned to the rest,

  With Brauk, who so much the Ile of Bardsey blest

  By his most powerfull prayer, to solitude that liu’d,

  And of all worldly care his zealous Soule depriu’d.

  Of these, some liu’d not long, some wondrous aged were,

  But in the Mountaines liu’d, all Hermits here and there.

  O more then mortall men, whose Faith and earnest prayers,

  Not onely bare ye hence, but were those mightie stayres

  By which you went to heauen, and God so clearely saw,

  As this vaine earthly pompe had not the power to draw

  Your eleuated soules, but once to looke so low,

  As those depressed paths, wherein base worldlings goe.

  What mind doth not admire the knowledge of these men?

  But zealous Muse returne vnto thy taske agen.

  These holy men at home, as here they were bestow’d,

  So Cambria had such too, as famous were abroad.

  Sophy King Gulicks sonne of Northwales, who had seene

  The Sepulchre three times, and more, seuen times had beene

  On Pilgrimage at Rome, of Beniuentum there

  The painfull Bishop made; by him so place we here,

  Saint Mackloue, from Northwales to little Britaine sent,

  That people to conuert, who resolutely bent,

  Of Athelney in time the Bishop there became,

  Which her first title chang’d, and tooke his proper name.

  So she her Virgins had, and vow’d as were the best:

  Saint Keyne Prince Brechans child, (a man so highly blest,

  That thirtie borne to him all Saints accounted were.)

  Saint Inthwar so apart shall with these other beare,

  Who out of false suspect was by her brother slaine.

  Then Winifrid, whose name yet famous doth remaine,

  Whose Fountaine in Northwales intitled by her name,

  For Mosse, and for the Stones that be about the same,

  Is sounded through this Ile, and to this latter age

  Is of our Romists held their latest Pilgrimage.

  But when the Saxons here so strongly did reside,

  And surely seated once, as owners to abide;

  When nothing in the world to their desire was wanting,

  Except the Christian Faith, for whose substantiall planting,

  Saint Augustine from Rome was to this Iland sent;

  And comming through large France, ariuing first in Kent,

  Conuerted to the faith King Ethelbert, till then

  Vnchristened that had liu’d, with all his Kentishmen,

  And of their chiefest Towne, now Canterbury cald,

  The Bishop first was made, and on that See instauld.

  Foure other, and with him for knowledge great in name,

  That in this mighty worke of our conuersion came,

  Lawrence, Melitus then, with Iustus, and Honorius,

  In this great Christian worke, all which had beene laborious,

  To venerable age, each comming in degree,

  Succeeded him againe in Canterbury See,

  As Peter borne in France, with these and made our owne,

  And Pauline whose great zeale, was by his Preaching showne.

  The first to Abbots state, wise Austen did preferre,

  And to the latter gaue the See of Rochester;

  All canoniz’d for Saints, as worthy sure they were,

  For establishing the Faith, which was receiued here.

  Few Countries where our Christ had ere been preached then,

  But sent into this Ile some of their godly men.

  From Persia led by zeale, so Iue this Iland sought,

  And neere our Easterne Fennes a fit place finding, taught

  The Faith: which place from him the name alone deriues,

  And of that sainted man since called is Saint-Iues;

  Such reuerence to her selfe that time Deuotion wan.

  So Sun-burnt Affrick sent vs holy Adrian,

  Who preacht the Christian Faith here nine and thirtie yeere,

  An Abbot in this Isle, and to this Nation deare,

  That in our Countrey two Prouinciall Synods cald,

  T’reforme the Church that time with Heresies enthrald.

  So Denmarke Henry sent t’encrease our holy store,

  Who falling in from thence vpon our Northerne shore

  In th’Isle of Cochet liu’d, neere to the mouth of Tyne,

  In Fasting as in Prayer, a man so much diuine,

  That onely thrice a weeke on homely cates he fed,

  And three times in the weeke himselfe he silenced,

  That in remembrance of this most abstenious man,

  Vpon his blessed death the English men began,

  By him to name their Babes, which it so frequent brings,

  Which name hath honoured been by many English Kings.

  So Burgundy to vs three men most reuerent bare,

  Amongst our other Saints, that claime to haue their share,

  Of which was Felix first, who in th’East-Saxon raigne,

  Conuerted to the faith King Sigbert: him againe

  Ensueth Anselme, whom Augusta sent vs in,

  And Hugh, whose holy life, to Christ did many win,

  By Henry th’Empresse sonne holpe hither, and to haue

  Him wholly to be ours, the See of Lincolne gaue.

  So Lumbardy to vs, our reuerent Lanfranck lent,

  For whom into this land King William Conqueror sent,

  And Canterburies See to his wise charge assign’d.

  Nor France to these for hers was any whit behind,

  For Grimbald shee vs gaue (as Peter long before,

  Who with Saint Austen came, to preach vpon this shore)

  By Alsred hither cald, who him an Abbot made,

  Who by his godly life, and preaching did perswade,

  The Saxons to beleeue the true and quickning word:

  So after long againe she likewise did afford,

  Saint O smond, whom the See of Salsbury doth owne,

  A Bishop once of hers, and in our conquest knowne,

  When hither to that end their Norman William came,

  Remigius then, whose mind, that worke of ours of fame,

  Rich Lincolne Minster shewes, where he a Bishop sat,

  Which (it should seeme) he built for men to wonder at.

  So potent were the powers of Church-men in those dayes.

  Then Henry nam’d of Bloys, from France who crost the S
eas,

  With Stephen Earle of Bloys his brother, after King,

  In Winchesters rich See, who him establishing,

  He in those troublous times in preaching tooke such paine,

  As he by them was not canonized in vaine.

  As other Countries here, their holy men bestow’d;

  So Britaine likewise sent her Saints to them abroad,

  And into neighbouring France, our most religious went,

  Saint Clare that natiue was of Rochester in Kent,

  At Volcasyne came vow’d the French instructing there,

  So early ere the truth amongst them did appeare,

  That more then halfe a God they thought that reuerent man.

  Our Iudock, so in France such fame our Nation wan,

  For holinesse, where long an Abbots life he led

  At Pontoyse, and so much was honoured, that being dead,

  And after threescore yeares (their latest period dated)

  His body taken vp, was solemnly translated.

  As Ceofrid, that sometime of Wyremouth Abbot was,

  In his returne from Rome, as he through France did passe,

  At Langres left his life, whose holinesse euen yet,

  Vpon his reuerent graue, in memory doth sit.

  Saint Alkwin so for ours, we English boast againe,

  The Tutor that became to mightie Charlemaigne,

  That holy man, whose heart was so with goodnesse fild,

  As out of zeale he wan that mightie King to build

  That Academy now at Paris, whose Foundation

  Through all the Christian world hath so renown’d that Nation,

  As well declares his wealth, that had the power to doe it,

  As his most liuely zeale, perswading him vnto it.

  As Simon cald the Saint of Burdeux, which so wrought,

  By preaching there the truth, that happily he brought

  The people of those parts, from Paganisme, wherein

  Their vnbeleeuing soules so long had nuzled bin.

  So in the Norman rule, two most religious were,

  Amongst ours that in France dispersed here and there,

  Preach’d to that Nation long, Saint Hugh, who borne our owne,

  In our first Henries rule sate on the See of Roan,

  Where he was long. Saint Edmund so againe,

  Who banished from hence in our third Henries raigne,

  There led an Hermits life neere Pontoyse, where before,

  Saint Iudock did the like) whose honour to restore,

  Religious Lewes there interr’d with wondrous cost,

  Of whose rich Funerall France deseruedly may boast.

  Then Main we adde to these, an Abbot here of ours,

  To little Britaine sent, imploying all his powers

  To bring them to the Faith, which he so well effected,

  That since he as a Saint hath euer been respected.

  As these of ours in France, so had wee those did show

  In Germany, as well the Higher, as the Low,

  Their Faith: In Freezeland first Saint Boniface our best,

  Who of the See of Mentz, whilst there he sate possest,

  At Dockum had his death, by faithlesse Frizians slaine,

  Whose Anniuersaries there did after long remaine.

  So Wigbert full of faith, and heauenly wisedome went

  Vnto the selfe same place, as with the same intent;

  With Eglemond a man as great with God as he;

  As they agreed in life, so did their ends agree,

  Both by Radbodius slaine, who ruld in Frizia then:

  So in the sacred roule of our Religious men,

  In Freeze that preach’d the faith we of Saint Lullus read,

  Who in the of Mentz did Boniface succeed;

  And Willihad that of Bren, that sacred Seat supplide,

  So holy that him there, they halfely deifide;

  With Marchelme, and with him our Plechelme, holy men,

  That to the Freezes now, and to the Saxons then,

  In Germany abroad the glorious Gospell spread,

  Who at their liues depart, their bodies gathered,

  Were at old-Seell enshrin’d, their Obijts yearely kept:

  Such as on them haue had as many praises heap’d,

  That in their liues the truth as constantly confest,

  As th’other that their Faith by Martyrdome exprest.

  In Freeze, as these of ours, their names did famous leaue,

  Againe so had we those as much renown’d in Cleaue;

  Saint Swibert, and with him Saint Willick, which from hence,

  To Cleeue-land held their way, and in the Truths defence

  Pawn’d their religious liues, and as they went together,

  So one and selfe same place allotted was to either:

  For both of them at Wert in Cleaueland seated were,

  Saint Swibert Bishop was, Saint Willick Abbot there.

  So Guelderland againe shall our most holy bring,

  As Edilbert the sonne of Edilbald the King

  Of our South-Saxon Rule, incessantly that taught

  The Guelders, whose blest dayes vnto their period brought,

  Vnto his reuerent Corpse, old Haerlem harbour gaue;

  So Werensrid againe, and Otger both we haue,

  Who to those people preach’d, whose praise that country tells.

  What Nation names a Saint, for vertue that excels

  Saint German who for Christ his Bishoprick forsooke,

  And in the Netherlands most humbly him betooke,

  From place to place to passe, the secrets to reueale,

  Of our deare Sauiours death, and last of all to seale

  His doctrine with his blood: In Belgia so abroad,

  Saint in like sort, his blessed time bestow’d,

  Whose reliques Wormshault (yet) in Flanders hath reseru’d,

  Of these, th’rebellious (to winne them heauen) that staru’d.

  Saint Menigold, a man, who in his youth had beene

  A Souldier, and the French, and German warres had seene,

  A Hermit last became, his sinfull soule to saue,

  To whom good Arnulph, that most godly Emperour gaue

  Some ground not farre from Leedge, his Hermitage to set,

  Whose floore when with his teares, he many a day had wet,

  He for the Christian faith vpon the same was slaine:

  So did th’ Erwaldi there most worthily attaine

  Their Martyrs glorious Types, to Ireland first approou’d,

  But after (in their ) as need requir’d remoou’d,

  They to Westphalia went, and as they brothers were,

  So they, the Christian faith together preaching there,

  Th’old Pagan Saxons slew, out of their hatred deepe

  To the true Faith, whose shrines braue Cullen still doth keepe.

  So Adler one of ours, by England set apart

  For Germany, and sent that people to conuert,

  Of Erford Bishop made, there also had his end.

  Saint Liphard like wise to our Martyraloge shall lend,

  Who hauing been at Rome on Pilgrimage, to see

  The Reliques of the Saints, supposed there to bee,

  Returning by the way of Germany, at last,

  Preaching the Christian faith, as he through Cambray past,

  The Pagan people slew, whose Reliques Huncourt hath;

  These others so we had, which trode the selfe same path

  In Germany, which shee most reuerently imbrac’d.

  Saint Iohn a man of ours, on Salzburgs See was plac’d;

  Saint Willibald of Eist the Bishop so became,

  And Burchard English borne, the man most great of name,

  Of Witzburg Bishop was, at Hohemburg that reard

  The Monastery, wherein he richly was interd.

  So Mastreight vnto her Saint Willibord did call,

  And seated him vpon her See Episcopall,

  As two Sai
nt Lebwins there amongst the rest are brought;

  Th’one o’r Isells banks the ancient Saxons taught:

  At ouer Isell rests, the other did apply,

  The Gueldres, and by them interd at Deuentry.

  Saint Wynibald againe, at Hidlemayne enioy’d

  The Abbacy, in which his godly time employ’d

  In their Conuersion there, which long time him withstood.

  Saint Gregory then, with vs sprung of the Royall blood,

  And sonne to him whom we the elder Edward stile,

  Both Court and Country left, which he esteemed vile,

  Which Germany receau’d, where he at Myniard led

  A strict Monastick life, a Saint aliue and dead.

  So had we some of ours for Italy were prest,

  As well as these before, sent out into the East.

  King Inas hauing done so great and wondrous things,

  As well might be suppos’d the works of sundry Kings,

  Erecting beautious Phanes, and Monuments so faire,

  As Monarchs haue not since beene able to repaire,

  Of many that he built, the least, in time when they

  Haue (by weake mens neglect) been falne into decay:

  This Realme by him enrich’d, he pouertie profest,

  In Pilgrimage to Rome, where meekly he deceast.

  As Richard the deare sonne to Lothar King of Kent,

  When he his happy dayes religiously had spent;

  And feeling the approch of his declining age,

  Desirous to see Rome in holy Pilgrimage,

  Into thy Country com’n at Leuca, left his life,

  Whose myracles there done, yet to this day are rife.

  The Patron of that place, so Thusoany in thee,

  At faire Mount-flascon still the memory shall bee

  Of holy Thomas there most reuerently interd,

  Who sometime to the See of Hereford preferd;

  Thence trauailing to Rome, in his returne bereft

  His life by sicknesse, there to thee his body left.

  Yet Italy gaue not these honors all to them

  That visited her Rome, but from Ierusalem,

  Some comming back through thee, and yeelding vp their spirits,

  On thy rich earth receiu’d their most deserued merits.

  O Naples, as thine owne, in thy large Territory,

  Though to our Countries praise, yet to thy greater glory,

  Euen to this day the Shrines religiously dost keepe,

  Of many a blessed Saint which in thy lap doth sleepe!

  As Eleutherius, com’n from visiting the Tombe,

  Thougau’st to him at Arke in thy Apulia roome

  To set his holy Cell, where he an Hermite dy’d,

  Canonized her Saint; so hast thou glorifide