her name Come Countrey youth come noble courtly Dame. And marke my woords whose woorks in wondryng daies With double blotte redounds to my dispraies From tender yeres till twentie twoo were paste I nourisht was at pompe and pleasures papps But who can tell how long our ioye shall laste For greatest calmes comes ofte to Thonder clapps And sweetest hopes doe chaunge to sowrest happs O tickle tyme that wanders swift as winde With heare before and bare and balde behinde No gripe nor hande can take sure holde on thee Thou flittst so faste and leaues the worlde at worst Looke what tyme bryngs tyme takes awaie you see Good tyme is blest badd tyme wee holde accorst Tyme hurtes them oft that tyme did helpe at forst Looke what we haue when youth is moste in prime That shall wee want in age by course of tyme. My freashe delites doe fall and fade like flowre The blossomes gaie from beauties budds are gone Our state of life doeth alter euery howre As pleasures passe come sorowes pasyng on The worlde it self is like a rowlyng stone And on suche wheeles our tomblyng happs doe ronne Thei slide as swifte as shadowe in the Sonne Whiles carelesse witte doeth carry youth about To sportes and plaies that doeth from pasty meries The merrie mynde is voyde of feare and doubt And all the powres are glad to please the eyes But when wilde hedde or wanton waxeth wise The weightie thoughtes that deepe foresight retains Bryngs troubled sleepes and breakes the quiet brains In childishe daies I made no counte of chaunce When freends tooke care to matche me to their will So hopyng long good happ would me aduaunce I kept me free from wedlocks boudage still But parents wise that had good worldly skill With open checks rebukt the causes cheef The more thei sturde the greater grewe my greef As when a sore is rubbde and handled harde The lesse it heales because ye touche it neere O fathers graue if that you tooke regarde How that with checks you vse your children deere Or in your moodes you would some reason heere Thei should bee ioynde where thei greate ioye should haue And you of them enioye the thyng you craue But wilfull men that wealth maie wrest awrie Will force poore babes to marrie or to morne What father will the child maie not denie He hurts his shins against the pricke shall sporne When matche is made it is paste tyme to torne When sillie Lambe is to the slaughter ledde The Butchar braggs the simple Sheepe is dedde And yet in deede t were better childern smarte And matche in tyme as cause and matter moues Then childrens choyse should breake the fathers harte Or breede debate as wilfull marrage proues Short is the ioye of them that longest loues When want comes on and woe beginnes to wryng For lacke is thrall and slaue to euery thyng Loue is not now as loue hath been of old A game some babe to dandle on the knee Loue cares for nought but lande and baggs of gold That keepes bothe man and horse in stable free Thei haue no witte that other louers bee Wealthe maister is and porter of the gate That lettes in loue when want shall come to late Well as it was my freends could doe no good My Fortune bore the swaie and ruled all And I full long on will and freedome stoode Till fleshe and blood must needes to fancie fall And then though happe and worldly wealth was small I lighted where I likte and loued well And where I voude for terme of life to dwell My choise was likte for many giftes of grace He had though wealth somtyme was not at will And for his sake in many a noble place I welcome was and purchast fauour still My candell blasde like torche on toppe of hill And for content of minde where loue doeth reste Myne owne poore choise might passe emong the beste Long liu'de we thus at home and eke abroad When kindred cleane in deede forsooke vs bothe What burthen fell I helpt to beare the loade And glad in worlde to taste how Fortune gothe The minde I had to God and sacred othe Made me refuse no trauaill for his sake Whom of free will I choose to bee my make The seas wee sailde the lande wee rode about The Court wee sawe the Toune wee dwelt long in The feeldes we walke the gardains gaie throughout Wee went vnto where many a feast hath bin Wee could not sincke for happe helde vp the chin He prosperde well and looke what God had sent With louyng wise at home the same he spent He tooke greate paines to come by that he had And trauailde sore through many a forraine soile To bryng that home that makes the housholde glad And keepe the wife and housholde folke from foile And I tooke care that nothyng went to spoile And looke in deede what thyngs that I did lacke Was seen in face or founde vpon my backe The worlde might see I went in garmentes good Though small I brought to hym as I confesse I spent hym muche and at greate charge he stoode Whiche bryngs strong harts somtyme to greate distresse But neuer that might make his loue the lesse For looke how he his likyng first beganne In fine for trothe he proude the self same manne I could not sleepe but where in bedde he laie I could not eate but where he satte at boorde I could not laugh when likyng was awaie I silent satte gaue he but halfe a woorde Ill newes of hym strake me with mortall sworde His minde and myne did drawe so in one yoke The self same fitts he felt where of I spoke Full seuen yeres this constant course wee kept Though often tymes there happened housholde iarrs And trattlyng tales that in betweene vs crept Made many wounds where yet remaines the skarrs Yet alwaies peace tooke vp our braulyng warrs And wee did seeke to salue eche others sore And passe old greefes and thinke thereon no more Sweete is that peace that patcheth vp greate harmes Sharpe is the warre that teares a house in twaine Wo worthe those words that brings in braules by swarms Darke be those cloudes that alwaies threatens raine Curste bee the cause that breedeth woe and paine And dampde in hell those subtell spirits shal be That councell gaue to parte my choise from me Well as our chaunce together was to ioyne And dwell long while as here in breef you harde So happe came on through hope of wealth or coyne And drewe my choise where he might bee prefarde To warrs and I that had a greate regarde To hym that tyme when I his mynde did knowe Gaue my consent that he to warrs should goe With sighes and sobbs and bitter tears emong Wee parted tho with promes suerly paste That one should here from other ere t were long And sadly soe wee seured at the laste His goods his gold his freends bothe firme and faste He lefte me then to comfort me with all But nere a child
a small pause thei charged our menne againe and ouerthrewe of the Blacke Launces a thirtie carriyng awaie with theim into Bulleyne eighteene gentlemen prisoners This skirmishe beganne at seuen of the clocke in the mornyng and lasted in verie greate seruice till a leuen And from this ouerthrowe came diuerse Soldiours fore wounded to our foote bandes whose heauinesse made the valliaunte sorte plucke vp their hartes and seeke a reuenge Then albeeit that foote Capitaines and Gentlemen seldome leaues their bandes and venters beyonde their charge a rule to bee muche regarded yet the stoutest Capitaines and Gentlemen founde meanes to horse theim selues on Carte horses and vittellers nagges and put certain skarffes in maner of Guidons on staues endes shewyng those Guidons vnder a hill in seuerall sortes sometymes appearyng with twentie men sometymes thirtie and laste of all made shewe of all our nomber whiche was not fiftie and so with a courageous crie sette vppon the enemies leauyng some of these deuised Guidons behinde on the hill toppe and charged theim with suche a furie that thei lefte their bootie and stoode to their defence but in fine were forced to retire for by the little staie wee helde the enemie in our footemen had laisure to marche the sounde of whose Drommes gaue no greate courage to the Frenche For thei thereon gaue backe and lefte some of their beste soldiours behinde theim whiche wee brought to Gines driuyng the prey before vs that was gotten in the mornyng loste in a skirmishe and recouered againe at Noone At this seruice was Sir Willyam Druerie Capitaine Alexander of Newnam Bridge Capitaine Crippes Capitaine Reyes and three of his brethren Capitaine George Harbert and sondrie others in like maner that merites good reporte Our power mett many tymes together and did muche hurte at Bolleynnoyes and we besieged Fines Castell and wanne it Blosshyng Churche and ouerthrewe it and killed all the men that therein wee founde because sir Harry Palmer was hurte through the arme there with a shotte A long season our fortune was good till at length by some ouersight or mishappe lette the blame faule where it ought we loste Callice and Gines But a little I praie you giue me leaue to touche truely the siege of Gines not because I had some charge there But for that sondrie reportes hath been raised thereof by those that neuer throughlie knewe or vnderstoode the matter The verie trothe is after Callice was wonne and that all hope was taken from vs for any succour out of Englande our generall the honourable Lorde Greye that is dedde and maister Leawes Diue his Lieutenaunt sir Harry Palmer and all the Capitaines of Gines Determined to abide the worste that Fortune or the Frenche could doe And the daie of the first approche the enemie made wee offered a hotte and stoute skirmishe but beyng driuen in by an ouer greate power though our whole people were thirteene hundreth men we kepe the Toune awhile But consideryng the Castell to bee moste strongest and doubtyng by a Cambozade or sodaine assault the toune might be wōne for it was but weake we retired our whole power into the Castell and so manned the base Courte the Braies an Bulwarkes the Keepe the Catte the harte of the Castell and all that was necessarie with double menne And out of Flaunders at the presente siege came fiftie valliaunt Spaniardes and a bande of Burgonions Mounsire Dieffkie beyng their Capitaine and Mounsire Mon Dragon was leader of the Spaniardes These Burgoniōs were placed in Mary Bulwarke with Capitaine Bornes bande whose Lieutenaunte I was The fiftie Spaniardes were placed in the Braies where Capitaine Lambert had some shott to succour them Against this Bulwarke whiche was thought inprenable the greate Batterie was planted albeit three or fower daies were spente wee helde the enemies suche plaie before the Batterie was planted And one daie we issued and sette vppon Mounsire Degwyes as he was in a place called Milfeelde vewyng of the grounde and had taken hym had not he lefte his cloke behinde hym on the whiche white cloke one of our gentlemen had holde of And though that he was succoured we brought awaie some of his companie and retired with little losse or none at all We sette vpon a greate troupe of horsemen not long before this that came from the spoile of Callice and tooke nombers of them For I had for my parte a couple of faire horses and a prisoner at bothe these seruices was olde Capitaine Andrea Capitaine Ihon Sauage and a sufficiente nomber of lustie Soldiours And the Lorde Graie that now is was at the harde escape of Mounsire Degwies We made diuerse sallies but that preuailed not for the Battrie went of and many other greate Cannons did beate at the hye Towres the stones whereof did marueilously anoye vs and the shotte was so greate and suche greate aduauntage of grounde the enemies had gotten that we could not walke nor goe saffely no any waie within the Castell For our generall and sir Harry Palmer sittyng on a forme deuisyng for our commoditie were in suche daunger that a Cannon shotte tooke awaie the forme and brake sir Harry Palmers legge of whiche hurte he died in Parice after and a greate shotte tooke of maister Wakes hedde as he was slepyng vnder a greate Tree And so sonderie that thought them selues saffe were so dribbed at with Cannot shot that thei neuer knewe who did hurte them Well the tyme drew on after the breache was made we must defende the assault that was geuen to Mary Bulwarke whiche stoode out of the Castell and farre from succour of any because the gate was rammed vp and we could not passe into the Castle but by that waie Firste a long the Braies and then betweene twoo gates whiche waie the enemie had espied and placed many greate shotte full vpon that passage Nowe Mounsire Diffkie Capitaine Borne Capitaine Oswolde Lambertt and the fiftie Spanyardes were forced to abide the assalte whiche begaime at a leuen a Clocke and lasted till night Mount Dragon came into Mary Bulwarke and three gentlemen more and stoode stoutly to our defence twoo of them were slaine My Capitaines hedde was smitten of with a Cannons shot and Capitaine Diffkie was wounded to the death whose bande fought manfully in the reuenge of their Capaine and vnto our bande was left no more but one maister Holford and I to gide the whole companie And the old Capitaine Andrea couetous of Fame was desirous to haue our fellowship but he had no bande nor people to dooe vs pleasure Capitaine Lambert was crossed with a greate shot and myne armour with the breakyng of a greate peece was stricken flat vpon my bodie but beyng vnbraced I might continue the seruice whiche seruice in myne opinion was so terriblie handled by the Frenche Mounsire Dandelot beyng the leader of the assault that bothe Englishe Burgonion and Spanyard at that Bulwarke had enough to doe to keepe the enemie out And as I beleeue at
enterprises to doe their Countrey pleasure Yea some haue solde their patrimonie and consumed their Threasure and riches to enriche their Princes with glorie and euerlastyng renowme Were not this a madnesse and more then a meere folly to be a drudge to the worlde and a labourer for those that sittes at reste and to watche and warde Feight striue and struggle with strangers for victorie and then to come home and be rewarded as common persones and walke like a shadowe in the Sunne without estimation or countenaunce Would any that had wisedome vallue and courage be ouer ronne with vicious fooles and cowardes or be made a footestoole to ther inferiour when thei haue climed vp the steppes of honoure and are gotten into the toppe gallaunte of worldlie glorie and warlicke triumphe Emong children that doe but plaie at the bucklars there is a preheminence and one will acknowedge the other to be his better when good bobbes are bestowed and sodainlie a stoute taule lobber will laye doune the waster and yeelde to hym that hath more practise and skill in the weapon then hym self Then shall not a man that hath coped with Champions buckled with Conquerers and abidden the hazard of the Cannon stande on his Pantoffelles and loke to the steppes he hath passed Yes sure and suche a mēber of the state the baser sorte are Ciphers ought to be made of deserueth place and preheminence and is no companion for punies ▪ nor meete to bee matched with Milkesoppes whose manhoode and maners differs as farre from the graue Soldiour as a Donkite in courage and condition differs from a Ierfaucō As the duetie to a mannes countrey and the wages that he taketh bindes him to doe the vttermoste he maie so were there not an other cause that forceth further matter Full coldly some would feight and full slowly some would march to the battaill albeit the Princes quarrell and wages receiued commaundeth muche and is a thyng stoutly and wisely to be looked to But I tell you fame and reputation is the marke that men shoote at and the greedinesse of glorie and ambitiō pricketh the mynde so fast forward that neither the man lookes vppon the multitude of enemies Nor regardes the daunger of death so he maie bee eternised and liue in the good opinion of the Prince and people For he that but bluntly lookes aboute hym and goeth to the warre for wealth whiche hardly is there gotten is lead on with a coueteous desire of that he shall not haue and may feight like an Oxe and dye like an Asse But who so respecteth his credite and paiseth in ballaunce the worthinesse of fame that riseth by well doyng doeth combate like a Lyon and either conquers like a man or dieth like a conquerour as many greate Kynges and Capitaines haue doen whose ensamples a long while agoe as yet remaines freashelie in memorie It maie not be thought that euery mercionarie mnane and common hirelyng taken vp for awhile or seruyng a small season is a Soldiour fitte to bee regestered or honoured emong the renowmed sort of warlike people For suche nombers of besoingnes or necessarie instrumentes for the tyme are to fall to their occupation when the seruice is ended and not to liue idellie or looke for embrasyng For neither thei tarrie long in the feelde when thei are preste to goe forthe Nor are not often called againe to the like iourney so greate is our store of suche persones and so many shiftes thei can make to putte of any paine and hazard But he is to be accounted the couragious Soldiour that is giuen by his owne disposition to delight and folowe the Cannon wheele whose countenaunce and chearfull face beginnes to smile and reioyce when the Dromme soundeth and whose harte is so high it will not stoupe to no seruile slauerie But hath a bodie and mynde able to aunswere that is looked for and hath often been tried and experimented in Marshal affaires through hauntyng whereof he is become ignoraunt of drudgyng at home and made a skilfull scholler in the discipline of warre whiche is not learned without some losse of blood charges of purse and consumyng of tyme. And this maie bee iudged and plainly presupposed that many of that sorte of men are not founde a liue to trouble or burthen a common wealth because thei are cutte of through daungerous seruices or forced by seekyng of Fame in the feeld to sell that thei haue at home and so to trauaile abrode subiecte to all miserie and farre from any freendship or prosperous estate And sometymes through the greatnesse of their myndes that galloppes after glorie are carried awaie to seeke out newe kyngdomes and refuse their old abitatiō A matter fallyng out well worthie to bee liked but other wise a heauie tale to bee tolde and an experience bought with ouermuche repentaunce But euery waie occasions thei are that dispatcheth many a good Soldioure and makes the nomber so little that it is reason suche as are lefte a liue of that profession should either bee rewarded or at the least reape some suche credite as the common sort of people should haue theim in admiration for and offer theim suche courtesie as the worthinesse of their experience and seruice requireth If in the olde tyme our forefathers vsed their menne of warre noblie prefarred theim to promotions and dealte honourably with theim that serued their countrey when warres were not so cruell Why should not this worlde wherein pollicies murthers and bloodshed is followed and hazardes are maruelously escaped to the vttermoste of mannes power haue more regard to a soldiour that shunneth no hazard nor refuseth no perill There is no more to saie for the aunsweryng of this greate ouersight but the Hackney horse is vnhappie hauyng borne a burthen al the daie on his back and is caste of at night to a bare common there to seeke for foode and abide a harde Fortune There is a worse matter then this to bee treated of yet nothing but that so farre past remedie to bee touched let any one seruyng man gett a good maister and for followyng his heeles at an ynche he shal be more spoken for and gett more benefite then twentie of the beste Soldiours that you can name that haue followed the warres all their life daies and knewe not how to flatter and faune or crouche and coursie for commoditie Yea suche as serues at home and can not goe out of the vewe of a faire house and Smoke of a foule Chimney snatcheth vp good tournes and stealts awaie prefarmentes priuilie when those that merites more consideration ofte goes openly a beggyng and findeth fewe emong thousandes that wisheth them well or doeth them any good Some saie the cause of this harde happe to the one and good Fortune to the other is a certaine deadly discention fallen betwene the Sworde and the Penne. By which mortall malice is bredde and nourished in bosome suche a head-strong hatred and parciallitie that the Penne is euer giuyng a dashe out of
was suche a scourge to the wicked and suche a comforte to the worthie Whose particular seruices if laisure presently serued me I would publishe to sir Ihon Parrets greate glorie and commendation Finis ¶ A Mirrhor for rebelles to looke into where the death of one Roorie Oge in Irelande whose life was alwaies without order doeth shewe that the reward of vice is euer open shame and a foule ende IN an other season of Irishe seruices and triall of suche as are doubted a practise was drawne by a stobburne and stoute Rebell called Roorie Oge For the betraiyng of Capitaine Harryngton and one maister Coesbie and albeeit Capitaine Harryngton had been in notable and dangerous seruice the space of tenne yeres before where many practises were to bee seen and auoided Yet this drifte of Roorie Oges was so cunnyngly handeled no former experience might preuente it So that Roorie Oge by this cautell and traiterous maner had his purpose brought to effect and did what he pleased with Capitaine Harryngton vsyng him cruellie with all maner of rude handlyng and entertainmente Faste locked to a poste euery night a greate season and at length the Englishe Capitaines beeyng moued with this crueltie found a deuise to beset the house where Roorie Oge haunted and the traitour seeyng hym self in daunger came in a rage to Capitaine Harryngton and gaue hym twelue greate woundes where he laye locked to a poste and so lefte hym for dedde the Englishe Soldiours hearyng capitaine Harryngton call for helpe were thrustyng into the house But Roorie Oge moste stoutly ran out emong them and by a desperate aduenture escaped through the thickest of the throng and did muche hurte after But at this presence the Capitaine was brought awaie all to bee mangeled and hurte and all those that were founde a liue in the house were slaine and putte to the sworde in so muche that the wife of Roorie Oge was in like sorte dispatched of her life For whiche acte many foule murthers other cruelties Roorie Oge committed But when that Capitaine Harryngton was healed he persecuted Roorie Oge so hardlie and so often that he putte hym diuers tymes in daunger to bee ouerthrowen Maister Parcker as I heard saie Lieutenant to Capitaine Furres with his valliaunt Soldiours recouered Capitaine Harryngtō out of the handes of his enemies And to bee shorte a meanes was founde after long seruices and daungerous attemptes that Roorie Oge hym self was entrapped and taken in a Nette and stale that he had made and laied for an other The maner wherof was that Roorie Oge beeyng desirous to betraie the Lorde of Vpprosserie did drawe a drifte by one that could finelie handle the matter that he hymself should seeme to fall in daunger and so be deliuered vnto my Lorde of Vpprosseries handes who notyng the deuice giuyng no farther credite to the tale then neede required armed his men priuilie in twoo companies and made as though he would followe the fellow that came to bryng about Roories drift and commyng where Roorie had lodged pursued the enterprise and seemed to followe the aduice of hym that came to practise And by chaunce and good fortune the twoo companies mentioned of before had enuironed Roorie Oge ere he was ware and thereby he was defeited and had the rewarde of iniquitie by the self same meanes that he was wont to serue others A notable iuste iudgemente of God and an example worthie the notyng Now after this and for many good causes and peeces of seruice Capitaine Harryngton was made Knight by the honourable Sir Henry Sidney then Lorde deputie of Irelande And when he gaue vp the Sworde Sir Willyam Drurie was the Iustice in whose tyme and especially in the beginnyng of his gouernemente was many thynges to bee dooen that might shewe a Marciall minde and expresse the worthinesse of a noble gouernour For then one sir Iames Fitz Morrice a greate practisien with the Pope and other Potentates entered Irelande with seuen Shippes bryngyng with hym bothe Soldioures and other people to disquiete a state Yea and had suche a nomber of perswasions for the troublyng of a Common weale that this Fitz Morrice drewe to his side a multitude of licencious and lawlesse people in so muche that the companie grewe so greate that sir Ihon of Desmonde a manne of good birthe and ill disposition ioyned hym self with that partie committyng an execrable murther before he beganne to reuolte and slue an Englishe gentleman that had long before been his freende and vsed the murther so hainously and againste all naturall kindnesse that euery mannes harte that thinkes thereon abhorres the remembraunce thereof For vnder a pretēce of amitie Sir Ihon of Desmonde gatte his frende in a trappe whiche freende had dooen hym greate seruice and pleasure and so sodainly steppes vnto hym and gaue hym a mortall blowe notwithstandyng the followers of sir Ihon were not willyng to goe aboute suche a murther But when Ihon of Desmond had begonne the broile the bloodshedde and Butcherie followed not onely on good Henry Dauelles but also on others as innocente as hym self of any suche slaughter and vnmercifull dealing Well these thinges and an infinite nomber of straunge matters sette a broche by Iames Fitz Morres might haue appalled the spirite of greater personages then I speake of Yet the honourable and Soldiourlike sir Willyā Drurie in moste assured hope of victorie made hedde vppon the enemies and prepared with the helpe of the Erle of Kildare and others very honourable and of good callyng loyall subiectes in Ireland to withstande the great force and furie of Fitz Morres Whiche at that season waxed so warme and extreame hotte that sondrie became colde in good will that were thought to bee feruent in the seruice of the Prince But the might and force of a rightfull quarrel and the readie diligence and forewardnesse of a good gouernour so plucked vp the hartes of those that began to droupe that one hundred of the Englishe side seemed a thousande and fiue thousande on the contrary parte proued nothyng in effect For the hartes of rebelles trembleth where the Princes power is presented and the wittes and purposes of sauage people goes a Wolle gatheryng when the ciuill Soldiour is certainly grounded in a manly determination As it seemed by all those that followed the Lorde Iustice and their noble successe of seruice dooeth argue euidentlie that trothe and couragious Soldiours of God are neuer forsaken and rebellious myndes are doubtfull of life destituted of grace and vncertaine of euery thyng thei goe about Fitz Morres in this maner as you haue heard landyng and fortisiyng for his moste suretie lefte no waie vnsought that might annoye and hinder the hope of the Englishemen and in many kindes of practises excelled and waxed strong as he thought And as diuers affirme he was stout valiant and of knowledge sufficiente to encomber a sounde and a whole Countrey But in fine it happened vppon some ouersight of Fitz Morres or sette purpose of God
morsell sweete a whetstone fine forsothe To sette on edge on euery daintie tothe I carde not how my housbande murthred were By Magicks force or any Deulishe arte I shonde his sight and presence eurie where As one that lodgde disdaine in hatefull harte And still I plaied full many a silthie parte To rid hym hence and take awaie his life Who God preserude to plague a paltryng wife And for to hide those brain sicke prancks of mine I had a knacke to breake the matrage bande And so a dragme or draught of poison fine I did deuise to happ in housbands hande And as that cuppe on tables ende did stande With feruent thirst he came and so it raught And in that heate dranke of the mortall draught When giltie harte should make my face to blushe I braude it out in silks and Veluetts gaie And caerd not what worlde saied of me a rushe For I tooke tyme ere tyme would weare awaie At gracelesse games and many a shamelesse plaie And sowyng seeds that Nettle flowers brought forthe I reapt but weeds or thistles nothyng worthe I ruffled long when housbande barely went And facest hym out in streate or ciuill toune My freends did force the man to stande content It was no boote to striue or sweare me doune For I had made the worlde on hym to froune And raisde a brute that he was bedlem madd Thus loe of hym the conquest still I hadd My haunt was suche emong the noblest sort That I was calde a sober Sibill sage And worthie witts would builde on my report For I knewe how to flatter eurie age And alwaies wrought to make my housbande rage Whereby his life in hazard hard might fall And I the while ronne cleane awaie with ball I loude not one but lusted after all The puddell foule was fittest for a gigge The Fountaine faire did drinke like bitter gall In filthie mudde I wallowde like a pigge About the streats was gaddyng gentill rigge With cloes tuckt vp to sette badd ware to sale For youth good stuffe and for old age a stale A louyng looke could make a Gudgeon bite A fiue dugard could fetche in scolles of fishe A cunnyng knacke could stirre vp cold delite A glittryng girle could feede a wantons wishe And who doeth not desire a daintie dishe Whose sugred taste breeds secret eger moode That faine would feede and finds moste fearfull foode I could in streate besturre and stretche my limmes As though some sprite were â—â—der outward showe Who angleth not for fishe that smothly swimmes At pleasant marke who doeth not bende the bowe Small shaftes are shotte at many a carraine Crowe Then if faire birdes doe happ to come in waie Blame not the Hauke that maks of foule a maie Not beautie here I claime by this my talke For browne and blacke I was God blesse the marke Who calls me faire doeth scarce knowe cheese froÌ„ chalke For I was formde when Winters nights were darke And Natures woorks tooke light at little sparke For kinde in scorne had made a mould of Iette That shone like cole wherein my face was sette Three yeres I straâ—ed like waffe that waxeth wilde Twoo more at least I laie from housbands bedd And all this while I vsde hym like a childe For at no tyme I neither wrate nor sedd Ne sent to hym suche toyes I had in hedd That stomacke stiffe thought not to stoupe a whit For stubborne Colt in teeth had got the bit He let me runne oer hedge oer hill and dale And would not plucke the raines of bridell backe I could tell why but thereby hangs a tale Would make me blushe and shewe of grace greate lacke I had my will whiles all thyng went to wracke What needs more wordes I ranne so rude a race I neuer thought againe to turne my face What sleight scapes free from subtell searchyng hedde What wit works not to serue leawde womens wiells What practise flies the foile of stained bedde What is not wonne with woords or worldly giells What will not yeeld and â—â—â—ne where Fortune smiells What tyme is loste to gaine that women craue And all proceeds from waâ—ward will we haue If that wee loue the furie lasts not long If once wee hate â—ut malice hath no â—â—lde If that wee minde to offer housbande wrong Wee want no witte the quarrell to defende Our stubborne harte hath rather breake then bende And custome hath emong vs made suche lawse That all our sexe will take one part and cause And where the floud and streame of strife doeth ronne In comes the Tide of daiely troubles greate Yea where a storme or braule is once begonne All bitter blasts repairs and breathes out heate The eyes will stare the face will froune and sweate The tong must clapp the hedde will shake and nodd And harte with in hath cleane forgotten God. Freends must be wrought with blades to bande it out Fose must be whippt and scourged in their kinde Worlde shal be toste and tourned rounde about Still to maintaine the mischeef of the minde Tale bearars then shall lye within the winde To bryng badde newes and set the house a fier That flaemd before with sparks of spietts desire My practise straunge can all these plaeggs vnfolde That better were lappt vp in silence here To late to call againe that tong hath tolde The wise should sell their words and worship deere But since in worlde my self I can not cleere I will goe through this heauie tale of myne That worlde maie well at wicked waies repine Long after this he heard that I laye sicke And then from Court he coms with right greate speede To comfort me that was bothe sounde and quicke To plaie the Foxe or knaue againe for neede But though that tyme I would not bee agreede I tooke his wine and sent hym so awaie With scorne enough in signe of partyng daie For since that tyme he neuer sawe my face Nor had no mynde to come where was my haunt And since that storme I had so little grace In eurie soile I make my boste and vaunte I conquerd hym and so I doe you graunte For three yeers more I haue doen what I please And lidde at large in luste and lordlie ease And these fiue yeres I haue doen what I can By tong and arte and figuers that I caste And eurie waie to shame my plaine good man Whiche shame I feare will sure be myne at laste I am so learnd I can plaie louse and faste My skill is suche in Planetts hye and loe I ruell the Skies and Heauens where I goe Good Fortunes sure some saie that I can tell And many thyngs by figures I vnfolde I saie no more but wishe that all were well For he that doeth this wicked worlde beholde Whose Godhed seeth into this massie molde Knowes well how ofte I tread my shue a wrie And in what plite my synfull soule doeth lye And if this God regard with angrie cheere The vice on yearth that vainly we committe