LODOVICK

Thrice and forever most renowned Charles, A aithfull tongue from and unfeigned heart As a joust herrold full of uth and honour On the behalf of forlorn talie Needing and craving a your Princely hands, The patronage and true protection Of such a Potent and victorious King Humbly salutes your royal Majesty. The ship of which sometime well guided state, Is through tempestuous times malignity By worthless Pilots, foolish Governors Mutually factious, Like to sink through Schism Into the bottom of the black abisme Through imposition of nec ssity. Do not! o do not then (most Christian Charles ) Do not forsake his holding up his hands For succour to your royal Clemency: His sails are rend, masts spent and rudder brook And under water such wide open leaks As under water soon will make her sink. Having been bilged upon so many shelves, So torn, so rotten and so long vnrig'd, And playing with the waves to and again As one not governed with help of he e. One then whom nature in his vows to God Hath tied to tender her forlone estate With eyes foreseeing and compassionate Retenders her to your high Majesty, A Christian Prince so wise so valiant: Undoubted heir unto the Crown of Naples, By lawful right of that great house of Anjou: Of which your grace is well known lawful heir, By th'issues of that Charles the first, that first Of the blood royal of the Crown of France, Obtained that Kingdom ages many passed. These reasons wear with Lodowik Sforza moved, To move your Majesty with martial force To pass these mountains to possess your own. March then most Christian and renowned Prince, Advance thy lily standard potent King: And since all skandalls are removed and cleared, Strike up your cheerful drums and march along In Gods name; with good auspices of Saint Denys, I know you doubt not mine integrity: Can more gross error rest in policy. Then first to raise a turbulent sharp storm, And unadvisedly to leave defence To doubtful chance and possibilities. To broach strong poison is too dangerous, And not be certain of the present virtue Which is contained in his Antidote. Wild fire permitted without limmit burns, Even to consume them that first kindled it: I did advise you, I inducted you, And Lodowick, which brought you on with honour, Will bring you of with triumph and renown. Why this was it I did expect great Charles, Our armies and our friends have been long sown, The ground well plowed, the blade is full come up, And doubt not we shall have a joyful harvest. Who never yet in cause of con equence Would h k pt his promise. A Pope by nature full of fraud, and pride; Ambitious, avaritious, shameless, devilish, And that and which your experience testifies) One that with mortal malice hates the French : By whom this reconciliation made Was more in fear and hard necessity Then faithful inclination, or good will. Your majesty may well perceive how fear, And iealeous judgement of a wounded conscience, Works hard in Alexander. And there to crave some certain Cautions Of your indifferency to his joust title Had in the Crown of Naples: therefore first We do require (if you these parties tender, (As your late letters did import) yield up In Caution of your good intent to France ; This Castle which you now retain against us. These quarrels are as happily determined As we could wish: call for and Actuary, And let a Charter Bipartite be drawn Betwixt you: to confirm this amity. And now most blessed Father I beseech, That I may show the duty which belongs Unto this place, and see Apostolic.