is not quailde by cruell Fo Though Zoyll did his best my Flag to gaine Twas not his hap to haue the Conquest so And since it was my luck to scape his might I here assaile the Beast with nouell fight Thou Sycophant vnsheath thy shamefull blade Pluck out that bloudie Fawchon Dafrard thou Wherewith thou hast full many a skirmish made And scocht the braines of many a learned brow Now doe thy woorst I force not of thy stroke Thou shalt not bring my neck to seruage yoke Though thou affirme with rash railing iawes That I inuita haue Minerua made My other Booke I gaue thée no such cause By any déede of mine to drawe thy blade But since thou hast shot out that shamelesse worde I here gainst thée vncote my cruell sworde I know thou wilt eche worde and sentence wrie That in this slender Booke of me is write And wilt the same vnto thy sense applie Hoping for loue thereby to bréede dispite And looke what I amisse did neuer meane Thou wilt mistake and eke misconster cleane Thou wilt the wylie braine that ought is bent To fowle suspect and spot of fell distrust Perswade that here something of him was ment And Iealous Coales into his bosome thrust Thincking thereby thy purpose to asâ— In setting of his boyling breast a fire But as thou art in all thy other déedes Deseruing no beliefe or trust at all Likewise what so from thy vile Iawes procéedes Is lothsome lie fowle â—itton bitter Gall. Beleue him not but reade the Treatise through He sowes debate with helpe of hatefull Plough The modest mind that meanes but vertues trade And shunnes the shamefull shop of bawdie sect This spitefull Beast will if he may perswade That these are Toyes for that he should reiect And not pervse the meaning of the same Thus Zoyll séekes but blot of black defame But thou that vewste this stile with staid brow Marke crie worde vnioint eche Verse of mine Thy iudgement I and censure will allow Nor once will séeme for rancour to repine Thou art the man whose sentence I expect I scorne the scoffes of Zoylls shamefull sect FINIS The Table IN prayse of the Renowmed Ladie Anne Ladie Cowntesse Warwick fol. 1. The Argument to the whole discourse and Treatise following fol. 3. To a late acquainted Friend fol. 4. The Louer extolleth the singular beautie of his Ladie 6 The Louer declareth howe first he was taken and enamoured by the sight of his Ladie 7 Mayster Googe hys Sonet of the paynes of Loue. 8 Turberuiles Aunswere and Distich to the same 8 ¶ An Epitaph on the death of Dame Elyzabeth Arhundle 9 To Piero of Pride 9 Piero to Turberuile 9 Verse in prayse of Lorde Henry Howarde Earle of Surrey 9 Of Ialousie 10 To his Lady that by hap when he kissed hir and made hir lip bleede controlde him and tooke disdaine 10 Mayster Googe his Sonet 11 Turberuiles aunswere 11 A Comparison of the Louers estate wyth the Souldiars painefull lyfe 11 The Louer against one that compared hys Mistresse with his Ladie 12 The Louer to a Gentlewoman that after great friendship without desart or cause of mislyking refused him 14 The Louer obtaining his wish by all likelyhode yet not able to attaine his desire compares himselfe to Tantalus 16 The Louer to the Thems of London to fauour his Ladie passing thereon 18 To his Ring giuen to his Lady wherin was grauen this Verse My hart is yours 18 The dispairing Louer craues eyther mercy in time at his Ladies handes or cruell death 19 To his Friende to be constant after choyse made 20 Counsell returned by Pyndara to Tymetes of constancie 21 The Louers must not dispaire though their Ladies seeme straunge 21 A Letter sent by Tymetes to his Lady Pyndara at the time of his departure 23 Pyndaras Aunswere to the Letter whiche Tymetes sent hir at the time of his departure 24 To his absent Friende the Louer writes of his vnquiet and restlesse state 29 The aunswere of a Woman to hir Louer supposing his complaint to be but fayned 31 The Louer exhorteth his Ladie to take time while time is 32 The Louer wisheth to bee conioyned and fast linckt with his Ladie neuer to sunder 33 The Louer hoping assuredly of attayning hys purpose after long sute begins to ioy renouncing dolors 35 The Louer to hys carefull Bed declaring his restlesse state 35 ¶ An Epitaph and wofull Verse of the death of Sir Iohn Tregonwell Knight and learned Doctor of both lawes 36 The Louer confesseth himselfe to bee in loue and enamored of Mistresse P. 39 That all things haue release of paine saue the Louer that hoping and dreading neuer taketh ease 39 A poore Ploughman to a Gentleman for whom he had taken a little paines 41 To his Friend P of courting trauailing Dysing and Tenys 41 The louer declares that vnlesse he vtter his sorrowes by sute of force he dyeth 42 The Louer to a Friende that wrote hym this sentence Yours assured to the death 42 Of certaine Flowers sent by his Loue vpon suspicion of chaunge 42 The Aunswere to the same 43 Of a Foxe that would eate no Grapes 43 Of the straunge countenaunce of an aged Gentlewoman 43 To the Rouing Pyrat 44 Of one that had little Wit 44 In commendation of Wit 44 An Aunswere in dispraise of Wit 44 The Louer to Cupid for mercie declaring how first he became his Thrall with the occasion of his defying loue and now at last what caused him to conuert 45 After misaduentures come good haps 55 To his Loue that controlde his Dogge for fawning on hir 55 Vpon the death of the aforenamed Dame Elizabeth Arundle of Cornewall 56 Dispraise of Women that allure and loue not 59 Of a Phisition and a Soothsayer 62 A controuersie of a conquest in loue twixt Fortune and Venus 62 The Louer voweth howsoeuer he be guendoned to loue faithfully 63 He sorrowes the long absence of hys Ladie P. 64 To his Loue long absent declaring hys torments 65 To Browne of light beliefe 67 That death is not so much to be feared as daylie diseases are 68 The Epicures counsell eate drinke and plaie 68 The Aunswere to the vile and canckred counsell of the outragious Epicure 69 Of Homer and his birth 69 That time conquereth all things saue the Louers paine 70 To his Friend ryding to Londonward 71 Of the Rayne and cloudy weather at the time of hys Friendes departure from Troie 71 Of a couetous Niggarde and a needie Mouse 71 A pretie Epigram of a Scholler that hauing read Vergils Aeneidos maried a curst Wyfe 73 To a yong Gentleman of taking a wife 73 The Aunswere for taking a Wyfe 73 Of a deafe Plaintife a deafe Defendant and a deafe Iudge 74 A promise of olde good will to an olde friend at the beginning of New yere 75 A Vow to serue faithfully 75 Funerall Verse vpon the death of Sir Iohn Horsey Knight 75 To his Friende T hauing beene long
studied and well experienced and nowe at length louing a Gentlewoman that forced him naught at all 76 ¶ An Epitaph vpon the death of the worshipfull Mayster Richarde Edwards late Mayster of the Children in the Queenes Maiesties Chappell 77 To his Loue that sent him a Ring wherin was graude Let Reason rule 79 To his Friend Francis Th leading his lyfe in the Countrie at his desire 79 To a Gentlewomā that alwaies willed him to weare Rosemarie a Tree that is alwayes greene for his sake and in token of his good will to hir 80 ¶ An Epitaph of the Ladie Br. 81 Of the time he first began to loue and after how he forewent the same 81 The assured promise of a constaunt Louer 82 The Pine to the Mariner 82 Againe otherwise 83 To an olde Gentlewoman that painted hir face 83 Of one that had a great Nose 83 Of one whose Nose was greater than hys hande 84 Of a Nightingale that flue to Colche to sit abroode 84 Againe of the Nightingale 84 Of a contrarie mariage 84 Of Dronkennesse 85 Againe of Dronkennesse 85 Of the picture of a vaine Rhetorician 85 Of the fond discorde of the two Theban brothers Oeteocles and Polynices 85 Of a maruellous deformed man 85 A Myrrour of the fall of Pride 85 Of the Clock and the Cock 89 Of a Tayler 89 The Louer finding hys Loue flitted from wonted troth leaues to write in praise of hir 90 He sorrowes other to haue the fruites of his seruice 91 The Louer seing himselfe abusde renounceth loue 92 Against the Ielous heads that alwayes haue Louers in suspect 94 That it is hurtfull to conceale secrets from our Friendes 96 Of the diuers and contrarie passions and affections of his loue 97 Of Dido and the truth of hir death 99 Of Venus in Armour 99 Of a Hare complayning of the hatred of Dogs 99 To one that painted Eccho 99 To a Cruell Dame for Grace and pyttie 100 To a Gentlewoman from whome he tooke a Ring 100 The Louer blames his Tongue that fayled to vtter his sute in time of neede 101 That all things are as they are vsed 102 The Louer excuseth himselfe for renowncing his loue and Ladie imputing the same to his fate and constellation 103 Of Lady Venus that hauing lost hir sonne Cupid God of loue and desirous to vnderstand of him againe declares by the way the nature of loue and affections of the same by pretie discription as followeth 105 Of the cruell hatred of Stepmothers 106 Againe 106 To Cupid for reuenge of his vnkind cruel loue Declaring his faithful seruice and true hart both to the God of Loue and his Ladie 106 An Aunswere to his Ladie that willed him that absence should not breede forgetfulnesse 107 Of a Thracyan that was drownde by playing on the Ise 109 The Louer hoping in May to haue had redresse of his woes and yet fowly missing his purpose bewailes his cruell hap 109 To a fickle vnconstant Dame a friendlye warning 111 The Louer to his Ladie that gased much vp to the Skies 111 The Penitent Louer vtterly renowncing loue craues pardon of forepassed follies 111 To his Friende that refusde him without cause why but onely vpon delight of chaunge 113 To one that vpon surmise of aduersitie forewent hir Friend 114 To Maister Googes fansie that begins giue Monie mee take friendshippe who so list 115 The Louer abused renownceth loue 115 The forsaken Louer laments that his Ladie is matched with an other 117 Of one that was in reuersion 117 That all hurtes and losses are to be recouered and recured saue the cruell wound of Loue. 118 Of the choise of his Valentine 119 Of an open Foe and a fayned Friend 119 Againe 119 Of a Ritch Miser 119 Of a Painter that painted Fauour 120 The Louer whose Ladie dwelt fast by a Prison 120 Complaint of the long absence of his loue vpon the first acquaintance 121 The ventrous Louer after long absence craues his Ladie to meete with hym in place to enterparle of hir auentures 122 To Maister Googe his Sonet out of sight out of thought 124 The Louer whose Mistresse feared a Mouse declareth that he would become a Cat if he might haue his desire 124 The Louer driuen to absent him from his ladie bewailes his estate 125 That Louers ought rather at first acquaintance to shewe their meanings by Pen then by Mouth 127 ¶ An Epitaph of Maister Win drowned in the Sea 127 Againe 128 Praise of his Loue. 129 The complaint of a Friend of his hauing lost his Doue 130 That Louers ought to shunne no paines to attaine their Loue. 131 A request of Friendship to Vulcans Wyfe made my Mars 132 The Louer that had loued Long without requitall of good will 132 To a Friende that wild him to beware of Enuie 133 Of Misreporters 133 That no man should write but such as doe excell 133 To his Friende declaring what vertue it is to sticke to former plighted friendship 134 Of two desperate Men. 134 Of the torments of Hell and the paines of loue 134 ¶ An Epitaph of the death of Maister Tufton of Kent 136 Againe 137 In praise of Ladie P. 137 The Louer in vtter dispaire of his Ladies returne in eche respect compares his estate with Troylus 139 The Louer declareth what he would haue if he might obtaine his wish 141 Of a Gentlewoman that wild hir Louer to weare greene Bayes in token of hir stedfast loue towards him 142 ¶ An Epitaph of Maister Edwards sometime Maister of the childrē of the Chappell Gentleman of Lyncolns Iune of Court ▪ 142 ¶ An Epitaph on the death of Maister Arthur Brooke drownde in passing to New Hauen 143 Of the renowmed Lady Lady Anne Countesse Warwick 144 FINIS The Lyon stout whome neuer earst coulde any beast subdue Here Madame as you se doth yeelde both to your Beare and you In prayse of the Renowmed Ladie Anne Ladie Cowntesse Warwicke WHen Nature first in hande did take The Clay to frame this Cowntesse corse The Earth a while shée did forsake And was compelde of verie force With mowlde in hande to flée to Skies To ende the worke shée did deuies The Gods that tho in counsell sate Were halfe amazde against their kinde To see so néere the stoole of state Dame Nature stande that was assignde Among hir worldly Impes to wonne As shee vntill that day had donne First Ioue began what Daughter déere Hath made thee scorne thy Fathers will Why doe I see thée Nature héere That oughtst of dutie to fulfill Thy vnder taken charge at home What makes thée thus abroade to rome Disdainefull Dame how didst thou dare So retchlesse to depart the grownde That is alotted to thy share And therewithall his Godhead frownde I will quoth Nature out of hande Declare the cause I fled the lande I vndertooke of late a péece Of Claye a featurde face to frame To match the courtly Dames of Gréece That for their beautie beare
or dubble griefe begoon Think of Leanders bolde attempt the lyke distresse to shoon What suretie is in ship what trust in Oken plancks What credit doe the windes deserue at lande that play such prancks If houses strongly built and Towers battled hie By force of blast be ouerthrowne when Aeols Impes doe flie In puffing windes the Pine and aged Oke doe teare And from the bodies rent the boughes and loftie lugges they beare Then why shouldst thou affie in Keale or Cable so Or hazard thus thy selfe vpon the tossing Seas to go Hast thou not heard of yore how good Vlysses was With stormie tempest chased sore when he to Greece did passe A wearie trauaile hée for ten yeares space abid And all the while this noble Greeke on waltring wallow slid Hast thou not read in Bookes of fell Charybdis Goulfe And Scyllas Dogs whome ships doe dread as Lambes doe feare the Woulfe Nor of the raggie Rocks that vnderlurck the waue And rent the Barcks that Aeols blasts into their bosome draue Not of the Monsters huge that belch out frothie fleame And singing Sirens that doe drowne both man and ship in streame Alas the thought of Seas and of thy passage paines If once thou gage thy selfe to surge my hart and members straines The present fits of feare of afterclaps to cum Amaze my louing tender breast and Senses doe benum But néedes thou must away oh Friend what hap is this That ere thou flie this friendly coast thy lips I can not kisse Nor with my folded armes imbrace that neck of thine Nor clap vnto thy manly breast these louing Dugs of mine Not shed my trilling teares vpon thy moisted face Nor say to thée Tymet adue when thou departst the place O that I had thy forme in waxen table now To represent thy liuely lookes and friendly louing brow That mought perhaps abridge some part of pinching paine And comfort me till better chaunce did sende thée home againe Both winde and waue atonce conspire to worke my wo Or esse thou shouldst not so be forst from me thine owne to go O wayward Westerne blast what didst thou meane so full Against Tymetes back to blow and him from hence to pull Hast thou bene counted earst a gentle gale of winde And dost thou now at length bewray thy fierce and frowarde kinde I thought the Northren blast from frostie Pole that came Had bene the worst of all the windes and most deserued blame But now I plainely sée that Poets did but faine When they of Borias spake so yll and of his cruell raigne For thou of Aeols brats thy selfe the worst dost showe And hauing no iust cause to rage to soone beginst to blowe If néedes thou wouldst haue vsde thy force and fretting moode Thou shouldst haue broyld among the trées that in the Mountaines stoode And let vs friends alone that liude in perfite blisse But to request the windes of ruth but labor lost it is Well Friend though cruell hap and windes did both agrée That thou on sodaine shouldst forgo both countrie coast and mée Yet haue I founde the pawne which thou didst leaue behinde I meane thy louing faithfull hart that neuer was vnkinde And for that firme behest and plighted truth of youre Wherein you vow that loue begoon shall to the death endure To yeelde thée thy demaunde my written lines protest Inclose my hart within thy bulck as I will thine in brest Shrine vp that little lumpe of friendly flesh my Friend And I will lodge in louing wise the guest that thou didst send I ioy at this exchaunge for I assured stande Thy tender hart that I doe kéepe shall safelie lie at lande Nor doe I doubt at all but thou wilt haue regarde Of that thy charge and womans hart committed to thy warde Why dost thou write of death I trust thou shalt not die As long as in thy manly breast a womans hart doth lie To cruell were the case the Sisters eake were shroes If they woulde séeke the death of vs. that are such friendly foes But if the worst shoulde fall and that the cruell death Doe stop the spindles of our life and reaue vs both of breath Yet this doth make me ioy that thou shalt be the graue Vnto my hart and in my brest thy hart is Hierce shall haue For sure a sunder shall these members neuer go As long as life in lims doth lodge and breath in lungs bylow I mindefull liue of thée and of my promise past I will not séeke to chaunge my choise my loue is fixed fast To my Tymetes I as faithfull will be found As to Vlysses was his wife whilst Troie was laide on ground As for new choise of Friends presume vpon thy P. Thou knowst I haue thy hart in breast and it will none but thee Abandon all distrust and dread of mistie minde For to the hart that is mine owne I will not be vnkinde Adue my chosen Friend Adue to thée agen Remaine my loue but pray the write no more with bloudie Pen. Thine owne in life thine owne in death Thine owne whilst lungs shall lende me breath Thine owne whilst I on earth doe wonne Thine owne whilst eie shall see the Sonne To his absent Friend the Louer writes of his vnquiet and restlesse state THough curious skill I want to wel endite And I of sacred Nymphes and Muses nine Was neuer taught w t Poets pen to write Nor barrain braine to learning did incline To purchase prayse or with the best to shine Yet cause my Friend shall finde no want of will I write let hir accuse the lack of skill No lesse deserues the Lambe to be imbrast Of lowring Ioue at sacred Altar slaine If with good zeale it offred be at last By Irus that doe Craesus Bullocks twaine For no respect is to be had of gaine In such affayres but to the giuers hart And his good will our Senses must conuart Wherfore to thée my Friend these lines I send As perfite proufe of no dissembling minde But of a hart that truely doth intend To shew it selfe as louing and as kinde As woman woulde hir Louer wish to finde And more than this my Paper can declare I loue thee Friend and wishe thée well to fare I would thou wist the torment I sustaine For lack of hir that should my wo redresse And that you knew some parcell of my paine Which none may well by déeming iudgemēt gesse Nor I with quill haue cunning to expresse I know thou couldst but rue my wofull chaunce That by thy meanes was brought into this traunce The day doth bréede my doole and ranckling rage Of secret smart in wounded breast doth boyle No pleasant pangue my sorrowes may asswage Nor giue an ende vnto my wofull toyle The golden Sunne that glads the earthly soyle And erie other thing that bréedes delight Of kinde to mee are forgers of my spite I long for Phoebus glade and going downe My drearie teares more couertly to shed But when the
me thy flanting Hood shake off those Belles of thine Such checking Bussards yll deserue or Bell or Hood so fine With Fowles of baser sort how can you brooke too flie That earst your Nature did to Hawkes of stately kinde applie If want of pray enforste this chaunge thou art too blame For I had euer traines in store to make my Fawlcon game I had a Tassell eke full gentle by his kinde Too flie with thée in vse of wing the greater ioy to finde No doubtlesse wanton lust and fleshly fowle desire Did make thée loath my friendly lure and set thy hart on fire Too trie what mettall was in Bussards to be founde This this was it that made thée stowpe from loftie gate to grounde Wherefore if euer luck doe let me light on thée And Fortune graunt me once againe thy keeper for to bée Thy diet shall be such thy tyring rumpes so bare As thou shalt know thy kéeper well and for none other care Meanewhile on carren féede thy hungrie gorge to glut That all thy lust in daylie chaunge and diet new dost put Diseases must of force such féeding fowle ensue No force to me thou wert my Bird But Fawlcon now adue To one that vpon surmise of aduersitie forewent hir Friend AS too the whyte and lately lymed house The Doues doe flock in hope of better fare And leaue their home of Culuers cleane and bare As to the Kitchin postes the péeping Mouse Where Vittailes fine and curious Cates are drest And shoons the shop where liuelyhood waxeth thin Where he before had fillde his emptie skin And where he chose him first to be a guest As Lyse vnto the lyuing Carcasse cleane But balke the same made readie to the Beare So you that earst my Friend to séeming weare In happie state your néedie Friend doe leaue Vnfriendly are those other Doue and Mouse That doe refuse olde harbour for a newe And make exchaunge for lodge they neuer knewe Vnfriendly eke the slowe and lumpish Lowse But more vnciuill you that wittie arre To iudge a Friend your Friendship to forgo Without a cause and make exchaunges so For friendes are néeded most in time of warre Put case that Chaunce withdrew hir olde good will And frownde on mée to whome shee was a friend Is that a reason why your loue should end No no you should a friend continue still For true good will in miserie is tride For then will none but faithfull friends abide To Maister Googes fansie that begins Giue Monie mee take friendship who so list FRiend Googe giue me y e faithfull friend to trust And take the fickle Coine for mée that lust For Friends in time of trouble and distresse With help and sound aduise will soone redresse Eche growing griefe that gripes the pensiue brest When Monie lies lockt vp in couert Chest Thy Coine will cause a thousand cares to grow Which if thou hadst no Coine y u couldst not know Thy Friend no care but comfort will procure Of him thou mayst at néede thy selfe assure Thy Monie makes the Théefe in waite to lie Whose fraude thy Friend falsehood will descrie Thou canst not kéepe vnlockt thy carefull Coine But some from thée thy Monie will purloine Thy faithfull Friend will neuer start aside But take his share of all that shall beride When thou art dead thy Monie is bereft But after life thy trustie Friend is left Thy Monie serues another Maister than Thy faythfull Friend lincks with none other man So that Friend Googe I deeme it better I To choose the Friend and let the Monie lie The Louer abused renownceth Loue. FOr to reuoke to pensiue thought And troubled head my former plight How I by earnest sute haue sought And griefull paines a louing Wight For to accoy accoy And bréede my ioy Without anoy makes saltish bryne To flush out of my vapord eyne ¶ To thinke vpon the sundrie snares And priuie Panthers that were led To forge my daylie dolefull cares Whereby my hoped pleasures fled Doth plague my hart my hart With deadly smart Without desart that haue indurde Such woes and am not yet recurde ¶ Was neuer day came on my hed Wherein I did not sue for grace Was neuer night but I in bed Vnto my Pillow tolde my case Bayning my brest my brest For want of rest With teares opprest yet remedie none Was to be found for all my mone ¶ If she had dained my good will And recompenst me with hir Loue I would haue béene hir Vassell still And neuer once my hart remoue I did pretend pretend To be hir Friend Vnto the end but she refusde My louing hart and me abusde ¶ I did not force vpon the spite And venemous stings of hissing Snakes I wayed not their words a Mite That such a doe at Louers makes I did reioyce reioyce To haue the voyce Of such a choyce and smild to sée That they reported so of mée ¶ Oh mée most luckie Wight quoth I At whome the people so repine I trust the rumor that doth flie Will force hir to my will incline And like well mée well mée Whome shee doth sée Hir loue to bée vnfainedly In whome shée may full well affie ¶ But now at length I plainely vew That woman neuer gaue hir brest For they by kindly course will rue On such as seeme to loue them best And will relent relent And be content When nought is ment saue friendly hart And loue for neuer to depart ¶ Some cruell Tiger lent hir Te◠And fostred hir with sauage Pap That can not finde in hart to let A man to loue hir since his hap Hath so assignde assignde To haue his minde To loue inclinde in honest wise Whome shée should not of right despise ¶ But since I sée hir stonie hart Cannot be pierst with pitties Launce Since nought is gainde but wofull smart I doe intende to breake the daunce And quite forgo forgo My pleasaunt Fo That paines mée so and thinkes in fine To make me like to Circes Swine ¶ I cleane defie hir flattering face I quite abhorre hir luring lookes As long as Ioue shall giue mée grace Shée neuer comes within my bookes I doe detest detest So false a Guest That breedes vnrest where she should plant Hir loue if pittie did not want ¶ Let hir go séeke some other Foole Let hir inrage some other Dolt I haue béene taught in Platos Schoole From Cupids Banner to reuolt And to forsake forsake As fearefull Snake Such as doe make a man but smart For bearing them a faithfull hart The forsaken Louer laments that his Ladie is matched with an other AS Menelaus did lament When Helena to Troie went And to the Teucrian Guest applide And all hir Countrie Friends defide Euen so I féele tormenting paine To lurck in erie little vaine And ransack all my Corse to sée That shée hath now forsaken mee The faithfull Friend that she could finde But fickle Dames will to their kinde A simple chaunge in
Friends w t spiteful knyfe Complaint of the long absence of his Loue vpon the first acquaintance O Cursed cruell canckred Chaunce O Fortune full of spight Why hast thou so on sodaine rest from mée my chiefe delight What glorie shalt thou gaine perdie or purchace by the rage This is no Conquest to be callde wherefore thy wrath asswage To soone eclipsed was my ioy my dolors grow to fast For want of hir that is my life my life it can not last Is this thy fickle kind so soone to hoise a man to ioy And ere he touch the top of blisse to bréede him such anoy Nowe doe I plaine perceiue and sée that Poets faine not all For churlish Chaunce is counted blinde and full of filthy Gall. I thought there had béene no such Dame ne Goddesse on a whéele But now too well I know hir kinde too soone hir force I féele And that which doth augment my smart and maketh more my wo Is for I felt a sodaine ioy where now this griefe doth grow If thou hadst ment vnhappie Hap thus to haue nipt my ioy Why didst thou show a smyling chéere that shouldst haue lookte acoy For griefes doe nothing grudge at all but where was blisse before None wailes the want of wealth so much as he that had the store Not he that neuer saw the Sunne complaines for lack of light But such as saw his golden gleames and knew his chéerefull might Too late I learne through spitefull chaunce that ioy is mixt with wo And eche good hap hath hate in hoorde the course of things is so So Poyson lurcks in Suger swéete the Hooke so hides the bayte Euen so in gréene and pleasant grasse the Serpent lies in wayte Vlysses wife I learne at last thy sorrow and distresse In absence of thy lingring Loue that should thy woes redresse Great was your griefe ye Gréekish Girlles whilste stately Troie stood And kept your husbands from your laps in perill of their blood All ye therefore that haue assayde what torments lack procures Of that you loue lament my lack which ouerlong endures Ye Winds transport my soking sighes to my new chosen Friende So may my sorrow swage perhaps and dréerie state haue ende Ye Sighes make true report of teares that so beraine my brest As Helens husbands neuer were for treason of his Guest If thou my Letter maist attaine the place of hir abode Doe thou as Herauld of the hart my sorrowes quite vnlode In thée as in a Myrronr cléere or Christall may she vewe My pangues my paynes my sighes and teares which Tigers could but rewe There shall shée see my secret parts encombred all with mone My fainting lims my vapord eien with hart as colde as stone I know shée can but rue my case when thou presents my sute Wherefore play thou thy part so well that I may reape the frute And if when shée hath read thée through shée place thée in hir lap Then chaunge thy chéere thy Maister hath his long desired hap The ventrous Louer after long absence craues his Ladie to meete with him in place to enterparle of hir auentures IF so Leander durst from Abydon to Sest To swim to Herô whome he chose his Friend aboue the rest And gage his comely corse vnto the sowsing Tyde To lay his water beaten lims fast by hir tender side Then I my Deare whose gleames and ardor doth surpasse The scorching flame and blasing heate that in Leander was May well presume to take the greatest toyle in hande To reach the place where thou dost lodge the chiefe of Venus bande For not Leanders loue my friendship doth excell Nor Herô may compare with hir that beares Dame Beauties Bell. There resteth nought for thée but to assigne the place The mirrie day the ioyfull houre when I may sée thy face Appoint the certaine Tide and fixed stem of stay And thou shalt sée thy faithfull Friend will quickly come his way Not dréeding any doubt but ventrously will go Through thick and thin to gaine a glimse of thée his sugred fo Where when by hap we méete our long endured woes Shall stint by force of friendly thoughts which we shall then discloes Then eyther may vnfolde the secrets of the hart And show how long dislodge hath bred our cruell cutting smart Then may we fréely chat of all forepassed toyes And put those pensiue pangues to flight with new recourse of ioyes Then pleasure shall possesse the lodge were Dolour lay And mirrie blincks put cloudes of care and lowring lookes away Then kissing may be plide and clipping put in vre And lingred sores by Cupids salues aspire to quick recure Oh dréede thou not at all set womans feare a part And take the courage of a man that hast a manly hart In hostage aie with thée to vse at thy deuise In all affaires and needefull houres as matter shall arise Reuoke to louing minde how ventrous Thisbe met In fearefull night with Pyramus where Nynus Tombe was set So hazard thou to come vnto the pointed place To thwart thy Friend and méete with him that longs to sée thy face Who better will attend thy friendly comming there Than Pyramus of Thysbe did his disappointed Féere For oh their méeting was the reauer of their breath The crop of endlesse care and cause of either Louers death But we so warely will our fixed time attende As no mishap shall grow thereby And thus I make an ende With wishing well to thee and hope to méete in place To enterparle with thée my Friend and tell my dolefull case To Maister Googe his Sonet out of sight out of thought THe lesse I see the more my téene The more my teene the greater griefe The greater griefe the lesser séene The lesser séene the lesse reliefe The lesse reliefe the heuier spright When P. is farthest out of sight The rarer séene the rifer sobs The rifer sobbes the sadder hart The sadder hart the greater throbs The greater throbs the worser smart The worser smart procéedes of this That I my P. so often misse The néerer too the more I smile The more I smile the merier minde The mirrie minde doth thought exile And thought exilde recourse I finde Of heauenly ioyes all this delight Haue I when P. is once in fight The Louer whose Mistresse feared a Mouse declareth that he would become a Cat if he might haue his desire IF I might alter kinde what thinke you I would bée Nor Fish nor Foule nor Fle nor Frog nor Squirrell on the Tree The Fish the hooke the Foule the lymed twig doth catch The Fle the Finger and the Frog the Buffard doth dipatch The Squirrell thincking nought that feately cracks the Nut The gréedie Gashauke wanting pray in dread of death doth put ¶ But scorning all these kindes I would become a Cat To combat with the créeping Mouse and scratch the scréeking Rat. I would be present aye and at my Ladies call To gard hir from the fearefull Mouse in
the name But Oh good Father now I soe This worke of mine it will not bée Vicegerent since you mée assignde Belowe in Earth and gaue mée lawes On mortall Wightes and willde that Kinde Should make and marre as shee sawe cause Of right I think I may appeale And craue your helpe in this to deale When Ioue sawe how the case did stande And that the worke was well begonne Hée prayde to haue the helping hande Of other Gods till hée had donne With willing mindes they all agréede And set vpon the Clay with spéede First Ioue eche limme doth well dispose And makes a Creature of the Clay Next Ladie Venus she bestowes Hir gallant gifts as best shée may From face to foote from top to toe Shée let no wait vntoucht to goe When Venus had donne what she coulde In making of hir carcas braue Then Pallas thought shée might be bolde Among the reast a share to haue A passing wyt shée did conuaye Into this passing peece of claye Of Bacchus shee no member had Saue fingars fine and feate to see Hir head with Heare Apollo clad That Gods had thought it golde to bée So glistring was the tresse in sight Of this newe formde and featurde Wight Diana helde hir peace a space Vntill those other Gods had donne At last quoth shée in Dians chase Wyth Bowe in hande this Nymph shall ronne And chiefe of all my Noble traine I will this Virgin entertaine Then ioyfull Iuno came and sayde Since you to hir so friendly are I doe appoint this Noble Mayde To match with Mars his péere for warre She shall the Cowntesse Warwick bée And yéelde Dianas Bowe to mée When to so good effect it came And euery member had hys grace There wanted nothing but a name By hap was Mercurie then in place That sayde pray you all agrée Pandora graunt hir name to bée For since your Godheads forged haue With one assent this Noble Dame And eche to hir a vertue gaue This terme agréeth to the same The Gods that heard Mercurius tell This tale did lyke it passing well Report was sommonde then in hast And willde to bring his Trumpe in hande To blowe therewith a sownding blast That might be heard through Brutus lande Pandora streight the Trumpet blewe That eche this Cowntesse Warwicke knewe O sielie Nature borne to paine O wofull wretched kinde I say That to forsake the soyle were faine To make this Cowntesse out of Claye But oh most friendly Gods that woulde Vouchsafe to set your handes to mowlde ¶ The Argument to the whole discourse and Treatise following BY sodaine sight of vnacquainted shape Tymetes fell in loue with Pyndara Whose beautie farre excelde Sir Paris rape That Poets cleape the famous Helena His flame at first be durst not to displaye For feare be should offended Pyndara But couert kept his torments many a daye As Paris did from worthie Helena At length the coale so fierie redde became Of him that so did fansie Pyndara That fuming smoke did wrie the hidden flame To hir that farre exceeded Helena Which when shee saw shee seemde with friendly eie To like with him that lyked Pyndara And made as though shee would eft soone applie To him as to hir guest did Helena Tymetes loouing man then hoped well And moonde his sute to Ladie Pyndara He plide his Penne and to his writing fell And sude as did the man to Helena Within a while dispayring wretched Wight He found his Loue the Ladie Pyndara So straunge and coye as though she tooke delight To paine hir Friend as did faire Helena Another time hir cheere was such to see That poore Tymetes hoapte that Pyndara Woulde yeelde him grace But long it woulde not bee She kept aloofe as did Dame Helena Thus twixt dispaire and hope the doubtfull man Long space did liue that loued Pyndara In wofull plight At last the Nymph began To quite his loue as did faire Helena Then ioyed be and cherefull ditties made In praise of his atchiued Pyndara But sone God wote his pleasure went to glade Another tooke too wife this Helena Thus euer as Tymetes had the cause Of ioy or smart of comfort or refuse He glad or griefull woxe and euer drawes His present state with Pen as here ensues To a late acquainted Friende IF Vulcan durst presume that was a Gnuffe to sée And strake with Hammer on the Stiche a cunning Smith to bée Whose chiefe and whole delight was aye to frie at Forge And listen to that melodie Smithes sorrowes to disgorge If Vulcan durst I saye Dame Venus to assaile That was the worthyste Wight of all if witnesse may preuaile Then may you muse the lesse though fansie force me wright To you a second Venus Friende and Helen in my sight For what he saw in hir a Goddesse by hir kinde That I in you my chosen Friende and somewhat else doe finde And as that sielie Smith by Cupid was procurde To fawne on hir to whome in fine hee firmely was assurde So by none other meanes my Senses are in thrall But by procurement of the God that conquers Gods and all Tis hée that makes mée bolde tis hée that willes me sue To thée my late acquainted Friende loues torment to eschue Not too this day was séene that any durst rebell Or kicke at Cupid Prince of Loue as learned Poets tell But rather would with frée and vncoacted minde Applie to please in any case what so the God assignde What néede I here displaye the spoyles by Cupid wonne Not I but you my Friende woulde faint ere halfe the tale were donne His Banner doth declare what harts haue béene subdude Where they are all in Sabels set with blood and gore imbrude Not mightie Mars alone nor Hercules the stoute But other Gods of greater state there standing in a route There may you plainely sée how Ioue was once a Swanne To lure faire Leda to his lust when raging Loue beganne Some other when a Bull some other time a showre Of golden drops as when he coyde the closed Nunne in towre Appollos Loue appeares and euer will be knowne As long as Lawrell leaues shall last and Daphnes brute be blowne May brainsick Bacchus brag or boast himselfe as frée Not I but Aryadnas Crowne shewes him in loue to bée Since these and other mo that Gods were made by kinde Might not auoyde that guilefull God that winged is and blinde Should I haue hope to scape by force or else by flight That in respect of those his thralls am of so slender might As they did yéelde to Loue for feare of Cupids yre Euen so am I become his thrall by force of flaming fyre What time I first displayde mine eies vpon thy face That doth allure eche lookers hart I did the P. imbrace And since that time I féele within my breast such ioye As Paris neuer felt the like when Helen was at Troye How coulde so barraine soyle bring forth so good a Graffe To whome the reast that
Couch appointed hir to lie Wich venim ranck and vile hir wombe is like to burst A token of hir inwarde hate and hawtie minde at furst And thou that surely thinkst thy Ladie to excell Example take of others harme for iudgement that befell When Pan the Pastors prince and Rex of Rustick route To passe Apollo in his play and Musick went aboute Mount Tmolus was the Iudge that there the roome possest To giue his verdite for them both which vttered Musick best First came the Rustick forth with Pipe and puffed bag That made his eies to run like streames and both his lips to wag The noyse was somewhat rude and ragged to the eare The simplest man aliue would gesse that pieuish Pan was there Then Phoebus framde his frets and wrested all his pinnes And on his curious strings to strike the skilfull God beginnes So passing was his play as made the trées to daunce And stubborne Rocks in déepest vales for gladsome ioy to praunce Amphyon blusht as red as any glowing flame And Orpheus durst not shew his face but hide his head for shame Ynough quoth Tmolus tho my iudgement is that Pan May pipe among the ruder sort that little Musick can Apollos playe doth passe of all that ere I hearde Wherefore as reason is of mée the Luter is preferde Meanewhile was Mydas prest not pointed Iudge in place But lyke a dolt that went about Apollo to deface Tushe Tmolus tushe quoth hee Pan hath the better skill For hée the emptie bagge with winde and strouting blast doth fill Apollo wagges his ioints and makes a iarring sounde Lyke pleasure is not in the Lute as in the Bagpipe founde No sooner had hée spoke those witlesse wordes and sed But Phoebus graft on Asses eares vpon his beastly hed In proofe of iudgement wrong that Mydas did maintaine Hée had a paire of sowsing eares to shilde him from the raine Wherefore my Friende take héede of afterclaps that fall And déeme not hir a Dearling that deserues no prayse at all Your iudgement is beguilde your Senses suffer shame That so doe séeke to blaze hir armes and to aduaunce hir fame Let hir go hide hir head in lothsome lurking mue For crabbed Crowfoote marres hir face and quite distaines hir hue The Louer to a Centlewoman that after great friendship without desart or cause of mislyking refused him HAue you not heard it long ago of cunning Fawkners tolde That Haukes which loue their kéepers call are woorth their weight in Golde And such as knowe the luring voice of him that féedes them still And neuer rangle farre abroade against the kéepers will Doe farre excéede the haggarde Hauke that stoopeth to no stale Nor forceth on the Lure awhit but mounts with euery gale Yes yes I know you know it well and I by proufe haue tride That wylde and haggard Hawkes are worse than such as will abide Yet is there eke another kinde farre worser than the rest And those are they that flie at check and stoupe to erie gest They leaue the lawe that nature taught and shun their woonted kinde In fléeing after erie Foule that mounteth with the winde You know what I doe meane by this if not giue eare a while And I shall shewe you my conceyte in plaine and simple stile You were sometime a gentle Hawke and woont to féede on fist And knew my luring voice right well and would repaire at list I could no sooner make a beck or token with my hand But you would quickly iudge my will and how the case did stand But now you are become so wylde and rammage to be séene As though you were a haggard Hawke your maners altred cléene You now refuse to come to fist you shun my woonted call My luring lyketh not your eare you force mée not at all You flée with wings of often chaunge at random where you please But that in time will bréede in you some fowle and fell disease Liue like a haggard still therefore and for no luring care For best I sée contents thy minde at wishe and will to fare So some perhaps will liue in hope at length to light on thée That earst reclaimde so gentle werte and louing birde to mée But if thou chaunce to fall to check and force on erie fowle Thou shalt be worse detested then than is the nightish Owle This counsell take of him that once did kéepe thée at his beck But now giues vp in open field for feare of filthie check The Louer obtayning his wishe by all likelyhode yet not able to attaine his desire compares himself to Tantalus OF Tantalus plight The Poets wright Complayning And fayning In sorowfull sownding songes Who féeles they saye For Apples gaye Such payning Not gayning The fruite for which hee longes For when hee thinkes to féede therone The fickle flattring Trée is gone And all in vaine hee hopes to haue his famine to expell The flitting fruite that lookes so braue and likes his eie so well And thus his hunger doth increase And hée can neuer finde release As want of Meate Doth make him freate With raging And gaging To catch the fruite that flées Euen so for drythe The Miser crythe Not swaging But waging For licour that hée sées For to his painefull partched mouth The long desired water flouth And when he gapes full greedilie vnthriftie thirst to slake The riuer wasteth spéedilie and away warde goes the Lake That all the licour from his lips And dryed chaps away it slips This kinde of paine Doth he sustaine Not ceasing Increasing His pittifull pining wo In plenties place Deuoide of grace Releasing Or ceassing The pangs that pinch him so Of all the fretting fits of Hell This Tantals torment is most fell For that the reast can haue no hope their fréedome to attaine And he hath graunted him such scope as makes the Myser faine But all for nought in fine it serues For he with dryth and hunger sterues Euen so fare I That am as nie My pleasure My treasure As I might wish to bée And haue at will My Ladie still At leâ—â—â—ure In measure As well it liketh mée The amorous blincks flée to and fro With sugred words that make a show That fansie is well pleasde withall and findes it selfe content Eche other friendly friend doth call and eche of vs consent And thus we séeme for to possesse Eche others hart and haue redresse We coll we clip We kisse with lip Delighted Requighted And merily spend the day The tales I tell Are fanside well Recited Not spited Thus weares the time away Looke what I like shée doth imbrace Shée giues good eare vnto my case And yeeldes mee lawfull libertie to frame my dolorus plaint To quite hir Friend from ieopardie whome Cupid hath attaint Respecting nought at all his welth But séeking meane to worke his helth I séeme to haue The thing I craue Shée barres not Shée iarres not But with a verie good will Shee heares my sute And for the frute Shée
Th leading his lyfe in the Countrie at his desire MY Francis whilst you breath your foming steede Athwart the fields in peace to practise warre In Countrie whilst your keneld Hounds doe feede Or in the wood for taken pray doe iarre Whilst you with Haukes the sielie Foule doe slape And take delight a quick retriue to haue To flee to marke and heare the Spanels baye Wasting your age in pleasure passing braue In Citie I my youthfull yeares doe spende At Booke perhaps sometime to weare the day Where man to man not friend to friend doth lende With vs is naught but pitch my Friend and pay Great store of Coyne but fewe enioy the same The owners holde it fast with lymed handes We liue by losse we play and practise game Wee by and fell the streate is all our landes Well storde we are of crie needefull thing Wood Water Coale Flesh Fishe we haue ynow What lack you Wyues and Maides doe daylie sing The Horne is rife it sticks on many a brow But yet I say the Countrie hath no peere The Towne is but a toyle and wearie lyfe We like your Countrie sportes Friend Francis heere The Citie is a place of bate and strife Wherefore I thinke thee wise and full of thrift That fledst the Towne and hast that blessed gift To a Gentlewoman that alwayes willed him to weare Rosemarie a Tree that is alwayes greene for hir sake and in token of his good will to hir THe gréene that you did wish mée weare aye for your looue And on my helme a braunch to beare not to remooue Was euer you to haue in minde Whome Cupid hath my Féere assignde As I in this haue done your will and minde to doo So I request you to fulfill my fansie too A gréene and louing hart to haue And this is all that I doe craue For if your flowring hart should chaunge his colour greene Or you at length a Ladie straunge of mée be séene Then will my braunch against his vse His colour chaunge for your refuse As Winters force can not deface this braunch his hue So let no chaunge of loue disgrace your friendship true You were mine owne and so be still So shall we liue and loue our fill Then may I thinke my selfe to bée well recompenst For wearing of the Trée that is so well defenst Against all weather that doth fall When waywarde Winter spits his gall And when wée méete to trie me true looke on my Hed And I will craue an othe of you where Faith be fled So shall we both assured bée Both I of you and you of mée ¶ An Epitaph of the Ladie Br. STaie gentle Friend that passest by and learne this lore of mée That mortall things doe liue to die and die againe to bée For daylie proufe hath daylie taught and yet doth teache it plaine That all our substance comes to naught and worldly welth is vaine No rawnsome may redéeme thy fleshe from lothsome lumpes of soyle The Wormes will soone thy Beautie freshe with greedie gripe dispoyle I that was earst of gentle bloud that neuer sufferd staine Haue nothing but a winding shrowds in stead of all my gaine I twise was bound by solemne oth vnto a louing Make Yet twas my luck to burie both and eke a thirde to take The ioy that fourtie yeares had growne by those two husbands dayes In two yeares space was ouerthrowne and altred sundrie wayes As luck would not allow my choice so Death mislikte the same Those two agréed with common voyce my bondage too vnframe The Lady Br quoth Fortune tho hir worship shall not loose Then shée quoth Death shall haue no mo nor other husbande choose Thus did they both contend at once who mought the friendlist bée Thus Death and Fortune for the nones did make my body frée ¶ Pray gentle Friend therefore for me to Mightie Ioue on hie For as I am so thou shalt bée since thou dost liue to die Trust neuer Fortunes fickle fate but Vertue still retaine Thou mayst in time exchaunge estate yet Vertue will remaine Of the time he first began to loue and after how he forewent the same HOwe may it be that Snow and Ise ingender heate Or how may Glare and Frost intise a feruent sweate Or how may Sommer season make of heate a colde How may the Spring the leaues downe shake and trées vnfolde Though these too others séeme full rare To mée no newes at all they are For I my selfe in Winter tide when colde was rife Whote gleames of Cupid did abide and stormes of strife In frostie weather I was warme and burning whot But when the Bées and Birds did swarme full colde God wot In Winter time began my looue Which I in Sommer did remooue The assured promise of a constant Louer WHen Phenix shall haue many Makes And Fishes shun the Siluer Lakes When Woulfes and Lambes yfeare shall play And Phoebus cease to shine by day When Grasse on Marble stone shall groe And euerie man imbrace his foe When Moles shall leaue to dig the grounde And Hares accorde with hatefull Hounde When Lawrell leaues shall loose their hur And men of Crete be counted true When Vulcan shall be colde as Ise Coraebus eake approoued wise When Pan shall passe Appollos skill And Fooles of fansies haue their fill When Hawkes shall dread the sielie Fowle And men estéeme the nightish Owle When Pearle shall be of little price And golden Vertue friend to Vice When Fortune hath no chaunge in store Then will I false and not before Till all these Monsters come to passe I am Timetes as I was My Loue as long as lyfe shall last Not forcing any Fortunes blast No threat nor thraldome shall preuaile To cause my fayth one iote to faile But as I was so will I bée A Louer and a Friend to thée The Pine to the Mariner O Man of little Wit What meanes this frantick fit To make thy Ship of mée That am a slender Trée Whome erie blast that blowes Full lightly ouerthrowes Doth this not mooue thy minde That rage of roring winde Did beate my boughes agood When earst I grue in Wood How can I here auoyde The foe that there anoyde Thinkst thou now I am made A Vessell for thy trade I shall be more at ease Amid the flasshing Seas I feare if Aeole frowne Both thou and I shall drowne Againe otherwise A Vassell to the winde when earst I grew in wood How shall I fauour finde now fléeting in the flood For there whilst reaching rootes did holde I thought I mought be somewhat bolde But now that I am cut and framde another way And to this practise put in daunger crie day I feare the force of cruell foe my ribbes are thin my sides be lowe But if thou venter life then I will hazard lim For thée is all my griefe for lightly I shall swim Though top and tackle all be torne yet I aloft the surge am borne To an olde Gentlewoman that
Lampe of Phoebus light But man may better if he will Applie his wit to make it right The Louer excuseth himselfe for renowncing his Loue and Ladie imputing the same to his fate and constellation THough Dydo blamde Aeneas truth for leauing Carthage shore Where he well entertainde had béene and like a Prince before Though Theseus were vnthriftie thought and of a cruell race That in rewarde of death escapte by Aryadnas Lace Amid the desart woods so wilde his loouing Lasse forsooke Whome by good hap and luckie lore the drowsie Bacchus tooke Yet if the Iudges in this case their verdit yéelde aright Nor Theseus nor Aeneas fact deserue such endlesse spight As waywarde Women stirde to wrath beare fixed fast in minde Still seeking wayes to wreake their yre vpon Aeneas kinde For neither lack of liking loue nor hope of greater gaine Nor fickle fansies force vs men to breake off friendships chaine They loth not that they looude before they hate not things possest Some other weightie cause they haue of chaunge as may be gest And waying with my selfe eche one I can none fitter finde Than that to men such blessed hap is by the Gods assignde The golden Starres that guide their age and Planets will them so And Gods the Rulers of their race procure them to forgo Their forged faith and plighted truth with promise made so sure That is too séeming strong as Stéele and likely to endure For did not mightie Ioue himselfe the swift Cyllenus sende To will the Troyan Prince in haste into Italia bende And leaue the lyked lande so well and Carthage Quéene forsake That made him owner of hir hart and all that shée could make And such was Theseus lot perdie so hard the Maydens hap That shée in desart should be left and caught in Bacchus trap Should Iason be proclaimde and cride a Traitor to the Skies For that he Medea left at last by whome he wan the Flise No such was Oetes Daughters chaunce in Cradle hir assignde And Iasans Birthstarre forst the Gréeke to showe himselfe vnkinde For if rewardes might binde so fast and knit the knot so sure Their faith no doubt and lincked loue should then of force endure For Dido gaue him Carthage Kayes the wealth and soile withall Those other two preserude their liues that else had liude in thrall Then sithens streaming Starres procure and fatall powers agree And stawled Gods doe condiscend that I my friendship flee And reaue your Bells and cast you off to liue in haggards wies That for no priuate stale doe care but loue to range the Skies I must not séeme then to rebell nor secret Treason forge But chaunge my choyce and leaue my looue and fansies fonde disgorge I craue of Cupid Lorde of loue a pardon for the same For that I now reiect his lawes and quite renownce his game Of Ladie Venus that hauing lost hir Sonne Cupid God of Loue and desirous to vnderstand of him againe declares by the way the nature of Loue and affections of the same by pretie discription as followeth WHat time the Ladie Venus sought hir little Sonne That Cupid hight found him not she thus begonne My friends quoth she if any chaunce in open streete Or crossing pathes y t wandring amorous Elfe to meete That Runnagate I say is mine who so by hap Shall first bring tidings of the Boy in Venus lap Is sure to sit and haue in price of taken paine A sugred kisse But he that brings him home againe A busse yea not a busse alone doubtlesse shall haue But like a Friend I will entreate him passing braue I tell you tis a proper youth Marke euery Lun And member of my straid Sonne that is so trim Not sallow white his bodie is but like to flame A fierce and fierie roling eie sets out the same A mischieuous wylie hart in Breast the Boy doth beare But yet his wordes are Honnie like and sweete to eare His talking tongue and meaning minde asunder goe Smooth filed stile for little cost he will bestowe But being once inflamde with ire and raging wrath A cruell canckred dogged hart the Vrchin hath False Foxely subtile Boy and glosing lying Lad He sports to outward sight but inward chafes like mad A curled Sconce he hath with angrie frowning browe A little hand yet Dart a cruell way can throwe To shadie A cheron sometime he flings the same And deepest damp of hollow Hell those Impes to tame Vpon his Carkasse not a cloth but naked hee Of garments goes his minde is wrapt and not to see Much like a fethred Foule he flies wags his wings Now here now there y e man somtime this Miser wrings Sometimes againe the Lasse to loue he doth enforce Of neither kind nor man nor maid he hath remorce A little Bow the Boy doth beare in tender hande And in the same an Arrow nockt to string doth stand A slender Shaft yet such a one as farre will flie And being shot from Cupids Bow will reach the Skie A pretie golden Quiuer hangs there albehinde Vpon his back wherein who so doth looke shall finde A sort of sharpe and lurching shafts vnhappie Boy Wherewith his Ladie Mother eke he doth annoy Sometimes but most of all the foolish fretting Elfe In cruell wife doth cruelly torment and vex himselfe Doe beate the Boy and spare him not at all if thou On him doe chaunce to light although frō childish brow And moysted eies the trickling teares like flouds distill Beleeue him not for chiefly then beguile he will Not if he smile vnlose his pyniond armes take heede With pleasāt home words though he thine eares dos feede And craue a kisse beware thou kisse him not at all For in his lips vile venom lurcks and bitter Gall. Or if with friendly face he seeme to yeelde his Bow And shafts to thee his proferde gifts my Friend forgo Touch not with tender hand the subtile flattring Dart Of Loue for feare the fire thereof doe make thee smart Where this that I haue sayde be true Yee Louers I appeale to you For ye doe knowe Cupidos toyes Yee feele his smarts yee taste his ioyes A fickle foolish God to serue I tearme him as he doth deserue Of the cruell hatred of Stepmothers THe Sonne in lawe his Stepdame being dead Began hir Hierce with Garlands to cōmende Meane while there fell a stone vpon his head From out the Tombe that brought the Boy abed A proofe that Stepdames hate hath neuer ende Againe GLad was y e sonne of frowning Beldams death To witnesse ioy to deck hir Tomb gan trudge A peece of Marbell fell and reft his breath As he good Lad stoode strewing flowres beneath A signe y e Death dawnts not the mothers grudge To Cupid for reuenge of his vnkind and cruell Loue. Declaring his faithfull seruice and true hart both to the God of Loue and his Ladie IF I had béene in Troyan ground When Ladie Venus tooke hir wound IF I in Gréekish campe
my daies with ruthfull voice As fits a retchlesse Wight to doe Since now it lies not in my choise To quite mée from this cursed woe I harbour in my breast a thought Which now is turnde another way That pleasaunt May would mée ybrought From Scylla to a better bay Since all quoth I that Nature made And placed here in earth bylowe When Spring returnes of woonted trade Doe banish griefe that earst did growe And chaungeth eke the churlish chéere And frowning face of Tellus hewe With vernant flowers that appéere To clad the soile with mantell newe Since Snakes doe cast their shriueled skinnes And Bucks hang vp their heads on pale Since frisking Fishes lose their finnes And glide with new repaired scale Then I of force with gréedie eie Must hope to finde to ease my smart Since eche anoy in Spring doth die And cares to comfort doe conuart Then I quoth I shall reach the port And fast mine Aucker on the ground Where lyes my pleasure and disport Where is my suretie to be found There shall my beaten Barke haue rode And I for seruice done be paid My sorrowes quite shall be vnlode Euen thus vnto my selfe I said But out alas it falles not so May is to mée a Month of mone In May though others comfort gro My séedes of griefe are surely sowne My bitter Teares for water serue Wherewith the Garden of my brest I moist for feare the seedes should sterue And thus I frame mine owne vnrest Let others then that féelen ioy Extole the merrie Month of May And I that tasted haue annoy In praise thereof will nothing say But wish returne of winters warre And blustring force of Borias force againe These sower séedes of wo to marre By force of winde and wisking raine And so perhaps by better fate At next returne of Spring I may By chaunging of my former state Cast off my care and chaunge my lay To a fickle and vnconstant Dame a friendly warning WHat may I thinke of you my Fawlcon frée That hauing hood lines buets bels of mée And woonted earst when I my game did spring To flie so well and make such nimble wing As might no Fowle for weightnesse well compare With thée thou wert a Bird so passing rare What may I déeme of thée fayre Fawlcon now That neyther to my lure nor traine wilt bow But this that when my back is turnde and gon Another giues thée rumpes to tyre vpon Well wanton well if you were wise in déede You would regard the fist whereon you féede You would the Horse deuouring Crow refuse And gorge your selfe with fleshe more fine to chuse I wishe thée this for woonted olde good will To flie more high for feare the stowping will Bréede him that now doth kéepe thée out of loue And thinke his Fawlcon will a Bussard proue Which if he deeme or doe suspect at all He will abate thy flesh and make thée fall So that of force thou shalt enforced bée Too doe by him as nowe thou dost by mée That is to leaue the Kéeper and away Fawlcon take héede for this is true I say The Louer to his Ladie that gafed much vp to the Skies MY Girle thou gazest much vpon the golden Skies Would I were Heauen I would behold thée then with all mine eies The Penitent Louer vtterly renouncing loue craues pardon of forefassed follies IF such as did amisse and ran their race awrie May boldely craue at Iudges hand some mercie ere they die And pardon for their gilt that wilfully transgrest And sawe the bownds before their eies that vertue had addrest Then I that brake the bancks which Reason had assignde To such as would pursue hir traine may stande in hope to finde Some fauour at hir hand since blinde forecast was cause And not my wilfull will in fault that I haue swerude hir lawes Misguided haue I béene and trayned all by trust And Loue was forger of the fraude and furtherer of my lust Whose vele did daze mine eies and darckned so my sight With errors foggie mist at first that Reason gaue no light And as those wofull Wightes that saile on swelling Seas When windes and wrathfull waues conspire to banish all their ease When heauenly Lamps are hid from Shipmens hungrie eies And Lodestarres are in couert kept within the cloudie Skies As they without respect doe follow Fortunes lore And run at randome in the flood where Aeols Impes doe rore Till golden crested Phebe or else his Sisters light Haue chasde away those noysome clouds and put the same to flight So I vnhappie man haue followde Loue a space And felt the whottest of his flame and flashing fierie blase In darknesse haue I dwelt and Errours vglie shade Vnwitting how to raise a Starre from perill to cuade Few daies came on my head wherein was cause of ioy But day and night were readie both to hasten mine anoy Short were my sléepes God wot most dreadfull were my dreames Mine eies as Conduits of the hart did gush out saltish streames Tormented was my Corse my minde was neuer frée But both repleate with anguish aye disseuerde sought to bée No place might like mée long no pleasure could endure In stead of sport was smart at hande for pastime paine in vre A Bondman to my selfe yet frée in others sight Not able to resist the rage of winged Archers might Thus haue I spent my time in seruage as a Thrall Till Reason of hir bountie list mée to hir mercie call Now haue I made returne and by good hap retirde From Cupids Camp and déepe Dispaire and once againe aspirde To Ladie Reasons stawle where wisedome throned is On promise of amends releast is all that was amis To Plato now I flie and Senecs sound aduice A Fatch for Loue I force not now what Chaunce fall on the Dice To his Friend that refusde him without cause why but onely vpon delight of chaunge YOu showe your selfe to bée a Woman right by kinde You lyke and then mislyke againe where you no cause doe finde I can not thinke that loue was planted in your brest As did your flattring lookes declare and periurde tongue protest Thou swarste alone that I thy fansie did subdue Then why should frensie force thée now to show thy selfe vntrue Fie faithlesse woman fie wilt thou condemne the kinde Bicause of iust report of yll and blot of wauering minde Too playne it now appeares that lust procurde thy loue Or else it would not so decay and causelesse thus remoue I thought that I at first a Lucrece had subdude But nowe I finde that fansie fonde my senses did delude I déemde that I had got a Fawlcon to the fist Whome I might quickly haue reclaimde but I my purpose mist For oh the worser hap my Fawlcon is so frée As downe shée stoupes to straungers lure and forceth least of mée Good shape was yll bestowde vpon so vile a Kite That Haggard wise doth loue to liue and doth in chaunge delight Yéeld
fayth it was To leaue the Lyon for the Asse Such chopping will but make you bare And spend your lyfe in carek and care You might haue taken better héede Then left the Graine and chose the wéede Your Haruest would the better beene If you had to your Bargin séene But to recant it is to late Go too a Gods name to your Mate Tis Muck that makes the Pot to play As men of olde were woont to say And women marrie for the gaine Though oft it fall out to their paine And as I gesse thou hast ydoon When all thy twist is throughly spoon It will appéere vnto thy foes Thou pluckst a Nettle for a Rose In faith thy Friend would loth to sée Thy curssed luck so yll to bée Of one that was in reuersion ANother hath that I did bie and I enioy that hée imbraste I reape the Graine and pluck the Peare but he had Peare and Corne at laste Which fithens Fortune hath allowde let eyther well contented bee I hate him not for his delights then let him doe the lyke too mée For sowe both be pleasde I say this bargaine was deuised well Let him with present good delight as I what time to mée it fell If euer he by hap forgo I trust my hope is not in vaine I hope the thing I once enioyde will to his owner come againe Which if be so then happie I that had the first and haue the laste What better fortune may there bée than in Reuersion to be plaste That all hurts and losses are to be recouered and recured saue the cruell wound of Loue. THe Surgion may deuise a Salue for erie sore And to recure all inwarde griefes Phisitions haue in store Their Simples to compownde and match in mixture so As ech disease from sicklie Corse they can enforce to go The wastfull wrack of welth that Merchants doe sustaine By happie vent of gotten wares may be supplide againe A Towne by treason lost a Forte by falsehood woon By manly fight is got againe and helpe of hurtfull Goon Thus eche thing hath redresse and swéete recure againe Saue onely Loue that farther frets and feedes on inward paine No Galen may this griefe by Phisicks force expell No Reasons rule may ought preuaile where lurcking Loue doth dwell The Patient hath no powre of holesome things to taste No Drench no Drug nor Sirop swéete his hidden harme may waste No comfort comes by day no pleasant sléepe by night No néedefull nap at Noone may ease the Louers painefull plight In deepe dispaire he dwels till in comes hope of ease Which somewhat lessens paines of Loue and calmes the surge of Seas His head is fraught with thoughts his hart with throwes repleate His eies amazde his quaking hand his stomack lothing meate This bale the Louer bides and hatefull Hagge of Hell And yet himselfe doth déeme that hée in Paradyce doth dwell Of the choise of his Valentine WIth others I to choose a Valentine Addrest my selfe Ech had his dearest friend In Scrole ywrit among the reast was mine Sée now the luck by lot that Chaunce doth send To Cupids crewe marke Fortune how it falls And mark how Venê° Imps are FortuÌ„s thralls The Papers were in couert kept from sight In hope I went to note what hap would fall I choze but on my Friend I could not light Such was the Goddesse wil that wildes the Ball But sée good luck although I mist the same I hapt on one that bare my Ladies name Vnegall though their beauties were to looke Remembrance yet of hir well feauturde fare So often séene thereby my Senses tooke Vnhappie though shee were not then in place Long you to learne what name my Ladie hight Account from V. to A. and spell aright Of an open Foe and a fayned Friend NOt he so much anoies that sayes I am thy Fo As he that beares a hatefull hart and is a Friend to sho Of tone we may beware and flie his open hate But tother bites before he barck a hard auoyded Mate Againe OF both giue mée the man that sayes I hate in déede Than him that hath a Knife to kill yet weares a friendly wéede Of a Ritch Miser A Misers minde thou hast thou hast a Princes pelfe Which makes thée welthy to thine Heire a Beggar to thy selfe Of a Painter that painted Fauour THou Painter fond what meanes this mad deuise Fauour to drawe sith vncouth is the hed From whence it comes and first of all was bred Some deeme that it of Beautie doth arise Dame Fortunes Babie and vndoubted Sonne Some other doe furmise this Fauour was Againe some thinke by Chaunce it came to passe Another saies of Vertue it begonne What Mate is he that daylie is at hand Faire speaking he and glosing Flattrie hight What he that slowly comes behind Auns Despight What they I pray that him inuiron stand Wealth Honor Pride and Noble needefull Lawes And leading Lust that driues to thousand ills What meane those wings painted quiuering Quills Cause vpward aie Dame Fortune Fauour drawes Why blinde is Fauour made Auns for cause that he That is vnthriftie once yplast amownt From baser step not had in any cownt Can not discerue his Friends or who they be Why treades he on the tickle turning wheele He followes Fortunes steps and giddie Gate Vnstaied Chaunces aie vnstedfast Mate And when that things are well can neuer feele Then tell me one thing else to pease my minde My last demaund what meanes his swelling so How chaunst that Fauour doth so prowdly go Good haps by course vs Men doe maken blinde The Louer whose Lady dwelt fast by a Prison ONe day I hide mee fast vnto the place where lodgde my Loue a passing propre dame For head hand leg lim wealth wit comly grace And being there my sute I gan to frame The smokie sighes bewrayde my fierie flame But cruell shee disdainefull coy and curst Forst not my words but quaild hir Friend at furst Whereat I lookte me vp a wofull Wight And threw mine eies vp to the painted Skie In minde to waile my hap And saw in sight Not farre from thence a place where Prisners lie For crimes forepast the after paines to trie A Laberinth a lothsome Lodge to dwell A Dungeon déepe a Dampe as darke as Hell Oh happie you quoth I that féele the force Of girding Gyue thirst colde and stonie bed Respect of mée whose loue hath no remorce In death you liue but I in life and ded Your ioy is yet to come my pleasure fled In prison you haue mindes at fréedome aye I frée am thrall whose loue séekes his decaye Vnworthy you to liue in such distresse Whose former faults repentance did bewaile More fitter were this Ladie mercilesse At grate to stand with whome no teares preuaile More worthy she to liue in lothsome Gaile That murders such as sue to hir for lyfe And spoyles hir faithfull