By West full highe he built the last, On hill from waters deepe belowe: Calde Shaftesbury on rockes full fast, It standes and giue to Seas a showe. These causde we both might well reioyce He for because I gate such fame: And I, for that by all mennes voyce, His factes deseru’de immortall name. What nedes much talke, the peres and all The commons eke with one assent: Extold my name especiall, Which had my youth in learning spent. I was receau’de with triumphes great, With pageauntes in eache towne I past: And at the court my princely seate, Was by my fathers ioyned fast. The nobles then desir’de to haue, On me their children wayte and tende: And royall giftes with them me gaue, As might their powres therto extende. But here began my cause of care, As all delightes at length haue ende: Be mixte with woes our pleasures are, Amidste my ioyes, I lost a frende. My father, nyne and twenty yeares, This time had raignde and held the crowne: As by your Chronicles appeares, Whan fates, on vs began to frowne. For euen amidste his most of ioye, As youth, and strength and honours fade: Sore sickenes did him long anoye, At laste, of life an ende it made. Then was I chose king of this lande, And had the crowne as had the rest: I bare the scepter in my hande, And sworde that all our foes opprest. Eke for because the Greekes did vse, Me well in Grece at Athens late: I bad those foure I brought to chuse: A place that I might dedicate To all the Muses and their artes, To learnings vse for euermore: Which when they sought in diuers partes, At last they found a place therfore. Amidst the realme it lies welnighe, As they by art and skill did proue: An healthfull place not lowe nor highe, An holsome soyle for their behoue. With water streames, and springs for welles: And medowes sweete, and valeyes grene: And woods, groaues, quarries, al thing else For studentes weale, or pleasure bene. When they reported this to me, They prayde my grace that I would builde, Them there an Vniuersitie, The fruites of learning for to yelde. I buylte the scholes, like Attikes then, And gaue them landes to maintayne those: Which were accounted learned men, And could the groundes of artes disclose. The towne is called Stamford yet, There stande the walles vntill this daye: Foundations eke of scholes I set, Bide yet (not maintainde) in decaye. Whereby the lande receauid store, Of learned clarkes long after that: But nowe giue eare I tell thee more, And then my fall, and great mishap. Because that time Apollo was, Surmisde the God that gaue vs wit: I builte his temple braue did passe, At Troynouant the place is yet.