A web-based edition of early seventeenth-century political poetry from manuscript sources. It brings into the public domain over 350 poems, many of which have never before been published.
A8 Admir-all weaknes wronges the right
Notes. This poem on enemies of the Earl of Essex is dated 20 December 1599 in one source (BL Add MS 5956). At this time, the sickness which Essex had suffered in Ireland brought him to the point of death. Much to the consternation of the Queen and Privy Council, the sympathy which many Londoners felt for the Earl and his plight encouraged many city churches to ring their bells when the rumour circulated that he had died. The bitterness which partisans of Essex felt towards his enemies also blighted the grand celebration of Christmas at court, where “upon the very white walls much villainy hath been written against Master Secretary” (Collins 2.154). The poem below offers a virtual roll-call of Essex’s enemies.
Admir-all weaknes1 wronges the right
Honor in generall2 looseth hir sight
Secrett are3 ever their designes
through whose desert true honor pynes
Award4 in worth that is esteem’d
5by vertues wracke5 must be redeem’d.
pryde spight & pollicie taketh place
in steade of conscience honor & grace
Noe Cob am I6 that worketh ill
or frame my tongue to enemies will.
10Godes ordinance7 must governe all.
Lett noe man smile at vertues fall.
Care you8 that list.9 For I care not
by crooked waies10 true worth to blott
Nor will I stand upon the ground
15Where such impietie doth abound.
But basely clothed all in Gray11
unto the Court I’le take my waie
where though I can no Eagle12 see
a Cub13 is good enough for mee.
20Whose malice fitting to his mynde
will frame his apish witt14 by kynde
and make his use of present tyme
by waies ridiculous to clyme.
There may yow see walk hand in hand
25the polititians of our land
that wrong artes glorie with a tongue
dipt in Water from Limbo15 spronge
These bussards16 bold with eageles plumes
to wrong true noblenes presumes.
30Actions factions now wee fynde17
they that see nothing must be blynde.
Source. Bodleian MS Rawl. Poet. 26, fol. 20v
Other known sources. Bodleian MS Don. c.54, fol. 7r; Bodleian MS Eng. Hist. c.272, p. 41; BL Add. MS 5956, fol. 23r; V&A MS D25.F.39, fol. 81r
A8
1 Admir-all weaknes: Charles Howard, Lord Admiral Nottingham. <back>
2 Honor in generall: one copy has the marginal note here: “Essex lieutenant Generall of England” (Bodleian MS Eng. Hist. c.272). <back>
3 Secrett are: pun on “secretary” (i.e. Sir Robert Cecil). <back>
4 Award: allusion to the mastership of the Court of Wards, which was granted to Cecil in May 1599 during Essex’s absence in Ireland. One copy has the marginal note here: “The Court of Wardes promised to Essex, given to Essex” (Bodleian MS Eng. Hist. c.272). <back>
5 wracke: i.e. “wreck”. <back>
6 Noe Cob am I: allusion to Lord Cobham. A “cob” is big or great man, a leader. <back>
7 Godes ordinance: one copy has the marginal note here: “Lieutenant of the Ordnance”; i.e. Sir George Carew, Lieutenant of the Ordnance (Bodleian MS Eng. Hist. c.272). Although Essex was Master of the Ordnance, Carew served as his deputy and was a close friend of Cecil. <back>
8 Care you: allusion to Sir George Carey, Lord Hunsdon, the Lord Chamberlain. <back>
10 crooked waies: connects Cecil’s “crooked” back with his supposed political methods. <back>
11 Gray: Thomas Grey, Lord Grey of Wilton. A former friend and follower of Essex, he became a bitter enemy of the Earl and pursued a personal feud with Essex’s friend, Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton. <back>
12 Eagle: unclear. The eagle was the heraldic device associated with the Stanleys, Earls of Derby. William Stanley, Earl of Derby, had staged an expensive play using the boys of St. Paul’s, London, in mid-November 1599, and was tied to Cecil by marriage, but it seems uncertain that a reference to him is intended here. It is possible that “eagle” refers rather to ancient and honourable nobility in a more general sense. <back>
13 a Cub: allusion to Cecil, emphasizing that his success is based only upon his late father’s efforts. <back>
14 apish witt: seemingly an allusion to Cecil, perhaps drawing upon Spenser’s notorious fable of the fox (widely interpreted as referring to Lord Treasurer Burghley) and the ape in Mother Hubberd’s Tale (1591). <back>
15 Water from Limbo: water represents Sir Walter Ralegh (from the pronunciation of his first name), while “Limbo” here means hell. <back>
16 bussards: vultures; i.e. birds that feed on the carrion of more noble animals. <back>
17 Actions factions now wee fynde: “Factious Action now I finde” is a better reading. <back>
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