STARN: Scots Teaching and Resource Network
Sonnets by James VI
JAMES VI.001A
First Ioue, as greatest God aboue the rest,
Graunt thou to me a pairt of my desyre:
That when in verse of thee I wryte my best,
This onely thing I earnestly requyre,
That thou my veine Poetique so inspyre,
As they may suirlie think, all that it reid,
When I descryue thy might and thundring fyre,
That they do see thy self in verie deid
From heauen the greatest Thunders for to leid,
And syne vpon the Gyants heads to fall:
Or cumming to thy Semele with speid
In Thunders least, at her request and call:
Or throwing Phaethon downe from heauen to eard,
With threatning thunders, making monstrous reard.
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JAMES VI.002A
Apollo nixt, assist me in a parte,
Sen vnto Ioue thou secound art in might,
That when I do descryue thy shyning Carte,
The Readers may esteme it in their sight.
And graunt me als, thou worlds o onely light,
That when I lyke for subiect to deuyse
To wryte, how as before thy countenaunce bright
The yeares do stand, with seasons dowble twyse,
That so I may descryue the verie guyse
Thus by thy help, of yeares wherein we liue:
As Readers syne may say, heir surely lyes,
Of seasons fowre, the glasse and picture viue.
Grant als, that so Imay my verses warpe,
As thou may play them syne vpon thy Harpe.
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JAMES VI.003A
And first, o Phoebus, when I do descriue
The Springtyme sproutar of the herbes and flowris,
Whomewith in rank none of the foure do striue,
But nearest thee do stande all tymes and howris:
Graunt Readers may esteme, they sie the showris,
Whose balmie dropps so softlie dois distell,
Which watrie cloudds in mesure suche downe powris,
As makis the herbis, and verie earth to smell
With sauours sweit, fra tyme that onis thy sell
The vapouris softlie sowkis with smyling cheare,
VVhilks syne in cloudds are keiped closs and well,
VVhill vehement Winter come in tyme of yeare.
Graunt, when I lyke the Springtyme to displaye,
That Readers think they sie the Spring alwaye.
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JAMES VI.004A
AND graunt I may so viuely put in verse
The Sommer, when I lyke theirof to treat:
As when in writ I do theirof reherse,
Let Readers think they fele the burning heat,
And graithly see the earth, for lacke of weit,
With withering drouth and Sunne so gaigged all,
As for the grasse on feild, the dust in streit
Doth ryse and flee aloft, long or it fall.
Yea, let them think, they heare the song and call,
Which Floras wingde musicians maks to sound.
And that to taste, and smell, beleue they shall
Delicious fruictis, whilks in that tyme abound.
And shortly, all their senses so bereaued,
As eyes and earis, and all may be deceaued.
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JAMES VI.005A
OR when I lyke my pen for to imploy
Of fertile Harvest in the description trew:
Let Readers think, they instantly conuoy
The busie shearers for to reap their dew,
By cutting rypest cornes with hookes anew:
Which cornes their heauy heads did dounward bow,
Els seking earth againe, from whence they grew,
And vnto Ceres do their seruice vow.
Let Readers also surely think and trow,
They see the painfull Vigneron pull the grapes:
First tramping them, and after pressing now
The grenest clusters gathered into heapes.
Let then the Harvest so viue to them appeare,
As if they saw both cornes and clusters neare.
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JAMES VI.006A
BVT let them think, in verie deid they feill,
When as I do the VVinters stormes vnfolde,
The bitter frosts, which waters dois congeill
In VVinter season, by a pearcing colde.
And that they heare the whiddering Boreas bolde,
With hiddeous hurling, rolling Rocks from hie.
Or let them think, they see god Saturne olde,
Whose hoarie haire owercouering earth, maks flie
The lytle birds in flocks, fra tyme they see
The earth and all with stormes of snow owercled:
Yea let them think, they heare the birds that die,
Make piteous mone, that Saturnes hairis are spred.
Apollo, graunt thir foirsaid suitis of myne,
All fyue I say, that thou may crowne me syne.
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JAMES VI.007A
AND when I do descriue the Oceans force,
Graunt syne, o Neptune, god of seas profound,
That readars think on leeboard, and on dworce,
And how the Seas owerflowed this massiue round:
Yea, let them think, they heare a stormy sound,
Which threatnis wind, and darknes come at hand:
And water in their shipps syne to abound,
By weltring waues, like hyest towres on land.
Then let them thinke their shipp now low on sand,
Now climmes & skippes to top of rageing seas,
Now downe to hell, when shippmen may not stand,
But lifts their hands to pray thee for some eas.
Syne let them think thy Trident doth it calme,
Which maks it cleare and smothe lyke glas or alme.
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JAMES VI.008A
And graunt the lyke when as the swimming sort
Of all thy subjects skaled I list declare:
As Triton monster with a manly port,
Who drownd the Troyan trumpetour most raire:
As Marmaids wyse, who wepis in wether faire:
And marvelous Monkis, I meane Monkis of the see.
Bot what of monsters, when Ilooke and staire
On wounderous heapes of subiectis seruing the?
As whailes so huge, and Sea eylis rare, that be
Myle longs, in crawling cruikis of sixtie pace;
And Daulphins, Seahorse, Selchs with oxin ee,
And Mersvvynis, Pertrikis als of fishes race.
In short, no fowle doth flie, nor beast doth go,
But thow hast fishes lyke to them and mo.
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JAMES VI.009A
O dreidfull Pluto, brother thrid to Ioue,
With Proserpin, thy wife, the quene of hell:
My sute to yow is, when I like to loaue
The ioyes that do in Elise field excell:
Or when I like great Tragedies to tell:
Or flyte, or murne my fate: or wryte with feare
The plagues ye do send furth with Dirae fell.
Let Readers think, that both they see and heare
Alecto, threatning Turnus sister deare:
And heare Celaenos wings, with Harpyes all:
And see dog Cerberus rage with hiddeous beare,
And all that did Aeneas once befall.
When as he past throw all those dongeons dim,
The foresaid fields syne visited by him.
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JAMES VI.+010A
O Furious Mars, thow warlyke souldiour bold,
And hardy Pallas, goddess stout and graue:
Let Reidars think, when combats manyfold
Ido descriue, they see two champions braue,
With armies huge approching to resaue
Thy will, with cloudds of dust into the air.
Syne Phifers, Drummes, and Trumpets cleir do craue
The pelmell chok with larum loude alwhair,
Then nothing hard but gunnis, and ratling fair
Of speares, and clincking swords with glaunce so cleir,
As if they foght in skyes, then wrangles thair
Men killd, vnkilld, whill Parcas breath reteir.
There lyes the venquisht wailing sore his chaunce:
Here lyes the victor, rewing els the daunce.
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JAMES VI.011A
And at your handis I earnestly do craue,
O facound Mercure, with the Muses nyne,
That for conducting guyde I may you haue,
Aswell vnto my pen, as my Ingyne.
Let Readers think, thy eloquence deuyne
O Mercure, in my Poems doth appeare;
And that Parnassis flowing fountaine fyne
Into my works doth shyne lyke cristall cleare.
O Muses, let them thinke that they do heare
Your voyces all into my verse resound.
And that your vertewis singuler and seir
May wholly all in them be also found.
Of all that may the perfyte Poems make,
I pray you let my verses haue no lake.
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JAMES VI.012A
In short, you all forenamed gods I pray
For to concur with one accord and will,
That all my works may perfyte be alway:
Which if ye doe, then sweare I for to fill
My works immortall with your praises still:
I shall your names eternall euer sing,
I shall tread downe the grasse on Parnass hill
By making with your names the world to ring:
I shall your names from all obliuion bring.
I lofty Virgill shall to life restoir,
My subiects all shalbe of heauenly thing,
How to delate the gods immortals gloir.
Essay me once, and if ye find me swerue,
Then thinke, I do not graces such deserue.
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JAMES VI.013A
SONNET OF THE AVTHOR TO THE READER.
Sen for zour saik I vvryte upon zour airt,
Apollo, Pan, and ze o Musis nyne,
And thou, o Mercure, for to help thy pairt,
I do implore, sen thou be thy ingyne,
Nixt efter Pan had found the quhissil, syne
Thou did perfyte, that quhilk he bot espyit:
And efter that made Argus for to tyne
(quha kepit Io) all his vvindois by it.
Concurre ze Gods, it can not be denyit:
Sen in zour airt of Poesie I vvryte.
Auld birds to learne by teiching it is tryit:
Sic docens discam gif ze help to dyte.
Then Reidar sie of nature thou haue pairt,
Syne laikis thou nocht, bot heir to reid the airt.
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JAMES VI.014A
SONNET DECIFRING THE PERFYTE POETE
Ane rype ingyne, ane quick and vvalkned vvitt,
VVith sommair reasons, suddenlie applyit,
For euery purpose using reasons fitt,
VVith skilfulnes, vvhere learning may be spyit,
With pithie vvordis, for to expres zovv by it
His full intention in his proper leid,
The puritie quhairof, vveill hes he tryit:
With memorie to keip quhat he dois reid,
With skilfulnes and figuris, quhilks proceid
From Rhetorique, vvith euerlasting fame,
With uthers vvoundring, preassing vvith all speid
For to atteine to merite sic a name.
All thir into the perfyte Poete be.
Goddis, grant I may obteine the Laurell trie.
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JAMES VI.015A
Sonnet of the Authour.
The facound Greke, Demosthenes by name,
His toung was ones into his youth so slow
As evin that airt, which floorish made his fame,
He scarce could name it for a tyme, ze know.
So of small seidis the Liban Cedres grow:
So of an Egg the Egle doeth proceid:
From fountains small great Nilus flood doeth flow:
Evin so of rawnis do mightiefishes breid.
Therefore, good Reader, when as thow dois reid
These my first fruictis, dispyse them not at all.
Who watts, bot these may able be indeid
Of fyner Poemis the beginning small.
Then, rather loaue my meaning and my panis,
Then lak my dull ingyne and blunted branis.
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JAMES VI.016A
The azur'd vaulte, the crystall circles bright,
The gleaming fyrie torches powdred there,
The changing round,the shining beamie light,
The sad and bearded fyres,the monsters faire:
The prodiges appearing in the aire,
The rearding thunders, and the blustering winds,
The foules,in hew,in shape,in nature raire,
The prettie notes that wing'd musiciens finds:
In earth the sau'rie flooures, the mettal'd minds,
The wholesome hearbes,the hautie pleasant trees,
The syluer streames, the beasts of sundrie kinds,
The bounded roares and fishes of the seas:
All these,for teaching man,the Lord did frame,
To do his will,whose glorie shines in thame
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JAMES VI.017A
A complaint against the contrary Wyndes that hindered the Queene to com to Scotland from Denmarke.
From sacred throne in heauen Empyrick hie
A breathe diuine in Poets brests does blowe
Wherethrough all things inferiour in degrie
As vassals vnto them doe hommage showe
There songs enchants Apollos selfe ye knowe
And chaste Dianas coache can haste or staye
Can change the course of Planets high or lowe
And make the earthe obeye them euerie waye
Make rockes to danse, hugge hills to skippe and playe
Beasts, foules, and fishe to followe them allwhere
Though thus the heauen, the sea, and earthe obeye,
Yett mutins the midde region of the aire.
What hatefull Juno, Aeolus entiseth
Wherby contrarious Zephyre thus ariseth.
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JAMES VI.018A
O cruell Cupide what a rutheles rage
What hatefull wrathe thou vtterest vpon me
No medicine my sicknesse may asswage
Nor cataplasme cure my wounde I see
Through deadlie shott aliue I daylie dye
I frie in flammes of that envenomed darte
Which shotte me sicker in at ather eye
Then fastned fast into my hoalit harte
The feuer hath infected euerie parte
My bones are dried there marrowe melts awaye
My sinnowes feebles through my smoaking smarte
And all my bloode as in a pann doeth playe
I onlie wishe for ease of all my paine
That she might witt what sorrowe I sustaine.
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JAMES VI.019A
To the Queene
As on the wings of your enchanting fame
I was transported ou'r the stormie seas
Who coulde not quenche that restles burning flame
Which onlie ye by sympathie did mease
So can I troubled be with no disease
Bot onlie Medicinar remaines
And easilie when euer that ye please
May salue my sores and mitigatt my paines
Your smiling is an antidote againes
The Melancholie that oppresseth me
And when a raging wrathe into me raignes
Your louing lookes may make me calme to be
How oft yow see me haue an heauie hart
Remember then sweete Doctour on your art
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JAMES VI.020A
To the Queene, Anonimos
That blessed houre when first was broght to light
Our earthlie Juno, and our gratious Qheene
Three Goddesses how soone they hade her seene
Contended who protect her shoulde by right
Bot being as Goddesses of eqyall might
And as of female sexe like stiffe in will
It was agreed by sacred Apollos selfe ye knowe
And chaste Dianas coache can haste or staye
Can change the course of Planets high or lowe
And make the earthe obeye them eurie waye
Make rockes to danse, hugge hills to skippe and playe
Beasts, foules, and fishe to followe them allwhere
Though thus the heauen, the sea, and earth obeye,
Yett mutins the midde region of the aire.
What hetefull Juno, Aeolus entiseth
Wherby contrarious Zephyre thus ariseth
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JAMES VI.021A
Two Sonnets to her M:tie to show the difference of Stiles
althogh Madame I ought not to refuse
What yee request, or pleases to desire
Yet may I justly make my oun excuse
In that which last it pleas'd you to require
Long since forsooth my Muse begunne to tire
Through daylie fascherie of my oun affaires
Which quench'd in me that heauenly furious fire
In place whereof came sad & thorny cares
Which restlesly no time nor season spares
To spoile me of my former pleasurs quite
Who wont before to vse farre other wares
As exercis'd some worthy work to write
Now ar Castalias floods dried up in me
Like suddain shoures this time of yeere ye see.
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JAMES VI.022A
But what Madame & shall I then denie
Your juste demaunde and disobey the same?
No yee euen yee shall carrie to the skie
My barren verse and shall my Muse inflame
Was it not only your inchaunting fame
Who on her wings alofte did carrie mee
Frome natiue soil to follow on your name
And Eagle like on Theatis back to flee
Wher she commaunded Neptune for to be
My Princely guard and Triton to attend
On artificial flying tours of tree
Wherin I resting ranne to journeys end
Then since your fame hath made me flie before
Well may your name my verses nou decore.
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JAMES VI.023A
the Cheuiott hills doe with my state agree
In euerie point excepting onelie one
For as there toppes in cloudes are mounted hie
So all my thoughts in skies be higher gone
There foote is fast, my faithe a stedfast stone
From them discends the christall fontains cleare
And from mine eyes butt fained force and mone
Hoppes trickling teares with sadd and murnefull cheare
From them them great windes doe hurle with hiddeous beir
From me deepe sighs, greate flocks of sheepe the feede
I flockes of loue, no fruicts on them appeare
My houpe to me no grace can bring or breede
In these alike, in this we disagree
That snowe on them, and flames remaines in me.
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JAMES VI.024A
As man, a man am I composed all
Of brethren foure which did this worlde compone
Yett vnto me doth suche a chance befall
As I of mankinde all am he alone
Who of the foure possesseth onelie one
My flames of loue to firie heauen be past
My aire in sighs euanish'd is and gone
My moysture into teares distilling fast
Now onelie earthe remaines with me at last
That am denuded of the other three
Then crewell Dame since unto suche a cast
Your onelie beautie thus compelleth me
Send als my earth, with earth for to remaine
Or els restore me to my selfe againe.
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JAMES VI.025A
If he that lackes the light may iustlie mone
And eke lament his miserable cace
As he to whome all wordlie ioye is gone
When drearie darknes cumes in Phoebus place
How muche the more may I lament allace
The absence of my onelie lampe of light
Since Lezardlike I feede vpon her face
And suckes my satisfaction from her sight
No more may I, then marigolde by night
Beare blossoms when no sighte of Sunne I haue
For yow Madame haue by your beauties might
Bereft, and brookes my hart your humble slaue
How may a man, a floure, a corps in smart
See, blossome, breathe; but eyes, but Sunne, but hart.
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JAMES VI.026A
come fruictfull thoughts that fertill euer flowes
And showe what sicknes smites my heauie hart
The more I muse my greefe the greater growes
And painefull pangues of passions playe there parte
My euill it is incurable by art
And keepis a contrare course to nature cleene
My minde delights to pance vpon his smart
And feede on flames though secrete and vnseene
Bot as my brest a butt full long hath bene
to sightles shotts, so on the other side
O ye my harts allurer by my eyen
Respect with ruthe the bale I daylie bide
Then since we bothe like sorrowe doe sustaine
Bothe preasse to turne in pleasure all our paine.
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JAMES VI.027A
Although that crooked crawling Vulcan lie
An-vnder ashes colde as oft wee see
As senseles deade whill by his heate he drie
The greene and fizzing faggots made of tree
Then will that litle sponke and flaming eye
Bleaze brauelie forth and sparkling all abreed
With wandling wp a wondrous sight to see
Kithe clearlie then and on the faggots feede
So am I forced for to confesse indeede
My sponke of loue smor'd vnder coales of shame
By beauties force the fosterer of that seede
Now budds and bursts in an appearing flame
Bot since your beautie hath this wonder wroght
I houpe Madame it shall not be for noght.
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JAMES VI.028A
O womans witt that wauers with the winde
When none so well may warie now as I
As weathercocke thy stablenes I finde
And as the sea that still can neuer lie
Bot since that tyme the trueth hath made me trie
That in inconstance thou art constant still
My courage sayes on Cupide ceasse to crie
That are rewarded thus for thy goodwill
For thogh Madame I failde not to fulfill
All sort of seruice to a Mistres dewe
Yett absence thogh bot for a space did spill
The thankes deserued of all my seruice trewe
What shall I saye, I never thought to see
That out of sight, shoulde out of langour be.
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JAMES VI.029A
A sonnet on Mr Pa. Adamsons paraphrase of Job
In wandering wealth through burbling brookes and bewes
Of tripping troupes and flocks on fertill grounde
In cattell great of sundrie shapes and hewes
With houues all whole, or in a parted rounde
In fields fullfild with corners by shearers bounde
In heapes of golde, and ritches in all wayes
As Job excelled all others might be founde
Of Monarchs greate or Princes in his dayes
So this translatour merites no lesse praise
For gifts of spirit, then he for gifts of geare
And God in grace hath giuen suche conterpaise
As his translation to the worke is peere
God did his gifts in him so wiselie mell
Whose heauenlie wealth Jobs earthlie wealth doth tell.
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JAMES VI.030A
A Sonnet on Ticho Brahe
That onlie essence who made all of noght
Our great and mightie Lord the life of all
When he in ordour euerie thing hade broght
At the creating of this earthlie ball
Then made he man at last. Thy raigne it shall
Extend (quod Jehoua) in euerie cace
Ouer all these breathing beasts that flatlie fall
For humble hommage here before thy face
He also pitch'd eache Planet in his place
And made them rulers of the ruling Lord
As heauenlie impes to gouerne bodies basse
Be subtle and celestiall sweete accord
Then greate is Ticho who by this his booke
Commandement doth ouer these commanders brooke.
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JAMES VI.031A
Another on the same
The glorious globe of heauenlie matter made
Containing ten celestiall circles faire
Where shining starres in glistring graithe arraide
Most pleasantlie are poudered here and thair
Where euerie planet hath his own repaire
And christall house, a whirling wheill in rounde
Whose calme aspects or froward does declaire
Gods minde to blisse great kingdomes or confounde
Then if yow list to see on earthlie grounde
There ordour, course, and influence appeare
Looke Tichoes tooles, there finelie shall be founde
Each planet dansing in his propre spheare
There fire diuine into his house remaine
Whome sommerlie his booke doth here containe.
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JAMES VI.032A
Another on the same
What foolish Phaeton did presume in pride
Yea more what great Apollo takes in hand
Who does the course of glistring Phoebus guide
Thou does performe that rules eache firie brand
Then greater art thou then Apollo cleare
As thy Vranias eldest fostre deare.
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JAMES VI.033A
A sonnet on Du Bartas
Since ye immortall sisters nine hath left
All other countries lying far or neere
To follow him who from yow all them reft
And now hath caused your residence be here
Who thogh a stranger, yett he lou'd so deere
This realme and me, so as he spoil'd his awin
(And all the brookes,the bankes and fontains cleere
That be in it) of yow, as he hath shawin
In this youre worke, then lett your breaths be blawin
In recompense of this his willing minde
On me, that then may with my penn be drawin
His praise: who thogh him selfe be not inclin'd
Nor presseth bot to touche the laurell tree
Yett well he merites crown'd therwith to be.
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JAMES VI.034A
What heauen doth furnish thee such learned skill
What heauenlie fire inspires thy furious sprite
What foule bereaues thou for to painte at will
Thy trauells greate, what booke giues floures most sweete
Deck'd, holie, cleane, alone but matches meete
Wise, loftie, learned, with good will florish'd faire
Of penn, of brightness, smell and skill compleete
They wonder at thee in heauen, fire, earthe, and aire
Great God who heares from heauen his cantiques raire
And knowes thy harper, furie, pen, and floure
Preserue him in his midrinke with thy caire
But doubt his skill will change in heauen sume houre
His soule in starre, his furie in fires most strange
His pen in Phoenix, corps in floure shall change.
ABABBCBCCDCDEE
JAMES VI.035A
A sonnet on Mr.W.Fullers translation of Petrarchs triumphe of loue.
We find by proofe that into euerie age
In Phoebus art sume glistring starre did shine
Who worthie scollers to the Muses sage
Fullfil'd there countries with there workes diuine
So Homere was a sounding trumpett fine
Amongst the Greeks into his learned dayes
So Virgill was amongst the Romans sine
A spirit sublimed, a piller of there praise
So loftie Petrarch his renoume did blaze
In tongue Italique in a sugred stile
And to the circled skies his name did raise
For he by poems that he did compile
In triumphe ledde loue, chastnes, deathe, and fame
Bot thou triumphes ouer Petrarchs propre name.
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JAMES VI.036A
An Epitaphe on Sir Philip Sidney
Thou mightie Mars the God of souldiours braue
And thou Minerve that does in witt excell
And thou Apollo that does knowledge haue
Of euerie art that from Parnassus fell
With all the Sisters that thereon doe dwell
Lament for him who dewlie seru'd yow all
Whome in, yow wiselie all your arts did mell
Bewaile I saye his vnexpected fall
I neede not in remembrance for to call
His youth, his race, the houpe hade of him aye
Since that in him doeth cruell deathe appall
Both manhoode, witt, and learning euerie waye
Now in the bed of honour doeth he rest
And euermore of him shall liue the best.
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JAMES VI.037A
An epitaphe on John Shaw
A vertuous life procures a happie deathe
And raires to loftie skies there noble name
Then blest is he who looseth thus his breathe
Though to his friends it be a griefe the same
This may be saide of thy immortall fame
Who here reposes closed in honours laire
For as the trewe and noble race thou came
So honestie and trueth was all thy caire
Thy kinn was honoured by thy vertues raire
Thy place of creditt did thy friends defend.
Then noble mindes aspire and doe not spaire
With such a life to conquise such an end
Bot here my inward greefe does make me staye
I minde with deeds, and not with wordes to paye.
ABABBCBCCDCDEE
JAMES VI.038A
A sonnet to Chanceller Maitlane
Virgiliae nostrae
If he who valliant euen within the space
That Titan six tymes twise his course does end
Did conquise olde Dame Rheas fruictfull face
And did his raigne from pole to pole extend
Hade thought him happier if that greeke had penn'd
His worthie praise who traced the Troian sacke
Then all his actes that forth his name did send
Or his triumphant trophees might him make.
Then what am I who on Pegasian backe
Does flee amongs the Nymphes immortall faire
For thou o Maitland does occasion take
Euen by my verse to spreade thy name allwhere
For that in barbarous leide I blocke and frames
Thou learnedlie in Mineru's tongue proclames.
Olet lucernam certe, nam cum lucerna excogitatum fuit.
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JAMES VI.039A
An epitaphe on Montgomerie
What drousie sleepe doth syle your eyes allace
Ye sacred brethren of Castalian band
And shall the prince of Poets in our land
Goe thus to grave vumurned in anie cace
No; whett your pens ye imps of heauenlie grace
And toone me wp your sweete resounding strings
And mounte him so on your immortall wings
That euer he may liue in euerie place
Remember on Montgomeries flowand grace
His suggred stile his weightie words diuine
And how he made the sacred Sisters nine
There montaine quitte to followe on his trace
Though to his buriall was refused the bell
The bell of fame, shall aye his praises knell.
ABBAACCAADDAEE
JAMES VI.040A
A sonnet on the moneth of May
Haill mirthfull May the moneth full of ioye
Haill mother milde of hartsume herbes and floures
Haill fostrer faire of euerie sporte and toye
And of Auroras dewis and summer shoures
Haill friend of Phoebus and his glancing houres
Haill sister scheine to Nature breeding all
Who by the raine that cloudie skies out pouris
And Titans heate, reformes the faided fall
In woefull winter by the frostie gall
Of sadd Saturnus tirrar of the trees
And now by Natures might and thine they shall
Be florish'd faire with colours that agrees
Then lett ws all be gladd to honour the
As in olde tymes was euer wonte to be.
ABABBCBCCDCDEE
JAMES VI.041A
An aenigme of sleepe
Life is my selfe, I keepe the life of all
Without my helpe all liuing things they die
Small, greate, poore, ritche, obeye vnto my call
Feirce lions, foules, and whaills intp the sie
With meete and drinke the hungrie I supplie
Dead drunken als I quicken newe againe
Dearer to Kings, nor crownes and sceptours hie
Unto the riche, nor all there wealth and gaine
I am not nyse, the poore I'le not disdaine
Poore wretches more then Kings may me command
Where I cumme in all senses man refraine
Softer nor silke, and sadder nor the sand
I hurte, I helpe, I slaye, and cuire the same
SLEEPE, and aduise, and panse well what I am.
ABABBCBCCDCDEE
JAMES VI.042A
A Sonnet when the King was surprised by the Earle Bothwell
A faschious fight does force my freest minde
Betwixt two valliant champions I persaue
The one trewe courage rightlie is defin'd
The other wisedome temperat and graue
Thy selfe vndanted showe quoth courage braue
Bot wisedome wishes for a while to staye
Quoth courage rather die then liue a slaue
Quoth wisedome true, if so should be for aye
Bot wracke the not vpon thy selfe I praye
Since keeping wp thy selfe bot for a space
On others sine thy courage kithe thou maye
Quoth courage, lingring is a great disgrace
Of all these straits the best is out of doubte
That courage wise, and wisedome should be stoute.
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JAMES VI.043A
Another on the same
Shall treason then of trueth haue the rewarde
And shall rebellion thus exalted be
Shall cloked vice with falsehoods fained farde
In creditt creepe and glister in our eye
Shall coloured knaues so malapertlie lie
And shamelesse sowe there poysoned smitting seede
And shall periured infamous foxes slie
With there triumphes make honest harts to bleede
How long shall Furies on our fortunes feede
How long shall vice her raigne possesse in rest
How long shall Harpies our displeasure breede
And monstrous foules sitt sicker in our nest
In tyme appointed God will suirlie haue
Eache one his due rewarde for to resaue.
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JAMES VI.044A
All kinde of wronge, allace! it now aboundes
And honestie is fleemed out of this land
Now trumprie ouer trueth his triumphe soundes
Who now can knowe the hart by tongue or hand
Cummes euer iustice at the barre to stande
Where can she be in these our later dayes
Alike in water for to wagg a wande
As speare for her if truelie sundrie sayes
For manie now abroade doe daylie blaize
That iustice hath her hart infected sore
How can she then be cleane in anie wayes
Bot must become corrupted more and more
Sume lockman now hath locked wp apart
Poore iustice martyr'd with a meschant hart.
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JAMES VI.045A
O mightie sonne of Semele the faire
O Bacchus borne by Joue the God of might
O twise borne boye, who euer does and dare
Subdue all mortall with thy liquour wight
Who with thy power blinded hath the sight
To sume, to others thou the eares haue deaffed
From sume thou takes the taste, sume smelling right
Doeth lacke, sume touching, sume all fiue bereaued
Are of thee, the greate Alexandre craued
Thy mercie oft, our maistre poete now
Is warde by the; we smaller then shall leaue it
To striue with the. Then on his tombe I wowe
Shall be, Here lyis whome Bacchus by his wyne
Hath trapped first, and made him render sine.
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JAMES VI.046A
On Sir William Alexanders harshe vearses after the Inglishe fasone
Hould, hould your hand, hould, mercy, mercy, spare
Those sacred nine that nurst you many a yeare
Full oft alas with comfort and with care
Wee bath'd you in Castalias fountaine cleare
Then on your winges aloft wee did you beare
And set you on our stately forked hill
Where you our heaunly harmonyes did heare
The rockes resoundinge with there echoes still
Although your neighbours haue conspir'd to spill
That art which did the laurel crowne obtaine
And borowing from the raven there ragged quill
Bewray there harsh hard trotting tumbling wayne
Such hamringe hard the mettalls hard require
Our songs ar fil'd with smoothly flowing fire.
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JAMES VI.047A
A sonnet against the could that was in January 1616
How cruely these catiffs doe conspire
What loathsome loue breeds such a baleful band,
Betwixt the cancred Kinge of Creta land
That melancholy ould and angry syre
And him who wont to quench debaite and ire
Amongst the Romains when his ports were clos'd
But now his double face is still dispos'd
With Saturns helpe to freeze vs at the fire
The earth ou'e-couered with a sheete of snow
Refuses foode to foule to bird and beast
The chillinge cold letts every thing to grow
And surfets cattil with a starving feast
Curst bee that loue and may't continue short
That kills all creaturs and doth spoile our sport.
abbaaccadedeff
JAMES VI.048A
Not orientall Indus cristall streames;
Not frutfull Nilus, that no bankes can thole;
Nor golden Tagus, wher bright Titans beam[e]s
Ar headlongst hurled to vew the Antartike Pole;
Nor Ladon (which sweet Sidney dothe extole)
While it, th'Arcadian beauties did embrace:
All thease cannot, thee, nameless thee, controle,
But with good right must rander and giue place;
For, whilst sweete she voutsafest to show her face
And with her presence honnors thee ilke day,
Thou, slyding, seemest to haue a slower pace,
Against thy will as if thou went away,
And, loathe to leaue the sight of such a one,
Thou still imparts thy plaints to euery stone.
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JAMES VI.049A
Faire famous isle where Agathocles rang,
Where sometymes statly Siracusa stood,
Whos fertill feelds were bathed in bangsters blood
When Rome and ryuall Carthage straue so lang;
Great ladie mistriss all the isles amang,
Which stands in Neptunes circle-mouuing flood,
No, nather for thy frutefull ground nor good
I chuse the for the subject of my sang,
Nor for the owld report of scarce trew fame,
Nor heeretofore for farelies in the found;
But for the swewet resemblance of that name
To whom thou seemest so sibb, at least in sound:
If then, for seeming so, thy prays be such,
Sweet she herself dothe merit more then much.
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JAMES VI.050A
Vpon occasion of some great disorders in Scotland
O cruell constellation that conspird
Before my birth my bale sa sharpe and saire;
O miserable mother that desir'd
The midwife wise na paines on me to spaire.
In vaine wase milke my meate a yeare and maire;
In vaine therafter wase I speand, alace!
In vaine ye wise Pierides tooke a caire
To bring me brauely up in euerie cace;
In vaine ye made me syne to take a place
Vpon that forked hill in honnour hie;
In vaine descended I of royal race,
Which by succession made a king of me:
All were but shawes; Marcellus sure am I,
Or Job, whaise patience Sathan thinkes to try.
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JAMES VI.051A
Remember of my protestation now
And thinke that loue hath gar'd me take these paines
Fooles counsell whiles will helpe the wise I trowe
Which reason makes me thus to breake my braines
Great happe hath he whome others perils gaines
That moued me nou for to repeate yone storie,
Proude Dares fall for all his might and meanes
Coulde no wayes teache yow to bewarre of glorie
Nor yett woulde ye not call to memorie
What grounde ye gaue to Christian Lindsay by it
For now she sayes which makes ws all full sorie
Your craft to lie,with leaue, now haue I tried
The prouerbe sayes that mends is for misdeed
Cracke not againe no forder then the creede.
ABABBCBCCDCDEE
JAMES VI.052A
The valliant actes,the workes of worthie fame
That bruite hath blowen abroade through euerie whair
Of King and Court of Scotlands noble name
There Martiall games, and pastymes braue and faire
Sume does your Court,to Arthures court compaire
Sume sayes to Charles the magnes it may be peere
This bruit at last made wandring knights repaire
From forrane vncouthe lands and trauell here
Fra they arriued they sent me soone to speare
If anie in your Court woulde them essaye
To runne at ring or proue sume games at warre
They three shall be defendours at the playe.
Sirs thogh this language seeme both hard and haske
Appardone new come strangers in a maske.
ABABBCBCCDCDEE
JAMES VI.053A
O Gods aboue how am I rauish'd now
A heauenlie Goddesse is come doune I trowe
Our senses to delude: what euer she be
She peerles is as all men will agree
And therfor Sirs here am I sent before
As he who might by language best decore,
As schollers can, this doubt whome to the faire
Should appartaine,whome of ye harde declaire
And whome into at equall strife doe fall
Wealth,beautie, noble race,and vertues all
Eache one of these makes her a suitour here
And she is cume vnto your Grace to speare
Whome to she should encline of all this rout
Among the rest Madame leaue me not out
AABBCCdDEEFFGG
JAMES VI.054A
His Maiesties Avvin Sonnet
The natiounis bandit gainst the Lord of micht,
Prepard ane force,and set them to the way:
MARS dressit himself in sik ane awfull plicht,
The lyke thairof was neuer sene they say.
They fordward came in monstruous array
Baith sea and land beset vs euery quhair.
Braggis threatned vs ane ruinous decay
Quhat came of that? The ischew did declair
The wynds begouth in foming waues to swell
The number that escapt,it fell them fair
The rest wer swallowed vp in golfis of Hell
But how wer all thir thingis miraculous done.
God lewch at them out of his heuinlie throne.
ABABBCBCCDCDEE
JAMES VI.055A
King James his Verse in his Voyage to Denmarke.
Ye surging sees,and ye Inconstant wynds
Who stayes the course of my Expecting hope
Go Calme your selfs, be constant by your kynds
Let not your stormes nor Chainge or cross my scope
Bot thole my Ioyes sa happelye begun
To settell thame within an portt of rest
And cleir the darknes of the cludds o sun
That thairbye may thy powar be exprest
O Moone whose Influence dois reul the tyde
Stay thou the streames whose force my course would stay
And you O polls that ar the heauens high pryde
Lamps of the Night Extend your help I pray
And plese you all to slyde In Eache degree
Ye polls thou tyde ye moone sun winds and see
ABABCDCDEFEFGG
JAMES VI.056A
Thv passenger who spyst with gazeing eyes
This sad trophie of Death's trivmphing dart,
Consider, when this ovtward tomb thv sees,
How rair a man leaves here his earthly pairt,
His wisdome, and his vprightness of heart,
His piety, his practice in ovr state,
His pregnant wit well versed in every airt,
As eqvally not all were in debate.
Then ivstly hath his death brovght forth of late
A heavy grief to Prince and svbjects all
Who Virtue love,and vice do trvly hate,
Tho' viciovs men be joyful at his fall;
Bvt for himself,most happie,doth he die,
Tho' for his Prince it most vnhappie be.
ABABBCBCCDCDEE
JAMES VI.057A
Loe heir my sone a mirrour viue and fair
Quhilk schawis the schadow of a vorthie king
Loe heir a booke, a paterne dois yow bring
Quhilk ye sould preass to follow mair and mair
This trustie freind the treuthe will never spair
Bot giue a guid advyse unto yow heir
How it sould be your chief and princlie cair
To follow verteu,vyce for to forbeare
And in this booke your lessoun will ye leare
For gyding of your people great and small
Than as ye aucht gif ane attentiue eare
And panss how ye thir preceptis practise sall
Your father biddis yow studie heir and reid
how to becume a perfyte king indeid
ABBAACACCDCDEE
JAMES VI.058A
The Argvment [of Basilikon Doron]
God giues not Kings the style of Gods in vaine,
For on his throne his Scepter do they swey:
and as their subjects ought them to obey,
Kings should feare and serve their god again
If then ye would enjoy a happie raigne,
Obserue the Statutes of your Heauenly King;
and from his lawe, make all your Lawes to spring:
Since his Lieutenant heare ye should remaine,
Reward the iust, be steadfast, true, and plaine:
Represse the proud, maintaining ay the right,
Walke alwaies so, as euer in his sight
Who guardes the godly,plaging the prophane,
And so ye shall in princely vertues shine.
Resembling right your mighty King diuine
ABBAACCAADDAEE
JAMES VI.059A
1604: Sonnet of his Majesty
Full many ane tyme the archier slakkis is bow
That afterhend it may the stronger be;
Full many ane time in Vulkane's burning stow
The smith does water cast with careful ee;
Full oft contentions great arise, we see,
Betwixt the husband and his loving wife,
That sine they may the fermlyer agree
When ended is that sudden choler strife.
Yea, brethern, loving vther as their lyfe
Will have debates at certain tymes and hours;
The winged boy dissensions hot and rife
'Twixt his lets fall like sudden summer showers;
Even so this couldnes did betwixt us fall
To kindle our love, as sure I hope it shall.
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