it lust that welds my loue Or is it but your fond surmise Will you condemne before you proue How can I thinke you to be wise O faithfull hart yet thrice accurst That art misdeemd thus at the first If lust did rule my restlesse hart If onely lust did beare the sway I quickly could asswage my smart With choise and change for euery day You should not laugh to see me weepe If lust were it that strake so deepe And yet at first before I knew What vaine it was that bled so sore Wher lust or loue to proue it trew I tooke a salue that still before Was wont to helpe I chose me one With whom I quencht my lust alone Yet this sweete hart could not suffise Nor any way content my mind I felt new qualmes and new arise And stronger still and strong I find By this I thus doe plainely proue It is not lust but faithfull loue And yet to proue my loue more sure And sith you will not false your faith This pining plight I will indure Till death do stop your husbands breath To haue me then if you will say I will not marrie till that day If you will giue your full consent When God shall take your husbands life That then you will be well content To be my spouse and louing wife I will be ioyfull as before And till that time will craue no more CANT LXVI AVISA NO more no more too much of this And is mine ynch become an ell If thus you writh my words amis I must of force bid you farwell You shew in this your louing bent To catch at that I neuer ment I thought at first but this my though I must correct that simple loue In guilles hart these fits had wrought But I too simple I now proue That vnder shew of great good will My harts delight you seeke to spill He loues me well that tils a trap Of deepe deceite and deadly baine In dreadfull daungers thus to wrap His friend by baites of flering traine Though flattering tongues can paint it braue Your words do shew what loue you haue I must consent and you will stay My husbands death Obtaining this You thinke I could not say you Nay Nor of your other purpose mis You are deceiu'd and you shall trie That I such faith and friends defie Such fained former faithlesse plot I most detest and tell you plaine If now I were to cast my lot With free consent to chuse againe Of all the men I euer knew I would not make my choice of you Let this suffice and do not stay On hope of that which will not be Then cease your sute go where you may Vaine is your trust to hope on me My choice is past my hart is bent While that remaines to be content Now hauing tract the winding trace Of false resemblance giue me leaue From this to shew a stranger grace Then heretofore you did perceaue Gainst frendlesse loue if I repyne The fault is yours none of myne CANT LXVII H. W. I Will not wish I cannot vow Thy hurt thy griefe though thou disdaine Though thou refuse I know not how To quite my loue with loue againe Since I haue swore to be thy frend As I began so will I end Sweare thou my death worke thou my woe Conspire with greefe to stop my breath Yet still thy frend not thy foe I will remayne vntill my death Choose whome thou wilt I will resigne If loue or faith be like to mine But while I wretch too long haue lent My wandering eyes to gase on thee I haue both tyme trauell spent In vaine in vaine and now I see They do but frutelesse paine procure To haggard kytes that cast the lure When I am dead yet thou mayst boast Thou hadst a frend a faithfull frend That liuing liu'd to loue thee most And lou'd thee still vnto his end Though thou vnworthy with disdaine Did'st force him liue and dye in paine Now may I sing now sigh and say Farewell my lyfe farewell my ioy Now mourne by night now weepe by day Loue too much loue breedes myne annoy What can I wish what should I craue Sith that is gon that I should haue Though hope be turned to dispaire Yet giue my tongue leaue to lament Beleeue me now my hart doth sweare My lucklesse loue was truly ment Thou art too proud I say no more Too stout and wo is me therefore Felice chi puo CANT LXVIII Auisa hauing heard this patheticall fancy of H. W. and seeing the teares trill downe his cheekes as halfe angry to see such passionate follie in a man that should haue gouerment with a frowning countenance turned from him without farder answere making silence her best reply and following the counsell of the wise not to answere a foole in his folly lest he grow too foolish returted quite from him and left him alone But he departing home and not able by reason to rule the raginge fume of this phantasticall fury cast himselfe vppon his bed refusing both foode comfort for many daies together fell at length into such extremity of passionate affections that as many as saw him had great doubt of his health but more of his wittes yet after a long space a bsence hauing procured some respite from his sorrowes he takes his pen wrate as followeth H. W LYke wounded Deare whose tēder sydes are bath'd in blood From deadly wound by fatall hand forked shaft So bleedes my pearced hart for so you thinke it good With cruelty to kill that which you got by craft You still did loth my lyfe my death shall be your gaine To dye to do you good I shall not thinke it paine My person could not please my talke was out of frame Though hart and eye could neuer brooke my loathed sight Yet loue doth make me say to keepe you out of blame The fault was only mine and that you did but right When I am gon I hope my ghost shall shew you plaine That I did truly loue and that I did not faine Now must I fynd the way to waile while lyfe doth last Yet hope I soone to see the end of dolefull dayes When floudes of flowing feares and creeping cares are past Then shall I leaue to sing and write these pleasant layes For now I loth the foode and bloud that lendes me breath I count all pleasures paine that keepe me from my death To darke and heauy shades I now will take my flight Where nether tongue nor eye shall tell or see my fall That there I may disiect these dregges of thy dispight And purge the clotted blood that now my hart doth gall In secret silence so Perforce shall be my song Till truth make you confesse that you haue done me wrong Gia speme spenta H. W. Auisa refusing both to come or send him any aunswere after a long melancholike deliberation he wrate againe so as followeth CANT LXIX H. W.
THough you refuse to come or send Yet this I send though I do stay Vnto these lynes some credit lend And marke it well what they shall say They cannot hurt then reade them all They do but shew their maisters fall Though you disdaine to shew remorce You were the first and onely wight Whose fawning features did inforce My will to runne beyond my might In femall face such force we see To captiue them that erst were free Your onely word was then a law Vnto my mynd if I did sinne Forgiue this sinne but then I saw My bane or blisse did first beginne See what my fancy coulde haue donne Your loue at first if I had wonne All fortune flat I had defyde To choice and change defyance sent No frowning fates could haue denyde My loues pursute willing bent This was my mynd if I had found Your loue as myne but halfe so sound Then had I bad the hellish rout To frounce aloft their wrinckled front And cursed haggs that are so stout I boldly would haue bid auaunt Let earth and ayre haue fround their fill So I had wrought my wished will Noraging storme nor whirling blast My setled heart could haue annoyd No sky with thundering cloudes orecast Had hurt if you I had enioyd Now hope is past loe you may see How euery toy tormenteth mee Chi cerca troua CANT LXX H. W. WIth oken planckes to plane the waues What Neptunes rage could I haue fear'd To quell the gulfe that rudely raues What perill could haue once appear'd But now that I am left alone Bare thoughts enforce my hart to grone With thee to passe the chamfered groundes What force or feare could me restraine With thee to chase the Scillan houndes Me thinkes it were a pleasant paine This was my thought this is my loue Which none but death can yet remoue It then behoues my fainting sprite To lofty skyes returne againe Sith onely death bringes me delite Which louing liue in curelesse paine VVhat hap to strangers is assind If knowne frendes doo such fauour find How often haue my frendly mates My louing errours laught to scorne How oft for thee found I debates VVhich now I wish had beene forborne But this more would I haue donne If I thy fauour could haue wonne I saw your gardens passing syne VVith pleasant flowers lately dect With Couslops and with Eglentine When wofull Woodbyne lyes reiect Yet these in weedes and briars meet Although they seeme to smell so sweet The dainty Daysy brauely springes And cheesest honour seemes to get I enuy not such frendly thinges But blesse the hand that these haue set Yet let the Hysope haue his place That doth deserue a speciall grace Viui Chi vince CANT LXXI H. W. BVt now farewell your selfe shall see An odd exchange of frends in tyme you may perhappes then wish for mee And waile too late this cruell cryme Yea wish your selfe perhaps beshrewd That you to me such rigor shewd I cannot force you for to like Where cruell fancy doth rebell I must some other fortune seeke But where or how I cannot tell And yet I doubt where you shall find In all your life so sure a friend Of pleasant dayes the date is donne My carcase pyneth in conceat The lyne of lyfe his race hath runne Expecting sound of deathes retreat Yet would I liue to loue thee still And do thee good against thy will How can I loue how can I liue Whil'st that my hart hath lost his hope Dispaire abandons sweet reliefe My loue and life haue lost their scope Yet would I liue thy feature to behold Yet would I loue if I might be so bold My griefe is greene and neuer springes My sorrowe full of deadly sap Sweet death remoue these bitter thinges Giue end to hard and cruell hap Yet would I liue if I might see My life or limmes might pleasure thee Farewell that sweet and pleasant walke The witnesse of my faith and wo That oft hath heard our frendly talke And giu'n me leaue my griefe to show O pleasant path where I could see No crosse at all but onely shee Il fine fa il tutto CANT LXXII H. W. LIke silly Bat that loues the darke And seldome brookes the wished light Obscurely so I seeke the marke That aye doth vanish from my sight Yet shall she say I died her frend Though by disdaine she sought mine end Faine would I cease and hold my tong But loue and sorrow set me on Needes must I plaine of spitefull wrong Sith hope and health will both be gon When branch from inward rind is fled The barke doth wish the body dead If euer man were borne to woe I am the man you know it well My chiefest friend my greatest foe And heauen become my heauie hell This do I feele this do I find But who can loose that God will bind For since the day O dismall day I first beheld that smiling face My fancie made her choice straight way And bad all other loues giue place Yea since I saw thy louely sight I frize and frie twixt ioye and spight Where fond suspect doth keepe the gate There trust is chased from the dore Then faith and truth will come too late Where falshod will admit no more Then naked faith and loue must yeeld For lacke offence and flie the feeld Then easier were it for to chuse To crale against the craggie hill Then sutes then sighs then words to vse To change a froward womans will Then othes and vowes are allin vaine And truth a toye where fancies raigne Ama Chi ti ama CANT LXXIII H. W. MY tongue my hand my ready hart That spake that felt that freely thought My loue thy limbes my inward smart Haue all performed what they ought These all do loue you yet and shall And when I change let vengeance fall Shall I repent I euer saw That face that so can frowne on mee How can I wish when fancies draw Mine eies to wish and looke for thee Then though you do denie my right Yet bar me not from wished sight And yet I craue I know not what Perchance my presence breeds your paine And if I were perswaded that I would in absence still remaine You shall not feele the smallest griefe Although it were to saue my life Ah woe is me the case so stands That sencelesse papers plead my wo They can not weepe nor wring their hands But say perhaps that I did so And though these lines for mercie craue Who can on papers pittie haue O that my griefes my sighs my teares Might plainely muster in your vew Then paine not pen then faith not feares Should vouch my vowes and writings trew This wishing shewes a wofull want Of that which you by right should grant Now fare thou well whose wel-fare brings Such lothsome feare and ill to me Yet heere thy friend this farwell sings Though heauie word a farwell be Against all hope if I hope still Blame
ioy in beauties praise You must admire her sober grace Her wisdome and her vertuous wayes Say t'was her wit modest shoe That made you like and loue her so You must be secret constant free Your silent sighes trickling teares Let her in secret often see Then wring her hand as one that feares To speake then wish she were your wife And last desire her saue your life When she doth laugh you must be glad And watch occasions tyme and place When she doth frowne you must be sad Let sighes sobbes request her grace Sweare that your loue is trulyment So she in tyme must needes relent CANT XLVIII H. W. THe whole to sicke good counsell giue Which they themselues cannot performe Your wordes do promise sweet reliefe To saue my ship from drowning storme But hope is past and health is spent For why my mynd is Mal-content The flowring hearbes the pleasant spring That deckes the fieldes with vernant hew The harmelesse birdes thatsweetly sing My hidden griefes do still renew The ioyes that others long to see Is it that most tormenteth mee I greatly doubt though March be past Where I shall see that wished May That can recure that balefull blast Whose cold dispaire wrought my decay My hopelesse cloudes that neuer cleere Presage great sorrowes very neere I mirth did once and musicke loue Which both as now I greatly hate What vncouth sprite my hart doth moue To loath the thing I lou'd so late My greatest ease in deepest mone Is when I walke my selfe alone Where thinking on my hopelesse hap My trickling teares like riuers flow Yet fancy lulles me in her lap And telles me lyfe from death shall grow Thus flattering hope makes me belieue My griefe in tyme shall feele relieue Good fortune helpes the ventering wight That hard attempts dare vndertake But they that shun the doubtful fight As coward drudges doth forsake Come what there will I meane to try Wher winne or lose I can but dye CANT XLIX H. W. the first assault PArdon sweet wench my fancies fault If I offend to shew my smart Your face hath made such fierce assault And battred so my fencelesse hart That of my foe my lyfe to saue For grace I am constraind to craue The raging Lyon neuer rendes The yeelding pray that prostrate lyes No valiant captayne euer bendes His force against surrendering cryes Here I surrender roome and right And yeeld the fort at captaines sight You are the chieftaine that haue layd This heauie siege to strengthlesse fort And fancy that my will betrayd Hath lent dispaire his strongest port Your glauncing eyes as Cannon shot Haue pearst my hart and freedome got When first I saw that frendly face Though neuer seene before that day That wit that talke that sober grace In secret hart thus did I say God prosper this for this is she That ioy or woe must bring to me A thousand fewtures I haue seene For Trauelers change choyse shall see In Fraunce in Flaunders in Spaine Yet none nor none could conquere mee Till now I sawe this face of thyne That makes my wittes are none of myne I often said yet there is one But where or what I could not tell Whose sight my sence would ouercome I feard it still I knew it well And now I know you are the She That was ordaind to vanquish me CANT L. AVISA WHat song is this that you do sing What tale is this that you do tell What newes is this that you do bring Or what you meane I know not well If you will speake pray speake it playne Lest els perhaps you lose your payne My mynd surpris'd with houshold cares Tendes not darke riddles to vntwyne My state surcharg'd with great affares To Idle talke can lend no tyme For if your speeches tend to loue Your tonge in vaine such sutes will moue In greenest grasse the winding snake With poysoned sting is soonest found A cowardes tongue makes greatest cracke The emptiest caske yeeldes greatest sound To hidden hurt the bird to bring The fouler doth most sweetly sing If wandering rages haue possest Your rouing mynd at randame bent If idle qualmes from too much rest Fond fancyes to your lust haue sent Cut off the cause that breedes your smart Then will your sicknesse soone depart The restles mynd that reason wantes Is like the ship that lackes a sterne The hart beset with follyes plantes At wisdomes lore repynes to learne Some seeke and fynd what fancy list But after wish that they had mist. Who loues to tread vnknowen pathes Doth often wander from his way Who longes to laue in brauest bathes Doth wash by night and wast by day Take heed betyme beware the pryse Of wicked lust if you be wyse CANT LI. H. W VNwonted syking breedes my loue And loue the welspring of my griefe This fancy fixt none can remoue None send redresse none giue reliefe But onely you whose onely sight Hath fors't me to this pyning plight Loue oft doth spring from due desart As louing cause of true effect But myne proceeds from wounded hart As scholler to a nouell sect I bare that lyking few haue bore I loue that neuer lou'd before I loue though doubtfull of successe As blindmen grope to try the way Yet still I loue because I gesse You loue for loue cannot denay Except you spring of sauadge kynd Whome no desartes nor loue can bynd Of all the graces that excell And vertues that are cheefly best A constant loue doth beare the bell And makes his owner euer blest How blame you then the faithfull loue That hath his praise from God aboue Can you withstand what fates ordayne Can you reproue dame Natures frame Where natures ioyne shall will disclaime Acquite my loue beare they the blame That snuffe at faith looke so coy And count true loue but for a toy If fortune say it shal be so Then though you lyke yet shall you yeeld Say what you list you cannot go Vnconquerd thus from Cupids field That loue that none could euer haue I giue to you and yours I craue CANT LII AVISA WEll you are bent I see to try The vtmost list of follies race Your fancy hath no power to fly The luring baite of flattering grace The fish that leapes neuer lookes Fyndes death vnwares in secret hookes You say you loue yet shew no cause Of this your loue or rather lust Or whence this new affection groes Which though vntryde yet we must trust Dry reeds that quickly yeeld to burne Soone out to flamelesse cinders turne Such raging loue in rangling mates Is quickly found and sooner lost Such deepe deceate in all estates That spares no care no payne nor cost VVith flattering tongues golden giftes To dryue poore women to their shiftes Examine well you shall see Your truthlesse treason tearmed loue VVhat cause haue you to fancy mee That neuer yet had tyme to proue What I haue beene
not let this worship fall Although they leese their honours all Our Moab Cozbies cast no feare To let in view of euery eye Their gainelesse games they holde so deere They follow must although they dye For why the sword that Phineas wore Is broken now and cuts no more My tender Muse that neuer try'd Her ioynted wings till present time At first the perelesse bird espy'd That mounts aloft deuoide of crime Though high she sore yet will I trie Where I her passage can discry Her high conceites her constant minde Her sober talke her stout denies Her chast aduise here shall you find Her fierce assaults her milde replies Her dayly fight with great and small Yet constant vertue conquers all The first that saies to plucke the Rose That scarce appear'd without the bud With Gorgeous shewes of Golden glose To sow the seeds that were not good Suppose it were some noble man That tride her thus and thus began The first triall of AVISA before she was married by a Noble man vnder which is represented a warning to all young maids of euery degree that they beware of the alluring intisements of great men CANT II. NOB. NOw is the time if thou be wise Thou happie maide if thou canst see Thy happiest time take good aduise Good fortune laughs be rulde by me Be rulde by me and her's my faith No Golde shall want thee till thy death Thou knowest my power thou seest my might Thou knowest I can maintaine thee well And helpe thy friends vnto their right Thou shalt with me for euer dwell My secret friend thou shalt remaine And all shall turne to thy great gaine Thou seest thy parents meane estate That barres the hope of greater chance And if thou proue not wise too late Thou maist thy selfe and thine aduance Repulse not fondly this good hap That now lies offred in thy lap Abandon feare that bars consent Repel the shame that feares a blot Let wisdome way what faith is ment That all may praise thy happie lot Thinke not I seeke thy liues disgrace For thou shalt haue a Ladies place Thou art the first my fancie chose I know thy friends will like it well This friendly fault to none disclose And what thou thinkst blush not to tell Thou seest my loue thou know'st my mind Now let me feele what grace I find CANT III. AVISA YOur Honours place your riper yeares Might better frame some grauer talkes Midst sunnie rayes this cloud appeares Sweete Roses grow on prickly stalkes If I conceiue what you request You aime at that I most detest My tender age that wants aduice And craues the aide of sager guides Should rather learne for to be wise To stay my steps from slipperie slides Then thus to sucke then thus to tast The poys'ned sap that kils at last I wonder what your wisdome ment Thus to assault a silly maide Some simple wench might chance consent By false resembling shewes betraide I haue by grace a natiue shield To lewd assaults that cannot yeeld I am too base to be your wife You choose me for your secret frend That is to lead a filthy life Whereon attends a fearefull end Though I be poore I tell you plaine To be your whore I flat disdaine Your high estate your siluer shrines Repleate with wind and filthy stinke Your glittering gifts your golden mynes May force some fooles perhaps to shrinke But I haue learnd that sweetest bayt Oft shrowds the hooke of most desayt What great good hap what happie time Your proffer brings let yeelding maids Of former age which thought to clime To highest tops of earthly aids Come backe a while and let them tell Where wicked liues haue ended well Shores wife a Princes secret frend Faire Rosomond a Kings delight Yet both haue found a gastly end And fortunes friends felt fortunes spight What greater ioyes could fancie frame Yet now we see their lasting shame If princely pallace haue no power To shade the shame of secret sinne If blacke reproch such names deuoure What gaine or glory can they winne That tracing tracts of shamelesse trade A hate of God and man are made This onely vertue must aduaunce My meane estate to ioyfull blisse For she that swaies dame vertues launce Of happie state can neuer misse But they that hope to gaine by vice Shall surely proue too late vnwise The roote of woe is fond desire That neuer feeles her selfe content But wanton wing'd will needes aspire To finde the thing she may lament A courtly state a Ladies place My former life will quite deface Such strange conceites may hap preuaile With such as loue such strong desayts But I am taught such qualmes to quaile And flee such sweete alluring bayts The witlesse Flie playes with the flame Till she be scorched with the same You long to know what grace you find In me perchance more then you would Except you quickly change your mind I find in you lesse then I should Moue this no more vse no reply I'le keepe mine honour till I die CANT IIII. NOB. ALas good soule and will yee so You will be chast Diana's mate Till time haue woue the web of woe Then to repent wil be too late You shew your selfe so foole-precise That I can hardly thinke you wise You sprang belike from Noble stocke That stand so much vpon your fame You hope to stay vpon the rocke That will preserue a faultlesse name But while you hunt for needelesse praise You loose the Prime of sweetest daies A merry time when countrie maides Shall stand forsooth vpon their garde And dare controll the Courtiers deedes At honours gate that watch and warde When Milke maids shal their pleasures flie And on their credits must relie Ah silly wench take not a pride Though thou my raging fancie moue Thy betters far if they were try'd Would faine accept my proffered loue T'was for thy good if thou hadst wist For I may haue whome ere I list But here thy folly may appeare Art thou preciser then a Queene Queene Ioane of Naples did not feare To quite mens loue with loue againe And Messalina t'is no newes Was dayly seene to haunt the stewes And Cleopatra prince of Nile With more then one was wont to play And yet she keepes her glorious stile And fame that neuer shall decaie What need'st thou then to feare of shame When Queenes and Nobles vse the same CANT V. AVISA NEeds must the sheepe strake all awrie Whose sheepheards wander from their way Needes must the sickly patient die Whose Doctor seekes his liues decay Needs must the people well be taught Whose chiefest leaders all are naught Such lawlesse guides Gods people found When Moab maides allur'd their fall They sought no salue to cure this wound Till God commaunds to hange them all For wicked life a shamefull end To wretched men the Lord doth send Was earth consumde with wreakfull waues Did Sodom burne and after sinke What sinne is that which vengaunce craues If
perforce be well content To let me win thee with thy will Thy chiefest friends haue giu'n consent And therefore thinke it is not ill Abandon all thy fond delay And marke this well that I shall say My house my hart my land my life My credit to thy care I giue And if thou list to be a wife In shew of honest fame to liue I'le fit thee one shall beare the cloke And be a chimnie for the smoke But say the word it shall be don And what thou list or what thou craue What so be lost what euer won Shall nothing want that thou wilt haue Thou shalt haue all what wilt thou more Which neuer woman had before Here's fortie Angels to begin A little pledge of great good will To buy thee lace to buy a pin I will be carefull of thee still If youth be quaild if I be old I can supply that with my gold Silke gownes and veluet shalt thou haue With hoods and cauls fit for thy head Of goldsmithes worke a border braue A chaine of golde ten double spread And all the rest shall answere this My purse shall see that nothing misse Two wayting maides attendant still Two seruing men foure geldings prest Go where you list ride where you will No iealous thought shal me molest Two hundreth pounds I doe intend To giue thee yearely for to spend Of this I will assurance make To some good friend whom thou wilt chuse That this in trust from me shall take While thou dost liue vnto thy vse A thousand markes to thee giue I And all my Iewels when I die This will I doe what euer chance I'le shortly send and fetch thee hence Thy chiefest friends I will aduance And leaue them cause of no offence For all this same I onely craue But thy good-will that let me haue A modest maide is loth to say In open words she doth consent Till gentle force doe breake the stay Come on mine owne and be content Possesse me of my loues desire And let me tast that I require CANT XI AVISA HAnd off my Lord this will not serue Your wisdome wanders much awrie From reasons rule thus farre to swarue I'le neuer yeeld I'le rather die Except you leaue and so depart This knife shall sticke within your hart Is this the loue your franticke fit Did so pretend in glosing shew Are these your waies is this your wit To tice and force poore maidens so You striue in vaine by raging lust To gaine consent or make me trust For who can trust your flattering stile Your painted words your braue pretence When you will striue by trayned will To force consent to lewd offence Then thus to yeeld by chaunted charmes I'le rather die within your armes Your golden Angels I repell Your lawlesse lust I here defie These Angels are the posts of hell That often lead poore soules awrie Shame on them all your eyes shall see These Angels haue no power of me Your gownes of silke your golden chaines Your men your maides your hundreth pounds Are nothing else but diuel ish traines That fill fond eares with tickling sounds A bladder full of traiterous wind And fardest off from filthy mind Well sith your meaning now is plaine And lust would giue no longer leaue To faithlesse hart to lie and faine Which might perchance in time deceiue By Iesus Christ I doe protest I'le neuer graunt that you request CANT XII NOB. Furens THou beggers brat thou dunghill mate Thou clownish spawne thou country gill My loue is turnd to wreakefull hate Go hang and keepe thy credit still Gad where thou list aright or wrong I hope to see thee begge erre long Was this great offer well refus'd Or was this proffer all too base Am I fit man to be abus'd With such disgrace by flattering gase On thee or thine as I am man I will reuenge this if I can Thou think'st thy selfe a pearelesse peice And peeuish pride that doth possesse Thy hart perswades that thou art wise When God doth know ther's nothing lesse T'was not thy beautie that did moue This fond affect but blinded loue I hope to see some countrie clowne Possessor of that fleering face When need shall force thy pride come downe I'le laugh to see thy foolish case For thou that think'st thy selfe so braue Wilt take at last some paltrie knaue Thou selfewill gig that dost detest My faithfull loue looke to thy fame If thou offend I doe protest I'le bring thee out to open shame For sith thou fayn'st thy selfe so pure Looke to thy leapes that they be sure I was thy friend but now thy foe Thou hadst my hart but now my hate Refusing wealth God send thee woe Repentance now will come too late That tongue that did protest my faith Shall waile thy pride and wish thy death CANT XIII AVISA YEa so I thought this is the end Of wandring lust resembling loue Wa'st loue or lust that did intend Such friendlesse force as you did moue Though you may vaunt of happier fate I am content with my estate I rather chuse a quiet mind A conscience cleare from bloudy sinnes Then short delights and therein find That gnawing worme that neuer linnes Your bitter speeches please me more Then all your wealth and all your store I loue to liue deuoid of crime Although I begge although I pine These fading ioyes for little time Imbrace who list I here resine How poore I goe how meane I fare If God be pleas'd I doe not care I rather be are your ragingire Although you sweare reuengment deepe Then yeeld for gaine to lewd desire That you might laugh when I should weepe Your lust would like but for a space But who could salue my foule disgrace Mine eares haue heard your taunting words Of yeelding fooles by you betraid Amongst your mates at open bords Know'st such a wife know'st such a maid Then must you laugh then must you winke And leaue the rest for them to thinke Nay yet welfare the happie life That need not blush at euery view Although I be a poore mans wife Yet then I'le laugh as well as you Then laugh as long as you thinke best My fact shall frame you no such iest If I doe hap to leape aside I must not come to you for aide Alas now that you be denide You thinke to make me sore afraide Nay watch your worst I doe not care If I offend pray doe not spare You were my friend you were but dust The Lord is he whome I doe loue He hath my hart in him I trust And he doth gard me from aboue I waie not death I feare not hell This is enough and so farewell THE SECOND TEMPtation of AVISA after her marriage by Ruffians Roysters young Gentlemen and lustie Captaines which all shee quickly cuts off CANT XIIII CAVEILEIRO COme lustie wench I like thy lookes And such a pleasant looke I loue Thine eyes are like to bayted hookes That force the hungrie fish to moue
Where nature granteth such a face I need not doubt to purchase grace I doubt not but thy inward thought Doth yeeld as fast as doth thine eye A loue in me hath fancie wrought Which worke you can not well denye From loue you can not me refraine I seeke but this loue me againe And so thou dost I know it well I knew it by thy side-cast glance Can hart from outward looke rebell Which yeaster night I spide by chance Thy loue sweete hart shall not be lost How deare a price so euer it cost Aske what thou wilt thou know'st my mind Appoint the place and I will come Appoint the time and thou shalt find Thou canst not fare so well at home Few words suffice where harts consent I hope thou know'st and art content Though I á stranger seeme as yet And seldome seene before this day Assure thy selfe that thou mayst get More knackes by me then I will say Such store of wealth as I will bring Shall make thee leape shal make thee sing I must be gone vse no delay At six or seuen the chance may rise Old gamesters know their vantage play And when t'is best to cast the dice Leaue ope your poynt take vp your man And mine shall quickly enter than CANT XV AVISA WHat now what newes new warres in hand More trumpets blowne of fond conceites More banners spread of follies band New Captaines coyning new deceites Ah woe is me new campes are pla'st Whereas I thought all daungers past O wretched soule what face haue I That can not looke but some misdeame What sprite doth lurke within mine eye That kendles thoughts so much vncleane O lucklesse fewture neuer blest That sow'st the seedes of such vnrest What wandring fits are these that moue Your hart inragde with euery glance That iudge a woman straight in loue That welds her eye aside by chance If this your hope by fancie wrought You hope on that I neuer thought If nature giue me such a looke Which seemes at first vnchast or ill Yet shall it proue no bayted hooke To draw your lust to wanton will My face and will doe not agree Which you in time perhaps may see If smiling cheare and friendly words If pleasant talke such thoughts procure Yet know my hart no will afords To scratching kites to cast the lure If milde behauior thus offend I will assaie this fault to mend You plant your hope vpon the sand That build on womens words or smiles For when you thinke your selfe to stand In greatest grace they proue but wyles When fixt you thinke on surest ground Then fardest off they will be found CANT XVI AVISA YOu speake of loue you talke of cost Is't filthy loue your worship meanes Assure your selfe your labor's lost Bestow your cost among your queanes You left not here nor here shall find Such mates as match your beastly mind You must againe to Coleman hedge For therebe some that looke for gaine They will bestow the French mans badge In lew of all your cost and paine But Sir it is against my vse For gaine to make my house a stewes What haue you seene what haue I doon That you should iudge my mind so light That I so quickly might be woon Of one that came but yeaster night Of one I wist not whence he came Nor what he is nor what's his name Though face doe friendly smile on all Yet iudge me not to be so kind To come at euery Faulkners call Or waue aloft with euery wind And you that venter thus to try Shall find how far you shoote awry And if your face might be your iudge Your wannie cheekes your shaggie lockes Would rather moue my mind to grudge To feare the piles or else the pockes Yf you be mou'd to make amends Pray keepe your knackes for other frends You may be walking when you list Looke ther's the doore and ther's the way I hope you haue your market mist Your game is lost for lacke of play The point is close no chance can fall That enters there or euer shall CANT XVII CAVELEIRO GOds wo I thinke you doe but iest You can not thus delude my hope But yet perhaps you thinke it best At first to giue but little scope At first assault you must retire And then be fors't to yeeld desire You thinke that I would iudge you bad If you should yeeld at first assaie And you may thinke me worse then mad If on repulse send me awaie You thinke you doe your credit wrong Except you keepe your sutors long But I that know the wonted guise Of such as liue in such a place Old dame experience makes me wise To know your meaning by your face For most of them that seeme so chast Denie at first and take at last This painted sheth may please some foole That can not see the rustie knife But I haue bin too long at schooles To thinke you of so pure a life The time and place will not permit That you can long here spot-lesse sit And therefore wench be not so strange To grant me that which others haue I know that women loue to change T'is but deceite to seeme so graue I neuer haue that woman tri'd Of whome as yet I was deni'd Your godly zeale doth breed my trust Your anger makes me hope the more For they are often found the worst That of their conscience make such store In vaine to blush or looke aside A flat repulse I can not bide CANT XVIII AVISA THou wicked wretch what dost not thinke There is a God that doth behold This sinnefull waies this Sodoms sinke O wretched earth that art so bold To iest at God and at his word Looke for his iust reuenging sword Saint Paul commands vs not to eate With him that leads a wicked life Or shall be found to lie in waite To seeke to spoyle his neighbours wife Such wicked soules God doth forsake And dings them downe to fierie lake A brain-sicke youth was striken blind That sent his greedie eye to view A godly wench with godlesse mind That paine might spring whence pleasures grew Remember friend forget not this And see you looke no more amisse O Iulia flower of thy time Where is thy law where is thy word That did condemne the wedlocke crime To present death with bloudy sword The shining of this percing edge Would daunt the force of filthy rage Though shamelesse Callets may be found That oyle them selues in common field And can carire the whoores rebound To straine at first and after yeeld Yet here are none of Creseds kind In whome you shall such fleeting find The time and place may not condemne The mind to vice that doth not sway But they that vertue doe condemne By time and place are led astray This place doth hold on at this time That will not yeeld to bloudy crime You thinke that others haue possest The place that you so lewdly craue Wherein you plainely haue confest
send That if my fayth deserue it best Accept me for your honest frend And if I seeke your spoile or shame Then raze me out and blot my name Andif I shall this fauour find Then weare this ring though you be loth As token of my simple mynd And perfect band of faithfull oath The posye is No frend to faith That will remaine till both our death Esteeme not this a painted bait Or golden ball cast to deceaue If I do meane such lewd desait Let God my soule in tormentes leaue I say no more but thus I end In honest loue your faithful frend D. H. AVISA to D. H. CANT XLIII YOu know that I haue laid my rest From which my mind shall neuer swerue If all be true that you protest Then shall you find as you deserue All hidden truth tyme will bewraie This is as much as I can saie Alway the same Auisa CANT XLIIII Henrico Willobego Italo-Hispalensis H. W. being sodenly infected with the contagion of a fantasticall fit at the first sight of A pyneth a while in secret griefe at length not able any longer to indure the burning heate of so feruent a humour bewrayeth the secresy of his disease vnto his familiar frend W. S. who not long before had tryed the curtesy of the like passion and was now newly recouered of the like infection yet finding his frend let bloud in the same vaine he took pleasure for a tyme to see him bleed in steed of stopping the issue he inlargeth the wound with the sharpe rasor of a willing conceit perswading him that he thought it a matter very easy to be compassed no doubt with payne diligence some cost in time to be obtayned Thus this miserable comforter comforting his frend with an impossibilitie eyther for that he now would secretly laugh at his frends folly that had giuen occasion not long before vnto others to laugh at his owne or because he would see whether an other could play his part better then himselfe in vewing a far off the course of this louing Comedy he determined to see whether it would sort to a happier end for this new actor then it did for the old player But at length this Comedy was like to haue growen to a Tragedy by the weake feeble estate that H. W. was brought vnto by a desperate vewe of an impossibility of obtaining his purpose til Time Necessity being his best Phisitions brought him a plaster if not to heale yet in part to ease his maladye In all which discourse is liuely represented the vnrewly rage of vnbrydeled fancy hauing the raines to roue at liberty with the dyuers sundry changes of affections temptations which Will set loose from Reason can deuise c. H. W. WHat sodaine chance or change is this That doth bereaue my quyet rest What surly cloud eclipst my blisse What sprite doth rage within my brest Such fainty qualmes I neuer found Till first I saw this westerne ground Can change of ayre complexions change And strike the sences out of frame Though this be true yet this is strange Sith I so lately hither came And yet in body cannot find So great a change as in my mynd My lustlesse limmes do pyne away Because my hart is dead within All liuely heat I feele decay And deadly cold his roome doth win My humors all are out of frame I frize amid'st the burning flame I haue the feauer Ethicke right I burne within consume without And hauing melted all my might Then followes death without all doubt O fearefull foole that know my greefe Yet sew and seeke for no releefe I know the tyme I know the place Both when and where my eye did vew That nouell shape that frendly face That so doth make my hart to rew O happy tyme if she inclyne If not O wourth theese lucklesse eyne I loue the seat where she did sit I kisse the grasse where she did tread Me thinkes I see that face as yet And eye that all these turmoyles breed I enuie that this seat this ground Such frendly grace and fauour found I dream't of late God grant that dreame Protend my good that she did meete Me in this greene by yonder streame And smyling did me frendly greete Where wandring dreames be iust or wrong I mind to try ere it be long But yonder comes my faythfull frend That like assaultes hath often tryde On his aduise I will depend Where I shall winne or be denyde And looke what counsell he shall giue That will I do where dye or liue CANT XLV W. S. VVEll met frend Harry what's the cause You looke so pale with Lented cheeks Your wanny face sharpened nose Shew plaine your mind some thing mislikes If you will tell me what it is Ile helpe to mend what is amisse What is she man that workes thy woe And thus thy tickling fancy moue Thy drousie eyes sighes do shoe This new disease proceedes of loue Tell what she is that witch't thee so I sweare it shall no farder go A heauy burden wearieth one Which being parted then in twaine Seemes very light or rather none And boren well with little paine The smothered flame too closely pent Burnes more extreame for want of vent So sorrowes shrynde in secret brest Attainte the hart with hotter rage Then griefes that are to frendes exprest Whose comfort may some part asswage If I a frend whose faith is tryde Let this request not be denyde Excessiue griefes good counsells want And cloud the sence from sharpe conceits No reason rules where sorrowes plant And folly feedes where fury fretes Tell what she is and you shall see What hope and help shall come from mee CANT XLVI H. W. SEest yonder howse where hanges the badge Of Englands Saint when captaines cry Victorious land to conquering rage Loe there my hopelesse helpe dothly And there that frendly foe doth dwell That makes my hart thus rage and swell CANT XLVII W. S. VVEll say no more I know thy griefe And face from whence these flames aryse It is not hard to fynd reliefe If thou wilt follow good aduyse She is no Saynt She is no Nonne I thinke in tyme she may be wonne At first repulse you must not faint Nor flye the field though she deny You twise or thrise yet manly bent Againe you must and still reply When tyme permits you not to talke Then let your pen and fingers walke Apply her still with dyuers thinges For giftes the wysest will deceaue Sometymes with gold sometymes with ringes No tyme nor fit occasion leaue Though coy at first she seeme and wielde These toyes in tyme will make her yielde Looke what she likes that you must loue And what she hates you must detest Where good or bad you must approue The wordes and workes that please her best If she be godly you must sweare That to offend you stand in feare You must commend her louing face For women
nor what I am Where worthie loue or rather shame This loue that you to straungers bare Is like to head strong horse and mule That ful-fed nyes on euery mare Whose lust outleapes the lawfull rule For here is seene your constant loue VVhome strange aspects so quickly moue Besides you know I am a wife Not free but bound by plighted oath Can loue remaine where filthy life Hath staind the soile where vertue gro'th Can loue indure where faith is fled Can Roses spring whose roote is dead True loue is constant in her choise But if I yeeld to chuse againe Then may you say with open voice This is her vse this is her vaine She yeelds to all how can you than Loue her that yeeldes to euery man CANT LIII H. W. IF feare and sorrow sharpe the wit And tip the tongue with sweeter grace Then will style must finely fit To paint my griefe and waile my case Sith my true loue is counted lust And hope is rackt in spitefull dust The cause that made me loue so soone And feedes my mind with inward smart Springs not from Starres nor yet the Moone But closly lies in secret hart And if you aske I can not tell Nor why nor how this hap befell If birth or beautie could haue wrought In lustlesse hart this loues effect Some fairer farre my loue haue sought Whose louing lookes I did reiect If now I yeeld without assault Count this my fortune or my fault You are a wife and you haue swore You will be true Yet what of this Did neuer wife play false before Nor for her pleasure strike amis Will you alone be constant still When none are chast nor euer will A man or woman first may chuse The loue that they may after loth Wo can denie but such may vse A second choice to pleasure both No fault to change the old for new So to the second they be trew Your husband is a worthlesse thing That no way can content your mind That no way can that pleasure bring Your flowring yeares desire to find This I will count my chiefest blisse If I obtaine that others misse Ther's nothing gotten to be coye The purer stampe you must detest Now is your time of greatest ioye Then loue the friend that loues you best This I will count my chiefest blisse If I obtaine that others misse CANT LIIII AVISA THat others misse you would obtaine And want of this doth make you sad I sorrow that you take such paine To seeke for that will not be had Your filed skill the power doth want VVithin this plot such trees to plant Though some there be that haue done ill And for their fancie broke their faith Yet doe not thinke that others will That feare of shame more then of death A spotlesse name is more to me Then wealth then friends then life can be Are all vnconstant all vnsound VVill none performe their sworen vow Yet shall you say that you haue found A chast and constant wife I trow And you shall see when all is doone VVhere all will yeeld and all be woone Though you haue bin at common schoole And enterd plaints in common place Yet you wil proue your selfe a foole To iudge all women void of grace I doubt not but you will be brought Soone to repent this wicked thought Your second change let them alow That list mislike their primer choice I lou'd him first I loue him now To whom I gaue my yeelding voice My faith and loue I will not giue To mortall man while he doth liue What loue is this that bids me hate The man whom nature bids me loue What loue is this that sets debate Twixt man and wife but here I proue Though smothed words seeme very kind Yet all proceed from deuilish mind CANT LV. H. W. FRom deuilish mind well wanton well You thinke your strength is very sure You thinke all women to excell And all temptations to indure These glorious braggs shew but your pride For all will yeeld if they be tride You are I hope as others bee A woman made of flesh and blood Amongst them all will you goe free When all are ill will you be good Assure your selfe I do not faine Requite my loue with loue againe Let me be hangd if you be such As you pretend in outward shoe Yet I commend your wisdome much Which mou'd me first to loue you so Where men no outward shewes detect Suspicious minds can nil suspect But to the matter tell me true Where you your fancie can incline To yeeld your loue for which I sue As fortune hath intangled mine For well I know it's nothing good To striue against the raging flood What you mislike I will amend If yeares I want why I will stay My goods and life here I will spend And helpe you still in what I may For though I seeme a headlong youth Let time be triall of my truth Your name by me shall not be crackt But let this tongue from out my iawes Be rent and bones to peeces rackt If I your secrets doe disclose Take good aduisement what you say This is my good or dismall day CANT LVI AVISA YEs so I will you may be bold Nor will I vse such strange delaies But that you shall be quickly told How you shall frame your wandring waies If you will follow mine aduise Doubt not but you shall soone be wise To loue excepting honest loue I can not yeeld assure your mind Then leaue this frutelesse sute to moue Least like to Sysyphus you find With endlesse labour gainelesse paine To role the stone that turnes againe You want no yeares but rather wit And dew forecast in that you seeke To make your choice that best may fit And this is most that I mislieke If you be free liue where you list But still beware of Had I wist Serue God and call to him for grace That he may stay your slipperie slides From treading out that sinfull trace That leades where endlesse sorrowe bides Thus shall you wisely guide your feete Though youth and wisedome seldome meete And if you find you haue no gift To liue a chast and matelesse life Yet feare to vse vnlawfull shift But marry with some honest wife With whom you may contented liue And wandring mind from folly driue Fly present pleasure that doth bring Insuing sorrow paine and griefe Of death beware the poys'ned sting That hatcheth horror sance reliefe Take this of me and in the end I shall be thought your chiefest frend CANT LVII H. W. IF then the welspring of my ioy A floud of woe in fine become If loue ingender loues annoy Then farewell life my glasse is runne If you thus constant still remaine Then must I die or liue in paine Thrice happie they whose ioyned harts Vnited wils haue linckt in one Whose eies discerne the due desarts The griping griefe and grieuous grone That faith doth breed in setled mind As fancies are by
fates inclind And shall I role the restlesse stone And must I proue the endlesse paine In curelesse care shall I alone Consume with griefe that yeelds me gaine If so I curse these eies of mine That first beheld that face of thine Your will must with my woe dispence Your face the founder of my smart That pleasant looke fram'd this offence These thrilling gripes that gall my hart Sith you this wound and hurt did giue You must consent to yeeld relieue How can I cease while fancie guides The restlesse raines of my desire Can reason rule where folly bides Can wit inthrald to will retire I little thought I should haue mist I neuer feard of Had I wist Let old men pray let setled heads Inthrall their necks to wedlocke band Shrend golden gyues who euer weds With pleasant paine shall take in hand But I will be your faithful frend If health by hope you yeeld to send CANT LVIII AVISA WHat filthy folly raging lust What beastly blindnes fancy breeds As though the Lord had not accurst With vengeance due the sinfull deeds Though vaine-led youth with pleasure swell Yet marke these words that I shall tell Who so with filthy pleasure burnes His sinfull flesh with fierie flakes Must be consum'd whose soule returnes To endlesse paine in burning lakes You seeme by this to wish me well To teach me tread the path to hell Call you this Loue that bringeth sin And sowes the seeds of heauie cheere If this be loue I pray begin To hate the thing I loue so deere I loue no loue of such a rate Nor fancie that which God doth hate But what saith he that long had tryde Of harlots all the wanton slights Beware least that your hart be tyde To sond affects by wanton sights Their wandring eies and wanton lookes Catch fooles as fish with painted hookes Their lippes with oyle and honie flow Their tongs are fraught with flattering guile Amidst these ioyes great sorrowes grow For pleasures flourish but a while Their feete to death their steps to hell Do swiftly slide that thus do mell Then flie this dead and dreadfull loue This signe of Gods reuenging ire Let loue of God such lust remoue And quench the flames of foule desire If you will count me for your frend You must both workes and words amend CANT LXI With this bitter reply of Auisa H. W. being somewhat daunted yet not altogether whithout hope went home to his house and there secretly in a melancolike passion wrote these verses following H. W. To AVISA my friendly foe THe busie Gnat about the candle houering still doth flie The slimie Fish about the bayt still wauering doth lie The fearefull Mouse about the trap doth often try his stength Vntill both Gnat and Fish and Mouse be taken at the length Euen so vnhappie I do like my greatest baine Vnlesse you do with speede release my mortall paine The light foote hart desires the waters brooke The dogge most sicke the greenest grasse doth craue The wounded wight for surgeon still doth looke Vntill both hart and dogge and wight their medicine haue But I with griefe th'vnhappiest of them all Do still delight to be my enemies thrall Mine enemie I say though yet my sweetest frend If of my sorrowes I may see some speedie holsome end FINIS Chi la dura la Vince CANT LXII AVISA her reply to H. VV. THe busie Gnat for want of wit Doth sindge his wings in burning flame The Fish with baite will headlong flit Till she be choked with the same So you with Gnat and Fish will play Till flame and foode worke your decay The heedlesse Mouse that tries the trap In hast to reach her harts desire Doth quickly find such quainte mishap That barres her strength from free retire So you will neuer ceasse to craue Till you haue lost that now you haue The hart the dogge the wounded wight For water grasse and Surgeon call Their griefes and cures are all but light But your conceite surpast them all Except you change your wanton mind You shall no ease nor comfort find Alway the same Auisa CANT LXIII H. W. prosecuteth his sute WIll not your laughty stomacke stoupe Will not this selfe conceite come downe As haggard louing mirthlesse coupe At friendly lure doth checke and frowne Blame not in this the Faulkners skill But blame the Hawkes vnbridled will Your sharp replies your frowning cheare To absent lines and present vew Doth aie redouble trembling feare And griping griefes do still renew Your face to me my sole reliefe My sight to you your onely griefe O lucklesse wretch what hap had I To plant my loue in such a soile What furie makes me thus relie On her that seekes my vtter spoile O Gods of loue what signe is this That in the first I first should mis And can you thus increase my woe And will you thus prolong my paine Canst kill the hart that loues thee so Canst quit my loue with foule disdaine And if thou canst woe worth the place Where first I saw that flattering face And shall my folly proue it trew That hastie pleasure doubleth paine Shall griefe rebound where ioye grew Of faithfull hart is this the gaine Me thinks for all your graue aduise For giue my thought you are not wise Would God I could restraine my loue Sith you to loue me can not yeeld But I alas can not remoue My fancie though I die in feeld My life doth on your loue depend My loue and life at once must end CANT LXIIII. AVISA WHat witlesse errors do possesse The wretched minds of louing fooles That breathlesse runne to such distresse That liuely heate fond sorrowe cooles They reke not where they stand or fall Deny them loue take life and all It seemes a death to change their mind Or alter once their foolish will Such od conceites they seeke to find As may their childish fancies fill It makes me smile thus now and then To see the guise of foolish men I can not stoupe to wandring lure My mind is one and still the same While breath while life while daies indure I will not yeeld to worke my shame Then if you striue and stirre in vaine Blame but the fruites of idle braine If I do sometimes looke awrie As loth to see your blobered face And loth to heare a yong man crie Correct for shame this childish race And though you weepe and waile to mee Yet let not all these follies see Good Harry leaue these raging toyes That thus from restlesse fancie flow Vnfit for men not meete for boyes And let's a while talke wisely now If that you loue me as you say Then cease such madnes to bewray If honest loue could breed content And frame a liking to your will I would not sticke to giue consent To like you so and loue you still But while lust leades your loue awrie Assure your selfe I will denie CANT LXV H. W. ANd is
on hie Still will I sing now well content am I. The praise of a contented mind THe God that framde the fixed pole and Lamps of gleaming light The azure skies and twinkling Starres to yeeld this pleasant sight In wisdome pight this perelesse plot a rare surpassing frame And so with braue and sweete delights haue fraught and dect the same That euery creature keepes his course his compasse and his place And with delightfull ioye runnes his pointed time and race In one consent they friendly ioyne from which they can not fall As if the Lord had first ordainde one soule to guide them all In euery part there doth remaine such loue and free consent That every frame doth kisse his lot and cries I am content The Articke pole that neuer moues by which the shipmen saile Craues not to change his frizen Axe nor from his place to steale The fixed Starres that sildome range delight their circles so That from their choise by wanton change they neuer yeeld to go The Sunne and Moone that neuer hide their braue resplendent raies Did neuer wish in wauering will to change their wonted waies The roaring Sea with ebbs and tides that leapes against the land Is yet content for all his rage to stay within his band The flooting Fish the singing Bird all beasts with one consent To liue according to their kind do shew them selues content So that by practise and by proofe this sentence true I find That nothing in this earth is like a sweete contented mind The beasts the Birds and ayrie powers do keepe their compasse well And onely man aboue the rest doth loue for to rebell This onely man the Lord aboue with reason did indue Yet onely man vngratefull man doth shew himselfe vntrue No sooner was braue Adam made but Sathan wrought his thrall For not content aspiring pride procurde his suddaine sall The princely Primerose of the East proud Eua gaue consent To change her blisse to bale for that her mind was not content Thus may the darkest eie perceiue how follie strikes vs blind Thus may we see the often change of mans vnconstant mind The Moone the Sea by natures course do not so often change As do the wits and wanton wils of such as loue to range The rangling rage that held from home Vlisses all too long Made chast Penelope complaine of him that did her wrong The lothsome daies and lingering nights her time in spinning spent She would not yeeld to change her choice because she was content Such calme content doth plainely shew that loue did much abound Where free consent breeds not content such faith is seldome found For carelesse Crysed that had gin her hand her faith and hart To Troylus her trustie friend yet falsely did depart And giglot like from Troye towne to Grecians campe would goe To Diomede whom in the end she found a faithless foe For hauing fliu'd the gentle slip his loue was turnd to hate And she a leaper did lament but then it was too late Now foolish fancie was the cause this Crysed did lament For when she had a faithfull friend she could not be content Ten thousand fell at Troyes siege whose bloud had not bene spent If fickle headded Hellen could at first haue bene content You can not in the Serpents head such deadly poyson find As is the fained loue that liues with discontented mind Of all the wisdome of the wise that I could euer tell This wisdome beares the chiefest sway to stay when we be well As sweetest Musicke rudely iarres except there be consent So hottest loue doth quickly coole except it be content Of all the braue resounding words which God to man hath lent This soundeth sweetest in mine eare to say I am content Euer or Neuer FINIS LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Windet dwelling at Pauls wharfe at the signe of the crosse Keyes and are there to be solde 1594. Theodoret. eccles hist. lib 5. cap. 17. Theodor. ecc hist. li. 4. c. 10 Eusebius lib. 8. cap. 24. cap. 27. Lok for Blandina in Eusebius â— rare example of constancy fortitude Beautie without riches is as a faire picture without life Iealosie breedes enuy Both together breed frenzie yet neither of them both can preuaile against wandring fancie A straunge bayte A good gift 2. Chro. 15. 16 Numer 25. 6. Cornelius Agrippa â—right Caueleiro â— Cor. 5. Reuela 12. A young man was striken blind for looking dishonestly vpon a godly woman The Locrenses vse to put out both the eyes of the adulterers The law Iulia in Rome put adulterers to the sword The Arabians doe the like Catullus Tum â—am nulla viro â—uranti foemina credat Nulla viri â—eret sermoâ—es esse fideles Qui dum aliquid cupiens â—nimus praegeâ—tit apisci Nil metuunt iuraâ—e nihil promittere parâ—unt Sed simul ac cupidae mentis satiata libido est Dicta nihil metuere nihil periuria curant Combat betweene reasoÌ„ and appetite No constant loue where vnconstant affections rule That loue only constant that is grounded on vertue Canol cole found in many places of England Nympaus locuâ— Leonicus de varia Histor. foâ— 98. By the Ionian Sea there is a place that burnes continually and the more water is cast into it the more it flames The roote Ba aras is good to deliuer them that are possessed with euill sprites Iosephus Time purgeth cholericke humors and the bloud Difficile est diligere Sapere Vulteius Non si foeminium crebro caput igne refuÌ„ das Ingenii mutes prima metalla sui In Italy is a certaine water that falleth into the Riuer Anion of colour white and at first seemes to bee wonderfull colde but being a while in it it heateth the body more extreamely Leonicus de va ria Histor. In Plato his common wealth all women were common con trary to the commandement of God Exod. 20 14. Leuit 18. 20. 29. Strange pleasure seemes sweete at the beginning but their end is as bitter worme wood Prouer. 5. 3. 4. Prouer. 6. 27. Non tanti emam paenitcre Filthy heathen lawes In Cyprus their maydens before the time of their mariage were set open to euery man to gaine their dowrie Iustine The Babilonians had a custome that if any were poore they should procure their daughters and wiues to get mony with their bodies Herodot Formosae pretio capiuntur auarae Imitantur hamos Dona. Foemina prostituit seseque Munera donat Femina se vendit quae data dona capit Vulteius The woman â—hat receiueth giftes of such sutors selleth her selfe her liberty O violata vale vale ô violata placebas Inuiolata noces nunc violata mihi Vulteius Sic virgo dum intacta manet tuÌ„ chara suis sed cum amisit polluto corpore storem Nec pueris iucunda manet nec chara puellis Catullus 〈◊〉 vetera toâ— â—unera creâ— mihi plaâ—nt homiâ—sque Deosque Wicked wiles â—o deceaue witles women To dispaire of good successe in the beginning of any action is alwayes a secret most certaine forewarning of ill successe that indeed doth often follow Audaces fortuna iuuat timidosque repellit Idlenesse the mother of all foolish wannesse Dauid being idle fell to strange lust Quaeritur Egistus quare sit factus Adulter In promptâ— causa est Desidiosus erat Noblemen gentlemen and Captaynes by idlenesse fall to all kynd of vices Fuggi quel piacer presente che ti da dolor futuro Gen. 38. 24 Whoremoungers burnt Prouer. 5. 3. Sixaine Quatraine Deuxaine A bad argument to proue good loue These verses exceed meaâ—ure to shew that his affecâ—ions keepe no â—ompasse and â—is exceeding â—oue