Epitaphes, epigrams, songs and sonets with a discourse of the friendly affections of Tymetes to Pyndara his ladie. Newly corrected with additions, and set out by George Turbervile Gentleman. Turberville, George, 1540?-1610? This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A14019 of text S111456 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 24326). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 377 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 163 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A14019 STC 24326 ESTC S111456 99846797 99846797 11787 2240906372

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A14019) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 11787) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 362:7) Epitaphes, epigrams, songs and sonets with a discourse of the friendly affections of Tymetes to Pyndara his ladie. Newly corrected with additions, and set out by George Turbervile Gentleman. Turberville, George, 1540?-1610? [15], 144, [1] leaves Anno Domini. 1567. Imprinted at London, by Henry Denham, [London] : [1567] In verse. Reproduction of a photostat of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. eng eebo Epitaphes, epigrams, songs and sonets, with a discourse of the friendly affections of Tymetes to Pyndara his ladie. Newly corrected with additions, an Turberville, George, 1567 323 57331 36 0 0 0 0 0 6.28 B The rate of 6.28 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2008-02 Assigned for keying and markup 2008-02 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-04 Sampled and proofread 2008-04 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

Epitaphes , Epigrams , Songs and Sonets , with a Discourse of the Friendly affections of Tymetes to Pyndara his Ladie .

Newly corrected with additions , and set out by George Turbervile Gentleman .

Anno Domini . 1567.

IMPRINTED AT London , by Henry Denham .

To the Right Noble and his singular good Lady , Lady Anne , Countesse Warwick . &c. George Turberuile wisheth increase of Honor with all good Happes .

AS AT WHAT time ( Madame ) I first published this fond & slender treatise of Sonets , I made bolde with you in dedication of so vnworthy a booke to so worthie a Ladie : so haue I now also rubde my browe and wiped away all shame in this respect , aduenturing not to cease , but to increase my former follie , in adding moe Sonets to those I wrote before . So much the more abusing in mine owne conceite your Ladishippes patience , in that I had pardon before of my rash attempt . But see ( Madame ) what presumption raignes in retchlesse youth . You accepted that my first offer of honorable and meere curtesie , and I thereby encouraged , blush not to procede in the like trade of follie , alwayes hoping for the lyke acceptance at your hands , which if should faile me ( as I hope it shal not faile ) then should I hereafter not once so much as dare as to set pen to paper for feare of controlment and check , which howe grieuous it is to a yong man nowe ( as it were ) but tasting with his lippe the brim of learnings fountaine , and saluting the Muses at the doore and thresholl , neyther is your Ladiship ignorant , and I myselfe presume to know . Wherfore as I haue ( Madame ) by a little inlarging this Booke , inlarged not a little my follie : so is my humble sute to you a little to inlarge your bounteous curtesie , J meane in well accepting the increase of these my follies , proceding not so much vpon any light affection , as desire to acknowledge a greater dutie . It shall not be long ( I hope ) but that my hande shall seeke in some part the requitall of your bountie by some better deuise , though not more learned treatise . But what shoulde I stande vpon termes of skill ? knowing that it is not the worke that your Ladiship doth so much regarde as the Writer , neyther the worthinesse of the thing , as the good will and meaning of the Deuiser therof , offering his dutie in such wise as best aunsweres his abilitie and power . For as if subiectes shoulde haue respect more to the vnworthinesse of such things as they giue their Princes , than regard the worthie mindes and good natures of their Souereignes in well accepting such slender trifles at their vassels handes , they should quyte be discouraged from euer offering the like and slender giftes : so if I should cast an eie rather to the basenesse of my Booke , than account of your Noble nature and accustomed curtesie in well receyuing the same : neither should I heretofore enboldned my selfe so farre as to haue offred you this trifling treatise , nor now haue the hart to aduenture anew , although somewhat purged of his former faults and scapes . I cannot leaue to molest your noble eies with suruey of my rashe compiled toyes . It may please your Ladyship to wey my well meaning hart , at what time occasion ministers you the pervsing of my booke , and this to deeme , that desire alone to manifest my dutie to you , was the onely cause of this my enterprise . Which done , I haue at this time no more to trouble your Ladyship , but ending my Epistle , to craue the Gods your happie preseruation of present Honor , and luckie increase of blessed happes in all your life .

Your Ladiships daily Orator George Turberuile .
To the Reader .

HERE HAVE I ( Gentle Reader ) according to promise in my Translation , giuen thee a fewe Sonets , the vnripe seedes of my barraine braine , to pleasure and recreate thy wearye mind and troubled hed withal . Trusting that thou wylte not loth the bestowing thy time at vacant houres in pervsing the same . Waying that for thy solace alone ( the bounden dutie which I owed the noble Cowntesse reserued ) I vndertoke this slender toyle , and not for anye pleasure I did my selfe in penning thereof . As I deeme thou canst not , so do I hope thou wilt not mislike it at all . But if there be any thing herein that maye offend thee , refuse it , reade and pervse the reast with pacience . Let not the misliking of one member procure thee rashlye to condemne the whole . I stand to thy iudgement , I expect thy aequitie . Reade the good , and reiect the euill : yea rather condemne it to perpetuall silence . For so woulde I wyshe thee to deale wyth vnworthye Bookes : But assuredlye there is nothing in thys whole slender Volume that was ment amisse of me the Writer , howsoeuer the Letter goe in thy iudgement that arte the Reader .

Whatsoeuer I haue penned , I write not to this purpose , that any youthlie head shoulde folow or pursue such fraile affections , or taste of amorous bait : but by meere fiction of these Fantasies , I woulde warne ( if I myghte ) all tender age to flee that fonde and filthie affection of poysoned & vnlawful loue . Let this be a Glasse & Myrror for them to gaze vpon : the soner may I ( I trust ) preuayle in my perswasion , for that my selfe am of their yeares and disposition . And as I am not the first that in this sort hath written & imployde his time : so shall I not be the last , that without desarte ( perhaps ) shal be misdeemed for attempting the same . But let those curious Knightes cast an eye to home , and looke well about whether they them selues are blamelesse , or as well worthie reproche as others . This done and my intent considered , hoping of thy courtesie I ende , alwayes readie to pleasure thee by my pains , wishing vnto thee , that arte the patient Reader , as to my self the Writer and thy very Friend .

George Turberuile .
To the rayling Route of Sycophants . IF he that once encountred with his Foes In open field at sound of blasted Trumpe , Doe dare to yéelde his hewed head to vides , And go again to heare the Canons thumpe : With dreadlesse hart and vnappalled brest Not fearing till he be by Foes opprest : If such as earst in cutting of the Surge By passing to the straunge and forraine lande Bode bitter blast and scornefull Neptunes scurge , Dreade not to take the lyke attempt in hande , But rashly runne like sturdie ventrous Wights Not fearing wind nor wane when Borias fights : If these ( I say ) doe nothing doubt at all But valiantly giue fresh assault anew , Not dreading daunger that is like to fall , As they long earst by proufe and practise knew : Then why should I of yore that haue assayde The force of Zoylls mouth be ought dismayde ? Then why should I , like one that fearde to fight Or neuer crusht his head with Helmets heft , Now shew my selfe a weake and coward Wight As long as life or lym vncut is left : Fo● 〈◊〉 ●●●st and I attempt the like , And 〈…〉 selfe now shall I ●●●ck is strike ? No , no , I martch gainst Momus once againe , My courage is not quailde by cruell Fo , Though Zoyll did his best my Flag to gaine , T was not his hap to haue the Conquest so : And since it was my luck to scape his might , I here assaile the Beast with nouell fight . Thou Sycophant , vnsheath thy shamefull blade Pluck out that bloudie Fawchon ( Dafrard thou ) Wherewith thou hast full many a skirmish made And scocht the braines of many a learned brow . Now doe thy woorst , I force not of thy stroke , Thou shalt not bring my neck to seruage yoke . Though thou affirme with rash & railing iawes That I inuita haue Minerua made My other Booke , I gaue thée no such cause By any déede of mine to drawe thy blade : But since thou hast shot out that shamelesse worde , I here gainst thée vncote my cruell sworde . I know thou wilt eche worde and sentence wrie That in this slender Booke of me is write , And wilt the same vnto thy sense applie Hoping for loue thereby to bréede dispite : And looke what I amisse did neuer meane , Thou wilt mistake and eke misconster cleane . Thou wilt the wylie braine that ought is bent To fowle suspect and spot of fell distrust , Perswade that here something of him was ment , And Iealous Coales into his bosome thrust , Thincking thereby thy purpose to as● In setting of his boyling breast a fire . But as thou art in all thy other déedes Deseruing no beliefe or trust at all : Likewise what so from thy vile Iawes procéedes , Is lothsome lie , fowle ●itton , bitter Gall. Beleue him not but reade the Treatise through , He sowes debate with helpe of hatefull Plough . The modest mind that meanes but vertues trade And shunnes the shamefull shop of bawdie sect , This spitefull Beast will ( if he may ) perswade That these are Toyes : for that he should reiect And not pervse the meaning of the same , Thus Zoyll séekes but blot of black defame . But thou that vewste this stile with staid brow , Marke crie worde , vnioint eche Verse of mine , Thy iudgement I and censure will allow , Nor once will séeme for rancour to repine : Thou art the man whose sentence I expect , I scorne the scoffes of Zoylls shamefull sect . FINIS .
The Table . IN prayse of the Renowmed Ladie Anne , Ladie Cowntesse Warwick . fol. 1. The Argument to the whole discourse and Treatise following . fol. 3. To a late acquainted Friend . fol. 4. The Louer extolleth the singular beautie of his Ladie . 6 The Louer declareth howe first he was taken and enamoured by the sight of his Ladie . 7 Mayster Googe hys Sonet of the paynes of Loue . 8 Turberuiles Aunswere and Distich to the same . 8 An Epitaph on the death of Dame Elyzabeth Arhundle . 9 To Piero of Pride . 9 Piero to Turberuile . 9 Verse in prayse of Lorde Henry Howarde Earle of Surrey . 9 Of Ialousie . 10 To his Lady , that by hap when he kissed hir and made hir lip bleede , controlde him and tooke disdaine . 10 Mayster Googe his Sonet . 11 Turberuiles aunswere . 11 A Comparison of the Louers estate wyth the Souldiars painefull lyfe . 11 The Louer against one that compared hys Mistresse with his Ladie . 12 The Louer to a Gentlewoman , that after great friendship without desart or cause of mislyking refused him . 14 The Louer obtaining his wish by all likelyhode , yet not able to attaine his desire , compares himselfe to Tantalus . 16 The Louer to the Thems of London to fauour his Ladie passing thereon . 18 To his Ring giuen to his Lady , wherin was grauen this Verse . My hart is yours . 18 The dispairing Louer craues eyther mercy in time at his Ladies handes , or cruell death . 19 To his Friende to be constant after choyse made . 20 Counsell returned by Pyndara to Tymetes , of constancie . 21 The Louers must not dispaire though their Ladies seeme straunge . 21 A Letter sent by Tymetes to his Lady Pyndara at the time of his departure . 23 Pyndaras Aunswere to the Letter whiche Tymetes sent hir at the time of his departure . 24 To his absent Friende the Louer writes of his vnquiet and restlesse state . 29 The aunswere of a Woman to hir Louer , supposing his complaint to be but fayned . 31 The Louer exhorteth his Ladie to take time , while time is . 32 The Louer wisheth to bee conioyned and fast linckt with his Ladie neuer to sunder . 33 The Louer hoping assuredly of attayning hys purpose , after long sute , begins to ioy renouncing dolors . 35 The Louer to hys carefull Bed declaring his restlesse state . 35 An Epitaph and wofull Verse of the death of Sir Iohn Tregonwell Knight , and learned Doctor of both lawes . 36 The Louer confesseth himselfe to bee in loue and enamored of Mistresse P. 39 That all things haue release of paine saue the Louer , that hoping and dreading neuer taketh ease . 39 A poore Ploughman to a Gentleman , for whom he had taken a little paines . 41 To his Friend : P : of courting , trauailing , Dysing , and Tenys . 41 The louer declares that vnlesse he vtter his sorrowes by sute , of force he dyeth . 42 The Louer to a Friende that wrote hym this sentence . Yours assured to the death . 42 Of certaine Flowers sent by his Loue vpon suspicion of chaunge . 42 The Aunswere to the same . 43 Of a Foxe that would eate no Grapes . 43 Of the straunge countenaunce of an aged Gentlewoman . 43 To the Rouing Pyrat . 44 Of one that had little Wit. 44 In commendation of Wit. 44 An Aunswere in dispraise of Wit. 44 The Louer to Cupid for mercie , declaring how first he became his Thrall , with the occasion of his defying loue , and now at last what caused him to conuert . 45 After misaduentures come good haps . 55 To his Loue that controlde his Dogge for fawning on hir . 55 Vpon the death of the aforenamed Dame Elizabeth Arundle of Cornewall . 56 Dispraise of Women that allure and loue not . 59 Of a Phisition and a Soothsayer . 62 A controuersie of a conquest in loue twixt Fortune and Venus . 62 The Louer voweth howsoeuer he be guendoned to loue faithfully . 63 He sorrowes the long absence of hys Ladie P. 64 To his Loue long absent , declaring hys torments . 65 To Browne of light beliefe . 67 That death is not so much to be feared as daylie diseases are . 68 The Epicures counsell , eate , drinke , and plaie . 68 The Aunswere to the vile and canckred counsell of the outragious Epicure . 69 Of Homer and his birth . 69 That time conquereth all things , saue the Louers paine . 70 To his Friend ryding to Londonward . 71 Of the Rayne and cloudy weather at the time of hys Friendes departure from Troie . 71 Of a couetous Niggarde , and a needie Mouse . 71 A pretie Epigram of a Scholler , that hauing read Vergils Aeneidos , maried a curst Wyfe . 73 To a yong Gentleman of taking a wife . 73 The Aunswere for taking a Wyfe . 73 Of a deafe Plaintife , a deafe Defendant , and a deafe Iudge . 74 A promise of olde good will , to an olde friend at the beginning of New yere . 75 A Vow to serue faithfully . 75 Funerall Verse vpon the death of Sir Iohn Horsey Knight . 75 To his Friende T : hauing beene long studied and well experienced , and nowe at length louing a Gentlewoman that forced him naught at all . 76 An Epitaph vpon the death of the worshipfull Mayster Richarde Edwards late Mayster of the Children in the Queenes Maiesties Chappell . 77 To his Loue that sent him a Ring wherin was graude , Let Reason rule . 79 To his Friend Francis Th: leading his lyfe in the Countrie at his desire . 79 To a Gentlewoman that alwaies willed him to weare Rosemarie , ( a Tree that is alwayes greene , ) for his sake , and in token of his good will to hir . 80 An Epitaph of the Ladie Br. 81 Of the time he first began to loue and after how he forewent the same . 81 The assured promise of a constaunt Louer . 82 The Pine to the Mariner . 82 Againe otherwise . 83 To an olde Gentlewoman , that painted hir face . 83 Of one that had a great Nose . 83 Of one whose Nose was greater than hys hande . 84 Of a Nightingale that flue to Colche to sit abroode . 84 Againe of the Nightingale . 84 Of a contrarie mariage . 84 Of Dronkennesse . 85 Againe of Dronkennesse . 85 Of the picture of a vaine Rhetorician . 85 Of the fond discorde of the two Theban brothers , Oeteocles and Polynices . 85 Of a maruellous deformed man . 85 A Myrrour of the fall of Pride . 85 Of the Clock and the Cock . 89 Of a Tayler . 89 The Louer finding hys Loue flitted from wonted troth leaues to write in praise of hir . 90 He sorrowes other to haue the fruites of his seruice . 91 The Louer seing himselfe abusde , renounceth loue . 92 Against the Ielous heads that alwayes haue Louers in suspect . 94 That it is hurtfull to conceale secrets from our Friendes . 96 Of the diuers and contrarie passions and affections of his loue . 97 Of Dido and the truth of hir death . 99 Of Venus in Armour . 99 Of a Hare complayning of the hatred of Dogs . 99 To one that painted Eccho . 99 To a Cruell Dame for Grace and pyttie . 100 To a Gentlewoman from whome he tooke a Ring . 100 The Louer blames his Tongue that fayled to vtter his sute in time of neede . 101 That all things are as they are vsed . 102 The Louer excuseth himselfe for renowncing his loue and Ladie , imputing the same to his fate and constellation . 103 Of Lady Venus , that hauing lost hir sonne Cupid God of loue , and desirous to vnderstand of him againe , declares by the way the nature of loue and affections of the same , by pretie discription as followeth . 105 Of the cruell hatred of Stepmothers . 106 Againe . 106 To Cupid for reuenge of his vnkind & cruel loue . Declaring his faithful seruice and true hart both to the God of Loue and his Ladie . 106 An Aunswere to his Ladie , that willed him that absence should not breede forgetfulnesse . 107 Of a Thracyan that was drownde by playing on the Ise . 109 The Louer hoping in May to haue had redresse of his woes , and yet fowly missing his purpose , bewailes his cruell hap . 109 To a fickle & vnconstant Dame , a friendlye warning . 111 The Louer to his Ladie that gased much vp to the Skies . 111 The Penitent Louer vtterly renowncing loue , craues pardon of forepassed follies . 111 To his Friende that refusde him without cause why but onely vpon delight of chaunge . 113 To one that vpon surmise of aduersitie , forewent hir Friend . 114 To Maister Googes fansie that begins giue Monie mee take friendshippe who so list . 115 The Louer abused renownceth loue . 115 The forsaken Louer laments that his Ladie is matched with an other . 117 Of one that was in reuersion . 117 That all hurtes and losses are to be recouered and recured saue the cruell wound of Loue . 118 Of the choise of his Valentine . 119 Of an open Foe and a fayned Friend . 119 Againe . 119 Of a Ritch Miser . 119 Of a Painter that painted Fauour . 120 The Louer whose Ladie dwelt fast by a Prison . 120 Complaint of the long absence of his loue vpon the first acquaintance . 121 The ventrous Louer after long absence craues his Ladie to meete with hym in place to enterparle of hir auentures . 122 To Maister Googe his Sonet out of sight out of thought . 124 The Louer whose Mistresse feared a Mouse , declareth that he would become a Cat , if he might haue his desire . 124 The Louer driuen to absent him from his ladie , bewailes his estate . 125 That Louers ought rather at first acquaintance to shewe their meanings by Pen then by Mouth . 127 An Epitaph of Maister Win drowned in the Sea . 127 Againe . 128 Praise of his Loue . 129 The complaint of a Friend of his , hauing lost his Doue . 130 That Louers ought to shunne no paines to attaine their Loue . 131 A request of Friendship to Vulcans Wyfe made my Mars . 132 The Louer that had loued Long without requitall of good will . 132 To a Friende that wild him to beware of Enuie . 133 Of Misreporters . 133 That no man should write but such as doe excell . 133 To his Friende , declaring what vertue it is to sticke to former plighted friendship . 134 Of two desperate Men. 134 Of the torments of Hell and the paines of loue . 134 An Epitaph of the death of Maister Tufton of Kent . 136 Againe . 137 In praise of Ladie P. 137 The Louer in vtter dispaire of his Ladies returne , in eche respect compares his estate with Troylus . 139 The Louer declareth what he would haue if he might obtaine his wish . 141 Of a Gentlewoman that wild hir Louer to weare greene Bayes in token of hir stedfast loue towards him . 142 An Epitaph of Maister Edwards sometime Maister of the children of the Chappell , & Gentleman of Lyncolns Iune of Court ▪ 142 An Epitaph on the death of Maister Arthur Brooke drownde in passing to New Hauen . 143 Of the renowmed Lady , Lady Anne Countesse Warwick . 144 FINIS .

The Lyon stout , whome neuer earst coulde any beast subdue : Here ( Madame as you se ) doth yeelde both to your Beare and you .
In prayse of the Renowmed Ladie Anne , Ladie Cowntesse Warwicke . WHen Nature first in hande did take The Clay to frame this Cowntesse corse The Earth a while shée did forsake , And was compelde of verie force With mowlde in hande to flée to Skies , To ende the worke shée did deuies . The Gods that tho in counsell sate , Were halfe amazde ( against their kinde ) To see so néere the stoole of state Dame Nature stande , that was assignde Among hir worldly Impes to wonne , As shee vntill that day had donne . First Ioue began : what ( Daughter déere ) Hath made thee scorne thy Fathers will ? Why doe I see thée ( Nature ) héere , That oughtst of dutie to fulfill Thy vnder taken charge at home : What makes thée thus abroade to rome ? Disdainefull Dame , how didst thou dare So retchlesse to depart the grownde , That is alotted to thy share ? ( And therewithall his Godhead frownde . ) I will ( quoth Nature ) out of hande Declare the cause I fled the lande . I vndertooke of late a péece Of Claye a featurde face to frame , To match the courtly Dames of Gréece That for their beautie beare the name : But ( Oh good Father ) now I soe This worke of mine it will not bée . Vicegerent since you mée assignde Belowe in Earth , and gaue mée lawes On mortall Wightes , and willde that Kinde Should make and marre , as shee sawe cause : Of right ( I think ) I may appeale And craue your helpe in this to deale . When Ioue sawe how the case did stande And that the worke was well begonne , Hée prayde to haue the helping hande Of other Gods till hée had donne : With willing mindes they all agréede And set vpon the Clay with spéede . First Ioue eche limme doth well dispose And makes a Creature of the Clay : Next Ladie Venus she bestowes Hir gallant gifts as best shée may , From face to foote , from top to toe Shée let no wait vntoucht to goe . When Venus had donne what she coulde In making of hir ( carcas ) braue Then Pallas thought shée might be bolde Among the reast a share to haue , A passing wyt shée did conuaye Into this passing peece of claye . Of Bacchus shee no member had Saue fingars fine and feate to see , Hir head with Heare Apollo clad That Gods had thought it golde to bée : So glistring was the tresse in sight Of this newe formde and featurde Wight . Diana helde hir peace a space Vntill those other Gods had donne : At last ( quoth shée ) in Dians chase Wyth Bowe in hande this Nymph shall ronne , And chiefe of all my Noble traine I will this Virgin entertaine . Then ioyfull Iuno came and sayde Since you to hir so friendly are , I doe appoint this Noble Mayde To match with Mars his péere for warre : She shall the Cowntesse Warwick bée , And yéelde Dianas Bowe to mée . When to so good effect it came And euery member had hys grace , There wanted nothing but a name : By hap was Mercurie then in place , That sayde : pray you all agrée Pandora graunt hir name to bée . For since your Godheads forged haue With one assent this Noble Dame , And eche to hir a vertue gaue , This terme agréeth to the same : The Gods that heard Mercurius tell This tale , did lyke it passing well . Report was sommonde then in hast And willde to bring his Trumpe in hande To blowe therewith a sownding blast That might be heard through Brutus lande : Pandora streight the Trumpet blewe That eche this Cowntesse Warwicke knewe . O sielie Nature borne to paine , O wofull wretched kinde ( I say ) That to forsake the soyle were faine To make this Cowntesse out of Claye : But oh most friendly Gods that woulde Vouchsafe to set your handes to mowlde .
The Argument to the whole discourse and Treatise following BY sodaine sight of vnacquainted shape Tymetes fell in loue with Pyndara , Whose beautie farre excelde Sir Paris rape , That Poets cleape the famous Helena . His flame at first be durst not to displaye , For feare be should offended Pyndara : But couert kept his torments many a daye , As Paris did from worthie Helena . At length the coale so fierie redde became , Of him that so did fansie Pyndara That fuming smoke did wrie the hidden flame To hir that farre exceeded Helena . Which when shee saw , shee seemde with friendly eie To like with him that lyked Pyndara : And made as though shee would eft soone applie To him , as to hir guest did Helena . Tymetes ( loouing man ) then hoped well , And moonde his sute to Ladie Pyndara : He plide his Penne and to his writing fell And sude as did the man to Helena . Within a while dispayring wretched Wight He found his Loue ( the Ladie Pyndara ) So straunge and coye , as though she tooke delight To paine hir Friend , as did faire Helena . Another time hir cheere was such to see , That poore Tymetes hoapte that Pyndara Woulde yeelde him grace : But long it woulde not bee , She kept aloofe as did Dame Helena . Thus twixt dispaire and hope the doubtfull man Long space did liue that loued Pyndara , In wofull plight : At last the Nymph began To quite his loue as did faire Helena . Then ioyed be , and cherefull ditties made In praise of his atchiued Pyndara : But sone ( God wote ) his pleasure went to glade , Another tooke too wife this Helena . Thus euer as Tymetes had the cause Of ioy or smart , of comfort or refuse : He glad or griefull woxe , and euer drawes His present state with Pen as here ensues .
To a late acquainted Friende . IF Vulcan durst presume that was a Gnuffe to sée , And strake with Hammer on the Stiche a cunning Smith to bée , Whose chiefe and whole delight was aye to frie at Forge , And listen to that melodie Smithes sorrowes to disgorge : If Vulcan durst ( I saye ) Dame Venus to assaile That was the worthyste Wight of all , if witnesse may preuaile : Then may you muse the lesse , though fansie force me wright To you a second Venus ( Friende ) and Helen in my sight . For what he saw in hir a Goddesse by hir kinde , That I in you ( my chosen Friende ) and somewhat else doe finde . And as that sielie Smith by Cupid was procurde To fawne on hir , to whome in fine hee firmely was assurde : So by none other meanes my Senses are in thrall , But by procurement of the God that conquers Gods and all . T is hée that makes mée bolde , t is hée that willes me sue To thée ( my late acquainted Friende ) loues torment to eschue . Not too this day was séene that any durst rebell Or kicke at Cupid Prince of Loue , as learned Poets tell : But rather would with frée and vncoacted minde Applie to please in any case what so the God assignde . What néede I here displaye the spoyles by Cupid wonne ? Not I , but you ( my Friende ) woulde faint ere halfe the tale were donne . His Banner doth declare what harts haue béene subdude : Where they are all in Sabels set with blood and gore imbrude . Not mightie Mars alone , nor Hercules the stoute : But other Gods of greater state , there standing in a route . There may you plainely sée how Ioue was once a Swanne , To lure faire Leda to his lust when raging Loue beganne . Some other when a Bull , some other time a showre Of golden drops : as when he coyde the closed Nunne in towre . Appollos Loue appeares and euer will be knowne , As long as Lawrell leaues shall last , and Daphnes brute be blowne . May brainsick Bacchus brag or boast himselfe as frée ? Not I , but Aryadnas Crowne shewes him in loue to bée . Since these and other mo that Gods were made by kinde Might not auoyde that guilefull God that winged is and blinde : Should I haue hope to scape by force , or else by flight , That in respect of those his thralls am of so slender might ? As they did yéelde to Loue for feare of Cupids yre : Euen so am I become his thrall by force of flaming fyre . What time I first displayde mine eies vpon thy face , ( That doth allure eche lookers hart ) I did the P. imbrace . And since that time I féele within my breast such ioye , As Paris neuer felt the like when Helen was at Troye . How coulde so barraine soyle bring forth so good a Graffe , To whome the reast that séeme good Corne are in respect but Chaffe ? ( O God ) that Cupid woulde vpon thy breast bestowe His golden shaft , that thou the force of lyking loue mightst knowe . Then should I stande in hope and well assured bée , That thou wouldst be as friendly ( P. ) as I am now to thée . Whome ( till thy friendship fayle , and plighted Hest doe swerue ) I vaunt and vowe by mightie Ioue with hart and hande to serue . My Senses all take héede , and yée my wits beware That you attentiue be on hir and for none other care . You eies that woonted were light louing lookes to cast , I giue commaundment on hir hue that yée be ankred fast . Mine eares admit no sounde ne Womans woords at all : Be shut against such Syrens Songs repleate with lurking gall . Tongue sée that thou be tyde , and vse no wanton stile : By lawe of Loue I thee coniure such toyes to exile . Legges looke that yee be lame when you should reache a place To take the vewe of Venus Nymphes Pees beautie to deface . For such a one is shee whome I would will you serue , As to be plaste for Pallas péere for wisedome may deserue . So constant are hir lookes and eaken as chaste a face : As if that Lucrece liuing were shée Lucrece would disgrace . So modest is hir mirth in erie time and tyde , As they that prick most nearste of all their shiuerde shafts are wyde . Pause Pen a while therefore , and vse thy woonted meane : For Boccas braine , and Chaucers Quill in this were foyled cleane . Of both might neither boast if they did liue againe : For P. would put them to their shifts to Pen hir vertues plaine . Yet one thing will I vaunt and after make an ende , That Momus can not for his lyfe deuise one iote to mende . Thus to conclude at length , sée thou ( my Friend ) pervse This slender Verse , till leysure serue abrode to bring my Muse . For then you shall perceiue by that which you shall sée , That you haue made your choise as well as I by choosing P.
The Louer extolleth the singular beautie of his Ladie . LEt Myron muse at Natures passing might , And quite resigne his pieuish Painters right : For sure he can not frame hir featurde shape That for hir face excels the Gréekish rape . Let Zeuxis Grapes not make him proude at all , Though Fowles for them did skyr against a wall : For if hée should assay my Loue to paint , His Art would fayle , his cunning fist would faint . Let Praxitell presume with Pensill rude Base things to blaze the people to delude : Hir featurde limmes to drawe let him not dare That with the fayre Diana may compare . Though Venus forme Apelles made so well , As Creece did iudge the Painter to excell : Yet let not that enbolde the Gréeke to graue Hir shape , that beauties praise deserues to haue . For Nature when she made hir , did entende To paint a péece that no man might amende : A paterne for the reast that after shoulde Be made by hande , or cast in cunning moulde .
The Louer declareth how first he was taken and enamoured by the sight of his Ladie . I Hauing neuer earst the craft of Cupid tride , Ne yet the wylie wanton wayes of Ladie Venus spide , But spent my time in sporte as youth is woont by kinde , Not forcing fansies pinching powre that other Wights did blinde : By fortune founde a face that lykte my hart so well , As by the sodaine vewe thereof to fansies frame I fell . No sooner had mine eies vpon hir beautie stayde , But Wit and Will without respect were altogither wayde . Vnwarely so was none in such a snare before : The more I gazde vpon hir face , I lykte my Loue the more . Forthwith I thought my hart out of his roome was rapt : And wits ( that woonted were to wayte on Reason ) were intrapt , Downe by mine eies the stroke descended to the hart : Which Cupid neuer crazde before by force of golden dart . My bloud that thought it bounde his Maisters part to take , No longer durst abide abroade , but outwarde limmes forsake . Which hauing béene in breast and frostie colde dismayde : It hasted from the hart againe externall partes to ayde . And brought with it such heate as did enflame the face , Distayning it with Scarlet redde by rashnesse of the race . And since that time I féele such pangues and inwarde fits , As now with hope , and then with feare encombred are my wits . Thus must I Miser liue till shee by friendly ruth Doe pittie mée hir louing Thrall whose déedes shall trie his truth . Thrise luckie was the day , thrise happie cake the place , And yée ( mine eies ) thrise blessed were that lighted on hir face . If I in fine may force hir pittie by my plaint : I shall in cunningst verse I may hir worthie prayse depaint . There is one thing makes me ioy and bids me think the best : That cruell rigor can not lodge where beautie is possest . And sure vnlesse she salue and beale this cankred wounde By yéelding grace , it must in time of force my corps confounde . For long it may not last that in such anguish lies : Extreames in no case can endure as Sages did deuise . No Tyger gaue hir Teate , she is no Lyons whelpe : Ne was she bred of cruell rocks , nor will renounce to helpe Such as she paines with loue , and doth procure to wo : She is not of the Currish kinde , hir nature is not so .
Maister Googe his Sonet of the paines of Loue . TWoo lynes shall tell the griefe that I by Loue sustaine : I burne , I flame , I faint , I fréeze , of Hell I féele the paine .
Turberuiles aunswere and distick to the same . TWoo lynes shall teach you how to purchase ease anewe : Let Reason rule where Loue did raigne , and ydle thoughts eschewe .
An Epitaphe on the death of Dame Elyzabeth Arhundle . HEre graued is a good and Godly Wight , That yéelded hath hir cynders to the soyle , Who ran hir race in vertues tylt aright And neuer had at Fortunes hand the foyle : The guide was God whome shée did aye ensue , And Vertue was the marke whereat she thrue . Descending of a house of worthie fame Shée linckt at length with one of egall state , Who though did chaunge hir first & former name , Did not enforce hir vertues to rebate : For Dannat shee Dame Arhundle was hight , whose Féere was knowne to be a worthy Knight . Hir beautie I not blaze ne brute at all , ( Though with the best she might therein compare ) For that it was to age and fortune thrall : Hir thewes I touch which were so passing rare , As being earthde and reaft hir vitall breath , Hir chiefest part doth liue and conquer death . Let Spite not spare to speake of hir the wurst , Let Enuie feede vpon hir godly life , Let Rancour rage , let Hatreds bellie burst , Let Zoill now vnsheath his cutting knife : For death hath closde hir corse in Marble graue , Hir soule is fled in Skies his seate to haue . Let Leyster laugh that such a Mirrour bred : Let Matrons mourne for losse of their renowne , Let Cornewall crie since Dannat now is ded , Let Vertue eke doe on hir mourning gowne : For she is rest that was at Vertues beck Whome Fortune had no powre to giue the check .
To Piero of Pride . FRiend Piero , Pride infects a friendly minde , The haughtie are pursude with deadly hate : Wherfore eschue the proude & Peacocks kinde . That gréede are to sit on stoole of state : The lowly hart doth winne the loue of all , But Pride at last is sure of shamefull fall .
Piero to Turberuile . GOod is the counsell ( Turberuile ) you giue , It is a vertue rare well to aduise , But if your selfe in Peacoks sort doe liue Men déemen may you are not perfite wise : Whose chiefest point in act consisteth aye , Well doing farre excelleth well to saye .
Verse in prayse of Lorde Henrye Howarde Earle of Surrey . WHat should I speake in prayse of Surreys skill Vnlesse I had a thousand tongues at will ? No one is able to depaint at full , The flowing fountaine of his sacred Skull . Whose Pen approoude what wit he had in mue Where such a skill in making Sonets grue . Eche worde in place with such a sleight is coucht , Eche thing whereof he treates so firmely toucht , As Pallas séemde within his Noble breast To haue soiournde , and béene a daylie guest . Our mother tongue by him hath got such light , As ruder speach thereby is banisht quight : Reproue him not for fansies that he wrought , For Fame thereby and nothing else he sought . What though his verse with pleasant toyes are fright ? Yet was his honours life a Lampe of light . A Mirrour he the simple sort to traine , That euer beate his brayne for Britans gaine . By him the Nobles had their vertues blazde , When spitefull death their honors liues had razde . Eche that in life had well deserued aught , By Surreys meanes an endles fame hath caught . To quite his boone and aye well meaning minde , Whereby he did his Sequell séeme to binde : Though want of skill to silence me procures , I write of him whose fame for aye endures , A worthie Wight , a Noble for his race , A learned Lorde that had an Earles place .
Of Ialousie . A Straunge disease , a griefe excéeding great , A man to haue his hart in flame inrolde , In sort that he can neuer choose but sweate , And féele his féete benumde with frosty colde . No doubt if he continue in this heate , He will become a Cooke hereafter olde , Of such diseases such is the effect , And this in him we may full well suspect .
To his Ladie , that by hap when he kissed hir and made hir lip bleed , controld him and tooke disdaine . DIscharge thy dole , Thou subtile soule , It standes in little stéede To cursse the kisse That causer is Thy chirrie lip doth bléede . Thy bloud ascends To make amends For domage thou hast donne : For by the same I felt a flame More scorching than the Sunne . Thou reftst my harte By secret Arte , My sprites were quite subdude : My Senses fled And I was ded , Thy lippes were scarce imbrude . The kisse was thine , The hurt was mine , My hart felt all the paine : T was it that bled And lookte so red , I tell thée once againe . But if you long To wreake your wrong Vpon your friendly fo: Come kisse againe And put to paine The man that hurt you so .
Mayster Googe his Sonet . ACcuse not God if fansie fonde doe mooue thy foolish braine To wayle for loue , for thou thy selfe art cause of all the paine .
Turberuiles aunswere . NOt God ( friend Googe ) the Louer blames as worker of his woes : But Cupid that his fierie flames so frantickly bestowes .
A comparison of the Louers estate with the Souldiars painefull lyfe . JF Souldiers may for seruice done , and labours long sustainde , For wearie watch , and perils past , and armes with armour painde : For push of Pike , for Holbers stroke , for standing in the frunt , If they expect rewarde ( I say ) for byding battayles brunt : Then what shall Cupids Captaines craue , what recompence desire , That warde the day , and wake the night consumde with fretting fire ? No roome of rest , no time of truce , no pleading for a peace : When Cupid sounds his warlike Trumpe , the fight will neuer cease . First shall you sée the shiuering shafts and vewe the thirled darts Which from their eies they cast by course to pierce their enmies harts . But if the Foe doe stande aloofe , ( as is the Louers guise ) Then Canons with their cruell cracks as thick as thunder flies . Swéete wordes in place of powder stande by force which think to win , That louing lookes of late had lost when fight did first begin . But on the breast to beare the brunt and kéepe them from the hart , A sure and priuie cote is worne repelling pellats smart . They stop their eares against the sound , which is the surest shielde Against the dreadfull shot of wordes that thousandes had beguilde . But when Cupidians flatly sée nor gunne , nor Bowe preuaile , They then begin their friendly foes with other fight tassaile . Then set the daskardes dreade aside , and to the walles they run , As though they woulde subdue the Forte or ere the fight begun . Forthwith the scaling Ladders come , and to the walles are set , Then sighes and sobs begin to clime , but they are quickly met . Thus Cupid and his Souldiers all the sharpe repulse sustaine : Whome Beauty batters from the walles whose Captaine is Disdaine . When all are gone and yéeld it lost , comes Hope and whote Desire , To sée where they can haue the hap to set the Forte afire . But nought preuailes their lingring fight , they can not Beautie win : Yet doe they skirmish still behinde in hope to enter in . At length when Beautie doth perceyue those Souldiers are so true , That they will neuer from the walles till they the holde subdue : She calles to Pittie for the keyes and bids hir let them in : In hope they will be true to hir as they to Loue had bin . The gates no sooner are vnlockt , but souldiers all retire : And enter into Beauties Forte with Hope and hote Desire . Now iudge by this that I haue saide of these two fightes aright , Which is the greatest toyle of both when warlike Tents are pight . For Mars his men sometime haue ease , and from their battaile blin : But Cupids souldiers euer serue till they Dame Beautie win .
The Louer against one that compared his Mistresse with his Ladie . A Madnesse to compare the Pipler with the Pine , Whereof the Mariner makes his Mast , and hanges it all with line . A follie to preferre a Lampe before the Sunne , Or brag that Balams lumpish Asse with Bucephall shall runne . Then cease for shame to vaunt , and crowe in craking wise Of hir that least deserues to haue hir beauties fame arise . Thou foolish Dame beware of haughtie Peacocks pride : The fruite thereof in former age hath sundrie times bene tride . Arachne can expresse how angrie Pallas was , When shée in néedle worke would séeme the Heauenly Wight to passe . The Spider shewes the spite that shée ( good wench ) abid , In token of hir pride shee hanges at roufe by rotten thrid . No foode shée hath allowde lesse Fortune sende the Flie : The Cobwed is hir costly Couch appointed hir to lie . Wich venim ranck and vile hir wombe is like to burst , A token of hir inwarde hate and hawtie minde at furst . And thou that surely thinkst thy Ladie to excell , Example take of others harme for iudgement that befell : When Pan the Pastors prince , and Rex of Rustick route , To passe Apollo in his play and Musick went aboute : Mount Tmolus was the Iudge that there the roome possest , To giue his verdite for them both which vttered Musick best . First came the Rustick forth with Pipe and puffed bag , That made his eies to run like streames , and both his lips to wag . The noyse was somewhat rude and ragged to the eare : The simplest man aliue would gesse that pieuish Pan was there . Then Phoebus framde his frets , and wrested all his pinnes , And on his curious strings to strike the skilfull God beginnes . So passing was his play as made the trées to daunce , And stubborne Rocks in déepest vales for gladsome ioy to praunce . Amphyon blusht as red as any glowing flame : And Orpheus durst not shew his face , but hide his head for shame . Ynough quoth Tmolus tho , my iudgement is that Pan May pipe among the ruder sort that little Musick can . Apollos playe doth passe of all that ere I hearde : Wherefore ( as reason is ) of mée the Luter is preferde . Meanewhile was Mydas prest , not pointed Iudge in place : But ( lyke a dolt that went about Apollo to deface ) Tushe Tmolus , tushe quoth hee , Pan hath the better skill : For hée the emptie bagge with winde and strouting blast doth fill . Apollo wagges his ioints and makes a iarring sounde : Lyke pleasure is not in the Lute as in the Bagpipe founde . No sooner had hée spoke those witlesse wordes and sed , But Phoebus graft on Asses eares vpon his beastly hed . In proofe of iudgement wrong that Mydas did maintaine , Hée had a paire of sowsing eares to shilde him from the raine . Wherefore ( my Friende ) take héede of afterclaps that fall : And déeme not hir a Dearling that deserues no prayse at all . Your iudgement is beguilde , your Senses suffer shame : That so doe séeke to blaze hir armes , and to aduaunce hir fame . Let hir go hide hir head in lothsome lurking mue , For crabbed Crowfoote marres hir face and quite distaines hir hue .
The Louer to a Centlewoman , that after great friendship without desart or cause of mislyking refused him . HAue you not heard it long ago of cunning Fawkners tolde , That Haukes which loue their kéepers call are woorth their weight in Golde ? And such as knowe the luring voice of him that féedes them still : And neuer rangle farre abroade against the kéepers will , Doe farre excéede the haggarde Hauke that stoopeth to no stale : Nor forceth on the Lure a whit , but mounts with euery gale ? Yes , yes , I know you know it well , and I by proufe haue tride , That wylde and haggard Hawkes are worse than such as will abide . Yet is there eke another kinde , farre worser than the rest : And those are they that flie at check , and stoupe to erie gest . They leaue the lawe that nature taught and shun their woonted kinde , In fléeing after erie Foule that mounteth with the winde . You know what I doe meane by this , if not , giue eare a while : And I shall shewe you my conceyte in plaine and simple stile . You were sometime a gentle Hawke , and woont to féede on fist : And knew my luring voice right well and would repaire at list . I could no sooner make a beck or token with my hand , But you would quickly iudge my will and how the case did stand . But now you are become so wylde and rammage to be séene , As though you were a haggard Hawke , your maners altred cléene . You now refuse to come to fist , you shun my woonted call : My luring lyketh not your eare , you force mée not at all . You flée with wings of often chaunge at random where you please : But that in time will bréede in you some fowle and fell disease . Liue like a haggard still therefore , and for no luring care : For best ( I sée ) contents thy minde at wishe and will to fare . So some perhaps will liue in hope at length to light on thée , That earst reclaimde so gentle werte and louing birde to mée , But if thou chaunce to fall to check , and force on erie fowle , Thou shalt be worse detested then , than is the nightish Owle . This counsell take of him that once did kéepe thée at his beck : But now giues vp in open field for feare of filthie check .
The Louer obtayning his wishe by all likelyhode , yet not able to attaine his desire , compares himself to Tantalus . OF Tantalus plight The Poets wright , Complayning And fayning In sorowfull sownding songes : Who féeles ( they saye ) For Apples gaye Such payning , Not gayning The fruite for which hee longes : For when hee thinkes to féede therone , The fickle flattring Trée is gone : And all in vaine hee hopes to haue his famine to expell The flitting fruite that lookes so braue and likes his eie so well : And thus his hunger doth increase , And hée can neuer finde release . As want of Meate Doth make him freate With raging , And gaging , To catch the fruite that flées : Euen so for drythe The Miser crythe , Not swaging , But waging , For licour that hée sées : For to his painefull partched mouth The long desired water flouth , And when he gapes full greedilie vnthriftie thirst to slake , The riuer wasteth spéedilie , and away warde goes the Lake : That all the licour from his lips And dryed chaps away it slips . This kinde of paine Doth he sustaine , Not ceasing , Increasing , His pittifull pining wo : In plenties place , Deuoide of grace , Releasing , Or ceassing The pangs that pinch him so : Of all the fretting fits of Hell This Tantals torment is most fell : For that the reast can haue no hope their fréedome to attaine , And he hath graunted him such scope as makes the Myser faine : But all for nought in fine it serues , For he with dryth and hunger sterues . Euen so fare I That am as nie My pleasure , My treasure , As I might wish to bée : And haue at will My Ladie still At le●●●ure , In measure , As well it liketh mée . The amorous blincks flée to and fro , With sugred words that make a show That fansie is well pleasde withall and findes it selfe content : Eche other friendly friend doth call and eche of vs consent : And thus we séeme for to possesse Eche others hart and haue redresse . We coll , we clip , We kisse with lip , Delighted , Requighted , And merily spend the day : The tales I tell Are fanside well , Recited , Not spited , Thus weares the time away . Looke what I like shée doth imbrace , Shée giues good eare vnto my case And yeeldes mee lawfull libertie to frame my dolorus plaint , To quite hir Friend from ieopardie whome Cupid hath attaint : Respecting nought at all his welth But séeking meane to worke his helth . I séeme to haue The thing I craue , Shée barres not , Shée iarres not , But with a verie good will Shee heares my sute , And for the frute Shée warres not , But dares not To let me féede my fill . Shée would ( I know ) with hart agrée , The fault is neyther in hir nor mée , I dare auowe full willinglie shée would consent thereto , And gladly would mée remedie too banish away my wo : Lo thus my wish I doe possesse , And am a Tantal naythelesse . For though I stande And touch with hande Allured , Procured , The Saint I doe desire : And may be bolde For to enfolde , Assured , Indured , The Corps that I require : Yet by no meanes may I attaine To haue the fruite I would so faine To rid mée from extremitie and cruell oppressing care , Euen thus with Tantals penaltie my destnie may compare : Who though endure excessiue paine , Yet mine is not the least of twaine .
The Louer to the Thems of London to fauor his Ladie passing thereon . THou stately Streame that with the swelling Tide Gainst London walles incessantly dost beate , Thou Thems ( I say ) where barge & bote doth ride , And snowhite Swans do fish for néedefull meate : When so my Loue of force , or pleasure shall Flit on thy floud as custome is to do : Séeke not with dread hir courage to appall , But calme thy tyde , and smoothly let it go : As shée may ioy , arriude to siker shore To passe the pleasant streame she did before . To weltre vp and surge in wrathfull wise , ( As did the floud where Helle drenched was , ) Would but procure defame of thee to rise : Wherefore let all such ruthlesse rigor passe , So wish I that thou mayst with bending side Haue powre for aye in woonted goulfe to glide .
To his Ring giuen to his Ladie , wherein was grauen this Verse . My hart is yours . THough thou ( my King ) be small , and slender be thy price : Yet hast thou in thy compasse coucht a Louers true deuice . And though no Rubie red , ne Turkesse trim thy top , Nor other Iuell that commends the golden Vulcans shop : Yet mayst thou boldlye vaunt and make a true report For mée that am thy Mayster yet in such a semblant sort , That aye ( my hart is hirs ) of thée I aske no more : My Pen and I will shew the reast , which yet I kéepe in store . Be mindefull of thy charge , and of thy Maysters case : Forget not that ( my hart is hirs ) though I be not in place . When thou hast tolde thy tale which is but short and swéete : Then let my Loue coniect the reast till she and I doe méete . For as ( my hart is hirs ) so shall it be for aye : My hart , my hand , my lyfe , my limmes are hirs till dying daye . Yea when the spirite giues vp and bodie breathes his last , Say naythelesse ( my hart is hirs ) when life and all is past . Sit fast to hir finger , But doe thou not wring her .
The dispairing Louer craues eyther mercie in time at his Ladies hands , or cruell death . LIke as the fearefull Fouls within the Fawcons foote Doth yéelde himselfe to die , and sées none other boote : Euen so dread I ( my Deare ) least ruth in thée will want , To mée that am thy thrall , who fearing death doe pant . So fast I am in Gyue within your beauties Gayle , As thence to make a breath no engin may preuaile . The hart within my breast with trembling feare doth quake : And saue your loue ( my Deare ) nought can my torment slake . To slea a yéelding pray I iudge it not your kinde : Your beautie bids mée hope more ruth in you to finde . Where Nature hath yformde such featurde shape to showe , There hath she closde in breast a hart for grace to growe . Wherefore my lingring paines redresse with ruthfull hart : And doe in time become Phisition to my smart . Oh showe thy selfe a friende and Natures Impe to bee , As thou a Woman art by kinde to womans kinde agrée . But if you can not finde in hart my lyfe to saue , But that you long to sée your thrall lye deade in graue : Sende mée the fatall toole , and cruell cutting knife : And thou shalt see me rid my wretched limmes of life . No lesse to like thy minde than to abridge my smart : Which were an yll rewarde for such a good desart . Of both I count it least by cursed death to fall , Than ruthlesse here to liue and aye to be a thrall .
To his Friende to be constant after choise made . WHat made Vlysses Wife to be renowmed so ? What forced Fame hir endlesse brute in blasting trumpe to blow ? What Cleopatra causde to haue immortall prayse ? What did procure Lucrecias lande to lasten to our dayes ? Cause they their plighted hestes vnbroken aye reserude : And planted Constance in their harts from whome they neuer swerude . What makes the Marble stone and Diamond so deare ? Saue that the longest last of all , and alwayes one appeare ? What makes the waxen forme to be of slender price ? But cause with force of fire it melts and wasteth with a trice . Then if thou long for prayse or blasted Fame to finde , ( My Friend ) thou must not chaunge thy choyce or turne lyke Cock with winde . Be constant in thy worde and stable in thy deede : This is the readiest way to win and purchase prayse with speede .
Counsell returned by Pyndara to Tymetes , of constancie . WHat made the Troyan Duke that wandring Prince to haue Such yll report , and foule defame as him Carthago gaue ? What faythlesse Iason forcde a Traytors name to gaine ? When he to Colchos came , and did the golden Fleese attaine ? What Theseus causde to bée reported of so yll , As yet record thereof remaynes ( I think ) and euer wyll ? Cause they their faithfull Friendes that saude their doubtfull lyues Forsooke at last , and did disdaine to take them to their wyues , They brake their vowed hestes , by ship away they went : And so betrayde those siely soules that craft nor falsehood ment . Wherefore if you ( my Friend ) the like report will flée Stand euer to the promise made , and plighted troth to mée . Those Dames of whome you spake were constant ( as you say ) But sure these Louers I alleage vnfaithfull parts did play . More cause haue I to doubt of you ( Tymetes ) then , For ( as you sée ) we Women are more trustie than you men .
The Louers must not dispaire though their Ladies seeme straunge . THough Neptune in his rage the swelling Seas doe tosse , And crack the Cables in dispite to further shipmens losse : Though Ancker holde doe fayle , and Mysson go to wrack , Though Sayles with blustring blast be rent , and Keale begin to crack : Yet those that are a boorde and guide the ship with steare , Although they sée such daungers prest and perils to appeare : Yet hope to light at last vpon some harbour holde , And finde a Porte where they to cast their Anckers may be bolde . Though Theeues be kept in Gayle fast bound in surest Gyues , They lay not all good hope aside for sauing of their lyues . They trust at length to sée such mercie in the Iudge , As they in open presence quit may from the prison trudge , And those for gréedie gaine and hope of hidden Golde In déepest Mynes and Dungeon darck that byde the bitter colde : In fine doe looke to light vpon some Golden vaine , Which may be thought a recompence for all their passed paine . The Ploughman eke that toyles and turnes the ground for graine , And sowes his séede ( perhaps to losse ) yet standes in hope of gaine . He will not once dispaire , but hope till Haruest fall : And then will looke assuredly to stuffe his Barnes withall . Since these in perils point will neuer once dispaire , Then why should Louers stand in dread of stormes in weather faire ? Why should they haue mistrust some better hap to finde , Or think that Women will not chaunge as is their woonted kinde ? Though straunge they seeme a while and cruell for a space : Yet sée thou hope at length by hap to finde some better grace . For Tygers will be tame , and Lyons that were woode , In time their kéepers learne to knowe and come to them for foode . What though they scorne as now to listen to thy sute ? Yet thou in time when fortune serues shalt reape some better frute . And though thy sighes they scorne and mock thy welling teares : Yet hope ( I say ) for after stormes the shining Sunne appeares . And neuer cease to sue , nor from lamenting stint : For often drops of falling raine in time doe pierce the Flint . Was neuer stone so strong nor womans hart so harde , But th one with toole , and thother with teares in processe might be scarde .
A Letter sent by Tymetes to his Ladie Pyndara at the time of his departure . OF Pennes I had good store , ne Paper did I want When I began to write to thée : but Inck was somewhat scant . Yet Loue deuisde a fetch , a friendly sleight at néede : For I with pointed Pensill made my middle finger bléede . From whence the bloud as from a clouen Conduite flue , And these fewe rude and skillesse lines with quaking quill I drue . Now Friend I must depart and leaue this lyked lande : Now canckred Hap doth force me take a new founde toyle in hande . Shée spites that I should liue , or leade a quiet life : Aye séeking how to bréede my bale and make my sorrowes rife . From whence I passe I knowe , a place of pleasant blisse , But wither I shall I wote not well , I know not where it is . Where she by Sea or Lande me ( cruell ) will compell To passe , or by the desart Dales , were verie hard to tell . But néedes I must away , the Westerne winde doth blowe So full against my back that I of force from hence doe go . Yet naythelesse in pawne ( O Friend ) I leaue with you A faithfull hart , that lasting lyfe will shewe it selfe as true , As loouing earst it hath : and if mée trust you dare , Fill vp the emptie place with yours , if you the same may spare . Inclose it in my breast , in safetie shall it lie : And thou shalt haue thy hart againe , if I doe chaunce to die . Thus dubble is your gaine , a dubble hart to haue : To purchase thée another hart , and eke thine owne to saue . Liue mindefull of thy Friend , forget not promise past : Be stoute against the stubborne strokes of frowarde Fortunes blast . Penelope be true to thy Vlysses still : Let no newe chosen Friend breake off th●●…hréed of our good will . Though I on seas doe passe , the surge will haue no powre To quench the flame that in my breast increaseth day and howre . ●nd thus ( the heart that is your owne ) doth wish thée well , With good increase of blessed haps sinister chaunce to quell . Adue my chosen Friend , if Fortune say Amen , From hence I go thine owne , and will thine owne returne agen .
Pyndaras aunswere to the Letter which Tymetes sent hir at the time of his departure . WHen first thy Letters came ( O louing Friend ) to mée , I leapt for ioy , in hope to haue receyude good newes of thée , I neuer stayde vpon those lines that were without : But rashl●ript the Seale , to rid my minde from dreadfull dout . Which done ( Oh cruell griefe ) I saw a mournefull sight : This Verse ( of Pennes I had good store ) with Purple bloud ywright . With flouds of flowing teares straight drowned were mine eies , On eyther Chéeke they trickled fast and ranne in riuer wies . My minde did yll abode , it yrkt to read the rest : For when I saw the Inck was such , I thought I saw the best . Long stoode I in a dumpe , my hart began to ake : My Liuer leapt within my bulck , my trembling hands did shake . My Senses were bereft , my bowing knées did bende : Out from my Nose the bloud it brake , much like the Letter pende . Vp start my staring Locks , I lay for dead a space : And what with bloud and brine I all bedewde the dréerie place . From out my féeble fist fell Néedle , cloth and all , I knewe no Wight , I saw no Sunne , as deafe as stone in wall . At last when standers by had brought my Sense againe , And force of life had conquerd griefe and banisht deadly paine : I thought the worst was past , I déemde I could abide No greater torment than I had , vnlesse I should haue dide . To vewing then againe of bloudie lynes I go : And euer as I read the words , mee thought I saw the blo . Which pointed Pensell gaue , from whence that dolefull Inck As from a clouen Conduit flue : remembrance make me shrinck . Oh Friend Tymetes why so cruell were thou than ? What didst thou meane to hurt thy flesh thou rash and retchlesse man ? What ? didst thou déeme that I could vew that gorie scrole Withouten anguish of the minde ? or think vpon the hole Of that thy friendly fist and finger that did bléede ? No , no , I haue a W 〈…〉 hart , I am no Tygers sée 〈…〉 As great a griefe it was for me to think in hart Of thy mishap , as if my selfe had felt the present smart . O cruell cursed want of fitter Inck to write : Good fayth that lycour was vnméete such louing lines tindite . But yet in some respect it fitted with the case : For ( out alas ) I read therein that thou hast fled the place , Where friendly we were woont like faithfull friends to bee : Where thou moughtst that with me thy fill and I conferre with thée . Oh spitefull cruell Chaunce , oh cursed canckred Fate : Art thou a Goddesse ( Monster vile ) deseruing stoole of State ? O blinde and muffled Dame , couldst thou not sée to spare Two faithfull harts , but reauing th one must bréede the others care ? No woonder t is that thou dost stande on whirling whéele : For by thy déedes thou dost declare thou canst doe nought but reele . Art thou of Womans kinde and ruthfull Goddesse race , And hast no more respect vnto a sielie womans case ? Auaunt thou froward Fiend , thou so my Friend dost driue From shore well knowne to forraine coast our sugred ioyes to riue . If so thy minde be bent that my Tymetes shall Depart the presence of his Friend : Yet so doe guide the ball As he at lande may liue not trying surge of seas : Nor ship him from the Hauens mouth to bréede him more vncase . ( Good Friend ) aduenture not so rashly on the floud , As earst thou didst in writing of this Letter with thy bloud . Séeke not tincrease my cares or dubble griefe begoon : Think of Leanders bolde attempt the lyke distresse to shoon . What suretie is in ship ? what trust in Oken plancks ? What credit doe the windes deserue at lande that play such prancks ? If houses strongly built , and Towers battled hie , By force of blast be ouerthrowne when Aeols Impes doe flie : In puffing windes the Pine and aged Oke doe teare , And from the bodies rent the boughes and loftie lugges they beare : Then why shouldst thou affie in Keale or Cable so , Or hazard thus thy selfe vpon the tossing Seas to go ? Hast thou not heard of yore how good Vlysses was With stormie tempest chased sore when he to Greece did passe ? A wearie trauaile hée for ten yeares space abid . And all the while this noble Greeke on waltring wallow slid . Hast thou not read in Bookes of fell Charybdis Goulfe , And Scyllas Dogs , whome ships doe dread as Lambes doe feare the Woulfe ? Nor of the raggie Rocks that vnderlurck the waue ? And rent the Barcks that Aeols blasts into their bosome draue ? Not of the Monsters huge that belch out frothie fleame , And singing Sirens that doe drowne both man and ship in streame ? Alas the thought of Seas , and of thy passage paines ( If once thou gage thy selfe to surge ) my hart and members straines . The present fits of feare of afterclaps to cum . Amaze my louing tender breast and Senses doe benum . But néedes thou must away , ( oh Friend ) what hap is this That ere thou flie this friendly coast thy lips I can not kisse ? Nor with my folded armes imbrace that neck of thine : Nor clap vnto thy manly breast these louing Dugs of mine ? Not shed my trilling teares vpon thy moisted face ? Nor say to thée ( Tymet adue ) when thou departst the place ? O that I had thy forme in waxen table now , To represent thy liuely lookes and friendly louing brow . That mought perhaps abridge some part of pinching paine : And comfort me till better chaunce did sende thée home againe . Both winde and waue atonce conspire to worke my wo , Or esse thou shouldst not so be forst from me ( thine owne ) to go . O wayward Westerne blast what didst thou meane so full Against Tymetes back to blow , and him from hence to pull ? Hast thou bene counted earst a gentle gale of winde , And dost thou now at length bewray thy fierce and frowarde kinde ? I thought the Northren blast from frostie Pole that came Had bene the worst of all the windes and most deserued blame . But now I plainely sée that Poets did but faine : When they of Borias spake so yll and of his cruell raigne . For thou of Aeols brats thy selfe the worst dost showe : And hauing no iust cause to rage to soone beginst to blowe . If néedes thou wouldst haue vsde thy force and fretting moode , Thou shouldst haue broyld among the trées that in the Mountaines stoode : And let vs friends alone that liude in perfite blisse . But to request the windes of ruth but labor lost it is . Well ( Friend ) though cruell hap and windes did both agrée , That thou on sodaine shouldst forgo both countrie coast and mée : Yet haue I founde the pawne which thou didst leaue behinde : I meane thy louing faithfull hart , that neuer was vnkinde . And for that firme behest and plighted truth of youre , Wherein you vow that loue begoon shall to the death endure : To yeelde thée thy demaunde my written lines protest , Inclose my hart within thy bulck as I will thine in brest . Shrine vp that little lumpe of friendly flesh ( my Friend ) And I will lodge in louing wise the guest that thou didst send . I ioy at this exchaunge : for I assured stande , Thy tender hart that I doe kéepe shall safelie lie at lande . Nor doe I doubt at all but thou wilt haue regarde Of that thy charge , and womans hart committed to thy warde . Why dost thou write of death ? I trust thou shalt not die , As long as in thy manly breast a womans hart doth lie . To cruell were the case , the Sisters eake were shroes : If they woulde séeke the death of vs . that are such friendly foes . But if the worst shoulde fall , and that the cruell death Doe stop the spindles of our life , and reaue vs both of breath : Yet this doth make me ioy , that thou shalt be the graue Vnto my hart , and in my brest thy hart is Hierce shall haue . For sure a sunder shall these members neuer go . As long as life in lims doth lodge and breath in lungs bylow . I mindefull liue of thée and of my promise past : I will not séeke to chaunge my choise , my loue is fixed fast . To my Tymetes I as faithfull will be found : As to Vlysses was his wife whilst Troie was laide on ground . As for new choise of Friends , presume vpon thy P. Thou knowst I haue thy hart in breast and it will none but thee . Abandon all distrust and dread of mistie minde : For to the hart ( that is mine owne ) I will not be vnkinde . Adue my chosen Friend , Adue to thée agen : Remaine my loue , but pray the write no more with bloudie Pen. Thine owne in life , thine owne in death , Thine owne whilst lungs shall lende me breath : Thine owne whilst I on earth doe wonne Thine owne whilst eie shall see the Sonne .
To his absent Friend the Louer writes of his vnquiet and restlesse state . THough curious skill I want to wel endite , And I of sacred Nymphes and Muses nine Was neuer taught with Poets pen to write , Nor barrain braine to learning did incline To purchase prayse , or with the best to shine : Yet cause my Friend shall finde no want of will , I write , let hir accuse the lack of skill . No lesse deserues the Lambe to be imbrast Of lowring Ioue at sacred Altar slaine , If with good zeale it offred be at last By Irus , that doe Craesus Bullocks twaine : For no respect is to be had of gaine In such affayres , but to the giuers hart And his good will our Senses must conuart . Wherfore to thée ( my Friend ) these lines I send As perfite proufe of no dissembling minde , But of a hart that truely doth intend To shew it selfe as louing and as kinde , As woman woulde hir Louer wish to finde : And more than this my Paper can declare , I loue thee ( Friend ) and wishe thée well to fare . I would thou wist the torment I sustaine For lack of hir that should my wo redresse , And that you knew some parcell of my paine , Which none may well by déeming iudgement gesse , Nor I with quill haue cunning to expresse : I know thou couldst but rue my wofull chaunce , That by thy meanes was brought into this traunce The day doth bréede my doole , and ranckling rage Of secret smart in wounded breast doth boyle , No pleasant pangue my sorrowes may asswage , Nor giue an ende vnto my wofull toyle : The golden Sunne that glads the earthly soyle , And erie other thing that bréedes delight Of kinde , to mee are forgers of my spite . I long for Phoebus glade and going downe , My drearie teares more couertly to shed : But when the night with vglie face doth frowne , And that I am yplaste in quiet bed , In hope to be with wished pleasure fed : A greater griefe , a worser paine ensues . My vaporde eies their hoped sléepe refues . Then rowle I in my déepe dispayring brest The ●wéete disdaines , and pleasant anger past , The louely strifes : when Stars doe counsell rest Incroching cares renue my griefe as faste , And thus desired night in wo I waste : And to expresse the harts excessiue paine , Mine eies their deawie teares distill amaine . And reason why they should be moysted so , Is for they bred my hart this bitter bale : They were the onely cause of cruell wo Vnto the hart , they were the guilefull stale . Thus day and night ytost with churlish Gale Of sighes in Sea of surging brine I bide Not knowing how to scape the scowring Tide . At last the shining Rayes of Hope to finde Your friendship firme , these cloudy thoughts repel ▪ And calmed Skie returnes to mistie minde : Which déepe dispaire againe eftsoone compels Too fade , and ease by Dolours drift expels : That Gods themselues ( I iudge ) lament my fate , And doe repine to see my wofull state . Wherefore to purchace prayse , and glorie gaine . Do ease your Friend that liues in wretched plight , Doe not to death a louing hart constraine , But séeke with loue his seruice to requight , Doe not exchaunge a Fawcon for a Kite : Refuse him not for any friendship nue A worse may chaunce , but none more iust and true Let Cressed myrror hée that did forgo Hir former faythfull friend King Priams Sonne , And Diomed the Gréeke imbraced so , And left the loue so well that was begonne : But when hir Cards were tolde and twist ysponne She found hir Troian Friend the best of both For he renounst hir not , but kept his oth . This don , my griping griefs will somwhat swage And sorrow cease to grow in pensiue breast , Which otherwise will neuer blin to rage And crush the hart within his carefull Cheast Of both for you and mée it were the best , To saue my life and win immortall fame , And thus my Muse shall blase your noble name For ruine on my wofull case .
The aunswere of a woman to hir Louer , supposing his complaint to be but fayned . YOu want no skill to paint or shew your pangues with Pen , It is a worlde to sée the craft that is in subtile men . You séeme to write of woes and wayle for deadly smart , As though there were no griefe , but that which gripes your faythlesse hart . Though we but Women are and weake by lawe of kinde , Yet well we can discerne a Friende , we winke , but are not blinde . Not euery thing that giues a gleame and glittering showe , Is to be counted Gold in déede this prouerb well you knowe : Nor euery man that beares a faire and fawning cheere , Is to be taken for a Friend or chosen for a Feere : Not euerie teare declares the troubles of the hart , For some doe wéepe that feele no wo some crie that taste no smart . The more you séeme to me in wofull wise to playne , The sooner I perswade my selfe that you doe nought but fayne . The Crocodile by kinde a floud of teares doth shed Yet hath no cause of cruell crie by craft , this Fiend is led . For when the siely soule that ment no hurt at all Approcheth néere , the slipper ground doth giue the beast a fall , Which is no sooner done but straight the monster vyle , For sorrow that did wéepe so sore for ioy beginnes to smyle : Euen so you men are woont by fraude your friends to traine And make in wise you could not sléepe in carefull Couch for paine : When you in déede doe nought but take your nightly nap , Or hauing slept doe set your snare and tylle your guilefull trap . Your braynes as busie bée in thinking how to snare Vs women , as your pillowes soft and bowlsters pleasant are . As for your dayes delights our selues can witnesse well To sundrie women sundrie tales of sundrie iestes you tell : And all to win their loues : which when you doe attaine Within a while you shew your kindes and giue them vp in plaine . A Fawcon is full hard amongst you men to finde , For all your maners more agrée vnto the Kytish kinde : For gentle is the one and loues his kéepers hande , But thother Busserdlike doth scorne on Fawckners fist to stande . For one good turne the one a thousand will requite , But vse the other nere so well he shewth himselfe a Kite . If Cresyd did amisse the Troian to forsake Then Dyom edes did not well that did the Ladie take . Was neuer woman false , but man as false as shée And commonly the men doe make that women slipper bée . Wherefore leaue off your plaints and take the shéete of shame To shrowde your cloking harts from colde and fayning browes from blame . Yf she that reades this rime , be wise as I coulde wishe , She will auoyde the bayted hooke that takes the biting fishe . And shoon the lymed twig the flying Foule that tyes T is good to feare of crie bush where thréed of thraldome lyes .
The Louer exhorteth his Ladie to take time , while time is . THough braue your Beautie be and feature passing faire , Such as Apelles to depaint might vtterly dispaire : Yet drowsie drouping Age . incroching on apace , With pensiue Plough will raze your hue and Beauties beames deface . Wherefore in tender yeares how crooked Age doth haste Reuoke to minde , so shall you not your minde consume in waste . Whilst that you may , and youth in you is fresh and gréene , Delight your selfe : for yeares to fit as fickle flouds are séene . For water slipped by may not be callde againe : And to reuoke forepassed howres were labour lost in vaine . Take time whilst time applies with nimble foote it goes : Nor to compare with passed Prime thy after age suppoes . The holtes that now are hoare , both bud and bloume I sawe : I ware a Garlande of the Bryer that puts me now in awe . The time will be when thou that doste thy Friends defie , A colde and crooked Beldam shalt in lothsome Cabbin lie : Nor with such nightlie brawles thy posterne Gate shall sounde , Nor Roses strawde afront thy dore in dawning shall be founde . How soone are Corpses ( Lorde ) with filthie furrowes fild ? How quickly Beautie , braue of late , and séemely shape is spild ? Euen thou that from thy youth to haue bene so , wilt sweare : With turne of hand in all thy head shalt haue graye powdred heare . The Snakes with shifted skinnes their lothsome age dooway : The Buck doth hang is head on pale to liue a longer day . Your good without recure doth passe , receiue the flowre : Which if you pluck not from the stalke will fall within this howre .
The Louer wisheth to be conioyned and fast linckt with his Ladie neuer to sunder . J Reade how Salmacis sometime with sight On sodaine looude Cyllenus Sonne , and sought Forthwith with all hir powre and forced might Too bring to passe hir close conceyued thought : Whome as by hap she saw in open mead She sude vnto , in hope to haue bene spead . With sugred words she wood & sparde no speach , But bourded him with many a pleasant tale , Requesting him of , ruth to be hir Leach For whome she had abid such bitter bale : But hée repleate with pride and scornefull cheare Disdainde hir earnest sute and songs to heare . Away shée went a wofull wretched Wight , And shrowded hir not farre from thence a space : When that at length the stripling law in sight No creature there , but all were out of place , Hée shifts his robes and to the riuer ran , And there to bath him bare the Boy began . The Nymph in hope as then to haue attainde Hir long desired Loue , retirde to flood And in hir armes the naked Noorie strainde : Whereat the Boy began to striue a good , But strugling nought auailed in that plight For why the Nymph surpast the Boy in might . O Gods ( quoth tho the Girle ) this gift I craue This Boy and I may neuer part againe , But so our corpses may conioyned haue As one we may appeare , not bodies twaine : The Gods agreed , the water so it wrought , As both were one , thy selfe would so haue thought . As from a trée we sundrie times espie . A twissell grow by Natures subtile might , And being two , for cause they grow so nie For one are tane , and so appeare in sight . So was the Nymph and Noorie ioynde yfere , As two no more but one selfe thing they were . O Ladie mine , howe might we seeme ybest ? How friendly mought we Gods account to bée ? In semblant sort if they woulde bréede my rest By lincking of my carkasse vnto thée ? So that we might no more a sunder go , But limmes to limmes , & corse to carkasse grow ? O , where is now become that blessed Lake Wherein those two did bath to both their ioy ? How might we doe , or such prouision make To haue the hap as had the Maiden Boy ? To alter forme and shape of either kinde , And yet in proufe of both a share to finde ? Then should our limmes with louely linck be tide , And harts of hate no taste sustaine at all , But both for aye in perfite league abide And eche to other liue as friendly thrall : That th one might feele the pangues the other had And partner be of ought that made him glad . O blessed Nymph , O. Salmacys I saye , Would thy good luck vnto hir lot would light Whome I imbrace , and louen shall for aye , By force of flood to chaunge hir nature quight : And that I might haue hap as had the Boy To neuer part from hir that is my Ioy . I would not striue , I would not stirre a whit , ( As did Cyllenus Sunne that stately Wight : ) But well content to be Hermaphrodit , Would cling as close to thée as ere I might , And laugh to thinke my hap so good to bée , As in such sort fast to be linckt with thée .
The Louer hoping assuredly of attaining his purpose , after long sute , begins to ioy renouncing dolors . BE farre from mée you wofull woonted cries , Adue Dispaire , that madste my hart agries : Ye sobbing sighes farewel & pensiue plaint , Resigne your roomes to ioy , the long restraint Without desart endurde . Reiect those ruthfull Rymes thou ( quaking Quill ) Which both declarde my wo and want of skill : ( Mine eies ) that long haue had my Loue in chase , With teares no more imbrue your Mystresse face But to your Springs retyre . And thou ( my Hart ) that long for lark of Grace Forepinde hast bene and in a doolefull case , Lament no more , let all such gripings go As bred thy bale , and nurst thy cankred wo With milke of mournefull Dug . To Venus doe your due ( you Senses all ) And to hir Sonne to whome you are in thrall : To Cupid bend thy knée and thankes repay That after lingred sute , and long delay Hath brought thy ship to shore . Let crabbed Fortune now expresse hir might , And doe thy worst to mée thou stinging spite : My hart is well defenst against your force , For she hath vowde on mée to haue remorce Whome I haue looude so long . Henceforth exchaunge thy chéere and wofull voice That hast yfounde such matter to reioice : With mirrie quill and pen of pleasant plight Thy blisfull haps and fortune to endight Enforce thy barraine Skull .
The Louer to his carefull bed declaring his restlesse state . THou that wert earst a restfull place dost now renue my smart , And woonted eake to salue my sore that now increasest wo , Vnto my carefull Corse an ease , a torment to my hart , Once quieter of minde perdie , now an vnquiet fo : The place sometime of slumbring sléepe wherein I may but wake , Drenched in Sea of saltish brine ( O bed ) I thée forsake . No Ise of Apenynus top my flaming fire may quent , Ne heate of brightest Phoebus beames may bate my chillie colde , Nought is of stately strength ynough my sorrowes to relent , But ( such is hap ) renewed cares are added to the olde : Such furious fits and fonde affects in mée my fansies make , That bathed all in trickling teares ( O bed ) I thée forsake . The dreames that daunt my dazed hed are pleasant for a space , Whilst yet I lie in slumbring sléepe my carkasse feeles no wo , For cause I séeme with clasped armes my Louer to imbrace : But when I wake , and finde away that did delight me so , Then in comes care to pleasures place that makes my limmes to quake , That all besprent with brackish bryne ( O bed ) I thee forsake . No sooner stirres Auroras Starre , the lightest Lampe of all , But they that rousted were in rest not fraught with fearefull dreames , Do pack apace to labours left and to their taske doe fall : When I awaking all inragde doe baine my breast with streames , And make my smokie sighes to Skies their vpwarde way to take , Thus with a surge of teares bedewde ( O bed ) I thée forsake . Thus hurlde from hungrie Hope by Hap I die , yet am aliue , From pangues of plaint to fits of fume my restlesse minde doth runne , With rage and fansie Reason fights , they altogither striue , Resistaunce vayleth naught at all , for I am quickly wunne : Thus séeking rest no ruth I finde that gladsome ioy may make , Wherefore consumde with flowing teares ( O bed ) I thée forsake .
An Epitaph and wofull verse of the death of sir Iohn Tregonwell Knight , and learned Doctor of both Lawes ANd can you cease from plaint , or kéepe your Conduits drie ? May saltish brine within your breasts in such a tempest lie ? Where are your scalding sighes the fittest foode of paine ? And where are now thy welling teares I aske thée once againe ? Hast thou not heard of late The losse that hath befell ? If not , my selfe ( vnhappie Wight ) will now begin to tell : ( Though griefe perhaps will grutch , and stay my foltring tongue ) From whence this ragged roote of ruth and mourning moode is sprong . Was dwelling in this shéere a man of worthie fame : A Iusticer for his desart , Tregonwell was his name . A Doctor at the Lawes , a Knight among the mo : A Cato for good counsell callde as he in yeares did grow . A Patrone to the poore , a Rampire to the rest : As léefe vnto the simple sorte as friendly to the best . No blinde affect his eie in iudgement blearde at all : Whose rightous verdit and decrée was quite deuoyde of gall . If he in hatefull hartes ( where roote of rancour grew ) Of faythfull friendship séedes might sow , no paines he would eschew . Minerua thought of like and Nature did consent , To proue in him by skilfull Arte what eyther could inuent . A plot of such a price was neuer framde before : To show their powre the Heauens had Tregonwell kept in store . The Prince did him imbrace , and sought him to aduaunce , And better former state of birth by furthering of his chaunce . He still was readie bent his seruice to bestowe , Thereby vnto his natiue soyle if gratefull gaine might growe . If sage aduise were scarce and wholesome counsell scant , Then should you sée Tregonwels helpe ne wisedome would not want . When Legats came from farre ( as is there woonted guise ) To treate of truce , or talke of warre as matters did arise : Tregonwell then was callde his verdit to expresse : Who for the most part in the case of fruitfull things could gesse . Or if himselfe were sent ( which hap Tregonwell had ) Into a farre and forraine lande , then was Tregonwell glad . For so he might procure wealepublick by his paine : It was no corsie to this Knight long trauaile to sustaine . But what ? vndaunted death that séekes to conquer all , And Atropos that Goddesse sterne at length haue spit their gall : And reft vs such a one as was a Phoenix true , Saue that now of his cindrie Corfe there riseth not a nue . Where may you sée his match ? where shall you find his leeke ? None , though you from the farthest East vnto the Ocean séeke . O house without thy head , O ship without a steare : Thy Palynurus now is dead as shortly will appeare . In daunger of distresse this Knight was euer woont To yéelde himselfe to perils prest , and bide the greatest broont . No tumults tempest could subdue his constant hart : Ne would the man by any meanes once from his countrie start . But ( oh ) it naught auailes , for death doth strike the stroke In things humaine , no worldly wealth his friendship may prouoke . Let Troians now leaue off by mourning to lament The losse of Priam and his towne , when ten yeares warre was spent . Yée Romaines lay your Hoods and black attire away : Bewaile no more your Fabians fall nor that sinister day That rest a Noble race which might haue florisht long : For neither losse is like to this our not deserued wrong . Now Cornewall thou mayst crake , and Dorset thou maysterie : For th one hath bred , and thother lost Tregonwell sodainelie . Whose corps though earthed bée in lothsome lumps of soyle , His péerelesse prayse by vertue woon shall neuer feare the foyle . Who so therefore shalt sée this Marble where he lies : Wish that Tregonwels soule may finde a place aboue the Skies , And reach a rowme of rest appointed for the nones : For in this Tombe interred is but flesh and bared bones .
The Louer confesseth himselfe to be in Loue and enamored of Mistresse . P. IF banisht sléepe , and watchfull care , If minde affright with dreadfull dreames : If torments rife , and pleasure rare , If face besmearde with often streames : If chaunge of cheare from ioy to smart , If altred hue from pale to red : If foltring tongue with trembling hart , If sobbing sighes with furie fed : If sodaine hope by feare opprest , If feare by hope supprest againe , Be prooues that loue within the brest Hath bound the hart with fansies chaine : Then I of force no longer may In couert kéepe my piersing flame , Which euer doth it selfe bewray But yeelde my selfe to fansies frame . And now in fine to be a thrall To hir that hath my hart in Gyue , Shée may enforce me rise or fall Till Death my limmes of life depriue . P. with hir beautie hath bereft My fréedome from my thralled minde , And with hir louing lookes ycleft My reason through both Barke and Rinde . Yet well therewith I am content In minde to take it paciently , Since sure I am she will relent And not enforce hir Friende to die . So I in recompence may haue Naught but a faithfull hart againe : Then other friendship nill I craue , But think my loue ylent to gaine .
That all things haue release of paine saue the Louer , that hoping and dreading neuer taketh ease . WHat so the Golden Sunne beholdes with blazing light , When paine is past hath time to take his comfort and delight . The Oxe with lumpish pace and leasure that doth drawe , Hath respite after toyle is past to fill his emptie mawe . The lolearde Asse that beares the burden on his back . His dutie done to stable plods , and reacheth to the rack . The Déere hath woonted soyle his feruent heate to swage : When woorke hath ende to respite runnes the Peasant and the Page . The Owle that hates the day and loues to flée by night , Hath queachie bushes to defende him from Apollos sight . Eche Cunnie hath a Caue , eche little Foule a Nest To shrowde them in at néedefull times to take their néedefull rest . Thus vewing course of kinde it is not on the grounde , That at some time doth not resort where is his comfort founde : Saue me ( O cursed man ) whome neither Sunne ne shade Doth serue the burthen of my breast and sorrowes to vnlade . Eche sport porcures my smart , eche seemely sight annoy : Eche pleasant tune torments mine ease and reaues my hoped ioy . No Musick soundes so swéete as doth the doolefull Drum , For somewhat neare vnto my smart that mournefull sounde doth cum . A Gally slaue I séeme vnto my selfe to bée : The Mayster that doth guide the ship hath neare an eie to sée . You know where such a one as Cupid is doth steare , Amid the Goulfe of déepe dispaire great perill must appeare . In steade of streaming sayles hee Wisshes hanges aloft : Which if in tempest chaunce to teare the Barck will come to nought . For winde are scalding sighes and secret sobbings prest : Mixt with a cloude of stormie teares to baine the Louers brest . Though Cupid neare so well his beaten Barck doe guie , By fléeing flats and sinking sandes that in the wallow lie : Yet those that are a boorde must euer stande in awe , For cause a Bussard is their guide not forcing any flawe : That followes none aduice , but bluntly runnes on hed , As proude as Peacock ouer those that in his chaine or led . Thus may you plainely sée that eche thing hath release Of pensiue paine , saue Cupids thralls whose torments aye increase .
A poore Ploughman to a Gentleman , for whome he had taken a little paines . YOur Culter cuts the soyle that earst was sowne Your Haruest was forereaped long agoe , Your Sickle sheares the Medowe that was mowne , Ere you the toyle of Tilmans trade did knowe : Good fayth you are beholding to the man That so for you your husbandrie began . Hee craues of you no Siluer for his Séede , Ne doth demaunde a penny for his Graine , But if you stande at any time in néede , ( Good Maister ) be as bolde with him againe . You can not doe a greater pleasure than To choose you such a one to be your man .
To his Friende : P. of courting , trauailing , Dysing , and Tenys . TO liue in Court among the Crue is care , Is nothing there but dayly diligence , Nor Cap nor Knée , nor money must thou spare , The Prince his Haule is place of great expence . In rotten ribbed Barck to passe the Seas The forraine landes and straungie sites to sée , Doth daunger dwell : the passage bréedes vnease , Not safe the soyle , the men vnfriendly bée . Admit thou sée the straungest things of all ? When eie is turnde the pleasant sight is gone : The treasure then of trauaile is but small , Wherefore ( Friende P. ) let all such toyes alone . To shake the bones , and cog the craftie Dice , To Carde in care of sodaine losse of Pence , Vnséemely is , and taken for a vice : Vnlawfull play can haue no good pretence . Too band the Ball doth cause the Coine to wast , It melts as Butter doth against the Sunne , Naught saue thy paine , when play doth cease , that hast : Too studie then is best when all is donne . For studie stayes and brings a pleasant gaine , When play doth passe as glare with gushing raine .
The Louer declares that vnlesse he vtter his sorrowes by sute , of force he dyeth . LYke as the Gunne that hath to great a charge , And Pellet to the Powder ramde so sore , As neyther of both hath powre to go at large , Till shiuerd flawes in sounding Skies doe rore : Euen so my carefull breast that fraughted is With Cupids ware , & cloide with lurcking Loue , Vnlesse I shoulde disclose my drerinis , And out of hande my troubled thoughts remoue : A sunder woulde my cumbred Carcasse flee , The hart would breake the ouercharged Chace Of pensiue breast , and you ( my Loue ) should sée Your faythfull Friende in lamentable case . Wherefore doe what you may in gentle wyes The Gunner to assist in time of neede , And when you see the Pellet pierce the Skyes , And Powder make a proufe of hidden gleede : Rue on his case , and séeke to quite his wo , Least in short time his Gunne too péeces go .
The Louer to a Friende that wrote him this sentence . Yours assured to the death . O Faithfull Friend thrise happy was the fist In so few words to such effect that wrought : O friendly hart a thousand folde yblist That hath conceiude so iust and ioyful thought , As not till death from pawned loue to bende But Friend at first and Frind to be at ende . Wherfore to counteruaile those woords of thine , And quit thy loue with faithfull hart againe , I vow that I will neuer once decline A foote from that I am for losse or gaine : If thou be mine till death , I the assure To be thy Friend as long as life shall dure .
Of certaine Flowers sent him by his Loue vpon suspicion of chaunge YOur Flowers for their hue were fresh and faire to see : Yet was your meaning not so true as you it thought to bée . In that you sent me Bame , I iudge you ment thereby , That cleane extinct was all my flame from whence no sparckes did flie . Your Fenell did declare ( as simple men can show ) That flattrie in my breast I bare where friendship ought to grow . A Daysie doth expresse great follie to remaine , I speake it not by roate or gesse , your meaning was so plaine . Rosemarie put in minde that Bayes weare out of thought : And Loueinydle came behinde for Loue that long was sought . Your Cowslips did portende that care was layde away : And Eglantyne did make an ende where swéete with sower lay : As though the leaues at furst were swéete when Loue began : But now in proofe the pricks were curst , and hurtfull to the Man .
The Aunswere to the same . PErdie I néede no Bame ne forced heate by charme , To set my burning breast in flame whom Cupids gleames doe warme , On Bayes is my delight , Remembrance is not past : Though Daysie hit the nayle aright , my Friendship aye shall last . Though Loue in ydle bée , yet will I not forgoe Ne cast off care as you shall sée , and time the trouth shall showe . So I may taste the swéete , : I force not on the sowre The more is ioy when Friends doe méete , that Fortune earst did lowre . Your Fenell failed quight where such good fayth is ment : For Bayes are onely my delight though I for Bayes be shent .
Of a Foxe that woulde eate no Grapes . BY fortune came a Foxe , where grue a loftie Vine , I will no Grapes ( quoth hée ) this yarde is none of mine : The Foxe would none bicause that hée Perceiude the highnesse of the Trée . So men that Forlie are , and long their lust to haue , But cannot come thereby , make wise they would not craue : Those subtill Marchants will no Wine Bicause they cannot reach the Vine .
Of the straunge countenaunce of an aged Gentlewoman . JT makes me laugh a good to sée thée lowre , and long to looken sad : For when thy crabbed countnance is so sowre , thou art to séeming glad . I blame not thée but nature in his case , That might bestowde on thee a better grace .
To the Rouing Pyrat . THou winste thy wealth by warre vngodly way to gaine : And in an houre thy ship is sunck goods drownde , the Pirat slaine . The Gunne is all thy trust , it serues thy cruell fo Then brag not on thy Canon shot As thought there were no mo .
Of one that had little Wit. J Thée aduise If thou be wise To kéepe thy wit Though it be small : T is rare to get And farre to fet , T was euer yit Dearste ware of all .
In commendation of Wit. Wit farre excéedeth wealth , Wit Princely pompe excels , Wit better is than Beauties beames Where Pride and Daunger dwels . Wit matcheth Kingly Crowne , Wit maisters Witlesse rage : Wit rules the fonde affects of youth , Wit guides the steps of Age . Wit wants no Reasons skill a faithfull Friend to know : Wit wotes full well the way to voide the smooth and fléering fo . Wit knowes what best becommes and what vnséemely showes : Wit hath a wile to ware the worst , Wit all good fashion knowes : Since Wit by wisedome can doe this and all the rest , That I imploy my painefull head to come by Wit is best . Whome if I might attaine , then Wit and I were one : But till time Wit and I doe cope , I shall be post alone .
An aunswere in dispraise of Wi THe Wit you so commend with wealth cannot compare : For wealth is able Wit to win when Wit is waxen bare . Wit hath no Beauties beames , to Kingly crowne it yeeldes : Wit subiect is to wilfull rage , Rage Wit and Reason wéeldes . Wit rules not witlesse youth , nor aged steps doth guide : Wit knowes not how to win a friende , Wit is so full of pride . Wit wots not how to flie the smooth and flattering gest : Wit cannot well discerne the thing that doth become it best . Wit hath no wyle to ware mishap before it fall , Wit knowes not what good fashion meanes , Wit can doe naught at all . Since Wit by wisdome can doe nothing as you wéene , If you doe toyle to come by Wit , then are you ouer séene . Whome when you doe attaine , though Wit and you séeme one : Yet Wit will to another when your back is turnde and gone .
The Louer to Cupid for mercie , declaring how first he became his thrall , with the occasion of his defiyng Loue , and now at last what caused him to conuert . O Mightie Lorde of Loue Dame Venus onely ioy , Whose Princely powre doth farre surmount all other heauenly Roy : I that haue swarude thy lawes and wandred farre astray : Haue now retyrde to thée againe thy statutes to obay . And so thou wouldst vouchsafe to let me pleade for grace : I would before thy Barre declare a sielie Louers case . I would depaint at full how first I was thy man : And show to that what was the cause that I from Cupid ran . And how I haue since that yspent my wéerie time : As I shall tell , so thou shalt here declarde in doolefull rime . In gréene and tender age ( my Lorde ) till .xvij. yeares , I spent my time as fitted youth in Schole among my Féeares As then no Bearde at all was growne vpon my Chin , Which well approoude that mans estate I was not entred in . I neede not tell the names of Authors which I read , Of Proes and Verse we had inough to fine the dullest head . But I was chiefly bent to Poets famous Art , To them with all my deuor I my studie did conuert . Where when I had with ioy yspent my time a while : The reast refusde , I gaue me whole to Nasos Noble stile . Whose volumes when I saw with pleasant stories fright : In him ( I say ) aboue the rest I laide my whole delight . What should I here reherse with base and barraine Pen , The lincked tales and filed stuffe that I pervsed then ? In fine it was my loare vpon that part to light Wherein he teacheth youth to loue , and women win by slight Which Treatise when I had with iudging eie suruayde : At last I found thy Godly kynde and Princely powre displayde . Of Cupid all that Booke and of his raigne did ring , The Poet there of Venus did in sugred Dittie sing . There read I of thy shafts and of thy golden Bow , Thy shafts which by their diuers heads their diuers kindes did show . I saw how by thy force thou madest men to stoope : And grisely Gods by secret slight and Deuilish Imps to droope . There were depainted plaine thy quick and quiuer wings , And what so else doth touch thy powre there Ouid swéetely sings . There I thy Conquests sawe and many a noble spoile : With names annexed to the same of such as had the foile . There Matrones marcht along and Maydens in their Roe , Both Faunes and Satyrs there I saw with Neptuns troupe also . With other thousands else which Naso there doth write , But not my Pen or barraine Skull is able to recite . O mightie Prince ( quoth I ) of such a fearefull force , How blest were I , so thou of mée wouldst daine to take remorce ? And choose mée for thy thrall among the rest to bee , That liue in hope and serue in trust as waged men to thée ? With that ( thy Godhead knowes ) thou gauste a freindly looke : And ( though vnwoorthie such a place ) mée to thy seruice tooke . In token I was thine I had a badge of Blue With Sabels set , and charge withall that I should aye be true . Thou badste me follow Hope who tho thy Ensigne bare . And so I might not doe amisse , thus didst thy selfe declare . Then who reioyst but I ? who thought himselfe yblist ? That was in Cupids seruice plaste as brauely as the best ? And thus in lustie youth I grue to be your thrall , And was ( I witnesse of thy Dame ) right well content withall . But now I minde to shewe ( as promisse was to doe ) How first I fled thy Tents , and why thy campe I did forgoe . When I had bene retainde well nigh a yeare or more , And serude in place of wage and méede as is the Souldiars lere : I chaunst by hap to cast my floting eies awrie , And so a Dame of passing shape my fortune was to spie . On whome Dame Nature thought such beautie to bestowe , As she had neuer framde before as proufe did plainely showe . On hir I gazde a while till vse of sense was fled : And colour Paper white before was woxen Scarlet red . I felt the kindled sparkes to flashing flames to growe : And so on sodaine I did loue the Wight I did not knowe . Then to thy Pallace I with frowarde foote did run , And what I saide , I mynde it yet , for thus my tale begun . O Noble Sir ( quoth I ) is this your free assent I should pursue a Game vnknowne within your stately Tent ? If so ( quoth I ) thou wilt , and giuste the same in charge : I mynde of all my brydled lust to let the Raynes at large . Then ( Hope ) did prick mée forth and bad mee be of chéere : Who said I should within a while subdue my Noble Feere . He counselde mee to shun no dreadfull daungers place , But follow him who Banner bore vnto your Noble grace . He would maintaine my right and further aye my cause , And bannish all dispaire that grewe by frowarde fortunes flawes . T is Cupids will ( quoth hée ) our Maister and our Lorde That thou with manly hart and hand shouldst lay the Barck aborde . She shall not choose but yéelde the fruite for passed paines : For shée is one of Cupids thralls , and bound in Venus Chaines . Thinkst thou our maister will his seruant liue in woe ? No not for all his golden Darts ne yet his crooked Bowe . Wherefore with luckie Mart giue charge vnto the Wight : Take Speare in hande , and Targe on arme , and doe with courage fight . With that , I armde me well as fits a warring man , And to the place of friendly fight with lustie foote I ran . My Foe was there before I came vnto the fielde , I thought Bellona had bene there or Pallas with hir shielde . So well shée was beset with Plate and priuie Maile , As for my life my limber Launce might not a whit preuaile . Yet naythelesse with Speare and Shielde , we fought a space : But last of all we tooke our Bowes and Arrowes from the case . Then Dartes we gan to sling in wide and weightlesse Skies : And then the fiercest fight of all and combat did arise . In stead of shiuering shafts , light louing lookes we cast , And there I founde my selfe too weake hir Arrowes went so fast . But one aboue the reast did cleaue my breast so farre , As downe it went , where lay my hart , and there it gaue a iarre . So cruell was the stroke , so sodaine eke the wounde , As by the fearefull force I fell into a senselesse sounde . Thus hauing no refuge to quite my selfe from death : I made a vowe to loue hir well whilst Lungs should lende me breath . And since that time I haue endeuorde with my might To win hir loue , but nought preuailes shée wayes it not a Mite . Shée skornes my yéelding hart , not forcing on my Hest : But by disdaine of cloudy browe doth further my vnrest . Yet ruthlesse though shée were , and farsed full of yre : I looude hir well as hart coulde think , or woman might desire . I sought to frame my speach and countnance in such sort , As shée my couert hart myght sée by shewe of outwarde port . To Troilus halfe so true vnto his Creside was As I to hir , who for hir face did Troiane Creside passe . At length , when Reason saw mée sotted so in loue As I ne would , ne might at all my fansie thence remoue : Shée causde hir Trumpe be blowne to cyte hir seruants all Into the place , by whose aduise I might be rid from thrall . Then Plato first appearde with sage and solemne sawes : And in his hand a golden booke of good and gréekish lawes Whose honnie mouth such wise and weightie wordes did tell : Gainst thee and all thy troupe at once as Reason likte it well . When Platoes tale was done , then Tullie prest in place : Whose filed tongue with sugred talke would good a simple case . With open mouth I heard and Iawes ystrecht a wyde , How he gainst Venus dearlings all and Cupids captiues cryde . Then Plutarch gan to preach and by examples proue , That thousand mischiefes were procurde by meane of guilefull loue . Whole Cities brought to spoyle , and Realmes to shamefull sack : Where Kings and Rulers good aduice by meane of Loue did lack ? Next Plutarch , Senec came seuere in all his sawes : Who cleane defide your wanton tricks , and scornde your childish lawes . I néede not name the reast that stoode as then in place : But thousandes more there were that sought your Godhead to deface . When all the Hall was husht , and Sages all had donne : Then Reason that in iudgement sate hir skilfull talke begonne . Gramercie Friends ( quoth shee ) your counsell lykes me well : But now lend eare to Reasons wordes and listen what I tell . What madnesse may be more than such a Lorde to haue , Who makes the chieftaine of his bande a ruke and raskall slaue ? Who woonted is to yeelde in recompence of paine , A ragged recompence God w●te that turnes to méere disdaine ? Who gladly would ensue a Conduct that is blinde ? Or thrall himselfe to such a one as shewes himselfe vnkinde ? What Ploughman would be glad to sowe his séede for gaine , And reape when Haruest time comes on but trauaile for his paine ? What madman might endure to watch and warde for nought ? To ride , to runne , and last to loose the recompence he sought ? To waste the day in wo , and restlesse night in care , And haue in stead of better foode but sobbing for his fare ? To bleare his eies with brine and salted teares yshead : To force his fainting flesh to fade , his colour pale and dead ? And to foredoe with carke his wretched witherde hart ? And so to bréede his bitter bale and hatch his deadly smart ? I speake it to this fine , that plainely might appere Cupidos craft and guilefull guise to him that standeth here . Whose eies with fansies mist and errors cloudes are dim , By meane that hée in Venus Lake and Cupids goulfe doth swim . And hath by sodaine sight of vnacquainted shape So fixt his hart , as hope is past for euer to escape . Vnlesse to these my wordes a listning eare hée lende : Which oft art woont the Louers minde and fansie to offende . But he that would his health sowre Sirops must assay : For erie griefe hath cure againe by cleane repugnaunt way . And who so mindes to quite and rid himselfe from wo , Must séeke in time for to remoue the thing that hurtes him so . For longer that it lastes it frets the farder in Vntill it growe to curelesse maine by passing fell and skin . The Pyne that beares his head vp to the haughtie Skie , Would well haue béene remooude at first as daylie proofe doth trie : Which now no force of man nor engine may subuart : So wyde the créeping rootes are run by Natures subtile Art : So Loue by slender sleight and little paine at furst Would haue béene stopt , but hardly now though thou wouldst doe thy wurst , The woonted saw is true , shun Loue , and Loue will flée , But follow Loue and spite thy nose then Loue will follow thée . And though such graffed thoughts on sodaine may not die , Ne be forgone : yet processe shall their farther grouth destrie . No Giaunt for his lyfe can cleaue a knarrie Oke , Though he would séeke to doe his wurst and vtmost at a stroke : But let the meanest man haue space to sell him downe , And he will make him bende his head and bring his boughes to grownde . No force of falling showre can pierce the Marble stone , As will the often drops of raine that from the gutters gone . Wherefore thou retchlesse man my counsell with the mo Is , that thou péecemeale doe expell the loue that paines thée so . Renounce the place where shée doth make soiourne and stay : Force not hir trayning truthlesse eies , but turne thy face away . Thinke that the hurtfull hooke is couerde with such baite : And that in such a pleasant plot the Serpent lurcks in waite . Waie well hir scornefull chéere , and think shée seekes thy spoile : And though thy conquest were atchiude may not acquite thy toile : Not ydle sée thou bee , take aye some charge in hande : And quickly shalt thou quench the flame of carelesse Cupids brande . For what ( I pray you ) bred Aegisthus fowle defame ? And made him spoken of so yll ? what put him to the shame ? What forcde the Foole to loue . his beastly ydle lyfe Was cause that he besotted was of Agamemnons Wyfe . If he had fought in field encountring with his Foe , On stately stéede , or else on foote with glaue had giuen the bloe : If he that Lecher lewde had warlick walles assailde With Cannon shot , or bownsing Ram his fenced enmies quailde : He had not felt such force of vile and beastly sin , Cupidos shafts had fallen short if he had busie bin . What Myrrha made to loue , or Byblos to desire To quench the heate of hungrie lust and flames of filthy fire ? What Canace enforcde to frie with frantick brands , In sort as vp to yéeld hir selfe vnto hir brothers hands ? And others thousand mo of whome the Poets wright ? Nought else ( good fayth ) but for they had in ydle thoughts delight . They spent their youthfull yeares in foule and filthie trade , They busied not their ydle braines but God of Pleasure made . Wherefore if thou ( I say ) dost couet to auoyde That bedlam Boyes deceitfull Bowe that others hath anoyde : Eschewe the ydle lyfe , flée , flée from doing nought : For neuer was there ydle braine but bred an ydle thought . And when those stormes are past and cloudes remooude away : I know thou wilt on ( Reason ) think and minde the words I say . Which are : Discomodities of Loue . that Loue is roote and onely crop of care , The bodies foe , the harts annoy , and cause of pleasures rare . The sicknesse of the minde , the Fountaine of vnrest : The goulfe of guile , the pit of paine , of griefe the hollow Chest . A fierie frost , a flame that frozen is with Ise , A heauie burden light to beare , a Vertue fraught with Vice . It is a Warlike peace , a safetie set in dred , A deepe dispaire annext to hope , a famine that is fed . Sweete poyson for his taste , a Porte Charybdis léeke , A Scylla for his safetie thought , a Lyon that is méeke . And ( by my Crowne I sweare ) the longer thou dost loue , The longer shalt thou liue a Thrall as tract of time will proue . Wherefore retire in haste and spéede thée home againe , And pardned shall thy trespasse bée , and thou exempt from paine . Take Reason for thy guide as thou hast done of yore : And spite of Loue thou shalt not loue ne be a thrall no more . Repaire to Platos schoole , and Tullies true aduice : Let Plutarch be and Seneca thy teachers to be wise . This long and learned tale had broosed so my braine : As I forthwith to reason ran , and gaue thee vp in plaine . Fie , fie on Loue quoth I , I now perceiue his craft : For Reason hath declarde at large how hee my fréedome raft , I sée his promise is farre fayrer than his paie : I finde how Cupid blearde mine eies , and made me run astraie . I wote how hungrie Hope hath led mée by the lip , And made mée mooue an endlesse sute well worth an Oken chip . Hée trainde mée all by trust , I farde as Hounde at hatch : The lesser fruite I founde , the more I was procurde to watch . Thus ( mightie Lorde ) I left thy lawes and statutes strong For rayling Reasons trifling talke , and offerd thée a wrong . But now Dame Venus knowes , and thou hir sonne canst tell That I within my couert hart doe loue thée passing well . Now fully bent to be ( so thou wilt cleane put out Of mind my passed iniuries ) thy man and Souldier stout : Prest to obey thy will and neuer swarue againe , As long as Venus is of force and thou shalt kéepe thy Raigne . I weigh not Tullies tale , ne prating Platos talke : Let Plutarch vouch what Plutarch can , let skuruey Senec walke . Olde Ouid will I reade , whose pleasant wit doth passe The reast , as farre as stubborne Stéele excells the brittle Glasse . In him thy déedes of Armes and manly Marts appéere , In him thy stately spoyles are séene as in a Mirrour cléere . Thy mothers prayse and thine in him are to be founde , For conquestes which you had in Heauen and here bylow on grounde . Forgiue my former guilt , forget my passed toyes : And graunt I may aspire againe vnto my woonted ioyes . If euer man did loue or serue in better stoode , Then shape my wagesse to the same and doe restraine my meede . But so I fight in fielde as fiercely as the best : I hope that then your Godhead will reward me with the rest .
After misaduentures come good haps . J Neuer thought but this that luck in fine Would to my will and fansie well incline . For dayly proofe doth make an open show That commen course of things would haue it so . When stormie clouds from darkned skyes are fled , Then Phoebus shewes his gay and golden hed . His princely pride appeares when showres are past , And after day the night ensues as fast . When winter hath his trembling carkas showne , And with his frostie foote the spring downe throwne , Then in leapes Aestas gay with gladsome gleames That Haruest brings & dries vp winter streames . The Barck that broylde in rough & churlish Seas At length doth reach a Port and place of ease . The wailefull warre in time doth yéelde to peace , The Larums lowde & Trumpets sound doth cease : Thus may we sée that chaunce is full of chaunge . And Fortune feedes on foode that is full straunge , Wherefore doe not dispaire thou louing Wight , For Seas doe ebbe and flow by Natures might : From worse to good our haps are chaunged oft , And basest things sometimes are raysde aloft . So Gods would haue , and Fortune doth agree , Which proufe appéeres and is exprest by mée .
To his Loue that controlde his Dogge for fawning on hir . JN deede ( my Deare ) you wrong my Dog in this And shew your selfe to be of crabbed kinde , That will not let my fawning Whelp to kisse Your fist , the faine would shew his Maisters minde : A Mastife were more fit for such a one , That can not let hir Louers Dog alone . He in his kinde for mée did séeme to sue , That earst did stande so highly in your grace , His Maisters minde the wittie Spanell knewe , And thought his woonted Mistresse was in place : But now at last ( good faith ) I plainly sée That Dogs more wise than Women friendly bée . Wherefore since you so cruelly entreate My Whelp , not forcing of his fawning chéere , You shew your selfe with pride to be repleate , And to your Friend your Nature doth appéere : The Prouerbe olde is verifide in you , Loue mée and loue my Dog , and so adue , Both I and he that siely Beast sustaine For louing well and bearing faithfull harts , Despitous checks , and rigorous disdaine , Where both haue well deserued for our parts , For Friendship I , for offred seruice hée , And yet thou neyther loouste the Dog nor mée .
Vpon the death of the aforenamed Dame Elizabeth Arhundle of Cornewall . WHat Tongue can tell the wo ? what Pen expresse the plaint ? Vnlesse the Muses helpe at néede I féele my wits to faint . Yée that frequent the hilles and highest Holtes of all , Assist mée with your skilfull Quilles and listen when I call . And Phoebus , thou that sitst amidst the learned route , Doo way thy Bowe , and reach thy Lute and say to sounde it oute . Helpe ( learned Pallas ) helpe to write the fatall fall Of hir , whose lyfe deserues to be a Mirrour to vs all . Whose Parents were of fame as Leyster well can showe : Where they in worship long had liude , with yeares did worship growe . Of worship was the house from whence shée tooke hir line : And she a Dannat by discent to worship did incline . What néede I pen the prayse of hir that liude so well . That of it selfe doth yéelde a sounde , we néede not ring the Bell. Whilst Dannat did ensue Diana in the race , A truer Nymph than Dannat was was neuer earst in place . With Beautie so adrest with Vertue so adornde : Was none that more imbraste the good . nor at the wicked scornde . When fléeing Fame with Trumpe and blasted brute had brought This Dannats thewes to courtlike eares ( which Dannat neuer sought ) To Court she was procurde on Princesse to attende A seruice fit for such a one hir flowring yeares to spende . Where when she had remainde and serude the Princesse well , Not rashly but with good aduice to Iunos yoke she fell . A Woulfe by hap espide this sielie Lambe in place , And thought hir fittest for his pray : not gastly was his face , Not Woulflike were his eies , ne harrish was his voice : Nor such as Lambes might feare to heare but rather might reioice . A hart not bent to hate or yeelding pray to spill : Vnto Licaon farre vnlike whose pleasure was to kill . Arhundle was his name , his stock of great discent : Whose predecessors all their liues in Vertues path had spent . Hée not vnlike the rest behaude himselfe so well , As he in fine became a Knight , so to his share it fell . Thus was this Ladie fast conioynde in sacred knot : Whose prime and tender yeares were spent deuoyde of slaunders blot . The match no sooner made , when mariage rites were donne ; But Dannat ranne hir race as right as shée hir course begonne . And sooth it is , shee liude in wiuely bond so well , As she from Collatinus wife of Chastice bore the bell . Vlysses wyfe did blush to heare of Dannats prayse : Admetus Make ( the good Alcest ) did yéelde vp all hir Kayes . The Gréekes might take in griefe of such a one to héere , Who for hir well deserued fame could haue no Greekish Péere . Thus many yeares were spent with good and soothfast life , Twixt Arhundle that worthie Knight and his approoued wife . Of whome such Impes did spring , such fruite began to growe . Such issue did proceede as we them by their braunches knowe . The Oke will yéelde no Grapes , the Vine will beare no Hawes : Ech thing must follow kindly course by Natures fixed lawes . Euen so that worthie Tree such fruite is séene to beare , As yet commends the withred stocks and them to Welkin reare . Thus did they liue in ioy , till chaunce and spitefull death These louing Turtles did deuide and rest the Cock his breath . Then first the bale began , then black attyre came on : And Dannats dréerie doole was seene with neuer stinting mone . Nought might hir sorrow swage , but still she did bewaile The Cinders of hir seuerd Make with teares of none auaile . Seauen yeares she spent in wo refusing other Make : For such is Turtles kinde you know they will none other take . I doubt where Dido felt the like tormenting rage , When that the guilefull Guest was gone that laid his fayth to gage , This Dannats vertues were so rife and eke so rare , As few with hir for honest life . and wisdome might compare . Minerua did soiourne within that wiuely brest : Hir déedes declarde that in hir head Dame Pallas was a guest . But what we couet most or chiefest holde in price , With gréedie gripe of darting death is reaued with a trice . The cruell Sisters thrée were all in one agréede , To let the spindle run no more but shrid the fatall thréede . And fortune , ( to expresse what swing and sway she bare ) Allowde them leaue to vse their force vpon this Iewell rare . Thus hath the Welkin woon , and we a losse sustainde : Thus hath hir Corse a Vante founde out , hir Sprite the Heauens gainde . Since sobbing will not serue , ne shedding teares auaile To bring the soule to Corps againe his olde and woonted Gaile : Leaue off to bath hir stone with Niobs teares to long , For thou shalt aide hir naught at all but put thy selfe to wrong . Wish that hir soule may reach the place from whence it came : And she be guerdond for hir life with neuer dying fame . For sure she well deserude to haue immortall prayse , And lawde more light than clearest Sunne or Phoebus golden rayes . If ought my slender skill or writing were of powre , No processe of ingratefull time . hir vertues should deuoure .
Disprayse of Women that allure and loue not . WHen so you vew in Verse and Poets rimes report , Of Lucrece , and Vlysses wife that lyues in honest sort . When Hippo commes by hap or good Alcest yfeare , And other some that by desert with fame renowmed were , Then you with hastie doome and rashfull sentence straight , Will vaunt that women more and lesse were all with vertue fraight . And , for those fewe that liude in wiuely bonde so well , You will estéeme the reast by those that onely bare the bell , But follow sound aduice , let eche receyue hir doome , As ech in vertue did surmount , or sit in highest roome . So cleane was neuer séede ysifted , but among For all their paynes were weedes that grew to put the graine to wrong . That troupe of honest Dames those Grisels all are gone : No Lucrece now is left aliue , ne Cleopatra none . Those dayes are all ypast , that date is fléeted by : They myrrors were Dame Nature made hir skilfull hande to try . Now course of kinde exchaungde doth yeelde a woorser graine , And women in these latter yeares those modest Matrones staine . Deceit in their delight , great fraude in friendly lookes : They spoyle the Fish for friendships sake that houer on their Hookes . They buye the baite to deare that so their fréedome loze : And they the more deceitfull are that so can craft and gloze . With beautie to allure , and murder with disdaine : What more may be gainst womens kind where ruth of right should raigne So Memphite Crocodile ( as we in Poets fine ) Where Nylus with his seuenfold streame to Seaward doth incline With ruthlesse trickling teares and lamentable sounde , The siely Beast with pittie mooude doth cruelly confounde . So Marmaydes in the flood and Syrens swéetly sing , Till they the musing Mariner to spéedie death doe bring . Now Helen for hir traine with Dian may compare : Such sundrie Helens now are found , and Dians Nymphes so rare . Who if by craft espie thy Senses once to bende , And bow by Cupids subtile breach that burning gleames doth sende : Then will they séeke in haste by force of friendly blinck , And wrested looke into thy breast their beauties shape to sinck . Which if be brought to passe , then haue they their desire : And standing farre doe smile to sée the flaming of the fire . Then looke they on a loofe , and neuer once repaire To ende the strife that they haue stirrde twixt Louer and Dispaire . As Shepheards when they sée the Ganders foe in snare Reioyce , that from their foldes of late their siely cattle bare : Or Boy that knowes the Foule to be in pithole caught , That woonted was to steale the stale and set the snare at naught : So wily Women woont to laugh , when so they spie The louing Wight ytraynde by trust in poynt and pinch to die . But if such chaunce doe chaunce ( as often chaunce we see ) The fish that earst was hangde on Hooke by better chaunce be frée , If he by happie hap doe cast off Cupids yoke , Not setting of their Loue a Leeke that gaue the cruell stroke : Then are remooude the cloudes of hir disdainfull brow : And friendships flood that earst was drie afresh begins to flow . Then wresteth shée hir grace , and makes a séeming show As though she ment no chaunge at all , ne would hir Hestes forgo . Thus are they fright wich wiles whome Nature made so plaine , Thus Sinons shifts they put in vre their purpose to attaine . Wherefore let be our care Vlysses trade to trie : And stop our eares against the sounde of Syrens when they crie . Think when thou séest the baite whereon is thy delite , That hidden Hookes are hard at hande to bane thee when thou bite . Think well that poyson lurckes in shape of Sugar swéete : And where the freshest flowres are séene there most beware thy féete . But chiefly Women shoonne and follow mine aduice , If not , thou mayst perhaps in proufe of folly beare the price . To trust to rotten boughes the daunger well is seene : To treade the tylled trap vnwares hath alwayes perill béene . Haue Medea still in minde , let Circe be in thought : And Helen that to vtter sack , both Greece and Troie brought Let Creside be in coumpt and number of the mo , Who for hir lightnesse may presume with falsest on the row : Else would she not haue left a Troian for a Gréeke . But what ? by kinde the Cat will hunt , hir Father did the like . As wylie are their wits , so are their tongues vntrue : Vnconstant and aye fleeting mindes that most imbrace the nue . When fixed is their fayth it restes on brittle sande : And when thou déemste them surste of all they beare thée but in hande . Though Argus were aliue whose eies in number were As many as the Peacock proude in painted plume doth beare : Yet Women by their wyles and well acquainted drifts , Would soone deceiue his waking head , and put his eies to shifts . Nought haue they néede at all Cyllenus Pipe to blow To forge their fraude , their tongues will serue as learned writers show . First trie and then tell Where I haue sayd well For without a triall There vailes no deniall .
Of a Phisition and a Soothsayer . MARCKE felt himselfe diseasde , the Soothsayer sayd : There bée Sixe yet remainder daies of life , no mo ( Friend Marcke ) to thée Then skilfull Alcon came , he felt the pulses beate : And out of hande this Marcus dide , there Phisick wrought his feate . This showes Phisition doth the Soothsayer farre excéede : For th one can make a short dispatch , when thother makes no spéede .
A controuersie of a conquest in Loue twixt Fortune and Venus . WHilst Fissher kest his line the houering fish to hooke : By hap a rich mans daughter on the Fissher kest hir looke . Shée fryde with frantick Loue , they maride eke at last : Thus Fissher was from lowe estate in top of Treasure plast . Stoode Fortune by and smylde : how say you ( Dame ) quoth shée To Venus ? was this conquest yours , or is it due to mée ? T was I ( quoth Vulcans Wife ) with helpe of Cupids Bowe , That made this wanton wench to rage , and match hir selfe so lowe . Not so : t was Fortune I that brought the Trull in place : And Fortune was it that the man stoode so in Maydens grace . By Fortune fell their loue , t was Fortune strake the stroke : Then detter is this man to mee that did the match prouoke .
The Louer voweth how so euer he be guerdoned to loue faithfully . Wthankfull though she were and had disdainefull browe , Regarding nought my constant hart , ne forcing of hir vowe : Since sowen is the séede of faithfull friendships lore , Vnconstant will I neuer be ne breake my Hest therefore . Let Fortune vse hir force so Cupide stande mine ayde , And Cyprid laugh with loouely looke , I will not be afrayde . By mée the Noble kinde of man shall not be shamde , Recorde through mée shall neuer force our sequell be defamde . Albe that I consume my gréene and growing youth , Yea age and all without rewarde yet nill I swarue my truth . Eche that shall after come , and liue when I am dust , This louing hart shall well descrie the Key of perfite trust . Hir , while my vitall breath these fainting limmes shall mooue : Yea , after death in hollow Vawte ytombed , will I looue . Force shée my seruice true I force it not at all , Rue she by ruth my dréerie life or it to mercy call : In stay my Loue shall stand , I will not false my fayth , Ne breake my former plighted hest or promise to the death . Disdaine shall neuer force my friendship once awrie : Ere that I craue immortall Gods that ye will let me die . Let Dido still complaine Aeneas broken Hest , Of all that came to Carthage Coast the most vnfaythfull guest . Vntrustie Theseus eke let Ariadne cléepe , Escaping from his friendly Féere yled in slumbring sléepe : So let Medea blame the Knight that woon the Flise , That forced naught at all in fine hir cleapings and hir cries : Haue thou the faythfull hart of thine assured Friend , Ere he be of that retchlesse race the Sunne awrie shall wende . Where so thou yéelde him grace or as an outcast shoon : Expect his former plighted Hest as thou tofore hast doon . Loue will hée neuer blame ne Venus lawes forgo , Life sooner shall than loue decrease his faith is fixed so .
He sorrowes the long absence of his Ladie . P. NOw once againe ( my Muse ) renue the woes Which earst thou hast in doolefull dittie soong , For greater cause of sorrow not arose To mée at all , than now of late is sproong : As you shall heare in sad and solemne Verse , A wofull Wight his haplesse hap rehearse , Come ( Clio ) come with pensiue Pen in hande And cause thy sisters chaunge their chéereful voice , Ye furies fell that lurcke in Plutos lande , Come skip to Skies , and raise a doolefull noice : Helpe to lament the Louers wofull chaunce , And let Alecto leade the lothsome daunce . All ye that Ladies are of Lymbo Lake With hissing haire , and Snakie bush bedect , Your beddes of stéele and dankish Dennes forsal And Stix with stinking Sulpher all infect : Doe what you may to ayde my carefull Quill , And helpe to ring a Louers latter knill . And time ( I trow ) sith she from hence is fled Who was the guide and giuer of my breath , By whome I was with wished pleasure fed And haue escapte the ruthlesse hande of death : Who was the Key and Cable of my life , That made me scape Charybdis carefull clife . A Starre whereby to steare my bodies Bark , And ship of soule to shoare in safetie bring , To quite my Corse from painefull pining cark , And fierie force of craftie Cupids sting : Euen she that me from Syllas shelfe did shroude , That light is lost , that Lodestarre vnder cloude . Whose absence bréedes the tempest I sustaine , And makes my thoughts so cloudie black to bae , And brackish teares from swolen eies to raine , And churlish gale of surging sighes to flée : That Ancor scarce ne harbour I may haue From deepe dispaire my broken Ship to saue . The Rubie from the Ring is rest I finde , The foile appéeres that vnderneath was set : The Saint is gone , the Shrine is left behinde , The Fish is scapte , and here remaines the Net : That other choise for me is none but this , To waile the want of hir that is my blisse . I cursse the Wight that causde hir hence to go , I hate the Horse that hence hir Corse conuaide , The Bit , the Saddle all I cursse aroe , And ought that else might this hir iourney staide : I cursse the place where she doth now solourne , And that whereto she mindes to shape retourne . My mouth , that kist hir not before she went , Mine cies , that did not séeke to sée hir face , My head , that it no matter did inuent , My hande , that it in Paper did not place : My feete , that they refusde to trauell tho , My legges I cursse that were so loth to go . My tongue , that it to parle did then procure To vtter all my close and couert minde , To hir who long hath had my woundes in cure , In whome such ruth and mercie I did finde : My hart I cursse , that sought not to bewray It selfe to hir or ere she went hir way . And last my selfe and erie thing beside , My life , my limmes , my carrion Corse I cursse : Saue hir for whome these torments I abide , That of my lyfe is onely well and sourse : Ioue shroude hir salfe , and kéepe hir from annoy , And sende hir soone to make returne with ioy .
To his Loue long absent , declaring his torments . O Lingring Loue , O Friende that absent art so long , Where so thou be , the Gods thée guide and quit thy Corse from wrong : And sende thée harmelesse health , and safely to reuart , How soone your selfe may déeme full well to saue a dying hart . For since your parture I haue lead a lothsome state : And saue the hope of your returne nought might my woes abate . And will you know the time how I haue spent away ? And doe you long in ruthfull rime my torments to suruay ? Though but with weeping eies I may the same recite : Yet naythelesse the truth herein to thée ( my Friend ) I write . When flickring Fame at first vnto mine eares had brought That you to trauell were addrest , and fixed was your thought In London long to lodge , and flee our friendly soile : Then Dolour first in daunted Corps and wounded breast did boile . I felt how griefe did gi●● the onset on my hart , And sorrow sware that pensiue pangues should neuer thence depart . With clinching clawes there came , and talents sharply set , A flock of gréedie griping woes my grunting hart to fret . The more I sought the meane by pleasaunt thought to ease My growing griefe , the more I felt increase my new disease . When other laught for ioy , it brought to minde my woe : When Musick slakte their sorrowes , then my secret sore did growe . When they at meate were set their daintie foode to taste , In stead of Viands , hartie sighes I had for my repaste . When Bacchus came to Boorde , and eche to other drincks : My swolen floud of salted teares did ouerflow his brincks , And out did gushe amaine of drinke to stande in stéede To me , that of such monstrous meate as sorrow was did féede . From boorde to bed I go ▪ in hope to finde reliefe , And by some pleasaunt nap to rid my troubled Ghost from griefe : But slumbring sleepe is fled . and Morpheus shewes his spight : That will not yéelde on minuts reast in all a Winters night . O Lorde , what sundrie kindes of care doe then begin Tassault my wearie waking head , and trembling hart within ? A thousande thoughts arise , eche thought his torment brings : And thus the lothed night I spend and féele how sorrow springs . And if in dawning chaunce some drouping sléepe to light Vpon the carefull Corse that thus hath spent the waking night : It standes in little steade , so dreadfull are my dreames As they by force of wo procure mine eies to runne with streames . Then bathe I bed with brine , and cloy my Couch with teares : And mid my sleepe thy griefly Ghost in straungie sort appeares . Not with such friendly face and brow of gladsome cheare As earst thou hadst : those louely lookes and blincks are all areare . More grimmer is your grace , more coye your countnance eake : More lowring lookes than were of yore and Brow more bent to wreake . In hande mée thinkes I see thée holde the hatefull knife To slea thy Friend , and for good will to reaue deserued lyfe . Wherewith I wake afright and straine my pillow fast , To garde me from the cruell toole vntill your wrath be past . At length I see it plaine that fansie did enforce Vnto his vgly monstrous dreame my weake and slumbring Corse . I vewe thy secret hart , and how it longs to bée With him that for vnfayned loue impawnde his faith to thée . For mercie then I call of you that iudge so yll , Whose pleasure is to garde your Friend , and not your Foe to kyll . Of dreames a thousand such eche night I haue a share , To bannish sléepe from pining Corse and nurse my canckred care . Thus day and night I liue , thus night and day I die : In death I féele no smart at all , in life great wo I trie . Wherefore to rid my griefes and bannish all annoie : Retire from Creece , and doe soiourne here with thy Friend in Troie . Who longs to see thy face and witnesse of thy state : nd partner be of thy delights Ahis furious fits to bate .
To Browne of light beliefe . BEware my Browne of light beliefe , trust not before you trie : For vnder cloke of great good will doth fained friendship lie . As wylie Adder lurcks in leaues and greenest grasse of all , And stings the stalking Wight that thought no daunger would befall . So is the plaine vnplayted man by subtile dealing guilde And soonest snarde by subtile shifts of him that smoothly smilde . Wée neuer sée the frowning Friend that frets to outwarde showe , Beguile or séeke to false his Friend , as doth the fléering Foe : The Mastife Dog is voyded well that barcks or ere he bite : But ( oh ) the Cur is cruell that doth neuer barck a whit . Deale thou as Courtyers daylie doe , in wordes be franck and frée , Speake fayre and make the weather cléere to him that gybes with thée . For so thou shalt assured stande from hurt to be as farre , As from the grounde of true good will those glosing marchaunts are . A wisedome to beware of Woulfes , and Foxes guilefull guise : For tone is craftie by his kinde , the other passing wise . So that it is a matter harde their double drifts to flée : But yet thou shalt auoyde the wurst if thou be rulde by mée . ( ꝙ ) G. T.
That Death is not so much to be feared as daylie diseases are . WHat ? yst not follie for to dread and stande of Death in feare , That mother is of quiet reast , and griefes away doth weare ? That brings release to want of welth , and poore oppressed Wightes ? He comes but once to mortall men , but once for all he smites . Was neuer none that twise hath felt of cruell Death the knife : But other griefes and pining paines doe linger on the life , And oftentimes on selfe same Corse with furious fits molest , When Death by one dispatcht of life doth bring the soule to rest .
The Epicures counsell , eate , drinke , and plaie . MY Friend , where as thou séest thy selfe to be a man in déede , Eate , quaffe , and play , with present ioyes thy greedie fansie féede . For I ( thou séest ) am dust become that earst so welthie was : I haue that I aliue did eate , the reast away did passe . What so I poorde in pampred paunch and to my guts conuaide , To gaping grounde with me I bore , the reast behinde is staide . My haughtie buildings huge to sée , my Turrets and my traine , My Horse , my Houndes , my cofred Coine for others doe remaine . Wherefore a Myrrour make of mée and drowne thee in delight : For Death will swéepe away thy welth and reaue thy pleasures quight .
The Aunswere to the vile and canckred counsell of the outragious Epicure . MY Friend , for that I sée my selfe to be a man in déede , Thy quaffing counsell I refuse , vnlesse to serue my néede . I muse no whit that thou art dust , thy beastly lyuing héere Was meane to bring thée to thy bane , the sooner for thy chéere . Thou thoughts to pamper vp thy paunch , but thou didst feede ywis The gréedie Wormes that gnaw thy guts , for them a daintie dish . Good reason that thou shouldst forgo and leaue thy goods behinde , For that a beast so lyke a beast didst liue against thy kinde . A man in name , no man in déede thou art that counselst mée To liue as thou hast liude , and die a Monster like to thée . For since thy lyfe so lothsome was , and shamefull cake thy death : I will beware , and make a Glasse of thée whilst I haue breath , To shunne thy sluttish sinfull Sect , thy tipling and thy toyes : For after death those pleasures passe as did thy fickle ioyes .
Of Homer and his birth . THe Poet Homer Chius claimes , Colophon doth the léeke : And Smyrne sweares that he is hirs that was the learned Greeke . Of Salamine some say he was , of Iö other some : And diuers make report that he of Thessale line did come . Thus sundred and deuided are the peoples mindes of thée , ( Thou Princely Poet ) but my thought with neyther doth agree . For I assuredly suppose and déeme the Heauenly Speare Thy soyle , and Pallas lap the wombe that did thy body beare . Hir breast ( the Dug ) that thou didst suck in Cradle when thou layst : With haughtie stile so much ( thou Gréeke ) thy mazed head dismayst .
That Time conquereth all things , saue the Louers paine . WAs neuer Bull so fell with wrinckle fronted face , But Time would make him yéeld to yoke and toyle the ground apace . The Horse ybred in Holte and fed in lustie Lease In Time will champe the fomie Bit his Riders will to please . The Lions that are woode and raging in their kinde , By trackt of Time their kéepers know in whome they friendship finde . Those Beastes that come from Inde and farthest partes of all , In Time doe swerue their sauage sect and to their dutie fall . Time makes the Grape to growe and Vine to spreade at large , So that the skin scarse able is to holde his inwarde charge : So Ceres fruite doth sproute by force of growing Time , Which makes the strength of hidden séede into the stalke to clime . Time makes the tender twig to bousteous Trée to grow : It makes the Oke to ouerlooke the slender shrubs bylow . It frets the Culter kéene that cuts the froting soyle , It forceth hardest Flint of all and Marble to recoyle . Time wreakefull wrath subdues it breaketh angers gall , And eche disease in Time hath helpe : thus Time doth conquer all . Though these and other like by processe are procurde , Yet naythelesse my festred wounde can not in Time be curde . For that which sendeth salue and comfort to the reast , Doth cause my ranckling sore to rage and dubble in my breast . As Springs that from a Mount doe take their downe warde sourse , To whome there may no barre be founde to stop their headlong course : So Lordlike Loue ystaulde and ceazde in yeelding minde May not be dispossest againe , such is his stately kinde .
To his Friend riding to Londonwarde . AS Troylus did reioyce when Cresid yéelded grace , And dained him from seruice true so néere hir hart to place : So haue I ioyde ( my Deare ) for friendship which I founde , And loue requited with the like which curde my carefull wounde . And he full shrilly shright and doolde his wofull chaunce , On Gréekish Stéede from Troian towne when Cresid gan to praunce And leaue the lyked soyle where did soiourne hir ioie , I meane the worthy Troylus and louingst youth in Troie : Euen so I waile at thy departure , would thou wist , And out I crie a wretched Wight that thought himselfe yblist . O London lothsome lodge why dost thou now procure My Loue to leaue this pleasant soyle that hath my hart in cure ? Since needes it must be so gainsend hir home in hast : Let hir retire with harmelesse health that sicklesse hence is past . Yeelde mée a good account of hir that is my ioie , And send hir to hir Troylus that longs for hir in Troie .
Of the Raine and cloudy weather at the time of his Friends departure from Troie . NO meruaile though the Sunne do hide his hed And vnder cloude do keepe his lowring lookes , No woonder that the Skie his teares doth shed And with his streames increase the water brookes : The cause is knowne , the proofe is passing plaine , My Loue and I be sundred to our paine . Now she is gone that did sustaine my breath And saude my ship of bodie from the wrack , By whome I scapte the cruell hande of Death Which thought to bring my Corse to vtter sack : The Welkin wéepes and helpes me to bewaile With gushing showres the losse of mine auaile . Wherefore , O Heauenly states that Rulers bée Of starrie Skies from whence these teares discende And flush so fast as mortall Wights doe sée : Of ruth in néedefull time my woes to ende , Procure my Loue to make returne in post , To gard from griefe hir Friends afflicted ghost . If not , with flasshing flame and Thunder dint By Vulcan forgde and hammerd for the nones , Consume to dust my flesh my wo to stint , And with thy Mace ( O Ioue ) vnioint my bones : That by such scath and losse of vitall breath I may auoide a worse and straunger death . For like the teene that now my hart sustaines Was neuer felt nor such oppressing care : Of force my life must yéelde to pinching paines Of hasting Death , the fits so furious are : Which though be so , when I am wrapt in Clay , ( My soule ) to hir thou shalt repaire and say . That whilst the lyfe would suffer mee to woonne With mortall Wights , my hart was hirs at will , And now my Spindle hath his course yroonne And twist is none yleft , thou wilt fulfill The dutie which thy Maister ought of right , And which he would accomplish if he might .
Of a couetous Niggard , and a needie Mouse . ASclepiad that gréedie Carle , by fortune found a Mouse ( As he about his lodgings lookte ) within his niggish house . The chiding Chuffe began to chaufe , and ( sparefull of his chéere ) Demaunded of the siely Beast and sayde what makste thou héere ? You néede not stand in feare ( good Friend ) the smiling Mouse replide : I come not to deuoure your Cates but in your house to hide . No man this Miser I account that chid this hurtlesse Elfe : No Mouse the Mouse , but wiser than the Patch that owde the Pelfe .
A pretie Epigram of a Scholler , that hauing read Vergils Aeneidos , maried a curst Wyfe . A Schollar skillde in Vergils Verse and reading of his booke ( Arma virumque ) that begins , was caught in Cupids booke . At length to mariage flat he fell , when wedding day was doon , To play hir prancks , and bob the Foole the shrowish Wife begoon . The Husband daylie felt the fistes and buffers of his Wife : Vntill at last he thus began to plaine of painefull life . ( Oh Caitiffe mée ) the Schollar cryde well worthy of this wo , For Arma I Virumque read in Vergill long ago : Yet could not sée to scape the plague whereof the Poet spake . No doubt that Noble Poet for a Prophet I will take . For Arma now Virumque I both day and night sustaine At home , I néede not runne to Schoole , to reade the Verse againe . Would ( Virum ) were away , and then let ( Arma ) doe their wurst : But when I matcht with such a shrew I think I was accurst .
To a yong Gentleman of taking a Wyfe . LOng you with greedie minde to leade a lyfe , That pleasaunt is in déede , and voyde of care ▪ I neuer wishe you then to take a Wyfe Nor set your foote in craftie Cupids snare . A filthie Trull is yrkesome too the eie , A gallant girle allures the lookers minde : A wanton wench will haue the head too die , An aged Trot to lyke is hard to finde . A bearing Wyfe with brats will cloy thée sore , A greater carcke than childrens care is none , A barraine beast will greeue thée ten times more , No ioy remaines when hope of fruite is gone . Wherefore let wyuing go , lyue single aye , Apply the Booke and bande the Ball among : A shrew ( we sée ) is wedded in a day But ere a man can shift his handes t ys long .
The Aunswere for taking a Wyfe . LOng you with gréedie minde to bleare mine eie And make mée thinke of marige thus amisse ? I cannot déeme so yll of wyuing I , To loue and wed for loue is perfite blisse . A filthy Trull ( you say ) is lothsome sight , Put case she be not passing faire to vewe ? If she with vertue doe the want requight Of comely shape thou hast no cause to rue . A gallant girle allures the lookers minde , What shall we say the womans is the shame ? Bicause the cléerest eies by course of kinde Can not abide the Sunne , is hee to blame ? A wanton wench to die will haue the hed , Canst thou not sée before thou wade so farre ? His be the hurt that lookes not ere he wed , The Husband may the woman make or ma●●e . Put case an aged Trot be somewhat tough ? If coyne shée bring the care will be the lesse , If shée haue store of muck and goods ynough Thou néedste not force so much of handsomnesse . A bearing Wyfe doth make the husband glad , A greater ioye than Childrens may not bée : A barraine wench sometime must néedes be had There doth not fruite spring out of euery trée . So that I finde no reason , none at all In that thou wilst a man to single lyfe , And quite to shun the comfort that may fall And daylie doth to him that hath a Wyfe . For sure though some be shrewes as some there be , ( As of the shéepe are some that beare no wull ) Yet must we praise the match whereby we sée The earth maintainde with men , and stored full . But if you thinke so yll to take a Wyfe , Let others wed , leade you the single lyfe . ( ꝙ ) G. T.
Of a deafe Plaintife , a deafe Defendant , and a deafe Iudge . BY hap a man that could not heare but borne deafe by kinde , Another cited to the Court , much like himselfe to finde , Whose bearing Sense was quight bereft : the Iudge that of the Case Should giue his verdit , was as deafe as deafest in the place . To Court they came : the Plaintife praide to haue the vnpaid rent . Defendant saide , in grinding I this wearie night haue spent . The Iudge behelde them both a while , is this at last ( quoth hée ) Of all your stirred strife the cause ? You both hir children bée : Then Reason willes , and Law allowes your Mother should haue aide At both your handes that are hir Sonnes . When thus the Iudge had saide , The People laught a good to heare this well discussed case Twixt two deafe men , and thought him fit to sit in Iudges place Vpon so blinde a matter that was deafe as any rock : And thus the simple men were shamde , the Iustice had a mock .
A promise of olde good will , to an olde friend at the beginning of New yere . THe Chuffes for gréedie gaine and lucers looue expende Their New yeares gifts vpon their Lords as crie yeare hath ende : But I in token that the yeare his course hath roon , And proufe that ioyfull Ianus hath a nouell yeare begoon : ( As Loue and Dutie willes ) the Herauld of my hart Here send to you to make a shew that Friendship shall not start . Though yeares doe chaunge by course and alter by their kinde : My olde good will and faith to slip I trust you shall not finde . Timetes will be true , his loue shall neuer blin : But gather strength and grow to more than when it did begin .
A Vow to serue faithfully . JN gréene and growing age , in luftie yéeres , In latter dayes when siluer bush appeeres : In good and gladsome hap when Fortune serues , In lowring luck when good auenture swerues By day when Phoebus shewes his princely pride , By night when golden Starres in Skies do glide , In Winter when the groues haue lost their gréene In Sommer when the longest dayes are séene , In happie helth when sicklesse limmes haue lyfe , In griefull state , amids my dolors ryfe , In pleasant peace when Trumpets are away , In wreakfull warre when Mars doth beare the sway , In perillous goulfe amid the sinking sande , In safer soyle and in the stable lande . When so you laugh , or else with grimmer grace You beare your faithfull Friend vnfriendly face , In good report and time of woorser fame , I will be yours , yea though I loose the game .
Funerall Verse vpon the death of Sir Iohn Horsey Knight . THat welth assigned is to waste away , And stately pompe to vanish and decrease . That worship weares and worldly wights decay , And Fortunes gifts though nere so braue do cease May well appéere by Horseys hatefull Hierce , Whose Corse ( alas ) vntimely Death did pierce . Who thought thereby as Nature to subdue By reauing breath and rowne in worldly stage : So blasted brute to blot , and Fame that flue Of him that well deserude in all his age For worship and renowne to haue his share Among the reast that prayse for Vertue bare . But séeking waies to wrong this worthy wight , Shée fowly myst hir purpose in the fine : For Horsey gaines by deaths outragious spight , And endlesse fame , whereat his Foes repine : But eche man else laments and cries alowde That Horsey was to soone ywrapt in shrowde . The rich report that ruth in him did raigne , And pittie lodgde within his loouing breast , The simple say that for no maner gaine He hath at any time the poore oppreast : Thus both estates his worthy life commende , And both lament his ouerhasting ende . Then cease ( I say ) such flushing teares to shed , Doo way thy doole , represse thy ruthfull mone , For Horsey liues , his soule to Skies is fled , The onely Corse is closde in Marble stone . So that thou hast no cause to waile his chaunce , Whome spitefull death by hatred did aduaunce .
To his Friend T : hauing bene long studied and well experienced , and now at length louing a Gentlewoman that forced him naught at all . J Thought good fayth , & durst haue gagde my hand For you ( Friend T. ) the beautie should now hight Haue rasde your hart , nor Cupid with his brand Haue brought thy learned breast to such a plight . I thought Mineruas gift had beene of powre By holesome reade to roote this fansie out : But now I sée that Venus in an howre Can bend the best , and dawnt the wise and stoute . Why shouldst thou séeke to make the Tiger tame ? To win a Woulfe so cruell by his kinde ? To suffer Aesops Snake thou art to blame That stoong the man where he reliefe did finde . Is naught in hir but Womans name alone , No Woman sure she is , but Monster fell , That scornes hir friend , & makes him die with mone . Who makes an Idoll of a Diuell of Hell . Shée was cut out of some Sea beaten rock , Or taken from the cruell Lyons Tet , That féedes hir Friend for friendship with a mock And smiles to see him macht in Follies Net . If thou were wise ( as thou art full of loue ) Thou wouldst account hir beautie but a Glasse , And from thy hart such fansies fond remoue I loth to see the Lyon wex an Asse . If so she were thy faithfull Friend in déede , And sought a salue to cure thy cruell sore , ( As now shée séekes to make thy hart to bleede ) Good fayth thou couldst account of hir no more . But waying now hir great abuse to thée A Friend to hir , but to thy selfe a Foe : Why shouldst thou loue , or so enamoured bée ? Leaue off be time , let all such dotage goe . Should I imbrace the man that hates my life ? Should I account of him that settes me light ? Should I yeeld vp my throate to murthring Knife ? Or séeke for to reclaime a Haggard Kite ? Hast thou not read how wise Vlysses did Enstuffe his eares with Waxe , and close them vp , Of Cyrces filthie loue himselfe to rid , That turnd his Mates to Swine by Witches cup ? And how he did the lyke vpon the Seas The pleasant noysome Syrens songs tendure , That otherwise had wrought him great vnease If once they mought his mates and him allure ? Put thou the Greekes deuise againe in vre , Stop vp thine cares this Syren to beguile , Seale vp those wanton eies of thine , be sure To lend no eare vnto hir flattring stile . For all hir talke but to deceit doth tende , A canckred hart is wrapt in friendly lookes : Shée all hir wittes to thy decay doth bende , Thou art the Fish , she beares the byting hookes . No sauage beast doth force a man a whit That loues him not : we see the dogged Curre Fawnes not one him that with the whip doth smite The Horse hates him that pricks him with the spurre . And wilt thou loue , or place within thy brest The cruell Dame that weaues thy web of woe ? Wilt thou still fawne vpon so false a guest : In stead of Doue wilt thou retaine a Crowe ? Beware in time , ere Beautie pierce to farre , Let fansies go , loue where is loue againe : For doubtlesse now to much to blame you arre . To sowe good will and reape but fowle disdaine . I counsaile thus that may thée best aduise , For that my selfe did serue a cruell Dame : The blinde recurde can iudge of bleared eies , The Criple healde knowes how to heale the lame . Shake thou betimes the yoke from off thy neck , For feare the print thereof remaine behind : A happie man is he that feares no check , But liues at fréedome with contented minde .
An Epitaph vpon the death of the worshipfull Maister Richarde Edwardes late Maister of the Children in the Queenes Maiesties Chappell . IF teares could tell my thought , or plaints could paint my paine , If dubled sighes could shew my smart , if wayling were not vaine : If gripes that gnawe my brest coulde well my griefe expresse , My teares , my plaints , my sighes , my wayling neuer should surcesse . By meane whereof I might , vnto the world disclose The death of such a man ( alas ) as chaunced vs to lose . But what auayles to mone ? If life for life might bée Restorde againe , I woulde exchaunge my lyfe for death with thée . Or if I might some way , to pay thy rawnsome know , ( O Edwards ) then beleue me sure thou shouldst not lie so low : That O thou cruell Death , so fierce with dint of dart Due curses on my knees I yéelde to thée with all my hart . For that it list thée trie thy foule and cankred spite On that so rare a péece , on that so wise and worthy Wight . Suffisde thée ( since thou must be mad ) the simple sort to flea , or on the brutish blood of beastes to take thy sport , And not in furious wise , with haste and headlong rage To kill the flowre of all our Realme and Phaenix of our age . The fact doth crie reuenge , the Gods repay thine hire , Déepe darckned Lake of Lymbo lowe , and still consuming fire . His death not I but all good gentle harts doe mone : O London , though thy griefe be great , thou dost not mourne alone . The seate of Muses nine where fiftene Welles doe flowe , Whose sprinckling springs and golden streames ere this thou well didst knowe . Lament to loose this Plant for they shall see no more The braunch that they so long had bred , whereby they set such store . O happie House , O Place of Corpus Christi , thou That plantedst first , and gauste the roote to that so braue a bow : And Christ Church which enioydste the fruite more rype at fill , Plunge vp a thousande sighes , for griefe your trickling teares distill . Whilst Childe and Chappell dure , whilst Court a Court shall bée , ( Good Edwards ) eche estate shall much both want and wishe for thée . Thy tender Tunes and Rimes wherein thou woontst to play Eche princely Dame of Court and Towne shall beare in minde alway . Thy Damon and his Friend , Arcyte and Palemon With moe full fit for Princes eares , though thou from earth art gone , Shall still remaine in fame , and lyke so long to hide As earthly things shall liue , and God this mortall Globe shall guide . For loe , thus Vertue list , hir Pupils to aduaunce : Yet for my part I would that God had giuen thée better chaunce . A longer time on earth , thy hastned death before , But Edwardes now farewell for teares will let me write no more . Well may thy bones be lodgde thy fame abroade may flie , Thy sacred soule possesse a place aboue the starrie Skie . ( ꝙ ) Tho. Twine .
To his Loue that sent him a Ring wherein was graude , Let Reason rule . SHall Reason rule where Reason hath no right ? Nor neuer had ? shall Cupid loose his landes ? His claim ? his crown ? his kingdome ? name of might And yéeld himselfe to be in Reasons bandes ? No , ( Friend ) thy Ring doth wil me thus in baine , Reason and Loue haue euer yet béene twaine . They are by kinde of such contrarie mould As one mislikes the others lewde deuise , What Reason willes Cupido neuer would , Loue neuer yet thought Reason to be wise . To Cupid I my homage earst haue donne . Let Reason rule the harts that she hath wonne .
To his Friend Francis Th: leading his lyfe in the Countrie at his desire . MY Francis , whilst you breath your foming steede Athwart the fields in peace to practise warre , In Countrie whilst your keneld Hounds doe feede , Or in the wood for taken pray doe iarre : Whilst you with Haukes the sielie Foule doe slape , And take delight a quick retriue to haue , To flee to marke , and heare the Spanels baye Wasting your age in pleasure passing braue : In Citie I my youthfull yeares doe spende , At Booke perhaps sometime to weare the day : Where man to man not friend to friend doth lende , With vs is naught but pitch ( my Friend ) and pay . Great store of Coyne , but fewe enioy the same , The owners holde it fast with lymed handes , We liue by losse , we play and practise game Wee by and fell , the streate is all our landes . Well storde we are of crie needefull thing . Wood , Water , Coale , Flesh , Fishe we haue ynow : ( What lack you ) Wyues and Maides doe daylie sing The Horne is rife , it sticks on many a brow . But yet ( I say ) the Countrie hath no peere , The Towne is but a toyle , and wearie lyfe : We like your Countrie sportes ( Friend Francis ) heere , The Citie is a place of bate and strife . Wherefore I thinke thee wise and full of thrift That fledst the Towne , and hast that blessed gift .
To a Gentlewoman that alwayes willed him to weare Rosemarie , ( a Tree that is alwayes greene , ) for hir sake , and in token of his good will to hir . THe gréene that you did wish mée weare aye for your looue , And on my helme a braunch to beare not to remooue : Was euer you to haue in minde Whome Cupid hath my Féere assignde . As I in this haue done your will , and minde to doo : So I request you to fulfill my fansie too : A gréene and louing hart to haue , And this is all that I doe craue . For if your flowring hart should chaunge his colour greene , Or you at length a Ladie straunge of mée be séene : Then will my braunch against his vse His colour chaunge for your refuse . As Winters force can not deface this braunch his hue : So let no chaunge of loue disgrace your friendship true : You were mine owne and so be still , So shall we liue and loue our fill . Then may I thinke my selfe to bée well recompenst , For wearing of the Trée that is so well defenst Against all weather that doth fall , When waywarde Winter spits his gall . And when wée méete , to trie me true , looke on my Hed , And I will craue an othe of you where Faith be fled : So shall we both assured bée Both I of you , and you of mée .
An Epitaph of the Ladie Br. STaie ( gentle Friend ) that passest by and learne this lore of mée , That mortall things doe liue to die , and die againe to bée . For daylie proufe hath daylie taught and yet doth teache it plaine , That all our substance comes to naught , and worldly welth is vaine . No rawnsome may redéeme thy fleshe from lothsome lumpes of soyle , The Wormes will soone thy Beautie freshe with greedie gripe dispoyle . I that was earst of gentle bloud that neuer sufferd staine , Haue nothing but a winding shrowds in stead of all my gaine . I twise was bound by solemne oth vnto a louing Make : Yet t was my luck to burie both , and eke a thirde to take . The ioy that fourtie yeares had growne by those two husbands dayes , In two yeares space was ouerthrowne and altred sundrie wayes . As luck would not allow my choice , so Death mislikte the same : Those two agréed with common voyce my bondage too vnframe . The Lady ( Br ) quoth Fortune tho hir worship shall not loose : Then shée ( quoth Death ) shall haue no mo , nor other husbande choose . Thus did they both contend at once who mought the friendlist bée : Thus Death and Fortune for the nones did make my body frée . Pray gentle Friend therefore for me , to Mightie Ioue on hie : For as I am so thou shalt bée since thou dost liue to die . Trust neuer Fortunes fickle fate , but Vertue still retaine : Thou mayst in time exchaunge estate , yet Vertue will remaine .
Of the time he first began to loue and after how he forewent the same . HOwe may it be that Snow and I se ingender heate ? Or how may Glare and Frost intise a feruent sweate ? Or how may Sommer season make of heate a colde ? How may the Spring the leaues downe shake and trées vnfolde ? Though these too others séeme full rare , To mée no newes at all they are . For I my selfe in Winter tide when colde was rife , Whote gleames of Cupid did abide and stormes of strife . In frostie weather I was warme and burning whot , But when the Bées and Birds did swarme , full colde God wot : In Winter time began my looue , Which I in Sommer did remooue .
The assured promise of a constant Louer . WHen Phenix shall haue many Makes , And Fishes shun the Siluer Lakes : When Woulfes and Lambes yfeare shall play , And Phoebus cease to shine by day : When Grasse on Marble stone shall groe , And euerie man imbrace his foe : When Moles shall leaue to dig the grounde , And Hares accorde with hatefull Hounde : When Lawrell leaues shall loose their hur , And men of Crete be counted true : When Vulcan shall be colde as Ise , Coraebus eake approoued wise : When Pan shall passe Appollos skill , And Fooles of fansies haue their fill : When Hawkes shall dread the sielie Fowle , And men estéeme the nightish Owle : When Pearle shall be of little price , And golden Vertue friend to Vice : When Fortune hath no chaunge in store , Then will I false and not before . Till all these Monsters come to passe I am Timetes as I was . My Loue as long as lyfe shall last , Not forcing any Fortunes blast . No threat , nor thraldome shall preuaile To cause my fayth one iote to faile , But as I was , so will I bée , A Louer and a Friend to thée .
The Pine to the Mariner . O Man of little Wit , What meanes this frantick fit , To make thy Ship of mée That am a slender Trée , Whome erie blast that blowes Full lightly ouerthrowes ? Doth this not mooue thy minde That rage of roring winde Did beate my boughes a good When earst I grue in Wood ? How can I here auoyde The foe that there anoyde ? Thinkst thou now I am made A Vessell for thy trade , I shall be more at ease Amid the flasshing Seas ? I feare if Aeole frowne , Both thou and I shall drowne .
Againe otherwise . A Vassell to the winde when earst I grew in wood , How shall I fauour finde now fléeting in the flood ? For there whilst reaching rootes did holde I thought I mought be somewhat bolde . But now that I am cut and framde another way , And to this practise put in daunger crie day . I feare the force of cruell foe , my ribbes are thin , my sides be lowe But if thou venter life , then I will hazard lim , For thée is all my griefe , for lightly I shall swim : Though top and tackle all be torne , yet I aloft the surge am borne .
To an olde Gentlewoman , that painted hir face . LEaue off good Beroe now to sléeke thy shriuled skin , For Hecubes face will neuer be , as Helens hue hath bin . Let Beautie go with youth , renownce the glosing Glasse , ●●ake Booke in hand : that seemely Rose 〈◊〉 woxen withred Grasse . ●●●…ooue thy Pecocks plumes thou cranck and curious Dame : 〈◊〉 other Trulls of tender yeares resigne the flagge of Fame .
Of one that had a great Nose . STande with thy Nose against the Sunne with open chaps , And by thy teeth we shall discerne what t is a clock perhaps .
Of one whose Nose was greater than his hand . O Proclus , t is in vaine that thou about dost stande , For well I sée thou mindste to wipe thy Nares with thy hande . Truth is that though thou be fowle fisted out of frame : Yet doth this tossing Nose of thine in bignesse passe the same . When néezing thou on Ioue for succour séemste to crie Thou canst not heare , thy Nose debarres the noyse to Eare to flie . It beateth back the sounde , it standes in middle place Twixt Eare and Mouth , but sure it castes a shade to all the face .
Of a Nightingale that flue to Colche to sit abroode . THou sielie foule what meanes this foolish paine , to flie to Colche too hatch thy chickins there ? A Mother thou mayst hap returne againe , Medaea will destroie thy broode I feare . For shée that spared not to spoile hir owne , Wil she stand friend to Fowles that are vnknowne ?
Againe of the Nightingale . WHat ( Philomela ) meanes this fond intent To hatch thy broode in fell Medaeas lap ? What ? doste thou hope hir rigor will relent Towarde thy Babes , that gaue hir owne no pap ? But slue them all at once , and at a clap ? I wote not what thou meanste : vnlesse that shée Should kill thy Brats , too make the Mother frée .
Of a contrarie mariage . AN aged Trot and tough did marrie with a Lad : Againe , a Gallant Girle to . hir Spouse , a Graybeard had , A monstrous match ( God wote ) for others she doth wed : And he bestowes his seede on ground that lets it take no hed . In fayth , a foolish choyce , for neither hath his wishe : For tone doth lack his wife , and to . ther féedes on filthie fishe .
Of Dronkennesse . AT night when Ale is in , like friends we part to bed : In mororw graye when Ale is out , then hatred is in hed .
Againe of Dronkennesse . MEn hauing quaft are friendly ouernight : In dawning drie a man too man a spright .
Of the picture of a vaine Rhetorician . THis Rufe his Table is , can nothing be more true : If Rufus holde his peace , this péece and he are one to vewe .
Of the fond discord of the two Theban brothers , Octocles and Polynices . IN death you part the fire , you cut the cruell flame : If so you had deuided Thebes you might enioyde the same .
Of a maruellous deformed man . TO drawe the minde in Table to the sight Is hard : to paint the lims is counted light : But now in thée these two are nothing so , For Nature splayes thy minde to open show . We sée by proofe of thy vnthriftie déedes , The couert kinde from whence this filth procéedes . But who can paint those shapelesse lims of thine , When eche to vewe thy Carcasse doth repine ?
A Myrrour of the fall of Pride . SOmetime the Giants did rebell against the mightie Ioue , They thought in Olymp Mount to dwell and long for that they stroue . A hundred handes eche Monster had by course of curssed kinde : A stock so stubborne and so mad I no where else can finde . Dame Tellus was their Mother thought of pleasant Poets all , By whome they would haue brought to nought the seate Olympicall . First Briareus began the broyle who tooke a hill in hand , And layde it on another soyle that thereabout did stand : Stll calling on his monstrous Mates exhorting them the same , And with the reast the Gnuffe debates how stately Gods to tame . Ossa was layde on Pyndus back . and Pelion on hie : And thus they thought to bring to sack in time the starrie Skie . They did enuie the Gods the place by nature them assignde : And thought it meeter for a race which Tellus bred by kinde . They would haue had the highest throne that Ioue had long possest : And downe they would the Gods haue throwne and Princely powre represt . At length the route began to rore in making dreadfull sound , The like was neuer heard before to Heauen from the ground . Then Iupiter began to gaze and looke about the Skie , And all the Gods were in a maze the Monsters were so nie . They callde a counsaile then in haste the Gods assembled tho : And common sentence was at last that mightie Ioue should throw His thunderbolt that Vulcan lame prepared for the nonce , Whereby he might eftsoone make tame the haughtie Giants bones . Then might you see the Mountaines fall and hill from hill depart , And monsters in the valley crawle whome Thunder did subuart . The Mountaines were not raysde so quick but downe they fell as fast : And Giants in a cluster thick to Tellus fell at last . Such plagues had pride in former time , the Gods abhorred so That mortall men should dare to clime the Heauens hie to know . And not alone the heauenly route the loftie lookes correct Of such as prowdly go about their Empire to reiect : But other Gods of meaner state ( of whome the Poets write ) Such pieuish Pecocks pride doe hate and séeke reuenge by might . The grisly God whome flouds obay and drenching Seas imbrace , Who in the waters beares the sway where Nereus shewes his face : Whome forceth he by surge of Seas into Charybdis cliues ? Or whome doth Neptune most disease ? or whome to Scylla driues ? Not him that beares his Sailes alowe , nor him that kéepes the shoare : Ne yet the Bargeman that doth rowe with long and limber Oare . Not those that haunt the Hauen sure and port of perill voide , They cannot Neptunes wrath procure the Chanell that auoide : But those that voide of carck and care and feare of Neptunes yre , Doe hoise their Sailes and neuer spare to further their desyre , And doe receiue whole Gales of winde from mightie Aeole sent : Those , those are they by course of kinde that Neptune makes repent . He spoiles the Sailes , and tackle teares , the Mast it goes to wrack : The Ribbes they rent , the Shipmen feares when Gables gin to crack . Then whereto serues the Pilats pride that hoyst his Sailes so hie ? And where is he that fearde no tide nor threatning from the Skie ? His pride procurde his fearefull fate and fortune that befell . Which Neptune most of all doth hate as Shipmen know right well . Let Giants fall and Shipmens case a myrrour be therefore To such as séeke to hie a place , for like shall be their lore . Narcissus may example bée and myrrour to the prowde , By whome they may most plainly sée how pride hath béene allowde . His beautie braue such loftie chéere in him did bréede in time : That Gods themselues agréeued were with such a haynous crime . No loouing Lasse might him allure , nor Dians Nymphes at all By ought his friendship might procure : but note ye well his fall . In Sommer time as Fortune would his Fortune was to bee In open fielde , where no man could his blazing beautie see . At length in raunging to and fro his fortune was to finde A Fountaine freshe that there did flow as Gods ( I think ) assignde . He thought forthwith his thirst to quent by pleasant trauaile gote , But there he found or ere he went a greater drougth God wote . In stooping downe to take the taste of Christall waters theare , ( Vnhappie Boy ) had spide at last a little Boy appeare . Whose beautie braue , and liking looke his fansie pleasde so well , That there himselfe the Boy forsooke and to a frensie fell . He had that he so fondly looude : and yet it was not so : And from himselfe he was remooude that thence did neuer go . He was the Boy that tooke the vewe , he was the Boy espide , And being both he neither knewe , such was the ende of pride . Then gan he shed his teares a downe , then gan he make his plaint : And then at length he fell to grounde sore féebled all with faint . His spirite that earst so prowde was séene conuerted into winde : But of his Corps a flower gréene still there abode behinde . Narcissus callde ( as Poets tell ) as Narcisse was before , In token that to Narcisse fell this most vnhappie lore . I could recite the histories of many other moe , Whome pieuish pride the miseries of Fortune forst to knowe . But I of purpose will let passe Apollos Bastard Sonne , Who Phaeton ycleped was when first his fame begonne . I minde not to rehearse at all the charge he tooke in hande , I wittingly omit his fall into Eridan sande . But this I say assuredly had it not béene for pride , The Charret had not gone awrie though Phaeton were guide . But glorie vaine and want of skill enforste his haughtie hart , Of Phoebe to craue to worke his will in ruling Phaebus Cart. The like attempt tooke Icarus from Creta that did flie By wings of War with Dedalus , when Icar slue to hie . His Fathers words preuailed not nor lesson taught before , Till fained fethers were so whot as he could flie no more . For want of wings then gan he clap his breast with open armes Till downe he fell : such was his hap , whose pride procurde his harmes . When wrastling windes from Aeole sent befight themselues so long That East against the West is bent , and North puts South to wrong : Then may you heare the Pine to crack that beares his hed so hie , And loftie lugs go then to wrack which seeme to touch the Skie . When Ioue flings downe his thundring bolts our vices to redresse , They batter downe the highest holts and touch not once the lesse . The Cotte is surer then the Hall in proofe we daylie see : For highest things doe soonest fall from their felicitee . What makes the Phaenix flame with fire a Birde so rare in sight ? What causeth him not to retire from Phaebus burning light ? In faith if he woulde liue belowe as Birds Dame Nature tought , The Esterlings should neuer knowe their Phoenix burnt so oft . All ye therefore that suretie looue and would not haue a fall , From you the Peacocks pride remooue and trust not Fortunes Ball. Let Phaetons fate be fearde of you and Icars lot also : Remember that the Pine doth rue that he so high doth grow .
Of the Clock and the Cock. GOod reason thou allow one letter more to mée Than to the Cock : For Cocks doe sléept when Clocks doe wake for thée .
Of a Tayler . THough Tayler cut thy garment out of frame , And strie thy stuffe by sowing it arms : Yet must we say the Tayler makes the Iame , To make and marre is one with themywis .
The Louer finding his Loue flitted from wonted troth leaues to write in prayse of hir . THough cleane contrarie be my Verse to those I wrote before , Yet let not retchlesse doome accuse my wandring wits the more . As time doth shape and shew ( they say ) so ought our stile to frame , In Sommer , Sunne , we néede no fire , yet winter asketh flame : So I that earst found cause of sport and matter to reioyce , Of force by fansie was procurde to vse a gladsome voyce . And now since déepe dispaire hath drencht my hope , I will assay To turne my tune and chaunge my chéere and leaue my woonted lay . Not farre vnlike the chirping Foule in Sommer that doth sing , And during Winter hides his head till next returne of Spring . They say when altred is the cause of force effect doth sue : As new repaire of better bloud doth cause a Hawke to mue . Though Aetna burne by kindly course and belke out fire with fume : When Sulpher vaine is cleane extinct the fire will consume . Whereby I may conclude aright that eche Effect must bée As is his Cause : so fruite ensues the nature of the Trée . Then I of force must shape my stile as matter is I write : Vnlesse I would be thought to match a Fawcon with a Kite . When winde and waue at Sea doe rore that Barck is in distresse , Then time requires that shipmen should their Tackles all addresse . Then crooked Ancors must be cast the shaken Ship to stay From sincking Sands , and ruthlesse Rocks that Shipmen oft affray . No sooner Triton blowes his Trumpe and swolen waters quailes , And Aeole makes his windes retire : but hoyse they vp the sailes . Then fléete they forward in the floud , then cut they waues in twaine : Then launch they on ( as earst they did ) with all their might and maine ; So I hereafter must assay my woonted tune to chaunge As time requires , and I in loue shall finde my Ladie straunge . If she be one of Cresids crue and swarue hir former Hest , No Lucrece must I terme hir then , for that were but a iest . Or if she false hir fixed fayth , Vlysses wiues renowne Vnsitting is for hir whose loue endureth but a stowne . Wherefore , I will as time shall shape and she hir loue prolong , Applie my Pen , and tell the troth as best I may in Song .
He sorrowes other to haue the fruites of his seruice . SOme men would looke to haue a recompence of paine , And Reason wills it so to be vnlesse we list to faine : Some would expect for loue to haue vnfained hart , And think it but a fit reward for such a good defart . But I ( vnhappie Wight ) that spend my loue in vaine , Doe séeke for succour at hir hands while other get the gaine . As thirstie ground doth gape to swallow in the shoure : Euen so fare I poore Harpalus whome Cupids paines deuoure . I holde the Hiue in hande and paine my selfe thereby , While other eate the hidden foods that are not halfe so dry . I plough the soyle with paine and cast my seede thereon : And other come that sheare the sheaues and laugh when I am gon . Mine is the Winters toile , and theirs the Sommers gaine : The Haruest falles out too their share that felt no part of paine . I beare the pinching yoke and burden on my back , And other driue when I must draw , and thus I go to wrack . I fast when other féede , I thirst when other drinck : I mourne when they triumph for ioy , they swim when I must sinck . They haue the hoped gaine whiles I the losse indure : They whole at hart , whilst I my griefe by no meanes can recure . They shrowd themselues in shade , I sit in open Sunne : They leape as Lambes in lustie Leaze , I lie as one vndunne . They taste their nightly rest , my troubled head doth wake : I tosse and turne from side to side while they their pleasure take . I would , but they enioy , I craue that is debard , They haue : what will you more I say ? their seruice is prefard . Thus I procure my woe by framing them their ioy : In séeking how to salue my sore I bréede my chiefe annoy . So shéepe with wooll are clad their Maisters haue the gaine , So Birds doe builde their Nests on Brakes and put themselues to paine , But other taste the fruite when so their broode is hatcht : The Nest remaines , the Birds are gone , the Chickens are dispatcht . So Bées for Honnie toile in fléeing too and fro , And sillie wretches take great paines for whome they little know . I think it is procurde by griesly Gods aboue That some should gape , and other gaine the fruit of others loue . But sure if Womans will be forger of my wo , And not the mightie Gods ordaine my destnie to be so : Then must I néedes complaine and cursse their cruell kinde , That in requitall of good will doe shew themselues vnkinde . But whether be the cause , hereafter I intende To fawne on them that force on mée , and bowe when other bende . This one abuse shall make me take the better héede On whome I fixe my fansie fast , or make a friend in déede .
The Louer seeing himselfe abusde , renounceth Loue . THough men account it shame and folly to repent , Or grutcht good will that was bestowde when nought saue faith was ment : Yet can they not denie but if the knot be burst , Then may we shew our selues vnkinde that friendly were at furst . He runnes an endlesse race that neuer turnes againe , And he a fonded Louer is that wastes his loue in vaine . Nought can he iudge of hues , that can not sée when Guile In place of friendship cloakes hir selfe in forme of forged wile . And he that plainely sées the Trap before his eie And will not shun from perill , t is no matter though he die . I tell my tale by proufe I speake it not by rot , To loue a subtile Lasse of late was fallen to my lot . On whome I set such store such comfort and delight , As life it was to sée hir face , a death to want hir sight . So I might doe the thing that might abridge hir smart , And bannish all annoy that grue by froward fortunes Art : What daunger would I dread ? or perill séeme to shun ? None that is here bylow on earth or subiect to the Sun . To shew my selfe a Friend to hir , I was my Foe : She was the onely Idoll whome I honorde here belowe . This is ( thought I ) the same that was Vlysses wife : Who in the absence of hir Make did leade a dolefull life . Or else t is she at least whome Tarquyn did enforce By beastly rape with piercing sworde so to for doe hir Corse . But such is hir abuse so frowarde eke hir grace , As loue it may no longer last since friendship hides his face . I did not well aduise I built on sincking Sande . And when I thought she looude me best shee bore me but in hande . Where I had thought a Porte and Hauen sure to bée : There founde I hap and dreadfull death , as gazers on may sée . As Mouse that treades the trap in hope to finde repast , And bites the bread that bréedes his bane and is intrapped fast : Like was my dolefull case that fed vpon my wo , Till now Repentance willes mée all such fansies to forgo . And ( thanked be good hap ) now once againe I fleete And swim aloft , that sanck of late fast hampred by the féete . Now is my fortune good so Fortune graunt it last : And I as happie as the best now stormie cloudes are past , I finde the bottom firme and stable where I passe , There are no haughtie Rocks at hande ne yet no ground of Glasse . Good Ancor holde I haue so I may vse it still , I am no more a bounden Thrall but frée I liue at will . But that which most torments my minde , and reaues my ioy . Is , for I serude a fickle Wench that bred mée this annoy , But Gods forgiue my guilt and time mispent before And I will be a sillie Sot of Cupids crue no more .
Against the Ielous heads that alwayes haue Louers in suspect . WHen Ielous Iuno saw hir mightie Make Had Iö turnde into a brutish kinde More couertly of hir his lust to take : To work hir will & all his frawd to finde She craude the Cowe in gift at Ioue his hande , Who could not well his Sisters sute withstande . When yéelded was hir boone and Hest fulfillde To Argus charge committed was the Cowe , For he could wake so well , him Iuno willde To watch the Beast with neuer sléeping browe : With hundreth eies that hatefull Hierds hed Was deckt , som watcht when som to sléepe were led . So warded he by day , so wakte by night And did Dame Iunos will accomplish so , As neither Ioue might once delude his sight , Nor Iö part hir pointed pasture fro : His staring eies on Iö still were bent , He markt hir march , and sude hir as she went . Till Ioue at length to ruth and pittie mooude To sée the spitefull hate that Argus bare To hir , whome he so feruently had looude And who for him abode such endlesse care : His fethred Sonne Cylenus sent from Skies To reaue the carefull Clowne his watchfull eies . Who to fulfill his Lorde and Fathers Hest Tooke charmed Rod in hande and Pipe to playe , And gyrt him with a sworde as lykte him best And to the fielde he flue where Argus laye Disguised like a shepherd in his wéede That he his purpose might the better spéede . When eche had other salued in his sort , To brag vpon his Pipe the Clowne begoon , And sayde , that for that noyse and gallant sport All other mirthes and maygames he would shoon , His only ioy was on his Pipe to playe : And then to blow the Rustick did assaye . In fine when Argus had his cunning showde , And eche to other chatted had a space Of this and that as was befalne abrode , Mercurius tooke his Pipe from out his cafe And thereon playde hée so passing well , As most of Argus eies to slumber fell . And as they slept with charmed Rod he stroke The drowsie Dolt to kéepe him in that plight , And playde so long till time he did prouoke All Argus eies to byd the beast God night : Whome when he sawe in such a slumber led , He stole the Cowe , and swapt of Argus hed . Such was the fine of his dispitous hate , Such was the boone and guerdon of his hire , And all the good the carefull Coward gate For seeking to debarre the Gods desire : A fit reward for such a good desart , The Cowarde might haue playde a wiser part . God sende the lyke and worse to such as vse ( As Argus did ) with euer waking eie The blamelesse sort of Louers to abuse , That alwayes readie are and prest to prie The purpose to bewray and couert toyes Of faithfull friends , and barre their blissefull ioyes . I trust there will be found in time of néede A Mercurie with charmed Twig in hand And pleasaunt Pipe , their waking eies to féede With drowste dumps , their purpose to withstand : That iealous heads may learne to be wies For feare they lose ( as Argus did ) their eies For Cupid takes disdaine and scorne to sée His Thralls abusde in such vnséemely sort , Who séeke no gréedie gaine nor filthie fée , But pleasant play , and Venus sugred sport : A slender hire ( God wote ) to quite the paine That Louers bide , or they their loue attaine .
That it is hurtfull to conceale secrets from our Friendes . A Smart in silence kept ( as Ouid doth expresse ) Doth more torment the payned man than him that séekes redresse . For then it respite takes , and leysure to procure Such mischiefe as for want of helpe the longer doth endure . As if thou set no salue where ranckleth swelling sore , It will in further processe paine , and thée torment the more . I sundrie times haue séene a wound that earst was small , In time for want of Surgions sight to greater mischiefe fall : And eke the balefull blowe so grieuous that was thought , Full quickly curde by Surgions sleight if he were quickly sought . So fareth it by man , that kéepes in couert breast The pinching paine that bréedes within , increasing great vnreast ; That neuer will disclose the secret of his hart , But rather suffer feruent fits and déeper piercing smart . For why was friendship founde and quickly put in vre , But that th' one of thothers helpe should thinke himselfe full sure ? Why are they like in minde and one in erie part ? Why are they twoo in bodies twaine possessing but one hart ? And why doth one mislike , that so offendes his Féere , But that they two are one in déede it plainely might appeere ? Did Tullie euer dreade his secrets to disclose To Atticus his louing Friende , in whome he did repose Such credit and such trust and in himselfe he might , To whome full oft with painfull Pen this Tullie did indight ? What euer Theseus thought Perythous coulde tell , With wearie trauell that pursude his louing friende to Hell . Was Damon daintie founde to Pythias at all , For whome he woulde with Tyran staide as pledge to liue in thrall ? In Pylades was nought but that Orestes knewe , Who priuie was from time to time how care or comfort grewe . Gysippus felt no griefe but Titus boade the same : And where that Titus founde reliefe their Gysippe had his game . When Laelius did laugh then Scipio did ioy : And what Menetus Sonne mislikte Achylles did annoy . Aeurialus his thoughts and secrets of his hart To Nysus would declare at large , were they of ioy or smart . All these conioyned were in surest league of looue , Whome neyther Fortune good or bad , nor Death might once remooue . They would not think in minde nor practise that at all : But to that same their trustie Friends they would in counsell call . All those therefore that wishe their inward paines redresse , Must to their most assured Friend it outwardly expresse . So may they chaunce to finde a salue for secret sore , Which otherwise in couert kept will soone increase to more .
Of the diuers and contrarie passions and affections of his Loue . TO Phisick those that long haue gone and spent their time in griefe , Affirme that Pacients in their paines will shun their best reliefe . They will refuse the Tysants taste and wholesome drinkes despise , Which to recure diseases fell Phisttions did deuise : But when they be debard the same which so they shunde before , They crie and call for Tysants then as soueraigne for their sore . Such is the wayward guise of those with pangues that are opprest , They wish for that they neuer had , and shun that they possest . I may to them right well compare the Louers diuers thought , That likes , and then mislikes againe that they long earst had sought . They will not , when they may , enioy their harts desired choise : They then defie , they then detest with lowde and lothsome voice . They will refuse when time doth serue , but when such time is gone , They sigh and schreach with mournefull crie and make a ruthfull mone . They little think that Time hath wings or knoweth how to flie : They hope to haue it still at hande that swiftly passeth bie . They thinke that Time will tarie them and for their fansie stay , But Time in little time is gone it fléeteth fast away . So standes the foole by fléeting floud and looketh for a turne : But Riuer runnes and still will run and neuer shape returne . What ? doe they hope that beauties glasse will still continue bright ? Nay , when the day is gone and past by course appéeres the night . For crooked age his woonted trade is for to plough the face With wrinckled furrowes , that before was chiefe of Beauties grace . Perhaps they thinke that men are mad , and once intrapt in loue Will neuer striue to breake the snare nor neuer to remoue . No Fowler that had wylie Wit but will foresée such hap , That Birds will alway buske and bate and scape the Fowlers Trap. And if their fortune fauor so , then who doth mount so hie As those that guilefull Pitfall tooke prepared for to die ? What Fi●● doth fléete so fast as that which lately hangde on hooke ? By happie hap if he escape , he will not backwarde looke . Take time therefore thou foolish Feeme , whilst Time doth serue so well : For Time away as fast doth flée as any sound of Bell. And thou perhaps in after Time when Time is past and gone , Shall lie lamenting losse of Time as colde as any stone . Yet were thou better take thy time whilst yet thy Beautie serues , For Beautie as the Flower fades whome lack of Phoebus sterues .
Of Dido and the truth of hir death . J Dido and the Quéene of Carthage ground , Whose lims thou séest so liuely set to sight : Such one I was , but neuer to be found So farre in loue as Vergill séemes to wright , I liude not so in lust and fowle delight . For neither he that wandring Duke of Troie Knewe mée , nor yet at Lybie lande ariude : But to escape Iarbos that did noie Mée sore , of lyfe my Carcasse I depriude , To keepe my Hest that he would tho haue riude . No storme of loue , or dolour made me die , I slue my selfe to saue my Sheete of shame Wherein good Sycheus wrapped me perdie : Then Vergill then the greater be thy blame , That so by loue dost bréede my fowle defame .
Of Venus in Armour . IN complete Pallas saw the Ladie Venus stande : Who said , let Paris now be iudge encounter we with hande . Replide the Goddesse : what ? scornste thou in Armour mée , That naked earst in Ida Mount so foylde and conquerde thée ?
Of a Hare complaining of the hatred of Dogs . THe scenting Hounds pursude the hastie Hare of foote : The sillie Beast to scape the Dogs did iumpe vpon a roote . The rotten scrag it burst , from Cliffe to Seas he fell : Then cride the Hare : vnhappie mée , for now perceiue I well Both lande and Sea pursue and hate the hurtlesse Hare : And cake the dogged Skies aloft , if so the Dog be thare .
To one that painted Eccho . THou witles wight , what meanes this mad intent To draw my face & forme , vnknowne to thée ? What meanste thou so for to molesten mée ? Whom neuer Cic behelde , nor man coulde see ? Daughter to talking tongue , and Ayre am I , My Mother is nothing when things are waide : I am a voyce without the bodies aide . When all the tale is tolde and sentence saide , Then I recite the latter worde afreshe In mocking sort and counterfayting wies : Within your eares my chiefest harbour lies , There doe I woonne , not seene with mortall eies . And more to tell and farther to procéede , I Eccho height of men below in grounde : If thou wilt draw my Counterfait in déede , Then must thou paint ( O Painter ) but a sound .
To a cruell Dame for grace and pittie . AS I doe lack the skill to show my faithfull hart : So doe you want good will too rue your Louers smart . The greater is my fire the lesser is your heate : The more that I desire the lesse you séeme to sweate . O quench not so the Coale of this my faithfull flame , With nayes thou frowarde soule , let yeas increase the same . Let vs at length agrée whome Cupid made by law Eche others friend to bée in fansies yoke to draw . If I doe plaie my part at any time amis , Then doe bestowe thy hart where greater Friendship is . But if in true good will I beare my selfe vpright , Let mée enioy thee still my seruice too requight . Go thou my fierie Dart of scalding whote desire To pierre hir ysie hart and set hir brest on fire . That I may both prolong my painefull pyning dayes , And eke auendge hir wrong that paine for pleasure payes . I neuer sawe the stone but often drops would wast : Nor Dame but daylie mone would make hir yeelde at last .
To a Gentlewoman from whome he tooke a Ring . WHat néedes this frowning face ? what meanes your looke so coye ? Is all this for a Ring , a trifle and a toye ? What though I rest your Ring ? I tooke it not to kéepe : Therefore you néede the lesse in such dispite to wéepe . For Cupid shall be iudge and Vmpire in this case , Or who by hap shall next approche into this place . You tooke from mée my hart , I caught from you a Ring : Whose is the greatest losse ? where ought the griefe to spring ? Kéepe you as well my hart , as I will kéepe your Ring , And you shall iudge at last that you haue lost nothing . For if a Friendly hart so stuft with staide looue , In value doe not passe the Ring you may reprooue The reauing of the same , and I of force must say That I deserude the blame who tooke your Ring away . But what if you doe wreake your malice on my hart ? Then giue mée leaue to thinke you guiltie for your part . And when so ere I yeelde to you your Ring againe , Restore me vp my hart that now you put to paine . For so we both be pleasde , to say we may be bolde That neyther to the losse of vs hath bought or solde .
The Louer blames his Tongue that failed to vtter his sute in time of neede . FOrcause I still preferde the truth before Shamelesse vntruth , and lothsome léesings lore , I finde my selfe yll recompenst therefore Off thée my Tongue . For good desert and guiding thée aright , That thou for aye mightst liue deuoide of spight , I reape but shame , and lack my chiefe delight For silence kept . When happie hap by hap aduaunst my case , And brought mée to my Ladie face to face , Where I hir Corps in safetie might imbrace , Thou heldst thy peace . Thou madste my voyce to cleaue amids my throte , And sute to cease vnluckylie ( God wote ) Thou wouldst not speake , tho thou hadst quite forgote My harts behest . My hart by thée suspected was of guile , For cause thou ceast to vse a louing stile , And wordes to forge and frame with finest file As Louers woont . Thou madste my bloud fro paled face to start , And flie to séeke some succor of the hart , That wounded was long earst with dreadfull dart Off Cupids Bowe . And thou as colde as any Marble stone When from my face the chillie bloud was gone , Couldst not deuise the way to make my mone By wordes appéere . And ( yée my teares ) that woonted were to flowe And streame adowne as fast as thawed Snowe , Were stopt , as then yée had no powre to showe A Louers sute . My sighes that earst were woont to dim the Skie , And cause a fume by force of flame to flie , Were tho as slack , as Welles of wéeping drie Too showe my Loue . The hart that lay incombred all within Had fainted quite had not by lookes ybin : For they declarde the case my hart was in By tongues vntroth .
That all things are as they are vsed . WAs neuer ought by Natures Art Or cunning skill so wisely wrought , But Man by practise might conuart Too worser vse then Nature thought . Ne yet was euer thing so ill Or may be of so small a prise , But man may better it by skill And chaunge his sort by sounde aduise . So that by proofe it may be séene That all things are as is their vse , And man may alter Nature cleene , And things corrupt by his abuse . What better may be founde than flame , Too Nature that doth succor paie ? Yet we doe oft abuse the same In bringing buildings to decaie . For those that minde to put in vre Their malice , mooude to wrath and ire : To wreake their mischiefe , will be sure Too spill and spoyle thy house with fire . So Phisick that doth serue for ease And to recure the grieued soule , The painefull Patient may disease , And make him sick that earst was whole . The true Man and the Théefe are léeke For sworde doth serue them both at néede , Saue one by it doth safetie seeke And th' other of the spoile to spéede . As Law and learning doth redresse That otherwise would go to wrack : Euen so doth it oft times oppresse And bring the true man to the rack . Though Poyson paine the drinker sore By boyling in his fainting breast , Yet is it not refusde therefore , For cause sometime it breedeth reast : And mixt with Medicines of proofe According to Machaons Arte , Doth serue right well for our behoofe And succor sends to dying harte . Yet these and other things were made By Nature for the better vse , But we of custome take a trade By wilfull will them to abuse . So nothing is by kinde so voide Of vice , and with such vertue fraught , But it by vs may be anoide , And brought in trackt of time too naught Againe there is not that so ill Bylowe the Lampe of Phoebus light , But man may better if he will Applie his wit to make it right .
The Louer excuseth himselfe for renowncing his Loue and Ladie , imputing the same to his fate and constellation . THough Dydo blamde Aeneas truth for leauing Carthage shore , Where he well entertainde had béene , and like a Prince before : Though Theseus were vnthriftie thought and of a cruell race , That in rewarde of death escapte by Aryadnas Lace , Amid the desart woods so wilde his loouing Lasse forsooke , Whome by good hap and luckie lore the drowsie Bacchus tooke . Yet if the Iudges in this case their verdit yéelde aright , Nor Theseus nor Aeneas fact deserue such endlesse spight , As waywarde Women stirde to wrath beare fixed fast in minde , Still seeking wayes to wreake their yre vpon Aeneas kinde . For neither lack of liking loue , nor hope of greater gaine , Nor fickle fansies force vs men to breake off friendships chaine . They loth not that they looude before , they hate not things possest : Some other weightie cause they haue of chaunge , as may be gest . And waying with my selfe eche one , I can none fitter finde , Than that to men such blessed hap is by the Gods assignde . The golden Starres that guide their age , and Planets will them so : And Gods ( the Rulers of their race ) procure them to forgo Their forged faith and plighted truth , with promise made so sure , That is too séeming strong as Stéele , and likely to endure . For did not mightie Ioue himselfe the swift Cyllenus sende To will the Troyan Prince in haste into Italia bende And leaue the lyked lande so well , and Carthage Quéene forsake , That made him owner of hir hart , and all that shée could make ? And such was Theseus lot perdie , so hard the Maydens hap , That shée in desart should be left and caught in Bacchus trap . Should Iason be proclaimde and cride a Traitor to the Skies For that he Medea left at last by whome he wan the Flise ? No , such was Oetes Daughters chaunce in Cradle hir assignde , And Iasans Birthstarre forst the Gréeke to showe himselfe vnkinde : For if rewardes might binde so fast , and knit the knot so sure , Their faith ( no doubt ) and lincked loue should then of force endure . For Dido gaue him Carthage Kayes , the wealth , and soile withall : Those other two preserude their liues that else had liude in thrall . Then sithens streaming Starres procure , and fatall powers agree , And stawled Gods doe condiscend that I my friendship flee : And reaue your Bells and cast you off to liue in haggards wies , That for no priuate stale doe care , but loue to range the Skies : I must not séeme then to rebell nor secret Treason forge , But chaunge my choyce , and leaue my looue and fansies fonde disgorge . I craue of Cupid Lorde of loue a pardon for the same , For that I now reiect his lawes and quite renownce his game .
Of Ladie Venus , that hauing lost hir Sonne Cupid God of Loue , and desirous to vnderstand of him againe , declares by the way the nature of Loue and affections of the same , by pretie discription as followeth . WHat time the Ladie Venus sought hir little Sonne That Cupid hight , & found him not , she thus begonne My friends ( quoth she ) if any chaunce in open streete Or crossing pathes , that wandring amorous Elfe to meete , That Runnagate ( I say ) is mine : who so by hap Shall first bring tidings of the Boy , in Venus lap Is sure to sit , and haue in price of taken paine . A sugred kisse . But he that brings him home againe , A busse ? yea not a busse alone doubtlesse shall haue But like a Friend I will entreate him passing braue . I tell you t is a proper youth . Marke euery Lun And member of my straid Sonne that is so trim . Not sallow white his bodie is , but like to flame , A fierce and fierie roling eie sets out the same . A mischieuous wylie hart in Breast the Boy doth beare , But yet his wordes are Honnie like and sweete to eare . His talking tongue and meaning minde asunder goe . Smooth filed stile for little cost he will bestowe . But being once inflamde with ire and raging wrath , A cruell canckred dogged hart the Vrchin hath . False Foxely subtile Boy , and glosing lying Lad , He sports to outward sight , but inward chafes like mad . A curled Sconce he hath , with angrie frowning browe . A little hand , yet Dart a cruell way can throwe . To shadie A cheron sometime he flings the same , And deepest damp of hollow Hell those Impes to tame . Vpon his Carkasse not a cloth , but naked hee Of garments goes , his minde is wrapt , and not to see . Much like a fethred Foule he flies , & wags his wings Now here now there : the man somtime this Miser wrings Sometimes againe the Lasse to loue he doth enforce , Of neither kind , nor man nor maid , he hath remorce : A little Bow the Boy doth beare in tender hande , And in the same an Arrow nockt to string doth stand . A slender Shaft , yet such a one as farre will flie , And being shot from Cupids Bow will reach the Skie . A pretie golden Quiuer hangs there albehinde Vpon his back , wherein who so doth looke , shall finde A sort of sharpe and lurching shafts , vnhappie Boy Wherewith his Ladie Mother eke he doth annoy Sometimes : but most of all the foolish fretting Elfe In cruell wife doth cruelly torment and vex himselfe . Doe beate the Boy and spare him not at all , if thou On him doe chaunce to light : although from childish brow And moysted eies the trickling teares like flouds distill , Beleeue him not , for chiefly then beguile he will . Not if he smile vnlose his pyniond armes take heede , With pleasant home words though he thine eares dos feede And craue a kisse , beware thou kisse him not at all : For in his lips vile venom lurcks , and bitter Gall. Or if with friendly face he seeme to yeelde his Bow And shafts to thee , his proferde gifts ( my Friend ) forgo Touch not with tender hand the subtile flattring Dart Of Loue , for feare the fire thereof doe make thee smart . Where this that I haue sayde be true , Yee Louers I appeale to you . For ye doe knowe Cupidos toyes , Yee feele his smarts , yee taste his ioyes . A fickle foolish God to serue , I tearme him as he doth deserue .
Of the cruell hatred of Stepmothers . THe Sonne in lawe his Stepdame being dead , Began hir Hierce with Garlands to commende : Meane while there fell a stone vpon his head From out the Tombe that brought the Boy abed , A proofe that Stepdames hate hath neuer ende .
Againe . GLad was the sonne of frowning Beldams death , To witnesse ioy to deck hir Tomb gan trudge : A peece of Marbell fell and reft his breath As he ( good Lad ) stoode strewing flowres beneath , A signe the Death dawnts not the mothers grudge .
To Cupid for reuenge of his vnkind and cruell Loue . Declaring his faithfull seruice and true hart both to the God of Loue and his Ladie . IF I had béene in Troyan ground When Ladie Venus tooke hir wound : IF I in Gréekish campe had béene , Or clad in armour had béene séene : If Hector had by mée béene slaine , Or Prince Aeneas put to paine : If I the Machin huge had brought , By Grecian guile so falsely wrought , Or raysed it aboue the wall , Of Troie that procurde the fall : Then could I not thée ( Cupid ) blame , If thou didst put mée to this shame . But I haue alwaies béene as true To thée and thine in order due , As euer was there any Wight , That fayth and truth to Cupid plight . I neuer yet despise thy lawe , But aye of thée did stand in awe : I neuer callde thée Bussard blinde , I no such fault in thée did finde , But thought my time well spent to bée That I imploide in seruing thée . I wiste thou wert of force and powre To conquere Princes in an howre When thou retaindst mée as thy man I thought my selfe most happie than . Since this is true that I haue saide , Good Cupid let mée haue thy aide , Helpe mée to wreake my wrath aright And succor mée to worke my spight . To thée it appertaines of due Him to assist that is so true : And thou of reason shouldst torment Such as by wilfull will are bent To triumph ouer those that serue Thée in the field , and neuer swerue , Go bend thy Bowe with hastie spéede , And make hir Tigers hart to bléede . Cause hir that little sets by mee , Yet still to stand in awe of thée . Let hir perceiue thy feruent fire , And what thou art in raging ire , Now showe thy selfe no man to bée , Let hir a God both féele and sée . She forceth not my cutting paine , Hir vowed othes shee wayes as vaine . Shée sits in peace at quiet rest , And scornes at mée so dispossest . Shée laughes at thée , and mocks thy might , Thou art not Cupid in hir sight . Shée spites at mée without cause whie , Shée forceth not although I die . I am hir captiue bounde in Giue And dare not once for lyfe to striue . The more to thee I call and crie , To rid mee from this crueltie , The more shée séekes to worke hir ire , The more shée burnes with scalding fire . And all for Cupids sake I bide , From whose decrées I doe not glide . Wherefore ( I say ) go bende thy Bow , And to hir hart an Arrow throw : That Dart which breaketh harts of flint And giues the cruell crasing dint , Vpon hir crabbed breast bestow , That shée thy force and powre may know : That shée a Myrrour may be knowne To such as be thy deadly fone , So shall they good example take , How to abuse men for thy sake . Let hir ( good Cupid ) vnderstande , That I am thine both hart and hande . And to play quittance force a fire , That shée may frie with whote desire Of me , whome earst she put to paine , And this is all that I would gaine .
An Aunswere to his Ladie , that willed him that absence should not breede forgetfulnesse . THough Noble Surrey sayde that absence woonders frame , And makes things out of sight forgot , and thereof takes his name : Though some there are that force but on their pleasures prest , Vnmindefull of their plighted truth and falsely forged hest : Yet will I not approoue mée guiltie of this crime , Ne breake the friendship late begoon as you shall trie in time . No distance of the place shall reaue thée from my brest : Not fawning chaunce , nor frowning hap shall make mée swarue my Hest . As soone may Phoebus frame his fierie Steades to roon Their race from path they woonted were , and ende where they begoon : As soone shall Saturne cease his bended broowes to show , And frowning face to friendly Starres that in their Circles go : As soone the Tiger tame and Lion shall you finde : And brutish beastes that sauage were shall swarue their bedlam kinde : As soone the frost shall flame , and Aetna cease to burne , And restlesse Riuers to their springs and Fountaines shall returne ; As absence bréede debate , or want of sight procure Our faithfull friendships writh awrie whilst liuely breath indure . As soone I will commit my selfe to Lethes lake As the ( swéete friend ) whome I a Friend haue chose for vertues sake . How may a man forget the coale that burnes within ? Augmenting still his secret sore by piercing fell and skin ? May Martirs cease to mourne or thinke of torments prest , Whilst paine to paine is added aie to further their vnrest ? May Shipmen in distresse at pleasure of the winde Tost too and fro by surge of Seas that they in tempest finde , Forget Neptunus rage or blustring Borias blast , When Cables are in sunder crackt , and tackle rent from Mast ? Ne may I ( Friend ) forget ( vnlesse I would but faine ) The salue that doth recure my sore and heales the scarre againe . I send thée by the winde ten thousand sighes a day , Which dim the Skies with clowdie smoke as they doe passe away . Oft gazing on the Sunne I count Apollo blest , For that he vewes thée once aday in passing to the West . Oh that I had his powre and blasing Lampe of light Then thou my Friend should stand asurde to neuer sée the night . But since it is not so , content thy selfe a while : And with remembrance of thy Friend the lothsome time begile . Till Fortune doe agrée that we shall méete againe : For then shall presence bréede our ioyes whome absence put to paine . And of my olde good will ( good Friend ) thy selfe assure Haue no distrust , my loue shall last as long as life shall dure .
Of a Thracyan that was drownde by playing on the Ise . A Thracyan Boy well tipled all the day Vpon a frozen Spring did sport and play , The slipper Ise with hieft of bodies sway On sodaine brake , & swapt his head away : It swam aloft , bylowe the Carcas lay . The Mother came and bore the head away : When shée did burie it thus gan shée say . This brought I foorth in flame his Hierce to haue , The rest amids the flood to finde a graue .
The Louer hoping in May to haue had redresse of his woes , and yet fowly missing his purpose , bewailes his cruell hap . MOu that in May haue bathde in blis And found a salue to ease your sore : Doe May obseruaunce , Reason is That May should honord be therfore . Awake out of your drowsie sléepe And leaue your tender Beds of Downe , Of Cupids Lawes that taken kéepe With Sommer flowers deck your Crowne . As soone as Venus Starre doth showe That brings the dawning on his back And chéerefull light begins to growe By putting of his Foe to wrack : Repair to heare the wedded Makes And late ycoupled in a knote , The Nightingale that sits in Brakes And telles of Tereus truth by note : The Thrussell , with the Turtle Doue , The little Robin eke yfeare That make rehearsall of their loue , Make haste ( I say ) that yee were theare . Into the fieldes where Dian dwels With Nimphes enuirond round about , Haste yée to daunce about the Wels , A fit pastime for such a rout . Let them doe this that haue receiude In May the hire of hoped grace : But I as one that am bereaude Of blissefull state , will hide my face , And doole my daies with ruthfull voice As fits a retchlesse Wight to doe : Since now it lies not in my choise To quite mée from this cursed woe . I harbour in my breast a thought Which now is turnde another way , That pleasaunt May would mée ybrought From Scylla to a better bay . Since all ( quoth I ) that Nature made , And placed here in earth bylowe , When Spring returnes , of woonted trade Doe banish griefe that earst did growe , And chaungeth eke the churlish chéere And frowning face of Tellus hewe , With vernant flowers that appéere To clad the soile with mantell newe : Since Snakes doe cast their shriueled skinnes , And Bucks hang vp their heads on pale , Since frisking Fishes lose their finnes , And glide with new repaired scale : Then I of force with gréedie eie Must hope to finde to ease my smart , Since eche anoy in Spring doth die , And cares to comfort doe conuart . Then I ( quoth I ) shall reach the port And fast mine Aucker on the ground , Where lyes my pleasure and disport Where is my suretie to be found : There shall my beaten Barke haue rode , And I for seruice done be paid , My sorrowes quite shall be vnlode , Euen thus vnto my selfe I said . But ( out alas ) it falles not so , May is to mée a Month of mone , In May though others comfort gro , My séedes of griefe are surely sowne . My bitter Teares for water serue Wherewith the Garden of my brest I moist , for feare the seedes should sterue , And thus I frame mine owne vnrest . Let others then that féelen ioy Extole the merrie Month of May , And I that tasted haue annoy , In praise thereof will nothing say . But wish returne of winters warre And blustring force of Borias force againe . These sower séedes of wo to marre By force of winde and wisking raine . And so perhaps by better fate At next returne of Spring , I may By chaunging of my former state Cast off my care , and chaunge my lay .
To a fickle and vnconstant Dame , a friendly warning . WHat may I thinke of you ( my Fawlcon frée ) That hauing hood , lines , buets , bels of mée , And woonted earst when I my game did spring To flie so well and make such nimble wing , As might no Fowle for weightnesse well compare With thée , thou wert a Bird so passing rare : What may I déeme of thée ( fayre Fawlcon ) now , That neyther to my lure nor traine wilt bow . But this that when my back is turnde and gon , Another giues thée rumpes to tyre vpon . Well wanton well , if you were wise in déede You would regard the fist whereon you féede . You would the Horse deuouring Crow refuse , And gorge your selfe with fleshe more fine to chuse . I wishe thée this for woonted olde good will To flie more high , for feare the stowping will Bréede him , that now doth kéepe thée , out of loue And thinke his Fawlcon will a Bussard proue . Which if he deeme , or doe suspect at all , He will abate thy flesh , and make thée fall . So that of force thou shalt enforced bée Too doe by him as nowe thou dost by mée : That is to leaue the Kéeper , and away , Fawlcon take héede , for this is true I say .
The Louer to his Ladie that gafed much vp to the Skies . MY Girle , thou gazest much vpon the golden Skies : Would I were Heauen , I would behold thée then with all mine eies .
The Penitent Louer vtterly renouncing loue , craues pardon of forefassed follies . IF such as did amisse and ran their race awrie , May boldely craue at Iudges hand some mercie ere they die , And pardon for their gilt that wilfully transgrest , And sawe the bownds before their eies that vertue had addrest : Then I that brake the bancks which Reason had assignde To such as would pursue hir traine , may stande in hope to finde Some fauour at hir hand : since blinde forecast was cause , And not my wilfull will in fault that I haue swerude hir lawes . Misguided haue I béene and trayned all by trust , And Loue was forger of the fraude , and furtherer of my lust . Whose vele did daze mine eies , and darckned so my sight With errors foggie mist at first , that Reason gaue no light . And as those wofull Wightes that saile on swelling Seas , When windes and wrathfull waues conspire to banish all their ease , When heauenly Lamps are hid from Shipmens hungrie eies , And Lodestarres are in couert kept within the cloudie Skies : As they without respect doe follow Fortunes lore , And run at randome in the flood where Aeols Impes doe rore , Till golden crested Phebe , or else his Sisters light , Haue chasde away those noysome clouds , and put the same to flight : So I ( vnhappie man ) haue followde Loue a space , And felt the whottest of his flame , and flashing fierie blase . In darknesse haue I dwelt , and Errours vglie shade , Vnwitting how to raise a Starre from perill to cuade . Few daies came on my head wherein was cause of ioy , But day and night were readie both to hasten mine anoy . Short were my sléepes ( God wot ) most dreadfull were my dreames , Mine eies ( as Conduits of the hart ) did gush out saltish streames . Tormented was my Corse , my minde was neuer frée , But both repleate with anguish aye disseuerde sought to bée . No place might like mée long , no pleasure could endure , In stead of sport was smart at hande , for pastime paine in vre . A Bondman to my selfe , yet frée in others sight , Not able to resist the rage of winged Archers might . Thus haue I spent my time in seruage as a Thrall , Till Reason of hir bountie list mée to hir mercie call . Now haue I made returne , and by good hap retirde From Cupids Camp and déepe Dispaire : and once againe aspirde To Ladie Reasons stawle where wisedome throned is , On promise of amends releast is all that was amis . To Plato now I flie , and Senecs sound aduice : A Fatch for Loue , I force not now what Chaunce fall on the Dice .
To his Friend that refusde him without cause why but onely vpon delight of chaunge . YOu showe your selfe to bée a Woman right by kinde : You lyke and then mislyke againe where you no cause doe finde . I can not thinke that loue was planted in your brest , As did your flattring lookes declare , and periurde tongue protest . Thou swarste alone that I thy fansie did subdue , Then why should frensie force thée now to show thy selfe vntrue ? Fie faithlesse woman fie , wilt thou condemne the kinde Bicause of iust report of yll and blot of wauering minde ? Too playne it now appeares that lust procurde thy loue , Or else it would not so decay and causelesse thus remoue . I thought that I at first a Lucrece had subdude , But nowe I finde that fansie fonde my senses did delude I déemde that I had got a Fawlcon to the fist , Whome I might quickly haue reclaimde , but I my purpose mist . For ( oh ) the worser hap my Fawlcon is so frée , As downe shée stoupes to straungers lure and forceth least of mée . Good shape was yll bestowde vpon so vile a Kite , That Haggard wise doth loue to liue and doth in chaunge delight . Yéeld me thy flanting Hood , shake off those Belles of thine , Such checking Bussards yll deserue or Bell or Hood so fine . With Fowles of baser sort how can you brooke too flie , That earst your Nature did to Hawkes of stately kinde applie ? If want of pray enforste this chaunge thou art too blame : For I had euer traines in store to make my Fawlcon game . I had a Tassell eke full gentle by his kinde , Too flie with thée in vse of wing the greater ioy to finde . No , doubtlesse wanton lust and fleshly fowle desire Did make thée loath my friendly lure , and set thy hart on fire Too trie what mettall was in Bussards to be founde This , this was it that made thée stowpe from loftie gate to grounde . Wherefore if euer luck doe let me light on thée , And Fortune graunt me once againe thy keeper for to bée : Thy diet shall be such , thy tyring rumpes so bare , As thou shalt know thy kéeper well , and for none other care . Meanewhile on carren féede , thy hungrie gorge to glut : That all thy lust in daylie chaunge and diet new dost put . Diseases must of force such féeding fowle ensue : No force to me , thou wert my Bird , But ( Fawlcon ) now adue .
To one that vpon surmise of aduersitie , forewent hir Friend . AS too the whyte , and lately lymed house The Doues doe flock in hope of better fare , And leaue their home of Culuers cleane and bare : As to the Kitchin postes the péeping Mouse Where Vittailes fine and curious Cates are drest , And shoons the shop where liuelyhood waxeth thin , Where he before had fillde his emptie skin , And where he chose him first to be a guest : As Lyse vnto the lyuing Carcasse cleane , But balke the same made readie to the Beare , So you that earst my Friend to séeming weare , In happie state : your néedie Friend doe leaue . Vnfriendly are those other , Doue and Mouse That doe refuse olde harbour for a newe And make exchaunge for lodge they neuer knewe , Vnfriendly eke the slowe and lumpish Lowse . But more vnciuill you that wittie arre To iudge a Friend , your Friendship to forgo , Without a cause and make exchaunges so : For friendes are néeded most in time of warre . Put case that Chaunce withdrew hir olde good will And frownde on mée to whome shee was a friend ? Is that a reason why your loue should end ? No , no , you should a friend continue still . For true good will in miserie is tride , For then will none but faithfull friends abide .
To Maister Googes fansie that begins Giue Monie mee take friendship who so list . FRiend Googe , giue me the faithfull friend to trust , And take the fickle Coine for mée that lust . For Friends in time of trouble and distresse With help and sound aduise will soone redresse Eche growing griefe that gripes the pensiue brest , When Monie lies lockt vp in couert Chest . Thy Coine will cause a thousand cares to grow , Which if thou hadst no Coine thou couldst not know , Thy Friend no care but comfort will procure , Of him thou mayst at néede thy selfe assure . Thy Monie makes the Théefe in waite to lie , Whose fraude thy Friend & falsehood will descrie . Thou canst not kéepe vnlockt thy carefull Coine , But some from thée thy Monie will purloine : Thy faithfull Friend will neuer start aside , But take his share of all that shall beride . When thou art dead thy Monie is bereft But after life thy trustie Friend is left : Thy Monie serues another Maister than , Thy faythfull Friend lincks with none other man . So that ( Friend Googe ) I deeme it better I , To choose the Friend and let the Monie lie .
The Louer abused renownceth Loue . FOr to reuoke to pensiue thought And troubled head my former plight , How I by earnest sute haue sought And griefull paines a louing Wight For to accoy , accoy , And bréede my ioy Without anoy , makes saltish bryne To flush out of my vapord eyne . To thinke vpon the sundrie snares And priuie Panthers that were led To forge my daylie dolefull cares , Whereby my hoped pleasures fled , Doth plague my hart , my hart , With deadly smart , Without desart , that haue indurde Such woes , and am not yet recurde , Was neuer day came on my hed Wherein I did not sue for grace , Was neuer night but I in bed Vnto my Pillow tolde my case , Bayning my brest , my brest , For want of rest , With teares opprest , yet remedie none Was to be found for all my mone . If she had dained my good will And recompenst me with hir Loue , I would haue béene hir Vassell still , And neuer once my hart remoue : I did pretend , pretend , To be hir Friend Vnto the end , but she refusde My louing hart , and me abusde . I did not force vpon the spite And venemous stings of hissing Snakes , I wayed not their words a Mite , That such a doe at Louers makes : I did reioyce , reioyce , To haue the voyce Of such a choyce , and smild to sée That they reported so of mée . Oh mée most luckie Wight ( quoth I ) At whome the people so repine , I trust the rumor that doth flie Will force hir to my will incline , And like well mée , well mée Whome shee doth sée , Hir loue to bée , vnfainedly , In whome shée may full well affie . But now at length I plainely vew That woman neuer gaue hir brest , For they by kindly course will rue On such as seeme to loue them best : And will relent , relent And be content , When nought is ment , saue friendly hart And loue for neuer to depart . Some cruell Tiger lent hir Te● And fostred hir with sauage Pap , That can not finde in hart to let A man to loue hir , since his hap Hath so assignde , assignde To haue his minde To loue inclinde , in honest wise Whome shée should not of right despise . But since I sée hir stonie hart Cannot be pierst with pitties Launce , Since nought is gainde but wofull smart , I doe intende to breake the daunce , And quite forgo , forgo My pleasaunt Fo , That paines mée so , and thinkes in fine To make me like to Circes Swine : I cleane defie hir flattering face , I quite abhorre hir luring lookes : As long as Ioue shall giue mée grace Shée neuer comes within my bookes , I doe detest , detest So false a Guest That breedes vnrest , where she should plant Hir loue , if pittie did not want . Let hir go séeke some other Foole , Let hir inrage some other Dolt : I haue béene taught in Platos Schoole From Cupids Banner to reuolt : And to forsake , forsake As fearefull Snake , Such as doe make , a man but smart For bearing them a faithfull hart .
The forsaken Louer laments that his Ladie is matched with an other . AS Menelaus did lament When Helena to Troie went , And to the Teucrian Guest applide And all hir Countrie Friends defide : Euen so I féele tormenting paine To lurck in erie little vaine , And ransack all my Corse , to sée That shée hath now forsaken mee , The faithfull Friend that she could finde : But fickle Dames will to their kinde . A simple chaunge in fayth it was To leaue the Lyon for the Asse , Such chopping will but make you bare And spend your lyfe in carek and care , You might haue taken better héede Then left the Graine , and chose the wéede : Your Haruest would the better beene If you had to your Bargin séene , But to recant it is to late , Go too , a Gods name to your Mate , T is Muck that makes the Pot to play As men of olde were woont to say , And women marrie for the gaine Though oft it fall out to their paine : And as I gesse thou hast ydoon When all thy twist is throughly spoon , It will appéere vnto thy foes , Thou pluckst a Nettle for a Rose : In faith thy Friend would loth to sée Thy curssed luck so yll to bée .
Of one that was in reuersion . ANother hath that I did bie , and I enioy that hée imbraste : I reape the Graine , and pluck the Peare , but he had Peare and Corne at laste . Which fithens Fortune hath allowde , let eyther well contented bee : I hate him not for his delights , then let him doe the lyke too mée . For sowe both be pleasde , I say , this bargaine was deuised well : Let him with present good delight as I what time to mée it fell . If euer he by hap forgo , I trust my hope is not in vaine , I hope the thing I once enioyde will to his owner come againe . Which if be so , then happie I that had the first , and haue the laste : What better fortune may there bée than in Reuersion to be plaste .
That all hurts and losses are to be recouered and recured saue the cruell wound of Loue . THe Surgion may deuise a Salue for erie sore , And to recure all inwarde griefes Phisitions haue in store Their Simples to compownde and match in mixture so , As ech disease from sicklie Corse they can enforce to go . The wastfull wrack of welth that Merchants doe sustaine , By happie vent of gotten wares may be supplide againe . A Towne by treason lost , a Forte by falsehood woon , By manly fight is got againe and helpe of hurtfull Goon . Thus eche thing hath redresse and swéete recure againe : Saue onely Loue , that farther frets , and feedes on inward paine . No Galen may this griefe by Phisicks force expell : No Reasons rule may ought preuaile where lurcking Loue doth dwell . The Patient hath no powre of holesome things to taste : No Drench , no Drug , nor Sirop swéete his hidden harme may waste . No comfort comes by day , no pleasant sléepe by night : No néedefull nap at Noone may ease the Louers painefull plight . In deepe dispaire he dwels till in comes hope of ease , Which somewhat lessens paines of Loue , and calmes the surge of Seas . His head is fraught with thoughts , his hart with throwes repleate : His eies amazde , his quaking hand , his stomack lothing meate . This bale the Louer bides and hatefull Hagge of Hell , And yet himselfe doth déeme that hée in Paradyce doth dwell .
Of the choise of his Valentine . WIth others I to choose a Valentine Addrest my selfe : Ech had his dearest friend In Scrole ywrit , among the reast was mine . Sée now the luck by lot that Chaunce doth send To Cupids crewe , marke Fortune how it falls , And mark how Venus Imps are Fortuns thralls . The Papers were in couert kept from sight , In hope I went to note what hap would fall : I choze , but on my Friend I could not light , ( Such was the Goddesse wil that wildes the Ball ) But sée good luck , although I mist the same , I hapt on one that bare my Ladies name . Vnegall though their beauties were to looke , Remembrance yet of hir well feauturde fare So often séene , thereby my Senses tooke , Vnhappie though shee were not then in place : Long you to learne what name my Ladie hight ? Account from V. to . A. and spell aright .
Of an open Foe and a fayned Friend . NOt he so much anoies that sayes : I am thy Fo , As he that beares a hatefull hart , and is a Friend to sho . Of tone we may beware , and flie his open hate , But tother bites before he barck , a hard auoyded Mate .
Againe . OF both giue mée the man that sayes , I hate in déede : Than him that hath a Knife to kill , yet weares a friendly wéede .
Of a Ritch Miser . A Misers minde thou hast , thou hast a Princes pelfe : Which makes thée welthy to thine Heire , a Beggar to thy selfe .
Of a Painter that painted Fauour . THou ( Painter fond ) what meanes this mad deuise Fauour to drawe ? sith vncouth is the hed From whence it comes , and first of all was bred ? Some deeme that it of Beautie doth arise , Dame Fortunes Babie and vndoubted Sonne , Some other doe surmise this Fauour was : Againe , some thinke by Chaunce it came to passe , Another saies of Vertue it begonne . What Mate is he that daylie is at hand ? Quest Faire speaking he and glosing Flattrie hight . Auns . What he that slowly comes behind ? Auns . Despight . Quest What they ( I pray ) that him inuiron stand ? Ques● Wealth , Honor , Pride , and Noble needefull Lawes . Auns . And leading Lust that driues to thousand ills . What meane those wings , & painted quiuering Quills ? Ques● Cause vpward aie Dame Fortune Fauour drawes . Auns . Why blinde is Fauour made ? Ques● ( Auns . ) for cause that he That is vnthriftie once yplast amownt From baser step not had in any cownt Can not discerue his Friends , or who they be . Why treades he on the tickle turning wheele ? Ques● He followes Fortunes steps and giddie Gate Auns . Vnstaied Chaunces aie vnstedfast Mate : And when that things are well , can neuer feele . Then tell me one thing else to pease my minde My last demaund . what meanes his swelling so ? Quest How chaunst that Fauour doth so prowdly go ? Auns . Good haps by course vs Men doe maken blinde .
The Louer whose Lady dwelt fast by a Prison . ONe day I hide mee fast vnto the place where lodgde my Loue , a passing propre dame For head , hand , leg , lim , wealth , wit , comly grace : And being there my sute I gan to frame , The smokie sighes bewrayde my fierie flame . But cruell shee , disdainefull , coy and curst , Forst not my words , but quaild hir Friend at furst . Whereat I lookte me vp a wofull Wight , And threw mine eies vp to the painted Skie , In minde to waile my hap : And saw in sight Not farre from thence a place where Prisners lie , For crimes forepast the after paines to trie : A Laberinth , a lothsome Lodge to dwell , A Dungeon déepe , a Dampe as darke as Hell . Oh happie you ( quoth I ) that féele the force Of girding Gyue , thirst , colde and stonie bed , Respect of mée , whose loue hath no remorce : In death you liue , but I in life and ded , Your ioy is yet to come , my pleasure fled . In prison you haue mindes at fréedome aye , I frée am thrall , whose loue séekes his decaye . Vnworthy you to liue in such distresse Whose former faults repentance did bewaile : More fitter were this Ladie mercilesse At grate to stand , with whome no teares preuaile : More worthy she to liue in lothsome Gaile That murders such as sue to hir for lyfe , And spoyles hir faithfull Friends with spiteful knyfe .
Complaint of the long absence of his Loue vpon the first acquaintance . O Cursed , cruell , canckred Chaunce , O Fortune full of spight , Why hast thou so on sodaine rest from mée my chiefe delight ? What glorie shalt thou gaine perdie or purchace by the rage ? This is no Conquest to be callde , wherefore thy wrath asswage . To soone eclipsed was my ioy , my dolors grow to fast : For want of hir that is my life , my life it can not last . Is this thy fickle kind so soone to hoise a man to ioy , And ere he touch the top of blisse to bréede him such anoy ? Nowe doe I plaine perceiue and sée that Poets faine not all , For churlish Chaunce is counted blinde and full of filthy Gall. I thought there had béene no such Dame ne Goddesse on a whéele : But now too well I know hir kinde , too soone hir force I féele . And that which doth augment my smart and maketh more my wo , Is , for I felt a sodaine ioy where now this griefe doth grow . If thou hadst ment ( vnhappie Hap ) thus to haue nipt my ioy , Why didst thou show a smyling chéere that shouldst haue lookte acoy ? For griefes doe nothing grudge at all but where was blisse before : None wailes the want of wealth so much as he that had the store . Not he that neuer saw the Sunne complaines for lack of light , But such as saw his golden gleames and knew his chéerefull might . Too late I learne through spitefull chaunce that ioy is mixt with wo , And eche good hap hath hate in hoorde , the course of things is so . So Poyson lurcks in Suger swéete , the Hooke so hides the bayte : Euen so in gréene and pleasant grasse the Serpent lies in wayte . Vlysses wife I learne at last thy sorrow and distresse , In absence of thy lingring Loue , that should thy woes redresse . Great was your griefe ( ye Gréekish Girlles ) whilste stately Troie stood , And kept your husbands from your laps in perill of their blood . All ye therefore that haue assayde what torments lack procures Of that you loue , lament my lack which ouerlong endures . Ye Winds transport my soking sighes to my new chosen Friende , So may my sorrow swage perhaps and dréerie state haue ende . Ye Sighes make true report of teares , that so beraine my brest , As Helens husbands neuer were for treason of his Guest . If thou ( my Letter ) maist attaine the place of hir abode , Doe thou , as Herauld of the hart , my sorrowes quite vnlode . In thée as in a Myrronr cléere or Christall may she vewe My pangues , my paynes , my sighes and teares which Tigers could but rewe . There shall shée see my secret parts encombred all with mone , My fainting lims , my vapord eien with hart as colde as stone . I know shée can but rue my case when thou presents my sute , Wherefore play thou thy part so well that I may reape the frute . And if ( when shée hath read thée through ) shée place thée in hir lap , Then chaunge thy chéere thy Maister hath his long desired hap .
The ventrous Louer after long absence craues his Ladie to meete with him in place to enterparle of hir auentures . IF so Leander durst from Abydon to Sest To swim to Herô whome he chose his Friend aboue the rest , And gage his comely corse vnto the sowsing Tyde To lay his water beaten lims fast by hir tender side : Then I ( my Deare ) whose gleames and ardor doth surpasse The scorching flame and blasing heate that in Leander was , May well presume to take the greatest toyle in hande , To reach the place where thou dost lodge the chiefe of Venus bande . For not Leanders loue my friendship doth excell , Nor Herô may compare with hir that beares Dame Beauties Bell. There resteth nought for thée but to assigne the place , The mirrie day , the ioyfull houre when I may sée thy face : Appoint the certaine Tide and fixed stem of stay , And thou shalt sée thy faithfull Friend will quickly come his way Not dréeding any doubt : but ventrously will go Through thick and thin to gaine a glimse of thée his sugred fo . Where when by hap we méete , our long endured woes Shall stint by force of friendly thoughts which we shall then discloes . Then eyther may vnfolde the secrets of the hart , And show how long dislodge hath bred our cruell cutting smart . Then may we fréely chat of all forepassed toyes , And put those pensiue pangues to flight with new recourse of ioyes . Then pleasure shall possesse the lodge were Dolour lay , And mirrie blincks put cloudes of care and lowring lookes away . Then kissing may be plide and clipping put in vre , And lingred sores by Cupids salues aspire to quick recure . Oh dréede thou not at all , set womans feare a part And take the courage of a man , that hast a manly hart In hostage aie with thée to vse at thy deuise . In all affaires and needefull houres as matter shall arise . Reuoke to louing minde how ventrous Thisbe met In fearefull night with Pyramus where Nynus Tombe was set . So hazard thou to come vnto the pointed place , To thwart thy Friend , and méete with him that longs to sée thy face . Who better will attend thy friendly comming there , Than Pyramus of Thysbe did his disappointed Féere . For ( oh ) their méeting was the reauer of their breath , The crop of endlesse care , and cause of either Louers death . But we so warely will our fixed time attende , As no mishap shall grow thereby . And thus I make an ende With wishing well to thee , and hope to méete in place To enterparle with thée ( my Friend ) and tell my dolefull case .
To Maister Googe his Sonet out of sight out of thought . THe lesse I see , the more my téene , The more my teene the greater griefe The greater griefe , the lesser séene , The lesser séene , the lesse reliefe : The lesse reliefe the heuier spright , When P. is farthest out of sight . The rarer séene , the rifer sobs , The rifer sobbes , the sadder hart , The sadder hart , the greater throbs , The greater throbs , the worser smart , The worser smart procéedes of this That I my P. so often misse . The néerer too , the more I smile , The more I smile , the merier minde : The mirrie minde doth thought exile , And thought exilde recourse I finde Of heauenly ioyes : all this delight Haue I when P. is once in fight .
The Louer whose Mistresse feared a Mouse , declareth that he would become a Cat , if he might haue his desire . IF I might alter kinde , what thinke you I would bée , Nor Fish , nor Foule , nor Fle , nor Frog , nor Squirrell on the Tree . The Fish the hooke , the Foule the lymed twig doth catch , The Fle the Finger , and the Frog the Buffard doth dipatch . The Squirrell thincking nought that feately cracks the Nut , The gréedie Gashauke wanting pray in dread of death doth put . But scorning all these kindes I would become a Cat , To combat with the créeping Mouse and scratch the scréeking Rat. I would be present aye and at my Ladies call , To gard hir from the fearefull Mouse in Parlour and in Hall . In Kitching for his life he should not shew his hed , The Peare in Poke should lie vntoucht when shée were gone to bed . The Mouse should stand in feare , so should the squeaking Rat : All this would I doe if I were conuerted to a Cat.
The Louer driuen to absent him from his Ladie , bawayles his estate . WHen angrie Gréekes with Troians fought In minde to sack their welthie Towne , King Agamemnon needefull thought To beate the neighbour Cities downe , And by his Princely power to quell Such as by Priams Realme did dwell . Thus forth he trauailde with his traine Till he vnto Lyrnesus came , Where cruell fight he did maintaine , And fiue such Wights as were of fame : Downe went the walles and all to wrack And so was Lyrnes brought to sack . Two Noble Dames of passing shape Vnto the Prince were brought in fine That might compare with Paris rape , Their glimring beauties so did shine : The Prince chose fairest of the twaine , And Achyll tother for his paine . And thus the warlike Chiefetaines liude Eche with his Ladie in delight : Till Agamemnon was depriude Of hir that golden Chryses hight . For Gods did will as ( Poets faine ) That he should yéelde hir vp againe . Which done , he reft Achylles Mate To serue in Chrysis place at néede , Not forcing on the fowle debate That followde of that cruell déede : For why Achylles grutged fore To lose the Lasse he wan before . And what for griefe and great disdaine The Gréeke his Helmet hoong aside , And Sworde that many a Knight had slaine , And Shield that Troian Darts had tride : Refusing to approch the place Where he was woont his foes to chase . His manly courage was appallde His valiant hart began to yeelde , His brawned armes that earst were gallde With clattering Armour in the field Had lost their force , his fist did faint , His gladsome songs were growne to plaint . His mouth refusde his woonted foode , His tongue could féele no taste of meat , His hanging chéekes declarde his moode , His feltred beard with haire vnset , Bewraid his sodaine chaunge of cheere For loosing of his louing Feere . His eares but sorrowes sounde could heare , The Trumpets tune was quite forgot , His eies were fraught with many a teare , Whome carcking care permitted not The pleasant slumber to retaine To quite the sielie Misers paine . The thousande part of pensiue care The Noble Gréeke endured than In Bryseis absence , to declare It farre surmounts the Wit of man : But sure a Martyr right he liude Of Bryseis beautie once beriude . If thus Achylles valiant hart Were wrapt in web of wailefull wo , That was invrde too dint of Dart His louing Bryseis to forgo . If thus the sturdie Gréeke ( I say ) Bewaild the night and wept the day : Then blame not mée a louing Wight Whome Nature made to Cupids Bow To liue in such a piteous plight , Bewasht with waues of woorser wo Than euer was the Gréekish Péere Dispoiled of his Darling déere . For I of force am faine to flée The presse , the presence and the place Of you my Loue a brauer B Than Bryseis was for foote and face , For Head , for Hande , for Carkasse éeke Not to be matcht of any Gréeke . Whose troth you haue full often tride , Whose hart hath béene vnfolded quight Whose faith by friendship was descride Whose ioy consisted in your sight , Whose paine was pleasure if in place He might but gaze vpon thy face . O dolefull Gréeke I would I might Exchaunge my trouble for thy paine , For then I hope I should acquite My griefe with gladsome ioyes againe : For Bryseis made returne to thée , Would B. might doe the like to mée . But to exchaunge my Loue for thine , Or B. for Bryseis I ne would : To labour in the Leaden Mine . And leaue the ground where growes the Golde I minde it not , it follie were To choose the pare , and leaue the Peare .
That Louers ought rather at first acquaintance to shew their meanings by Pen then by Mouth . IF all that feele the fits of loue And flanckring sparkes of Cupids fire , By tatling tongues should say to moue Their Ladies to their fonde desire : No doubt a number would but gaine A badge of Follie for their paine . For Ladyes eyther would suspect Those sugred wordes so swéete to eare With secrete poysons baite infect : Or else would wisely stand in feare , That all such flame as so did burne To dustie Cinders soone would turne . For he that bluntly doth presume On small acquaintance to display His hidden fire by casting fume Of wanton words , doth misse the way To win the Wight he honours so , For of a Friend he makes a Fo. For who is shée that may endure The dapper tearmes that Louers vse ? And painted Proems to procure The Modest Matrons minde to muse ? No , first let writings go to tell Your Ladies that you loue them well . And when that time hath triall made Of perfite loue and faithfull brest , Then boldly may you further wade This counsell I account the best : And this ( my Deare ) procurde my Quill To write , and tongue to be so still . Which now at first shall flatly showe ( As faithfull Herauld of the hart The perfite loue to thee I owe That bréedst my ioy , and wilt my smart , Vnlesse at last ( Remembrance ) rue Vpon hir ( Thought ) that will be true . Wherefore I say , go slender scrole To hir the sielie Mouse that shonnes , Salute in friendly sort the soule Among those pretie beastes that wonnes , That bit the Pocat for the Peare , And bred the soule to such a feare .
An Epitaph of Maister Win drowned in the Sea . WHo so thou art that passest by this place And runst at random on the slipper way , Recline thy listning eare to mée a space Doe stay thy ship & hearken what I saye : Cast Ankor here vntill my tale be donne , So maist thou chaunce the lyke mishaps to shonne . Learne this of mée , that men doe liue to die And Death decayes the worthiest Wightes of all , No worldly welth or kingdomes can supplie Or garde their Princes from the fatall fall : One way to come vnto this lyfe we sée , But to be rid thereof a thousand bée . My gallant youth and frolick yeares behight Mee longer age , and siluer haires to haue , I thought my day would neuer come to night , My prime prouokte me to forget my graue : I thought by water to haue scapte the death That now amid the Seas doe lose my breath . Now , now the churlish chanell me doth check Now surging Seas conspire to bréede my carke Now fighting flouds enforce me to the rock , Charybdis Whelps and Scyllas Dogs doe barke Now hope of life is past , now , now I see That W. can no more a liues man bée . Yet I doe well affie for my desart ( When cruell death hath done the worst it may ) Of well renowmed Fame to haue a part To saue my name from ruine and decay : And that is all that thou or I may gaine , And so adue , I thanke thée for thy paine .
Againe . O Neptune churlish Chuff , O wayward Woolfe O God of Seas by name , no God in déede , O Tyran , Ruler of the grauell Goolfe Where greater Fish on lesser Spawne doth féede Why didst thou drench with deadly Mace a Wight That well deserude to run his course aright ? O cruell cursed Tide , O weltring Waue That W. wrought this detestable care , O wrathfull surge , why wouldst y● not vouchsafe A mid thy rage so good a youth to spare , And suffer him in luckie Bark to reach The pleasant port of ease and blisfull beach ? But what though surging Seas & tossing Tide Haue done their worst and vttered all their force In working W. wrack , that so hath tride The cruelst rage that might befall his Corse : Yet naythelesse his euer during name Is fast ingraude within the house of Fame . Let Fishes féede vpon his flesh apace , Let crawling Cungers créepe about his bones , Let Wormes awake and W : Carkasse race For why it was appointed for the nones : But when they haue done all the spite they can His good report shall liue in mouth of man . Instead of stonie Tombe and Marble Graue In lieu of a lamentable Verse , Let W. on the sandie Cheasell haue This dolefull rime in stead of better Hierse : Lo , here among the Wormes doth W. woon That well deserude a farther race to roon . But since his fate allotted him to fall Amid the sowsing Seas and troublous Tide , Let not his death his faithfull Friends appall For he is not the first that so hath dide , Nor shall be séene the last : As nie away To Heauen by waters as by Land they say .
Praise of his Loue . APpelles lay the Pensill downe and shun thy woonted skill , Let brute no more with flattring Trumpe the Gréekish eares fulfill : Clayme not to thee such Painters praise as thou hast done of yore , Least thou in fine be foiled flat and gained glorie lore . So seeke not to disgrace the Gréekes thy louing Natiue land , But rather from depainting formes withdraw thy skillest hand . For so thou stiffely stand and vaunt that thou wilt frame hir like Whome I extoll aboue the Starres , thou art a stately Gréeke . As soone with might thou mayste remoue the Rock from whence it growes , As frame hir featurde forme in whome such flouds of graces flowes . If I might speake vnhurt of hate , I would auaunt that kinde In spite of Rose and Lillie both had hir in earth assignde To dwell among the daintie Dames that shée hath placed héere : Cause , by hir passing feature might Dame Natures skill appéere . Hir Haire surmounts Apollos pride in it such beautie raines Hir glistring eies the Cristall farre and finest Saphire staines A little Mouth with decent Chin , a Corall Lip of hue , With Téeth as white as Whale his bone eche one in order due . A body blamelesse to be found , Armes rated to the same : Such Hands with Azure deckt , as all that warre with hir doe shame . As for the partes in couert kept and what is not in sight , I doe estéeme them by the reast not forcing on dispight . If I were foreman of the Quest my verdit to expresse , Forgiue mée ( Phoebus , ) of thy place shée should thée dispossesse . P : should be raised to the cloudes and Phoebus brought alow , For that there should liue none in earth but might hir vertue know . Thus to conclude and make an ende , to vouch I dare beholde : As soone as Nature hir had made all Natures ware was solde .
The complaint of a Friend of his hauing lost his Doue . WHat shold I shed my teares to show mine inward pain Since that the Iewell I haue lost may not be had again . Yet bootelesse though it bee to vtter couert smart It is a meane to cure the griefe , and make a ioyfull hart . Wherefore I say to you that haue enioyde your Loue , Lament with me in wofull wise for loosing of my Doue . You Turtle Cocks that are your louing Honnes bereft , And do bewaile your cruell chaunce that you aliue are left : Come hither , come I say , come hie in haste to mee , Let eyther make his dolefull plaint amid this drearie tree . A fitter place than this may no where else be found For friendly Eccho here wil cause ech cry to yeeld a sound . In youth it was my luck on such a Doue to light , As by good nature wan my loue , she was my whole delite A fresher fowle than mine for shape and beauties hue , Was neuer any man on earth that had the hap to vewe . Dame Nature hir had framde so perfite in hir kinde As not the spiteful man himself one fault in hir could finde . Hir eie so passing pure , hir beake so braue and fit , The stature of hir lims so small , hir head so full of wit , Hir neck of so good fyse , hir plume of colour white , Hir legs & feete so finely made , though seldom sene in sight : Eche part so fitly pight as none mought chaunge his place . Nor any Bird could lightly haue so good & braue a grace . But most of all that I did fansie , was hir voyce , For swete it was vnto mine care , & made the hart reioyce . No sooner could I come in place where she was set , But vp she rose , and ioyfull would hir Make & louer met . About my tender neck she would haue clasped tho , And laid hir beake betwixt my lips , sweete kisses to besto . And ought besides that mought haue pleasurde me at all , was neuer man that had a birde so fit to play withall . when I for ioy did sing , she would haue song with mee , when I was wo , my grief was hirs , she wold not plesant be But ( oh ) amid my ioyes came cruell canckred Death . And spiting at my pleasures rest my louing bird hir breath who finding me alack , and absent on a day , Caught bow in hand , & strak hir down , a breding as she lay Since I haue cause to waile the death of such a Doue . ( Good Turtles ) help me to lament the losse of my true loue . The Tree whereon she sat shall be the place where I will sing my last , & end my life : for ( Turtles ) I must die . you know it is our kinde , we can not liue alone , More pleasant is the death to vs then life when loue is gone To tell a farther tale my famting breath denies , And selfe same death the slue my Doue , begins to close mine eies .
That Louers ought to shunne no paines to attaine their Loue . IF Marchaunts in their warped Keales commit themselues to Waue , And dreadfull daunger of the Goulfe in tempest that doth raue , To set from farre and Forraine lands such ware as is to sell , And is not in their Natiue soile where they themselues doe dwell : If Souldiars serue in perills place and dread of Cannon shot , Ech day in daunger of their liues and Countrie losse God wot , Whose Musick is the dreadfull Drum and dolefull Trumpets sounde , Who haue in stead of better bed the colde and stonie grounde , And all tattaine the spoile with spéede of such as doe withstande , Which slender is sometime we see when so it comes to hande : If they for Lucre light sustaine such perill as ensues , Then those that serue the Lorde of Loue no trauaile ought refuse : But lauish of their liuely breath all tempest to abide , To maintaine Loue and all his lawes what Fortune so betide . And not to shrink at erie shoure or stormie flaw that lights , Ne yet to yéelde themselues as thrall to such as with them fights . Such are not fit for Cupids Campe , they ought no wages win Which faint before the clang of Trump or Battels broile begin . They must not make account of hurt , for Cupid hath in store Continually within his Campe a salue for erie sore . Their Ensigne bearer is so stoute ecleaped Hope by name , As if they follow his aduise ech thing shall be in frame . But if for want of courage stoute the Banner be bereft , If Hope by hap be stricken downe , and no good hope yleft : T is time with Trump to blow retreate , the Field must needes be woon : So Cupid once be Captiue tane his Souldiars are vndoon . Wherefore , what so they are that Loue as waged men doe serue : Must shun no daunger drift at all ne from no perill swerue . Kéepe watch and warde the wakefull night and neuer yéelde to rest . For feare least thou a waiting nought on sodaine be opprest . Though hunger gripe thy emptie Maw endure it for a while , Till time doe serue with good repast such famine to beguile . Be not with chilly colde dismaide , let Snow nor I se procure Thy lustfull lims from painefull plight thy Ladie to allure . That is the spoile that Cupid giues that is the onely wight Where at his Thralls are woont to roue with Arrowes from their sight . My selfe as one among the moe , shall neuer spare to spend My life , my lims , yea hart and all Loues quarrell to defend . And so in recompence of paines and toile of perills past , He yéelde mée but my Ladies loue : I will not be agast , Of Fortune , nor hir frowning face , I nought shall force hir chéere , But tend on erie turne on hir that is my louing Féere .
A request of Friendship to Vulcans Wyfe made my Mars . THough froward Fortune would that you who are So braue a Dame , which Vulcan shoulden linck : Yet may you loue the lustie God of warre , And bleare his eies that no such fraud will thinck . T is Cupids charge , and all the Gods agree , That you be Féere to him , and Friend to mée .
The Louer that had loued Long without requitald of good will . LOng did I loue , and likte hir passing well Whose beautie bred the thraldom of my thought , Long did I sue to hir for to expell The foule disdain that beauties beames had wrought : Long did I serue , and Long I would haue doon , My minde was bent a thorow race to roon . Long when I had looude , sude , and serued so . As mought haue likte as braue a Dame as shée , Hir Friend she forced not but let him go , Shee looude at least besides him two or thrée : Hir common cheare to erie one that sude , Bred me to déeme shée did hir Friend delude . Great was my griefe at first to be refusde That Long had looude with true vnfained hart , But when I sawe I had béene long abusde I forcde the lesse from such a Friend to part : Yet ere I gaue hir vp I gainde a thing That griefe to hir , and ease to me did bring .
To a Friend that wild him to beware of Enuie . THis sound aduise and counsell sent from you With friendly hart that you ( my friend ) doe giue , With willing minde I purpose to ensue , And to beware of Enuie whilst I liue . For spitefull it doth nought but malice brue Aie séeking Loue from faithfull harts to riue , And plant in place where perfit Friendship grue A mortall hate , good Nature to depriue : And those that nip mée by the back behinde , I trust you shall vntrue reporters finde .
Of Misreporters . J Hope ( mine Owne ) this fixed Loue of thine Is so well staid and rooted déepe in brest That not , vnlesse thou see it with thine eine That I from thée my loue and Friendship wrest , Thou wilt vntie the knot of thy behest . I trust your selfe of Enuie will beware That wild your friend take héede of Enuies snare .
That no man should write but such as doe excell . SHould no man write ( say you , ) but such as doe excell ? This fonde deuise of yours deserues a Bable and a Bell. Then one alone should doe or verie few in déede : For that in erie Art there can but one alone exceede . Should others ydle bée and waste their age in vaine , That mought perhaps in after time the prick and price attaine ? By practise skill is got by practise Wit is woon . At games you sée how many doe to win the wager roon , Yet one among the moe doth beare away the Bell : Is that a cause to say the rest in running did not well ? If none in Phisick should but onely Galene deale , No doubt a thousand perishe would whome Phisick now doth heale . Eche one his Talent hath , to vse at his deuise : Which makes that many men as well as one are counted wise . For if that Wit alone in one should rest and raine Then God the skulles of other men did make but all in vaine . Let eche one trie his force , and doe the best he can For therevnto appointed were the hand and hed of man . The Poet Horace speakes against thy Reason plaine , Who sayes t is , somewhat to attempt although thou not attaine The scope in erie thyng : to touch the highst degrée Is passing hard , too doe the best sufficing is for thée .
To his Friend , declaring what vertue it is to stick to former plighted friendship . THe sage and Siluer haired Wights doe thinke A vertue rare not to be proude of mind When Fortune smiles : nor cowardly to shrink Though chaunged Chaunce do shew hir self vnkind . But chiefest praise is to imbrace the man In welth and wo with whome your loue began .
Of two desperate Men. A Man in déepe dispaire with Hemp in hand Went out in haste to ende his wretched daies : And where he thought the Gallo trée should stand He found a Pot of Gold : he goes his waies Therewith eftsoone , and in exchaunge he left The Rope wherewith he would his breath bereft . The gréedie Carle came within a space That owde the good , and saw the Pot behind Where Ruddocks lay , and in the Ruddocks place A knottie Cord , but Ruddocks could not find : He caught the Hemp and hoong himselfe on trée , For griefe that he is Treasure could not see .
Of the torments of Hell and the paines of Loue . THough they that wanted graee and whilome liued héere , Sustaine such pangues and paines in Hell as doth by Bookes appéere , Though restlesse be the rage of that infernall route , That voide of feare and Pitties plaint doe fling the fire aboute , And tosse the blasing Brands that neuer shall consume , And breath on sielie Soules that fit and suffer furious fume : Though Tantall , Pelops Sonne , abide the Dropsie dry , And sterue with hunger where he hath both Foode and Water by : Though Tytius doe indure his Liuer to be rent Of Vultures tyring on the same vnto his spoile ybent : And Sysiphe though with paine and neuer stinting drift Doe role the stone from Mountaines top and it to Mountaine lift : Though Belydes doe broile and suffer endlesse paine , In drawing water from the déepe that falleth downe againe : Though Agamemnons Sonne such retchlesse rage indure , By meane of furies that with flame his griefull smart procure : Though Mynos hath assignde Prometheus to the rack , With hand and foote ystretch awide till all his lims doe crack ; To leade a lothsome life and die a liuing death , Amid his paines to waste his winde and yet to want no breath : Though other stand in Stix with Sulpher that doth flame , And other plunge in Phlegiton so gastly for the name : Though Cerberus , the Kaie of Plutos Denne that beares , With hungrie throte and gréedie gripe the newcome Straunger teares : Though these condemned Ghostes such dreadfull paine indures , Yet may they not compare at all with pangues that Loue procures . His tiring farre excéedes the gnawing of the Gripes , And with his Whip such lashes giues that passe Megeras stripes . He lets the Liuer lie , tormenting aie the Hart : He strikes and wounds his bounden thrall with dubble hedded Dart. His fire excéedes the flame of déepe Auernus Lakes : And where he once pretendes a plague a spitefull spoile he makes . His foes doe wake by day they dread to sléepe the night : They ban the Sunne , they curse the Moone , and all that else giues light . They passe their lothsome liues with not contented minde : Their dolefull daies drawe slow to date as Cupid hath assignde . To Tantall like , but yet their case is worse than his : They haue that they imbrace , but straight are quite bereft of blis . They waste their winde in sighes they bleare their eies with brine : They breake their bulcks with bowncing griefe , their harts with lingring pine . Though Orpheus were aliue with Musick that appeasde The vglie God of Lymbo Lake , and soules so sore diseasde , By Arte he mought not ease the Louers feruent fits , Ne purchace him his harts desire so troubled are his wits . No place of quiet rest , no roome deuoide of ruth : No swaging of his endlesse paine whose death doth trie his truth . His Chamber serues for nought but witnesse of his plaint , His Bed and Bolster to bewaile their Lorde with Loue attaint . The man for murther caught and clodgde with yron colde To sweare that he more happie is than Louers may be bolde . For he in little space his dreadfull day shall sée , But Cupids thralls in daylie griefes tormented daylie bée . A thousand deaths they bide whilst they in life remaine , And onely plaints and stormie thoughts they are the Louers gaine .
An Epitaph of the death of Maister Tufton of Kent . HEre may wée see the force of spitefull death And what a swaye it beares in worldly things , It neyther spares the one nor others breath , He slayes the Keasers and the crowned Kings . Nothing preuailes against his hatefull hande He heares no suters when they pleade for lyfe , The richmans purse cannot Deaths powre withstand , Nor Souldiars sworde compare with fatall Knyfe . He recketh not of well renowmed fame He forceth not a whit of golden Fée , His greatest ioy is to obscure the name Of such as séeke immortall aie to bee . For if that wealth , bloud , lynage , or desart Loue , pittie , zeale , or friendship mought preuaild , If life well led , if true vnfayned hart Mought purchase lyfe : then Death had not assaild . This Tuftons lyfe with curst and cruell blade Breaking the course of him that ran so right A race as he no stop at all had made Had Death not tript this Tufton for despight . The poore haue lost the ritch haue nothing gaind , The good haue cause to mourne , the yll to plaine : For Tufton was to all a Friend vnfaind . Let Kent cry out that Death hath Tufton slaine , Yet this there is whereof they may reioyce That his good lyfe hath woon the peoples voyce .
Againe . LEt neuer man presume on worldly wealth , Let riches neuer bréede a loftie minde , Let no man boast to much of perfite health Let Natures gifts make no man ouer blinde For these are all but Bladders full of winde . Let friendship not enforce a retchlesse thought , Let no desart or life well led before , Let no renowne or glorie greatly sought Make man forget his present state the more : For death is he that kéepes and rids the store . If eyther health , or goods had béene of powre , If Natures giftes , or friendship and good will , If lyfe forepast , if glories Golden Bowre Mought haue preuaild , or stopt the dolefull Knill Of Tufton , then had Tufton liued still . But now you sée that Death hath quight vndoon His last of lyfe , and put him to the foile , Yet liues the vertue that aliue he woon , The times alone are shrowded in the soile : Thus Death is ende of all this worldlesse toile .
In praise of Ladie P. P. Séemes of Venus stock to bée for beauties comely grace , A Grysell for hir grauitie , a Helen for hir face : A second Pallas for hir Wit , a Goddesse rare in sight : A Dian for hir daintinesse , shée is so chaste a Wight . Doe vew hir Corse with curious eie , eche lim from top to toe , And you shall say I tell but truth that doe extoll hir so . The Head as chiefe that stands aloft and ouer looketh all , With wisedome is so fully fraught as Pallas there did ●all . Two Eares th●●…●ust no trifling tales nor credit b 〈…〉 rute : Yet such againe as readie are to heare the humbles sute . Hir Eies are such as will not gaze on things not worthy sight , And where she ought to cast a looke she will not winke in spight . The golden graines that gréedie guestes from forraine Countries bring , Ne shining Phoebus glittring beames that on his Godhead spring : No auncient Amber had in price of Roman Matrons olde , May be comparde with splendant hatres that passe the Venys Golde . Hir Nose adorns hir countnance so in middle iustly plaste , As it at no time will permit hir beautie be defaste . Hir Mouth so small hir Téeth so white as any Whale his bone , Hir lips without so liuely red that passe the Corall stone . What neede I to describe hir Chéekes ? hir Chin ? or else hir Pap ? For they are all as though the ●ose lodge in the Lillies lap What should I stand vpon the rest or other parts depaint : As little Hand with Fingers long ? my wits are all to faint . Yet this I say in hir behalfe if Helen were hir léeke , Sir Paris néede not to disdaine hir through the Seas to séeke : Nor Menelaus was vnwise or Troupe of Troians mad , When he with them , and they with him , for hir such combat had . Leanders labour was not lost that swam the surging Seas , If Hero were of such a hue whome so he sought to please . And if Admetus Darling déere were of so fresh a face , Though Phoebus kept Admetus flock it may not him disgrace . Nor mightie Mauors waye the floutes and laughing of the rest , If such a one were shée with whome he lay in Vulcans Nest . If Bryseis beautie were so braue , Achylles néedes no blame Who left the Campe and fled the field for loosing such a Dame . If shée in Ida had bene séene with Pallas and the rest , I doubt where Paris would haue chose Dame Venus for the best , Or if Pygmalion had but tane a glimse of such a face , He would not then his Idoll dumme so feruently imbrace . But what shall néede so many wordes in things that are so plaine ? I say but that I doubt where Kinde can make the like againe .
The Louer in vtter dispaire of his Ladies returne , in eche respect compares his estate with Troylus . MY case with Troylus may compare , For as he felt both sorrow and care : Euen so doe I most Miser Wight , That am a Troylus outright . As ere he could atchieue his wish , He fed of many a dolefull dish , And day and night vnto the Skies The sielie Troian kest his eies , Requesting ruth at Cresids hande In whome his life and death did stande : So night and day I spent in wo , Ere she hir pittie would bestow To quight me from the painefull plight That made me be a Martir right . As when at last he fauour sounde , And was recured of his wounde , His grutching griefes to comfort grue , And torments from the Troian flue : So when my Ladie did remooue Hir rigour , and began to looue Hir Vassell in such friendly sort , As might appeere by outward port : Then who began to ioy but I That stoode my Mistresse hart so nie ? Then ( as the Troian did ) I soong , And out my Ladies vertues roong So lowde , as all the world could tell What was the meaning of the Bell. And as that pleasaunt taste of ioy That he endured had in Troy , From swéete to sower did conuart , When Cresida did thence depart : So my forepassed pleasures arre By spitefull Fortune put a farre By hir departure from this place , Where I was woont to view hir face . So Angelike that shone in sight Surpassing Phoebes golden light . As when that Diomed the Gréeke Had giuen the Troian Foe the gléeke . And rest him Cresids comely hue Which often made his hart to rue , The wofull Troylus did lament , And dolefull dayes in mourning spent : So I bereft my loouing Make , To sighes and sobbings mée betake , Repining that my fortune is Of my desired Friend to misse , And that a guilefull Greeke should bée Estéemde of hir in such degrée . But though my fortune frame awrie , And I dispoylde hir companie Must waste the day and night in wo , For that the Gods appointed so : I naythelesse will wish hir well And better than to Cresid fell . I pray she may haue better hap Than beg hir bread with Dish and Clap , As shée the sielie Miser did When Troylus by the Spittle rid . God shield hir from the Lazars lore And lothsome Leapers stincking sore , And for the loue I earst hir bare I wish hir as my selfe to fare : My selfe that am a Troian true As shée full well by triall knue . And as King Priams worthie Sonne All other Ladies séemde to shonne For loue of Cresid : so doe I All Venus Dearlings quight defie , In minde to loue them all alee●e , That leaue a Troian for a Greeke .
The Louer declareth what he would haue if he might obtaine his wish . IF Gods would daine to lende a listning eare to mee And yéelde me my demaunde at full , what think you it to bee ? Not to excell in seate or wield the Regall Mace , Or Scepter in such stately sort as might commende the place . For as their Hawle is hie , so is their ruine rough , As those that earst hath felt the fall declare it well ynough . Ne would I wish by warre and bloudie blade in fist , To gore the grounde with giltlesse bloud of such as would resist . For Tirants though a while doe leade their liues in ioy , Yet Tirants trie in trackt of time how bloudshed doth annoy . I would none office craue , ne Consulship request : For that such rule is full of rage , and fraught with all vnrest . Ne would I wish for welth in great excesse to flow , Which keepes the Keyes of discords Denne as all the world doth know . But my desire should farre such base requests excell , That I might hir enioy at will whome I doe loue so well . O mightie God of Gods I were assured than In happie hap him to surpasse that were the happiest man . Then might I martch in mirth with well contented minde , And ioy to thinke that I in loue such blissefull hap did finde . What friendly wordes would we togither then recite ? More than my tongue is able tell or this poore Pen to write . Then should my hart reioyce and thereby comfort take , As they haue felt that earst haue had the vse of such a Make. If Fortune then would frowne , or sought me to disgrace : The touching of hir cherrie lip such sorrowes would displace . Or if such griefe did growe as might procure my smart , Hir long and limber armes to mée might soone reduce my hart . For as by foming flouds the fleating Fishes liues : To Salamanders as the ●●me their onely comfort giues : So doth thy beautie ( P ) my sorrowes quite expell : And makes me fare where I should faint vnlesse thou loo●●ste mée well . And as by Waters want , Fish falleth to decay , And Salamander can not liue when flame is tane away : So absence from hir sight whole Seas of sorrowes makes , Which presence of that Paragon by secret vertue slakes . Would Death would spare to spoyle and crooked age to rase ( As they are woont by course of kinde ) Pees beautie in this case . Yet though their rigor rage , and powre by proofe be plaine : If P. should die to morrow next , yet P. should liue againe . For Phaenix by his kinde to Phaenix will returne , When he by force of Phaebus flame in scalding Skies doe burne . Then P. must néedes reuiue that is a Phaenix plaine : And P. by lack of liuely breath shall be a P. againe .
Of a Gentlewoman that wilde hir Louer to weare greene Bayes in token of hir stedfast loue towards him . B : Tolde me that the Bay would aye be gréene , And neuer chaunge his hue for winters thret : Wherefore ( quoth shee ) that plainely may be séene What loue thy Ladie beares , the Lawrell get . A braunch aloft vpon the Helmet weare , Presuming that vntill the Lawrell die And loze his natiue colour , I will beare A faithfull hart , and neuer swerue awrie . I ( siely soule ) did smile with ioyfull brow Hoping that Daphnis would retainde hir hue And not haue chaungde : & lykewise that the vow My Ladie made would make my Ladie true . O Gods , beholde the chaunce , I wore the Trée , And honord it as stay of stedfast Loue : But sodainely the Lawrell might I sée To looke as browne as doth the brownest Doue . I marueld much at this vnwoonted sight : Within a day or two came newes to mée That shée had chaungde , & swarude hir friendship quight Wherefore affie in neither trull nor tree . For I perceiue that colours lightly chaunge , And Ladies loue on sodaine waxeth straunge .
An Epitaph of Maister Edwards sometime Maister of the Children of the Chappell , and Gentleman of Lyncolns Inne of Court . YE Learned Muses nine and sacred Sisters all , Now lay your chéerefull Cithrons downe and to lamenting fall . Rent off those Garlands gréene , doe Lawrell Leaues away , Remooue the Myrtell from your browes and stint on strings to play . For he that led the daunce the chiefest of your traine , ( I meane the man that Edwards height ) by cruell death is slaine . Yée Courtyers chaunge your chéere , lament in wailefull wise , For now your Orpheus hath resignde , in clay his Carcas lyes . O ruth , he is bereft that whilst he liued héere For Poets Pen and passing Wit could haue no English Péere . His vaine in Verse was such , so stately eke his stile His feate in forging sugred Songs with cleane and curious file , As all the learned Greekes and Romaines would repine If they did liue againe , to vewe his Verse with scornefull eine . From Plautus he the Palme and learned Terence wan , His writings well declarde the Wit that lurcked in the man . O Death thou stoodste in dread that Edwards by his Art And Wisedome would haue scapte thy shaft and fled thy furious Dart. This feare enforste thy fist thy cursed Bow to bende , And let the fatall Arrow flie that Edwards life did ende . But spite of all thy spite when all thy hate is tride , ( Thou cursed Death ) his earned praise in Mouth of Man shall bide . Wherefore ( O Fame ) I say to trumpe thy lips applie , And blow a blast that Edwards brute may pierce the golden Skie . For here bylow in earth his name is so well knowne : As eche that knew his life , laments that hée so soone is gone .
An Epitaph on the death of Maister Arthur Brooke drownde in passing to New Hauen . AT point to ende and finishe this my Booke , Came good report to mée , and wild me write A dolefull Verse , in praise of Authur Brooke That age to come lament his fortune might . Agréede ( quoth I ) for sure his Vertues were As many as his yeares in number few : The Muses him in learned laps did beare , And Pallas Dug this daintie Bab did chew . Apollo lent him Lute for solace sake To sound his Verse by touch of stately string , And of the neuer fading Baye did make A Lawrell Crowne , about his browes to cling , In proufe that he for Myter did excell As may be iudge by Iulyet and hir Mate : For there he shewde his cunning passing well When he the Tale to English did translate . But what ? as he to forraine Realme was bownd With others moe his soueraigne Quéene to serue , Amid the Seas vnluckie youth was drownd , More spéedie death than such one did deserue . Aye mée , that time ( thou crooked Delphin ) where Wast thou , Aryons help and onely stay , That safely him from Sea to shore didst beare ? when Brooke was drownd why wast thou then away ? If sound of Harp thine eare delighted so And causer was that he best●id thy back , Then doubtlesse thou moughst wel on Brooke bestow As good a turne to saue him from the wrack . For sure his hande Aryons Harp exceld , His pleasant Pen did passe the others skill , Who so his Booke with iudging eie beheld Gaue thanks to him , and praisde his learned quill . Thou cruel Goulf what meanst thou to deuowre With supping Seas a Iewell of such fame ? Why didst thou so with water marre the Flowre That Pallas thought so curiously to frame ? Vnhappie was the Hauen which he sought , Cruell the Seas whereon his Ship did glide , The winds to rough that Brooke to ruin brought , Vnskilfull he that vndertooke to glide . But sithens teares can not reuoke the ded , Nor cries recall a drowned man to lande : Let this suffice textall the life he led And print his prayse in house of Fame to stande That they that after vs shall bée and liue Deserued praise to Arthur Brooke may giue . ( ꝙ ) G. T.
Of the renowmed Lady , Lady Anne Countesse Warwick . AN Earle was your Sire a worthie Wight , A Cowntesse gaue you Tet , a Noble Dame , An Earle is your Féere , a Mars outright , A Cowntesse eke your selfe of bruted fame ▪ A Brother Lorde , your Father Earles Sonne , Thus doth your line in Lordes and Earles ronne . You were well knowne of Russels race a childe , Of Bedfords blood that now doth liue an Earle , Now Warwicks wife , a warlike man in fielde , A Venus Péere , a ritch and Orient Pearle , Wherefore to you that Sister , Childe , and Wife To Lorde and Earles are , I wish long life . You Alpha were when I this Booke begoonne And formost , as became your state , did stande , To be Omega now you will not shoonne , ( O Noble Dame ) I trust : but take with hande This ragged rime , and with a courteous looke And Cowntesse eie pervse this tryfling Booke .
The Authours Epiloge to his Booke THe countnance of this Noble Cowntesse marck When she thy Verse with eie that Saphire like Doth shine suruayes , let be thy onely carck To note hir Lookes : and if she ought mislike Say that thou shouldst haue hid it from hir sight , Thy Authour made the best for hir delight , The woorst he willde in couert scrole to lurke Vntill the Beare were ouerlickt afresh , For why in déepe this hastie hatched wurke Resembleth much the shapelesse lumpe of flesh That Beares bring forth : So when I lick thée ouer Thou shalt ( I trust ) thy perfite shape recouer . FINIS .

Imprinted at London by Henry Denham , dwelling in Paternoster Rowe , at the signe of the Starre .

OS HOMINI SVBLIME DEDIT .

Anno Domini 1567.

Cum Priuilegio .

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