The true Character of a Noble GENNERALL:•een and Allowed of by His Excellencie, The Earl of ESSEX. Written in Proſe and Verſe.
LONDON, Printed by Iohn Hammond, 1644.
MAy it pleaſe Your Excellence, to accept the affectionated tender of your humble ſervant, for why your Noble and Iuditious Honor hath ſtill been held a Patron of the Muſes, a Lover of Arts, and Artlike Siences, and all good Arts ingenious man attaines to; Let not me then diſpaire, though the first dip of my weak forward Pen aſcend unto ſo high a Dedication, I gently crave it might not meet refection, becauſe it is my love, if ſo, it would quite kill my hopes prepared journey, and that ſacred Mount I now am labouring up, fall from't, and periſh, and made a ſcorne unto the Lawrell tree, in my deſire to touch it, but noble Nature mixt with gentill Spirits, aſcends like Mirrh unto the ſaving Heavens, and gives the ſame deſire to you on earth, from whoſe favours warmth, I hope my ſpring flouriſh, and theſe few mixt Poems here in Proſe and Verſe, he mildly ſenſured; and my obedient Service, with my love thought free from flattery, to whoſe Noble and Iuditeous ſenſure I recommend them unto Your Excellencies view.
A Noble Generall, by the generall aſſent of the high voice of great Authority, being handed to the Piramide of Honour, over whoſe top the golden Truucheon, and the Verdant Wreath, his worthineſſe as worthily receives, ſhould be juſt ſuch a man as hath it: In which diſcretion ſhewed her Maſter-piece in calling ſuch a Pillar of the State to their ſecurer and more State ſupportance, for as the lightning cleeres the troubled Aire, when hot contagion mixeth amongſt the Clouds, and gives the Earth a healthier temperature: ſo chooſing of a man whoſe noble minde in all his actions, was his Names expreſſor, The peoples loves, in whoſe hearts hee was wrapt in, choſe themſelves forth to be his followers, forſooke their wives, their children and their ſttates, And when his Drummes beat up old Englands March, and waving Enſignes cut the fleeting Aire, Their Airey ſpirits back't their mettled ſteeds. whoſe hot diſdainfull pride champing their burniſh't bits, foame ſnow'd the earth, as ſcorning it ſhould bare them: So diligence ſtill waits upon love, And as a Generall in all his ſtate, the very Pageant of Colloſius warre, being heavens great man, ſhould ſo be heavens good man, as queſtionleſſe he is that weares this charge, for when Mars calls him to his maled throne, and with the Plumes of honour crownes his head, acquaints him with his whole artillery, ſhewes him the rules and husbandrie of Warre, brings him through all the cunn•ng laborinthes, tells him his Statutes, Lawes, Edicts and Councells: with it the Chriſtians Conſcience, and the care, the golden Plummets of the hearts even ballence, where pure integrity from hearts corrupt, reignes Monarch of the whole Celeſtiall frame, ſhaping his life ſo cleane, ſo white ſo good, that he defies all ſtratagems againſt him, though hell ſhould for him make a Machivill, whoſe own hot braine contains the quintiſcence of all that ever from that man•ion leapt: Yet the juſt Souldier ſpurnes at him, and that; were all the dangers from the Corners brought, wrap'd up in Whirl-windes, on an Earth quake mounted, and every danger uſher'd with new death, according to the nature of each terrour? yet all this to the Noble Martialiſt, makes not feares breath ſo ſtrong to ſhake the ſmalleſt haire upon his head, There is the confidence of honeſty, whoſe Hoaſte reignes under his command, with love: And where his love leads on with good diſcretion, not juſtled by vaine glory, thorough the applauſe of wide-mouth'd rumor, popularity but knows true Martial diſtance to an Inch, how to bring on with courage and with care, And with the ſame care to bring oft againe, to husband lives to cheri••, and repaire the ruines that red warre makes breaches thorough: not he that in a tempeſt hurries men like violent thunder, burſting through the Clowdes to ſet his Souldiers at a doubtful ſtake, and at one caſt to winne or looſe the ſet to fill the fields with groanes of dying men, and Citie Hoſpitalls with halting Criples, making their deathes and maymes his recreation, and with hoſterities over-ruling ſway, com•and the•r Loves obedience, tho•ough fear to ſay He this and that did by his Valour, his fame like terrour ſhouting through the eares of thoſe that gives the names of Enemies, ſuch Souldiers are, and men of great eſteem and praiſe, though there be difference in equality: Yet where ſweet mildneſſe ſwayes it is the beſt, and ſhewes him moſt a Gentleman, to whoſe known deſerts, brave worthy Sir, in all things (ſance flattery) I give you but your due.
ENVIE, a monſter who leapt out of Hell, being a brother of the deadly ſeven, can no contentment finde upon the earth, for ſtill his agony increaſeth here ſo that even the locall pit from whence he up aſcended, affords him not worſe torment then the earth, the hiſſing conſort of his Snakeweath'd head, ſhewes him a brother to fell Meduſa, who as his charmed power, turnes into aſtone and on the ſudden freezeth fleſh and blood into the hardneſſe of a Statue, ſo would he blaſt and ſting to death all living goodneſſe, that he knowes or heares of: for if a nature ▪ ſweet as the perfume, the heavenly ſpring breathes ore the Bryery budds give••e ſunke eyes of Envie ſuch a viſite, how he flings ſcorching lightning after it, That had his Power entranoe to his will, he would melt the very marrow thorow the bone, ſo thicke his forkt Artillery ſhes after it, Let vertue whiter then the Planners path, meeke as the Dove and harmleſſe as the ſleepe of tender Babes, though all the graces hung like ſtately lemmes to deek the out-ſide of this edifice, and the three ſteps unto eternity, the outward ſigne Wart, for the parties knowing, yet what would this availe, o•ever ſweeten bitter envie, gaul, but ſtraight he ſhootes reproaches after them, armes, hearts and hands againſt them like his own, ſpotting with infamy that ſilver roabe, that wore a tincture like the morning light, before Aurora bluſh'd at Tytans riſing ſprings beautie, with the mixture of thoſe flowers that ever ſtrove for ſuperiori•y, the ſpreading Lillie, and the blooming Roſe yet this foul Canker, both il•hew'd and ſcented, would ſuck the juice of Hemlock from the weeds, mixt with the rancour of her own foul lungs, from her more foul to•gue to blaſt perfection, wearing her eyes ſo fiery blood-ſhed with her indignation, that where ſhe not prevailes, ſhe turnes that hatred on her hatefull ſelf, and feeds upon her own deteſted Name, Envie, who from the breaking of the worlds firſt day, brought her Conſumption even along with her, ſtill bringing with it, till time make his ſtop, and all deſtroying death meet her deſtruction. Let honour, whoſe ever grafted flock ſprung forth ſuch branches, be poſſeſt with Natures whole en•reaſe aſſiſted with the adition of rich Arts be his Helme, ſteered by the higheſt hand, and all his Actions leavyed by a line ſquar'd out of the hand of equity, ſtand he betwixt the Compaſſes two points, ſupported by the Goſpel and the Law, were his deſerts by higheſt powers compeelld to advance up to the Alpes of State, plum'd Honour, were he Commander of more lives then hair•s, and had of every life a care, as great as the preſerving of thoſe blood-branch'd Veines, that iſſue from the crimſon Conduit-head, the bodies fountaine, where the thoughts ſit crownd, even his own heart, yet Envie would ſpit at him, and muſter up ill thoughts to fight againſt him, contempts,•eproaches, infamies and ſcornes, Though goodneſſe dwelleth at the ſigne of greatneſſe, and heavens white finger point him out a man of Saint-like diſpoſi•ion and of ſufferance, a ſmiler on his injuries with forgiveneſſe, whoſe inward•oncave is a ſchool of pitty, the Maſter good Diſcretion, and his hands both•word and Ballance ſwayes, Juſtice with equity, yet all this with his whole•ife guard of heart-loving friends, ſuch as would emptey all their veines dry•rom him, and call new life to aſ•iſt t•em (had they power) can make no bullworke to keep Envie out, but he will call his Councell up againſt him. the•wift-wing'd malice arm'd with laſting hate, with all the Synod of Anatomies whoſe Skellitons of skin-o're-covering bones can weare no fleſh, but bloods,•heir nouriſhment. Authority and power his hate purſues, grinnes at the pompe and ſtate of Potent Kings, derides all Scepters, Rule or Covernment, and moſt•p•ene belcheth where there is leaſt cauſe, yet ſeldome dares this Caniball be ſeen, hees of ſo baſe a coward diſpoſition, but lurkes in corners ▪ where he may obſcur'd reigne over his diſturbed ſelf alone Monarch of fretts, of ſelf-devouring hate, if factions ſeede he ſowes, brings forth no fruit, ſo that of all envies the pooreſt, and paies himſelf worſt wages, is baſeſt of all evills, and moſt deſpiſed by goodneſſe.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A80417)
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