2TO sing a Song that old was sung,

3From ashes, auntient Gower is come,

4Assuming mans infirmities,

5To glad your eare, and please your eyes:

6It hath been sung at Feastiuals,

7On Ember eues, and Holydayes:

8And Lords and Ladyes in their liues,

9Haue red it for restoratiues:

10The purchase is to make men glorious,

11Et bonum quo Antiquius eo melius:

12If you, borne in those latter times,

13When Witts more ripe, accept my rimes;

14And that to heare an old man sing,

15May to your Wishes pleasure bring:

16I life would wish, and that I might

17Waste it for you, like Taper light.

18This Antioch, then Antiochus the great,

19Buylt vp this Citie, for his chiefest Seat;

20The fayrest in all Syria.

21I tell you what mine Authors saye:

22This King vnto him tooke a Peere,

23Who dyed, and left a female heyre,

24So bucksome, blith, and full of face,

25As heauen had lent her all his grace:

26With whom the Father liking tooke,

27And her to Incest did prouoke:

28Bad child, worse father, to intice his owne