séeme good Corne are in respect but Chaffe O God that Cupid woulde vpon thy breast bestowe His golden shaft that thou the force of lyking loue mightst knowe Then should I stande in hope and well assured bée That thou wouldst be as friendly P. as I am now to thée Whome till thy friendship fayle and plighted Hest doe swerue I vaunt and vowe by mightie Ioue with hart and hande to serue My Senses all take héede and yée my wits beware That you attentiue be on hir and for none other care You eies that woonted were light louing lookes to cast I giue commaundment on hir hue that yée be ankred fast Mine eares admit no sounde ne Womans woords at all Be shut against such Syrens Songs repleate with lurking gall Tongue sée that thou be tyde and vse no wanton stile By lawe of Loue I thee coniure such toyes to exile Legges looke that yee be lame when you should reache a place To take the vewe of Venus Nymphes Pees beautie to deface For such a one is shee whome I would will you serue As to be plaste for Pallas péere for wisedome may deserue So constant are hir lookes and eakē as chaste a face As if that Lucrece liuing were shée Lucrece would disgrace So modest is hir mirth in erie time and tyde As they that prick most nearste of all their shiuerde shafts are wyde Pause Pen a while therefore and vse thy woonted meane For Boccas braine and Chaucers Quill in this were foyled cleane Of both might neither boast if they did liue againe For P. would put them to their shifts to Pen hir vertues plaine Yet one thing will I vaunt and after make an ende That Momus can not for his lyfe deuise one iote to mende Thus to conclude at length sée thou my Friend pervse This slender Verse till leysure serue abrode to bring my Muse For then you shall perceiue by that which you shall sée That you haue made your choise as well as I by choosing P. The Louer extolleth the singular beautie of his Ladie LEt Myron muse at Natures passing might And quite resigne his pieuish Painters right For sure he can not frame hir featurde shape That for hir face excels the Gréekish rape Let Zeuxis Grapes not make him proude at all Though Fowles for them did skyr against a wall For if hée should assay my Loue to paint His Art would fayle his cunning fist would faint Let Praxitell presume with Pensill rude Base things to blaze the people to delude Hir featurde limmes to drawe let him not dare That with the fayre Diana may compare Though Venus forme Apelles made so well As Creece did iudge the Painter to excell Yet let not that enbolde the Gréeke to graue Hir shape that beauties praise deserues to haue For Nature when she made hir did entende To paint a péece that no man might amende A paterne for the reast that after shoulde Be made by hande or cast in cunning moulde The Louer declareth how first he was taken and enamoured by the sight of his Ladie I Hauing neuer earst the craft of Cupid tride Ne yet the wylie wanton wayes of Ladie Venus spide But spent my time in sporte as youth is woont by kinde Not forcing fansies pinching powre that other Wights did blinde By fortune founde a face that lykte my hart so well As by the sodaine vewe thereof to fansies frame I fell No sooner had mine eies vpon hir beautie stayde But Wit and Will without respect were altogither wayde Vnwarely so was none in such a snare before The more I gazde vpon hir face I lykte my Loue the more Forthwith I thought my hart out of his roome was rapt And wits that woonted were to wayte on Reason were intrapt Downe by mine eies the stroke descended to the hart Which Cupid neuer crazde before by force of golden dart My bloud that thought it bounde his Maisters part to take No longer durst abide abroade but outwarde limmes forsake Which hauing béene in breast and frostie colde dismayde It hasted from the hart againe externall partes to ayde And brought with it such heate as did enflame the face Distayning it with Scarlet redde by rashnesse of the race And since that time I féele such pangues and inwarde fits As now with hope and then with feare encombred are my wits Thus must I Miser liue till shee by friendly ruth Doe pittie mée hir louing Thrall whose déedes shall trie his truth Thrise luckie was the day thrise happie cake the place And yée mine eies thrise blessed were that lighted on hir face If I in fine may force hir pittie by my plaint I shall in cunningst verse I may hir worthie prayse depaint There is one thing makes me ioy and bids me think the best That cruell rigor can not lodge where beautie is possest And sure vnlesse she salue and beale this cankred wounde By yéelding grace it must in time of force my corps confounde For long it may not last that in such anguish lies Extreames in no case can endure as Sages did deuise No Tyger gaue hir Teate she is no Lyons whelpe Ne was she bred of cruell rocks nor will renounce to helpe Such as she paines with loue and doth procure to wo She is not of the Currish kinde hir nature is not so Maister Googe his Sonet of the paines of Loue. TWoo lynes shall tell the griefe that I by Loue sustaine I burne I flame I faint I fréeze of Hell I féele the paine Turberuiles aunswere and distick to the same TWoo lynes shall teach you how to purchase ease anewe Let Reason rule where Loue did raigne and ydle thoughts eschewe ¶ An Epitaphe on the death of Dame Elyzabeth Arhundle HEre graued is a good and Godly Wight That yéelded hath hir cynders to the soyle Who ran hir race in vertues tylt aright And neuer had at Fortunes hand the foyle The guide was God whome shée did aye ensue And Vertue was the marke whereat she thrue Descending of a house of worthie fame Shée linckt at length with one of egall state Who though did chaunge hir first former name Did not enforce hir vertues to rebate For Dannat shee Dame Arhundle was hight whose Féere was knowne to be a worthy Knight Hir beautie I not blaze ne brute at all Though with the best she might therein compare For that it was to age and fortune thrall Hir thewes I touch which were so passing rare As being earthde and reaft hir vitall breath Hir chiefest part doth liue and conquer death Let Spite not spare to speake of hir the wurst Let Enuie feede vpon hir godly life Let Rancour rage let Hatreds bellie burst Let Zoill now vnsheath his cutting knife For death hath closde hir corse in Marble graue Hir soule is fled in Skies his seate to haue Let Leyster laugh that such a Mirrour bred Let Matrons mourne for losse of their renowne Let Cornewall crie since Dannat now is ded Let Vertue eke doe on hir
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
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
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
Good Maister be as bolde with him againe You can not doe a greater pleasure than To choose you such a one to be your man To his Friende P. of courting trauailing Dysing and Tenys TO liue in Court among the Crue is care Is nothing there but dayly diligence Nor Cap nor Knée nor money must thou spare The Prince his Haule is place of great expence In rotten ribbed Barck to passe the Seas The forraine landes and straungie sites to sée Doth daunger dwell the passage bréedes vnease Not safe the soyle the men vnfriendly bée Admit thou sée the straungest things of all When eie is turnde the pleasant sight is gone The treasure then of trauaile is but small Wherefore Friende P. let all such toyes alone To shake the bones and cog the craftie Dice To Carde in care of sodaine losse of Pence Vnséemely is and taken for a vice Vnlawfull play can haue no good pretence Too band the Ball doth cause y e Coine to wast It melts as Butter doth against the Sunne Naught saue thy paine whē play doth cease y t hast Too studie then is best when all is donne For studie stayes and brings a pleasant gaine When play doth passe as glare w t gushing raine The Louer declares that vnlesse he vtter his sorrowes by sute of force he dyeth LYke as the Gunne that hath to great a charge And Pellet to the Powder ramde so sore As neyther of both hath powre to go at large Till shiuerd flawes in sounding Skies doe rore Euen so my carefull breast that fraughted is With Cupids ware cloide with lurcking Loue Vnlesse I shoulde disclose my drerinis And out of hande my troubled thoughts remoue A sunder woulde my cumbred Carcasse flee The hart would breake the ouercharged Chace Of pensiue breast and you my Loue should sée Your faythfull Friende in lamentable case Wherefore doe what you may in gentle wyes The Gunner to assist in time of neede And when you see the Pellet pierce the Skyes And Powder make a proufe of hidden gleede Rue on his case and séeke to quite his wo Least in short time his Gunne too péeces go The Louer to a Friende that wrote him this sentence Yours assured to the death O Faithfull Friend thrise happy was the fist In so few words to such effect that wrought O friendly hart a thousand folde yblist That hath conceiude so iust and ioyful thought As not till death from pawned loue to bende But Friend at first and Frind to be at ende Wherfore to counteruaile those woords of thine And quit thy loue with faithfull hart againe I vow that I will neuer once decline A foote from that I am for losse or gaine If thou be mine till death I the assure To be thy Friend as long as life shall dure Of certaine Flowers sent him by his Loue vpon suspicion of chaunge YOur Flowers for their hue were fresh and faire to see Yet was your meaning not so true as you it thought to bée In that you sent me Bame I iudge you ment thereby That cleane extinct was all my flame from whence no sparckes did flie Your Fenell did declare as simple men can show That flattrie in my breast I bare where friendship ought to grow A Daysie doth expresse great follie to remaine I speake it not by roate or gesse your meaning was so plaine Rosemarie put in minde that Bayes weare out of thought And Loueinydle came behinde for Loue that long was sought Your Cowslips did portende that care was layde away And Eglantyne did make an ende where swéete with sower lay As though the leaues at furst were swéete when Loue began But now in proofe the pricks were curst and hurtfull to the Man The Aunswere to the same PErdie I néede no Bame ne forced heate by charme To set my burning breast in flame whom Cupids gleames doe warme On Bayes is my delight Remembrance is not past Though Daysie hit the nayle aright my Friendship aye shall last Though Loue in ydle bée yet will I not forgoe Ne cast off care as you shall sée and time the trouth shall showe So I may taste the swéete I force not on the sowre The more is ioy when Friends doe méete that Fortune earst did lowre Your Fenell failed quight where such good fayth is ment For Bayes are onely my delight though I for Bayes be shent Of a Foxe that woulde eate no Grapes BY fortune came a Foxe where grue a loftie Vine I will no Grapes quoth hée this yarde is none of mine The Foxe would none bicause that hée Perceiude the highnesse of the Trée ¶ So men that Forlie are and long their lust to haue But cannot come thereby make wise they would not craue Those subtill Marchants will no Wine Bicause they cannot reach the Vine Of the straunge countenaunce of an aged Gentlewoman JT makes me laugh a good to sée thée lowre and long to looken sad For when thy crabbed countnance is so sowre thou art to séeming glad I blame not thée but nature in his case That might bestowde on thee a better grace To the Rouing Pyrat THou winste thy wealth by warre vngodly way to gaine And in an houre thy ship is sunck goods drownde the Pirat slaine The Gunne is all thy trust it serues thy cruell fo Then brag not on thy Canon shot As thought there were no mo Of one that had little Wit J Thée aduise If thou be wise To kéepe thy wit Though it be small Tis rare to get And farre to fet Twas euer yit Dearste ware of all In commendation of Wit Wit farre excéedeth wealth Wit Princely pompe excels Wit better is than Beauties beames Where Pride and Daunger dwels Wit matcheth Kingly Crowne Wit maisters Witlesse rage Wit rules the fonde affects of youth Wit guides the steps of Age. Wit wants no Reasons skill a faithfull Friend to know Wit wotes full well the way to voide the smooth and fléering fo Wit knowes what best becommes and what vnséemely showes Wit hath a wile to ware the worst Wit all good fashion knowes Since Wit by wisedome can doe this and all the rest That I imploy my painefull head to come by Wit is best Whome if I might attaine then Wit and I were one But till time Wit and I doe cope I shall be post alone An aunswere in dispraise of Wi THe Wit you so commend with wealth cannot compare For wealth is able Wit to win when Wit is waxen bare Wit hath no Beauties beames to Kingly crowne it yeeldes Wit subiect is to wilfull rage Rage Wit and Reason wéeldes Wit rules not witlesse youth nor aged steps doth guide Wit knowes not how to win a friende Wit is so full of pride Wit wots not how to flie the smooth and flattering gest Wit cannot well discerne the thing that doth become it best Wit hath no wyle to ware mishap before it fall Wit knowes not what good fashion meanes Wit can doe naught at all Since Wit
fraught with Vice It is a Warlike peace a safetie set in dred A deepe dispaire annext to hope a famine that is fed Sweete poyson for his taste a Porte Charybdis léeke A Scylla for his safetie thought a Lyon that is méeke And by my Crowne I sweare the longer thou dost loue The longer shalt thou liue a Thrall as tract of time will proue Wherefore retire in haste and spéede thée home againe And pardned shall thy trespasse bée and thou exempt from paine Take Reason for thy guide as thou hast done of yore And spite of Loue thou shalt not loue ne be a thrall no more Repaire to Platos schoole and Tullies true aduice Let Plutarch be and Seneca thy teachers to be wise This long and learned tale had broosed so my braine As I forthwith to reason ran and gaue thee vp in plaine Fie fie on Loue quoth I I now perceiue his craft For Reason hath declarde at large how hee my fréedome raft I sée his promise is farre fayrer than his paie I finde how Cupid blearde mine eies and made me run astraie I wote how hungrie Hope hath led mée by the lip And made mée mooue an endlesse sute well worth an Oken chip Hée trainde mée all by trust I farde as Hounde at hatch The lesser fruite I founde the more I was procurde to watch Thus mightie Lorde I left thy lawes and statutes strong For rayling Reasons trifling talke and offerd thée a wrong But now Dame Venus knowes and thou hir sonne canst tell That I within my couert hart doe loue thée passing well Now fully bent to be so thou wilt cleane put out Of mind my passed iniuries thy man and Souldier stout Prest to obey thy will and neuer swarue againe As long as Venus is of force and thou shalt kéepe thy Raigne I weigh not Tullies tale ne prating Platos talke Let Plutarch vouch what Plutarch can let skuruey Senec walke Olde Ouid will I reade whose pleasant wit doth passe The reast as farre as stubborne Stéele excells the brittle Glasse In him thy déedes of Armes and manly Marts appéere In him thy stately spoyles are séene as in a Mirrour cléere Thy mothers prayse and thine in him are to be founde For conquestes which you had in Heauen and here bylow on grounde Forgiue my former guilt forget my passed toyes And graunt I may aspire againe vnto my woonted ioyes If euer man did loue or serue in better stoode Then shape my wagesse to the same and doe restraine my meede But so I fight in fielde as fiercely as the best I hope that then your Godhead will reward me with the rest After misaduentures come good haps J Neuer thought but this that luck in fine Would to my will and fansie well incline For dayly proofe doth make an open show That commen course of things would haue it so When stormie clouds from darkned skyes are fled Then Phoebus shewes his gay and golden hed His princely pride appeares whē showres are past And after day the night ensues as fast When winter hath his trembling carkas showne And w t his frostie foote the spring downe throwne Then in leapes Aestas gay with gladsome gleames That Haruest brings dries vp winter streames The Barck that broylde in rough churlish Seas At length doth reach a Port and place of ease The wailefull warre in time doth yéelde to peace The Larums lowde Trūpets sound doth cease Thus may we sée that chaunce is full of chaunge And Fortune feedes on foode that is full straunge Wherefore doe not dispaire thou louing Wight For Seas doe ebbe and flow by Natures might From worse to good our haps are chaunged oft And basest things sometimes are raysde aloft So Gods would haue and Fortune doth agree Which proufe appéeres and is exprest by mée To his Loue that controlde his Dogge for fawning on hir JN deede my Deare you wrong my Dog in this And shew your selfe to be of crabbed kinde That will not let my fawning Whelp to kisse Your fist y e faine would shew his Maisters minde A Mastife were more fit for such a one That can not let hir Louers Dog alone He in his kinde for mée did séeme to sue That earst did stande so highly in your grace His Maisters minde the wittie Spanell knewe And thought his woonted Mistresse was in place But now at last good faith I plainly sée That Dogs more wise than Women friendly bée Wherefore since you so cruelly entreate My Whelp not forcing of his fawning chéere You shew your selfe with pride to be repleate And to your Friend your Nature doth appéere The Prouerbe olde is verifide in you Loue mée and loue my Dog and so adue Both I and he that siely Beast sustaine For louing well and bearing faithfull harts Despitous checks and rigorous disdaine Where both haue well deserued for our parts For Friendship I for offred seruice hée And yet thou neyther loouste the Dog nor mée Vpon the death of the aforenamed Dame Elizabeth Arhundle of Cornewall WHat Tongue can tell the wo what Pen expresse the plaint Vnlesse the Muses helpe at néede I féele my wits to faint Yée that frequent the hilles and highest Holtes of all Assist mée with your skilfull Quilles and listen when I call And Phoebus thou that sitst amidst the learned route Doo way thy Bowe and reach thy Lute and say to sounde it oute Helpe learned Pallas helpe to write the fatall fall Of hir whose lyfe deserues to be a Mirrour to vs all Whose Parents were of fame as Leyster well can showe Where they in worship long had liude with yeares did worship growe Of worship was the house from whence shée tooke hir line And she a Dannat by discent to worship did incline What néede I pen the prayse of hir that liude so well That of it selfe doth yéelde a sounde we néede not ring the Bell. Whilst Dannat did ensue Diana in the race A truer Nymph than Dannat was was neuer earst in place With Beautie so adrest with Vertue so adornde Was none that more imbraste the good nor at the wicked scornde When fléeing Fame with Trumpe and blasted brute had brought This Dannats thewes to courtlike eares which Dannat neuer sought To Court she was procurde on Princesse to attende A seruice fit for such a one hir flowring yeares to spende Where when she had remainde and serude the Princesse well Not rashly but with good aduice to Iunos yoke she fell A Woulfe by hap espide this sielie Lambe in place And thought hir fittest for his pray not gastly was his face Not Woulflike were his eies ne harrish was his voice Nor such as Lambes might feare to heare but rather might reioice A hart not bent to hate or yeelding pray to spill Vnto Licaon farre vnlike whose pleasure was to kill Arhundle was his name his stock of great discent Whose predecessors all their liues in Vertues path had spent Hée not vnlike the rest behaude himselfe so well
Thought good fayth durst haue gagde my hand For you Friend T. y e beautie should now hight Haue rasde your hart nor Cupid with his brand Haue brought thy learned breast to such a plight I thought Mineruas gift had beene of powre By holesome reade to roote this fansie out But now I sée that Venus in an howre Can bend the best and dawnt the wise and stoute Why shouldst thou séeke to make y e Tiger tame To win a Woulfe so cruell by his kinde To suffer Aesops Snake thou art to blame That stoong the man where he reliefe did finde Is naught in hir but Womans name alone No Woman sure she is but Monster fell That scornes hir friend makes him die w t mone Who makes an Idoll of a Diuell of Hell Shée was cut out of some Sea beaten rock Or taken from the cruell Lyons Tet That féedes hir Friend for friendship with a mock And smiles to see him macht in Follies Net If thou were wise as thou art full of loue Thou wouldst account hir beautie but a Glasse And from thy hart such fansies fond remoue I loth to see the Lyon wex an Asse If so she were thy faithfull Friend in déede And sought a salue to cure thy cruell sore As now shée séekes to make thy hart to bleede Good fayth thou couldst account of hir no more But waying now hir great abuse to thée A Friend to hir but to thy selfe a Foe Why shouldst thou loue or so enamoured bée Leaue off be time let all such dotage goe Should I imbrace the man that hates my life Should I account of him that settes me light Should I yeeld vp my throate to murthring Knife Or séeke for to reclaime a Haggard Kite Hast thou not read how wise Vlysses did Enstuffe his eares with Waxe and close them vp Of Cyrces filthie loue himselfe to rid That turnd his Mates to Swine by Witches cup And how he did the lyke vpon the Seas The pleasant noysome Syrens songs tendure That otherwise had wrought him great vnease If once they mought his mates and him allure Put thou the Greekes deuise againe in vre Stop vp thine cares this Syren to beguile Seale vp those wanton eies of thine be sure To lend no eare vnto hir flattring stile For all hir talke but to deceit doth tende A canckred hart is wrapt in friendly lookes Shée all hir wittes to thy decay doth bende Thou art the Fish she beares the byting hookes No sauage beast doth force a man a whit That loues him not we see the dogged Curre Fawnes not one him that with y e whip doth smite The Horse hates him y t pricks him with the spurre And wilt thou loue or place within thy brest The cruell Dame that weaues thy web of woe Wilt thou still fawne vpon so false a guest In stead of Doue wilt thou retaine a Crowe Beware in time ere Beautie pierce to farre Let fansies go loue where is loue againe For doubtlesse now to much to blame you arre To sowe good will and reape but fowle disdaine I counsaile thus that may thée best aduise For that my selfe did serue a cruell Dame The blinde recurde can iudge of bleared eies The Criple healde knowes how to heale the lame Shake thou betimes the yoke from off thy neck For feare the print thereof remaine behind A happie man is he that feares no check But liues at fréedome with contented minde ¶ An Epitaph vpon the death of the worshipfull Maister Richarde Edwardes late Maister of the Children in the Queenes Maiesties Chappell IF teares could tell my thought or plaints could paint my paine If dubled sighes could shew my smart if wayling were not vaine If gripes that gnawe my brest coulde well my griefe expresse My teares my plaints my sighes my wayling neuer should surcesse By meane whereof I might vnto the world disclose The death of such a man alas as chaunced vs to lose But what auayles to mone If life for life might bée Restorde againe I woulde exchaunge my lyfe for death with thée Or if I might some way to pay thy rawnsome know O Edwards then beleue me sure thou shouldst not lie so low That O thou cruell Death so fierce with dint of dart Due curses on my knees I yéelde to thée with all my hart For that it list thée trie thy foule and cankred spite On that so rare a péece on that so wise and worthy Wight Suffisde thée since thou must be mad the simple sort to flea or on the brutish blood of beastes to take thy sport And not in furious wise with haste and headlong rage To kill the flowre of all our Realme and Phaenix of our age The fact doth crie reuenge the Gods repay thine hire Déepe darckned Lake of Lymbo lowe and still consuming fire His death not I but all good gentle harts doe mone O London though thy griefe be great thou dost not mourne alone The seate of Muses nine where fiftene Welles doe flowe Whose sprinckling springs and golden streames ere this thou well didst knowe Lament to loose this Plant for they shall see no more The braunch that they so long had bred whereby they set such store O happie House O Place of Corpus Christi thou That plantedst first and gauste the roote to that so braue a bow And Christ Church which enioydste the fruite more rype at fill Plunge vp a thousande sighes for griefe your trickling teares distill Whilst Childe and Chappell dure whilst Court a Court shall bée Good Edwards eche estate shall much both want and wishe for thée Thy tender Tunes and Rimes wherein thou woontst to play Eche princely Dame of Court and Towne shall beare in minde alway Thy Damon and his Friend Arcyte and Palemon With moe full fit for Princes eares though thou from earth art gone Shall still remaine in fame and lyke so long to hide As earthly things shall liue and God this mortall Globe shall guide For loe thus Vertue list hir Pupils to aduaunce Yet for my part I would that God had giuen thée better chaunce A longer time on earth thy hastned death before But Edwardes now farewell for teares will let me write no more Well may thy bones be lodgde thy fame abroade may flie Thy sacred soule possesse a place aboue the starrie Skie ê™ Tho. Twine To his Loue that sent him a Ring wherein was graude Let Reason rule SHall Reason rule where Reason hath no right Nor neuer had shall Cupid loose his landes His claim his crown his kingdoÌ„e name of might And yéeld himselfe to be in Reasons bandes No Friend thy Ring doth wil me thus in baine Reason and Loue haue euer yet béene twaine They are by kinde of such contrarie mould As one mislikes the others lewde deuise What Reason willes Cupido neuer would Loue neuer yet thought Reason to be wise To Cupid I my homage earst haue donne Let Reason rule the harts that she hath wonne To his Friend Francis
to wrack I fast when other féede I thirst when other drinck I mourne when they triumph for ioy they swim when I must sinck They haue the hoped gaine whiles I the losse indure They whole at hart whilst I my griefe by no meanes can recure They shrowd themselues in shade I sit in open Sunne They leape as Lambes in lustie Leaze I lie as one vndunne They taste their nightly rest my troubled head doth wake I tosse and turne from side to side while they their pleasure take I would but they enioy I craue that is debard They haue what will you more I say their seruice is prefard Thus I procure my woe by framing them their ioy In séeking how to salue my sore I bréede my chiefe annoy So shéepe with wooll are clad their Maisters haue the gaine So Birds doe builde their Nests on Brakes and put themselues to paine But other taste the fruite when so their broode is hatcht The Nest remaines the Birds are gone the Chickens are dispatcht So Bées for Honnie toile in fléeing too and fro And sillie wretches take great paines for whome they little know I think it is procurde by griesly Gods aboue That some should gape and other gaine the fruit of others loue But sure if Womans will be forger of my wo And not the mightie Gods ordaine my destnie to be so Then must I néedes complaine and cursse their cruell kinde That in requitall of good will doe shew themselues vnkinde But whether be the cause hereafter I intende To fawne on them that force on mée and bowe when other bende This one abuse shall make me take the better héede On whome I fixe my fansie fast or make a friend in déede The Louer seeing himselfe abusde renounceth Loue. THough men account it shame and folly to repent Or grutcht good will that was bestowde when nought saue faith was ment Yet can they not denie but if the knot be burst Then may we shew our selues vnkinde that friendly were at furst He runnes an endlesse race that neuer turnes againe And he a fonded Louer is that wastes his loue in vaine Nought can he iudge of hues that can not sée when Guile In place of friendship cloakes hir selfe in forme of forged wile And he that plainely sées the Trap before his eie And will not shun from perill tis no matter though he die I tell my tale by proufe I speake it not by rot To loue a subtile Lasse of late was fallen to my lot On whome I set such store such comfort and delight As life it was to sée hir face a death to want hir sight So I might doe the thing that might abridge hir smart And bannish all annoy that grue by froward fortunes Art What daunger would I dread or perill séeme to shun None that is here bylow on earth or subiect to the Sun To shew my selfe a Friend to hir I was my Foe She was the onely Idoll whome I honorde here belowe This is thought I the same that was Vlysses wife Who in the absence of hir Make did leade a dolefull life Or else tis she at least whome Tarquyn did enforce By beastly rape with piercing sworde so to for doe hir Corse But such is hir abuse so frowarde eke hir grace As loue it may no longer last since friendship hides his face I did not well aduise I built on sincking Sande And when I thought she looude me best shee bore me but in hande Where I had thought a Porte and Hauen sure to bée There founde I hap and dreadfull death as gazers on may sée As Mouse that treades the trap in hope to finde repast And bites the bread that bréedes his bane and is intrapped fast Like was my dolefull case that fed vpon my wo Till now Repentance willes mée all such fansies to forgo And thanked be good hap now once againe I fleete And swim aloft that sanck of late fast hampred by the féete Now is my fortune good so Fortune graunt it last And I as happie as the best now stormie cloudes are past I finde the bottom firme and stable where I passe There are no haughtie Rocks at hande ne yet no ground of Glasse Good Ancor holde I haue so I may vse it still I am no more a bounden Thrall but frée I liue at will But that which most torments my minde and reaues my ioy Is for I serude a fickle Wench that bred mée this annoy But Gods forgiue my guilt and time mispent before And I will be a sillie Sot of Cupids crue no more Against the Ielous heads that alwayes haue Louers in suspect WHen Ielous Iuno saw hir mightie Make Had Iö turnde into a brutish kinde More couertly of hir his lust to take To work hir will all his frawd to finde She craude the Cowe in gift at Ioue his hande Who could not well his Sisters sute withstande When yéelded was hir boone and Hest fulfillde To Argus charge committed was the Cowe For he could wake so well him Iuno willde To watch the Beast with neuer sléeping browe With hundreth eies that hatefull Hierds hed Was deckt som watcht whē som to sléepe were led So warded he by day so wakte by night And did Dame Iunos will accomplish so As neither Ioue might once delude his sight Nor Iö part hir pointed pasture fro His staring eies on Iö still were bent He markt hir march and sude hir as she went Till Ioue at length to ruth and pittie mooude To sée the spitefull hate that Argus bare To hir whome he so feruently had looude And who for him abode such endlesse care His fethred Sonne Cylenus sent from Skies To reaue the carefull Clowne his watchfull eies Who to fulfill his Lorde and Fathers Hest Tooke charmed Rod in hande and Pipe to playe And gyrt him with a sworde as lykte him best And to the fielde he flue where Argus laye Disguised like a shepherd in his wéede That he his purpose might the better spéede When eche had other salued in his sort To brag vpon his Pipe the Clowne begoon And sayde that for that noyse and gallant sport All other mirthes and maygames he would shoon His only ioy was on his Pipe to playe And then to blow the Rustick did assaye In fine when Argus had his cunning showde And eche to other chatted had a space Of this and that as was befalne abrode Mercurius tooke his Pipe from out his cafe And thereon playde hée so passing well As most of Argus eies to slumber fell And as they slept with charmed Rod he stroke The drowsie Dolt to kéepe him in that plight And playde so long till time he did prouoke All Argus eies to byd the beast God night Whome when he sawe in such a slumber led He stole the Cowe and swapt of Argus hed Such was the fine of his dispitous hate Such was the boone and guerdon of his hire And all the good the carefull Coward gate For seeking to debarre
the Gods desire A fit reward for such a good desart The Cowarde might haue playde a wiser part God sende the lyke and worse to such as vse As Argus did with euer waking eie The blamelesse sort of Louers to abuse That alwayes readie are and prest to prie The purpose to bewray and couert toyes Of faithfull friends and barre their blissefull ioyes I trust there will be found in time of néede A Mercurie with charmed Twig in hand And pleasaunt Pipe their waking eies to féede With drowste dumps their purpose to withstand That iealous heads may learne to be wies For feare they lose as Argus did their eies For Cupid takes disdaine and scorne to sée His Thralls abusde in such vnséemely sort Who séeke no gréedie gaine nor filthie fée But pleasant play and Venus sugred sport A slender hire God wote to quite the paine That Louers bide or they their loue attaine That it is hurtfull to conceale secrets from our Friendes A Smart in silence kept as Ouid doth expresse Doth more torment the payned man than him that séekes redresse For then it respite takes and leysure to procure Such mischiefe as for want of helpe the longer doth endure As if thou set no salue where ranckleth swelling sore It will in further processe paine and thée torment the more I sundrie times haue séene a wound that earst was small In time for want of Surgions sight to greater mischiefe fall And eke the balefull blowe so grieuous that was thought Full quickly curde by Surgions sleight if he were quickly sought So fareth it by man that kéepes in couert breast The pinching paine that bréedes within increasing great vnreast That neuer will disclose the secret of his hart But rather suffer feruent fits and déeper piercing smart For why was friendship founde and quickly put in vre But that th'one of thothers helpe should thinke himselfe full sure Why are they like in minde and one in erie part Why are they twoo in bodies twaine possessing but one hart And why doth one mislike that so offendes his Féere But that they two are one in déede it plainely might appeere Did Tullie euer dreade his secrets to disclose To Atticus his louing Friende in whome he did repose Such credit and such trust and in himselfe he might To whome full oft with painfull Pen this Tullie did indight What euer Theseus thought Perythous coulde tell With wearie trauell that pursude his louing friende to Hell Was Damon daintie founde to Pythias at all For whome he woulde with Tyran staide as pledge to liue in thrall In Pylades was nought but that Orestes knewe Who priuie was from time to time how care or comfort grewe Gysippus felt no griefe but Titus boade the same And where that Titus founde reliefe their Gysippe had his game When Laelius did laugh then Scipio did ioy And what Menetus Sonne mislikte Achylles did annoy Aeurialus his thoughts and secrets of his hart To Nysus would declare at large were they of ioy or smart All these conioyned were in surest league of looue Whome neyther Fortune good or bad nor Death might once remooue They would not think in minde nor practise that at all But to that same their trustie Friends they would in counsell call All those therefore that wishe their inward paines redresse Must to their most assured Friend it outwardly expresse So may they chaunce to finde a salue for secret sore Which otherwise in couert kept will soone increase to more Of the diuers and contrarie passions and affections of his Loue. TO Phisick those that long haue gone and spent their time in griefe Affirme that Pacients in their paines will shun their best reliefe They will refuse the Tysants taste and wholesome drinkes despise Which to recure diseases fell Phisttions did deuise But when they be debard the same which so they shunde before They crie and call for Tysants then as soueraigne for their sore Such is the wayward guise of those with pangues that are opprest They wish for that they neuer had and shun that they possest I may to them right well compare the Louers diuers thought That likes and then mislikes againe that they long earst had sought They will not when they may enioy their harts desired choise They then defie they then detest with lowde and lothsome voice They will refuse when time doth serue but when such time is gone They sigh and schreach with mournefull crie and make a ruthfull mone They little think that Time hath wings or knoweth how to flie They hope to haue it still at hande that swiftly passeth bie They thinke that Time will tarie them and for their fansie stay But Time in little time is gone it fléeteth fast away So standes the foole by fléeting floud and looketh for a turne But Riuer runnes and still will run and neuer shape returne What doe they hope that beauties glasse will still continue bright Nay when the day is gone and past by course appéeres the night For crooked age his woonted trade is for to plough the face With wrinckled furrowes that before was chiefe of Beauties grace Perhaps they thinke that men are mad and once intrapt in loue Will neuer striue to breake the snare nor neuer to remoue No Fowler that had wylie Wit but will foresée such hap That Birds will alway buske and bate and scape the Fowlers Trap. And if their fortune fauor so then who doth mount so hie As those that guilefull Pitfall tooke prepared for to die What Fiâ—â— doth fléete so fast as that which lately hangde on hooke By happie hap if he escape he will not backwarde looke Take time therefore thou foolish Feeme whilst Time doth serue so well For Time away as fast doth flée as any sound of Bell. And thou perhaps in after Time when Time is past and gone Shall lie lamenting losse of Time as colde as any stone Yet were thou better take thy time whilst yet thy Beautie serues For Beautie as the Flower fades whome lack of Phoebus sterues Of Dido and the truth of hir death J Dido and the Quéene of Carthage ground Whose lims thou séest so liuely set to sight Such one I was but neuer to be found So farre in loue as Vergill séemes to wright I liude not so in lust and fowle delight For neither he that wandring Duke of Troie Knewe mée nor yet at Lybie lande ariude But to escape Iarbos that did noie Mée sore of lyfe my Carcasse I depriude To keepe my Hest that he would tho haue riude No storme of loue or dolour made me die I slue my selfe to saue my Sheete of shame Wherein good Sycheus wrapped me perdie Then Vergill then the greater be thy blame That so by loue dost bréede my fowle defame Of Venus in Armour IN complete Pallas saw the Ladie Venus stande Who said let Paris now be iudge encounter we with hande Replide the Goddesse what scornste thou in Armour mée That naked earst in Ida Mount so foylde and
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
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
light sustaine such perill as ensues Then those that serue the Lorde of Loue no trauaile ought refuse But lauish of their liuely breath all tempest to abide To maintaine Loue and all his lawes what Fortune so betide And not to shrink at erie shoure or stormie flaw that lights Ne yet to yéelde themselues as thrall to such as with them fights Such are not fit for Cupids Campe they ought no wages win Which faint before the clang of Trump or Battels broile begin They must not make account of hurt for Cupid hath in store Continually within his Campe a salue for erie sore Their Ensigne bearer is so stoute ecleaped Hope by name As if they follow his aduise ech thing shall be in frame But if for want of courage stoute the Banner be bereft If Hope by hap be stricken downe and no good hope yleft Tis time with Trump to blow retreate the Field must needes be woon So Cupid once be Captiue tane his Souldiars are vndoon Wherefore what so they are that Loue as waged men doe serue Must shun no daunger drift at all ne from no perill swerue Kéepe watch and warde the wakefull night and neuer yéelde to rest For feare least thou a waiting nought on sodaine be opprest Though hunger gripe thy emptie Maw endure it for a while Till time doe serue with good repast such famine to beguile Be not with chilly colde dismaide let Snow nor Ise procure Thy lustfull lims from painefull plight thy Ladie to allure That is the spoile that Cupid giues that is the onely wight Where at his Thralls are woont to roue with Arrowes from their sight My selfe as one among the moe shall neuer spare to spend My life my lims yea hart and all Loues quarrell to defend And so in recompence of paines and toile of perills past He yéelde mée but my Ladies loue I will not be agast Of Fortune nor hir frowning face I nought shall force hir chéere But tend on erie turne on hir that is my louing Féere A request of Friendship to Vulcans Wyfe made my Mars THough froward Fortune would y t you who are So braue a Dame w c Vulcan shoulden linck Yet may you loue the lustie God of warre And bleare his eies that no such fraud will thinck Tis Cupids charge and all the Gods agree That you be Féere to him and Friend to mée The Louer that had loued Long without requitald of good will LOng did I loue and likte hir passing well Whose beautie bred y e thraldom of my thought Long did I sue to hir for to expell The foule disdain y t beauties beames had wrought Long did I serue and Long I would haue doon My minde was bent a thorow race to roon Long when I had looude sude and serued so As mought haue likte as braue a Dame as shée Hir Friend she forced not but let him go Shee looude at least besides him two or thrée Hir common cheare to erie one that sude Bred me to déeme shée did hir Friend delude Great was my griefe at first to be refusde That Long had looude with true vnfained hart But when I sawe I had béene long abusde I forcde the lesse from such a Friend to part Yet ere I gaue hir vp I gainde a thing That griefe to hir and ease to me did bring To a Friend that wild him to beware of Enuie THis sound aduise and counsell sent from you With friendly hart y t you my friend doe giue With willing minde I purpose to ensue And to beware of Enuie whilst I liue For spitefull it doth nought but malice brue Aie séeking Loue from faithfull harts to riue And plant in place where perfit Friendship grue A mortall hate good Nature to depriue And those that nip mée by the back behinde I trust you shall vntrue reporters finde Of Misreporters J Hope mine Owne this fixed Loue of thine Is so well staid and rooted déepe in brest That not vnlesse thou see it with thine eine That I from thée my loue and Friendship wrest Thou wilt vntie the knot of thy behest I trust your selfe of Enuie will beware That wild your friend take héede of Enuies snare That no man should write but such as doe excell SHould no man write say you but such as doe excell This fonde deuise of yours deserues a Bable and a Bell. Then one alone should doe or verie few in déede For that in erie Art there can but one alone exceede Should others ydle bée and waste their age in vaine That mought perhaps in after time the prick and price attaine By practise skill is got by practise Wit is woon At games you sée how many doe to win the wager roon Yet one among the moe doth beare away the Bell Is that a cause to say the rest in running did not well If none in Phisick should but onely Galene deale No doubt a thousand perishe would whome Phisick now doth heale Eche one his Talent hath to vse at his deuise Which makes that many men as well as one are counted wise For if that Wit alone in one should rest and raine Then God the skulles of other men did make but all in vaine Let eche one trie his force and doe the best he can For therevnto appointed were the hand and hed of man The Poet Horace speakes against thy Reason plaine Who sayes tis somewhat to attempt although thou not attaine The scope in erie thyng to touch the highst degrée Is passing hard too doe the best sufficing is for thée To his Friend declaring what vertue it is to stick to former plighted friendship THe sage and Siluer haired Wights doe thinke A vertue rare not to be proude of mind When Fortune smiles nor cowardly to shrink Though chaūged Chaūce do shew hir self vnkind But chiefest praise is to imbrace the man In welth and wo with whome your loue began Of two desperate Men. A Man in déepe dispaire with Hemp in hand Went out in haste to ende his wretched daies And where he thought the Gallo trée should stand He found a Pot of Gold he goes his waies Therewith eftsoone and in exchaunge he left The Rope wherewith he would his breath bereft ¶ The gréedie Carle came within a space That owde the good and saw the Pot behind Where Ruddocks lay and in the Ruddocks place A knottie Cord but Ruddocks could not find He caught the Hemp and hoong himselfe on trée For griefe that he is Treasure could not see Of the torments of Hell and the paines of Loue. THough they that wanted graee and whilome liued héere Sustaine such pangues and paines in Hell as doth by Bookes appéere Though restlesse be the rage of that infernall route That voide of feare and Pitties plaint doe fling the fire aboute And tosse the blasing Brands that neuer shall consume And breath on sielie Soules that fit and suffer furious fume Though Tantall Pelops Sonne abide the Dropsie dry And sterue with hunger where he hath both
Foode and Water by Though Tytius doe indure his Liuer to be rent Of Vultures tyring on the same vnto his spoile ybent And Sysiphe though with paine and neuer stinting drift Doe role the stone from Mountaines top and it to Mountaine lift Though Belydes doe broile and suffer endlesse paine In drawing water from the déepe that falleth downe againe Though Agamemnons Sonne such retchlesse rage indure By meane of furies that with flame his griefull smart procure Though Mynos hath assignde Prometheus to the rack With hand and foote ystretch awide till all his lims doe crack To leade a lothsome life and die a liuing death Amid his paines to waste his winde and yet to want no breath Though other stand in Stix with Sulpher that doth flame And other plunge in Phlegiton so gastly for the name Though Cerberus the Kaie of Plutos Denne that beares With hungrie throte and gréedie gripe the newcome Straunger teares Though these condemned Ghostes such dreadfull paine indures Yet may they not compare at all with pangues that Loue procures His tiring farre excéedes the gnawing of the Gripes And with his Whip such lashes giues that passe Megeras stripes He lets the Liuer lie tormenting aie the Hart He strikes and wounds his bounden thrall with dubble hedded Dart. His fire excéedes the flame of déepe Auernus Lakes And where he once pretendes a plague a spitefull spoile he makes His foes doe wake by day they dread to sléepe the night They ban the Sunne they curse the Moone and all that else giues light They passe their lothsome liues with not contented minde Their dolefull daies drawe slow to date as Cupid hath assignde To Tantall like but yet their case is worse than his They haue that they imbrace but straight are quite bereft of blis They waste their winde in sighes they bleare their eies with brine They breake their bulcks with bowncing griefe their harts with lingring pine Though Orpheus were aliue with Musick that appeasde The vglie God of Lymbo Lake and soules so sore diseasde By Arte he mought not ease the Louers feruent fits Ne purchace him his harts desire so troubled are his wits No place of quiet rest no roome deuoide of ruth No swaging of his endlesse paine whose death doth trie his truth His Chamber serues for nought but witnesse of his plaint His Bed and Bolster to bewaile their Lorde with Loue attaint The man for murther caught and clodgde with yron colde To sweare that he more happie is than Louers may be bolde For he in little space his dreadfull day shall sée But Cupids thralls in daylie griefes tormented daylie bée A thousand deaths they bide whilst they in life remaine And onely plaints and stormie thoughts they are the Louers gaine ¶ An Epitaph of the death of Maister Tufton of Kent HEre may wée see the force of spitefull death And what a swaye it beares in worldly things It neyther spares the one nor others breath He slayes the Keasers and the crowned Kings Nothing preuailes against his hatefull hande He heares no suters when they pleade for lyfe The richmans purse caÌ„not Deaths powre w tstand Nor Souldiars sworde compare with fatall Knyfe He recketh not of well renowmed fame He forceth not awhit of golden Fée His greatest ioy is to obscure the name Of such as séeke immortall aie to bee For if that wealth bloud lynage or desart Loue pittie zeale or friendship mought preuaild If life well led if true vnfayned hart Mought purchase lyfe then Death had not assaild This Tuftons lyfe with curst and cruell blade Breaking the course of him that ran so right A race as he no stop at all had made Had Death not tript this Tufton for despight The poore haue lost the ritch haue nothing gaind The good haue cause to mourne the yll to plaine For Tufton was to all a Friend vnfaind Let Kent cry out that Death hath Tufton slaine Yet this there is whereof they may reioyce That his good lyfe hath woon the peoples voyce Againe LEt neuer man presume on worldly wealth Let riches neuer bréede a loftie minde Let no man boast to much of perfite health Let Natures gifts make no man ouer blinde For these are all but Bladders full of winde Let friendship not enforce a retchlesse thought Let no desart or life well led before Let no renowne or glorie greatly sought Make man forget his present state the more For death is he that kéepes and rids the store If eyther health or goods had béene of powre If Natures giftes or friendship and good will If lyfe forepast if glories Golden Bowre Mought haue preuaild or stopt the dolefull Knill Of Tufton then had Tufton liued still But now you sée that Death hath quight vndoon His last of lyfe and put him to the foile Yet liues the vertue that aliue he woon The times alone are shrowded in the soile Thus Death is ende of all this worldlesse toile In praise of Ladie P. P. Séemes of Venus stock to bée for beauties comely grace A Grysell for hir grauitie a Helen for hir face A second Pallas for hir Wit a Goddesse rare in sight A Dian for hir daintinesse shée is so chaste a Wight Doe vew hir Corse with curious eie eche lim from top to toe And you shall say I tell but truth that doe extoll hir so The Head as chiefe that stands aloft and ouer looketh all With wisedome is so fully fraught as Pallas there did â—all Two Eares thâ—â—…â—ust no trifling tales nor credit b 〈…〉 rute Yet such againe as readie are to heare the humbles sute Hir Eies are such as will not gaze on things not worthy sight And where she ought to cast a looke she will not winke in spight The golden graines that gréedie guestes from forraine Countries bring Ne shining Phoebus glittring beames that on his Godhead spring No auncient Amber had in price of Roman Matrons olde May be comparde with splendant hatres that passe the Venys Golde Hir Nose adorns hir countnance so in middle iustly plaste As it at no time will permit hir beautie be defaste Hir Mouth so small hir Téeth so white as any Whale his bone Hir lips without so liuely red that passe the Corall stone What neede I to describe hir Chéekes hir Chin or else hir Pap For they are all as though the â—ose lodge in the Lillies lap What should I stand vpon the rest or other parts depaint As little Hand with Fingers long my wits are all to faint Yet this I say in hir behalfe if Helen were hir léeke Sir Paris néede not to disdaine hir through the Seas to séeke Nor Menelaus was vnwise or Troupe of Troians mad When he with them and they with him for hir such combat had Leanders labour was not lost that swam the surging Seas If Hero were of such a hue whome so he sought to please And if Admetus Darling déere were of so fresh a face Though Phoebus kept Admetus flock it may not him
disgrace Nor mightie Mauors waye the floutes and laughing of the rest If such a one were shée with whome he lay in Vulcans Nest If Bryseis beautie were so braue Achylles néedes no blame Who left the Campe and fled the field for loosing such a Dame If shée in Ida had bene séene with Pallas and the rest I doubt where Paris would haue chose Dame Venus for the best Or if Pygmalion had but tane a glimse of such a face He would not then his Idoll dumme so feruently imbrace But what shall néede so many wordes in things that are so plaine I say but that I doubt where Kinde can make the like againe The Louer in vtter dispaire of his Ladies returne in eche respect compares his estate with Troylus MY case with Troylus may compare For as he felt both sorrow and care Euen so doe I most Miser Wight That am a Troylus outright As ere he could atchieue his wish He fed of many a dolefull dish And day and night vnto the Skies The sielie Troian kest his eies Requesting ruth at Cresids hande In whome his life and death did stande So night and day I spent in wo Ere she hir pittie would bestow To quight me from the painefull plight That made me be a Martir right As when at last he fauour sounde And was recured of his wounde His grutching griefes to comfort grue And torments from the Troian flue So when my Ladie did remooue Hir rigour and began to looue Hir Vassell in such friendly sort As might appeere by outward port Then who began to ioy but I That stoode my Mistresse hart so nie Then as the Troian did I soong And out my Ladies vertues roong So lowde as all the world could tell What was the meaning of the Bell. And as that pleasaunt taste of ioy That he endured had in Troy From swéete to sower did conuart When Cresida did thence depart So my forepassed pleasures arre By spitefull Fortune put a farre By hir departure from this place Where I was woont to view hir face So Angelike that shone in sight Surpassing Phoebes golden light As when that Diomed the Gréeke Had giuen the Troian Foe the gléeke And rest him Cresids comely hue Which often made his hart to rue The wofull Troylus did lament And dolefull dayes in mourning spent So I bereft my loouing Make To sighes and sobbings mée betake Repining that my fortune is Of my desired Friend to misse And that a guilefull Greeke should bée Estéemde of hir in such degrée But though my fortune frame awrie And I dispoylde hir companie Must waste the day and night in wo For that the Gods appointed so I naythelesse will wish hir well And better than to Cresid fell I pray she may haue better hap Than beg hir bread with Dish and Clap As shée the sielie Miser did When Troylus by the Spittle rid God shield hir from the Lazars lore And lothsome Leapers stincking sore And for the loue I earst hir bare I wish hir as my selfe to fare My selfe that am a Troian true As shée full well by triall knue And as King Priams worthie Sonne All other Ladies séemde to shonne For loue of Cresid so doe I All Venus Dearlings quight defie In minde to loue them all aleeâ—e That leaue a Troian for a Greeke The Louer declareth what he would haue if he might obtaine his wish IF Gods would daine to lende a listning eare to mee And yéelde me my demaunde at full what think you it to bee Not to excell in seate or wield the Regall Mace Or Scepter in such stately sort as might commende the place For as their Hawle is hie so is their ruine rough As those that earst hath felt the fall declare it well ynough Ne would I wish by warre and bloudie blade in fist To gore the grounde with giltlesse bloud of such as would resist For Tirants though a while doe leade their liues in ioy Yet Tirants trie in trackt of time how bloudshed doth annoy I would none office craue ne Consulship request For that such rule is full of rage and fraught with all vnrest Ne would I wish for welth in great excesse to flow Which keepes the Keyes of discords Denne as all the world doth know But my desire should farre such base requests excell That I might hir enioy at will whome I doe loue so well O mightie God of Gods I were assured than In happie hap him to surpasse that were the happiest man Then might I martch in mirth with well contented minde And ioy to thinke that I in loue such blissefull hap did finde What friendly wordes would we togither then recite More than my tongue is able tell or this poore Pen to write Then should my hart reioyce and thereby comfort take As they haue felt that earst haue had the vse of such a Make. If Fortune then would frowne or sought me to disgrace The touching of hir cherrie lip such sorrowes would displace Or if such griefe did growe as might procure my smart Hir long and limber armes to mée might soone reduce my hart For as by foming flouds the fleating Fishes liues To Salamanders as the â—â—me their onely comfort giues So doth thy beautie P my sorrowes quite expell And makes me fare where I should faint vnlesse thou looâ—â—ste mée well And as by Waters want Fish falleth to decay And Salamander can not liue when flame is tane away So absence from hir sight whole Seas of sorrowes makes Which presence of that Paragon by secret vertue slakes Would Death would spare to spoyle and crooked age to rase As they are woont by course of kinde Pees beautie in this case Yet though their rigor rage and powre by proofe be plaine If P. should die to morrow next yet P. should liue againe For Phaenix by his kinde to Phaenix will returne When he by force of Phaebus flame in scalding Skies doe burne Then P. must néedes reuiue that is a Phaenix plaine And P. by lack of liuely breath shall be a P. againe Of a Gentlewoman that wilde hir Louer to weare greene Bayes in token of hir stedfast loue towards him B Tolde me that the Bay would aye be gréene And neuer chaunge his hue for winters thret Wherefore quoth shee that plainely may be séene What loue thy Ladie beares the Lawrell get A braunch aloft vpon the Helmet weare Presuming that vntill the Lawrell die And loze his natiue colour I will beare A faithfull hart and neuer swerue awrie I siely soule did smile with ioyfull brow Hoping that Daphnis would retainde hir hue And not haue chaungde lykewise that the vow My Ladie made would make my Ladie true O Gods beholde the chaunce I wore the Trée And honord it as stay of stedfast Loue But sodainely the Lawrell might I sée To looke as browne as doth the brownest Doue I marueld much at this vnwoonted sight Within a day or two came newes to mée That shée had chaungde swarude hir friendship
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
had béene Or clad in armour had béene séene If Hector had by mée béene slaine Or Prince Aeneas put to paine If I the Machin huge had brought By Grecian guile so falsely wrought Or raysed it aboue the wall Of Troie that procurde the fall Then could I not thée Cupid blame If thou didst put mée to this shame But I haue alwaies béene as true To thée and thine in order due As euer was there any Wight That fayth and truth to Cupid plight I neuer yet despise thy lawe But aye of thée did stand in awe I neuer callde thée Bussard blinde I no such fault in thée did finde But thought my time well spent to bée That I imploide in seruing thée I wiste thou wert of force and powre To conquere Princes in an howre When thou retaindst mée as thy man I thought my selfe most happie than Since this is true that I haue saide Good Cupid let mée haue thy aide Helpe mée to wreake my wrath aright And succor mée to worke my spight To thée it appertaines of due Him to assist that is so true And thou of reason shouldst torment Such as by wilfull will are bent To triumph ouer those that serue Thée in the field and neuer swerue Go bend thy Bowe with hastie spéede And make hir Tigers hart to bléede Cause hir that little sets by mee Yet still to stand in awe of thée Let hir perceiue thy feruent fire And what thou art in raging ire Now showe thy selfe no man to bée Let hir a God both féele and sée She forceth not my cutting paine Hir vowed othes shee wayes as vaine Shée sits in peace at quiet rest And scornes at mée so dispossest Shée laughes at thée and mocks thy might Thou art not Cupid in hir sight Shée spites at mée without cause whie Shée forceth not although I die I am hir captiue bounde in Giue And dare not once for lyfe to striue The more to thee I call and crie To rid mee from this crueltie The more shée séekes to worke hir ire The more shée burnes with scalding fire And all for Cupids sake I bide From whose decrées I doe not glide Wherefore I say go bende thy Bow And to hir hart an Arrow throw That Dart which breaketh harts of flint And giues the cruell crasing dint Vpon hir crabbed breast bestow That shée thy force and powre may know That shée a Myrrour may be knowne To such as be thy deadly fone So shall they good example take How to abuse men for thy sake Let hir good Cupid vnderstande That I am thine both hart and hande And to play quittance force a fire That shée may frie with whote desire Of me whome earst she put to paine And this is all that I would gaine An Aunswere to his Ladie that willed him that absence should not breede forgetfulnesse THough Noble Surrey sayde that absence woonders frame And makes things out of sight forgot and thereof takes his name Though some there are that force but on their pleasures prest Vnmindefull of their plighted truth and falsely forged hest Yet will I not approoue mée guiltie of this crime Ne breake the friendship late begoon as you shall trie in time No distance of the place shall reaue thée from my brest Not fawning chaunce nor frowning hap shall make mée swarue my Hest As soone may Phoebus frame his fierie Steades to roon Their race from path they woonted were and ende where they begoon As soone shall Saturne cease his bended broowes to show And frowning face to friendly Starres that in their Circles go As soone the Tiger tame and Lion shall you finde And brutish beastes that sauage were shall swarue their bedlam kinde As soone the frost shall flame and Aetna cease to burne And restlesse Riuers to their springs and Fountaines shall returne As absence bréede debate or want of sight procure Our faithfull friendships writh awrie whilst liuely breath indure As soone I will commit my selfe to Lethes lake As the swéete friend whome I a Friend haue chose for vertues sake How may a man forget the coale that burnes within Augmenting still his secret sore by piercing fell and skin May Martirs cease to mourne or thinke of torments prest Whilst paine to paine is added aie to further their vnrest May Shipmen in distresse at pleasure of the winde Tost too and fro by surge of Seas that they in tempest finde Forget Neptunus rage or blustring Borias blast When Cables are in sunder crackt and tackle rent from Mast Ne may I Friend forget vnlesse I would but faine The salue that doth recure my sore and heales the scarre againe I send thée by the winde ten thousand sighes a day Which dim the Skies with clowdie smoke as they doe passe away Oft gazing on the Sunne I count Apollo blest For that he vewes thée once aday in passing to the West Oh that I had his powre and blasing Lampe of light Then thou my Friend should stand asurde to neuer sée the night But since it is not so content thy selfe a while And with remembrance of thy Friend the lothsome time begile Till Fortune doe agrée that we shall méete againe For then shall presence bréede our ioyes whome absence put to paine And of my olde good will good Friend thy selfe assure Haue no distrust my loue shall last as long as life shall dure Of a Thracyan that was drownde by playing on the Ise A Thracyan Boy well tipled all the day Vpon a frozen Spring did sport and play The slipper Ise with hieft of bodies sway On sodaine brake swapt his head away It swam aloft bylowe the Carcas lay The Mother came and bore the head away When shée did burie it thus gan shée say This brought I foorth in flame his Hierce to haue The rest amids the flood to finde a graue The Louer hoping in May to haue had redresse of his woes and yet fowly missing his purpose bewailes his cruell hap MOu that in May haue bathde in blis And found a salue to ease your sore Doe May obseruaunce Reason is That May should honord be therfore Awake out of your drowsie sléepe And leaue your tender Beds of Downe Of Cupids Lawes that taken kéepe With Sommer flowers deck your Crowne As soone as Venus Starre doth showe That brings the dawning on his back And chéerefull light begins to growe By putting of his Foe to wrack Repair to heare the wedded Makes And late ycoupled in a knote The Nightingale that sits in Brakes And telles of Tereus truth by note The Thrussell with the Turtle Doue The little Robin eke yfeare That make rehearsall of their loue Make haste I say that yee were theare Into the fieldes where Dian dwels With Nimphes enuirond round about Haste yée to daunce about the Wels A fit pastime for such a rout Let them doe this that haue receiude In May the hire of hoped grace But I as one that am bereaude Of blissefull state will hide my face And doole