EUBULUS. The serpent that eats men alive, flattery, with all her brood, Is whipp’d away in princes’ courts, which yet did never good. What force, what mighty power true friendship may possess, To all the world Dionysius’ court now plainly doth express: Who since to faithful friends he gave his willing ear, Most safely sitteth on his seat, and sleeps devoid of fear. Purged is the court of vice, since friendship ent’red in, Tyranny quails, he studieth now with love each heart to win: Virtue is had in price, and hath his just reward; And painted speech, that gloseth for gain, from gifts is quite debarr’d. One loveth another now for virtue, not for gain; Where virtue doth not knit the knot, there friendship cannot reign; Without the which no house, no land, no kingdom can endure, As necessary for man’s life as water, air, and fire, Which frameth the mind of man all honest things to do. Unhonest things friendship ne craveth, ne yet consents thereto. In wealth a double joy, in woe a present stay, A sweet companion in each state true friendship is alway: A sure defence for kings, a perfect trusty band, A force to assail, a shield to defend the enemies’ cruel hand; A rare and yet the greatest gift that God can give to man; So rare, that scarce four couple of faithful friends have been, since the world began. A gift so strange and of such price, I wish all kings to have; But chiefly yet, as duty bindeth, I humbly crave, True friendship and true friends, full fraught with constant faith, The giver of all friends, the Lord, grant her, most noble Queen Elizabeth. _The Last Song._ _The strongest guard that kings can have, Are constant friends their state to save; True friends are constant both in word and deed, True friends are present, and help at each need; True friends talk truly, they glose for no gain, When treasure consumeth, true friends will remain; True friends for their true prince refuseth not their death: The Lord grant her such friends, most noble Queen Elizabeth._ _Long may she govern in honour and wealth, Void of all sickness, in most perfect health; Which health to prolong, as true friends require, God grant she may have her own heart’s desire: Which friends will defend with most steadfast faith, The Lord grant her such friends, most noble Queen Elizabeth._ FINIS. [1] [This preface was found among my father’s dramatic collectanea, formed about 1850, and I have printed it with a few additions.--_W.C.H._] [2] It was acted on the 2d and 3d September 1566. [3] [Warton’s “H.E.P.,” by Hazlitt, iv., 215-16.] [4] “Annals of the Stage,” iii., 1.