Loves court of conscience written upon two severall occasions, with new lessons for lovers. Wherunto is annexed a kinde husband's advice to his wife. By Humfrey Crowch.

Loves Court of Conscience , Wherin doth sit Reason , Discretion , Grace , Truth , and Wit.

The Cryer of the Court. LOvers stand by , and give your Iudges place , Reason , Discretion , Wisdome , Truth and Grace , Which here is come your causes for ●…o try , Where ●…ustice sits imbracing equity .

Intelligence . MY Lords ; here is a Lover newly slai●… , Whose corp●… within this coffin doth remain . I come to give you notice that thi●… Elfe , Vnjustly wrong'd , unjustly hang'd himselfe , A wretched woman was the cause of all , His sad laments , and his untimely fall . Grace speaks . I Can not see though she have hi●… abused How he can from the murder be excused . Reason speaks . T Is true my Lord , had he been 〈…〉 by mee From this same bloudy fact he had been free Truth speaks . ANd had the woman t●…in me for her guide , The man had liv'd , and sh●… had bin his brid Wisdome speaks . ANd had they both my precepts wel observ From Reason , Grace and Truth , they had 〈…〉〈…〉 Discretion speaks . ANd had they not ●…efus'd me to imb●…ace , Grace , Reason , Wisdom , Truth had taken pla●… How divine Wisdom will of them dispose , We cannot say no man thi●…●…ecret knows , in●… But cause that Lovers should not be so doting , I le read some lessons to them worth the noting .

The first Lesson . SVch whose hands with heart agree , In true loves sweet sympathy , Such whose loves and true affection , Doth to others give direction , How to love and love indeed If in love they mean to speed . Such that can no rivall brook , Or suspicious of a look , Or be angry for a kisse , Or can wink at all a s●…le ; Such whose jealous friends can never From their hearts true love di●…ever , Such who when they play and toy Do not work themselves annoy . Love fixt on each others hearts , Not upon the outward parts : Lest that when those parts decay , Love with glory passe away . Such that do not love to range , Such that cannot brook a change , Such that with a roving eye , Give no cause of jealousi●… , Such who when their friends would part them , Neither friends nor so●…s can start them . Such who like the Camma●…ill , Thrive and flourish all the while , And the more they are oppr●…st , They the more in love are blest Such as hate so foule a fact As to break a true contract , Or a true contract to make False when once they do forsake , Love and friend , and honestie , In the twinkling of an eye : Such as when contract they are , Think a minute a whole year●… , Till they do enjoy their ma●… , Such shall live in happy states , Such as nought but death can sever , Happy be their fortunes ever : This is love and worth commending , Ever living never ending . These to marry need not ●…eare Cause they honest minds do beare , Whilst the rest that break their faith , Live in fear of Heavens wrath .

The second Lesson . THe Turtle Dove when she bath lost her mate , Being expos'd to good or evill fate , Refuses comfort and her mate being lost , Matches no more her first love being crost , Contrariwise made of another nature , Do lose themselves contrary to this creature . For when their Lovers constant do expect them , Others do sue for love that do affect them , And steals away their hearts , wins them and weds them , Vnknowne to their first Lovers , bords and beds them , This is a hell , a torture to the minde , Of him that such discourtesie doth finde , Offerd by her whose credit lyes a bleeding , No good can come wher is such bad proceeding . And such a Comedy most commonly , Ends for the most part with a Tragedie , Wofull experience manifestly proves , The wofull ends of such false-hearted loves , This should teach men to have a speciall care , Whom they affect , to whom they love do bear , Since women are so fickle minded grown , That when men think them sure they finde them flown . Iust li●… 〈…〉〈…〉〈…〉〈…〉 A 〈…〉〈…〉 the 〈…〉〈…〉 hardly 〈…〉 , Goes home with mi●…h with melody & laughter , And thinks to come again a fortnight after , Then findes them gone , just so it is with men , That sets their mindes on women now and then , But should they set a thousand watchfull eyes , Over these winged birds these Butter-flies , T were all in vain if they intend to flie , They 'l have their wils in spite of thee and I , As soon hedge in the Cuckow as constrain A woman to be true so wilsull vain , But yet I pitty them in such a case , That love such women so much void of grace , Because I know the greater ●● the love , If truly plac'd , the harder to remove .

The third Lesson . COncerning contract twixt a couple now Without their friends consent I not alow , But if the thing be done I cannot see , Why friends should part friends that so well agree To hurt the tender conscience of a maid , Who ere thou art that shalt her so perswade , To break her f●…ith sh●… plighted to her love , Shal●… 〈…〉〈…〉 God above Th●… 〈…〉 secrets of the heart Will be reveng'd of thee , though they two part , Nor is shee free from Heavens punishment Though it be do●… with●…ut her friends consent , For though rash vowes in heat of loves affection , Are better broke th 〈…〉 kept by wits direction , Yet how ●●● this the conscience satisfie , Corrupted with the sin of perjury , As for example I do vow a thing , I vow performance this to passe to bring , Which is I break , and say 't was rashly done , Will this excuse me from presumption ? Besides their words are very dirt and trash , That would affirme that Lovers vowes are rash , That love is surely too too hot to last , That at the first sight is so firm●…ly plac'd , To move a contract in two Lovers so , To kn〈…〉 the knot and after it undo . Children 〈…〉 inconsiderate fooles do use , To do and undo and themselves abuse , But Lover , should be wiser and so wise , Not to do any thing without advise .

The fourth Lesson . THe conscience being stretched , God offended , The maid suborned and the man suspended . Closely she marries , and he ●…all not know The time when he receives his mortall blow , She that ne're thought to do him so much harme , Now keeps anothers bed and bosome warme , And all upon perswasion of some friend : Whose connsell proves as poyson in the end , The guilty conscience never taking rest , But night and day the offender doth molest , Strange apparitions sometimes doth appeare , Vnto the party filling her with feare , With strange Aspect● she is perplext a nights , In dreames and visions which she termeth sprites . Sometimes shee thinks shee sees him whom she wrongs , Comming to her with ●…ry burning tonge , To pull that t●ngue out that did falsifie , A spotlesse faith with foulest purgery . Sometimes she thinks men in white sheets she sees Covered with white from head below the knees . And then she thinks although the sight be sained , How white her conscience w●…s before 't was stained ? And though between her husbands arms she rest , The thought of her first love doth her molest , Her conscience stings , her troubled heart doth smite her , And dreadful dreams doth night by night affright her .

The fifth Lesson . THe news being brought to the forsaken Lover , As time will at the length all things discover , His love so truly plac'd must be removed , From her which heretofore so well he loved , That which he did must be again undone , The hardest taske that s underneath the Sun , A man assoone a mountain may displace , As remove that his inward thoughts imbrace , Or say that he will straight way take in hand , To separate the Ocean from the sand , For nature will be nature , sense be sense And weaknesse unto both hath reference , Poor man take Reason she must be thy Bride And in this matter let her be thy guide : But O why do I talk of reason so , Lovers have no such Bride : nor none such know For if they ruled were by her directions , Then might they learn to rule their own affections , I wish distressed Lovers such a blisse , To understand and know what reason is , But all in vain , love in another kinde , By violence thrusts reason from the minde . O grief to think you heavenly powers 〈…〉 Shew us the way but how to rule this love Or if it be a thing must govern us , Why are we brought to inconvenience thus ? Pittie him O his friends in such a fit , In whose behalf these lines of grief 〈…〉 writ , And let his sufferings in a cause so right , Be thought upon when he is out of sight , Who being crost , himselfe engaged hath , To crosse the Seas from her that broke her faith , That being gone he might not see the shame , That s drawing on upon so false a Dame . Three yeares a faithfull friend to her he was , Three yeers contract before this came to passe , And now a three yeere Voyage is he going , And all because he will not see her ruine . Maidens be faithfull , yongmen , he that can , Bridle affection , he 's the wisest man .

The Sonet of Dido and Eneas . After the Vertues they had playd their parts , Errour came in to alter Lovers hearts . DIdo was a Carthage Queen , That lov'd a Trojan Knight , Which wandring many a Coast had seen , And many a dreadfull fight , As they a bunting rode , a showre Drove them in a lucklesse houre , Into a darksome 〈…〉 . Where Æneas with his charms , Lockt Queen Dido in his arms , And had what he did crave . Dido Hymens rites forgot , Her Love was wing'd with haste , Her honour shee consider'd not , But in her brest him plac't : And when her love was new begun , Love sent down his winged sonne To fright Æneas sleeping , Who bad him by break of day From Queen Dido stoale away Which made her fall a weeping . Dido wept , but what of this ? The gods would have it so , Æneas nothing did amisse , For he was forc't to go . 〈…〉 to keep , With false loues , but let them weep , T is folly to be true , Let this lesson serve your turn , And let twenty Didoes mourn , So you get daily new . He or she that fancies wrong , May be ruled by this Song .

A kinde husbands advice to his Wife . MY love , my bosom friend , to whom I owe My best respects if you but this did know , That your curst and unadvised words Doth pierce my heart , like daggers , knives , and darts , The reason is , because I well respect you , It would not be so , did not I affect you . My Lord my God provides all needfull things , As well for me as for the greatest Kings , And under God I carefully provide Meat for my children , and my wife beside . If you or they for whom I pains do take , Deny obedience , cause my estate is weak , It is signe , small love to me you beare , As by your disobedience may appeare : For if you will not love me for my self . You shall not love me , for I have no wealth . If you on wealth so much did cast your eye , Why did you marry one so poor as I ? I had small wealth when first with thee I married , Nor do I wish that I unwed had tarried . Since I am richer then I was before , And who can justly say that I am poo●… ? Since God some children unto me hat●… given , That may for ought I know , be Saints in heaven These are my riches and my chief co●…tent , Glory to God that mee such riches s●…nt . Many a rich man that goe●… fine and b●…ave , Would give a thousand po●…nd one child to hav●… Gold cannot get a child , O if it could , Then rich men would have children made of gol●… If gold be counted riches , then have I Many good things that gold can never buy . Then I am richer far then some that have Gold in their purses , land●… and livings bra●…e . Yet I enjoy these blessings but in va●… , Because I love , and am not lov'd again . O would I did not love thee half ●…o well , I 'de nere regard that firebrand of hell , I mean your tongue that ●…oth afflict my heart , For if a stranger should but act thy part , I would not care , I am of this belief , Where is great love , the greater is the grief , If that it be repulst by evill speeches , By a curst dame that striven to weare the breeches Consider what I ●…ay , and be advis'd , Silence in women kinde is highly pris'd . How canst thou say thou lov'st me with thy har●… Thy tongue doth shew thou lov'st me but in pa●… It will be so , unlesse you rule your tongue , That member that hath done me so much wrong . Those women love their husbands well indeed , That to their humours are so well ag●…eed . That though their hu●…ands ne'r so crosse appear , They silent are , because they love them dear●… . I do not wish I such a wise embra●… . But wish that such a tongue in thee were plac'●… , For such as they may have worse faults then th●… And such as they are sure no wives for me . Onely I wish thee silent as they are , And then none of them shall with thee compare , So well I do est●…em of thee sw●…t h●…art , That nothing but thy tongue shall us two part : Nor can I say that I in haste did chuse One that good counsell s●…orn'd , and did refuse : For I did never finde thee obstina●… , That I should think my words are out of date , Or that I speak now out of time or place , Vnto a woman wanting wit and grace : For wit I know thou hast , and that is this , To know what should be done , & what 's amisse . And if this wit with grace together j●…yn , Thou art more dearer , ●…nd mor●… neerer mine . For though for wi●… we bot●… may go to schoole , Yet I do know thou art not such a foole , But that this thing thou well do●… understand , That thou dost know th●…rt under my command , Vnlesse you 'l say , the Priest in vain did say , That you must cherish honour , and obey ; Which if you do deny , you do herein Against your conscience , & your knowledge si●… Should you do so , I think it not unfit , To say that you have neither grace nor wit : Which God sorbid , for you have read I know , That after God on man did life bestow , He made the woman out of Adams side , Not his commander , but his loving Bride . It is not good that man should live alone , This the Almighty said , this think upon . So now you cannot chuse but understand , Woman was made to comfort , not command . They are sweet comforts both at bord and bed ; Alwayes provided they are not misled By evill company , or by the tongue To do their husbands & their neighbour●… wrong But if their tongues like , thunder trouble men , They may be said to be Commanders then . Sara obeyed Abraham , and did call Him Lord and Master , mark this women all . O ●…mes how are you changed ! we poor men Can hardly finde one Sara among ten . A shrew that hath a sair and comely face , Proves no decay in nature , but in grace . If nature do decay in any part , I wish it in the tongue , not in the hea●… . O let the tongue decay of my fair Bride , That the more love may in the heart abide . Dear heart regard me , and the cause remove , That hinders the conjunction of our love . O let it not be said , that thou hast bin One that did move thy husband for to sin , One that did move me to impatiency . And adde affliction unto misery . If you do know wherin I do offend , Tell me my fault , and I will quickly mend . And why shouldst thou not deale as well by mee , Since all good women labour to be free From all occasions that may make them ill , Nor do they ever st●…ive to have their will , Because they know the husband is the head , Which all confesse , but such as are ill bred . And such who must to sha●…e and ruine run , As to my knowledge some of them have don●… . O if in thee remain true woman-hood ! Then take advise by this my counsell good : And do not think that thou the power canst have , To make thy bosome friend to be thy slave . For though I scorn o're thee to tyrannize , Because I ●…ear the Lord that rules the skies , Yet I will ever bear my fathers minde , I scorn as much to stoop to women kinde ; For if I should , then all men would me hate , Because from manhood I degenerate . And surely I should have the love of no man , If I were such a slave unto a woman : Which to prevent , and to avoid ill speeches , I 'le look that thou shalt never wear the breeche Gall wa●… cast out from 〈…〉 sacrific●… , To shew no strife 'twixt man and wi●… should 〈…〉 All bitter anger must be banished From married folk , and from the marriage bed Cast out this gall , swe●…en what 's bitter made , Call reason in , that long from thee hath stray'd Examine well thy self , and thou shalt finde How thou hast wronged me by b●…ing unkind It is reported that there is a stone Which if so be it in the fire be thrown , That hea●… it doth receive , it will retain , And never after will be cold again . I am that stone , and thou the fire art , Such heat at first to me thou didst impart , That my affection never will be cold , Though we should live ●…ill both of us were old Nay , though old time should crop thy beauty 〈…〉 And in thy cheek●… deep wrinkles should appea●… Yea , though I say thy beauty fair should fail , Thy red rose cheeks by want of bloud look 〈…〉 Yea though I could not give , nor thou receive , Those comforts which we being yong may ha●… Yet I would love thee then , as I do now . And thou mayst live to ●…ince my saying true . There is an hearb as Aristotle saith , That cures and kils , such properties it hath : Even so it lyeth in a womans will , By kinde or unkinde words , to cure or kill . Look on the female creatures , beasts or fowle , Which of them do their mates crosse or controule ? O cast thine eye upon the turtle Dove , Why should that bird out-strip thee in thy love ? Is woman worse then is the sencelesse creature , That 's onely guided by the light of nature ? Woman out-strips them all for excellence , And should out-strip them for obedience . It is I say the glory of your sexe , To love and to obey , and not to vexe Your husbands by ill language , 't is unfit , And those that do so , want both grace and wit . Rule but thy tongue , my love shall never sover , For where I lov'd at first , I love for ever .

GOd is the God of orde●… , and each creature Is ruled by him in its proper nature : The Sun , the Mo●…n , the Sea keepeth their bouds , The tide observe●… in order on the Downs : Onely untutord men and women , they More then all other creatures run astray●… Can I obedience to my Maker shew , That no good will unto my neighbour owe , Can God obedience then from you expect , If you your husbands counsell do reject , If we like children do not know our places , But ignorant of divine and humane graces ? Women grow mankind , men effeminate , And the world turned upside down by fate : Let Hercules then keep at home and spin , And send his wife to wars where he hath bin . If women finde themselves that they be able , Men shall feed Chickens underneath the table : Alwayes provided if they go to warre , They shall not lose what men so labour for , Or basely yeeld that castle of defence , Where Chastity hath her chiefe residence . Admits no entrance unto any man , But the right owner , such a woman can Behave her selfe most bravely in the wars , Without receiving any privy , 〈…〉 Obnoxious to her reputati●…n . To bring her husbands forehead out of fashion : O such a woman's worth her weight in gold , If it were so that she were to be sold. But I had rather thou should'st stay at home , Then with such Amazons abroad to rome , And wisely learn , if thou to fight be prone , To fight against thine owne corruption . O happy conquest , if thou conquer those , Thy strong temptations , home-bred in-bred foes , More lasting glory thou shalt gain hereby , Then bravest Champions by their chivalry .

The end .