The courte of Venus

THE Courte of Venus . Newly and diligently corrected with many proper Ballades newly amended , and also added thervnto which haue not before bene imprinted .

The Prologue . IN the moneth of may when the new tender grene Hath smothly couered the ground that was bare Poudred with flours , so wel be sene I would haue brought my hart out of care And as I walked in the wood so fayre Thycke of grasse among the floures swete And many a hoisome herbe fayre vnder the fete . I heard one hunt , me thought it did blow In a great horne of styfe sowne At the roote of the heart , as farre as I could know Toward the cry I had me fast bowne And at the last , for weary I sat me downe Thynking ▪ a whyle to take my restyng The houndes were gone out of my hearing . And for that I know my selfe to be alone And sodeinly my grefe , I beganne to complayne Me thought I had good place , my selfe to mone And ease my hart of myne owne payne Besechyng Venus to lose me out of chayne I was so fast and sure stong through the hart Wyth the fyry chayne , that I could not start . And as I was making my complaint Of my true seruyce to my lady deare And how nothing I was repentaunt Saue to her presence , I was not taken nere Genius came and asked me what cheare Who is with Venus put in such trust That lyke to ●ye for loue , confesse them he must . Venus knew I had a woful hart And wher we thus content she knoweth her relefe To me therfore she send her owne clarke To slacke my sorowes , and helpe me of my gryefe That was so far in daunger and myschiefe For whether I would , she knew I durst not speake Whych caused my hart in sonder to breake . I layd my head betwixt my life and death Vpon his kne , and what he said I heard And by that time I scarsly drew my breath But hard his tale or I answered It hath bene pity , him to haue disturbed O ●entimes he bad , that I should leaue my wo and sayd of my dysease ther were fyue hundreth mo . He bad therfore that I wyth pen and ynke ●●y wyth wryting should make my complaynt Ther shal be a redresse , soner then ye thinke And b●d no more that my heart should raynt And of our bylles , he sayd he would none want Of them he thought to haue good comfort And would present him selfe in Venus court . For she entendeth , and that is in al hast To surmount the parlyament as fast as can be done And Iupiter himselfe within this day past Hath commaunded Marcury for to be gone Vpon his message , some cal him Stylbone With his commission also for to compel Mynos to come , the iudge o● dreful hel . To the mount of Cethro , wher Venus doth dwel The preparement made is so farre exceding That of such triumphe no storyes doth tel That is aboue al other so farre transcending And for the whyle , she had me by copying ▪ Of these complayn●● which doth folow And after that I should know the matter thorow The whole fashion of euery thing He would me send therfore we must be gone O● matters determined , aswel as of the meting But I besought him , or euer I were alone That of Venus court he would interpret the fashion Some thing to make but he would not consent Tyl it were concluded by the parliament . But thus farre he sayd he durst report That loue without charitie , should be put downe Nor periured persons , should no more resort Vnto the court of Venus doth frowne When the religion hath them bowne And to Diana them selfe hath also sworne And yet through Heccates in her court be borne . Whom the Poets cal the gods of courtesy That now is in so great dyspleasure And like to be expelled for his baudry Whych hath done mischiefe out of measure I pocrysye is spyed for al his treasure That he spedeth as wel as the false foxe As that in armes , had many a bloudy boxe . And Venus intendeth Diana to compel For to supporte vnder the coulour of chastitie No more in asking ▪ but to expel Out of her retynew inconueniently For whose supporting she is had in ielousyt And thus he went and bad me farewel And at another tyme he would me moretel ▪ And therfore I must ( my reader ) intreat Desyryng you hartely to be content For though I haue not , I wyl not forget To describe the court , I wil deligent And at the end of this complaynt set it But I as nothing of myne induction Wyl once report of Genius instruction . And here foloweth , wherin you may rede To the court of Venus a greate nomber Their harts they say be as heauy as lead Their sorowful wo , I am sure you wil tender For if that I were mayden vncumber And had such myght as she hath mone Out of their payne they should be lettin gone . ¶ Thus endeth the prologue , and

hereafter foloweth the new court of Venus . MY penne take payne a lytle space to folow the thing that doth me chase and hath in hold , my hart so sore And when thou hast this brought to passe : My pen I praye the wryte no more . Remember how thou hast oft pleased And al my sorowes also eased But now vnknowen , I knew before That wher I trust I am deceyued And yet my pen thou canst do no more . A tyme thou hadst as other haue To wryt whych way my hope to craue That tyme is past , wythdraw therfore 〈…〉 lose and other saue As good leaue of , and wryt no more , And vse to worke another way Not as ye would but as ye may For els my lyfe is past restore and my desire is my decay and yet my pen now wryt no more . To loue in vaine whosoeuer shal Of worldly payne it passeth al As in like case , I find wherfore To hold so fast , and yet to fal Alas my pen now wryte no more . Seyng thou hast taken payne this space To folow that whych doth me chase and hath in hold my hart so sore And now to haue brought this to passe My pen I pray the to wryt no more . Finis .

MY lute awake performe the last Labour that thou and I shal wast , and end that I haue new begone For when this song , is gon and past My lute be stil for I haue done As to be heard wher care is none A lead to graue in a marble stone My song may perse , heart as sone Should we then syng , wepe or mone No more my lute for I haue done . The rocke doth not so truelly Repulse the waues continually As she my sute and affection . So that I am past al remedy Wherby my lute and I haue done Proud of the splen that thou hast shot Of symple hart , through loues got Vnkind although thou hast them won Thinke not he hath his owne forgot Although my lute and I haue done . Vengeaunce may fal on such dysdayne That maketh but game of earnest paine ●row not alone vnder the sonne Vngently to cause to louers plaine Although my lute and I haue done And then may chaunce the to repent The time that thou hast lost and spent To cause thy louer to sighe and sowne Then shalt thou know beauty but lent And wyshe and want as I haue done My lute be stil this is the last Labour that thou and I shal wast And end that I haue begonne Or when this song is song and past My lure be stil for I haue done . Finis ,

TO whom should I sue to ease my payne To my mysters , nay nay certayne For feare she should me then disdayne I dare not sue , I dare not sue . When ▪ I should speake to my mystres In hope for to get redres When I should speake , when I shold speake What hap had I that suffereth payne And if I myght her grace attayne Or els she would here me complayne What hap had I , what hap had I. I fly for feare to be espyed Or of euil wil to be destroyed The place wher I ▪ would faynest abyde I fly for feare , I fly for feare . Though I wer bold who should me blame Loue caused me to do the same Wyth honesty it were no shame Thouth I were bold , though I were bold . And here an end , wyth ful glad wyl In purpose for to serue her styl And for to part thinke none yl And here an end , and here an end . Finis .

DYsdaine me not without desert Nor leaue me not so sodeynly Sence wel ye wot that in my hart I meane nothing but honesty Dysdayne me not Refuse me not without cause why Nor thynke me not to be vniust Synce that by lot of fantasye The careful knot nedes knyt I must . Refuse me not ▪ Mystrust me not though some therbe That fayne would spot thy stedfastnes Beleue them not seyng that ye se The profe is not as they expresse Mystrust me not . Forsake me not til I deserue Nor hate me not til I swarue For syth you knew what I entend . Forsake me not . Dysdayne me not being your owne Refuse me not that I am so true Mystrust me not til al be knowen Forsake me neuer for no new Disdayne me not . Finis .

FOrtune what ayleth the Thus for to banyshe me Her company whom I loue best , For to complayne me Nothing auayleth me Adew farewel this nights rest . Her demure countenaunce Her womanly countenaunce Hath wounded me through Venus darte , That I cannot refrayne me Nother yet abstayne me But nedes must loue her withal my hart . Long haue I loued her Oft haue I proued her Yet alas through dysdayne Nothyng regardyng me Nor yet rewardeth me But letteth me lye in mortal payne . Yet shal Ioue her stil Wythal my hart and wyl Wher soeuer I ryde or go My hart my seruyce Afore al ladyes Is hers al onely and no mo She hath my hart and euer shal In this terrestial What can she more of me require Her whom I loue best God send her good rest And me hartely my whole desyre Finis .

I May by no meanes surmyse My fantasy to resyst But after the old gyse To cal on had I wyst And thought it to suffyce That agayne I shal haue none Yet can I not deuyse To get agayne myne owne . It is my hart that I haue lost God send it me againe I should it haue what euer it cost Or els I am but slaine I study day and night And loud I cry and cal To be deliuered quyte From her that I am thral And yet agaynst al right Of force I must stil mone For it ●oth passe my might To get agayne myne owne ▪ &c. In tormentes I am torne That no rest find I can None so vnhappye borne Sence that the world began I aske but such corne And such sede that was sowne And yet though I had sworne I cannot get my owne . But seyng that I cannot Attayne my true desyre Nor by no meane may not Crepe out of the fyre Geue ought of your owne By reason that you should not Let me to haue myne owne . Finis ,

IF fantasy would fauour As I deserue and shal My loue my lady paramour should loue me best of al And if I not attayne The grace that I desire Then may I wel complayne My seruyce and my hier Fantasy knoweth how To forbeare my true hart If fantasye might auow Wyth fayth to take part But fantasy is frayle And fletynge styl so fast that faith may not preuail To helpe me fyrst nor last Since fantasy at his luste Doth rule al by gesse wherto shoulde I put trust In truth and stedfastnes . Yet gladly would I please That fantasy of my hart That may me onely ease and helpe my careful smart . Ther●ore my lady deare Let se your fantasy . to make some appeare Ot helpe and remedy For if ye be my frend And vndertake my wo My gryefe is at an end It ye contynew so . Els fantasy doth not ryght . As I deserue and shal To her day and night To loue me best of al.

DVring of payne and greuous smart Hath brought me lowe & wonderous weake that I cannot comfort my hart why sighest thou my hart & wil not breake The sighes and plaintes are al in vaine the teares that from thyne eyes doth leake This life is death , this ioy is payne Why syghest thou hart and wil not breake Thou clymest to catche wher is no hold Thou pullest the stringes that be to weake Thy careful lyfe cannot be told Why syghest thou hart and wyl not breake The faythfuller thou dost endure Lesse she regarded to heare the speke And s●yng pytye wyl the not cure Why sighest thou hart and wil not breake . As good thou were a sunder to ryue As thus in thought thy selfe to breake Better to dy then thus to ly●e Why syghest thou hart and wil not breake . I pray the pytye shew redresse Or els come death thy selfe awrcake And if thou fynd no gentlenesse Syth no more , but hart thou breaket . Finis .

Now must I lern to faine and do as other do Seing no truth doth raine That I may trust vnto I was both true & playne To one and to no mo And vnto me againe Alas she was not so . Vnknowen againe my hart Into my foes hand and euer I could astart Out of that careful band Al the wyt I had Could scace the knot vndo This careful lyfe I had For one that was no so . The night right long & heuy The dayes of my torment The sighes continually That thorow my hart went My colour pale and wan To her dyd playnly shewe That I was her true man And yet she thought not so Out of her sight no pleasur But to my hart gret paine And teares out of measure that out of mine eies did raine Her absence was my death For to depart her fro And yet alas her fayth Was fayned and not so . Not the feuer quartayne Doth halfe a man so shake As dyd the wo and payne That dayly dyd me take No stepe could I nor rest But tossyng to and fro And wheras I loued best Alas she did not so , And seing it is my chaunce My loue in vaine to wast I am not in that daunce The first nor yet the last But wise he is by once That can his foly know To reuoke at once Seyng she wyl no so . Finis .

LOue whom you lyst and spare not Th●rwyth I am content Hate whom you lyst and spare not For I am indyfferent Do what you lyst and dread not Af●er your own● fantasye Thynke what you lyst and feare not For al is one with me . For as for me Iam not Wauering as the wind But euen as one that reketh not Whych way you turne your mind For in your loue I doubt not But as one that reketh not Whether you hate or hate not Is least charge of my thought . Wherfore I pray you forget not But that I am wel content To loue whom you list and spare not For I am indyfferent Finis .

MEruaile no more al tho The songes I sing do mone For other life then woe I neuer proued none And in my hart also Is grauen with letters depe And many thousands mo The flouds of teares to wepe . How may a man in smart Find mater to reioyce How may a woful hart Set forth a pleasaunt voyce Play who can that ●epart In me must nedes appere How fortune ouerthwart Perdye ther is no man If he neuer saw syght That parfectly tel can The nature of the light How should I than That neuer tasted but soure But do as I began Continually to loure . Such chaunce perchaunce may chaunce To cause me chaunge my tune And when such chaunce doth chaunce Then shal I thanke fortune And if such chaunce do chaunce Perchaunce or it be long For such a pleasant chaunce To sing some pleasant song . Finis .

SHal she neuer out of my mynd Nor shal I neuer out of my payne Alas her ioy doth so bind For lacke of helpe now am I slayne I neuer told her of my mynd What payne I suffer for his sake Alas what paynes myght I now find That no displeasure with me she take Yf I speake fayre she sayth I flatter And if I dare not , I shal not spede If I to her do wryte a letter Then will she say she cannot rede . Shal I dyspayre yet 〈◇〉 this Nay nay my hart wil not do so