morning light here present eft to bée To this full fayne would Pyramus replyed haue agayne But part as néede inforst they must as they did ordayne Ere mornings dawne they doo arise straight repayre they then Unto the fore appoynted place Pyrame thus began MYne entyer soule what prison dollours What hard distresse and rare deuysed woes Of mée thine owne thy captiue Pyramus Haue so sought this life from boddy to vnlose Hard were to tell the tenth that haue it strained With thought hereof great wonders mée amaze How my poore lyfe the halfe may haue sustayned O Thisbie mine owne whom it only stayes And at whose will the fates doo lend mée breath Yet may I not the fatall stroke eschew Ne scape the dinte of fast pursuing death Onles your bounty present mercy shew And this I trust there may no ielous thought Haue any place within my Thisbies brest To cause her déeme I am or may be caught With loue but hers wheron my life doth rest No bée assured for yours I onely taste Yours was the first and shall bée first and last Why my most swéet quoth Thisbie then agayne I doubt not I but know ye are all true Or how may cause of your vndoubted payne With her be hyd who hourely as it grew None other felt but euen what yée haue had Yet thinke not swéet I taste your gréefes alone Or make estéeme as yée of mée haue made But ten times more if that more wo begone Might euer bee a wretched maydens brest Where neuer yet one iot of ioy might rest Well then my ioy quoth Pyrame since yée please With so greater loue to guerdon my good will Safe am I now but great were mine ease If more at full I might my fancy fill With nearer sight of your most pleasant face Or if I might your dayntie fingers straine Or as I woont your body once embrace What say I ease nay heauen then were my gayne Howbeit in vayne in vayne ay mée I waste Both worde and winde woes mée alas therfore For neuer shall my hart O Thisbie taste So great an hap nor neuer shall wée more In folded armes as woont were to bewray Eche others state ne neuer get the grace Of any ioy vnlesse wée doo assay To finde some meane for other méeting place Beholde alas this wicked cruell wall Whose cursed scyte denayeth vs perfect sight Much more the hap of other ease at all What if I should by force as well one might And yet deserues it batter flat to ground And open so an issue large to make Yet feare I sore this sooner will redownde To our reproche if it I vndertake As glad I would then vs to helpe or ayde Swéet hart quoth shee wherwith shée stopt his tale This standes full yll to purpose to be made And time it askes too long for to preuayle Without suspect to flat or batter euen Naythlesse yée this or what ye can deuise For our repayre by thought that may be driuen Say but the meane I will none otherwise Yée Thisbie mine in sooth and say you so â–ª Quoth Pyramus well then I doo you know Where King Minus lyes buried long ago Whose auncient Tombe aboue doth ouergrow A Mulbery with braunches making shade Of pleasant show the place right large about There if yée please when slepe hath ouerlade And with his might the Cittie seas'de throughout At the same Well whose siluer streames then runne And softe as silke conserue the tender gréene With hue so fresh as springtied spent and dunne No winters wéede hath power to bée séene Without suspect or feare of foule report There goddesse mine wee salfely may resort TO this shee said what shée best thought and oft and oft agayne Was talke renued but yet at last for ease of euery payne And death to eschue by other meane who will them not forsake At Minus Tombe euen the same night they do their méeting make And so depart but fore God wot that day doth them offend And though but short his long abode the feare will neuer end And sooner doth not cloake of night alofte his shadow cast But Thisbie mindefull of her loue and promis lately past Of fresh new loue far fiercer flames that erst her hart opprest Shée féelth the force and this alas deuorced stil from rest Shée passeth forth in carefull watch till time haue shapen so That sâ—epe with sweet soft stealing steps his customd vsage do And when shée séeth both house and all drownd therin fast déepe With fearful pace trimbling hand shée forwards gins to creepe Shee gaines the doore out goeth she then neyther far ne neare Appeareth wyght saue Phebe fayre with gladsom seeming cheare Sole Thisbie ioyfull of this guyde doth ay I trust it bee Good lucke thy presence doth import and bring at last to mee More hardyer then before shee did prouoke her foote to hast No obiect giues her cause of let till shee the towne haue past And when shee seeth the pleasant fields in safetie to haue gayned Then ioy therof all dread deuoures which erst her only payned What wil ye more th' appointed place at length she doth attayne Till Fortune please her loue to send there minding to remayne And whiles shee doth the fouÌ„tayn cleare with thoughtful hope behold And euery let her loue may stay vnto her selfe vnfolde A dreadfull Lyon downe desendes from Mountaine huge therby With thundring pace whose sodain sight wheÌ„ Thisbie can espy No maruel was though terror then straungenes of the sight Within a simple maydens brest all counsayle put to flight Howbeit though counsayle fayld yet feare so did that place possesse That as the tender brest whose age no feare did yet oppresse Now seeth his foe with rauening Iaw him ready to receaue Sets winges vnto his littell legs himselfe poore foole to saue Euen so this Mayd her enemy flees vnto a hollow trée For succor flyes whose ruthful mone did succor not denye But close her keepes The Liones fearce that in the Mountayne wilde Deuoured had new slaughtred beastes empty belly filde With moossell all embrude with blood drawes to the cristal Well Hee dranke and in his backe returne this fatall hap befell Amid this way a kercheife white which frighted Thisbie had Let fall by chaunce as feare and haste vnto the tree her lad This Lion findes and with his mouth yet smoaking all in gore â–ª And armid pawes it staynes with blood and all in sunder tore That doone away hee windes as fier of Hell or Vulcans thunder Blew in his tayle or as his corps it seas â–ª d to teare a sunder Now Pyramus who could not earst the wrathfull house forgo Hath past the towne and as hee drew the Fountayn neare vnto The cloth hee spies which when alas all stained so hee saw In sunder tore the ground about full traste with Lyons paw The Siluer streames with strekes of blood besprent and troubled new And there again that cursed trace the woful
By vewing of thy face Full oft it ioyes my hart To kisse â–ª that clot of clay From whence thou shot those louing lookes Which bred my whole decay O blessed place I cry Though woorker of my payne Render I craue most hartely To mee my loue agayne Not wofull Monsier dom Dieg Or Priams noble sonne Constrayned by loue did euer mone As I for thée haue donne Sir Romeus annoy But trifle seemes to mine Whose hap in winning of his loue Did clue of cares vntwine My sorrowes haue no ende My hap no ioy can spie The flowing Fountayne of my teares Beginneth to waxe drie Let pitty then requyte my payne O woorker of my woe Let mercy milde possesse thy harte Which art my freendly foe Receiue the hart which heare I yeeld into her hand Which made by force a breach in Fort Which I could not withstande Thou hast in Ballance paysd My life and eke my death Thy loyalty contaynes my ioy Disdayne will stop my breath If constant loue may reape his hire And fayth may haue his due Good hope I haue your gentill hart My grislie greefe will rue And that at length I shall My hartes delight imbrace When due desart by curtesie Shall purchace mee thy grace Untill which time my deare Shall still increase my payne In pensiue thoughtes and heauinesse Because I shall remayne FINIS ¶ A Caueat to yongmen to shun the snares of Cupids crafty sleightes IF euer wight had cause to mone or wayle with bitter teares His wretched life and wofull plight that still in languish weares Then haue I cause that late haue lodgde â–ª such loue within my hart With gréefe with payne with pyning panges â–ª my body boyles in smart O earth why doost not thou my wofull plight sustayne O surging Seas with swallowing gulfe release mee of this payne For languishing loue with dolefull doomes â–ª hath layd my hart in brine O wofull wretch O wicked wight That so for loue doth pine The Sonne that shines with golden beames and dries the dewie flowers Doth cause mée wretch with blubbering eyes to gush forth extreame showers The hermony of chirping birdes that ioyes with siluer songes Eche lyuing wight doth cause my cares to fill my hart with thronges Eche gladsome ioy of mundaine glée That glads the worldly minde Doth heape vp cares on carefull corps agaynst all course of kinde And so eche thing that ought delight and rid the minde from pause Contrariwise agaynst all right a thousand cares doth cause For when that I in sugred sleepe most swéetly should take rest Then doo I wring my wofull handes and beate my dolefull brest And if I chaunce on sleepe to fall a thousand dreames I haue And doo suppose I her embrace whose want will cause my graue And then with gladsome hart I ioy thus cleane depriued of wo But oh alas when that I wake I finde it nothing so And then my sighes from sobbing harte doth reaue my brest in twayne And teares that run from blubbered eyes doth more encrease my payne And when I should sustayne my lyfe and féeble corps with foode Unsauory séemes it vnto mee eache thing should doo mee good Amidst the nipping frostes I broyle in pearching heate I freese And thus agaynst all course of kinde for loue my lâ—fe I leese Wo woorth the time that first I lodgde thy sâ—oyling loue in harte You yonge men al bée warnd by mée And shun blinde Cupids Darte FINIS ¶ The aged Louers noate at length to learne to dye WHy askest thou the cause Wherfore I am so sad Thou knowst wheÌ„ age on draws No creature can bee glad And sith shée hath mée rested And threatned mee to die Therfore I am sequestred All mirth for to denie And now with feeble age The rest of all my dayes My couÌ„tenance must be ful sage Since that my life decayes Like as the harte of Oke By time doth rot at last Like time doth age prouoke With time my hart doth brast Lo thus by course of time My youth is gone and past And now the turne is mine Of bitter death to taste And noate that I haue sayd The cause wherof and why My youthfull partes be playde And I must learne to die FINIS ¶ The desperate Louer exclaymeth his Ladyes cruelty and threatneth to kill himselfe MY ioyful dayes bée past My plasant yeres be gone My life it may not last My graue and I am one My mirth and all is fled And I a man in woo Desireth to bee dead My mischâ—â—fe to forgoe I burne and am a colde I freese in middest of fire I sée shée dooth with hold That most I doo desire I sée that shée doth sée And yet shee wil be blinde I see in healpinge mee Shée seeketh and wil not finde I sée how shée doth wrye When I begin to mone I see when I come nye How fayn shée would be gone I see shee knoweth my harte And how I doo complayne I see shâ—â— knoweth my smarte Shee seeth I doo not fayne I see my helpe at hand I see my death also I see where shee doth stand I see my cruell fo I see what would you more Shee would mee gladly kill And shee shall see therfore That shee shall haue her will. I cannot liue by stones It is to harde a food I would be dead at once to doo my Lady good Shee shall haue her request And I will haue mine ende Lo heeâ—e my blouddy brest To please her most vnkinde FINIS ¶ The Louer beeing blinded with the faythlesse loue of his Lady is contented to remit her fault vpon promis of amendment SInce that thou diddest mee loue When lust did thee prouoke And that thou doost well proue That I cannot reuoke My fréendship fast my loue nor my good will Shew some reléefe least in dispayre I spill How well I was content â—lwayes to follow thée How well I did assent Thy thrall aye for to bee Thy selfe can iudge to whom I doo appeale By sentence lo to yeeld mee wo or weale But if thou mée forsake As Cressid that forgot True Troylus her make And that thy hart is whot On him whom shame did force thée once his fayth to flie I see no hope but that hee must yéeld forth himself to die And though thou thinke that I Am loth theâ— too forgoe Yet shall I rather die Then liue and please my foe But hindre him in loue all others doth refrayne Whose treasoÌ„ once did mée purchace thy due disdain FINIS ¶ A worthy comparison of Vertue agaynst all worldly pompe WHen that I way with wit and eke consider now The tickle stay of her that Fortunes whéele doth bow And turne euen at her will such luck loe as shee list No thread so surely spâ—nne but that shee may vntwist I can but aye lament and wayle the lacke of them That in her holde doo trust weighing they are but men For if I were a Lorde and come of high degree And had all thing at
and could not flée Though ment in prayse yet far amis I take it written bée Shée is none such as if shée would that any would disdayne But for the smartes of others gréefes of pitty shee did playne As one most lothe of any lyfe for loue of her bee loste Or that with blud or cruell deedes men write her beauties boste For mercy is in M her brest and modest is her life A courtuous mayd and like to prooue a constant worthy wife FINIS ¶ The Louer deceyued by his Ladyes vnconstancy writeth vnto her as foloweth THe heat is past that did mee fret The fier is out that nature wrought The plantes of youth that I did set Are dry and dead within my thought The Frost hath slayne the kindly sap That kept the hart in liuely state The sodayne storme and thunder clap Hath turned loue to mortall hate The myst is gon that bleard mine eyes The lowring cloudes I see appeare Though that the blinde eate many flyes I would you knew my sight is cleare Your sweete deceyuing flattryng face Did make mee thinke that you were white I muse how you had such a grace To séeme a Hauke and bée a kyte Where precious ware is to be solde They shall it haue that giueth most All things wée see are woon with Golde Few things is had where is no cost And so it fareth now by mée Because I preace to giue no gyftes Shee takes my sute vnthankfully And driues mée of with many dryftes Is this th' end of all my sute For my good will to haue a skorne Is this of all my paynes the frute To haue the chafte in steade of corne Let them that lyst posses such drosse For I deserue a better gayne Yet had I rather leaue with losse Then serue and sue and all in vayne FINIS ¶ A true description of Loue. ASke what loue is it is a passion Begun with rest and pampred vp in play Planted on sight and nourished day by day With talke at large for hope to graze vpon It is a short ioy long sought and soone gon An endles maze wherin our willes doo stray A gylefull gaine repentance is the pay A great fier bred of small occasion A plague to make our fraylty to vs knowen Where wée therby are subiecte to their lay Whose fraylty ought to leaue vntill our stay In case our selues this custome had not knowen Of hope and health such creatures for to pray Whose glory resteth chéefly on denaye FINIS ¶ The Louer to his beloued by the name of fayre and false O Cruell hart with falsehood infecte of force I must complayne Whose poyson hid I may detect as cause doth mée constrayn Thy name I shryne within my brest thy déedes though I doo tell No minde of malice I protest thy selfe doth know it well If thy deserts then bids mée write I cannot well reuoke it I shall not spare to shew thy spite I will no longer cloake it As Troylus truth shall bée my shéeld to kepe my pen from blame So Cressids crafte shall kepe the féeld for to resound thy shame Vlisses wife shall mate the sore whose wishly troth doth shine Well Fayre and False I can no more thou art of Helens lyne And daughter to Diana eke with pale and deadly cheare Whose often chaunge I may well like two moonthes within the yeare FINIS ¶ The Louer describeth his paynfull plight and requireth speedy redresse or present death THe slaue of seruile sort that borne is bond by kinde Doth not remayne in hope with such vnquiet minde Ne tossed crasid Ship with yrksome surging seas So gréedely the quiet Port doth thirst to ride at ease As I thy short returne with wishing vowes require In hope that of my hatefull harmes the date will then expire But time with stealing steps and driery dayes doth driue And thou remaynst then bound to come if that thou bée aliue O cruell Tygars whelpe who had thy hand in holde When y with flattering pen thou wrotst thy help at hand behold Beleeue it to bee true I come without delay A foole and silly simple soule yet doost thou still betray Whose mooueles loue and trust doth reason far surmount Whom Cupids trumpe to fatall death hath sommond to accompt My fayth and former life fed with such frendly fier Haue not of thee by iust reward deserued such falts hyer I promisse thee not mine but thy case I bewayle What infamy may greater bee then of thy fayth to fayle How ofte with humble sute haue I besought the sonne That hee would spur his Coursers fearce their race more swifte to ronne To th' end with quicker speed might come the promised day The day which I with louing lookes and weary will did pray But thou art sure disposde to glory in my death Wherfore to feede thy fancy fond loe here I ende my breath I can not sighe nor sob away by playnt I pine I see my fatall fainting file ye Sisters doo vntwine The Feriman I finde prest at the Riuer side To take mee in his restles Boate therin with him to ride And yet although I sterue through thy dispitous fault Yet craue I not in my reuenge that harme should thee assault But rather that thy fame eternally may shine And that eche to thine auayle aboundantly encline That eche thine enterprise hath luckye lot and chaunce And stable fortune thine estate from day to day aduaunce That Sun that Moone that starres and eke the plannets all The fier the water and the earth may fréendly to thée fal That many quiet yeres thou number may with rest Uoyd of all annoyes and gréeues as may content thee best And if that foraine loue torment and vexe thy harte God yeeld thy weary wanting wish and swagement of thy smart With froward flearing face at mee if Fortune frowne Thou doost reioyce and I not so but ioy thy good renowne And if I thée offend for that I doo thée loue Forgiue it mée for force it is I can it not remoue For I in secret sort these lines to thée did I write My weakned wearied hand hensforth shall sease for to endyte That letters to receiue from mée thou néede not muse The messenger that next of all of mée shal bring the newes Dissolued from the corps shal be my dolefull spright That first vnsheaâ—hd shal passe to thée when hée hath vewd thy sight Contented hee shall go vnto the heauens aboue In case that ioyed rested place may gayne it any loue And now for that my death thy name may spot and stayne If that the flying fame therof to others eares attayne I will not it were red or knowen by other wayes That thou art only cause I thus in ruthe doo ende my dayes Wherfore this Letter red condemne it to the flame And if thou doo thy honnor forse I know thou wilt thesame And if in lingring time vnwares they chaunce to come Wherin the entrayles of the earth shall hap to bee my tombe
At least yet graunt mee this it is a small request O happy wythered pyned corps God send thy soule good rest FINIS ¶ The Lady beloued assureth her Louer to bee his owne and not to change while life doth last DEare hart as earst I was so will I stil remayne Till I am dead and more if more may bee Howsoeuer loue do yeeld mee ioy or payne Or Fortune lyst to smyle or frowne on mee No chaunging chaunce my fast fayth may constrayne No more then Waues or beating of the Sea May stir the stedfast rocke that will not ply For fayre nor fowle one inche no more will I. A file or knife of lead shall sooner carue The Diamant vnto what forme you will Ere Fortunes dynte compell mee for to swarue Or the ire of Loue to breake my constant will Yée sooner shall the law of nature starue When Ryuers take their course agaynst the hill Ere sodayne hap for better or for worse Disturâ—e my thoughts to take a better course With hartes consent my loue you doo possesse A surer holde may chaunce then many wéene The fayth by othe that subiectes doo confesse To their new prince is seldome stronger séene No fyrmer state than that which loue doth sure expresse Of Kinge ne Keyser hitherto hath béen So that you néede not fortifie your hould With Towre or Ditch least others win it should For though you set no Souldiers for defence For all assaults this one may yet suffise It is not goods can alter my pretence No gentle hart yéeldes to so vile a prise Though crowne and septier few would dispise Not beauty méete to moue a wauering minde Yet more then yours I wot not where to finde And feare you not what forme my hart once tooke Least any new print shall the same deface So deepe therin ingraued is your looke As neuer may bée wyped from that place My hart like Waxe so lightly did not brooke More then one stroke ere Cupid brought to passe One splint of skale therof to take away The best reserued your Image to pourtray That like as what stone it selfe best desendeth And hardiest is with toole to bee graue Doth sooner breake in péeces then it bendeth To looze the stampe afore my hand it gaue Euen so the nature of my hart contendeth As hard is this as any stone you haue Though forse do breake it vnto péeces small Those péeces somewhat you resemble shall FINIS ¶ In the prayse of the rare beauty and manifolde vertues of Mistres D. as followeth IF Chawcer yet did lyue whose English tongue did passe Who sucked dry Pernassus spring and raste the Iuice there was If Surrey had not scalde the height of Ioue his Throne Unto whose head a pillow softe became Mount Helycon They with their Muses could not haue pronounst the fame Of D. faire Dame lo a staming stock the chéefe of natures frame They would but haue eclipsed her beauties golden blast Nor Ouid yet of Poets Prince whose wits all others past Olde Nestor with his tongue and flowing dew so sweete Would rather haue berefte her right then pend her praises méete In Helens heauenly face whose grace the Greekes bought deare For whose defence prowd Troy did fal such forme did not appeare In Hectors sister loe who Pirhus Father rapte Did not abound sutch beauty bright as now to D hath hapt For D doth passe as far Dame Venus with her prise As Venus did the other two by doome of Paris wise If shée had present béen within the walles of Ide They would not had such discord then nor Paris iudgd that side In minde all voyd of doubt they straight agréed would That D should of good right the Aple haue of Golde Whom as I must beleeue that nature did create To rob the hartes of noble Kings and courage stoute to mate Her forhead seemely spaste wherin doo shine her eyes No whit vnlike to starres by night or beame when Phebus ryse Her haire that shines like golde her shoulders couer whight To which no snow on Mountayne highe may be compared right Her mouth well compast small in smylings vtters forth A treasure riche of Orient Pearle therto no Golde more worth I feare much Promethius fall dare no further wade Whom loue embraced with the shape that hee so finely made Yet this I dare presume one thought of her may draw A harte of Iron and it subdue vnto blinde Cupids law I sorrow to recite the bitter teares that flow Within the eyes of other Dames that beauty know I weepe to wayle in minde the burning slights that flame In troubled hartes of Natures case in spreading of her fame They all doo curse themselues of Nature makes complaynt That shee on them had smal regard that did her thus depaynt Of her doth nobles spring and sutors sue for grace And Fountaines eke of sugred speech where voice can take no place Here Pallas should haue lost her prayse for wisdome great Who gendred was of Ioue his braines wher wisdom toke his seat Here wise Vlisses wyfe whose chastnesse brued her fame Should matched bee ye mated eke in ventring of thesame Prowde Tarquin with his force which Lucresse did defile Could not haue spoyled faire D. so with neither sound nor gyle This Dame I thinke bee such that heauen can vndermine And lifte the earth vnto the skyes eche stone a star to shine If passed time alas might now returne agayne And all the wittes that euer was would herein take the payne They could not at the ful no due giftes expresse A wight vnfit to bée in earth in heauen no such goddesse Whose name shall floorish still though Atropos with spight In running from her deuelish Den bereaue vs of this light Though Thesiphon do cut her time of life a way Her cankred Swoord cannot assayle her fame for to decay For wee in these our dayes our selues may better quight To geue to her the cheefest prayse then Paris which did right Lesse hatred cannot want though power for to reuenge Our stately house as they did Troy their force doth faile to senge Their might if it were like these verses wee should rew With no lesse payne then Ouid did whose greefe by Muses grew FINIS Prety parables and Prouerbes of Loue. I Spake when I ment not in spéeding to gayne I sought when I sped not but trauaild in vayne I found where I feard not would writh with the wind I loste where I lou'd not nor forâ—â—d to finde Nothing in which truth is not trustie But double is such and beauty but rustie I coole with the colde I leue that I like not I know not the olde that rotteth and ripes not I sauor no such that fondly doth fauor I care not to much for such sory sauor I taste or I try in parte or in all I care not a flye the losse is but small I labor at leasure I pricke without payne In vsing for pleasure beates in my brayne I spare not in byrding to
fayth and troth fixed approoued vniust Sing willow willow will Are you shée which constant for euer would stand And yet will you giue mée the willow Garland Willow willow willow singe all of gréene willow Sing all of gréene willow shall bée my Garland What motion hath moude you to maske in delight Sing all of gréene willow What toy haue you taken why séeme you to spight Sing willow willow willow Your loue which was ready for aye to indure Willow willow willow willow According to promise most constant and sure Willow willow willow willow What gallant you conquerd what youth mooude your minds Sing all of gréene willow To leaue your olde Louer and bée so vnkinde Singe willow willow willow To him which you plighted both fayth troth and hand For euer yet giues mee the willow Garland Willow willow willow singe all of greene willow Sing all of greene willow shall bee my Garland Hath wealth you allured the which I doo want Sing all of greene willow Hath pleasant deuises compeld you recant Sing willow willow willow Hath feature forste you your words to deny Willow willow willow willow Or is it your fashion to cog and to lye Willow willow willow willow What are your sweet smiles quite turnd into lowres Sing all of green willow Or is it your order to change them by howres Sing willow willow willow What haue you sufficient thinke you in your hand To pay for the making of my willow Garland Willow willow willow singe all of greene willow Sing all of greene willow shall bee my Garland Farewell then most fickle vntrue and vniust Sing all of greene willow Thy deedes are yll dealings in thee is no trust Willow willow willow willow Thy vowes are vncertayne thy wordes are but winde Willow willow willow willow God graunt thy new louer more trusty thee finde Willow willow willow willow Be warned then gallants by proofe I vnfolde Sing willow willow willow Mayds loue is vncertayne soone hot and soone colde Sing willow willow willow They turne as the reed not trusty they stand Which makes mee to weare the willow Garland Willow willow willow singe all of greene willow Sing all of greene willow shall bee my Garland FINIS A gloze of fawning freendship NOw cease to sing your Syren songes I leaue ech braue delight Attempt no more the wounded corps which late felt fortunes spight But rather helpe to rue with sorowing sobs come mone My lucklesse losse from wealth to woe by fickle fortune throwne I once had freends good store for loue no drosse I tryde For hauing lost my goods on Seas my freends would not abide Yet hauing neede I went to one of all I trusted moste To get releefe hee answerd thus go packe thou peuish poste His wordes did pearce my tender brest and I as mazde did stand Requesting him with pitteous plaints to giue his helping hand Content thy selfe quoth hee to serue my owne estate I haue not I yet am I greeu'd to see thy lucklesse fate Ah fie of fawning freends whose eyes attentiue bee To watch and warde for lukers sake with cap and bended knee Would God I had not knowne their sweet and sugered speach Then had my greefe the lesser bin experience mee doth teach FINIS A Maze of Maydens WHo goes to gaze of euery gallant girle And castes his eyes at euery glauncing gloze Whose masking minde with euery motion moou'd In fine shall finde his fancy fraught with woes For pleasure spent is but a wishing vayne By crooked chaunce depriude of braue delight Cut of by care a heape of hurtfull harmes Our gaze vngaynd which whilome pleasde our sight Our baunts doo vade our pleasures passe away Our sugerest swéetes reapes sorowing sobs in fine Our braggest boast of beauties brauest blaze To forowed browes doth at the length resigne Our foolish fancy filde with filthy vice Pursues his hurt vnto anothers harmes A houering hart with euery gloze enticed gaynes lothsome-loue whence nought but sorow swarmes Leaue then to gaze of euery glauncing gloze Contemne the sleights of beauties sugerest bate Whose outward sheath with colours braue imbost Shuns cruell craft and enuious hurtfull hate FINIS A short Epistle written in the behalfe of N.B. to M.H. DEare Lady deckt with cumlynesse To counteruayle my clemency Bee prest I pray in readynesse To yeeld your courteous curtesie Let mee you finde Penelope In minde and loyall hart So shall I your Vlisses bée Till breathing lyfe depart Yelde loue for loue to him who lykes To liue in lynckes of loyalty And graunt him grace who nothing séekes For his good will but curtesy Let mee your bondmen fauour â—nde To gratefie my willing harte Whom no attempt to please your minde Shall hynder mee to play my parte Permit mee not in lingring sorte To labour in a barrayn soyle Ne giue occasion to reporte How loytryng loue reapes troubled toyle But let mee say my hart obtaynd The gloze which pleasd my glauncing eyes And that I haue for guerdon gaynd The best that in my Lady lyes So shall I boast of that which best Doth please the prime of my desire And glory in a gayned rest Which through your fauour I aspire FINIS A vew of vayn glory WHat motion more may mooue a man to minde His owne estate then proofe whose dayes vnsure Accounted are vnto a puffe of winde A breathing blast whose force can not endure Whose lyuely showes consumes whose pompe decayes Whose glory dyes whose pleasures soone be spent Whose stoutest strength to weakenes subiect stayes Whose thoughts bee vaine and vade as though vnment What haue wée then to vaunt or glory in Sith all is vayne wherin wée take delight Why should wée boast or brag sith nought wée win In fine but death to whom yéeldes euery wight To equall state hée bringeth each degrée Hée feareth none all subiects yéeldes to death To dâ—nkish dust hée driueth all wée sée Which in the world enioyeth any breath Why vaunt wée then in that wée sée is vayne Or take delight in that wée proue but drosse Why glory wee or séeke for golden gayne Sith at the length wee reape therof but losse Wée lothe to leaue our hutches filde with golde Our annual rents it gréeues vs to forgo Our buildings braue which glads vs to beholde Our pleasant sport it gréeues vs to forgo Wée nothing brought ne ought shall carry hence Lyfe lost behinde goods mony land wée leaue And naked shall returne assured whence Before wée came when death doth life bereaue Line then to leaue thy life in euery howâ—r Learne how to lead thy minde from vayne desire Of filthy drosse whose sugerest sweet is sower When dreadfull death shall yéeld our earthly hire What is our world but vayne fraught full of vice Wherin wée liue allured by disceat Which vs in youth to error doth entice And sturs vs vp in flamed by follyes heat Our mindes are mooued with euery fond desire Wee gloze in that the which wée see vnsure Wée vsuall séeke great
dolefull case Where walkes no wight but I alone in drewsie desart place And there I empt my laden hart that sweld in fretting mone My sighes and playnts and panges I tell vnto my selfe alone What shall I say doo aske mee once why all these sorowes bee â–ª I answere true O foe or freend they all are made for thee Once knit the lynck that loue may last then shal my dollors ceasâ— It lyes in thee and wilt thou not the yeelding wight release O would to God it lay in mée to cure such gréefe of thine Thou shouldst not long be voyd of helpe if t were in power of mine But I would run range in stormes a thousand miles in payne Not fearing foyle of freends to haue my couÌ„tenance whole agayn And wilt thou then all mercylesse more longer torment mee In drawing backe sith my good helpe is only whole in thée Then send mée close y hewing knife my wider wound to stratch And thou shalt see by wofull gréefe of life a cleane dispatch When thou shalt say and prooue it true my hart entirely lou'd Which lost the life for countnance swéet froÌ„ whoÌ„ hée neuer mou'd Write then vpon my wofull Tombe these verses grauen aboue Heere lyes the hart his truth to trie that lost his life in loue Loe saue or spill thou mayst mee now thou sitst in iudgment hie Where I poore man at Bar doo stand and lowd for life doo cry Thou wilt not bée so mercylesse to slea a louing hart â–ª Small prayse it is to conquer him that durst no where to start Thou hast the sword that cut the wound of my vnholâ—en payne Thou canst and art the only helpe to heale the same agayne Then heale the hart that loues theé well vntill the day hée dye And firmely fast thy loue on him that 's true continually In thée my wealth in thee my woe in thée too saue or spill In thee mee lyfe in thee my death doth rest to worke thy will. Let vertue myxt with pitty great and louing mercy saue Him who without thy salue so sicke that hee must yeeld to graue O salue thou then my secret sore sith health in thee dooth stay And grauÌ„t with speed my iust request whose want works my decay Then shal I blesse the pleasaÌ„t place where once I tooke thy gloue And thanke the God who giues thée grace to grauÌ„t me loue for loue FINIS ¶ A louing Epistle written by Ruphilus a yonge Gentilman to his best beloued Lady Elriza as followeth TWice hath my quaking hand withdrawen this pen away And twice againe it gladly would before I dare béewray The secret shrined thoughts that in my hart do dwell That neuer wight as yet hath wist nor I desire to tell But as the smoothered cole doth wast and still consume And outwardly doth geue no heate of burnyng blaze or fume So hath my hidden harmes béen harbred in my corpce Till faintyng limmes and life and all had welnigh lost his force Yet stand I halfe in doubt whiche of these two to choose To hide my harmes still to my hurt or els this thraldome loose I will lay feare aside and so my tale beginne Who neuer durst assaile his foe did neuer conquest win Lo here my cause of care to thée vnfolde I will Help thou Minerua graunt I pray some of thy learned skill Help all you Muses nine my wofull Pen to write So stuffe my verse with pleasant wordes as she may haue delight With héedyng eares to reade my gréeif and great vnrest Some wordes of plaint may moue perhaps to pitty my request Oft haue I hard complaint how Cupid beares a sway In brittle youth and would commaund and how they did obay When I with skorning eares did all their talke dispise But well I see the blinded boy in lurking den hée lies To catch the careles sorte awayting with his Darte Hée threw at mée when I vnwares was wounded to the harte To speake and pray for helpe now loue hath mée constrainde And makes mée yéeld to serue the sorte that lately I disdainde Sith beggars haue no choyce nor néede had euer law The subiecte Oxe doth like his yoke when hée is driuen to draw That Ruphilus this wrote thou wonder wilt I know Cause neuer erst in louinge vearse my labor I bestowe Well woful loue is mine and wéeping lines I wright And doubtfull wordes with driery chéere beséemes a careful wight O thou Elrisa fayre the beuty of thine eyes Hath bred such bale within my drest and cau'sde such strife to ryse As I can not forget vntill deuouring death Shal leaue to mee a senceles goast and rid my longer breath Or at the least that thou doo graunt mée some releefe To ease the gréedy gripes I féele and end my great mischéefe As due to mee by right I can no mercy craue Thou hast the power to graunt mée life refuse not for to saue Put to thy helping hand to salue the wounded sore Though thou refuse it for my sake yet make thine honour more Too cruell were the facte if thou shouldst séeke to kill Thy faythful fréend that loues thee so and doth demaund no ill Thy heauenly shape I saw thy passing bewty bright Enforst mée to assay the bayt where now my bane I bight I nought repent my loue nor yet forthinke my facte The Gods I know were all agreed and secretly compacte To frame a worke of prayse to show their power deuine By good aduice this on the earth aboue the rest to shine Whose perfecte shape is such as Cupid feares his fall And euery wight that hath her séene I say not one but all With one consent they cry lo here dame Venus ayer Not Danae nor shée dame Lede was euer halfe so faire Though Princes sue for grace and ech one do thee woo Mislyke not this my meane estate wherwith I can nought doo As highest seates wee sée be subiect to most winde So base and poore estates we know be hateful to the minde The happy meane is mine which I do haply holde Thy honor is to yéeld for loue and not for heape of golde If euer thou hast felte the bitter panges that stinges A louers brâ—st or knowest the â—ares that Cupid on vs flinges Then pitty my request and wayle my wofull case Whose life to death with hasty whéeles doo toumble on apace Uouchsafe to â—ase the paine that loue on mée doth whelme Let not thy freend to shipwracke go sith thou doost hold his helme Who yeelâ—eth all hée hath as subiect to thy will If thou commaund hée doth obey and all thy heastes fulfill But if thou call to minde when I did part thee fro What was the cause of my exile and why I did forgo The happy life I held and lost there with thy sight Well mayst thou wayle thy want of troth rue thy great vnright If thou be found to fayle thy vow that thou hast sworne Or that one iot of my good will out of thy
I not to learne And I did thinke you such that litle knew of guile But seemings now be plaste for deedes and please fulwel the while Why doo I wâ—nder thus to thinke this same so strange Who hath assayed and knoweth not that wemen choose to change Haue you thus sone forgot the doutes and dreades you made Of yongmens loue how litle holde how sone away they fade How hardly you beleeued â–ª how often would you say My wordes were spoken of the splene and I as oft denay How oft did you protest with handes vpstretcht to skyes How oft with othes vnto the Gods how oft with weeping eyes Did you beseech them all to rid your spending dayes When that you thought to leaue your fréend to dy without delayes Mée thought in heauen I saw how Ioue did laughe to skornâ— To sée you sweare so solemly and ment to be forsworne But as the Sirens singe when treason they procure So smyling baytes the harmles soules vnto their bane alure Thy fawning flattering wordes which now full falce I finde Perswades mee to content my selfe and turne from Cressids kinde And all the sorte of those that vse such craft I wish A speedy end or lothsome life to liue with Lasars dish Yet pardon I do pray and if my wordes offend A crased ship amid the streame the Marriner must mende And I thus to it and turnd whose life to shipwracke goes Complaynes of wrongs thou hast mee don and all my greefe forth showes And could your hart consent and could you gree therto Thus to betray your faythful freend and promis to vndo If nought your wordes could binde to holde your suer behest Nor ought my loue ne othes you sware could bide within your brest Yet for the worldly shame that by this facte might rise Or for the losse of your good name for dealing in this wise Or thus to see mee greeu'd tormented still in payne Thy gentil hart should haue bin pleasde such murder to refrayne But through thy cruell deede if that vntamed death With speedy dart shall rid my life or leaue my lyuing breath The gods then can and will requite thy bloddy acte And them I pray with lowly sute for to reuenge thy facte God graunt the earth may bring nought forth to thy auayle â–ª Nor any thing thou takest in hand to purpose may preuayle Thy most desired freend I wish may bee most coy Wherin thou doost thée most delite and takest the greatest ioy That same I would might turne vnto thy most mischeefe That in thy life thy hart may feele the smart of others greefe But sith no good can come of thy mishap to mee I graunt some blame I doo deserue that thus desire to see Thy blisfull life so changde from weaâ—e to wretched state When freendes do breake the bonde of loue then is their greatest hate Thy deedes do sure deserue much more reuenging spight Then hart can thinke or tongue can tel or this my pen can wright Thy bewty bright is sutch that well it would inuade A hart more hard then Tigar wilde and more it can perswade Then Tullyes cunning tongue or Ouids louing tale Well may I curse and ban them both that so haue brewed my bale I feare to praise to far least haply I begin To kindle fier that well is quencht and burne mée all within For well I may compare and boldly dare it say Thou art the Quéene of women kinde and all they ought obay And all for shame doo blush when thou doost come in place They curse ech thing that gaue thée life and more disdain thy face Then any liuyng wight doth hate the Serpent foule Or birdes that singe and flies by day abhors the shrikyng Owle Oh that a constant minde had guided forth thy dayes I had not then assayd myshap nor pen spoke thy disprayse Decréed sith that thou art for euer to forsake mée In sorrows swéete I wil mée shrine till death shall list to take mée Bewayle O woful eyes with fluds of flowing teares This great mischaunce thy lothsome life that all ill hap vp beares Since parted is your ioy resigne likewise your sight I neuer will agree to like or looke on other wight Nor neuer shall my mouth consent to pleasant sound But pale and leane with hollow lookes till death I will bée found And you vnhappy handes with lyking foode that fed mée Leaue of to labor more for mée since sorrow thus hath sped mée Lament vnlustie legges bée lame for euer more Sith shée is gone for whom you kept your willing pace in store O hatefull heauy hart bewayle thy great vnrest Consume thy selfe or part in twaine within my blouddy brest And yée my sences all whose helpe was aye at hand To length the life that lingreth now and lothsomely doth stand Yée sonne ye moone and starres that gyues the gladsome light Forbeare to show your force a while let all bée irkesome night Let neuer soyle bringe forth agayn the lusty gréene Nor trées that new dispoyled are with leafe be euer séene Let neither birde nor beast posses their wonted minde Let all the thinges that liues on earth be turned from their kinde Let all the furies forth that pine in Hell with payne Let all their torments come abroad with lyuing wightes to rayne Let peace be turnd to war let all consume with fier Sith I must dâ—e that once did ioy and lose that I desier I hate my life and breath I hate delighting food I hate my greefe I hate my death I hate that doth mee good I hate the gentill hart that rueth on my payne I hate the cruell stubborn sorte that doth my life disdayne I hate al sortes of men that haue their life in price And those I hate that folow death esteeming them vnwise I hate thâ—se carefull thoughtes that thinke on my sweet â—o I hate my selfe then twice as much if I forget her so I hate what would you more I wot not what I hate I wish her dead and layed in graue I wish her better state Come wilde and sauadge beastes stretch forth your cruell pawes Dismember mee consume my flesh imbrew your greedy iawes Within your entrayles see a coffin ye prepare To tombe this carefull corpes that now vnwillingly I bare Come lingringe slothful death that doost the wretch deny To show thy force and ridst the riche that list not for to dye Is this the recompence is this the due reward Doth loue thus pay his seruants hier and doth hee thus regard And doth hee vse to set the harmles soules on fier With faire sweet intisinge lookes to kindle their desier Fye false loue that hast so decte with bewty bright A Lady faire with such vntroth to worke such cruell spight And ye that did pursue blinde loue with speedy pace â—esâ—rame your steps example take of this my wofull case Let this alone suffise that in few wordes I say Who can beware by others harmes thrice blest and happy they Beleeue
ten dayes space I tooke no rest by day nor yet by night But like to Baccus beldame Nonne I sent and rangde apace To sée if that I mought thée finde in some frequented place Now here now there now vp now down my fancy so was fed Untill at length I knew of troth that thou from mee wert fled Then was I fully bent with blade to stab my vexed harte Yet hope that thou wouldst come agayn my purpose did conuart And so ere since I liu'd in hope bemixt with dreadful feare My smeared face through endles teares vnpleasant doth appeare My slepes vnsound with vgly dreams my meats are vayn of taste My gorgious rayment is dispisde my tresses rudly plaste And to bee breefe I bouldly speake there doth remayne no care But that therof in amplest wise I doo possesse a share Lyke as the tender sprig doth bend with euery blast of winde Or as the guidelesse Ship on Seas no certaine Porte may finde So I now subiecte vnto hope now thrall to carefull dread Amids the Rocks tween hope and feare as fancy mooues am led Alas returne my deare returne returne and take thy rest God graunt my wordes may haue the force to penytrat thy brest What doost thou thinke in Italy some great exployt to win No no it is not Italy as sometimes it hath bin Or doost thou loue to gad abroad the forrain costes to vew If so thou hadst not doone amisse to bid mée first a dew But what hath bin the cause I néede not descant longe For sure I am meane while poore wench I only suffer wrong Wel thus I leaue yet more could say but least thou shouldst refuse Through tediousnesse to réede my lines the rest I will excuse Untill such time as mighty Ioue doth send such luckye grace As wée therof in fréendly wise may reason face to face Till then farwell and hée thee kéepe who only knowes my smart And with this bill I send to thee a trusty Louers harte By mee to thee not mine but thine Since Loue doth moue the same Thy mate though late doth wright her â—light Thou well canst tell her name ¶ A Letter sent from beyond the Seaes to his Louer perswading her to continew her loue towardes him TO thée I write whose life and death thy faith may saue or spil Which fayth obserue I liue in ioy if not your freend you kill Suspecte not that I doo misdoubt your loyalty at all But pender how that louers are vnto suspicion thrall Which thraldome bréedeth furth thrall if woonted fayth doo fayle Agaynst the Louer thus forlorne do thousand Cares preuayle It litle helpes to haue begun and there to set a stay They win more fame that fight it out then those that run away Like as the willing hound that doth pursue the Deare in Chace Will not omit vnto the ende his paynfull weary race So Loue if loue it bee indeed will stedfast still remayne What so betide good hap or yll and not reuoult agayne Such fayth of you swéet hart I aske such fayth why sayd I so What néede I to demaund the thing I haue had long ago Your fayth you gaue the case is playn you may not seeme to start And I in earnest of the match did leaue with you my hart But now perhaps you may alleage long distance may procure A cause wherby our former loue no longer may endure If so you Iudge to far amisse although that sayle and winde Conuay my corps to cuntry strange my hart remaynes behinde Examples many could I shew but néedles is that payne Mine owne example shalâ— suffise when I returne agayne Meane while although to swim I want Leanders cunning art In all things els except the same I le play Leanders part In hope that thou wilt shew thy selfe to mée an Hero true And so although loth to depart I say swéete hart adue A Ringe I sende wherin is pende a Posie if you reede Wherby you may perceaue alway of what I most haue neede By mee your frende vnto the ende if you therto agree Although not so your louing foe I still perforce must bee FINIS An other louing Letter BEcause my hart is not mine owne but resteth now with thée I greet thee well of hartinesse thy selfe mayst Caruer bée Muse not hereat but like hereof first read and then excuse I wish to you a plyant hart when you these lines peruse Hope bids me speak fear stayes my tongue but Cupid makes mée boulde And Fancy harps of good successe when that my playnt is tould Thus Hope doth prick feare doth kicke fancy féeds my brayn In you alone doth now consist the salue to ease my payne You are my Paradice of ioy the heauen of my delight And therwithall which thing is strang the worker of my spight Which spight I seeke not to reuenge but meekely to subdue Not as a foe but as a fréend I do your loue pursue I yeeld my selfe vnto your power and will not you relente In humble wise I mercy craue and is your mercy spente No sure as nature outwardly hath shewde in you her skill I doubt not but that inwardly the like shee doth fulfill So good a face so trim a grace as doth in you remayne A Cressids cruell stony harte I know may not retayne Wherfore to ratefie my wordes let déedes apparant bée Then may you vaunt and proue it true you fréedom gaue to mée Consider of my restles care and way blinde Cupids ire Then shal you finde my paynful loue doth claym but earned hire Requite not this my curtesy and fréendship with disdaine But as I loue vnfainedly so yeeld like loue againe Allow hereof as for the rest that doth belong to loue My selfe therof will take the care as time in time shall proue Meane while I wish a Thisbies hart in you there may endure Then doubt not but a Pyramus of mée you shall procure Yours at your will To saue or spill FINIS Proctors Precepts LEaue vading plumes no more vaunt gallant youth Thy masking weeds forsake take collours sage Shun vicious steps consider what ensueth Time lewdly spent when on coms crooked age When beauty braue shall vade as doth the flower When manly might shall yeeld to auncient time When yonge delightes shall dye and ages bower Shall lodge thy corps bemoning idle prime Learne of the Ant for stormy blastes to get Prouision least vntimely want do cum And mooues thee mone such time so lewd neglect From vertues lore where worthy honors wun Thinke how vncertayne here thou liust a guest Amid such vice that 's irksome to beholde Thinke whence thou camst and where thy corps shall rest When breathing breath shall leaue thy carkasse colde When dreadfull death shall daunt thy hauty minde When fearfull flesh shall shrowd in clammy clay When pamperd plumes shall vade and dreads shall finde Deseruings due for erring lewd astray Run not to rash least triall make the mone In auncient yeres thy greene