And yet this woe doth wrong me most I mourne without a mate For if one drop of hope were séene though dride with scorne in sight I might with pyning Tantale ioyne who sterues in swéete delight Or if I could but halfe the hill roule vp the tumbling stone I had a mate of Sisyphus to match with mée in mone But oh O not my hap more harde they haue a scambling ioy But I no thought of swéete remorse my souereigne is so coy My ioy in was my woe in is and so is like to bée My fancies turne to firie sightes aliue my death to sée The court the court where pleasure liues with paine increast my care Eche blisie séemde bale eche gleame of grace did mist my ioyes with scare Eche show of sport my sorrowes moude eche pleasure made mée plaine Yet there I preast to féede on sight digesting dire disdaine Were loue not blinde this life were straunge for one to loue his foe More straunge to haunt a place of harme but most to ioy in wee But Oh who féeles his aukeward fittes and suckes the swéete in soure Shall bide a yeare of dole with ease to féele one lightning houre Such life I lykt til sogge of scorne did rise to dampe my ioyes Till secrete sighes wrought open scoffes till flontes did quite my ioye Untill the colours which I wore my secrete mourning wrayde Till dauntes of friendes till frumpes of foes my feeble hope dismayde And till her blondie hate was séene of euery béetell sight Till then I neuer shronke but sought with zeale to quenche her spight But then quoth I Dom Diego wretch bid Court not care adue Some vnkouth haunt thy fortune séemes thy harmes alone to rue Thou gau'st thy woord to die her loue let word in worke agrée Her checking chaunge her scorne for faith is no excuse for thée A Hermits life beseemes thy lucke go haunt the Pyren hills To touch the foode wée may not taste increaseth hungry wills Therwith I vow'de in desart houltes alone to rue my harme Where fretting sighes doth serue for fire my frosen flesh to warme My foode is aples hawes and héepes such fruites as féede a beast Wilde monsters are companions mine in hollow caues I rest A crabtrée staffe my surest stéede my sterued legges to ease My thoughts new wounds increaseth stil whē cares I would appease The watchfull clocke the warning bell the harmonie I heare Is dreadfull noyes of dreadlesse beastes of whom I liue in feare My studie is to way and waile that fortune thus doth lowre Wher wealth by wāt once loue by scorne my swéete by present sowre Where fethers flue about my helme a willowe wreath to weare My wéedes of worth by cote of leaues sharpe flowes for deintie fare My stately home by hard exile delight by wythred woe Doth force god wott my wasted teares through griefe a fresh to flow My lute that sometime lent mée ease hath neither frett nor stringe My sugred voice with howling hoarst forbids mée now to singe My penns are worne my incke is done my paper all is writ Yet halfe my passions and my paine vnpainted are as yet So that for onely exercise in trées and Marble stone My griefe to case I forced now do graue my wretched mone Liue longe in blisse thou loftie Béeche wherein this vow is writt No luring friend nor lowring foe Geneuras faith shall flitt To witnes now her foule vntruth Dom Diego writes belowe Her vowed faith from knowen friend is reft by sawning foe But chiefe of all thou sacred stone remaine thou sound and safe Continue thou these letters fresh which are my Epitaphe Hard by this rough and ragged stone Dom Diego wretched ▪ lyes Geneuras hate exiled him yet louing her hee dies This homely tumbe is all my helpe to bring my death to light This must record my faithfull loue and show my Ladies spight In time I trust some forrest Pan or wandring pilgrime may Peruse my woes and to my swéete this sowre message wray To saue my faithfull boone vnbroke to show my seruice iust My souereignes scorne with face of faith her treason cloakt with trus◠Me wretched Dom Diego forst before my time to die My bones vnburied by this tumbe makes proofe it is no lie And now good death with spéede diuorce my soule from lothed life My ioyes are worne my pleasures past my peace is chaung'd to strife I sée no meane of quiet rest but onely death by thée Then spare them death whom pleasure hauntes vse thy force on me ▪ Dom Diego hauing for the space of 22. monethes thus liued an exiles life onely accōpanied with sorrow wretchednes and miserie which comfortlesse cōpanions no one houre forsooke him it chaunced that Dom Roderico a speciall friend of his had occasion to trauel into Gascoine and as hée iourneyed in the desart forrest whereof this wretched louer was made frée citizen he mist of his way in the end finding out Dom Diegos homely caben of whom he demaunded the way to Barcelone hauing his aunswere as he departed hée espied in a corner of his cotage two faire saddles vppon the one of them was ingrauen this Poesse in Spanish Que brantare la fe es causamuy fea To violate faith is a thing detestable Dom Roderico reading this poesse called to remembraunce how that his frend Dom Diego in al his deuises vsed the same to be short he so handled the matter as the hermite whō hée knewe not so was hée ouergrowne with haire and worne with woe confessed himselfe to be Dom Diego his friend taking him a side hée deliuered the whole cause of his exile Dom Roderico séeing this foster louers miserable estate vowed with what possible speede hée could to worke his remedie who for more haste forsooke his iourney and returned home vnto his owne castle At his comming home making no semblaunce of his knowledg hée roade to the place where fayre Geneuora with her mother soiourned of purpose to learne what new gallant had wooed her and finting him to bée a yonge gentleman of Biskaye who shortly after by her owne consent was minded to steale her away Dom Roderico so cunningly coyned with Geneuoras Page who wholy knew his mystresse secretes that he certainly learned the night of these louers departure The same night accompanied with ix or x. Gentlemen his cōpanions and friends he laye in waite for this Biskayne louer his Lady who about x. or a xi of the clocke only accompanied with two or thrée gentlemen his companions came merely on their way Roderico so soone as he saw the instrument of Dom Diegos miserie set spurres vnto his horse with speare in Rest so rudely welcomed this Biskayne that for all his coate of plate hée pearst through both his sides The souldiers of this amorous captaine séeing their maister thus infortunately slaine and waying their vnable force to incounter with Dom Rodericos cōpany saued thēselues by flight left woofull
pardon mée and graunt you to amende The reporter The miserable end of Liros rather wrought a feare in straÌ„gers vnto the horrible cousenage then any repentance in false Frenos and other his confederats So hardeneth the deuil the heartes and blindeth the sightes of the raprobate as neither the example of other mens miseries nor pricke of their owne consciences can reclaime them from lewdenes And yet although a while they wallowe in their wickednes and seeme to holde the intising drâ—sse I meane wealth of this world at will in the pride of their prosperitie the most part of such worldlinges throughe Gods iustice are diuorced from their vaine delightes The soudaine fall of this Frenos proueth both the one and the other for notwithstanding he sawe the wretched death of Liros and knew that Liros did execute nothing but his deuise and direction yet séemed hée no wayes to be vexed in conscience for this offences being the author and only aduauntage reaper of his deceite and yet in the heate of his vnconscionable prouision he was soudainly arested with death Whom you may suppose as one amased with such soudaine visitation striuing for life to tell this disordered tale following Frenos complaint I Sée quoth hée death spares no sortes of men Our bagges of drosse may not withstand his might To moyle and toile for pelfe what bootes it then No whit God knowes if wée could sée aright But worldly cares our minds bewitched soe As thoughtes of heauen silde in our brestes do dwell The prouerbe saith the more such fathers woe Happ'is the childe whose father goes to hell But such prouerbes more common are then true Silde children kéepe that fathers lewdly gett And trust mée wealth if after want ensue With double griefe the néedie thrall doth frett To what ende then for mucke take wée such care To damne our selues and worke our childrens scare O wicked world so swéete thy torments séeme That when men tast thy drugges of vaine delight Their onely heauen thy thralles do thée estéeme With mistes of mucke thou blindest so their sight That wretched they whilst that in health they liue As Swine in myre do wallowe in their faultes An others fall nor conscience can them méeue To waile their sinnes till grislie death assaultes The thought of whom as thornes do pricke mée wretch Alas mée thinkes I sée his ghastly shape What did I meane to name him in my speach And can I not his furious force escape Oh noe my sinnes beginneth now to swarme To matche with him my selfe howe should I arme My conscience cryes confesse thy wicked life My wicked life such monstrous fraude presents As in my selfe I finde a hell of strife My gracelesse déedes the hope of grace preuents I sée I sée howe fierie fiendes do yell Before hie Ioue my wicked soule to haue My secrete sinnes condemnes mée wretch to hell They be so huge that nothing can me saue Where is the booke wherein Gods will is writ They say there in is balme that sinne can cure What ment I wretch I neuer studied it The booke is large my life will not indure So longe as I may reade and reape such grace The fault is mine I might while I had space I faint I faint my life will néedes away False Frenos now of force must yéeld to death These farewell woordes good friends yet note I pray Prepare your selues ere latter gaspe of breath So spend your liues as if you daily dyde Leste tarde you by death perhaps be tane Note well my fall in top of all my pride Before I wist hée gaue mée wretch my bane My worldly wealth for which I tooke such care I néedes must leaue in no good order sett A soudaine chaunge the chaunce yet nothing rare This is the proofe of goods that fraude doth get Loe this is all that death will let mée say But what is short may best be borne away The reporter This disordered complaint of Frenos is answerable vnto his disordered dealing but most of all vnto his sodaine death who hauing his conscience vnprepared tormented with the multitude of his sinnes stoode amazed what to say and yet howsoeuer it hange together it conteyneth matter of note which I leaue to the censure of the discrete reader And now to the rest of this report the next that death mett with in this Tragedie of couseners was Caphos a merchant whose name Frenos vsed in diuers of his craftie conueyaunces for that if néede so required hée had friendes to countenaunce monie to defend and an indifferent honest report to couler their lewde practises But notwithstanding his monie couler and countenaunce to set an honest shewe in the sight of the world of his subtile practises now that death attacheth him to make his accompt before the hiest you shall heare in what arerages he findes himselfe Caphos complaint THe Prouerbe saith as good wée eate the deuill As sup the broth wherein his body boilde As good wée do as giue consent to euill Which sorrie doome my coloured scuse hath foild My conscience throbs though I no fraude deuis'de My onely name that shadowed foule deceite In God his sight with Frenos fall is pris'de I féele my sinnes pluckes downe my soule with weight Yea Lyros and false Frenos both I knowe But leade the way that I must shortly goe Farre yet I am vnfit for such a iournie My compt falls short that I to God must giue If hée charge mée with filthie periurie It will not serue to saue mée from repreue To say how that for feare of after shame A manifest vntrueth I durst not sweare But Frenos gott a post knight of my name In stéede of mée that did both sweare and steare I must confesse I gaue thereto consent And God no doubt will punish my intent My subtile steightes to shadowe foule abuse May well lye hid and no man knowe the same But God doth knowe the fraude I put in vse For others heede deserued open shame The man that is with sicknes neuer vext Hath séeldome care what kinde of meate hée eates When such as are with surfets oft perplext Séeme daintie still to féede on diuers meates In worldly churles obserued is the like They feede on fraude till infamie them strike Marke well my woordes you worldlinges of all sortes But citizens your natures best I knowe There are of you haue méetely good reportes For riches sake and outward honest showe But how you get your monstrous heapes of gold Your conscience knowes and I can somewhat tell Your secret craft so séeldome is controld As what you gett you thinke you gett it well But how so héere your reckonings séemeth true A day will come when you shall count a newe Bée you reclaymde by others soudaine fall Sighe for your owne when others shames you sée Thinke that they are but patternes of your thrall If iustice should on you auenged bée A thousand wayes the highest séekes to winne
instruments of Rinaldos lamentable destnie in so much as neither shew of pleasure companie of acquaintance or persuasion of friendes could moue her vnto any comfort Well leaue we sorrowfull Giletta continually bemoning the death of her best beloued seruant and turne we to Rinaldo who after he had a while felt the furie of the floudes was wearie of dying so that for life he laboured vnto the shoare which happily recouered he felt his stomacke at that instant rather ouercharged with water then loue yet for that by sight of his sowre-swéete maistresse he would not renue his sorrowes nor that he coulde brooke in the court to be frumpt and slouted at he consented in a forrest neare adioyning vnto this riuer in miserie to consume the residue of his life And abasing his mind vnto the condition of his distresse he was content to take a hollow caue for his house and herbour the bare ground both for his bed and bedding For companions to make choice of wild beastes to bemone his fortunes vnto the wild forrests to make the night rauen his clocke his harmonie of hellishe noise of monsters his foode the fruits of the earth O strange effectes of loue that could vaile his mynde to vouchsafe these miseries that lately held at will almost what he could wish But leaue I now to write of loue his force whom no maÌ„ hitherto could either truly define or describe and turne againe to poore Rinaldos hard estate who roming in the wilde forrestes for foode espied an apple trée the fruit wherof put him in remembrance of the apple Giletta deliuered him wherin he found a letter that forst him to this penance the sight wherof with sorrow not only slaked his hunger but moued him to such impatiencie that in despaire and despight of the fruite vpon the trée he carued this inuention O Needlesse fruit of sinne the meane at first Thou forcedst Eue and Adam didst intice To byte their bale for which the earth was curst And headlong they from vertue fell to vice Thou wert the baite that Paris gaue the Dame Who in reward set stately Troy aflame Thou didst conuey the louing write that woode Dianas nymphe from chaste to foule desire By thée too soone I wretched vnderstoode Gilettas scorne that chaung'd her loue to yre And not content but when my woes were dead With former cares thou combrest fresh my head O enuious fruit in whom few vertues are Thy shew is all but who so on thée féedes Shall hardly finde thée helpe but health impaire Then sith to man such plagues thy beautie breedes Would God thy guilt vpon each apple trée Igrauen were for euery eye to see Roberto Rinaldo Rinaldo thus freshly entered into the consideration of his former loue likewise felt his former vnquietnesse of mynd faine would he haue found out some litle sparke of hope but out alas the sowre letter his swéete maistresse deliuered together with her hatefull shewe against him and her louing zeale towardes Frizaldo so hugely increased his distrust as by no means he could away with hope in so much quoth he O cowardly wretch why dost thou not by death at once dispatch thy sorowes rather theÌ„ to die a thousaÌ„d deaths by prâ—roging a lothed life canst thou brooke continual bondage wheÌ„ with one blow thou maist rid thy wretchednesse set feare aside vse force vpon thy selfe thou hast liued an exile too long since thou séest no hope of attonemeÌ„t at home nor fealest quietnesse abroad In this desperate passion Rinaldo was determined to commit murder vpon him selfe and yet he thought best to deferre the execution vntil he might conuey him selfe neare vnto Gilettas lodging that there her eyes might be witnesse of his loyaltie her owne crueltie To hasâ—eÌ„ which follie the next night he tooke his iourney towardes Bologna castle and by the way he deuised this petition EUen with the bloud that issues from his hart Rinaldo wretch this sorrie boune doth craue There may be grauen by some continuing Arte These woful words vpon his timelesse graue Loe here he lies that reaped hate for loue Which hard exchaunge to slea him selfe did moue These verses Rinaldo determined to write with bloud that issued from his deadly wound coÌ„ming vnto the place of his desired rest he drew his dagger in mind to finish his sorowes But finding his enterprise by reason of the dead time of night vnlikely to be troubled before he executed this tragedie he weakely wrested foorth this heauie farewell Oh God quoth he that the grones procéeding from my gored hart might now awake Giletta that she might sée the vse of my murthering knife then wold my yawning breath my bloudy sighs deadly gaspes no dout bedew her chéekes whiche hitherto my intollerable miseries with ruthfull teares could neuer wet so should she knowe my escaped dangers were but lightening ioyes for to inlarge my sorrowes so might she sée the vnfained confirmation of my loyaltie accuse her of inconstancie so séeing so vnnaturall a tragedie executed by the dome of her scorne vpon her faultlesse seruaunt remorse might happily moue her to repentaunce and pittie winne her from her wauering fancies But oh I tyre time with too néedelesse a tale she quietly sléepes to whom I thus sorrowfully talke Fare wel Giletta farewel These naked wals besprent with bloud shal shortly bewray my mone My breathlesse corps shal witnesse my constancie and purchase I trust so muche pitie as notwithstanding my carelesse prouision to be bestowed in some forgetlesse tumbe I can not stay thy answere and therfore I leaue it to thy curtesie Come wished death now vse thy force my will is made the time and place fitteth my desire my teares and sighes are already bestowed these waâ—â—es my executors only wanteth their hire my waste bloud I bequeath theÌ„ only to continue remembrance of my loyaltie c. Good Giletta continually lameÌ„ting the losse of her seruant both night day was smally disposed to rest in so much that leaning in her chamber window she heard though not perfectly this sorowful discourse and being moued with pitie as Rinaldos complaint grew to an end she vsed these words Yonder mans tong mone and miseries workes such fresh remembrance of my good Rinaldos destruction as for his sake I wil apply vnto his sorowes what honest comfort I can Therewithall she prepared her selfe to learne his cause of griefe Rinaldo amased with this souden comfort helde his hande from his throte till Giletta was at his elbowe who verie modestly demaunded both what he was what forst him so pitiously to coÌ„plaine Rinaldo on this small incouragement began now to mistrust yll measure in others and yet to trie in whome the fault might be he at the first both hid his name and the true cause of his griefe from Giletta Giletta earnestly noting the order of his talk began now to be so distempered with the thought of Rinaldo as she fell straight thus to bee moue his
long through pyning woe Whose constant truth long hath den tryde Though long his suit hath ben denyde By batteriâ— long the brasen wall The cannon shot doth cleane deface The longest trées in time doe fall Which long before had Boreas base The little brooke in running long Doth turne into a riuer strong Then may it be I louing long My pyning corps by long delay Can long abide the furie strong Of ghastly death which long doth stay His lingring stroke to haue it so That louing long should worke my woe A Sonet wherin is showne the straunge effectes of loue IN care I ioy my mirth is mou'd by moâ—re With flouds of want I weare to ebbe my wo Appayd I rest in restlesse griefe to grone By fainting hope my friendly hap doth growe In waues of bale I bathe in wished blisse My wealth in woe in paine my pleasure is But how these hang if so she search my harme These fewe suffice the same to shew my swéete To rayse her ioy my selfe I wholy arme To fréese or fâ—y as she shal déeme it méete I bound am frée and frée I yeald her slaue That 's my delight that she desires to haue And sith my sport doth make my souereigne â—oy And mirth she finds to thwart my faith with frâ—ps I sad am glad my noy may force her ioy My sowre her swéete my dole may cleare her dumpes Yea life I wish this were to do her good Each day to waste a drop of guitlesse blood The louer wearied with a number of delayes sues vnto his Ladie for pitie or otherwise her speedie denyall by death to worke a speedie dispatch of his languishing dayes IF pitie may preuaile to pearse your hart with ruth Swéete maistres lend your listning eare to heare your seruants truth Whose faith hath chose you iudge and iurie if you please If not desart shal trye this cause your deintie mynd to ease The whole record is writ for rafing with my teares My witnesse is my withered corps ny famished with feares A thousand sighes besides in open court will sweare You are the Saint which with my heart I honour loue and feare Disdaine that workes delayes mistrust that moues my mone No witnesse hath to hinder right but false suspect alone Yet boulstred vp by scorne they scoffe my loyall loue And kept me play with forreine frumpes til prickt by méede to proue If pitie could procure your heart my harme to rue I found remorse was preast to heare the plaint before your view And now good Lady note my witnesse and my woe If I deserue your loue for loue giue verdite yea or no For daunted with delayes for hap or harme I iumpe And knowe you once if sullen will my faythful loue doth frumpe I will not languish long in cursed Cupides flame Death in despight shall rid me dole and you shall beare the blame But if with souereigne grace you may your seruants state Yeald recompence of loue betimes least liking come too late To coole his flaming harte by Cupide set on fire Through heate whereof a Whetstone colde consumes with hote desire The thought of wonted ioyes doubleth the miserable mans griefe I That whose youth was lul'd in pleasures lap Whose wanton yeres were neuer chargd with care Who made no flight but reacht the pitch of hap And now besieg'd with griefe at vnawares How can my hart but bléede to thinke on this My ioy with was my woe is ioynd with is With is Oh yea and euer wil be so Such hell is thought to muse on ioyes forgone For though content would faine appease my woe This myrthlesse note continues fresh my mone O deare delight with whome I dwelt in ioy Thy sowrest swéete my sorrowes would destroy â–ª Destroy it would but Oh those dayes are past When to my wil I found dame fortune wrought My fancies cleare with cares are ouer cast Yet bootelesse hope will not forsake my thought But still proroges my griefe that else would dye To vaine effect when I my toyling spye The hap and hard fortune of a carelesse louer MY hart on hayh with carelesse mind I rauÌ„ging fréedomes fieldâ— Blind Cupide by arest vnwares to beautie bad me yeald What yeald quoth I at beauties becke as Venus slaue to serue May he whome fréedome alwayes 〈◊〉 by bondage stoupe to sterue No Cupide no with me go tell dame beautie beares no sway Nor pleasure with her painted sheath can make me Cupide pray This answere made with winged féete he tooke his flight away And did impart to beautie straight his rest I would not bay â–ª With anger fraught who foorth with wild an armie should be had And captaines hauing charge them selues in armour should be clad Her selfe she plaste in formost front with Pleasure in her hand And Lady Loue elected was hygh Marshall of her band â–ª Faire Venus in the rereward went her sonne in ambush lay Thus Beautie and her warlike crue did mearch in battel ray But I poore I which feard no force in fréedomes lease at large Pursude my sport with carelesse mynd of Loue I tooke no charge But all too soone I heard a sound of dub dub in my eare And therewithall I sawe in sight tenne aunchents to appeare Which poudred were with pyned hartes in bloudy colours set Which forst me flée to wisdomes wood to scape Dan Cupids net But craftie he in scoute there lay who first gaue charge on me And brought me bound to Beauties barre her prisoner for to be Then stinging loue enforst me pray Dame Pleasure plead my case But Beautie sayd in vaine I sude in hope of future grace For martiall law foorthwith quoth she thy hart in bale shall bounce Therwith she chargd her Marshal high this sentence to pronounce To bate thy pride which wouldst not stoupe when beautie bent her lure Thy casting shall be clods of care Saunce hope of happie cure With flouds of teares thy dazeld eyes thy sickly chéekes shall staine And Fancie with his sleating toyes shall harbour in thy braine Thy heart shall poudred be with paine thy guts with griefe to boyle Thy séething sighes shall scalde thy lippes to taste of inwarde toyle Thy intrales all shall parched be with flames of fond desire The heauie perse of bodyes griefe thy pyned legges shall tire Despaire then was the hangman made which doome did Beautie please And I to bondage was bequeath'd to liue in little case Wherewith the Gem of Venus band vnprayd of her bon gre Did beg me â–ª wretch at Beauties hand her prisoner for to be And after vowe of loyaltie did let me goe at large Yea further payd my farewell fée my bondage to discharge In lâ—e whereof at her commaund my seruice loe is prest As homage due for saued life yea more her slaue I rest The absent louer in pawne of his constancie sendeth his heart to his Ladie REceiue deare dame as gage of worthy loue This pyned hart bepoudred all with teares Whose poesie is No
Alberto toke his pennaunce ill but he did tenne times worse Hée rag'd he rau'd the Ladies scorne himselfe and all did curse But what for that how so he did himselfe agréeued feele One of these euills hée néedes must chuse to sterâ—e or else to réele And of both bads the best he chusde in fine to worke he fell His rash attempt had this successe which he deserued well Nowe that this vertuous dame hath gott the conquest of her foes These lordinges pennannce for their pride she to their seruants shoes In whose behalfe her bouutie here I must of force commende They wanted not for daintie fare how so they fast were pend These barons men at libertie streight posted to the Court And of their lords imprisonment there make they large report These newes of note about the Court went flinging every where So longe as both the king and Quéene these gallants fortunes heare The king to learne the certaine truth to Lady Barbara sent His chauncelour and other Lords where as they found fast pent Lord Alberto and Vdislao Alberto spinning thread And Vdislao réeting it with fretting well nie dead The Lady shewde the newe come Lords the matter all and some And how to tame their lawlesse loue the barons bid this dome The Chauncelor what earst is showne returned to the king Whose pleasure was he should with him with spéede both parties bring They al arriued at the Court the king iudg'd out of hand Vlrico had the wager wonne and he should haue the land And more against the spoiled lords with iustice to perseuer In penaunce of their lauish tongues they were exilde for euer Faire Barbara for foyling them did to this honour mount She was the chiefe about the quéene in credite and account Whereas she liued many dayes and helde her wish at will Nowe being deade in worthy fame her vertues liueth still Virescit vulnere virtus The complaint of the Lorde Alberto and Vdislao the two Hungarian barons that vnaduisedly wagered their land to winne the vertuous Ladie Barbara to wantonnesse Who hauing the foyle besides the losse of their liuings for their slaunderous opinions were condemned to perpetuall exile COme gallants come by both our falles take héede With our fonde faults you most infected are You worke more wrong in slaunder then in déede And yet in déede your flatterie worketh scare Learne learne by vs too lauish speach to spare Large offers though faire Ladies ofte intice Thinke there be dames that will not vaile to vice First mende your owne ere others faults you blame Sée that your life before you teach you trie Plucke out the beame that blindes your sighte with shame So may you finde a moate in others eye What yet you note reproue not openly Obserue this course heare sée and say the best For lauish words procureth much vnrest Had we but wayde that halfe experience shewes We might haue liu'd in honour as of yore The want we waile and warne you by our woes The least of which your hearts would much abhorre For what may be then this a mischiefe more Once lustie Lords nowe prisd at lowest rate And frée men borne to liue in banisht state What noble mynde whose hands could weapons vse Would brooke his handes should eyther réele or spinne To féede on crustes what foole would not refuse Whose coursest fare a messe of meate hath bin In this distresse perforce we liued in Too hard a plague say you for fault so small We thinke not so that haue indurd the thrall For who at full may value honest fame Whose wound so déepe as his that slaunders carud Our slaundrous thoughts suspected euery dame Our slaundrous toungs sayd all from vertue swaru'd For which exile we worthily desaru'd She vsde vs well whose praise we sought to spoyle In huswiues trades for meate to make vs moyle Our lande we lost by lawe and wager both He wonne it well that ventured for the same But worse then these the which to shewe I loth Our follies leane a memorie of shame Unto vs both a corsiue to our name Well what is paste too late we call againe Sufficeth nowe we warne with proofe of paine And knowe ye first what raisd this slaundrous thought Forsooth our liues in loytring daliance spent We other doomde by faults that they had wrought And ioynd with this their spoyles by fonde consent Which yealded bound vnto our louing bent Did make vs thinke at euery wanton whoope To lures of loue a Ladie faire would stoope What yet we thought our toungs did sore recoyle In slaundring them our liues for to accuse For who so vaunts of any louing spoyle Confesseth howe him selfe he doth abuse The greatest vice that worthy mynds may vse Deseruing wel their worth who should not praise Deseruing ill much lesse a thousand wayes Oh stay we here what meaneth our aduise When we God wot so much of counsell néede And how againe shall we vnhappie rise Alberto speake what way shall we procéede And art thou mute Vdislaoes hart doth bléede Oh men forlorne how wretched is our state Whome heauen and earth oppresse with heapes of hate Who will estéeme our manhoode and our might By Ladies force to carde to spinne and réele Where so we liue all women will vs spight And cause they haue with such disdaine to deale Yet plagues ynow we else in penance féele O slaunder thou on vs these haste brought Foule fall the cause thou harboredst in our thought Had wretched we for treason banisht bin Some would haue ru'de our miserie and mone But slaundrous speach is such a hatefull sinne As slaunders falls lamented are of none In bookes of shame their faults are rolld alone Their names are scornd their presence ten times more All filthy vice that all men thus abhore This resteth then for vs vnhappie men To leade our liues in houltes and vncouth woods A hollowe caue to make our homely den To foyle hunger with apples hawes and buds For nobles borne God wot but sorrie foodes There we poore we must rue our harmes alone Or monsters make companions in our mone O friendly death our worldly farewell giue From hated fleshe our loathed life diuorce Spare them good death the which in pleasure liue And vse at once on vs thy matchlesse force To thée alone our woes sues for remorce When all is done our helpe remaines in thée Then strike with spéede our sorrowes for to frée â–ª In praise of the right H. the Ladie I.S.G. of Wilton WHere loue affects or flatterie forgeth praise There fayles no will faire Ladies fames to wray But Art I lacke such parciall notes to raise Truth guardes the checke in what I write or say And warded thus when all their wit is showne I boldly vaunt although in barren verse This Ladie staines their Ladies euerie one She shewes in workes what they in wordes rehearse Past natures reach a gift of great imprise Her faultlesse life puts slaunder to his shifts And yet she
Our worldly mindes from loue of worldlie ioyes But if wée still will wallowe in our sinne The plagues are sharpe with which he vs destroyes To stay whose wrath I hould the next way is While wée haue space to sorrowe our amis Death comes God wot euen like a myching théefe With conscience cleare some wardes his wily blowe And some againe hee gawls with soudaine gréefe Whose thoughtes of sinne doth worke their double woe Had I but wayde the halfe that now I wray My coemates endes had made mée fitt for death But that is past this is my onely stay Gods mercie salues at latter gaspe of breath And yet thereof let no man hope to farre Presumptious sinnes of all the greatest are The reporter It séemeth by the deposition in Caphos complaint that the direction from time to time as concerning the afore reported cousenage came from some subtile head But whose deuise or direction soeuer it were there is yet an other a lawyer it séemeth by the order of his complaint that findes his conscience infected with Lyros Frenos and Caphos fellowship who likewise attached with death you may suppose with a troubled minde to wreast out this following complaint Pimos complaint at the houre of his death AYe mée quoth hée the case is altered quite My wylie skill that chaungde the sense of lawe My cunning Pleas that made a wronge seeme right Are nowe the bones whereon my conscience gnawe They force mée graunt the good from euill I knewe The good I left the euill too late I rue The common lawe the which I studied longe I finde condemnes mée wretch of many a crime The lawe it selfe how so we wreast it wronge Of God his lawe was founded in the prime Then since in one they both agrée in troth Abuse of one must be abuse of both And sure the one I turned as I list If I were wrong'd the lawe amends could make If I did wronge â–ª the lawe such power mist The case was chang'de the wronged might go packe Such helpes I had such quillets of delay That all séemde true that subtile I did say But now I am attached to appeare Afore a Iudge at no mannes faultes that winkes The diuell declares how I haue liued here My conscience guilt giues euidence me thinkes To learne the lawe sith studie I did vowe For breach of lawe I am indited nowe Before my God mée séemes I charged am For ayding those with credite coyne and skill Whose lewde deceites deserued whippes of shame And that to make me guiltie of their ill Consentientes your lawe sayth Ioâ—e doth say Et agentes plectentur pari pena My guiltie minde confesseth streight the act False Frenos fraud was boulstered vp by mée Condemnde of this streight comes an other fact I wronged men against all equitie When lawe doth say Hoc facias alteri In right and wronge quod vis tibi sieri This bitter doome giuen by the doome of lawe Mae sinnefull wretch as guiltie striketh mute The men I wrong'd within my conscience gnawe â–ª I spared none through pittie nor through sute What lawe did giue since I for vauntage tooke In breach of lawe should I for fauour looke O noe I must in proper person pleade Plaine not guiltie or guiltie of the crime No forreine Plea may now delayaunce bréede Untrauerst goes the Venu and the time No aduocate or letters here may serue The Iudge is bent to iudge as I deserue I guiltie am I must of force confesse By ignoraunce these faultes yet would I scuse But I vile I that had men in distresse And did their Pleas of ignoraunce refuse Mee thinkes that God doth rule mée ore with this Non excusat ignorantia iuris And thus I lye with deadly sicknes pinde Yea more my soule beseng'd with sinnefull gréefe The more I séeke to pacifie my minde The further off I wretched finde reléefe My dealinges great or rather great deceite Fall out so lewde as I no count can streight Do what I can the cause that causde my ioy When fleshe and bloud was fedde with worldly gaine Is nowe the cause that causeth my annoye Now feare of hell in place of fleshe doth raigne The soule and fleshe impugnes the other so As what likes one doth worke the others wâ—e What meane wée then sith th' one wée must displease To serue the flesh that beares no lasting sway And leaue the soule that couets still our ease Who foyling flesh in heauen doth liue for aye What worser match can any creature make Incerta then pro certis thus to take O sinfull wreth had I this ende foreséene I had not nowe come short vpon account I would haue lik't and lou'd the merrie meane Which euer doth to reckoning best amount For violents do sildome long indure They alwayes come from fortune most vnsure O wicked man had I séene heauen in thought Had I seru'd God like as in shewe of zeale I had not thus for poore mens liuings sought Nor purchast hell for lande for others weale Had I well wayde how tickle was my life I had ere this appeasd my conscience strife Or had I thought O most vnhappie wight Looke what I gaue that measure should I reape I sure had giuen to euery man his right This wicked world had not luld me asleape I had not then bene carelesse of my end My soule had watcht deathes furie to defend But oh in me the contrarie was plaste I was intyste on baytes of sinne to feede Which charm'd receits séemde suger swéete in taste But oh they say sweete meate sowre sauce doth néede Néede or not néede I proue the prouerbe true My brittle ioyes my endlesse woes do brue My conscience loathes what liked well my life My conscience rues the gaine I got by guile My conscience féeles the woes of wrangling strife My conscience wéepes at that my life did smile My conscience bléedes through that life thought a blisse My conscience wailes what life thought not amisse Well sith my life this wretched woe hath wrought Would God my life nay death through foule abuse Were noted so as all men might be taught By scriptures rule their talents here to vse And specially about their studies wall For lawyers héed would God were writ my fall Through sight whereof no doubt they would refuse To fish for gaine with nets of foule deceit To worke delayes they would no pleadings vse They sure would thinke they had account to straight My vexed mynde at death still in their eye Would will them liue as they did dayly dye If to such good my souden fall would proue Would life would last to tell a larger tale But how it proue in vaine for life I moue Death nowe assaults and wretched I must vale My breath doth fade the bell doth sound away From whence I came I néedes must turne to clay The reporters conclusion as touching the report of Paulus Plasmos aduentures and Lyros Frenos Caphos
Rinaldo glad of this conquest after double vowe of faythfulnesse reuerently kissed his maistresse hand and for that time committed her a Dio. I will nowe ouerleape what a number of sowre and swéete thoughtes fead these vnfained louers one while they were distempered with dread anon quieted with hope now desierous with secrete vowe to warrant eache other loue straight hindered by some vnfortunate accident still meashed in the snares of miserie till time that eyther with out condition might gage the other loyaltie fayth and constancie prouided this wished opportunitie which was On a day the Lord Sonsago father to the late rehearsed bride to perfect the glory of the sayde marriage inuited the Lorde of Bologna and his sonne in law with other of their friendes and allies vnto his castle at whiche place Rinaldo with the rest of the ruffling youth on smal warning lesse bidding as ordinarie visitors of such pastimes presented them selues The dinner solemnly ended euery one was addrest vnto the sport most agréeable to his or their fancie some fell to dauncing some to putting of purposes such volūtarie prattle But Rinaldo and his Giletta otherwise affected then to listen to those couterfet contentmēts to find opportunitie to discourse of more serious matters with a chosen companie conueyed them selues vnto one end of the great chamber where Rinaldo to passe the time in reporting the straunge effects of loue playing on a Lute soung the following inuention In bondage frée I liue yet frée am fettered faste In pleasure paine in paine I find a thousād pleasures plaste I frye yet frosen am I freese amid the fire I haue my wish and want my will yet both as I desire I loue and liue by lokes and loking workes my woe Were loue no god this life were strange but as he is not so For through his aukward fitts I suck such swéete in sower As I a yeare of dole would bide to haue one lightning hower I like no life but such as worketh with his will His wil my wish my wish to loue betyde good luck or ill No choyce shall make mée chaunge or fancie new desire Although desire first blew the cole that set my thoughtes on fire But fire frostes and all such calme contents doth moue As forst I graunt there is no life to that is led in loue Yea base I thinke his thought that would not gladly die To leade but halfe of halfe an houre in such delight as I. Now thou deare dame that workste these sweete effectes in mée Uouchsafe my zeale that onely séeke to serue and honour thée So shall my thralled brest for fancies frée haue scope If not it helpes I haue free will to loue and liue in hope Roberto Rinaldo These Uerses although they were in number few yet the swéetnes of the tune together with the rarenes of the inuention running altogether vppon contraries made them to be singularly well liked especially of mystresse Giletta who could now no longer dissemble her loue In somuch as to further occasion of knowledge shée requested of her seruaunt to haue a coppie of the said Uerses Rinaldo of nothing more desirous then with courtesie and seruice to present his mystresse hauing this Sonet already faire written first satisfied her request with the deliuery thereof and next solicited his owne sorrowes with these persuading wordes My good mystresse I am glad quoth hee your eare was so ready to heare my straunge estate discoursed as that your heart consenteth in perusing this worthlesse Sonet to continue in your remembraunce my sower passions neuer appeased though sometimes comforted with the swéete effects of hope So that if it please you to note the sequele of my life you shal easily sée the subiection of my libertie which knowne I no otherwise conceiue of your courteous disposition but so often as you reade my crauing woords seing them confirmed in works so oftē you wil be ready to perfect my vnsure hope with assured hap I meane bestowe your loue on him who were it not to do you seruice would through the extremitie of loue rather wish to die then liue My good seruaunt quoth Giletta I thinke your cure stands not vppon such necessitie but reason in time may qualifie your raging fire and wysedome warme your frosen feares or at the least wise warne you frō such vntemperate affections O no quoth Rinaldo time hath made both extréemes more extréeme for when as reason would haue quenched my burning loue with the thought of my vnwoorthines the remembraunce of your worthines made my heate more feruent when hope would haue warmed my frosen doubtes with the knowledge of your great pitie and compassion the consideration of my base desert streight made my cold more cruell So that intertayning time with these thoughtes time hath brought both extremities now to such a mischiefe that necessitie perforce commaundes mée to séeke qualification at your handes in whose good will the termperature consisteth I thinke quoth Giletta my milde disposition in very déede makes you a great deale more desirous yea your knowledge of my inward lyking by my outward lookes discouered makes you so earnest a suter But if I were persuaded your loue to be as great in zeale as in showe yet for that I know not whether it tends to honestie or my dishonour I can hardly aunsweare your sute if any way with the spoile of my good name you seeke to féede some foule affectiō your loue I loth and so you sue in vaine O my swéete mystresse quoth Rinaldo your words at one instant haue ioynde two cōtraries in such mortall fight as to whom the victorie will incline is as yet doubtful I meane hope and despaire for I earnestly beholding your lokes when as you said they shewde you loued in very déede to my iudgement I sawe in them the very Image of loue therewithall quoth I to my selfe Loue cannot hate the welwillers of loue But as I was continuing this fancie with the continuaunce of other your comfortable speaches on the soudaine an Yf distrusting my loyaltie cleane altered the case For trust mée swete mystresse my faithful loue vnspotted with villanous desire when you vsed those speaches streight murmured at your suspicion yea dread still persuades mée your ouer often mistrust will hinder the acquitall of my deserte and yet hope destrous of victory wills mée not to bée discomforted thorough your wise misdoubte least silence in mée should woorke in you a greater suspicion wherefore before God and you I protest with my heart yea if you please to vse the world for after witnes I wil sweare vnto you all I neuer had the thought that tended vnto your dishonour then dashe good Lady this hard condition of foule desire from out the other couenaunts of loue and take my vow of faithfulnes for the warrantyse of my honest and true intent Sutes must haue an end sorrowes a salue either by the benefite of fortune or violence of death For I
thorough the extremitie of sorrow being now brought to the exigent of desperation am forst to sue vnto you for attonement presenting vnto mee in this case both the image of good fortune and death of good fortune if you loue where you are loued of death if you hate where you are honoured Sufficient triall you haue had of my loyaltie Since so good Lady say yea or no either answere wil worke appeasement of my sorrowes the one with death the other with delighte Soft quoth Giletta haste makes waste your Haruest is yet in grasse you may very well stay for aunsweare These words with a smyling countenaunce deliuered shée forced to departe yet not in such hast but that Rinaldo had leysure ynoughe to rob her of a kisse which fed him with such a swéete conceite as that hee was persuaded with the assault of importunancie on the next aduenture to conquer her straungnes and attaine good will so that to lay his siedge with the better aduauntage to her doubtfull woordes hee thus replied More haste then néede doth turne to waste and waste doth al thinges marre Your Haruest is in grasse good Syr as hastie as you are This doubtfull ieast among my ioyes my mystresse late did poppe But I reply that backward haste can neuer blast my croppe For sith swéete wench my séede of loue hath taken roote in time And cleare escapt the frostes of scorne that pincht it in the prime Now that the spring time of your grace hath raisde it to an eare The kindely riping of the same in faith I litle feare For scorched sythes like Summers sunne will hasten on this wheate And stormes of teares as heauenly dewe shall nourish with the heate The ielous wéedes of foule suspect which louers ioyes doth sting Shall cropped bee with hooke of faith that fauour freash may spring Then banish dread from thée déere dame my speede will worke no waste Since that the season serues so well our Haruest for to haste Roberto Rinaldo These verses were written in hast presented in as much haste such was Rinaldos hastie desire a fresh to followe his sute and yet not so hastie as of Giletta hartily wished the heate of eithers loue for eithers sight so hastily thyrsted But now to cut off ciccumstances Rinaldo vppon this new onset charged his maistres with such vehement persuasiōs as her nicenesse was of no force to make further defence in so much vppon a modest occasion shée yelded to loue This swéete consent by Giletta pronounced with soudaine ioy so spoiled Rinaldoes senses as for a time hée fared like one in an extasie But so soone as this fit was ouerblowne quoth he Rinaldo how bountifully hath Fortune dealt with thee How blessed is thy estate canst thou tell O noe Thy ioyes so hugely flow as the least of a thousand comforts thou canst not vtter And could good Giletta so much tēder thy distresse Could shée brooke Rinaldoes pouertie And could shée loue the wight vnworthie to be her slaue Her selfe said yea Then as homage of his saued life most worthie mistresse of thy vnworthie seruaunt receiue with vowe of continuaunce Faith honour loue and seruice I craue no more saue faithfull loue quoth Giletta Giletta herselfe in discharge of her duetie will vse towards her Rinaldo honour and obedience Whom if shée finde constante let fortune doe her worst shée hath her contentment and yet my good Rinaldo quoth shee foresight is the onely instrument of quietnes I knowe my father other friends if they knewe of our loue with stormes of displeasure would hinder the accomplishment of our desires if whose good will by any meanes may be wonne the execution of our ioyes I meane our mariage day is well delayed but if they nill consent happ wel happ ill Giletta submittes her selfe to Rinaldoes good will. My good maistresse quoth hée your poore seruaunt full satisfied for his harde fortunes fore past as also to come subiectes himself to your wise consideration Yea Rinaldo wil not in one iot contrary Gilettas direction althoughe hée purchase death with the executiō of her pleasure Wel quoth Giletta let time worke her will yet liue thou Rinaldo assured of thy Gilettas loue who likewise liueth in hope of thine But in hope swéete mystresse quoth Rinaldo there is no hope withoute mistruste and causelesse mistrust woorketh two iniuries The one in distempering the mistrusters minde the other in suspecting the well meaninge friend But the offence towardes mee I fréely pardon so that thou wilte to woorke thine owne quietnesse take knowledge how that my heart is close prisoner in thy breast which maye not be remoued without thy consente And for that wée must attende time for the perfection of oure ioyes to intertaine time withoute distruste of loyaltie Deare Lady of thy poore seruaunte vouchsafe to take this Diamond whose poesie is I will not false my faith Protestinge before the hyest to accomplish those woordes in woorkes Giletta willingly receyuinge this ring in this sort acquited him My good Rinaldo quoth shée I gratefully accept your gift and that in absence you may both thinke of mée and your vowe for my sake weare you this Iewell wherein is written Fortune may hinder my loue yet none but death shall breake my vowe These two louers hauing by secrete othe thus warranted eche others loue least their ouerlonge talke mighte breede suspicion now conueyed themselues into the thickest of the company where after they had a while shewed themselues Rinaldo in respecte of his late conqueste had the ordinarye pleasures the which hée sawe in skorne In somuch that to perfecte his contentemente with swéete imaginations hée conuayed himselfe into his chamber where in praise of his good mystresse and triumphe of his Fortunes hée wrote as followeth Beautie leaue off to brag thy brauery is but brayd Thou mayst God wot thy visard vaile thy wanton maskes are wrayd Thy toyes in thy attyre thy plumes fortells thy pride Thy coyues thy caules thy curling cost thy surfling helpes are spide Thy gases are for guestes that garish showes wil eye Else who so blinde but that hée can a painted visage spie Then goe and market kéepe where chaffe is sowld for corne I hould Got wot thy vauntes as vaine thy lures and loue I scorne For I beloued am of one that thée doth passe In faith as much as finest gold excelles the coursest brasse She néedes no frizling feates nor bumbaste for her breastes No glittring spangles for the gase no ierkyns iagges nor iestes Her onely selfe a sunne when thou art iudgde a starre Her sober lookes workes more regard then all thy ruffling farre The reason is the heauens to reape the praise alone Did frame her eyes her head and handes of pearle and precious stone Which iewells néedes no helpe their beauties for to blase When brauery shadowes fowle defectes or serues for wanton gase Besides her feature rare her further fame to raise Her witt her wordes her workes in showe
by this time the open ayre hath purged it but if before this time I my selfe am infected it smally helpes to throwe away this poore braunch and so your counsel is out of season and yet for the same I courteously thancke you Well quoth Frizaldo snuffinge at this aunsweare you were best to perfecte your delighte to weare a Rose with your Rosemarie meaninge the first letters of those two flowers aunsweared her louers name Roberto Rinaldo These woordes stroake poore Giletta dead and yet shée pretily dissemblinge her knowledge of Frizaldoes minde found out meanes to cutte off those crosse speaches with argumente that méetely well contented him But poore wench so soone as shée was bestowed alone in her Chamber solitarinesse wroughte a freshe remembraunce of Frizaldoes doubtfull woordes but yet after shee had a space bewayled her Fortunes shée wisely entered into the consideration of her owne estate and waying howe greatly that Frizaldo was fauoured of her friendes and on the contrarie parte Rinaldo of small accompte shée concluded to please all her friendes and contente both her louers to vse this policie Frizaldo whom shee smally esteemed shée mente to féede with courteous delayes Rinaldo whom in déede shée honoured shée determined in heart to loue and in showe to hate thinking by this meanes that she should extinguish quench Frizaldos ielous suspicion which in very déede contraried her imagination For although he liked Gilettas intertaynment yet hee continually feared her affection towardes Rinaldo yea hée eyed her with such mistrust as that shée could hardly finde occasion to acquainte her Rinaldo with this deuise notwithstanding hopinge of fauourable time to execute her purpose shée continued her fained good will towards Frizaldo but Rinaldo shée would neither sée send nor write vnto Who wonderinge at this insolencie and straungenes althoughe hée had hardly recouered his empayred health yet hée aduentured abroade to learne the cause of this soudaine alteration But his ouermuch temeritie and makinge hast herein had wroughte wofull waste of his life had not God wonderfully saued him For repayringe vnto the place of his wonted ioy and accustomed comforte hée found his mystresse dallying with a fresh gallant On him shée would not vouchsafe to looke Yea if on occasion hée saluted her by the name of his mystresse very disdainfulâ—y and scornefully or not at all shée aunsweared him On him shée frowned with a curst countenaunce On his enimie shée fleared with a delightsome fauour with him shee would not speake with his enimie shée continually talked Which vnfriendly welcome was far worse God wot to Rinaldo then his late sicknes But worst of al he digested the report of the Courtiers who inferring on their familiaritie gaue out for certainty that Segnior Frizaldo should marie with mystres Giletta These newes poore Rinaldo was like ynough to credite himselfe seing such apparaunte proofe thereof yea hée credited them so farre as hée could not away with any thought of hope In so much that scorning both Courte and companie as one forsaken of himselfe hée forthwith went vnto his chamber wheras passionately discoursinge on his harde Fortunes which plaint hée powdred with a thousand sighes by chaunce hée fastned his eye on the Iewel which Giletta had bestowed on him and with litle lust reading the posie thereof supposinge she had falsified her vowe toucht with the proofe of his wretchednes hée forthwith wrote these vnder written Uerses For faithfull loue the hate I finde in lue My vowe performde the false of her behest The small reward I reape for seruice true Her ioy to sée mée plunged in vnrest Doth force mée say to finde an ende of paine O fancie die thou féedest hope in vaine I sue for grace shée smyles to sée my smart I pleade for peace shée séekes to sowe debate My sowre her swéete my griefe doth glad her hart I fawne shée frownes I loue and shée doth hate Sith soe I say to finde an ende of paine O fancie die thou féedest hope in vaine Starue thou desire which kéepeth life in loue And so my thought from showring woe shall cease But loue aliue while fancie hope may moue A lyuing death my sorrowes will increase Wherefore I say to finde an ende of paine O fancie die thou féedest hope in vaine My fancies dead I end of woes should finde My eyes nay seas God wot of brackish teares Would leaue to loue whom loue hath made so blinde My thorned thoughtes no more should foster feares But oh aye mée for to proroge my paine My fancies liue and féedeth hope in vaine Doe what I can I pray on plighted troth A simple thinke shée will not breake this bonde I vowe to loue I will not false my othe But ah I finde her false and I too fonde Wherefore good death at once delay my paine My fancies liue and féedeth hope in vaine Roberto Rinaldo Unto these Uerses Rinaldo set a very sollem note and the nighte following hée bestowed himselfe vnder Gilettas chamber windowe where playing on his lute hée very mournefully sounge this passionate inuentioÌ„ of purpose like vnto the Swanne that sings before her death to bid his mystresse adieu for euer Good Giletta hearing this sorrowfull farewell much lamented her seruants estate yet durst shée not at that instant any wayes comfort him The cause was Segnior Frizaldo was then in her chamber who knew very well that it was Rinaldo that with his sollem musicke saluted mystresse Giletta yea hée knew by the ouer often chaunging of her couler how notwithstanding her dissimulation she greatly sorrowed Rinaldos distresse and therefore he thought best during his discomforture by some slye policie at once to ouerthrow him with distrust and vntil the execution of this treachery he thought best to giue him this bone to gnaw vppon First to shew his credite to be admitted into her chamber at that time of the night Next to proue his authoritie hée called Giletta by the name of his subiect Who duetifully aunswered him with the title of her souereigne which done quoch hée looking out of the window it is for you sake faire Lady wée are presented with this swéete musicke although your vnknowen welwiller maketh show of the sorrowes hée suffers not yet courtesie wills you to intercept his paines with thankes Poore Rinaldo hearing Frizaldos tongue made no stay for Gilettas thankes but returning to his chamber as one that had foregone his senses a while in sighes he vttered his plainte And after his sorrowe was somewhat eased quoth hée alas good Giletta thy exchaunge is very hard to leaue to be Rinaldos mystresse to become Frizaldos subiect But Rinaldo worse is thy hap that thou must serue her that is subiect to thy mortal enimie thy thraldome is intollerable thy tornients without end with violent death dispatch both thy seruitude and sorrowes so shalt thou force them to pittie that now triumphe at thy miseries In this sort Rinaldo continually raged at his fortunes Well how euer Rinaldo fared
Giletta was not frée from sorrowes for good soule shée thought it hie time to acquaint her seruaunt with the continuance of her loue and although shée had attempted many wayes yet shée found no currant opportunitie for discouerie thereof till in the end shée determined by letters to deliuer the Embassage of her minde to which effecte shee one day wrote these lines following MY Good seruaunte I cannot but sighe to thinke on thy sorrowes who inferring on my straungnesse hast my faithfull loue in suspicion and yet I cannot blame thée that knowest not what necessitie inforceth my coynesse Alas I liue in the gase of Ielous distruste who with Lynxes eyes watcheth my behauiour so that of force I am forst to rarrie a shew of hatred where in heart I loue But of this assure thy selfe althoughe Frizaldo whose familiaritie woorketh thy feare weareth both my gloue and Garter yet Rinaldo hath and shall haue my heart So that swéete friend from hencefoorth hauing my constancie thus warranted when most I lowre contrary my lookes with smiling thoughtes And thus till more fortunate time do perfect our wished desires thy louing Mystresse wisheth thée well to fare Giletta de Bologna When good Giletta had thus ended her letters for that shée durst not trust Rosina her wayting woman with the deliuerie of them whom shée knewe to be too well affected towardes Frizaldo to woorke him such an iniurie shée determined to be the Embassadour her selfe to accomplish which deuise shee made an apple hollowe wherein shée bestowed this letter which shée closed so cunningly that none by the outward show could perceiue the inward charge thereof But oh the force of ielosie Frizaldo for that he could not alwayes be present to eye Gilettas behauiour wonne her waytinge woman to watch her so narrowly as shée might bée able to yeeld accompt of all her doinges This trayterous mayde to her mystresse so trustily performed his request as although Giletta practised this deuise in her secrete closet yet through the cranell of a wall shée had notice thereof so that the night following shée came to the fingering of this apple and finding these louing lines in the body thereof shée forthwith went to Frizaldo to whom shée deliuered both the letter and apple but he that foreknew Gilettas loue towards Rinaldo was rather glad then sadde of these newes For by this meanes he spyde occasion presently to ouerthrowe Rinaldo with despaire To further which villanous trechery as néere as he could he counterfeted Gilettas hand and then in stéede of her courteous lines in her name hée wrote this vncomfortable letter RInaldo thy dissembling hath wrought my displeasure although I will not shew how nor wherein thou art vniust yet know thou I know so well thy villanies as no excuse shall remoue mee from reuenge And if my vnpleasaunt lookes any way offende thée assure thy selfe my heart tenne times more abhorreth thee thereof let this my hand writing be a witnes which I my selfe deliuer to this ende that thou mayst at once end both thy hope and vnregarded sute by her that hates the more then shee loues herselfe Giletta de Bologna When Frizaldo had made an ende of this letter hée bestowed it in the apple and wild Rosina to laye the same where shée found it the next day hée brought Giletta where of force shée must sée her louing Rinaldo and of purpose seemed carelesse of her behauiour that she might haue opportunitie to salute her sorrowful seruaunt Poore Giletta vnacquainted with this treacherie simplie deliuered Rinaldo the apple saying the vertue in the fruite was of force to end his sorrowes Herewith shée hasted after Frizaldo without either aunswere or thankes at her seruauntes hands who receyuing this courtesie beyond all hope as one amased at so soudaine a ioy it was longe ere hée tasted this apple and finding a letter inclosed therein I can hardly report the one halfe of his delight But this I am assured for his faire mystresse sake he a hundred times kist both the seale and superscription before he aduētured to take knowledge of the hidden message therein but when hée ripped it open and found the forecited newes alas poore man his late swéete motions so increased his sowre passions that if it were possible for anye to taste more miseries his fare excéeded the torments of Hell. Ah God quoth hée how may it so swéete a face should bée matcht with so cruel a hart such heauenly lookes with such hellish thoughts so faire a creature with so foule conditions and so modest a countenaunce with so mercilesse a minde O Giletta what meanest thou so to ecclipse thy honour darken thy vertue and spoile thy wonted report of pitie by murthering of thy faithfull friend Hadst thou no feare of infamie no thought of former vow Might not remorse of conscience withdrawe thée from disloyaltie Madest thou no more accompte of loue then like vnto a garment at thy pleasure to put off and on Couldest thou doe Rinaldo such iniurie as to let another deuoure the fruites of his toyle Wouldest thou suffer Frizaldo to reape the crop of loue that Rinaldo sowed with sighes wéeded with faith did nourish with teares and ripened with continual seruice Suppose I admitt the force of thy second loue in excuse of all these wronges with what face couldst thou triumphe in my miseries Yea desire my death that loued thée so deare Trust mée cruell Giletta if thine owne writing had not béene witnesse I would neuer haue thought thee inconstāt nor had not thine own hāds deliuered the instrument of my destruction I would hardly a credited thy letters but on so certaine a proofe in vayne it were to hope Ah God how rightly didst thou hit my fortune when as thou saidst thy apple woulde ease my sorrowes in deed I found in it my death only death must cure my grief And sith so subtily thou prophesiedst my destruction since it agréeth with thy wil thy wretched desire shal foorthwith be wrought In this desperate mynde Rinaldo hasted vnto the riuer of Poo where by the shore side he sawe a simple man to whome he deliuered a scroll wherein was written Giletta false of faith Rinaldo nipt so nye That lo he chose before his time in stremes of Poo to dy Whiche verses he requested the poore man to deliuer at the Lorde de Bolognas castle to maistresse Giletta and then without vsing any other speache he lept into the riuer The poore man halfe amazed at this wilful acte foorthwith hasted vnto the Lorde de Bolognas castle where after he had deliuered the writing to Giletta he shewed for certaintie he saw Rinaldo drowne him self The newes was vnwelcome vnto euerie hearer saue only to Frizaldo that trayned him into this mischiefe but especially to Giletta this tydinges was too too grieuous she weapt she waylde she blamed her and his vnlucky fortune Frizaldos iealousie her friendes vntowardnesse and chiefly her owne nycenesse as
with her mind But quoth she this aple came to my vnhappie fingring that which I deliuered to Frizaldo who toke out the cōfortable counterfetted in Gilettas name a cruel letter that which he wrapt in the aple wild me to bestow the same where I found it the day folowing Frizaldo allured Giletta wher of force she shuld sée Rinaldo who deliuered Rinaldo this aple Rinaldo reading the counterfetted letter desperatly drowned him selfe Which ill newes so discomforted Giletta as she repined at all the instruments of his ill fortune especially at Frizaldo whose name she could not abide Frizaldo séeing his suits so smally regarded with shew of malice in despight of her as he saide promist me marriage Since Giletta won frō this displeasure Frizaldo with faire words promist now to perform that in déed the hitherto he promist in worde I meane vnder the colour of marriage won me to go with two ruffens to his house who by Frizaldos appointment in a forrest not far off were ready to murther me had not this knight in happie time recouered me I nowe haue said vse your pleasure if you please pardon me This straunge discourse made them all secretly to grudge at Frizaldo But Giletta being perplexed both with malice feare with malice against Frizaldo for his too apparant trecherie with feare for Rinaldos absence who she little thought to be the instrument of this discouerie Frizaldo perceiued by the alteration of countenances what harts were won from him by Rosinaes too true a tale and although he found him selfe guiltie yet he began to cleare him self with this shamelesse answere This strumpet quoth he won by some ruffenly companiō that repineth at my good fortune or thinketh by this meanes to be auenged for Rinaldos desperate and foolish end without shame in her selfe thus shamefully slaundereth me But for that wordes will hardly quench the suspicion that her infamous tale hath fired I wil presently in combat proue my innocencie and I trust discouer her trecherie if any dare mainteine her vntrue sayings true Frizaldo had scarcely concluded his chalenge ere Rinaldo thus replyed Notorious varlet spoyled of all humanitie I am he that wil mainteine her sayings true and in reuenge of thy trecherie will I trust soone seperate thy condēned soule without speedie repentance from thy carren body Goe arme thy selfe I attend thy comming Infamous ruffen wilt thou quoth Frizaldo and counterfetting through necessitie furie in steade of feare foorthwith he went to arme him selfe The rest of the companie rather desirous to see an end of this accusation thē the solemnising of the marriage attended Frizaldos return who sone came very richly armed into the field The knights nowe sweare that eyther quarrell is iust and at the trumpets sound so fiercely incountreth other that both horse and men fal thundering to the earth Frizaldo trusting in his force Rinaldo both in his force honest quarell eyther quickly recouereth him self and forsaking their shiuered speares with arming blade freshly falles a hewing at others skonce The knights thus furiously fighting the standers by pray as they are affected the indifferent victory vnto the innocent Rinaldos friendes vnto the vnknowne knight but Giletta aboue the rest wisheth Frizaldos ouerthrowe whome she knowes to be faultie in the quarell Still they fight and yet the victorie doubtfull one while Rinaldo hath the best and straight a crosse blowe makes him lose his aduauntage Remorse of conscience nothing weakeneth Frizaldo but Rinaldos honest cause doubleth his strength so that the longer he fought the fearcer he was and yet Frizaldo valiantly mainteines his dishonest quarrell But what doth might auaile when God assistes the right Frizaldo for all his force in the end beganne to faint which Rinaldo espying and eying his Ladies beautie assaild him with such furie that ere long he sent him dead to the earth The battell thus fortunately won Rinaldo vnarmes him self clames Giletta as his wife the people at the sight of Rinaldo shoke the earth with clamors of ioy Giletta that lately wondered at Rinaldos absence now charged her father with his promise the Lorde de Bologna with the rest of his friends agréed Rinaldo and Giletta should forthwith be married The courtly companie that came to honor Frizaldos marriage had his dishonest actions in such disdaine as now they would not vouchsafe to sée him honestly buried But with all their prouision of brauerie on Rinaldo they willingly attended glad was be that could with any curtesie present him The marriage rites solemnly pronounced these faithfull louers repaired to Bologna castle where they were welcomed with what pleasure might be had yea to cōclude for to worke satisfactiō for their long miseries there wanted nothing that coyne cunning or credit might compasse And thus after fortune had long threatned the shipwracke of their delightes their constancie conducted them to the port of their wished desires El fine fa el tutto Epilogus LOe here the fruits of lust and lawlesse loue Loe here their faults that vale to either vice Loe Ladyes here their falles for your behoue Whose wanton willes sets light by sound aduice Here lords may learn with noble dames to match For dunghill Kyte from kinde wil neuer slye The vessell long will of the liquor smatch Wherewith at first the same we taste or trie Here Cressids life her lucke and lothsome end Their Fortunes paint that Cressids heires are Her fall doth will all wantons to amend Their lightning ioyes are ioynd with yeres of care Here youths that sée a strumpets angrie moode May haply feare to execute her hate Their hard luckes héere that purchase loue with bloud Are warnings méete for such as sowe debate And to be short the sowre in swéetest loue Doth proue him blest that least therof doth proue Formae nulla fides THE GARDEN OF VNthriftinesse wherein is reported the dolorous discourse of Dom Diego a Spaniard together with his triumphe Wherein are diuers other flowers or fancies of honest loue Being the inuentions and collection of George Whestone Gent. Formae nulla fides The Argument DOm Diego a Spaniard falling in loue with faire Geneuora was in the prime of his fancies with like loue by Geneuora friendly acquainted Afterwards Geneuora else where fancying had Dom Diego in such disdaine as still she crost both his suite and seruice with scorne Dom Diego seeing an impossibilitie of fauour exiled him selfe both from courte and companie and vowed to liue and dye in the Pyren mountains vnlesse Geneuora would both remoue her misliking and friendly fetch him home againe who solemnely perseuering in this senselesse vowe you may suppose among the Pyren hilles to wrest foorth this following complaint of his wretchednesse DOM DIEGO HIS dolerous discourse I Wretched weary am of toile good death delay my paine My words in wast my works are lost my wishes are in vaine I serue with faith my hire is fraud I loue reape but hate
But now to you which haue both charge and sway You must be braue for fame and credite sake Yet must you pinch no souldier of his pay Lest nipt with néede poore slaue his héeles hée take In heate of blowes before his head doth ake What then well kept a few will do more good Then store of lowtes which feare to loose their blood 56 Dead payes will helpe to chéerish all the rest And likewise you shall finde therein some gaine And when to filch your souldiers are addrest Fléese you their pray theÌ„ chide them for their paine For stragling out from resdue of their traine Ne spare to spoile when force doth foile your foe Take time and tide least fortune play the shroe 57 The lawyer hée w doubtes that dulls his braine For tenne yeares space his time in studie spends Ere practise his doth purchase stoare of gaine Too long a plague so long to fawne on friends And spend on stoare in hope of after mends And therefore sure deceite deserues no curse For working meanes meane while to fill his purse 58 And yet in â—ooth a grote will buy his gift A booke of notes remembraunce t' is to ease Wherein is writ full many a prettie shift Post facto stuf and Non est factum please By larger grauntes the lease away to fease Conditioned releases how to frame By former wordes the latter for to lame 59 Such quillets nyce when thus you noted haue Some practise néedes must print them in your thought Set such at Lawe in wordes as late but straue And when they both in backhouse ditch are brought To poule them both let some deuise be wrought Forget not this when writings hit your hand If youthes them owe with doubtes to lame his land 60 With hope of gaine his gréedy minde else moue To voyde some graunt or worke some leases wracke A lease of trust then must the title proue At leasure yet this timelesse trust turne backe Your interest small his greatest right will sacke For once in proofe this prouerbe still doth last A little lyme A foule will fetter fast 61 Physicians now that weyes how weake wée are Newe cures must search our griefes are now so straunge Old Gallens drugges our time vnfitteth farre Augmented then his cures abroade must raunge For healthlesse men on euery hope will chaunge But once reteynde be sure thou vse this course Another blame although thy selfe be worse 62 Sée your receites some lightning yéeld at first To worke conceites within your patients thought Persuade him still his paine is at the worst Yet heale and harme till wished gaine be wrought But for the poore sée some reléefe be sought And for your paines let rich men gréeued pay No cure performde your custome will decay 63 But now to you whom office doth aduaunce For your behoofe I forst imploy my paine You come deuaunt vppon a sorrie chaunce Yea stocke you set vppon a tickle maine Durant levie no longer lastes your gaine And ere you sway some thousand poundes must fleâ— Which is not raysde in hast vppon your fée 64 In tenne yeares space fiue hundred markes a yeare Unto his heire who purchase not to leaue Shall sure be blamde of mysers euery where If truth cause lacke most say the rest deceaue If all be false few will such faultes conceiue Once wronge you must a thousand for this gaine How voyde you then the penall statutes paine 65 You are forbid inroulements for to rase To fit your friend or foile your hated foe To saue old seales to giue forg'd writtes their grace To chaunge records a frendly turne to showe For once you may both helpe and ouerthrowe Yet vse you must both meanes by slie deuise But frosted bée for feare of slippery yse 66 Prouide a cloake to couler stil your crime Then worke your will Apollo oft doth fléepe But if your wyles do come to light in time To salue such misse some carelesse seruaunt kéepe Plague him with blame when you the profite reape What if sharpe checkes do put you in some feare The gaine remaines the tauntes in time doth weare 67 Mas gaylor néedes must taste of this my gift Extortion cryes against his yron fées What then in hould this is your onely shift With shackles huge your prisoners to displease Thus pincht good soules they will pay pray and please Pence poucht ne dreade although they stoutly crake To vse redresse poore prisoners vnde lacke 68 Now gallants learne whom brauery still consumes To royst in silkes to flaunt in coulers gay To pranke your wiues vp in their Pecockes plumes To snuffe to scorne to looke beyond your sway To finde a mint to féede your mindes with play To hauke to hunt to boast to braule and fight Which are the thoughtes that féede you with delight 69 This cost is more then carelesse youthes forethinke But cost ne care their hautie mindes can vaile Syth not sée â—ines your farmers Eofers shrinke Of timber trées then strike the loftie saile The bodies next will serue for bord and pale If all these helpes your charge will not defraye But still your names in merchauntes iornalls staye 70 To flote your mindes if house and land must flée To two or thrée the same giue graunt and sell Caue emptor to thy assuraunce sée Hap well hap ill some spéedeth pretie well The rest must take their fortune as it fell Shift you for one the world to fraude is bent Coyne stayes your friend when fléering wordes are spent 71 Come merchaunts come and take in worth my gift Whose Lynxes eyes in younge mens state doe prie Their losse your gaine their spending is your thrift They broche your bagges till all their lyuing flie But holla hoe a bug is Usurie Hée houldes you backe from thrée times tenne to take On morgage good least no returne you make 72 What resteth then your coyne will rust saunce vse And statute loane cannot content your thought Well fare a shift both lawe and them t' abuse You know in prime each thing is easily wrought The dog to draw the horse to order brought The skillesse youth is wonne with euery gaude The reason is his thought is frée from fraude 73 To worke this feate sée that you vse this course When dolefull knell doth bidde a churle adue Send streight to know on whom death vsd this force Not to this end your neighbours fate to rue But of his heire in hast so 〈◊〉 a â—ew If hée be younge well left and easily wonne To feede his dame â–ª sée wordes and workes be donne 74 Some prettie summe on small assuraunce lend If youth be slowe at leasure bid him pay Some times bestowe good counsell as his friend But helpe him to ech toy to make him gay To pay for all at length will come a day By péecemeales thus in lash hée wil be brought In daunger once let this deuise be wrought 75 Get some
him vnto contempt will tourne Where haply else to try his wit them selues will him request To shewe his reasons and his mynde which side he liketh best For ofte the best the baser choose and leaues the high estate But knowes againe when to be strange lest he shuld proue checke mate In honest myrth is wisedome séene as time thereto doth fit For grauest heads must haue a meane for to refresh their wit Fewe wordes they say in order plaste the wise mans tale doth wray And silence is an answere fit the noddies toung to stay But ouer halte in séeking praise some myndes persuade the still Their knowledge silence will conceale what then auailes their skill When as betwéene the both extreames a modest meane doth lye For to direct the wise mans tong as néedes the vse shall try Against ingratitude PEriander of Corinth sometime prince A lawe ordainde ingratefull chuffes to paine Which was on proofe who could a churle conuince To reape rewardes vnrecompenst againe To leuie mendes he should no longer liue For why quoth he suche men deserues no grace As gladly take and grudge againe to giue A needefull lawe this shamelesse sect to chace For what may be a viler fault then this To be vnkinde to father or to friend Or how may men amend their foule amisse Which scornes the wights which dayly them defend A Farmer once a frozen snake did finde With pitie mou'd who layd her by the fire The snake reuiu'd did shewe her selfe vnkinde But what ensu'd he slue her for her hire A morall rule ingratefull wights to warne How thanklesse they do quite a friendly turne But out alas those varlets be so stearne That viper like they lawe and dutie spurne We dayly sée the parents painfull toyle Their restlesse care their children well to traine We likewise sée how thanklesse children spoyle Their parents goods or wish them dead for gaine The good man oft the friendlesse childe doth kéepe And fosters him with many a friendly grote who séekes his spoyle when he is sound asléepe Or giues consent to cut his maisters throte We sée some men aduaunst to honours hye By helpe of such which once did beare a sway Which quite forget what feathers forst them flye If founders theirs by froward chaunce decay The traitrous mate whose prince doth cal to grace Is subiect straight to sowe seditious strife No maruell then to root out such a race If Corinth king ordained losse of life But if in vre we nowe should put his doome Ingratefull gnufes each gallowes so would cloy That scarcely théeues to hang shuld haue a roome To ease the iust whom dayly they annoy Yet doubt I not some meanes would be preparde To cut them off for both may well be sparde The euill fortune of a couetous person and what profite ariseth by the death of a churle A Desperate wight his fortunes foule to frée By wilfull death to rid his cares did choose But as he trudgd to totter on a trée Untimely there his loathed life to loose A rare good hap a pot of golde he found The gold hée rapt his rope hée left behind Anon a carle came sheaking through the ground In stéede of gold a rope who there did finde Which haplesse sight so nipt him at the hart That loe for woe hée pissed where hée stoode At length quoth hée this cord shall cure my smart And so hée hung himselfe in fullen moode The sight were fayre if euery bough did beare Such kinde of fruites till caren churles were choakt Whose deathes inforce a thousand well to fare Their liues the poore as many wayes hath yoakt The wormes reioyce vppon a churle to gnawe The poore man then whom hée did pinch of yore Hath pennie dole and meate to fil his mawe Where scarcitie was forthwith appeareth store Pray for his soule the common people crie As for his life the world full well may spare His hordes of gold about the house then flie Catch who catch may his goods a hundred share His heapes of corne to euery market sailes Which close hée kept in hope of some deare yeare And where hée sparde the parings of his nailes His sonne may spend and make his friends good cheare If such increase comes by a carrens death Who would not wish a cord to stop his breath A briefe description of death DEath is a piller to the Prince true iustice to vphold A terrour to the trayterous mate his secretes to vnfould A stedfast stay to common weales a webbe of worldlings woe A father to the harmelesse wight vnto his friend a foe ¶ An Epitaphe vppon the death of Henrie Cantrell of Lincolnes Inne Gent. by his friend R. C. SIth vertuous life death neuer may depriue But liueth ay amidde the glorious crew Lament not then our Cantrell is aliue In heauen on highe with chaunged life a new Then death no dole sith life therein remaines But glad hee gone to blisse from worldly paines From wreake of woe from cutt of cares anoye From fainting frends froÌ„ dole of doubtful dome From vaine delights the counterfet of ioy From sobbing sighes whence sorrowes séedes do come From dread to die sith death doth cleare vs quit Lament not then good Henrie Cantrells hit The dalying dayes that here wée lead alonge On earthlie mould fills vp the sacke with sinnes Here mirth with mone is alwayes mixt amonge To sowre our swéete here fortune neuer linnes Hence pleasure parkes no ioy can here remaine No swalowed swéete not purgde with pills of paine Then laude the Lord lament no whit at all Though it hath pleasd his will and heauenly â—est From wretched vs this happie youth to call For sure I say his soule him liked best Thus best hée calls and leaues the worst alone His mercie such our heaped sinnes to mone Howe great a vice it is either for the vertuous or valiaunt man to accompanie himselfe with men of base condition when as acknowledging his dutie hee may aduenture into the companie of the best WHere vertue may or vallor one aduaunce To base his hap a loute to liue belowe Or credite seeke with men of meanest chaunce A fearefull hart a dunghill minde doe showe On thornes no grapes but sower flowes doth growe Euen so by sottes no fame but shame doth rise A faire catch for such to count thée wise The forward minde doth couet this at least To prease where hée is poorest of the traine And not to liue with those himselfe the best For sure hée shall a lowsie kingdome gaine Where vnder him do none but beggers raine By learninges lore who doth the idiot schoole In fine wil proue himselfe a passing soole The highest trées doth kéepe the vnder spray From Phoebus gleames from sugred dewes that fall So mounting mindes aloft doth beare the sway When meaner wittes doth liue belowe in thrall They sucke the swéete when sottes do gnawe the gall They wrong by might their will makes right a mome Who prickes at such but séeldome
sâ—ooteth home Such is their force where credite beareth sway A perfect tale although the wronged tell Their thwarting speach what they mislike will stay The wronged wight with wrath may haply swell And pleades a fresh though not so passing well Then sausie knaue how maâ—lapeart hée is Away go packe your purpose you shall mis. But if the sot which in their fauour stand Do slammer forth a patched tale of lyes Their helping speach will force him vnderstand The way and meanes afresh for to deuise To frame his talke from shew of trueth to rise A vertue straunge their wordes can bring to passe That fooles séeme wise the wise in shew an Asse UUhat fréer life then others to commaund UUhat happier state then for to liue in rest What greater wealth then what a man demaund UUhat credite like the countnaunce of the best For thralles it were a heauen to reach the left But they aloft whom vertue doth aduaunce If more may bée inioy more happie chaunce UUho will not then both séeke and double séeke To reach this hap with hazard at the first The foreward wight though fortune giue the gléeke A fresh will toyle till that his harâ— doth burst â–ª If still shée frowne in faith the man is curst A fall saith he who recketh such a losse An asse shall ride and no hie sturring horsse For proofe againe the huge and mightie oke UUhose withered roote from falling cannot stay But downe hee comes by sturdie Boreas stroke His fall god wot doth crush the vnder spray Euen so it fares with those that beareth sway If by mishap they wrapped be in thrall The poore doth beare the burthen of their fall For where as mindes by mischiefe raisâ—e too hie Sedition sowe their natiue soilâ— to wring UUhen Princes might doth make such rebels flie The leaders chiefe well horst away do fling UUhen pesaunts stay and Sursum corde sing They sue for grace safe in anothers land When toyling thralles are trussed out of hand If in abuse of both their states be best Although the best in faith is very bad Deseruing well they are farre better blest They roist in silkes wheÌ„ clownes in raggs are clad They haue their will and what can more be had Who will not then how so sly hap saith nay Séeke out this chaunce if vertue sayes hée may ¶ An Epitaphe on the death of the right worshipful maister Robert Wingfield of Vpton in the countie of Northampton Esquier TO shewe their cause of dole whom Wingfields death doth pearse Good muse take thou a little paine his vertues to rehearse Hée wel was knowne to spring from house of auncient name Yea leaue his Armes and blase his actes and you shall sée the same His zeale to serue his God his care to saue his soule His stoute contempt of Romish ragges their taxe their tyth and toule The Gospell that hée lou'd his life that showde no lesse Bare witnesse that in words and workes the trueth he did professe Beléeue his blessings else which hée receyu'd from hie The first long life in happie health till age inforst him die And then this comfort swéete to frée his age from feares Hée sawe his children liue and like in credite many yeares Sufficient wealth hée had ynough hée thought a feast Hée had ynough hée spent ynough and with ynough deceast His credite with his Prince continued from his youth A sight most rare in office plast hée trust returnde with trueth Full fiftie yeares and twoe a Iustice place hee vsde For common peace and profite both hée séeldome paynes refusde Hée wéeded wronges from right by law and not by ame Hee kept this course to helpe the poore the lewd againe to blame His life vpright and iust hée ioyde in no mans thrall His dealings were both lou'd and likt among his neighbours all His bountie at his bord his store for euery sort The hie the lowe the riche the poâ—re wrought him a rare report And thus long time hée liu'de in credite and in loue Till death to worke his ioy our griefe his force began to proue But yet hée sicknes sent for to forewarne him first Whose honest minde whose conscience cleare straight bade him doe his worst And so with hope of heauen vnto the graue hee vailde Of which hée glad his friendes as sad if sorrowe ought preuailde Viuit post funera virtus ¶ An Epitaphe on the death of the right worshipfull maister Iohn Ayleworth Esquier IF men may waile their losse that death hath ridde from woe Then giue mée leaue to wéepe my fill my sorrowes so to showe And though to bathe in teares small botes now hée is gone Yet none can leaue so firme a friend and showe no signe of mone When brainesicke I a bruse with ouer brauery caught Hée first did cure my néede with coyne then soundly thus mée taught Bée stayde for rowling stones do sildome gather mosse I tryde his ayde I likt his wordes and still shall rue his losse His losse not I alone but thousands more lament His children friends seruaunts poore with brackish teares are sprent But Oh you fillie poore whom néede doth nip and pearce With hart with hand with might maine your heapes of woe rehearse Crye out of cruell death for reauing your reliefe You are the wightes that haue God wott the greatest cause of griefe When hunger faintes your heartes when you with cold shall frease The lacke of Ayleworths foode and fire your starued limms to ease When might would marre your right his counsell sound and sure His open purse to pleade your cause the paines hée but in vre When you poore soules shall misse with him that was your stay Then shall your griefes appeare as gréene as hée had dyde to day These were his fruites of faith these almes hée did of zeale Hee wayde no showe his woordes in workes the Gospell did reueale EXHORTATIO O life of much auaile O worldlings it insue So shall you not be ledde by gold but gold be rulde by you So shall you kéepe him bright that mouldeth in your chest So shall the world speake well of you your conscience so in rest The swéetest ioyes of all though death your farewell giue So so your soules with his in heauen your fames on earth shal liue ¶ An Epitaphe in the order of an admonition written on the death of his verie friend Iohn Note of Grayes Inne Gent. Vntimely flaine the 2. of Nouember 1575. WIth teares in thought imprint both frem and knowen frende Thrée speciall notes of much auaile by Notes vntimely ende 1. Note first his honest life of euery sort was lou'd Learned hée was and vertuous both his manhoode throughly prou'd A gallant witte hee had the which hée gouernde so As did content all sortes of men when cause the vse did show Hée had both health and wealth his fortune was to hard And yet in spite of froward chaunce Fame shall his vertues gard 2. His life would followed bée
before a life prorog'd with shame Quod cauere possis stultum est admittere A caueat to G. W. at his going into Fraunce written by his friend R.C. POst haste since so thou mak'st the coast of Fraunce to sée Thy frends aduice in baren verse good George yet take with thée Haue thou a haught disdaine which art a Bryttan bred At thy returne to proue howe that French follies filles thy hed In natiue soyle disguis'd thy selfe God shield thou showe In coate in cloake in hat in hose a French man like to go French shoes made fast with pointes in doublets syde and wide Which French men weare God wot for ease sute not thy selfe through pride What tendeth to thy thrift to folow not refuse Kéepe thou one seruant and no more but not as french men vse For wages pay not words as is the guise of Fraunce Array him not in tattered rags french like or nakt to daunce One meale no more a day is pittance very small To like wel of such french like fare few English yeomen fall Let gesture words nor wéedes inforce thy friends to say Behold a frenchman wher he flaunts if face be turn'd away Which face french like to sute good George take special héede In taste the baites are very swéete that do such cankers bréede For to pronounce thy wordes yea french and all first lose Afore thou spoyle thy English tong with snufling in the nose Thou knowest what I meane thy wit is good and quicke Yet wise men oft before they looke fast in the myre sticke But ere thou rashly leape the ditches I reueale The plainesse of my Muse bewrayes my warning is of zeale My ioy thy profite great if thy returne do showe Thy trauell tends to countries good not french man like to goe The rage of retchlesse youth thy trauell did allay And not thereby with proudest shewe to royst in garments gay That thou canst yeald account what is the countries state What newes of note do run abroade as well of loue as hate These fruits thy friends expect at thy returne to reape But stay I here into aduice my Muse too farre doth créepe She ment not to direct how thou shouldst vse thy time She ment french follies for thy heede to touch in naked rime Well since she rou'd so farre alowe what she hath sayde Mâ— inward wish for thy auayle she hath no more but wrayde Viue vale Whetstons Dreame I Waying once my harmes by others health By iust account I found the selfe same thing Which weaud my wo did worke anothers wealth Which wrought my pain to some did pleasure bring Thus cloyd with care to sâ— my lucklesse lot My senses fayld as though I â—ere a sot Yet Sopors beames so could not cleare my brest But stormes of care did shower in my thought Thus slumber swéete did yeald but little rest For pinching paine supprest that pleasure wrought But as my woes did wander here and there My thought I sawe an aged man appeare Yet such a one as care me séemd to cloy And Patience he did name him selfe to me Who bad me straight to bannish all annoy And of these doubtes I soone an end should sée Then I with him pursude the most resort Unto a place which séemde a princes court Whereas my thought sat crownd a famous quéene By due desart to beare the regall sway Whose princely rule hath seldome earst ben séene As though the Gods dame nature did obey That iustice should degrade them of each grace Her to inuest with rule of vertues mace Upon whose grace did nobles graue attend By whose foresight in peace her subiects liue And valiaunt péeres were ready to defend If forreine force would once aduenture giue By warlike frayes to worke our great vnrest With fire sworde and piercing speare in rest Within this court clothed in honest shewe Was Enuie Hate Ambition and Deceit On whome to waite whereas these fiends did go Base minded wights were ready at the gate Which neuer sought that vertue should aduance Their hautie mindes to heigth of happie chance There might I sée of men another race Which séemd to wayle their woes with wéeping eye Whom these same sprites had shakeÌ„ once of grace By false suspect and filthy slatterie And well I markt how they did crouch créepe And all for grace which euermore did sleepe Then I espide another valiant crewe Which lookt aloft by vertue to aspire Unto the roome to their desart ydewe If due desart had reapt deserued hire But vertue gapt and gained nought but plums For flatterie catcht before they fell the crums Quoth grayberd then such once was my good hap To be aduaunst to heigth of great renoune But I too soone was caught in Enuiâ—s trap Where false suspect by flatterie kept me downe Then patience I perforce a vertue made And left with losse the countries tickle trade The foorth we go into another place By outward shew wher saints my thought did sit Whose gentle speach presaged endlesse grace There loose their gaine they voucht by sacred writ These prelates were their words deseru'd their roome But sure their déedes I leaue to others doome Hypocrisie did beare a vengeance sway His double tong did bleare the clergies eye He still affirmde t' was true that they did say Gainst their deuice a thousand woes did cry Mas Ignoraunce a minister was made Who babbled much yet wist not what he sayd Yet sure this clarke did so in scriptures créepe As voucht the same to cloake each crime he could Pasce oues he tooke for grasing sheepe Which well he fed and daily viewd his fould And yet this sot with pence procur'd such grace As oft he wrought true preachers out of place Then out we goe into a pleasant plaine In armour bright where gallants we espy The captaine stird the souldiers rawe to traine Of some vnwisht vnwares their foes drewe nye The cannon crackes like thunder claps did sing At trumpets sound the horse men forward fling In formost frunt the fearelesse youthes did fight Which honour sought and so with honour dyde The fencer there prou'd not the forwardst wight Base minded Dick the spoyle not blowes applyde The coward yet a loofe did catch a licke As soone as he which throngd among the thicke When fearelesse blowes had driuen their foes away To slash and slay the cowards did not spare When spoile was giuen the souldiers paines to pay Who best deseru'd did reape the barest share Thus vallor fought and falshoode fléest the spoile The coward thriu'de who least of all did toile These bloudie broiles mée thought wée then forsooke And soone wée slipt into a stately hall Now well apayde about the same I looke For glad I was I scapt the souldiers thrall And proudly then I throngd amid the preace For that their wéedes bewrayde the men of peace Within this hall were kept the Princes courtes Where Lawyers sate as Iudges in the same To shew their griefes
The three following are the trade of surest gaine A cheating merchaunt lokes like a sneaking cur Crosbiting a kinde of cousoning vnder the couler of frendship The table exercise The fearelesse othes that dicers vse Murderers of othes Monie lightly wonn is as lightly spent Luers to stoupe a Curtisane A rape vnpunishable Fairewords makes fooles faine Like maister like scholers A notable vsurie Both infections can hardly bee cured There is no certaintie in dicers fortunes Dicers quarrells An il wind that driues no man to profite Some visite the sicke more in hope of gaine then deuotion What ensues after morgaging A statute a perilous bonde A welcome guest Credite once lost is not easilie obtained againe Bare words an yll plea against matter of recorde Necessitie tries frendâ— A cooling carde Lewde couÌ„sell Comin a Gauntalias a Serpent A gentle admittance A gentle persuasion The Kings Benche neuer without a subtil Lawyer Saturday a heauie daye to needie prisoners Might ouercomes right Necessitie obeys not lawe Nihil dicet a vauntage a cousiner seekes A miserable estate A nyce coÌ„panion The one through necessitie the other through hypocrisie The prouerbe verified The lawe prouides a remedy for extortion c. but the lacke of execution emboldeneth churles to breake theÌ„ Ventures barge Souldiers gaine Flushing Of seruingmen The hangmans cog Of husbandmen c. Pride Lecherie Sloth Blasphemie Wrath. Gluttonie Couetousnesse Despaire The sum of the whole discourse Exceptions God 1. Prince 2. Officers 3 Lawe 4. Expence 5. Scarcitie 6. Studie 7. Fraude 8. Exercise 9. Sloth 10. Companie 11. Vnthrifts 12. Modest talke 13. dispraise 14 The coÌ„ceit of excellencie 15. Silence 16. RecoÌ„pence 17 Ingratitud 18 Secretnes 19. Toung 20. Taylers 21. Apparel 22. Tauernes 23. Drunkenes 24 Quareling 25 Pertaking 26 â–ª Wanton dames 27. Dice 28. Wares on trust 29. Morgage 30. Cutthrots 31. Sealing and safe keping of writings 32.33 Suretiship 34. Friendship 35 Marriage 36. An ill wife 37 Countrie 38. London 39. Neghbors 40 Good report 41. House keeping 42. Poore 43. Seruant 44. Flatterer 45. Wrangling in the lawe 46. Duties of an honest maÌ„ 47 Reliefe 48. Fame 49. Death 50. Patience A perilous casualtie Note The religion of wanton louers like the papistes He was a wanton liuer A backward purchase He was made an instrument to execute other cousners deuises Plasmos the man hee abused Hee forged deedes Officers about the recouery of P.P. land suspected the deceite Periurie Frenos the Scriuener thaâ— deuisde the cousenage His miseries His sonne sodainly died A quarterne ague He brought himselfe in daunger to play the cousener for others commoditie His instrumeÌ„t He lost his wit He lost his memorie His friendes forsoke him in pouertie Goods ill got are lewdlye spent When death attacheth the wicked the thought of their sinne is more greuous then death Our owne sinnes giue euideÌ„ce against vs afore the highest Bible A pretie kind of periurie Noâ—â— A sweete comâ—orte Presumptious sinnes The common lawe was takeÌ„ out of Gods laâ—â— The diuel declares our offences before God our conscience is the witnes of our wickednes Note Ignoraunce will not serue The soule flesh are at coÌ„tinuall warre Vide fol. 38. Vide fol. 80. vsque 96. Vi. 24. A. 50 Vide. 50. vs. 66 Vide. 50. Vide. 98. 99 Vide. 87. Vide. 7. A. Vide. 36.47 Vide. 73. B. Vide. 6. Vide. 85. Vide. 17. C. vsque 25. 49. vs. 66. 70. vs. 78. Vide. 66.78 Vide. 46. Vide. 45. vs. 49 Vide. 16.49.70 Vide. 105. A. vsque ad fineÌ„ ¶ Imprinted at London for Robert Waley Anno. 1576.
that to make him sure In haste doth hangman spéede Where he in cogging winnes the coate For that he strikes him dead The plowman and the poorest sort Which toyles and sowes the soyle And sixe pence by the day doth gaine In recompence of toyle If he at night consume at play The price of all his hire His wife with hunger well may sterue His children fréese for fire O horned hap of hatefull harme O venom vile to tell O gréedie gulfe of endlesse griefe O horror next to hell O foule infection fraught with care O sinke of such a sent Which neuer leau'st thy poysned thrals Till all their wealth be spent For not in vaine Agrippa writ The fiends of yre you made An Art most fit for hellish ympes And not for Christians trade A spring from whence all vice did flowe Of péeuish Pride the nurse For note the dicer roystes in silke When pence be pert in purse Then must he prease in pleasures court To be of Venus traine Which soone will purge his foggie purse From all their pinching paine His body earst that able was To serue at eache assay By sloth c. is so weake That faintnesse bids him stay To shewe the valure of his mynde â–ª Till natures griefe be easde His fearelesse othes will feare the diuell When losse hath him displeasde When malice moues him to reuenge His quarels do excell His carelesse slashing at his foe Doth wray the fourme of hell An Epicure for his fare Such is his costly cates His mynde is bent to snatch and catch Yea more to rob his mates When all is spent and credite crackt Despaire then strikes the stroke And makes him gape in hope of plumbes For pence will shun his poke And thus you heare in ragged ryme For so be séemes the worke What veines of vice what lakes of losse In dogged dice doth lurke For loftie verse vnfitly serues To paint the plagues of hell Though not the same yet next thereto This dogrell rime doth tell How youthes from rod to fréedome leapt Are thrall to sharper whips Whom cousner first whom cutthrote next Whome lawyer lastly nips The braunches of the cousners trée Are whordome theft and pride From rutthrotes rout doth bondage spring With losse on euery side The Lawyer lickes that they haue left And lets him sinke or swim Pure néede then makes him leane on those That earst did liue by him Although at large I here do touch Each vice in his degrée A speciall meaning hath my wordes To graunt that some there be By rules of lawe which rightly liue And not which rules the lawe To wrest the sense to serue their turne Their clyents coyne to clewe Some merchaunts rise by honest meanes And not by craftie shiftes Some tabling halles in fayth I iudge Are frée from cheters driftes The which I trust will not repine Or quite my toyle with blame Nor yet the guiltie well may grudge Which wisely wayes the same Quod nocet docet Fiftie apples of admonition late growing on the tree of good gouernment bestowed on his especiall friends and companions the Gentlemen of Furniuals In. SErue loue and dread you God on high obey your Prince on earth Unto your betters dutie shewe be they by rule or byrth Liue you within the bounds of lawe and tether of your fée For lightly after one yeares store of scarcitie commeth thrée Use studie when your wits are fresh and aptest to conceiue But studie not the fruites of fraud your neighbour to deceiue Use exercise with such a meane as workes your bodies wealth And too much toyle doth hinder strength sloth impayreth health Make choice to choose such companie as are of honest fame For to be séene with thriftlesse men impayreth your good name Use modestie in all your wordes despraise no man too much For lauish speach bréeds great vnrest in you and them you tuch Make you no shewe of such conceit how others you excell For if you doe the wise will say wit with a foole doth dwell Inforce your selfe silence to vse when others tell a tale For babble then both troubleth them and sets your wits to sale Haue care to vse some recompence where you beholding are For trust me with ingratitude no honest mynde can bare What so your friend commits to you be euer secrete found Who giues his toung much libertie doth all his body wound Beware of taylers curious cuts for they will shake your bags The merrie meane I holde for best tweene roysting silkes rags The tipling tauerne and such like to haunt haue small desire Of all reports it is the worst to be a drunken squire Who quarels much hath care enough with mischiefe oft he ends SauÌ„ce néed throw not your selus in brals in néed assist your frieÌ„ds Shun you the trains of wantoÌ„ dames whose bayts are swéet in tast But yet in truth helth welth and fame the courtesan doth wast As high way vnto beggerie beware of dogged dice. The greatest cause of blasphemie a vaine of filthy vice Out of the merchants iurnals kéepe buy sildome wares on trust Such vsurie bites aboue the rest do try it who so lust In néede make choice to sell out right before you morgage lande What so befalls looke for no grace at any cutthrotes hande Looke what you seale read ere you seale â–ª therin trust no maÌ„s truth And writings seald kéepe safe your owne lest had I wist ensuth Haue great regard to suretiship all is not golde that shines Yet stretch your selues to help your friend with penurie that pines WheÌ„ wedlock life doth like your mynd match with a vertuous maid The mischiefe of the contrarie a plague next hell is sayd And married wel the citie leaue sing then Pierce Plowmans song For women vsde to London once will euer thether long Where so you liue haue great regarde to vse your neighbor well A good report in my conceit doth riches farre excell What some consume in painted pride good house kéep you withal Relieue the poore in any case let chaps walke in your hall Intreate your honest seruant well giue him his hired due The flatterer and the make bate wretch in any wise eschue Account that wrangling in the lawe is enimie to rest A spoyle of fame a losse of time a théefe that robs your chest This reckoning make to serue your selues you are not only born Your countrie friends children looke each one for som good turn Thrée sorts of men with speciall care salue you their néedy grieâ—e The scholer forced from his booke abroad to séeke reliefe The souldier spoyled in the wars whose hassard works your peace And next the simple husbandman who toyles for your increase So spend your time as you may leaue some monument of fame Preferre an honest death