By this Report the onely Linguist liuing Had beene with Phelice for to make her glad Such fame and glory to her Louer giuing As neuer greater any Worthy â—ad Tels all the deedes of wonder he hath done From the first action that his hand begun Phelice impatient of his wished sight Speeds towards Lincolne like light Salmacis Where ioyfully she entertaines her Knight With Iunoes kinde imbrace and Venus kisse Guy with requitall makes his gladnes knowne And in his armes he now inioyes his owne Forgetfull Loue and too too slowe quoth she I fear'd thou didst not minde thy dearest friend What seeke a Dragon ere thou looke for me And hazard life before thou come or send To know if I remaine in happy state Some jealous woman would suppose 't were hate But sure I doe not though I speake my heart And wish I had bin first thou saw'st on shore Guy welcome to thy Phelice now thou art Thou neuer shalt goe forth a Fighting more No thou hast fought too much thy lookes bewray Sterne countenance hath stolne thy smiles away But Loue will learne thee loue to change thy face And frame it as at first when I did chuse it Thou hast almost forgotten to imbrace I like that well it seemes thou did'st not vse it In Forraigne parts abroad where thou hast bin But that lost lesson thou must new begin I will quoth he deere Loue and ply my Booke And kisse my Lesson on thy Corall lip Tell me but onely when I am mistooke In reading rashly if I ouer-skip Or be too negligent in taking paine Why turne me backe to conne my geere againe But Lady one exception I will make What line soeuer you doe put me to The Horne-booke of all other I le forsake For willingly I would not haue to doe With that Crosse-rowe crosse vnto many when Women doe teach it vnto Married men Kinde Sir quoth she content I le neuer chuse it It fits two sorts a Curtezan a Childe Once as the latter simply I did vse it But for the other rather be beguilde Then to deceiue the second Horn-booke's naught Teach it not me and it shall ne're be taught Guy smil'd and said come let vs Warwicke see Of all the world the place that I loue best Because it had the bringing vp of thee And there first with thy Beauty I was blest I loue the Castle and the Garden ground Where e'rst thy Venus-face alone I found Let 's hasten on to heare this Sacred voyce I Guy take Phelice to my wedded wife And thou repeate I likewise am thy choyse Till Death depart vs euen so long as Life And then the next will bee God giue vs Ioy And send thy Fathers Heyre agallant Boy The Marriage is Solemnized But after Forty dayes Guy Pennance vowes and Pilgrim like From England goes his wayes Canto 10. THe happy Day that Louers long expect Is now attayn'd to giue desire rest And all the honours Hymen can effect He franke bestowes to grace the wedding Feast For Athelstone and his renowned Queene At this great Nuptiall in their pompe were seene The Nobles rich and costly in Attire With worthy Knights and Gentlemen beside Ladyes of Honour as their Loues require Attend vpon the beautious faire fac'd Bride There wanted nothing wit of man could finde To please the eye or to content the minde Maskes midnight-Reuels Tilt and Turnament Acting of ancient Stories stately showes Banquets might giue great Iupiter content Where cuppes of Nector plentious ouer-flowes Aboundant all thinges with a plentious hand As if a King himselfe should feast a Land Soone after all these thinges were consummate Earle Rohand Phelice worthy Father dyes And to his Sonne bequeathes the whole estate Of Earledomes Lordships all his Land is Guyes Who is created Earle of Warwicke then In Honours rancke with Englands Noble-men But in the glory of this high applaud Enioying all that did partake delight When euery tongue his Fame and Fortunes laude Himselfe conuerts his sun-shine dayes to night Bethinking what the world may iust be thought And deeming all but vaine that he had sought Oft would hee sit and meditate alone In looking backe what steps his youth had trod Then to himselfe with sighes and grieuous grone Cry pardon me thou iust incensed God I haue done nothing for to purchase Grace But spent my time about a Womans face For Beauty bloody through the world I ran In pride of heart preferring Phelice feature For Beauty I haue ended many a man Hating all other for one mortall Creature For Beauty I haue pawn'd my vtmost power But for my sinnes not spent one weeping hower My Nunquam sera I will now begin And vowe to spend the remnant of my dayes In contrite Pennance for my former sinne That God may pardon all the erring wayes Which flesh and blood vainely deceiued by Vnto the world I will goe learne to dye Let me be censur'd euen as mortals please I le please my God in all things may be done Ambitious pride hath beene my youths disease I le teach age meeknes ere my Glasse bee runne And change my choyse wealth beauty world farwel To purchase Heauen I would passe thorow Hell Phelice perceiues his melancholy state And comming to him doth most mildely woo My Lord quoth shee why are you chang'd of late As I share ioy let mee beare sorrow too If I in ought haue mou'd you to offence I will with teares performe due recompence No my deare Loue quoth Guy no cause in thee T is with my selfe I discontented striue By light of Grace my Natures faults I see That am as dead although I seeme aliue Phelice my sinnes my countlesse sinnes appeare Crying Repent thy guilty Conscience cleere I must deale with thee as Bauarus delt A Prince of Rome with Sygunda his Wife Who from a deepe impression hee felt Vow'd Chastity perpetuall all his life Entreating thee euen as thou lou'st my soule To pardon me not vrging my controule Hast thou not heard what Ethelfrida did A Christian woman sometime Englands Queene Is Edelthrudis acte of Chaste life hid A Princesse likewise rare and matchlesse seene The first with Childe no more of lust would taste The second caus'd two Husbands both liue chaste And canst not thou the Phoenix of a Realme By immitation winne immortall praise Leauing thy vertues an admired Theme To the succeeding Age of Yron dayes I know thou canst thy greater part 's Diuine Where most is Carnall 't will to flesh incline Thou didst procure although I doe excuse it My pride by Conquests to attaine thy Loue God gaue mee Valour I did vaine abuse it My heart and thoughts aspired farre aboue The Crownes and Scepters of most potent Kings I held their Diadems inferiour thinges But now I gather in a totall somme Such follies and condemne them all to dye A man of other fashion I le become Some better Trauailes for my soule to try Not as before in Armour on my Steed But in a
Consisted in the present letting Blood And that his Body in distemprature Was difficult and very hard to Cure Doctor quoth Guy 't is true I know as much I finde my selfe to bee exceeding ill But ther 's a Flower which if I might but touch Would heale me better then my Physickes skill 'T is called by a pretty pleasing name And Felix soundeth somewhat neare the same Quoth the Physition Sir I know it not Nor in the Herball reade of such a Flower Yet in this Castle is it to bee got Said Guy it growes not farre from yonder Tower I le finde it out my selfe Doctor refraine Gallen had ne're the Art to cure my paine Left in his passions to conuerse with moane As in a Window hee did sighing lye In a delightfull Garden all alone The Empresse of his thoughts hee did espy Which to his soule did such reioycing bring Feare was depos'd and Hope was crowned King Now is the time quoth hee faire Fortunes sun Shines fauourable on my gloomy cares Now may I end the griefe that Loue begun And boldly aske good hap how well shee fares Now will I enter yonder pleasant shade To court the worlds admired beautious Mayde Pheltce I come assist me Cupid now Prepare an Arrow ready for my Bowe I neuer went a wooing teach mee how Good action with good speech I may bestow But aboue all thinges gentle Cupid moue her That shee beleeue me when I sweare I Loue her With speed vnto the Garden then hee goes Where one of Phelice Damsels lets him in And in a curious Arbor of repose Findes Citherea with her siluer skin Whom hee salutes with grace and maiesty Beholding her with Loues inchaunting eye Fairest quoth hee of all the workes of Nature Whose equall neuer breath'd this common ayre More wonderfull than Earth can yeeld a creature For euery part belonging vnto faire Immortall creature of Coelestiall frame Eternall honor still attend thy Name I come to thee about the like poore suite That once Leander came to Hero with Hoping to reape thereby more liuely fruit Then Mars attain'd when hee deceiu'd the Smith 'T is onely Loue that I with heart present 'T is onely Loue must giue my soule content Incline sweet Lady to mine humble motion Compassionate the griefe that I endure Regard my life that rests at thy deuotion With pitty take my dying heart in cure O let it not in groaning torments swell And breake in twaine because it loues thee well Great Princes loue thee this I knew before And deedes of Honour for thy Name haue done But neither King nor Prince can loue thee more Then doth poore Guy thy Fathers Stewards Son His Loue to thee is so inestimable To counteruaile it all they are not able Phelice thus interrupts his protestation No more of Loue cease gentle youth quoth shee I haue a minde fram'd of another fashion Virginity shall liue and dye with mee Loue is compos'd of Idlenes and play And leades to vaine delights delights that stray Besides it ill beseemes thee be so bolde Inferiour and vnfit for my Degree And if vnto my Father this were tolde I knowe it would procure reproofe to thee The Prouerbe in this point might make thee wise That Princely Eagles scorne the catching Flyes And with this answer shee departeth thence Leauing poore Guy worse vexed then before For now in deepe dispaire of recompence Hee neuer doth expect Loues comfort more But vnto sorrow sighes and teares doth giue Wishing each day the last hee had to liue Guy in strange passions for his Loue Great torments doth endure Till Phelice sees a vision and Doth yeeld her patient cure Canto 2. VVIth tyred thoughts remaines this wofull wight Distracted in his melancholy minde Pertaking nothing that containes delight All thinges are harsh distastfull out of kinde Phelice denyes him Loue whose sound of breath Is like the Iudge that doomâ—s a man to Death Like to Orestes in his franticke fits Hee tare the golden tresses from his head Or mad Orlando quite depriu'd of wits From whom the vse of sence and reason fled So fares it with this Loue-tormented man Whose raging thoughts into disorder ran Society hee shunnes and keepes alone Accusing Desteny and cursing Beauty Hee hates himselfe and is a friend to none Beyond the limits of all Loue and Duty Venus quoth hee how are thy lawes forgot Thus to afflict him that offends thee not What is the cause I am reiected thus Who interrupts my Loue to Beauties mirrour I 'le drag him hence to roaring Erebus There to bee plunged in Eternall terrour I le to Ioues Court and there with shoutes and cryes Make such a clangor as shall rent the skyes Shall I bee cousen'd as Orpheus was Assist me Theseus to reuenge this wrong Where 's Rhadamant that Iustice cannot passe Euridice is solde euen for a Song Fiends Furies Goblins Hidraes for a fall I am prepar'd to manage with you all I le mount vpon the backe of Pegasus And in bright Phoebus flames my selfe will wrape Then will I tumble windy Eolus To sleepe in Thetis watery Christall lap From thence I le post vnto the torrid Zone To finde which way faire Phelice Loue is gone Iason had lucke to winne the Golden-fleece I like the Skin but for the Hornes I care not Faire Hellen was a waggish wench of Greece Bolde Mars will venture bashfull Venus dare not Trust a faire face Not I let him that list What 's Hercules without a Club in 's fist Thus for a time his sences were depriued Being left by Loue as blinde as Cupids eyes Till reason to perfections state reuiued And extreame passions ceast to tyrannize For in a Vision Phelice did descry The power of Loue and yeelds her heart to Guy By Morpheus possest of quiet sleepe In dead of night when Visions doe appeare The heart tormenter hee that pierceth deepe And maketh Louers by their bargaiues deare Sends from his bowe a shaft with golden head And woundeth Phelice in her Mayden bed Before her hee presents a Martiall wight Clad all in Armour for encounters fit And sayes sweet Virgin Loue this man of might Giue him thy Heart for hee doth merit it For Valour Courage comely shape and Limme The world hath not a Champion like to him Faire Phelice in a Vision Entertaines the Loue of Guy Jnioyning him Aduentures strange His manly force to try Great honour Lady thou shalt gaine hereby T' adorne thy Noble and renowned Birth Hee shall aspire vnto such Maiesty His Name will bee a terrour on the Earth He shall become a Champion vnto Kinges And by the Sword performe admired thinges Bee not ambitious that thou art high borne Be not disdainfull of a meane estate Be not defiled with the brand of scorne Be not too proude that thou art Beauties mate For 't is in vaine to striue against my Bowe If I say Loue it must and shall bee so Fixe not thy thoughts basely on worldly wealth Coyne should not be
Guy takes Earles Terryes Fathers part And kills the Duke his Foe Destroyes a cruell sauage Bore Preuenting dangers so Canto 8. NOw Titans Horses with his fiery Carre Had brought the Day to darknes in the West And Vesper that same siluer shining Starre Which doth adorne the sky at Euening best Appear'd as bright as Cynthia in her Sphaere To welcome sable Nights approaching neare When Terry Guy and Osile wanting guide Didst stray about the vnfrequented Wood Hearing the saluage noyse on eu'ry side Of Beasts that thirsted after humane blood As Bores and Beares and Lyons and the like Which to their hearts did some amazement strike On euery side they cast a heedfull eye Still doubting on the sodaine some surprize At length two Armed men they did espy That also listen to those fearefull cryes Each had his sword in hand being ready drawne Knowing that place did yeeld no Dogs would fawne Comming more neare Sir Heraud was the one The other euen as dearely Terryes friend Who with imbracements made their gladnes knowne And then the Earle demaunded to what end His louing Cousen pass'd the Defert so My Lord quoth he to bring thee newes of woe Thy noble Father is besleged now In this strong Castle by Duke Ottons power Who hath protested by a solemne vow About his eares he will pull downe the Tower In a reuenge that thou his Loue hast got He sweares thy Fathers life escapeth not His Loue quoth Terry preethee Osile speake Acquaint this Worthy man with thy soules thought Haue I procur'd thee any Faith to breake Or bin the instigater vnto ought That is vniust in righteous Heauens sight Neuer quoth Osile thou hast bin vpright That wretched man would force my Loue away In clayming that I ne're intend to giue I will bee thine vntill my dying day Thou shalt inioy me all the howers I liue And when I alter this determination Let Gods and men holde mee in detestation Well spoke said Guy Lady be constant euer And Honours blemish then thou needst not doubt Keepe Loues foundation firme alter it neuer It is for Loue I raunge the world about And doe expose my Life to mortall danger In this exiled state an vnknowne Stranger But Terry wherefore are thy lookes so sad That hast thy Loue in person to imbrace As farre as England mine is to be had And many yeares I haue not seene her face It were enough to bring my hopes to end But that my Patience is a trusty friend My Lord said Terry know you not my griefe And heard this Messenger relate the cause Oh my distressed Father wants reliefe I were a rebell vnto Natures lawes Not to condole with him in his extreame Making his troubles my true sorrowes Theame If that be all quoth hee thou art too blame There is no cause to spend a sigh thereon I le terrifie Duke Otton with my Name Let him but heare I come and he 'le be gon Something betweene vs may not be forgot He felt my Sword in France but lik't it not Since that against my life a plot hee layde By villaines that surpriz'd me in a Wood But treachery with vengeance was repayd Who euer knew a Traytors end proue good Accursed haps attend them euermore In brasen Bull Perillus first did rore I will goe with thee to defend thy Father For the oppressed I haue vow'd to right And reason moues me to it so much rather Mine owne abuses therewith to requite This oportunity wee le not omit In that occasion falleth out so fit Let 's hasten on with speed vnto the place Preuenting mischiefe ere too farre it runne Take holde of Time before he turne his face Good proueth best when it is soonest done Goe like Eneas with a filiall ioy To fetch thine olde Anchises out of Troy Couragious Knight quoth Terry thy bolde hart Cannot be daunted I perceiue with feare Compos'd of Mars his element thou art Of powerfull limbes to mannage sword and speare My melancholy thou hast banish'd hence And with strong hope arm'd me in recompence Now all in poste they speede themselues away And in short time vnto the Castle come Whereas Duke Otton with his forces lay Relying on his Soldiers ample somme But when the Captaines of Guyes comming knew They fled by night and neuer bad adew This was discouragement to all the rest To see their Leaders thus giue ground and flye Yet did the Duke most resolute protest If each man in the Castle were a Guy He would not leaue it basely and retire Though life be deare yet honours place is hyer Terry said Guy we must not tedious bee Experience often hath my tutor bin And taught that when aduantage I doe see To fasten on occasion and begin The enemie by feare himselfe subdues Adde force to that and victorie ensues We will not make our Prison of this place As long as there is Field-roome to be got T is my desire to meete the Dukes good grace And combate him because he loues me not If that you will not leaue this house of stone I le leaue you all and goe my selfe alone And with those wordes Heraud and he depart Which when the Castle-soldiers did perceiue They gaue a showte our Generall thou art Thy Honourable steps we will not leaue Wee are resolued to attend thee still Let Fortune vse vs euen as Fortune will And thus most Valiant they doe march along Giuing the onset fearelesse to their Foe Making those multitudes that seem'd so strong Retire themselues with slaughtered ouerthrow But when the Duke perceiu'd his Soldiers flye Perish quoth he base villaines heere I le dye Where is this English-man that haunts my Ghost And thus pursueth me from place to place I challenge him to come and leaue the Host And meete with resolution face to face Let equall enuy make this equall match All controuersies wee will soone dispatch Agreed quoth Guy proude Foe I yeeld consent Repent thy wrongs and make thy Conscience cleare For thou hast liu'd to see thy honour spent Which worthy men of all thinges holde most deare The noble minded censure him with shame That liues to see the Death of his good name Then toward each other they did mainely make And brake their Launces very violent Which being done their Swords in hand they take Fighting vntill great store of blood was spent For Enuy did the Duke's keene weapon whet And on Guyes sword Reuenge an edge did set At length through losse of blood the Duke fell downe And said Now fond felicity farewell I am betray'd by Fortunes angry frowne And this experience to the world doe tell There 's nothing constant that the earth containes Death deales with Monarchs as with simple Swaines Bewitching Vanities seducing blinde vs Greatnes hath great accounts thereon depending As Death doth leaue vs so shall Iudgement finde vs There is no peace vnto a happy ending My Dying houre yeelds more repentant Grace Then in my Life I euer could imbrace Th' immortall soule
good Take no more care for drinke before I end thee And then wee le haue carouses of thy blood Heer 's at thee with a butchers downe-right blow To please my fury with thine ouerthrow Infernall false obdurate fiend Guy said That seem'st a lumpe of cruelty from Hell Ingratefull Monster since thou hast denay'd The thing to me wherein I vsde thee well With more reuenge then ere my Sword did make On thy accursed head Reuenge I le take Thy Gyants longitude shall shorter shrinke Except thy Sun-scorcht skin be weapon proofe Farwell my thirst I doe disdaine to drinke Streames keepe your water to your owne behoofe Or let wilde Beasts be welcome thereunto With those pearle drops I will not haue to doe Holde tyrant take a tast of my good will For thus I doe begin my bloody bout You cannot chuse but like the greeting ill It is not that same Club will beare you out And take this payment on thy shaggie crowne A blow that brought him with a vengeance downe Then Guy set foote vpon the Monsters brest And from his shoulders did his Head deuide Which with a yawning mouth did gape vnblest No Dragons jawes were euer seene more wide To open and to shut till life was spent So Guy tooke's Keyes and to the Castle went Where many wofull Captiues hee did finde That had bin tyred with extremities Whom he in ftiendly manner did vnbinde And reason'd with them of their miseries Each tolde a tale with teares and sighes and cryes All weeping to him with complaining eyes There tender Ladyes in darke dungeon lay That were surprized in the desart Wood And had no other dyet euery day Then flesh of humane Creatures for their food Some with their Louers bodyes had bin fed And in their wombes their Husbands buryed Now he bethinkes him of his comming there T' inlarge the wronged bretheren from their woes And as he searcheth doth great clamours heare By which sad sounds direction on he goes Vntill he findes a darksome obscure Gate Arm'd strongly ouer all with Yron plate That he vnlockes and enters where appeares The strangest obiect that hee euer saw Men that with famishment of many yeares Were like Death's picture which the Painters draw Diuers of them were hanged by each thumbe Others head downe-ward by the middle some With diligence hee takes them from the walles Where liberty their thraldome to acquaint Then the perplexed Knight their Father calles And sayes receiue thy Sonnes though poore faint I promist you their liues accept of that But did not warrant you they should be fat The Castle I doe giue thee heer 's the Keyes Where tyranny for many yeares did dwell Procure the gentle tender Ladyes ease For pitty-sake vse wronged Women well Men easily may reuenge the deedes men doe But poore weake Women haue not strength thereto The good olde man euen ouer-ioy'd with this Fell on the ground and would haue kist Guyes feet Father quoth he refraine so base a kisse For Age to honour Youth I holde vnmeete Ambitious pride hath hurt me all it can I goe to mortifie a sinfull man Guy on his Iourney doth proceede With painefull Pilgrim life While Warwick Countesse liues in tears A Chaste and loyall Wife Canto 11. BEhold the man that sought Contentions out Whose recreation was in angry armes And for his Venus raung'd the world about To finde out dreadfull Combats fierce allarmes From former disposition allienate Shun's all occasions may procure debate In his owne wrongs by vow he will not strike Let iniury impose what strife can doe Abuses shall not force him to dislike For he hath now fram'd Nature thereunto And taken Patience by the hand for 's guide To leade his thoughts where meeknes doth abide No worldly ioy can giue his minde content Delights are gone as they had neuer bin His onely care is how hee may Repent His spending youth about the seruing sinne And fashion age to looke like contrite sorrow That little time to come which life doth borrow His lookes were sad complexion pale and wan His dyet of the meanest hard and spare His life he led like a Religious man His habite poore and homely thin and bare His Dignities and Honour were forgot His Warwicke Earledome he regarded not Sometime he would goe search into a Graue And there finde out a rotten dead-mans Scull And with the same a conference would haue Examining each Vanity at full And then himselfe would answer for the Head His owne obiections in the Dead-mans stead If thou hast bin some Monarch where 's thy Crowne Or who in feare of thy sterne lookes doe stand Death hath made conquest of my great renowne My golden Scepter in a fleshly hand Is taken from me by another King And I in dust am made a rotten thing Hast thou bin some great Counsailer of state Whose potent wit did rule a mighty Realme Where is the pollicy thou hadst of late Consum'd and gone euen like an idle dreame I haue not so much wit as will suffice To kill the Wormes thar in my Coffin lyes Perhaps thou wast some beautious Ladyes face For whom right strange aduentures haue bin wrought Euen such as when it was my louing case For my deere kindest Phelice I haue fought Perhaps about this Scull there was a skin Fairer then Hellens was inclosed in And on this scalp so wormy eaten bare Where nothing now but bone we may behold Were Natures ornaments such lockes of Hayre As might induce the eye to deeme them golde And christall Eyne in these two hollow caues And heere such Lips as Loue for kissing craues But where 's the substance of this Beauty spent So louely precious in the sight of men With powerfull Death vnto the dust it went Grew loathsome filthy came to nothing then And what a Picture of it doth remaine To tell the wise all Beauty is but vaine Such memories hee often would preferre Of mortall frailty and the force of Death To teach the Flesh how apt it is to erre And post repentance off till latest breath Thus would he in the worlds contempt reproue All that seduc'd the soule from Heauenly loue Now for a while reuerse your view of woe For one sad subiect to behold another To see new sorrow backe to England goe And to long absent yeares commit the tother Leaue dolefuil Guy to aged griefe and cares And looke on Phelice how his Lady fares Like to a Widdow all in blacke attire She doth expresse her inward dolefull minde A Chamber-prison is her chiefe desire Where she to passions wholy is inclin'd She that of late was pride of English Court With Maiesty no longer will consort But liues a life like one despisde lifes being And euery day vnto the world did dye With iudgements eyes farre into folly seeing And noting well how fast false pleasures flye Leauing for eu'ry taste of vaine Delight A huger heape of Cares then Pen can write Her thoughts ranne after her departed Lord And trauail'd