I. Royal Bedication TO MY MOST GRACIOVS DREAD SOVERAIGNE. To that cleere maiestie which in the North Doth, like another Sunne in glory rise; Which standeth fixt, yet spreads1 her heauenly worth; Loadstone to hearts, and loadstarre to all eyes. Like Heav'n in all; like th' Earth in this alone, 2 That though great States by her support doe stand, Yet she herselfe supported is of none, But by the finger of the Almightie's hand: To the diuinest and the richest minde, Both by Art's purchase and by Nature's dowre, 1 Spreds in 1st edn. G. 2 Thomas Davies, as before, misprints 'thro.' G. To that great Spirit, which doth great kingdomes mooue, I offer up some sparkles of that fire, Whereby wee reason, liue, and moue, and be; Faire Soule, since to the fairest body knit,4 You give such lively life, such quickning power, As keepes it still in youth's immortall flower: (As where the sunne is present all the yeere, 3 Bp. Hacket writes 'Deus' against 'Spirit': but perhaps the Queen only was (flatteringly) intended, as her poetic name of Cynthia would seem to indicate. This word 'Spirit' is misprinted by Thomas Davies and by Southey and usually, 'spring'. G. 4 Misprinted by Davies and Southey, as before, 'join'd'. G. 5 Davies and Southey misread 'And influence of such celestial kind' which I find supported by none of the author's own texts. G.' O many, many yeeres may you remaine, Long, long may you on Earth our empresse raigne, Stay long (sweet spirit) ere thou to Heauen depart, Which mak' st each place a heauen wherein thou art. Her Maiestie's least and vnworthiest Subiect6 IOHN DAVIES.7 6 Davies and Southey, as before, misread 'Her Maiesty's Devoted Subject and Servant' from Tate (1697). See our Memorial-Introduction. G. 7 In 1599 edition 'Dauies,' and in 1608 edition 'Davis' and also in its title-page: in 1622 edition, as above. G. **TATE, and after him THOMAS DAVIES, dates this Dedication July 11th, 1592.' It is possible that the Poem' was then in manuscript but it was not printed or published until 1599, and there is no date to the Dedication either in that edition or in those of 1602, 1608 or 1622. G. II. ANOTHER DEDICATION OF A GIFT-COPY (IN MS.) IN THE POSSESSION OF HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, AT ALNWICK CASTLE.1 1 To the right noble, valorous, and learned Prince Henry, Earle of Northumberland: THE strongest and the noblest argument To proue the soule immortall, rests in this: That in no mortall thing it finds content, But seekes an object that æternall is. If any soule hath this immortall signe, (As every soule doth show it, more or lesse), It is your spirit, heröick and diuine; Which this true noate most liuely doth expresse ; For being a prince, and hauing princely blood, Which all the world doth seek, with endlesse paynes. 1 On this MS. of Nosce Teipsum see our Preface. G. |