The gallant ship, courageously handled and with high soul of perseverance and fearlessness guided through adverse waves, has for long ages been the type of brave men and brave women struggling against difficulties, or of states and nations amid opposing influences battling for deliverance and victory. Even if that gallant ship fails in her voyage she becomes a fitting type, how “human affairs may decline at their highest.” So Sambucus, and Whitney after him (p. 11), adapt their device and stanzas to the motto,— Res humanæ in ſummo declinant. [Illustration: _Sambucus, 1584._] IN _medio librat Phœbus dum lumina cælo, Diſſoluit radiis, quæ cecidere, niues. Cùm res humanæ in ſummo ſtant, ſæpe liqueſcunt: Et nihil æternum, quod rapit atra dies. Nil iuuat ingentes habitare palatia Reges, Conditio miſeros hæc eadémque manet. Mors æquat cunctos, opibus nec parcit in horam, Verbáque dum Volitant, ocyus illa venit. Heu, leuiter ventus pellit nos omnis inermes, Concidimus citiùs quàm leuat aura roſas._ “The gallante Shipp, that cutts the azure surge, And hathe both tide, and wisshed windes, at will: Her tackle sure, with shotte her foes to vrge, With Captaines boulde, and marriners of skill, With streamers, flagges, topgallantes, pendantes braue, When Seas do rage, is swallowed in the waue. The snowe, that falles vppon the mountaines greate, Though on the Alpes, which seeme the clowdes to reache, Can not indure the force of Phœbus heate, But wastes awaie, Experience doth vs teache: Which warneth all, on Fortunes wheele that clime To beare in minde how they haue but a time.” But with brighter auguries, though from a similar device, Alciat (Emb. 43) shadows forth hope for a commonwealth when dangers are threatening. A noble vessel with its sails set is tossing upon the billows, the winds, however, wafting it forward; then it is he gives utterance to the thought, _Constancy the Companion of Victory_; and thus illustrates his meaning,[177]— “By storms that are numberless our Commonwealth is shaken, And hope for safety in the future, hope alone is present: So a ship with the ocean about her, when the winds seize her, Gapes with wide fissures ’mid the treacherous waters. What of help, the shining stars, brothers of Helen, can bring: To spirits cast down good hope soon doth restore.” Whitney (p. 37), from the same motto and device, almost with a clarion’s sound, re-echoes the thought,— _Constantia comes victoriæ._ _To_ MILES CORBET _Esſquier._ [Illustration: _Whitney, 1586._]