Neptune to England
Of thee, great State, the god of waves
In equall wrongs assistance craves,
Defend thyselfe and mee:
For if ore seas there be no sway,
My godhead cleane is tane away,
The scepter pluckt from thee.
Such as ore seas all sovereigntie oppose,
Though seeming friends, to both are truly foes.
If little Venice brings alone
Such waves to her subjection,
As in the Gulfe doe stirre,
What then should great Britannia please,
But rule as ladie ore all seas,
And thou as queen of her?
For sea-dominion may as well be gain’d
By new acquests, as by descent maintain’d.
Goe on, great state, and make it knowne,
Thou never wilt forsake thine owne,
Nor from thy purpose start:
But that thou wilt thy power dilate,
Since narrow seas are found too straight
For thy capacious heart.
So shall thy rule, and mine, have large extent:
Yet not so large, as just and permanent.