Good ladies, unacquaint with cunning reach, And eas’ly led to glory in your pow’r, Hear now abash’d our late dissembled minds. Nor now the first time, as yourselves best know, Ye Muses sought our service to command: Oft have ye wandered from Parnassus Hill, And showed yourselves with sweet and tempting grace, But yet return’d, your train increas’d with few. This resolution doth continue still: Unto Astrea’s name we honour bear, Whose sound perfections we do more admire Than all the vaunted store of Muses’ gifts, Let this be one (which last you put in ure In well depraving that deserveth praise) No eloquence, disguising reason’s shape, Nor poetry, each vain affection’s nurse, No various history, that doth lead the mind Abroad to ancient tales from instant use, Nor these, nor other mo, too long to note, Can win Astrea’s servants to remove Their service once devote to better things. They, with attentive minds and serious wits, Revolve records of deep judicial acts; They weigh with steady and indifferent hand Each word of law, each circumstance of right: They hold the grounds which time and use hath sooth’d,[251] Though shallow sense conceive them as conceits-- Presumptuous sense, whose ignorance dare judge Of things remov’d by reason from her reach. One doubt, in moots by argument increas’d, Clears many doubts experience doth object. The language she first chose, and still retains, Exhibits naked truth in aptest terms. Our industry maintaineth unimpeach’d: Prerogative of prince, respect to peers, The Commons’ liberty and each man’s right; Suppresseth mutin force and practice fraud, Things that for worth our studious care deserve: Yet never did we banish nor reject Those ornaments of knowledge nor of tongues: That slander envious ignorance did raise. With Muses still we intercourse allow, T’enrich our state with all their foreign freight; But never homage nor acknowledgment, Such as of subjects allegiance doth require. Now hear the cause of your late conquest won. We had discovered your intent to be (And, sure, ye ladies are not secret all; Speech and not silence is the Muse’s grace) We well perceiv’d (I say) your mind to be T’ employ such prisoners, as themselves did yield, To serve a Queen, for whom her purest gold Nature refin’d, that she might therein set Both private and imperial virtues all. Thus (Sovereign Lady of our laws and us) Zeal may transform us into any shape. We, which with trembling hand the pen did guide, Never well pleas’d, all for desire to please; For still your rare perfections did occur, Which are admir’d of Muses and of men. O, with how steady hand and heart assur’d, Should we take up the warlike lance or sword, With mind resolv’d to spend our loyal blood Your least command with speed to execute! O, that before our time the fleeting ship Ne’er wandered had in watery wilderness,