P. Soe it should seeme, indeed, you are so gaye, fresh, and cheerfull. You are the present Time, are you not? then what neede you make such haste? Let me see, your wings are clipt, and, for ought I see, your hower-glasse runnes not.
T. My wings are clipt indeed, and it is her hands hath clipt them: and, tis true, my glasse runnes not: indeed it hath bine stopt a longe time, it can never rune as long as I waite upon this Mris. I [am] her Time; and Time weare very vngratefull, if it should not euer stand still, to serue and preserue, cherish and delight her, that is the glory of her time, and makes the Time happy wherein she liueth.
P. And doth not she make Place happy as well as Time? What if she make thee a contynewall holy-day, she makes me a perpetuall sanctuary. Doth not the presence of a Prince make a Cottage a Court, and the presence of the Gods make euery place Heauen? But, alas, my littlenes is not capable of that happines that her great grace would impart vnto me: but, weare I as large as there harts that are mine Owners, I should be the fairest Pallace in the world; and weere I agreeable to the wishes of there hartes, I should in some measure resemble her sacred selfe, and be in the outward frount exceeding faire, and in the inward furniture exceeding rich.
T. In good time do you remember the hearts of your Owners; for, as I was passing to this place, I found this Hart,[288] which, as my daughter Truth tould mee, was stolne by owne[289] of the Nymphes from one of the seruants of this Goddesse; but her guiltie conscience enforming her that it did belong only of right vnto her that is Mrs. of all harts in the world, she cast [it] from her for this time; and Oportunity, finding it delivered it vnto me. Heere, Place, take it thou, and present it vnto her as a pledge and mirror of their harts that owe thee.
P. It is a mirror indeed, for so it is transparent. It is a cleare hart, you may see through it. It hath noe close corners, noe darkenes, noe unbutifull spott in it. I will therefore presume the more boldly to deliver it; with this assurance, that Time, Place, Persons, and all other circumstances, doe concurre alltogether in biddinge her wellcome.
The humble Petition of a guiltlesse Lady, delivered in writing vpon Munday Morninge, when the [robe] of rainbowes was presented to the Q. by the La. Walsingham.
Beauties rose, and vertues booke,
Angells minde, and Angells looke,
To all Saints and Angells deare,
Clearest Maiestie on earth,
Heauen did smile at your faire birth,
And since, your daies have been most cleare.
Only poore St. Swythen now
Doth heare you blame his cloudy brow:
But that poore St. deuoutly sweares,
It is but a tradition vaine
That his much weeping causeth raine,
For Sts in heauen shedd no teares:
But this he saith, that to his feast
Commeth Iris, an vnbidden guest,
In her moist roabe of collers gay;
And she cometh, she ever staies,
For the space of fortie daies,
And more or lesse raines euery day.
But the good St., when once he knew,
This raine was like to fall on you,
If Sts could weepe, he had wept as much
As when he did the Lady leade
That did on burning iron tread:
To Ladies his respect is such.