Ralph Knevet Poems >>
To Mr. Thomas Knevet Of Ashwell Thorpe

Thou, that dost know thy Starres, canst calculate
  Thy geniture, and see to what end fate
  Did lend thee to the earth; auspicious be
  Thy favours, like thy Starres to mine and me:
  Thou knowst thy Starres (I say) for good men know
  Wherefore th' are borne, and what to God they owe,
  And how farre th' are engag'd to Prince, or state:
  For Grace, and Wisedome be the Starres and fate  
  That governe them: these like those twinne fires bright
  Doe prosper all those that Sayle by their light:
  These Steere men safely to the Haven of blisse,
  In spite of strongest contrarieties.
  These be thy Starres, that set th' above thy blood,
  True patterne and true patrone of whats good:
  Thou art the Glasse in which the World may see,
  What once our Gentrie was, and still should bee.
  A lover of thy Countrie, and of arts
  Art thou; disdaining to make thy good parts
  Ambitions Ladder, but had rather stay,
  Till time shall see thy merit rise like day
  And strike a Rosie blush in Honours face;
  'Cause shee had mist so long so fit a place
  For her best favours, which they shall admit
  To great Imployments, answering thy wit,
  And heroique vertue; such great happinesse
  I wish to thee, that dost deserve no lesse.