actiue cariage danger to preuent Quoth Colbrond English-man wilt thou forbeare And sue for mercy let the Fight alone Villaine quoth Guy I scorne thy Coward feare I le haue thy Life or it shall cost mine owne Wee le neuer part till one be soundly sped The King hath ventur'd England on my Head For twenty Denmarkes if they might be found And all the wealth that on the Ocean swimmes I will not yeeld an inch of English ground Thou shalt finde mettall in these aged limmes Although thy bodyes height be more then mine I haue a heart bigger by oddes then thine Thinke on thy ancient grand-fire Gogmagog Whom Corâ—neus delt withall at Douer How that same Lubber like a timber-log Was by the worthy Brittaine tumbled ouer For his bolde Challenge he had such a checke There was no Surgeon could amend his necke Thou art deceiu'd in me poore silly sot I am vntaught to bend submissions knees Holde me no Christian if I fayle a iot And for the world that tytle I le not leese Betake thee to thy tooles honour thy King Vpon thy man-hood lyes a mighty thing And thus I doe encounter thee afresh With that he lent him such a powerfull stroke It made wide rupture in the Gyants flesh And did his furious Choller much prouoke Laying about him in most cruell rage Till the next wound did all his heate asswage It was so mortall that it brought him downe To lye and groane vpon the bloody ground Forthwith a showte was heard from out the Towne That all the Sky did Eccho to the sound Great ioy was made by euery English heart And all the Danes with extreame griefe depart King Athelstone sent for his Champion then To doe him Honour for his famous deede Who was receiued by the Clergie men With all solemnity for such high meede Embraced by the Nobles and renown'd With Martiall musicke Drum and Trumpets sound But little pleasure Guy conceiues herein Refusing Iewels costly Ornaments Saying with these he out of loue hath bin For many yeares by true experiments Onely thankes God that blest him with an hower To free his Countrey from inuading power And so intreates that hee may passe vnknowne To liue where pouerty regards not weahh And be beholden to the helpe of none Seeing the world but now and then by stealth For true Content doth such a Treasure bring It makes the Begger richer then the King With true Content saith hee I will abide In homely Cottage free from all resout For I haue found Content cannot be spide To make abode within a Monarchs Court No there 's ambition pride and enuy seene And fawning flatt'ry stepping still betweene Yet gentle Palmer said the King agree Where euer thou resoluest to remaine Acquaint thy Name in priuate vnto me And this is all thy Sou'raigne will obtaine Tell me but who thou art I will conceale it As I am Englands King I le not reueale it Why then quoth he your Grace shall vnderstand I am your Subiect Guy of Warwicke named That haue these many yeares not seene your Land But bin where Youth by auncient Age is tamed Yea where experience taught me wit dread Prince The world of many follyes to conuince And now am come to bring my bones to Graue Within the Kingdome where I first tooke life Yet shall no Creature else the notice haue Of my arriuall not my dearest Wife Till sicknes come and doth my Death foretell Then I le acquaint her with my last farewell The King with ioy embrac'd him in his armes And with great admiration answers thus Most worthy Earle freer of Englands harmes It grieues my soule thou wilt not liue with vs Oh were thy resolutions thoughts but now That my perswasions might preuent thy Vow But 't is too late they are growne ripe I see Thou art too setled in determination Well Honourable man yet this ioyes mee Thou bringest thy bones vnto thy dearest Nation Where Monuments of thy great deeds shall last Till after Ages of the world be past In Warwicke Castle shall thy Sword be kept To witnes to the world what thou hast bin And least forgetfull time should intercept A President I present will begin The Castle-keeper shall receiue a fee To keepe thy Sword in memory of thee Thy Armour likewise and the martiall Speare That did thee seruice in thy high designes Shall be preserued very carefull there That all such men as haue distrustfull mindes May thinke if from a truth this did not grow A King would scorne to cousen people so And in thy Chappell distant thence a mile A bone shall hang of that most cruell Beast Which neare to Couentrey remain'd long while Whose Rib by measure is sixe foote at least Destroying many that did passe that way Vntill thy man-hood did the Saluage slay That by tradition men may speake and tell This was Guyes Armour this his massie Blade These bones of murdering Beasts which men did quell And this the Tombe wherein his Corpes was layde This the true Picture of his shape at length And this the Speare did oft expresse his strength For sure I holde it an vngratefull thing When thou by Natures course in dust shalt lye No Memory should cause some Muse to sing The Worthinesse of matchles English Guy Thy Countrey-men would proue too farre vnkinde When out of sight they leaue thee out of minde This said in humble duty wondr'ous meeke Guy reuerenceth the King and so departs Some solitary den or Caue to seeke Which he vnto his mansion house conuerts And so liues poorely in the hollow ground Making his meate of rootes and hearbes he found Sometimes he would to Warwicke Castle goe And craue an Almes at his deere Ladyes hand Who vnto Pilgrims did more bounty show Then any Noble woman in the Land And she would aske all Palmers that came there If at the Holy Land they neuer were Or in their trauels if they had not seene An English-man was Lord of that same Tower Who many yeares away from thence had beene A Knight ne're conquer'd yet by humane power But there 's a Tyrant whom I onely feare They call him Death that murders euery where If he haue met him O my dearest Lord I neuer shall behold thy face againe Till that same Monster doe asmuch afford Vnto my heart and so release all paine Which gracious Heauens grant if Guy be dead Vpon this earth let me no longer treade Thus did he often heare his Wife enquire With deep complaints from extream passions flowing Yet by no meanes would grant her kinde desire The comfort of a hopefull word bestowing But looke vpon her as his heart would breake Then turne away for feare his tongue would speake And so depart with weeping to his Cell Setting a dead-mans Head before his eyes Saying with thee I shortly come to dwell This sinfull Flesh I constantly despise My soule is weary of so bad a guest And doth desire to bee at home in rest My feeble limbes weakenes
foundation vnto Loue Corrupted hearts it drawes away by stealth These money-matches cannot happy proue For as the goods of Fortune doth decay So loue which they beget consumes away I know how Plutoes golden Treasure swayes By deuillsh and accursed false illusion I know how Womens humours now a dayes Run after riches to their owne Confusion I see the Peassant of most abiect life With Golde enough can buy a dainty Wife But Phelice if thou knew'st asmuch as I How base the Gods esteeme of such abuses When Beauty selles and Riches comes to buy Which are not made for one anothers vses Thou wouldest scorne that Maydens should be solde As Cattell are for Siluer and for Golde Loue must bee simple harmeltsse pure and plaine And take originall from true affection It must reciprocall returne againe Or else it doth discouer imperfection Loues inward thoughts concurre with outward deeds Such as from loyalty and truth proceeds Thy louer comes not for aduancement to thee In that thy Father is a worthy Earle It is not Dowry that can cause him woo thee Had'st thou th' Arabian Golde or Indian Pearle But as great Iupiter to Leda came For a sweet Face His purpose is the same Therefore kinde Virgin vse him kindly well Make much of Guy imbrace him for thine owne Affoord him Loue-roome in thy Heart to dwell Let him no longer liue in pensiue moane But the next time thou doest behold his face Giue him encouragement with kinde imbrace And with that worde imbrace hee shot and hit The very center of her tender heart Feeling the wound she starts awake with it Being taught thereby to pitty Louers smart For Cupid drew his Arrow to the head Because hee would be sure shee should be sped With that shee fetch'd a sigh a grieuous one And from her eyes a shower of teares did fall Where is quoth shee the gentle Loue-god gone Whose power I finde is powerfull vnto all Oh call him backe my fault I doe confesse I haue in Loue beene too too pittilesse Sweet Boy solicite for mee to thy Mother And at her Alters I will sacrifice From this day foorth I will adore no other No Goddesse shall bee gracious in mine eyes But shee that hath imperious rule and might To leade obdurate hearts to kinde delight Compassion now hath worthy conquest made Of that strong fort which did resistance make One shaft had bin sufficient to perswade A league for Life a truce till Death doe take Guy more then Life doth Phelice Loue prefer Phelice affects Guy deare as hee doth her But vnto him her loue is yet vnknowne Though his be made apparant long before Hee vnderstands not that shee is his owne Hee feeles no salue apply'd vnto his sore Till forc'd by passions and constrain'd laments A second suite hee boldly thus presents Phelice I was arraigned long agoe And now I looke for Iudgement at thy hand I haue beene Prisoner in a Iayle of woe So long that speedy sentence I demaund Oh speake vnto mee either Life or Death For I am tyred with my vitall breath If kindnesse dwell in that faire shape of thine Expresse it with I Loue if none there bee Then say I cannot vnto Loue incline And so thou mak'st a quicke dispatch with mee Censure me sodaine either smile or frowne I will not liue thus for this Kingdomes Crowne Phelice reply'd 't is not at my dispose To fashion Loue without my friends consent What would you wish me to bee one of those That are to Parents disobedient Shall fond affection ouer-rule the will And doe you good to bee accounted ill You know my Fathers greatnes in the Land And if he should as there 's no other like The loue of one too mean for me withstand How could we beare the stroke disgrace would strike Nothing but death could make my sorrow sweete And shame would wrap me in a winding-sheete Doubt not of Father in this case quoth he For Warwicks Earle that honourable man Shall see such deedes of valour done by me To haue dislike he neither will nor can Inioyne me what aduentures thou think'st good That wounds and scars may let my body blood Why then quoth shee Guy make thy valour shine Through-out the world as glorious as the Sunne My heart my soule my life my loue is thine When deedes of honour by thy hand are done Make thy selfe famous by a martiall life And then take Phelice for thy lawfull wife I aske no more said he to gaine thy Loue I shall esteeme it bought at easie rate Oh that I were at worke my taske to proue With Hercules or some such churlish mate Phelice farewell this kisse thou giuest mee Shall make a number kisse the ground for thee From England Guy to France doth goe Where deedes of Annes are done And thence returnes Tryumphantly With all the Prizes wonne Canto 3. INlarg'd from sorowes thraldome by Hopes bayle Guy armes his thoughts with Honours enterprize Imbarkes himselfe and into France doth sayle Leauing faire England where his comfort lyes Hee seekes for enemies hee longs for foes And now desires to bee a dealing blowes In Normandy arriu'd hee vnderstands That there was Warlike busines to bee doue For valiant Knightes of diuers Christian Lands The race of Valour did intend to runne A great aduenture was propounded there Which newes was musique to his greedy eare The Prize that drew them all vnto that place Was Daughter to the Almane Emperour Faire Blaunch with such a wondrous heauenly face It had attractiue Beauty full of power In her such graces did vnite together The Worthyes of the world came posting thither Who wonne the Damsell it was thus decreed By manly Courage and victorious might Should haue her mounted on a milke-white Steed Two Gray-hounds and a Faulcon all as white This was his Lot that could attaine the Day To beare the Honour and the Mayde away Our English Knight prepares him for the Field Where Kinges were present Princes did repaire Where Dukes and Earles a great assembly held About the Face that was so wondrous faire Though onely one must speed and hundreds misse Yet each man there imagin's Blaunch is his The spacious Field where they assembled were Hardly affoorded roome for Armed crowdes The golden glittering Armour that was there Did dart the Sun-beames backe vnto the Clowdes The pamper'd Horses proudly stampt the ground To heare the clangor of the Trumpets sound A Germaine Prince of an vndaunted sprite A first and very fierce Encounter gaue Vnto an Earle whose Valour did requite With blow for blow as resolutely braue Till by a stroake the Earle receiu'd on 's head Hee was vn-horst falling to ground for dead Then Guy came foorth with courage to the Prince And deales with him as Hercules would doe Like force hee neuer felt before nor since Such hard extreames hee ne're was put vnto Iust where himselfe had layde the Earle in swound There downe comes he both horse man to ground Duke Otton seeing
To the Honourable Ladyes of ENGLAND LAdyes in Elder times your sexe did neede Knight-hoods true valour to defend your rights Of admirable actions wee doe reede Haue beene atchiu'd in cruell bloody Fights Fell vgly Serpents were destroy'd and slaine Strange mōsters mangled Gyants hew'd in twaine But who deseru'd more in such enterprise Then worthy English bred where wee are borne Such as did ease and idlenes despise For Armour more then Silke by them was worne These were the Champions that for Ladyes good Would bleede as long as they had drops of blood Such was Sir Guy whose story heere wee tell Valours renowned honourable man He lou'd your kinde in heart exceeding well How can you chuse but loue his legend than Bestow the Reading of it if you please Gainst melancholy that same dull disease S. ROVVLANDS The Argument GVy of Warwicke Sonne to Earle Rohands Steward in blooming youth of Natures spring fell in Loue with the Earles faire Daughter Phelice whose disdaining of him in that hee was but a meane Gentleman and not by Birth answerable to her Honourable estate did afflict his cormented minde with most distressed passions till in a vision Cupid presents her with the Picture of Mars inioyning her to loue Guy as the admired Champion of Christendome Vpon this shee yeeldeth affection on condition of Aduentures which to atchiue hee departs into France and shortly returnes with Trophes of victory and prizes of Honour But Phelice not satisfied therewith he leaues England againe performing in forraine Countryes wonderfull acts then returning marries his Loue whom after Forty dayes hee leaues departing on Pilgrimage to the Holy Land effecting in that Iourney many strange things Then supposed to bee Dead comes backe disguised and out-worne to memory and Fights a combate for King Athelstone killing Colbrond the Gyant of Denmarke freeing thereby the Kingdome from inuasion After that liues obscurely in a Caue and comes for Almes to his owne Castle not reuealing himselfe till the houre of his Death and then hee sent his Lady a Ring by which token shee knewe her Husband and came most wofully to close vp his eyes dying her selfe shortly after him for very griefe and extreame sorowe The Famous History of Guy Earle of VVARWICKE In Natures greene vnmellowed yeares Cupid tormenteth Guy Inthrals his heart to Phelice Loue By obiect of the eye Canto 1. WHen dreadfull Mars in Armour eu'ry Day Lou'd stately Iuno and Bellona best Before hee knew the Court where Venus lay For then hee tooke himselfe to ease and rest When all his thoughts vnto the proofe were steeld And all his actions manag'd for the Field A Knight of his a worthy Englishman That went like him clad in an Yron Coate In Warwicke with the worlds applaude began To bee a man of admirable note Such was the Valour hee ascended by That Pagans trembled at the Name of Guy This man compos'd of courage full of spright Of hard aduentures and of great designes To fight with Gyants tooke a chiefe delight Or search some Caue that Monster vndermines Meete with a Bore to make a bloody fray Or Combate with a Dragon by the day Yet e're hee entertain'd his Loue to armes He grew deuoted to the Queene of Loue Attempting Beauties fort with fierce allarmes The victory of such a prize to proue As elder times before could ne're inioy A sweeter face then lost olde Priam Troy Faire Phelice equall match to Cupids Mother A curious Creature and the Kingdomes pride All spacious Brittaine had not such another For glorious Beauty and good partes beside Twixt her and Vulcans wife no ods were knowne But Venus had a mole and shee had none For most directly shee had Venus haire The same high fore-head and attractiue eye Her cheekes of Roses mixt with Lillies faire The very lippes of perfect Corall dye Iuory teeth a dainty rising Chin A soft touch-pleasing smooth and silken skin With all perfections make a pearelesse Creature From head to foote shee had them eu'ry one Mirrour shee was of comelinesse and feature An English Phenix supreme faire alone Whom gazing people censures thus would grace Beauty liues no where but in Phelice face In Phelice face this obiect of Guyes sight Were lookes of Loue and glaunces of disdaine From thence sometimes his eyes attracts delight From thence anon his heart deriueth paine One while sweet smiles doe giue encouragement Another time sterne lookes worke discontent Thus on Loues Seas tost by the stormes of terrour Twixt present calme and sodaine furious blast Resoluing Loue yet finding loue in errour In freedome chayn'd in liberty bound fast Hee sighes that Fortune doth so strangely deale To giue a wound that Beauty will not heale That Beauty will not heale quoth he fond man Thou wrongst thy selfe and thy faire Goddesse too By lookes to know a Womans heart who can And looke on her is onely all I doe I le take another course more resolute To speake to write my honest meanings suite But if I should doeso what hope haue I That shee will heare my wordes or reade my Lines Shee is Earle Rohands heyre and borne too hye To condiscend vnto my poore designes Though Ia Gentleman by Birth am knowne Earledomes I want and Lordships I haue none Oh! Women are ambitious out of measure They mount aloft vpon the winges of Pride And often match more for this worldly Treasure Then any louing cause on earth beside Which makes some wish rather there were no Golde Then Loue for it should base bee bought and solde If such she bee as not be such be rare What will my wordes or sighes or teares preuaile I enter then a Laborinth of care And striue against both winde and tyde to Sayle A restlesse Stone with Scisiphus I roule And heape continuall torments on my soule Then I attempt to flye with waxen winges Where Phoebus Chariot burnes in brightest flame And shall bee censur'd that in Childish thinges As Loue I haue begot eternall shame Reiected and dispisde in base esteeme To th' enuious world I shall no better seeme But cease Loues coward banish thoughts of feare Bee resolute and good accesse attend thee Phelice of force a louing heart must beare If he that shootes loues Darts of golde befriend And by no reason hee can be thy Foe Because thou lou'st his Mothers picture so I am resolu'd goe on to Phelice Bower And from as true a heart as Flesh can yeeld Intreat her heare me in a blessed houre And with kinde pitty all my sorrowes shield To looke vpon me with remorse of minde That holdes my life as her Loue is inclinde This said to Warwicke Castle hee repaires Where the rich Iewell of his heart remained Earle Rohand bids him welcome and prepares With Hunting sports to haue him entertained But thereunto vnwilling eare hee lends And sodaine Sicknesse for excuse pretends The Earle much grieued at this alteration Sent his Physition for to doe him good Who tolde Guy that his onely preseruation