The Battell betweene
Great Lord of heav'n and earth, beloved Sire,
If you command, your daughter must obay,
My will subjected is to your desire,
"For children cannot fathers hests deny:
Yet force me not, kinde father, once to shield
These hunger-starved pyrats in the field,
False lurking creatures, greedy theevish Mice,
Whose teeth pollute my sweet fat sacrifice.
If you command, your daughter must obay,
My will subjected is to your desire,
"For children cannot fathers hests deny:
Yet force me not, kinde father, once to shield
These hunger-starved pyrats in the field,
False lurking creatures, greedy theevish Mice,
Whose teeth pollute my sweet fat sacrifice.
Great are the wrongs and mischiefes I abide,
By these detested vermine day and night,
Much they impaire my worship and my pride:
And shall I then defend them in this right?
The hallow'd oyle, which sacred fire doth stay
Within my lamps, they steale and licke away:
My [1]crowns they gnaw, but these are losses small,
This is the hurt molests me most of all:
By these detested vermine day and night,
Much they impaire my worship and my pride:
And shall I then defend them in this right?
The hallow'd oyle, which sacred fire doth stay
Within my lamps, they steale and licke away:
My [1]crowns they gnaw, but these are losses small,
This is the hurt molests me most of all:
My brave ensigne embrodered all with gold,
Never brave ensigne was so rich of price,
Wherein my acts and triumphs were enrold,
Is eaten, torne and spoyled by these Mice.
This is my hurt surpassing all the rest,
For this cause chiefly I these Mice detest:
And shall I, father, seeme to patronize
My foes, my wrongers, and sworne enemies?
Never brave ensigne was so rich of price,
Wherein my acts and triumphs were enrold,
Is eaten, torne and spoyled by these Mice.
This is my hurt surpassing all the rest,
For this cause chiefly I these Mice detest:
And shall I, father, seeme to patronize
My foes, my wrongers, and sworne enemies?
- ↑ Crownes of victory.
Ne're
