BELGIOSA

This in brief After some scruple, and a little pause He whispered he would come. Strangely pitiful: He that had Navies yesterday, has now Scarce a bark left him, searce a plan e or two, To trust him to the mercy of the Seas, The Seas more courteous then the multitude: In which he makes for Ischia, and leaves His enemy his successor. That is act of new governors, Such stories are as and as the world. Till they do try what they can do, they think They may do all things, their first act is (As if they meant to kill then a g ) It matters not upon what ground there is Pretence enough to quit a conqu oh From the least show of y: but then When they have felt the least of wars extremes They rave, they faint, they cross what they first did, And are e'ne weary of a victory. Oh what is valour joined with Modesty! This conquers both your Fortune and your skill. Should you but write a story; and profess That pureness from all passion which y'aue shown. You would be credited, though it your own. But what reward is't to be but believed? You shall be ever praised: what you have done Fears neither envy, nor oblivion: And for this act succession shall see Caiazzo as long-lived as Italy My Lord, our sudden coming into France, Left fame behind us, where arrived, we craved A private audience? They might first Desery the subtle path of a swift ship, The voyage of a bullet, or of thought, Before your more mysterious purposes? Great Prince, to have the offer of a Crown Is rare, and your felicity: my Lord, Milans Protector, but your servant, knowing The ancient right your predecessors had In usurped Naples, by us wooes your Grace (Consider unto what he wooes your Grace) Not to maintain his power, but make your own, To take a Kingdom that e'ne sighs for you. So shall the infamy of a lost crown Rot in the earth with your dead Ancestors, And the recovery revive their names To wait upon your triumph with your foes: For so much justice needs no other power, And yet such is your power, that it is able To make what ever you should fancy, joust: But that your virtue is above that power. I will not call you usurer of Fame, By this large act, when the astonished world Now fifty Ages off from us, shall read Not in the boastings of a painted tomb (The flatteries of great rottenness) but your Writ in S true Characters, For making conquered Crowns the udiments Of your victorious infancy I arms, When France shall know no other Charlemaign . Can Heaven fail Justice? or those powers commit Sins which they punish? Oh my gracious Lord Sin not with that weak thought: but if they should Sforza will never: His Hope's are but the praise of honest deeds, If in the rearward of your spreading Fame, That fills all mouths, some happy tongue may glance At him, as a poor engine of your glory, That could impart, but no possess a Fame. Then, thus: From us France hurried thorough Lombardy And fled to conquer, who had seen that hast Would easily supposed it to have been Rather a flight then and invasion. The Pope quakes at the progress, and admits Young Ferd'nand into Room, that if the French Should dare a fight, they might find Naples there. France slights that fainter opposition, And speaks his scorn in thunder, Naples flies, And all his army hath no other use Then to become unwilling harbingers To show their lodgings to the conquering French Who Like fierce winds that sweep away their lets, Or Like encroaching tides, take wiftly in The offered Countries, not defended, now Saint Germane yields, and saucy Capva That dared a competition once with Room, Aversa takes the president, and now The Kng of Naples finds home foes, and such As durst be valiant against their Prince, And use their found arms in a mutiny, Which were not safe enough for a defence. He taking the advantage of thou crime Unconquered by the French, to these he yields, And chooseth rather to become no Prince Then keep the Crown, which they would take away.