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To The Viriginian Voyage

By Michael Drayton

Topics: classic

You braue Heroique minds,     Worthy your Countries Name;         That Honour still pursue,         Goe, and subdue,     Whilst loyt'ring Hinds     Lurke here at home, with shame.     Britans, you stay too long,     Quickly aboard bestow you,         And with a merry Gale         Swell your stretch'd Sayle,     With Vowes as strong,     As the Winds that blow you.     Your Course securely steere,     West and by South forth keepe,         Rocks, Lee-shores, nor Sholes,         When EOLVS scowles,     You need not feare,     So absolute the Deepe.     And cheerefully at Sea,     Successe you still intice,         To get the Pearle and Gold,         And ours to hold,     VIRGINIA,     Earth's onely Paradise.     Where Nature hath in store     Fowle, Venison, and Fish,         And the Fruitfull'st Soyle,         Without your Toyle,     Three Haruests more,     All greater then your Wish.     And the ambitious Vine     Crownes with his purple Masse,         The cedar reaching hie         To kisse the Sky     The Cypresse, Pine     And vse-full Sassafras.     To whome, the golden Age     Still Natures lawes doth giue,         No other Cares that tend,         But Them to defend     From Winters rage,     That long there doth not liue.     When as the Lushious smell     Of that delicious Land,         Aboue the Seas that flowes,         The cleere Wind throwes,     Your Hearts to swell     Approaching the deare Strande.     In kenning of the Shore     (Thanks to God first giuen,)         O you the happy'st men,         Be Frolike then,     Let Cannons roare,     Frighting the wide Heauen.     And in Regions farre     Such Heroes bring yee foorth,         As those from whom We came,         And plant Our name,     Vnder that Starre     Not knowne vnto our North.     And as there Plenty growes     Of Lawrell euery where,         APOLLO'S Sacred tree,         You may it see,     A Poets Browes     To crowne, that may sing there.     Thy Voyages attend,     Industrious HACKLVIT,         Whose Reading shall inflame         Men to seeke Fame,     And much commend     To after-Times thy Wit.

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"You braue Heroique minds,..."

This evocative piece by Michael Drayton, titled "To The Viriginian Voyage", represents a masterful exploration of classic. The lines capture a profound emotional resonance... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...

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Author:Michael Drayton

"You braue Heroique minds,..." by Michael Drayton

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"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

Michael Drayton

About Michael Drayton

Michael Drayton (1563–1631) was an English poet whose "Poly-Olbion" (1612–1622) is a vast topographical poem describing the landscape and legends of England and Wales. His sonnet "Since there's no help" is among the finest of the Elizabethan era.

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