The Great Assizes, Title page – Poem
THE GREAT ASSISES Holden in PARNASSƲS BY APOLLO AND HIS ASSESSOVRS: At which Seſſions are Arraigned
Mercurius Britanicus.
Mercurius Aulicus.
Mercurius Civicus.
The Scout.
The writer of Diurnalls.
The Intelligencer.
The writer of Occurrences.
The writer of Paſſages.
The Poſt.
The Spye.
The writer of weekly Accounts.
The Scottiſh Dove, &c.
LONDON, Printed by Richard Cotes, for Edward Husbands, and are to be ſold at his Shop in the Middle Temple, 1645.
APOLLO.
The Lord VERVLAN, Chancellor of Parnaſſus.
Sir PHILIP SIDNEY, High Conſtable of Par.
WILLIAM BVDEVS, High Treaſurer.
JOHN PICVS, Earle of Mirandula, High Chamberlaine.
JVLIVS CESAR SCALIGER
ERASMUS ROTERODAM.
JUSTUS LIPSIUS
JOHN BARCKLAY
JOHN BODINE
ADRIAN TVRNEBVS
ISAAC CASAVBON
JOHN SELDEN
HVGO GROTIVS
DANIEL HEINSIVS
CONRADVS VOSSIVS
AUGUSTINE MASCARDUS
The Jurours.
George Wither
Thomas Cary
Thomas May
William Davenant
Joſuah Sylveſter
Georges Sandes
Michael Drayton
Francis Beaumont
John Fletcher
Thomas Haywood
William Shakeſpeere
Philip Maſsinger.
The Malefactours.
Mercurius Britanicus
Mercurias Aulicus
Mercurius Civicus
The Scout
The writer of Diurnals
The Intelligencer
The writer of Occurrences
The writer of Paſsages
The Poſte
The Spye
The writer of weekely Accounts
The Scottiſh Dove, &c.
JOSEPH SCALIGER, the Cenſour of manners in Parnaſſus.
BEN. JOHNSON, Keeper of the Trophonian Denne.
JOHN TAYLOVR, Cryer of the Court.
EDMVND SPENCER, Clerk of the Aſſiſes.
The PROEME.
IUſt teares of commix'd with ſtreams of guiltleſs blood
May ſhew our woes, but not their period;
For this Heaven onelyonly can affixe: Why then,
Truſt wee to armes or ſtratagems of men?
Expecting peace, or any faire accord,
From Counſels wiſe, or the victorious Sword;
Since Heaven alone theſe evils can conclude,
Which Sinne firſt caus'd and on us did obtrude.
Could wee eject this cauſe, wee might find Peace:
For cauſes failing, then effects ſurceaſe.
Wee need demand no counſell from the Starres,
To know the iſsue of theſe bloody Warres:
No Sibylles bookes or Oracles wee need,
To bee inform'd of things that ſhall ſucceed:
No Oracle of Delphos, but of Sion,
No booke, but that of God, muſt wee relie on.
No Starre, but Jacobs Starre, can doe the feate,
To end our woes, and make our joyes compleate.
Could I th' harmmious ſorrowes parallel
Of the inceſted mournfull Philomel:
Or could I imitate that fatall note,
Which is effuſed from the ſilver throte
Of that faire Bird, y'cleapt Apollo's Prieſt,
Who clad in feather'd Albe, with his ſoft breſt
Divides the ſurface of the cryſtall ſtream,
And dying ſings his owne ſad requiem;
Then might I ſuch ſad Elegies deviſe,
As would become our mournfull tragedies.
But give mee leave a ſpace for to diſmiſſe
Melpomene, and bloudy Nemeſis,
And to elect a ſtyle which may appeare
More mild to many, though to ſome ſevere.