II.

BOOK pronounce simply to your majesty, I did never see in her behaviour, in word or deed, or ever could perceive by any other means, but that she hath always used her self honestly, chastly, and lovingly towards him. And now upon expectation of his coming, is filled with joy thereof: so desirous to see the time of his arrival approach, as in any judgment no young lover, rooted or sotted in love of any person, could more excessively shew the same in all comeliest tokens.

Now when after his arrival, when some doubts were caused of his acceptance of her, her innocence seemed to make her so bold, as she never cast any care of things past, but wholly reposed her self with assurance to be well used by him. And with that confidence and importunity made to me, she went to him, and there missed of her expectation: and so attendeth, as her duty is, to gain some part of her hope.

And now lest I should enter further into the matter, and not meaning to trouble your majesty, I do end with this humble request, that in any thing that may hereof follow, wherein I may have wrong with dishonesty offered to me, I may have your majesties princely favour, to seek my just defence for me and mine: not meaning for respect of mine old service, nor of the place whereunto your majesty hath placed me, (though unwillingly,) to chalenge any extraordinary favours. For my service hath been but a piece of my duty, and my vocation hath been too great a reward. And so I do remain constantly to serve your majesty in what place soever your majesty shall command, even in as base as I have done in great.

Number VI.

The inscriptions upon the monument of sir Anthony Cook, knt. in the chapel of Rumford in Essex.

Over his head.

DNS. ANTHONIUS Cocus, ordinis equestris miles, ob sin

II.

gularem doctrinam, prudentiam et pietatem, regis EDOARDI BOOK sexti institutor constitutus. Uxorem habuit ANNAM, filiam GULIELMI FITZ WILLIAMS de Milton militis, vere piam et generosam. Cum qua diu feliciter vixit, et supervixit. At tandem, quum suos tam natos, quam natas, bene collocasset, in Christo pie mortuus est, anno ætatis 70.

Over the heads of his two sons, kneeling behind him. RICHARDUS COCUs hujus dni. Cocr filius et hæres, Annam duxit generosi viri JOANNIS CAULTON filiam. Qui pietatis ergo hoc monumentum erigi curavit.

GULIELMUS Cocus, ejusdem ANTHONII proximus filius, duxit FRANCISCAM filiam dni. JOANNIS GRAY, fratris ducis SUFFOLCIE.

Under sir Anthony and his lady.

In obitum clarissimi literatissimique dni. ANTHONII COCI
equitis aurati carmen Επιτάφιον.

ANNA tibi fuerat quamvis pulcherrima conjux,
Diminuit studium non tamen ANNA tuum,
Bibliotheca fuit, gaza præstantior omni:
Librorum facerent nomina nuda librum.

Hinc pulchros flores, fructus hinc promis amænos,
Hinc mentis pastus, deliciæque tuæ.

Τὰ γνωσθέντα λέγων, καὶ μὲν τὰ δεόντα γινώσκων,
Τοῦ πλούτου κρείττων, καὶ φιλοπάτρις ἐῆς.

Cur te, Roma, facit Cornelia docta superbam?
Quam multas tales, et mage, Cocus habet?
Quinque sciunt natæ conjungere Græca Latinis,
Insignes claris moribus atque piis.

Has tu nobilibus (res est bene nota) locasti:
Qui Christum vera relligione colunt.
Et quorum prodest prudentia summa Britannis,
Qui virtute valent, consiliisque graves.
Quinque peregrinis vixti regionibus annos,

Dum revocat princeps te ELIZABETHA domum.
Utque solet Phoebus radiis nitidissimus almis,
Nubibus excussis, exhilarare diem:

108

BOOK
II.

Sic regina potens, regali sede locata,
Et Coco et natis omnia fausta tulit.
Hæc inter vitam
COCE, beatam
Traduxit, cupiens cælica regna senex.
Et veluti recidunt maturo tempore poma,

Sic facili cælum morte solutus adis.
Hocque simul tumulo duro cum marmore structo,
Doctus eques, conjux intemerata cubant.
Quos socialis amor, pietas, quos junxit et alma
Virtus in terris, vos Deus unus habet.

Neer this monument in the chancel, on a flat stone, a brass
plate, thus inscribed, (being sir Anthonies farewel to his
wife deceased.)

Chara mihi multos conjunx dilecta per annos,
Cura domus, multa non sine prole parens,
ANNA, vale, moriens miserum complexa maritum
Immemorem merito non sinis esse tui.

Against the east wall of the chancel, in the similitude of a
table hanging by a chain in stone, are verses intituled,
An epitaph upon the death of the right worshipful sir An-
thony Cook, knt. who dyed the 11th day of June, 1576.
You learned men, and such as learning love,
Vouchsafe to read this rude unlearned verse.
For stones are doombe, and yet for man's behove
God lends them tongues sometimes for to reherse
Such words of worth as worthiest wights may pierce.
Yea, stones sometimes, when bloud and bones be rot,
Do blaze the bruit, which else might be forgot.
And in that heap of carved stones do ly
A worthy knight, whose life in learning led,
Did make his name to mount above the sky.
With sacred skill unto a king he read;
Whose toward youth his famous praises spred.
And he therefore to courtly life was call'd,
Who more desir'd in study to be stall'd.
Philosophy had taught his learned mind

To stand content with country quiet life:

Wherein he dwelt as one that was assign'd

BOOK
II.

To guard the same from sundry stormes of strife.
And, but when persecuting rage was rife,

His helping hand did never fail to stay
His countries staff, but held it up alway.

Nor high avaunce, nor office of availe,

Could tempt his thoughts to row beyond his reach.
By broont of books he only did assaile

The fort of fame, whereto he made his breach,

With fire of truth which God's good word doth teach.
The wealth he won was due for his degree,

He neither rose by rich reward nor fee.
And yet although he bare his sail so high,
The gale of grace did spred his course so fast,
That in his life he did right well bestow
His children all before their prime was past.
And like them so that they be like to last.
What should I say but only this in sum,
Beatus sic qui timet Dominum.
Their only skill to learning bears the bell,
And of that skill I taught poor stones to treat;
That such as would to use their learning well,
Might read these lines, and therewith oft repeat,
How here on earth his gift from God is great,
Which can employ his learning to the best.

109

Number VII.

Sir Nicolas Bacon, lord keeper, to the queen; shewing her three great enemies, France, Spain, and Rome. And the remedies to be used against each of them.

me.

MOST gracious sovereign. That which if time and MSS. pen. your affairs would have suffered, I meant to have done by present speech, I am driven by absence to do by letter; not doubting nevertheless, but that though my pen and speech were not present, yet your majesties great understanding

II.

BOOK considered, together with the advice of your grave and wise counsillors, all things should be sufficiently foreseen and provided for. And yet my trust is, knowing (as by proof I do) your majesties gracious acceptation of things well meant, you will take this my writing (although not needful) in good part.

Your majesty knoweth right well, that perils and dangers be great or small, as the enemies that do breed and bring them forth be of great and small power. Now France, Spain, and Rome, being mighty and potent princes, and your inward enemies, as by sundry their doings it plainly appeareth, it followeth necessarily that your dangers and perills sought by them must needs be very great. As they be great, so be they imminent and at hand. Because power and occasion doth at this present concur with their wills, having made peace with their enemies. And therefore require speedy provision to withstand them; lest else the mischief be put in execution, before the remedies be provided. And so shall al things grow desperate, and all things remediless. Surely, madam, the fear of this groweth so greatly in me, that I could not be quiet in my self without remembring the same unto your majesty, according to my bounden duty. And methinks it were better for me to offend by fearing too much, than by hoping too much. The former seeketh for remedies; the second breedeth careless security: whereby things be driven so long, that they 110 pass sometime the help of counsil. Whereupon I thought good to put your majesty in mind, that as your perills be three by reason of your three great enemies, so have they three easy ways and means greatly to annoy you. And you also three ready remedies to withstand them, being taken in time: the means that France hath to annoy you is by Scotland; Spain by the Low-Countries; and Rome by his musters here in England. The two former being foreign forces, and outward; this latter is intestine and inward. And how unable the people of England divided is to withstand the powers without, united, as it makes not my pen only, but my self, to quake to think of it.