Rinaldo glad of this conquest after double vowe of faythfulnesse reuerently kissed his maistresse hand and for that time committed her a Dio. I will nowe ouerleape what a number of sowre and swéete thoughtes fead these vnfained louers one while they were distempered with dread anon quieted with hope now desierous with secrete vowe to warrant eache other loue straight hindered by some vnfortunate accident still meashed in the snares of miserie till time that eyther with out condition might gage the other loyaltie fayth and constancie prouided this wished opportunitie which was On a day the Lord Sonsago father to the late rehearsed bride to perfect the glory of the sayde marriage inuited the Lorde of Bologna and his sonne in law with other of their friendes and allies vnto his castle at whiche place Rinaldo with the rest of the ruffling youth on smal warning lesse bidding as ordinarie visitors of such pastimes presented them selues The dinner solemnly ended euery one was addrest vnto the sport most agréeable to his or their fancie some fell to dauncing some to putting of purposes such volūtarie prattle But Rinaldo and his Giletta otherwise affected then to listen to those couterfet contentmēts to find opportunitie to discourse of more serious matters with a chosen companie conueyed them selues vnto one end of the great chamber where Rinaldo to passe the time in reporting the straunge effects of loue playing on a Lute soung the following inuention In bondage frée I liue yet frée am fettered faste In pleasure paine in paine I find a thousād pleasures plaste I frye yet frosen am I freese amid the fire I haue my wish and want my will yet both as I desire I loue and liue by lokes and loking workes my woe Were loue no god this life were strange but as he is not so For through his aukward fitts I suck such swéete in sower As I a yeare of dole would bide to haue one lightning hower I like no life but such as worketh with his will His wil my wish my wish to loue betyde good luck or ill No choyce shall make mée chaunge or fancie new desire Although desire first blew the cole that set my thoughtes on fire But fire frostes and all such calme contents doth moue As forst I graunt there is no life to that is led in loue Yea base I thinke his thought that would not gladly die To leade but halfe of halfe an houre in such delight as I. Now thou deare dame that workste these sweete effectes in mée Uouchsafe my zeale that onely séeke to serue and honour thée So shall my thralled brest for fancies frée haue scope If not it helpes I haue free will to loue and liue in hope Roberto Rinaldo These Uerses although they were in number few yet the swéetnes of the tune together with the rarenes of the inuention running altogether vppon contraries made them to be singularly well liked especially of mystresse Giletta who could now no longer dissemble her loue In somuch as to further occasion of knowledge shée requested of her seruaunt to haue a coppie of the said Uerses Rinaldo of nothing more desirous then with courtesie and seruice to present his mystresse hauing this Sonet already faire written first satisfied her request with the deliuery thereof and next solicited his owne sorrowes with these persuading wordes My good mystresse I am glad quoth hee your eare was so ready to heare my straunge estate discoursed as that your heart consenteth in perusing this worthlesse Sonet to continue in your remembraunce my sower passions neuer appeased though sometimes comforted with the swéete effects of hope So that if it please you to note the sequele of my life you shal easily sée the subiection of my libertie which knowne I no otherwise conceiue of your courteous disposition but so often as you reade my crauing woords seing them confirmed in works so oftē you wil be ready to perfect my vnsure hope with assured hap I meane bestowe your loue on him who were it not to do you seruice would through the extremitie of loue rather wish to die then liue My good seruaunt quoth Giletta I thinke your cure stands not vppon such necessitie but reason in time may qualifie your raging fire and wysedome warme your frosen feares or at the least wise warne you frō such vntemperate affections O no quoth Rinaldo time hath made both extréemes more extréeme for when as reason would haue quenched my burning loue with the thought of my vnwoorthines the remembraunce of your worthines made my heate more feruent when hope would haue warmed my frosen doubtes with the knowledge of your great pitie and compassion the consideration of my base desert streight made my cold more cruell So that intertayning time with these thoughtes time hath brought both extremities now to such a mischiefe that necessitie perforce commaundes mée to séeke qualification at your handes in whose good will the termperature consisteth I thinke quoth Giletta my milde disposition in very déede makes you a great deale more desirous yea your knowledge of my inward lyking by my outward lookes discouered makes you so earnest a suter But if I were persuaded your loue to be as great in zeale as in showe yet for that I know not whether it tends to honestie or my dishonour I can hardly aunsweare your sute if any way with the spoile of my good name you seeke to féede some foule affectiō your loue I loth and so you sue in vaine O my swéete mystresse quoth Rinaldo your words at one instant haue ioynde two cōtraries in such mortall fight as to whom the victorie will incline is as yet doubtful I meane hope and despaire for I earnestly beholding your lokes when as you said they shewde you loued in very déede to my iudgement I sawe in them the very Image of loue therewithall quoth I to my selfe Loue cannot hate the welwillers of loue But as I was continuing this fancie with the continuaunce of other your comfortable speaches on the soudaine an Yf distrusting my loyaltie cleane altered the case For trust mée swete mystresse my faithful loue vnspotted with villanous desire when you vsed those speaches streight murmured at your suspicion yea dread still persuades mée your ouer often mistrust will hinder the acquitall of my deserte and yet hope destrous of victory wills mée not to bée discomforted thorough your wise misdoubte least silence in mée should woorke in you a greater suspicion wherefore before God and you I protest with my heart yea if you please to vse the world for after witnes I wil sweare vnto you all I neuer had the thought that tended vnto your dishonour then dashe good Lady this hard condition of foule desire from out the other couenaunts of loue and take my vow of faithfulnes for the warrantyse of my honest and true intent Sutes must haue an end sorrowes a salue either by the benefite of fortune or violence of death For I
hath what Nature could deuise To set a glosse vpon her gallant gifts Besides all this she hath such fortune lent As both commends and doth her selfe content In praise of my L. E. R. THe pearles of praise that decke a noble dame Excéede the price of any Iuellers showe Yea beauties gifts are but a glosse of fame In vertues soyle these precious iuels growe And that the dame whome I do here commend Hath store of both my able proofe attend A passing wit is lodged in her head The which is deckt with haires of golden hewe Her modest eyes are sild with gases lead And yet they staine bright Diamonds in viewe Her words of worth doth win her toung such praise As when she speakes the wisest silent slayes Besides her shape which sightly is in showe Her mynd is with these noble gifts possest Her bountie doth beyond her beautie goe A care she hath to ease the thrall distrest Thus is she deckt and this is she I say That weares and beares these pearles of praise away In praise of my L. Cecil of Bourlegih THe cruell warres that Nature long did moue By force to plucke good Uertue from her throne Appeasd in peace to shewe the fruits of loue Of precious mould kynde faults to worke anon And hauing shapt this séemely dame of clay For Uertues helpe she sent her straight away When Uertue viewd dame Natures worthy skill With great delight she kist this Ladies face And then to shewe that Nature wisht her will She posted to her treasure house of grace Her golden shewes where she good Ladie spoyles To decke this dame thus was she both their toyles And with these gifts into the world she came Whereas she doth in worthy credite rest Yea sure her life so beautifieth her name As Enuie graunts who sildome sayes the best Her wit her wéedes her words her workes and all So modest are as slaunder yealdes her thrall In praise of Maistresse M.H. now Bridges BEautie with brags of late wild vertue yeald her thrall But soone the Gods to stay their strife a parlement did call And fame with thundring tromp was wild their subiects â—iâ—e By credite of their thrals to shew who was of gretest might Beautie against this day her prowdest shewes prepard And sure a troupe of gallant gyrles her séemely selfe did gard Their spangels wrought a gase eche dame in feathers slauntes Their straung attyres their cuts cost foreshewd their scorneful vauÌ„ts They looked all askaunce when beautie claymde her right That loe the Gods amased were to see so proude a sight Anon good Uertue comes with traine of bashfull Dames Whose modest lookes wrought more regard then Beauties blasing flames A silence now was made that they their sutes might moue Both Ladies sue for souereigne rule and thus their titles proue Proude Beautie vaunts on powre poore Uertue on desart And by your leaue for all her bragges the worst had Beauties part Her showes were blemisht much with surfling and such like Which knowne beautie through feare of foyle into a mase did strike Who gasing rounde about faire Brydges did espie Whose séemely feature forme and shape did much delight her eye And scorning other proofe she Bridges calld in place Who to sett foorth her sightly selfe apeard with vashfull grace Quoth Beautie see my â—oyle you Gods nowe iudge aright Halfe part with you quoth Uertue streight my gifts adorne this wight For bountie guides her thought which beautie farre excells And pittie rules her noble heart where pride in Beautie dwells To loue and Lawlesse lust where beauties lures doe traine She winns a calme yet frieÌ„ndship firme with showe of chaste disdaine A meane contents her minde where Beautie is extreame What botes thée then good beautie thus to striue against the streame Shée onely shall suffice if thereto thou agrée To showe and proue by dome of Ioue the best of thée or mée I will quoth Beautie stand to that that Ioue awards Ioue waying wel their worthie worke thus beth their toile rewards Hée ruled Uertue should be alwayes best in name Yet Beautie during Bridges-like should sway in equal fame Loe thus betwéene these Dames the bloudie frayes did seace But Bridges bore the praise away for making of this peace The praise of mistresse A. C. IF Troyians stoute that fought in Hellens â–ª band Small wayd their liues their Lady to preserue What doubt what death what hell should mée withstand To worke C. will the captaine that I serus Who doth in déede as farre fayre Hellen passe As good doth bad or gold the corsest brasse For first shée hath in feauture forme and face What Hellen had or beautie could deuise And therewithall she hath so chast a grace To hold them backe with fancies fonde that frieâ— That loe they choose to pine in secrete paine Before their sutes should moue her to disdaine She showes them grace that sorrowes their amis Beyonde desert her bountie doth reward Her modest minde by vertue guided is Her sober lookes doth worke a rare regard Although in court her roume is hie shée knowes Yet likes shée not to féede on curious showes A care shée hath which showes a louing wife To loue and like but what contents her fere With these good giftes commended is her life Such one is Q. whom I haue praised here Euen shée is shée denie it who that dare That doth both kinds and vertues iewels ware In praise of mistresse A. H. VAine is the vaunt that runnes beyonde desert Small is the praise that proofe will not commend Shame is their fall that mounteth fames by arte Truth is the gard that writers doth defend And Trueth I haue my naked Uerse to clothe But skill I want this pearâ—lesse péece to praise In fairenes who doth passe the Dame in troth Whose beautie wrought the Troyans bloudye fraiâ—s Withal to showe what nature did pretend In framing her an endlesse fame to finde She wrought such meanes as vertue doth commend Her gallant shape with worthy giftes of minde What would you more then faire and vertuous both That both she is but search where shée doth liue Beyonde my reach report their telling troth This modest mayde a matchlesse praise doth giue Loe this is al though further would my will I write of her for want of able skill The saucie pesaunts present vnto his souereigne mistresse LAdy receiue thy pesaunts gift in grée Whose will is much although his worth be small A gift it is that best beséemeth thée Whose vertues hould thy beauties rare in thrall So that sith that your liue without a match Garde you your fame with this well meaning watch Thinke that you liue in gase of enuies eyes Whose sight â—oth search in secreâ—st thought of minde Thinke false suspect about you still hath spies Will forge offence where they no fault can finde Thinke déepe disdaine would blot your life with blame For that alone you weare the pearlesse of fame And yet fayre dame incountring all their
painfull labours Wherefore I earnestly require you that you vse the first increase of my baren braine so rightly as I may be incouraged hereafter to bente my head about some matter of more worth rather then by the misuse of them to be discouraged from attempting any honest labour And thus wishing good successe in your vertuous enterprises I commit you to the pleasure of the hyest From my lodging in Hoâ—â—orne the 15. of October 1576. That this is such good Reader sée and say Bée iudge thy selfe I cannot tell thée all To speake to short defame the same I may And better rest then rise to catch a fall Yet this I say who so most faults shal finde In trying like will come an ace behinde R.C. in praise of Whetstons and his Rocke of Regard REader reward this gallant gift with thankes Whose worth is much although the price be small Biancaes life and Cressids subtile prankes Of wantons showes the fortune and the fall Frizaldoes foile at point of all his hap Of lawlesse lust foretells the after clap What are the ioyes and louers daily wronges Their swéete their sowre Rinaldo here doth showe The morall héede in all these thriftlesse songes Doth proue him blest that least of loue doth know But that that beares the pearle of praise away This Poet doth the fall of vice bewray Bare faste hée setts the maskes of péeuish pride Hée finds their faultes that fostereth fraude with pence His searching Uerse the couseners traynes hath spide Which hyde their craft with cloake of plaine pretence The end of bralles the beggery folowing dice Forâ—warneth youth from haunting either vice The vertuous praisde the vicious here are blamde Here liues their fame that Uertues souldiours ware For your behoofe this worthie worke was framde Of more emprice then gold or iewels farre Loe thus from toyes hath Whetston weand his Muse In thundring Uerse to threaten foule abuse Humfrey Turner in commendation of Whetston and his booke REader for this his gift with thankes good Whetston pay The worth runnes farre beyonde the price as séeing thou wilt say The matter in which wooorke at large here to report Unable man though faine I would my skill a mile comes short Where hée the substance showes I should a shadowe make In prayse of him yet néedes my Muse some paines will vndertake And first I knowe of zeale for yonkers héede hée made This gallant booke which setts to sale the crafte in euery trade With moral meaninges saust delight it yeldeth store The vertuous praisde the vicious checkt here is and would you more If this may not suffice your selues peruse the booke And you shall finde to please your minde percase more then you looke Abraham Fleming vppon G. Whetstons worke Who wisheth with pleasure refreshed to bée A Castle of comfort and passing delight Erected of purpose loe here hée may sée And painted with colours of pure blacke and white No bulworcke no fortresse more strongly prepard And therefore well named the Rock of Regard Who wisheth for vauntage to vewe and behold Unthriftines Garden where wéedes do abound Hée hath leaue to enter and is not controld wheÌ„ she perceiued his mistrust she left him fled to Pauy where she interteined Ardisino Valperga Earle of Masino as her minion but wearie of his custome she chose Roberto Sanceuerino Earle of Giazzo for her louer Valperga thus scorned railed at hir inconstaÌ„cie Bianca Maria by Valperga thus opeÌ„ly defamed practiseth with Gazzo to murther Valperga which wheÌ„ Giazzo neglecteth with very hate she leaueth Giazzo and falles in loue againe with Valperga with whom she practiseth to murther Giazzo which Valperga discouered to Giazzo and they both in suche sort painted out her lewdnesse as for very shame she left Pauy and fled to Mantua where she interteined one Dom Pietro a lustie yong captaine to whom she bewrayed the iniuries of Valperga and Giazzo Dom Pietro by and by promised in penance of their shamelesse reportes to dispatch their liues which in part he wilfully performed For one day taking Valperga at aduauntage he soudenly slue him the murther the murtherer discouered Dom Pietro was taken confessed the whole matter he in hope of ameÌ„dment was pardoned and Bianca Maria Countesse of Celant was condemned to be beheaded whome you may suppose vppon the scaffold readie to be executed to complaine as followeth ¶ THE DISORDERED life of Bianca Maria countesse of Celaunt in forme of her complainte supposed at the houre of her beheading for procuring the murder of Ardissino Valperga Earle of Massino AMong their falles by wanton fate vntwist Let my lewde hap remembred be I pray To salue whose harme to late coms had I wist Bloud cries for bloud he craues none other pay For conscience sake behould then now I wray With trickling teares my deadly cheakes that warme The true report both of my hap and harme Good Ladies first to you this tale I tell To you as chiefe this drirye plaint I preach Your hie estate your vices cannot quell But as you liue your fame or shame doth streach With vauntage sure such notes doth honour reach Your praise is raisde as farre is blasd your blame Thus are your liues y payst with parcial fame Let mée be proofe and warning for you both Whose filthie life so foule report hath spread That loe constrainde I showe the shame I loth My wanton toyes in thousand bookes are read My byrth my blame how lewde a life I lead My passing loue my péeuish hate withall My murderous minde in fine my filthie fall First for my birth I must confesse was base But bagges I had this basenesse to supplie My forme was fine I had a gallant face A sugred tongue a passing pleasaunt eye Good gifts besides to hoyse my happe on hie These lures in loue the Uicount Hermes brought Who kept mée short to tame my wanton thought But ah to soone my Lord to heauen did wend Who maugre will Bianca kept in fame The coupe thus broke wherein I long was pend I set my selfe to saile with open shame Gonsago yet did like mée with my blame But loe I stoopte vnto the Celant Count Hée loude mée well I likt a loft to mount Consent of friendes accorded with our wills And wee forsooth in haste must married bée But raisde a loft I quight forgot what quills What feathers first to honour made mée flee As priestes forget the sillie clearkes degrée So I from cart a Countesse framde by fate Throughe scorne abusde my honour and estate No marueile why For force the Cur to drawe The kest rill kyte to cause the heron to quake The rauening wolfe of lambes to stand in awe The myllers mare a mannage good to make Or apes to daunce while mules lie at the stake A botelesse toile in fine you sure shall finde For counterfettes will still returne to kinde And thinke you those that weare dame Fortunes crowne Whose homely friends did hould
the ploughe of late Can rightly rule the scepter of renowne No honour stoupes to nature not to fate Yet Fortune heaues a thousand to estate As in good moode shée did of late by mée Who neuer knew the vse of dignitie As by abuse one proofe shal well appeare First for my pride my betters did mée scorne The poore did fawne godwot for very feare My luring life did moue my lord to mourne Whose ielous sighes foreshewed he feard the horne Yet wisely hée his shrewde mistrust to show Usde secrete nippes my faultes to make mée know I saw and smilde to sée his true mistrust And yet in showe I sight throwe sollen will As who should say to thinke thy spouse vniust Thou doest her wronge she neuer ment no ill She hath béene true and so shée wil be still For all his witte thus found I out a wile To quenche suspect forsoth a little while But rauening currs their chaps can hardly hould When carren lies before their hungry iawes The stragling kite with chickes will sure be bould If once a wynge shée spies a flight of dawes Soe ramping girles regarde no modest lawes As profe appeares by this my filthie flight I left my Lord and stoale away by night Who hearing once of this my gadding moode My vitall thread vntwiste good care quoth hée In fine her hate wil sure sucke out my bloode She loues me not there is no third degrée Thus ledde with feare at large hée let mée flée I pinchte with néede to praying forthwith fell And for my selfe I shifted prettie well To plant my wares in place of brauest vewe In Pauie towne a stately house I tooke I deckte my selfe with wéedes of lightest hewe To lure guestes I sparde no wanton looke Valperga first was choakt with Cupids hooke Hée sight hée sobd hée curst his sorrie chaunce Hée surde hée searud he did attendaunce daunce But squemish then Bianca Maria was His secrete sighes with scorne she quited still A parle yet at length was brought to pas Where safely hée might shew his hidden will With sugred wordes he wraid his suites at fill His life his death all in my power lay I was so kinde to loth this Lords decay They say the mate is apt to mischiefe still Whose foule offence with countenaunce is held So wantons forst with their agréeing will When lust assaultes will after learne to yeald No fame nor shame can make them kéepe the field To true a proofe appeareth by mine end Then sinne not dames in hope for to amend I showe not this to shape mine owne excuse My life I lothe to salue my fowle amisse But for your héed I blase this vile abuse Beware beware of Venus beastly blisse It féedes the flesh and sterues the soule I wisse It honour staines it is a shrine of shame A bitter swéete that breadeth nought but blame In mée too late these faultes I did forsée Valperga so my wanton humour fedde My fare was fine I lackt no goulden glée The art of Loue for exercise I redde And thus my life in Venus court I ledde With wealth at will I could but wish and haue The toy I lackt I néede not twise to craue And think you dames these visards yeld such sights As wanton girles may sighe to sée their shame No méekenes marres the maskes of fond delightes And fasting must their frolicke bodies â—ame To Scriptures read they must their leasure frame Then loath they will both lust and wanton loue Be sure else such ryggs my case shall proue But at my call why did Valperga stoupe Why did not hée foresée the fruites of lust Why did he come at euery wanton whoope Why why did hee Bianca Maria trust Which to her Lord had shewen her selfe vniust A man hée was whom weakenes cannot scuse How could hée then let loue him so abuse How could hée ah Perforce I shew my shame As one whose tongue a truth will neatly tell I reaft his life why slay I then his fame No reason why saue I can nothing well For through my lure hée wonne to folly fell If not so witcht who list like case to proue Shal find fine heads are fraughted first with loue Then sith his ioy all in Bianca lay What scuse hath shee with hate to pay his loue Bée not abasht the truth in wordes to wray Which thou in act vntimely late didst proue What sullen moode this péeuish scorne did moue And am I forst to shew the fault I shame Sith néedes I must Good Ladies note the same They say who so with dropsie is aprayde The more hée drinckes the more hée doth desire The gréedie churle is neuer well appayde Although he reape the gaine hée doth require So lust in rampes is such a raging fire That most it heates when most the same is drencht A hellish flame that neuer can be quencht This fire in mée was kindled first with pride But raysde to flame with ease and wanton thought It raged so no reason could mée guide My husbands sport so small allayaunce wrought As him I left for lustier laddes I sought Valperga then a while supprest this fire But hée decayde oor chaunge I did desire Giazzo next was fauord in my sight Who forst mée not his friend hee loued soe Hée knew I was Valpergas sole delight Hée scornde my winckes my wanton loue in showe My priuie sighes my wilie signes of woe But Spaniel like by stripes to kindnes moude The more hée scornd the more this lord I loude And when I sawe hée shunde inticeing baites Immodest rigg I Ouids counsell vsde Where cleanly I did couler shame with sleightes Through loue constrainde which reason had abusde My penne did paint what bashfull tongue refusde Which fewe suffisde hée knew loue kept no lawe Hée was my ioy of him I stoode in awe This proferd grace did stowpe Giazzo straight Hée loude his friend but more his owne delight The hooke of loue hee swallowed with the baite No marueile why Biancaes beautie bright Her braue arraye and shée a Countesse hight Would force a man himselfe and all forgoe And could hée chuse when loue was offered soe No néede to runne the créeple sure will teach A pleasaunt pray a théefe inticeth soone As foxes hate the grapes they cannot reach And wilie saintes with showes are seldome wonne When as assuerde their squemishnes is donne Euen such a saint Giazzo proued in fine Hée loude no grapes before hée reacht the vine Wel thus at length I wâ—n my wished ioy Hée came in whome my heart did wholy dwell To make him sport Bianca was not coy She knew her game and streight to daliaunce fell Where as this Lord behaude himselfe so well That loe I loath Valpergas drowsy sport And so with scorne I stayde his oft resort Thus reft good soule of her hée heald so deare His woonted sutes a fresh hée put in vre Hée sight hée serued hée lookt with sorrie cheare But
thorough the extremitie of sorrow being now brought to the exigent of desperation am forst to sue vnto you for attonement presenting vnto mee in this case both the image of good fortune and death of good fortune if you loue where you are loued of death if you hate where you are honoured Sufficient triall you haue had of my loyaltie Since so good Lady say yea or no either answere wil worke appeasement of my sorrowes the one with death the other with delighte Soft quoth Giletta haste makes waste your Haruest is yet in grasse you may very well stay for aunsweare These words with a smyling countenaunce deliuered shée forced to departe yet not in such hast but that Rinaldo had leysure ynoughe to rob her of a kisse which fed him with such a swéete conceite as that hee was persuaded with the assault of importunancie on the next aduenture to conquer her straungnes and attaine good will so that to lay his siedge with the better aduauntage to her doubtfull woordes hee thus replied More haste then néede doth turne to waste and waste doth al thinges marre Your Haruest is in grasse good Syr as hastie as you are This doubtfull ieast among my ioyes my mystresse late did poppe But I reply that backward haste can neuer blast my croppe For sith swéete wench my séede of loue hath taken roote in time And cleare escapt the frostes of scorne that pincht it in the prime Now that the spring time of your grace hath raisde it to an eare The kindely riping of the same in faith I litle feare For scorched sythes like Summers sunne will hasten on this wheate And stormes of teares as heauenly dewe shall nourish with the heate The ielous wéedes of foule suspect which louers ioyes doth sting Shall cropped bee with hooke of faith that fauour freash may spring Then banish dread from thée déere dame my speede will worke no waste Since that the season serues so well our Haruest for to haste Roberto Rinaldo These verses were written in hast presented in as much haste such was Rinaldos hastie desire a fresh to followe his sute and yet not so hastie as of Giletta hartily wished the heate of eithers loue for eithers sight so hastily thyrsted But now to cut off ciccumstances Rinaldo vppon this new onset charged his maistres with such vehement persuasiōs as her nicenesse was of no force to make further defence in so much vppon a modest occasion shée yelded to loue This swéete consent by Giletta pronounced with soudaine ioy so spoiled Rinaldoes senses as for a time hée fared like one in an extasie But so soone as this fit was ouerblowne quoth he Rinaldo how bountifully hath Fortune dealt with thee How blessed is thy estate canst thou tell O noe Thy ioyes so hugely flow as the least of a thousand comforts thou canst not vtter And could good Giletta so much tēder thy distresse Could shée brooke Rinaldoes pouertie And could shée loue the wight vnworthie to be her slaue Her selfe said yea Then as homage of his saued life most worthie mistresse of thy vnworthie seruaunt receiue with vowe of continuaunce Faith honour loue and seruice I craue no more saue faithfull loue quoth Giletta Giletta herselfe in discharge of her duetie will vse towards her Rinaldo honour and obedience Whom if shée finde constante let fortune doe her worst shée hath her contentment and yet my good Rinaldo quoth shee foresight is the onely instrument of quietnes I knowe my father other friends if they knewe of our loue with stormes of displeasure would hinder the accomplishment of our desires if whose good will by any meanes may be wonne the execution of our ioyes I meane our mariage day is well delayed but if they nill consent happ wel happ ill Giletta submittes her selfe to Rinaldoes good will. My good maistresse quoth hée your poore seruaunt full satisfied for his harde fortunes fore past as also to come subiectes himself to your wise consideration Yea Rinaldo wil not in one iot contrary Gilettas direction althoughe hée purchase death with the executiō of her pleasure Wel quoth Giletta let time worke her will yet liue thou Rinaldo assured of thy Gilettas loue who likewise liueth in hope of thine But in hope swéete mystresse quoth Rinaldo there is no hope withoute mistruste and causelesse mistrust woorketh two iniuries The one in distempering the mistrusters minde the other in suspecting the well meaninge friend But the offence towardes mee I fréely pardon so that thou wilte to woorke thine owne quietnesse take knowledge how that my heart is close prisoner in thy breast which maye not be remoued without thy consente And for that wée must attende time for the perfection of oure ioyes to intertaine time withoute distruste of loyaltie Deare Lady of thy poore seruaunte vouchsafe to take this Diamond whose poesie is I will not false my faith Protestinge before the hyest to accomplish those woordes in woorkes Giletta willingly receyuinge this ring in this sort acquited him My good Rinaldo quoth shée I gratefully accept your gift and that in absence you may both thinke of mée and your vowe for my sake weare you this Iewell wherein is written Fortune may hinder my loue yet none but death shall breake my vowe These two louers hauing by secrete othe thus warranted eche others loue least their ouerlonge talke mighte breede suspicion now conueyed themselues into the thickest of the company where after they had a while shewed themselues Rinaldo in respecte of his late conqueste had the ordinarye pleasures the which hée sawe in skorne In somuch that to perfecte his contentemente with swéete imaginations hée conuayed himselfe into his chamber where in praise of his good mystresse and triumphe of his Fortunes hée wrote as followeth Beautie leaue off to brag thy brauery is but brayd Thou mayst God wot thy visard vaile thy wanton maskes are wrayd Thy toyes in thy attyre thy plumes fortells thy pride Thy coyues thy caules thy curling cost thy surfling helpes are spide Thy gases are for guestes that garish showes wil eye Else who so blinde but that hée can a painted visage spie Then goe and market kéepe where chaffe is sowld for corne I hould Got wot thy vauntes as vaine thy lures and loue I scorne For I beloued am of one that thée doth passe In faith as much as finest gold excelles the coursest brasse She néedes no frizling feates nor bumbaste for her breastes No glittring spangles for the gase no ierkyns iagges nor iestes Her onely selfe a sunne when thou art iudgde a starre Her sober lookes workes more regard then all thy ruffling farre The reason is the heauens to reape the praise alone Did frame her eyes her head and handes of pearle and precious stone Which iewells néedes no helpe their beauties for to blase When brauery shadowes fowle defectes or serues for wanton gase Besides her feature rare her further fame to raise Her witt her wordes her workes in showe
Geneuora to shift for her selfe on whom Rodericos seruauntes soudainly seased ▪ blinding her with a scarfe with spéed cōuayd her where wretched Dom Diego liued Dom Diego somewhat comforted with the sight of his swéete mystresse began amaine to craue recōpence for his faithful seruice Geneuora so soone as she saw Dom Diego and knew that syr Roderico for his cause had murthered her miniō answered him exclaimed on thē both with what opprobrious speach she coulde yea the more they persuaded her with friendly requestes the more peruerse was her refusal Dom Diego thus seing an impossibilitie of fauour with inward sorrow fel into a swoon Dom Roderico seig the distresse of his deare friend and the continuance or rather increasing of Geneuoras disdaine cōmaunded presently her throte to be cut Dom Diego halfe reuiued seing one redie to execute this iudgement profered what reskue hée could Oh good Roderico stay quoth hée I allow of thy honest zeale yet attribute my wretchednes to fortune not her fault Wherefore for the loue thou bearest to mee for the loue I owe to her sée Geneuora without further damage safely conueyed home Geneuora seeing him offer reskue and craue her safe conduite whose death her frowardnes well nie had wrought on the soudaiue was wonne vnto pitie and louingly imbracing Dom Diego shée offered satisfaction for his sorrowes and for an earnest pennie shée freely kist him Dom Diego late the miserablest creature liuing vnwares became the happiest man aliue whose matchlesse pleasures appeare in this vnder written triumphe Dom Diego his triumphe WHo can report that neuer tasted bale What difference is twéene sorrow and delite And who may tell a more triumphant tale Then hée in ioy that late was kept in spite I am the man in mone there was none such My mone is past my mirth must be as much Sith so alone I rule in throne of ioy Of pleasures mount I weald the golden Mace Then leaue to bragge you Princes proud of Troy Your brayd delights by mée can haue no place Once beautes blisse to vaunt doth make you bould I haue such hap and tenne times more in hould And by your leane your Ladies blemisht are Aske Theseus who first lopt fayre Hellens loue Syr Diomede the spoile of Troylus ware Suppose them true whom none could euer proue Your lightning ioyes such lasting woes did brue As you may wish your fames to die with you But Lady mine I wrong thée much in this To peize thy praise with such as liu'de or liue For natures toile some wayes disabled is Shée frames our forme but can no fortune giue But thou wert shapt for feare of fortunes spight Of precious moold by force of heauenly might By heauenly might and worthie well such toyle Whose liuely limms the Indian riches showe Her haire fiue gold her front doth yuorie foyle Her eyes giue light as diamonds there did growe Her words of worth as cause doth cause her speake Twéene rockes of pearle their pleasaunt passage breake What should I say of truth from top too to These precious gems in beautie shée doth staine And more then that besides the outward sho Their vertues shée with vauntage doth retaine So that of force I forst must her define Not bound to kinde but wholy is diuine Thrise happie man whose loue this Saint did lure Dom Diego late euen very wretchednesse Now maist thou daunt thy vauntage is so sure That none aliue thy pleasures halfe possesse Through chaunce of loue do thousands chaunce on death But dying I my loue inlargde my breath The scource of woe is sauourie sauce to taste Our swéete delights if once delight wée féele The rough repulse if battring tyre be plaste Amends the spoile when walles perforce do réele Of euery thinge the goodnes doth increase If once afore the losse did vs distresse Sufficient proofe my lingring loue can shoe I tyred hope ere time my truth could trie Yea desperate wretch forworne with wreake of woe I left my sute and sought the meane to die Now winning her whose want wrought such annoy On former griefes I graft my fruites of ioy In waxe say I men easily graue their will In Marble stone the woorke with paine is wonne But perfect once the print remayneth still When waxen seales with euery browse are donne Euen so in loue soone wonne as soone is loste When forst through faith it bydes both fire frost I can not vaunt of easie conquerd loue I graunt with faith I foyle Geneuras scorne But now in peace Distrust shall neuer moue One ielous thought of wilde Acteons horne And yet forsooth this feare hée liueth in To lose the wight with words that words did win O happie loue whose torments proue so swéete O friendly foes whose treason tride my trueth O luckie man Dom Roderic to méete Geneura thou thrise honord for thy ruth Thou onely thou the rest of small auaile Didst saue my life when hope and all did faile Now forth I throw my Gauntlet for this grace To chalenge such as séeke to foile thy fame For sure the Armes that durst my swéete imbrace Dares to defend the honour of her name If which I faile in prison let mée sterue So doome my fault for so I should deserue The complaint of two louers restrained from their wished desires by the displeasure of their friendes WE lucklesse wightes in thraldome lincked still May sit and singe oure layes of déepe lament Whose wayward friendes accoyde in sullen will Both stirre and striue to sunder our consent And yet God wot 〈…〉 a sting is in vaine One will serues both 〈…〉 and in paine Haue they desire wée should bée shrinde in clay By sundring vs that loues each other so Will they not know Loue doth no Lawe obey Nor how hée wrappes the wysest wightes in wo Thinke they that force can force our selues to hate O no in vaine they séeke to sowe debate Our plighted faith shall neuer falled bée Constrainte of will our wishes cannot yoke Our woordes in woorkes in weale and woe agrée Such care wée haue to kéepe our vowe vnbroke O loue through whom wée liue in this vnrest Once ease thy thralles that thus obey thy hest Remoue their wrath that woorkes to wrack our will That after stormes wée may some sunne shine sée The fault is thine if loue betyde vs yll Which bound our selues that thou mightst set vs frée Wherefore vouchsafe to sowre our swéete at last That gleames of Grace our clowdes of woe may wast ¶ The Deuice of a Gentlewoman to persuade her louer of her constancie notwithstanding her show of hate which shee onely vsed to quench the ielous suspicion of her friendes SIth fortune threates to woorke our wreake of ioy By sowsing of our ship in seas of yre Sith sullen thoughtes doth so our friends accoy As wayward will still wresteth our desire I sée no meanes more méete for our behoue Then saile to strike till stormes 〈◊〉 and gone Our lookes must
long through pyning woe Whose constant truth long hath den tryde Though long his suit hath ben denyde By batteriâ— long the brasen wall The cannon shot doth cleane deface The longest trées in time doe fall Which long before had Boreas base The little brooke in running long Doth turne into a riuer strong Then may it be I louing long My pyning corps by long delay Can long abide the furie strong Of ghastly death which long doth stay His lingring stroke to haue it so That louing long should worke my woe A Sonet wherin is showne the straunge effectes of loue IN care I ioy my mirth is mou'd by moâ—re With flouds of want I weare to ebbe my wo Appayd I rest in restlesse griefe to grone By fainting hope my friendly hap doth growe In waues of bale I bathe in wished blisse My wealth in woe in paine my pleasure is But how these hang if so she search my harme These fewe suffice the same to shew my swéete To rayse her ioy my selfe I wholy arme To fréese or fâ—y as she shal déeme it méete I bound am frée and frée I yeald her slaue That 's my delight that she desires to haue And sith my sport doth make my souereigne â—oy And mirth she finds to thwart my faith with frâ—ps I sad am glad my noy may force her ioy My sowre her swéete my dole may cleare her dumpes Yea life I wish this were to do her good Each day to waste a drop of guitlesse blood The louer wearied with a number of delayes sues vnto his Ladie for pitie or otherwise her speedie denyall by death to worke a speedie dispatch of his languishing dayes IF pitie may preuaile to pearse your hart with ruth Swéete maistres lend your listning eare to heare your seruants truth Whose faith hath chose you iudge and iurie if you please If not desart shal trye this cause your deintie mynd to ease The whole record is writ for rafing with my teares My witnesse is my withered corps ny famished with feares A thousand sighes besides in open court will sweare You are the Saint which with my heart I honour loue and feare Disdaine that workes delayes mistrust that moues my mone No witnesse hath to hinder right but false suspect alone Yet boulstred vp by scorne they scoffe my loyall loue And kept me play with forreine frumpes til prickt by méede to proue If pitie could procure your heart my harme to rue I found remorse was preast to heare the plaint before your view And now good Lady note my witnesse and my woe If I deserue your loue for loue giue verdite yea or no For daunted with delayes for hap or harme I iumpe And knowe you once if sullen will my faythful loue doth frumpe I will not languish long in cursed Cupides flame Death in despight shall rid me dole and you shall beare the blame But if with souereigne grace you may your seruants state Yeald recompence of loue betimes least liking come too late To coole his flaming harte by Cupide set on fire Through heate whereof a Whetstone colde consumes with hote desire The thought of wonted ioyes doubleth the miserable mans griefe I That whose youth was lul'd in pleasures lap Whose wanton yeres were neuer chargd with care Who made no flight but reacht the pitch of hap And now besieg'd with griefe at vnawares How can my hart but bléede to thinke on this My ioy with was my woe is ioynd with is With is Oh yea and euer wil be so Such hell is thought to muse on ioyes forgone For though content would faine appease my woe This myrthlesse note continues fresh my mone O deare delight with whome I dwelt in ioy Thy sowrest swéete my sorrowes would destroy â–ª Destroy it would but Oh those dayes are past When to my wil I found dame fortune wrought My fancies cleare with cares are ouer cast Yet bootelesse hope will not forsake my thought But still proroges my griefe that else would dye To vaine effect when I my toyling spye The hap and hard fortune of a carelesse louer MY hart on hayh with carelesse mind I rauÌ„ging fréedomes fieldâ— Blind Cupide by arest vnwares to beautie bad me yeald What yeald quoth I at beauties becke as Venus slaue to serue May he whome fréedome alwayes 〈◊〉 by bondage stoupe to sterue No Cupide no with me go tell dame beautie beares no sway Nor pleasure with her painted sheath can make me Cupide pray This answere made with winged féete he tooke his flight away And did impart to beautie straight his rest I would not bay â–ª With anger fraught who foorth with wild an armie should be had And captaines hauing charge them selues in armour should be clad Her selfe she plaste in formost front with Pleasure in her hand And Lady Loue elected was hygh Marshall of her band â–ª Faire Venus in the rereward went her sonne in ambush lay Thus Beautie and her warlike crue did mearch in battel ray But I poore I which feard no force in fréedomes lease at large Pursude my sport with carelesse mynd of Loue I tooke no charge But all too soone I heard a sound of dub dub in my eare And therewithall I sawe in sight tenne aunchents to appeare Which poudred were with pyned hartes in bloudy colours set Which forst me flée to wisdomes wood to scape Dan Cupids net But craftie he in scoute there lay who first gaue charge on me And brought me bound to Beauties barre her prisoner for to be Then stinging loue enforst me pray Dame Pleasure plead my case But Beautie sayd in vaine I sude in hope of future grace For martiall law foorthwith quoth she thy hart in bale shall bounce Therwith she chargd her Marshal high this sentence to pronounce To bate thy pride which wouldst not stoupe when beautie bent her lure Thy casting shall be clods of care Saunce hope of happie cure With flouds of teares thy dazeld eyes thy sickly chéekes shall staine And Fancie with his sleating toyes shall harbour in thy braine Thy heart shall poudred be with paine thy guts with griefe to boyle Thy séething sighes shall scalde thy lippes to taste of inwarde toyle Thy intrales all shall parched be with flames of fond desire The heauie perse of bodyes griefe thy pyned legges shall tire Despaire then was the hangman made which doome did Beautie please And I to bondage was bequeath'd to liue in little case Wherewith the Gem of Venus band vnprayd of her bon gre Did beg me â–ª wretch at Beauties hand her prisoner for to be And after vowe of loyaltie did let me goe at large Yea further payd my farewell fée my bondage to discharge In lâ—e whereof at her commaund my seruice loe is prest As homage due for saued life yea more her slaue I rest The absent louer in pawne of his constancie sendeth his heart to his Ladie REceiue deare dame as gage of worthy loue This pyned hart bepoudred all with teares Whose poesie is No
for me them selues did fetter fast Whose baites for me them measht in beggers net Inforst men say of God loe here the might Which heales the harmd and lames the lewd in sight But I whose scare thy heauenly helpe did cleare Will daily sing with mynd with hart and voyce To thee O Lord be honour laude and feare Which foyldst my foes and madst me to reioyce Laude for thy grace and honour to thy name Feare cause thy wrath doth put the lewde to shame The reporter After that P. Plasmos had throughly passed the pikes of his troubles he foorthwith professed a newe course of life to witnesse which reformation making pouertie his excuse he sent this following farewell vnto fayre Laymos and other fine dames of his olde acquaintance â–ª which inuention he termed his farewel to wanton pleasures P. Plasmos farewell to wanton pleasures DAme Venus be content thy seruant should depart Who long hath bath'd in brauties blisse yet swam in seas of smart And willing nowe with losse to leaue his wanton sport Repentance hath reclaimed him from pleasures statly court Good loue my gouernesse thy charge that erst did raunge Is well content to carelesse youth to leaue his choice in chaunge My colours fresh and gay my pride in peacocks plumes I now resigne to Cupides thralls whose head with fancie fumes My sugred wordes that earst did wray my suites at large My scalding sighes to quench mistrust when iealousie gaue charge I will to salue their sore whome false suspect doth byte My vaunting speach I giue to those which soiourne with delight And fansie earst my friend of force I must forsake And lust my choice I leaue to those which rowes in leachers lake For wisdome rules my will and reason bids retire Least frosen feares through faythlesse loue doth followe hote desire Expence doth nip my purse my pride is pincht with paine Aspiring mynde hath caught a fall my lacke is linckt with gaine Yet losse this lesson learnd how pence my pleasure wrought Not pleasure pence but purses paine when néede the bottome sought A noddie for the nonce for faithlesse flurtes to flout Poore want was rayd in ragged clothes amongst dame pleasures rout Which picture when I sawe in fauour like my lacke Disdaine my thought did drowne my ioy despaire did bruse my backe Pure néede then prickt me foorth in faith good mistresse mine Ere scorne should worke me out of grace my seruice to resigne For if you rightly wey my want by former wealth Your selfe will iudge I can not serue without the ayde of stealth Then wrong will séeke reuenge with tryall of his bande And iustice soone will sentence giue to truce me out of hande Then conscience will accuse my coste in Venus court And warne my friendes by these my woes to shun dame pleasures sport And loth to dye will curse the causers of my smart Thus with your blame my one the shame perforce I shall depart The reporter After P. Plasmos had bid adieu to these counterfet delightes he made this ensuing recantation and sith it behoueth euery man that recanteth to shew with what errours he was led as well to discharge his owne conscience as to forewarne others of the like P. Plasmos in the saide recantation maketh discourse of loue betwixt faire Laymos and him self Wherein is discouered the subtile sleights of a cunning courtisane P. Plasmos recantation BEfore the world I here recant my life I do renounce both lingring loue and lust My wanton will with wisedome once at strife Hath lost the fielde the type of fansies trust My sugred toung bepoudred all with teares To chase mistrust from my swéete maistresse mynde With simple speach from humble sprite now weares That fauour I with my swéete Christ may finde My seattered sighes which I on earth did strowe I gather vp and sende them to the starres As messengers of my lamenting woe Twixt sine and soule so mortall is the warres Sith I repent no shame it is to wray My former life how farre from grace it swern'd Although from truth I silly shéepe did stray As good men God so I my Goddesse seru'd Her fauour heauen I reckt her frowning hell I swam in ioy when I attaind her grace I sunke in noy when she with wrath did swell Such strange effectes were shrowded in her face Saint Pandor then my aduocate I made Who pynde my purse yet fead my foolish vaine A thousand scornes with my fond sight did fade My suite in wordes such slender grace did gaine As Gods of olde my Goddesse honoured is Which sacrifice of kine and calues did craue But she inioynd in penance of my mis For fashion sake that first I yeald her â—laue With vowe of fayth my suite then must I showe But suites of lawne with toyes of déeper coste The duties were which I for grace did owe Such costly grace then found were better loste But miâ—â—es of loue did so bedim my eyes That wealth was slaue vnto my wanton thought Glad was my purse when he the toy espies Which with my loue a perfect liking wrought But I too sharpe did spurre so frée a wretch He pynde to naught to please her péeuish mynde Then lacke too late this lesson did me teach I seru'd no saint but one of Sathans kynde Who when she fawe pure néede to play his part With iealous speach gan straight to faine debate My second choice she sayde possest my heart As though pure loue had hatcht this souden hate But well I sawe despight did forge suspect And iealous speach was set to colour scorne My charge not change did frame with foule defect She fained griefe I wretch with woe forworne My plées of want then purchase little grace She wild me loue where I my wealth did waste For my nice choice she reckt her selfe too base Which here and there in change a new was plast Fonde fansie then presented to my will In desperate panges to pine away with paine Or purchase pence on top of Shooters hill If I escape my bootie grace would gaine For him that earst both hope and hap did vaunce To desperat thoughts to vayle his former blisse Blame not his mynde to cure this sorrie chaunce If ventur'd life did worke amends of misse And syth quoth I I must a martyr be Then burne to naught with blase of Cupides brands A gentler death is hanging on a trée I may escape the bowget makers hands In spight of scorne which haunts my Ladies hart Then shall I swim in seas of former grace And sorrow shall finde recompence of smart With foulded armes when I my ioy imbrace These drousie dumps which driues me to despaire Shall purged be with drugs of droynses store I glad he mad then mumping in his chaire When stéede is stolne too late shall shut the dore Thus I vile wretche led on by wanton lust A triumphe made within my wicked thought How I by hap the harmelesse threw to dust Ere I escapt or
when no sute nor seruice could procure My stragling loue to stoupe vnto his lure By néede inforst his dotage then hée reft And so with losse my wanton pleasures left When mystes of luâ—â—e were cleared from his eyes Disdaine forthwith transformd his loue to hate Fye on my life and lewdnes lowde hée cries Hée heaues mée vp to filthie Faustines state A Layis byrde for Masseline a mate A filth a flurt a bitch of Megraes kinde A rigg a rampe and all that came to minde But when I heard my blame hée blased thus Impatient I began to stampe and stare To waile to wéepe to wring my handes I woâ—s To freate to fume to teare my golden heare In fine as madd as euer was March hare I vowde to reaue Valperga of his life Which I performde aye me through péeuish strife While sporte was quicke I did Giazzo moue To slay this Lord in grace which whilome stoode But disposest to winne his owne swéete loue Unciuil wretch accoyde through sullen moode Hée blasde mée forth as byrde of Layis broode Leaue off quoth hée I loth thy heauie chéere Valpergas tongue shall buy this bable deare With which suffisde I fell to kisses straight And shewde my selfe more gamesome then of yore To tyce him on I laide this wanton baite But hée which long Valperga held in store Within his heart my hatred did abhore Yet nay the lesse my loue hée so did like As still hée said hée stayde for time to strike But when I found what fine delayes hée vsde All sweld with wrath quoth I the prouerbe saith Proferde seruice is euer more refusde And offerde loue is quited syld with faith Without the hooke the baite no poyson hath Yet haplie hée for all his wiles may proue My péeuish hate oore wayes my passing loue And in disdaine the secrete gates I bard Where in and out Giazzo earst did goe I tould him plaine his market cleane was mard I ment my faultes vnto my lord to showe If which suffisde I would no more do so To faine with chaunge I did Giazzo pray With kindnes showne contented for to stay Nigh tyred hée my gréedie lust to glut Full wel appayde for trueth my fayâ—ings tooke Hée tooke no héede how often-times is shut In sugred baite a fowle and filthie hooke How hate is hidde full oft with friendly looke Ne how the lewde when grace is not their stay Refuse no meane to worke their foes decay Euen such a filth I forst confesse I was I vsde this showe to chase my foes mistrust Thereby to worke his fatall ende alas When least hée thought I would haue béene vniust Such cankered hate my murdrous heart did rust Unto which ende I for Valperga send With yll for good to quite his faithful frend I knew the force of new reuiued loue How péeuish hate more perfect made the same I likewise knew newe friendship how to moue With pleasaunt lookes y mixt with pretie blame I checkt him first for foyling of my fame Perdona moy ore showes againe with viewe Deare dame quoth hée I yeld your tale is true Euen so quoth I and smiling vsde these wordes Confessed crimes doth open penaunce chuse What plague you please quoth hée your thrall accordes That hée or you shall execution vse Such power quoth I I meane not to refuse Yet hoping that those faultes you will amende I pardon all and take you for my frende And when I sawe him eager of delight A sighe I fetcht and did Giazzo name Valperga said Giazzo to his might UUas sure his friend quoth I I thinke in name But ah his déedes will neuer proue the same And though I loth to sowe seditious strife Yet néedes I must for safegard of thy life In sooth swéete friend thy daungerous state I rew This trayterous mate to moue thine ouerthrowe By guile God wot with mée in frendship grew Betwixt vs friends he first did hatred sowe Hée forged faultes to kéepe mée still thy foe And yet my heart for al that hée could say Did loue thée well although my tongue said nay Which when hée smeld puft vp with furie straight Hee vowde thy death for robbing of his ioy Which bloudie wordes did force mée to vnfraight This bitter speach Auawnt thou peeuish boy Thy filthy sight Bianca doth annoy Beléeue mée Lord this tale is very true Beginne with him before hée do with you These forced wordes did rayse a soare mistrust Or haply else Giazzo might a smoakte But yet hée vowde to féede my filthie lust With bloudie blade his trayterous breath to choake And leaue hée toke hée said to strike this stroake But loe hée went forthwith to Mantua Unto his friend these secretes to bewray Which treason when Giazzo vnderstoode Who can auoyde quoth hée a strompets hate And thundring out the stormes of furious moode UUith tearmes of scorne hée did Bianca rate Out filth quoth hée twixt friends which sowes debate And in despight a libel hée inuents UUhich Lords to you Bianca here presents ¶ An Inuectiue written by Roberto Sanseuerino Earle of Giazzo against Bianca Maria Countesse of Celant WHo euer sawe a thorne swéete grapes to yéeld Or sower slowes vppon a vine to growe UUho euer heard coward first in féeld The foreward wight soonste feard with sight of foe UUho euer knew in time of any minde Good fall to bad or kitt to flée from kinde If proofe ne peares who may Bianca blame UUhose father rose to wealth by filthie fraude Her mothers life y shrinde with endles shame Whose grandam was in drowping dayes a bawd Shée onely left of all this beastly store Must néedes be worse then parents were before What marueile then if shée did flée by night And sent a horne vnto her Lord and fere To blow the death of all his braue delight That gadding moode shee learned of sa mere UUho lightly vailde at ery wanton whoope How could shée then but to Valperga stoope Ne can shée chuse but proue the Prouerbe true UUon with a word and lost with one yll looke Giazzo knowes Bianca séekes for newe Hée whilome was a vowell in her booke Giazzo wrought Valperga out of grace Giazzo scornd Valperga hath his place Yet both in lashe at length this cressed leaues And Megra like pursues their loue with hate Such is the fruite of ruffians roages and théeues UUhich framde her heart when shée was formde by fate Her fathers liue Scappardone being dead And diuers séedes doth diuers natures breede O happie man Giazzo scornes her loue Valperga blest that knowes her murdrous minde UUee haue ynough her truth let others proue And rest content with what wée left behinde UUe suckte the swéete let others drinke the draffe UUée eate the corne what skilles who chewes the chaffe The Countesse of Zeland continueth in her complaint NOw gallants iudge if it with honour stands For any Lord a Lady thus to rate Or blase with scorne their
that then did lowre Controwld and scornde who thousands did commaunde Once craue and haue denyde now eche demaunde My lothsome couche presenteth to my vewe My beds of doune with thought of swéete delights Thus day and night my wilfull harme I rewe Ech thought of grace my conscience guilt affrights Yet loth to die against repentaunce fightes Till due desert by lawe and Iustice lead Did dome my misse with tosse of my poore head The which in place I ready am to pay Acknowledging my faultes before you all God graunt my life with such effect you way As you may be forewarned by my fall Of lawlesse loue the end is bitter gall I now haue sayd and for their witnesse crye How so I liude I do repentant dye The Argument for Cressids complaint THE inconstancie of Cressid is so readie in euery mans mouth as it is a needelesse labour to blase at full her abuse towardes yong Troilus her frowning on Syr Diomede her wanton lures and loue neuerthelesse her companie scorned of thousandes sometimes sought her beggerie after brauerie her lothsome leprosie after liuely beautie her wretched age after wanton youth and her perpetuall infamie after violent death are worthy notes for others heede to be remembred And for as much as Cressids heires in euery corner liue yea more cunning then Cressid her selfe in wanton exercises toyes and inticements to forewarne all men of such filthes to persuade the infected to fall from their follies to rayse a feare in dames vntainted to offend I haue reported the subtile sleites the leaud life and euill fortunes of a Courtisane in Cressid name whom you may suppose in tattered weedes halfe hungerstarued miserably arrayde with scabs leprosie and mayngie to complaine as followeth Cressids complaint YOu ramping gyrles which rage with wanton lust Beholde in me the bitter bloumes of chaunge Forworne with woe who wallowes in the dust And lepre like is double mayld with maynge For my desart this fortune is not straunge Disdaine my life but listen to my mone Without good héede the hap may be your owne Though now I am anoynted with annoy My hyde bepatcht with scabs of sundry hewe I sometime was the star of stately Troy With beautie blist my venes as Azures blewe No fault in me but that I was vntrue In Priams court who did not Cressid like In lue of loue who gaue she not the gleake Where I was lou'd I séemed alwayes straunge Where litle waide I won with gleames of grace My gadding mynd had such delight in chaunge As seldome twice the best I did imbrace And once beguild with beautie of my face With ebbes of griefe did fall his flouds of ioy He su'd and seru'd but Cressid then was coy I did intice king Priams sonnes to loue And did repine the poorest should go frée My thralls for grace a thousand wayes did proue On whom I smyld a happie man was he The wisest wits were thus bewitcht by me But as the hawke in mewe at randome liues Yet diet kéepes her gorge as seldome greues So I that liude with store of foode at large When hunger pincht on lustie youthes I prayd If boystrous lads my gorge did ouercharge For tyring meate the deintie boyes were wayde Thus with a meane my prime of pride was staide Then was I faire my traine with oyle was strickt My feathers freshe were dayly prunde and prickt No toy no gaude ne straunge deuise I sée Though not the first the same I second had Glad was the youth that fastned ought on me Of braue array in chaunge I still was clad My cost to sée the courtly dames were mad They did repine the péeres should Cressid loue When rascals scarce to them did liking moue Such fancies straunge were figurd in my face As few there were but my good will did moue I traind them on with outward shew of grace My garter one another had my gloue My colours all did weare in fine of loue But where in hart I lou'd and liked best He euer wore the spoyle of all the rest Syr Diomede got both brooch and belt of cost The which in right to Troilus belongs An eyesore sure to him that lou'd me most Who might repine but not reuenge his wrongs Least notes of hope were turnd to desperate songs The rest did loue as courtiers do in showe But he good soule did pine away with woe Yet cruell I did smile to sée his smart Who somtime warmd his woes with slender hap Which fréesd againe with frownings ouerthwart And when with ioy he pratled in my lap With péeuish speach I would his pleasures snap For wronging whom the Troians did me paint In hart a fiend in face and forme a Saint Then iudge you may my beautie bare great sway Which thus inthrawld by loue a Princes sonne My state no lesse that durst his sutes denay A world it was to heare what praise I wonne A wonder more how soone my pride was donne My forme did fade my beautie prou'd a blase Or as a toy which forced fooles to gase Declining yet I had a present shift A painted face did please a gasinge eye But surfled stuffe prou'd no induring drift My slibber sauce when wanton girles espie With open mouth the same in court they cry Poore Cressid then no sooner came in place But fortie frumpes were framed by her face Some said that I a passing picture drue Some would haue drawen the figure of a sot The crabtréeface would haue mée mend his hue Some in my chéeke did faine to cleare a spot And all to rub my starche away godwot If messellike my painting so they pilde They smylde and said my silke no colour hilde My selfe did laugh to sée my painting clearde The straung defects that withered age did bring A horseface then a tawnie hyde appearde A wrinkled mumpes a foule mishapen thing A sea of hate where liuely loue did spring Thus beauties beames to clowdes of scorne to chaunge So soone mée thought was sure a myrrour straunge Yet so I preast amid the Courtly crew Who once espyde a fresh the sport begon Some said I lookt now of a passing hew A scarfe some cryde to kéepe goodface from sunne Thus was I scornd when youthful pride was don Some wild me learne anew my A.B.C. With backward reade from H. to skip to B. But as the Hawke to gad which knowes the way Will hardly leaue to cheake at carren crowes If long vnserude she waites and wants her pray Or as the horse in whom disorder growes His iadish trickes againe wil hardly loose So they in youth which Venus ioyes do proue In drouping age Syr Chaucers iestes will loue My self for profe whē wanton yeres were worne When lookes could yeald no loue but lothsome hate When in my face appeard the forme of scorne Whē lust for shame with me might sound debate Although I did turne tayle to foules of state At vauntage yet with baser byrdes I met On kytes I
yet will I to satisfie your request supply my inabilitie of skill with the abilitie of good will and to execute the same he called for pen ynke and paper in the presence of a number writing as followeth WHen Sommers force is past and Winter sets in foote The hart and strength of hearbs and trées is nourisht by the roote The frostes and froward blasts doth nip the naked spray The Sommer liuerie of the bowes with colde is worne away Yet liues such rootes in hope that Phoebus glimering beames Will once dissolue syr Hiems force his frostes and ysie streames And lend reliefe at length when he their lacke should sée With coates of leaues to cloth their armes fit garments for a trée Euen so both hope and dread doth wage continuall fight Deare dame in me whose Sommers ioy you raisde with friendly sight But loue vnlookt God wot to yoke my wanton yeares Straight vsde his force and base desart consumd my ioy with feares It raysed frostes of scorne my fire to ouerthrowe This chaungd the Sommer of your sight to Winter of my woe Yet fled my heart to hope who faintly féedeth me Your pittie passeth poore estate where faythfull loue you sée He shewes by secrete signes your vertues euery one And sayes your beautie bréedes no pride that brueth all my mâ—ne But maugre friendly hope base hap with me doth striue Who weares my flesh with withered feare how so my hart doth thriue Which is the very cause why I these colours weare The ground of hope bewrayes my heart the gards my desperate feare But if with graunt of grace my griefes you meane to quite Both hope and dread shall soone be chaungd to colours of delight Roberto Rinaldo These verses were reasonably liked both for that they were done of the souden and that they somewhat answered the demaunde and yet this proffered loue to Giletta bred no suspicion for that euery one thought Rinaldo on so good occasion could not otherwise choose but proffer some shewe of louing seruice After many had thus coÌ„mended the redinesse of Rinaldos wit by profe of this inuention at the length quoth Giletta halfe smyling maister Rinaldo you haue clearkly answered my question and nowe knowing your cunning I may haply set you a worke in matters of more importance Rinaldo glad of this commendation made answere her causes could neuer wearie him for that he had both left his own and al other businesse of purpose to do her seruice The musicke now a while commaunded them from prattle and the gallants addressed theÌ„ selues to dauncing where Rinaldo to make amendes for his other nights negligence requested to leade maistresse Giletta the measures Giletta although at the first made the matter coy yet won by importancie accepted his courtesie Rinaldo somewhat incouraged by hope bestowed him selfe to the best liking he could and to report the truth with the perfection of Arte he made full satisfaction for his former disorder The dauncers nowe wearied with heate applied theÌ„selues vnto more cooler pastimes and Rinaldo and Giletta went to take the ayre at a medowe where Giletta to bewray her knowledge of his verses vsed these speaches In good fayth although against my will I sée it is my fortune to be acquainted with your secretes so that before mistrusting that I am most assured of by your passionate verses which by fortune I perceiue that the late mistaking of your loue inraged you yet for that they appertaine not vnto me and that ye shall remoue your anger from me if you wil stay my returne I will fetch them and make restitution assuring you that I neyther haue nor will reueale the knowledge of them to any aliue To stay her departure quoth Rinaldo softly distrayning her hand since my fortunes were so euill to lose them for that séeing an inpossibilitie of hap I would haue concealed my harme I am glad my fortune is so good that they light into her handes to whome in right they belong vnto whose power with vowe of continuall seruice I subiect my life liuing libertie Maistresse Giletta raking vp her conceiued loue in the ashes of secrecie thus answered If I were so simple to be bewitcht with shadowes your intising words might no doubt worke spoyle of myne honour In the chiefest hope of my wel doing quoth Rinaldo disturbing her tale you haue truly described my present condition for being reft of heart the only stay of life and dying through despaire I am in no better state then a shadow Well quoth Giletta since your wit serues you to flourish on euery worde figuratiuely spoken I will deliuer the rest of my minde in more plaine speaches First I must confesse my inabilitie and vnworthinesse to entertaine such a seruant then graunt your wisdome to be such that you will not bestowe your able seruice but where you sée sufficient abilitie for your well deseruing zeale to haue deserued hyre Nowe to your verses I thus muche conceiue that to colour that your owne colour bewrayes I meane your loue else where bestowed for that I vnhappily ministred some speaches of mistrust to dymme mine eyes with a vaine flourish til time fits your better fortunes you vse this fonde profession of loue Thus much I gather both by your wordes and workes and thus much I had thought to haue deliuered in in embassage vnto this teltale paper making shew of the letter she had written but knowing quoth she letters to be very blabs I am glad opportunitie so serues that I may deliuer in wordes both what I thinke of you and your suite with this she put vp her letter againe I thinke for that she woulde not discomfort Rinaldo with the sharpnesse thereof who faine would haue fingered the same onely to haue bestowed his skill in answere but to shew his able force to incounter her in wordes in déed quoth he letters are but to be vsed in necessitie yet where griefs can not otherwise be vttered necessarie instruments But I find this benefit in my bondage that if I were both bard of tong and pen my flaming sighes my frosen teares my wan lookes and withered fleshe would witnesse with what deuotion I serued which zeale through my chaunging colour by you noted I not a litle ioyed and I no lesse sorrowed you would not take notice to what Saint I vsed this deuotion when as Rinaldo calleth heauen and earth to witnesse that neyther beautie brauerie or any other inticement ioyned with the credite of the greatest Lady in all Italie coulde subiect his libertie til Gilettas vertue matcht with matchlesse beautie reacht the pitch that stoupt his mouÌ„ting thoughts to whom and for whom he vseth this suite and suffreth these sorowes Giletta séeing the continuance of his vehemencie was pretily well persuaded of his loyaltie in so muche as after a number of other proffers and defences in hope quoth she of your readie dutie I admit you my seruant with promise to measure your rewarde beyond desart
Giletta was not frée from sorrowes for good soule shée thought it hie time to acquaint her seruaunt with the continuance of her loue and although shée had attempted many wayes yet shée found no currant opportunitie for discouerie thereof till in the end shée determined by letters to deliuer the Embassage of her minde to which effecte shee one day wrote these lines following MY Good seruaunte I cannot but sighe to thinke on thy sorrowes who inferring on my straungnesse hast my faithfull loue in suspicion and yet I cannot blame thée that knowest not what necessitie inforceth my coynesse Alas I liue in the gase of Ielous distruste who with Lynxes eyes watcheth my behauiour so that of force I am forst to rarrie a shew of hatred where in heart I loue But of this assure thy selfe althoughe Frizaldo whose familiaritie woorketh thy feare weareth both my gloue and Garter yet Rinaldo hath and shall haue my heart So that swéete friend from hencefoorth hauing my constancie thus warranted when most I lowre contrary my lookes with smiling thoughtes And thus till more fortunate time do perfect our wished desires thy louing Mystresse wisheth thée well to fare Giletta de Bologna When good Giletta had thus ended her letters for that shée durst not trust Rosina her wayting woman with the deliuerie of them whom shée knewe to be too well affected towardes Frizaldo to woorke him such an iniurie shée determined to be the Embassadour her selfe to accomplish which deuise shee made an apple hollowe wherein shée bestowed this letter which shée closed so cunningly that none by the outward show could perceiue the inward charge thereof But oh the force of ielosie Frizaldo for that he could not alwayes be present to eye Gilettas behauiour wonne her waytinge woman to watch her so narrowly as shée might bée able to yeeld accompt of all her doinges This trayterous mayde to her mystresse so trustily performed his request as although Giletta practised this deuise in her secrete closet yet through the cranell of a wall shée had notice thereof so that the night following shée came to the fingering of this apple and finding these louing lines in the body thereof shée forthwith went to Frizaldo to whom shée deliuered both the letter and apple but he that foreknew Gilettas loue towards Rinaldo was rather glad then sadde of these newes For by this meanes he spyde occasion presently to ouerthrowe Rinaldo with despaire To further which villanous trechery as néere as he could he counterfeted Gilettas hand and then in stéede of her courteous lines in her name hée wrote this vncomfortable letter RInaldo thy dissembling hath wrought my displeasure although I will not shew how nor wherein thou art vniust yet know thou I know so well thy villanies as no excuse shall remoue mee from reuenge And if my vnpleasaunt lookes any way offende thée assure thy selfe my heart tenne times more abhorreth thee thereof let this my hand writing be a witnes which I my selfe deliuer to this ende that thou mayst at once end both thy hope and vnregarded sute by her that hates the more then shee loues herselfe Giletta de Bologna When Frizaldo had made an ende of this letter hée bestowed it in the apple and wild Rosina to laye the same where shée found it the next day hée brought Giletta where of force shée must sée her louing Rinaldo and of purpose seemed carelesse of her behauiour that she might haue opportunitie to salute her sorrowful seruaunt Poore Giletta vnacquainted with this treacherie simplie deliuered Rinaldo the apple saying the vertue in the fruite was of force to end his sorrowes Herewith shée hasted after Frizaldo without either aunswere or thankes at her seruauntes hands who receyuing this courtesie beyond all hope as one amased at so soudaine a ioy it was longe ere hée tasted this apple and finding a letter inclosed therein I can hardly report the one halfe of his delight But this I am assured for his faire mystresse sake he a hundred times kist both the seale and superscription before he aduētured to take knowledge of the hidden message therein but when hée ripped it open and found the forecited newes alas poore man his late swéete motions so increased his sowre passions that if it were possible for anye to taste more miseries his fare excéeded the torments of Hell. Ah God quoth hée how may it so swéete a face should bée matcht with so cruel a hart such heauenly lookes with such hellish thoughts so faire a creature with so foule conditions and so modest a countenaunce with so mercilesse a minde O Giletta what meanest thou so to ecclipse thy honour darken thy vertue and spoile thy wonted report of pitie by murthering of thy faithfull friend Hadst thou no feare of infamie no thought of former vow Might not remorse of conscience withdrawe thée from disloyaltie Madest thou no more accompte of loue then like vnto a garment at thy pleasure to put off and on Couldest thou doe Rinaldo such iniurie as to let another deuoure the fruites of his toyle Wouldest thou suffer Frizaldo to reape the crop of loue that Rinaldo sowed with sighes wéeded with faith did nourish with teares and ripened with continual seruice Suppose I admitt the force of thy second loue in excuse of all these wronges with what face couldst thou triumphe in my miseries Yea desire my death that loued thée so deare Trust mée cruell Giletta if thine owne writing had not béene witnesse I would neuer haue thought thee inconstāt nor had not thine own hāds deliuered the instrument of my destruction I would hardly a credited thy letters but on so certaine a proofe in vayne it were to hope Ah God how rightly didst thou hit my fortune when as thou saidst thy apple woulde ease my sorrowes in deed I found in it my death only death must cure my grief And sith so subtily thou prophesiedst my destruction since it agréeth with thy wil thy wretched desire shal foorthwith be wrought In this desperate mynde Rinaldo hasted vnto the riuer of Poo where by the shore side he sawe a simple man to whome he deliuered a scroll wherein was written Giletta false of faith Rinaldo nipt so nye That lo he chose before his time in stremes of Poo to dy Whiche verses he requested the poore man to deliuer at the Lorde de Bolognas castle to maistresse Giletta and then without vsing any other speache he lept into the riuer The poore man halfe amazed at this wilful acte foorthwith hasted vnto the Lorde de Bolognas castle where after he had deliuered the writing to Giletta he shewed for certaintie he saw Rinaldo drowne him self The newes was vnwelcome vnto euerie hearer saue only to Frizaldo that trayned him into this mischiefe but especially to Giletta this tydinges was too too grieuous she weapt she waylde she blamed her and his vnlucky fortune Frizaldos iealousie her friendes vntowardnesse and chiefly her owne nycenesse as
instruments of Rinaldos lamentable destnie in so much as neither shew of pleasure companie of acquaintance or persuasion of friendes could moue her vnto any comfort Well leaue we sorrowfull Giletta continually bemoning the death of her best beloued seruant and turne we to Rinaldo who after he had a while felt the furie of the floudes was wearie of dying so that for life he laboured vnto the shoare which happily recouered he felt his stomacke at that instant rather ouercharged with water then loue yet for that by sight of his sowre-swéete maistresse he would not renue his sorrowes nor that he coulde brooke in the court to be frumpt and slouted at he consented in a forrest neare adioyning vnto this riuer in miserie to consume the residue of his life And abasing his mind vnto the condition of his distresse he was content to take a hollow caue for his house and herbour the bare ground both for his bed and bedding For companions to make choice of wild beastes to bemone his fortunes vnto the wild forrests to make the night rauen his clocke his harmonie of hellishe noise of monsters his foode the fruits of the earth O strange effectes of loue that could vaile his mynde to vouchsafe these miseries that lately held at will almost what he could wish But leaue I now to write of loue his force whom no maÌ„ hitherto could either truly define or describe and turne againe to poore Rinaldos hard estate who roming in the wilde forrestes for foode espied an apple trée the fruit wherof put him in remembrance of the apple Giletta deliuered him wherin he found a letter that forst him to this penance the sight wherof with sorrow not only slaked his hunger but moued him to such impatiencie that in despaire and despight of the fruite vpon the trée he carued this inuention O Needlesse fruit of sinne the meane at first Thou forcedst Eue and Adam didst intice To byte their bale for which the earth was curst And headlong they from vertue fell to vice Thou wert the baite that Paris gaue the Dame Who in reward set stately Troy aflame Thou didst conuey the louing write that woode Dianas nymphe from chaste to foule desire By thée too soone I wretched vnderstoode Gilettas scorne that chaung'd her loue to yre And not content but when my woes were dead With former cares thou combrest fresh my head O enuious fruit in whom few vertues are Thy shew is all but who so on thée féedes Shall hardly finde thée helpe but health impaire Then sith to man such plagues thy beautie breedes Would God thy guilt vpon each apple trée Igrauen were for euery eye to see Roberto Rinaldo Rinaldo thus freshly entered into the consideration of his former loue likewise felt his former vnquietnesse of mynd faine would he haue found out some litle sparke of hope but out alas the sowre letter his swéete maistresse deliuered together with her hatefull shewe against him and her louing zeale towardes Frizaldo so hugely increased his distrust as by no means he could away with hope in so much quoth he O cowardly wretch why dost thou not by death at once dispatch thy sorowes rather theÌ„ to die a thousaÌ„d deaths by prâ—roging a lothed life canst thou brooke continual bondage wheÌ„ with one blow thou maist rid thy wretchednesse set feare aside vse force vpon thy selfe thou hast liued an exile too long since thou séest no hope of attonemeÌ„t at home nor fealest quietnesse abroad In this desperate passion Rinaldo was determined to commit murder vpon him selfe and yet he thought best to deferre the execution vntil he might conuey him selfe neare vnto Gilettas lodging that there her eyes might be witnesse of his loyaltie her owne crueltie To hasâ—eÌ„ which follie the next night he tooke his iourney towardes Bologna castle and by the way he deuised this petition EUen with the bloud that issues from his hart Rinaldo wretch this sorrie boune doth craue There may be grauen by some continuing Arte These woful words vpon his timelesse graue Loe here he lies that reaped hate for loue Which hard exchaunge to slea him selfe did moue These verses Rinaldo determined to write with bloud that issued from his deadly wound coÌ„ming vnto the place of his desired rest he drew his dagger in mind to finish his sorowes But finding his enterprise by reason of the dead time of night vnlikely to be troubled before he executed this tragedie he weakely wrested foorth this heauie farewell Oh God quoth he that the grones procéeding from my gored hart might now awake Giletta that she might sée the vse of my murthering knife then wold my yawning breath my bloudy sighs deadly gaspes no dout bedew her chéekes whiche hitherto my intollerable miseries with ruthfull teares could neuer wet so should she knowe my escaped dangers were but lightening ioyes for to inlarge my sorrowes so might she sée the vnfained confirmation of my loyaltie accuse her of inconstancie so séeing so vnnaturall a tragedie executed by the dome of her scorne vpon her faultlesse seruaunt remorse might happily moue her to repentaunce and pittie winne her from her wauering fancies But oh I tyre time with too néedelesse a tale she quietly sléepes to whom I thus sorrowfully talke Fare wel Giletta farewel These naked wals besprent with bloud shal shortly bewray my mone My breathlesse corps shal witnesse my constancie and purchase I trust so muche pitie as notwithstanding my carelesse prouision to be bestowed in some forgetlesse tumbe I can not stay thy answere and therfore I leaue it to thy curtesie Come wished death now vse thy force my will is made the time and place fitteth my desire my teares and sighes are already bestowed these waâ—â—es my executors only wanteth their hire my waste bloud I bequeath theÌ„ only to continue remembrance of my loyaltie c. Good Giletta continually lameÌ„ting the losse of her seruant both night day was smally disposed to rest in so much that leaning in her chamber window she heard though not perfectly this sorowful discourse and being moued with pitie as Rinaldos complaint grew to an end she vsed these words Yonder mans tong mone and miseries workes such fresh remembrance of my good Rinaldos destruction as for his sake I wil apply vnto his sorowes what honest comfort I can Therewithall she prepared her selfe to learne his cause of griefe Rinaldo amased with this souden comfort helde his hande from his throte till Giletta was at his elbowe who verie modestly demaunded both what he was what forst him so pitiously to coÌ„plaine Rinaldo on this small incouragement began now to mistrust yll measure in others and yet to trie in whome the fault might be he at the first both hid his name and the true cause of his griefe from Giletta Giletta earnestly noting the order of his talk began now to be so distempered with the thought of Rinaldo as she fell straight thus to bee moue his
with her mind But quoth she this aple came to my vnhappie fingring that which I deliuered to Frizaldo who toke out the cōfortable counterfetted in Gilettas name a cruel letter that which he wrapt in the aple wild me to bestow the same where I found it the day folowing Frizaldo allured Giletta wher of force she shuld sée Rinaldo who deliuered Rinaldo this aple Rinaldo reading the counterfetted letter desperatly drowned him selfe Which ill newes so discomforted Giletta as she repined at all the instruments of his ill fortune especially at Frizaldo whose name she could not abide Frizaldo séeing his suits so smally regarded with shew of malice in despight of her as he saide promist me marriage Since Giletta won frō this displeasure Frizaldo with faire words promist now to perform that in déed the hitherto he promist in worde I meane vnder the colour of marriage won me to go with two ruffens to his house who by Frizaldos appointment in a forrest not far off were ready to murther me had not this knight in happie time recouered me I nowe haue said vse your pleasure if you please pardon me This straunge discourse made them all secretly to grudge at Frizaldo But Giletta being perplexed both with malice feare with malice against Frizaldo for his too apparant trecherie with feare for Rinaldos absence who she little thought to be the instrument of this discouerie Frizaldo perceiued by the alteration of countenances what harts were won from him by Rosinaes too true a tale and although he found him selfe guiltie yet he began to cleare him self with this shamelesse answere This strumpet quoth he won by some ruffenly companiō that repineth at my good fortune or thinketh by this meanes to be auenged for Rinaldos desperate and foolish end without shame in her selfe thus shamefully slaundereth me But for that wordes will hardly quench the suspicion that her infamous tale hath fired I wil presently in combat proue my innocencie and I trust discouer her trecherie if any dare mainteine her vntrue sayings true Frizaldo had scarcely concluded his chalenge ere Rinaldo thus replyed Notorious varlet spoyled of all humanitie I am he that wil mainteine her sayings true and in reuenge of thy trecherie will I trust soone seperate thy condēned soule without speedie repentance from thy carren body Goe arme thy selfe I attend thy comming Infamous ruffen wilt thou quoth Frizaldo and counterfetting through necessitie furie in steade of feare foorthwith he went to arme him selfe The rest of the companie rather desirous to see an end of this accusation thē the solemnising of the marriage attended Frizaldos return who sone came very richly armed into the field The knights nowe sweare that eyther quarrell is iust and at the trumpets sound so fiercely incountreth other that both horse and men fal thundering to the earth Frizaldo trusting in his force Rinaldo both in his force honest quarell eyther quickly recouereth him self and forsaking their shiuered speares with arming blade freshly falles a hewing at others skonce The knights thus furiously fighting the standers by pray as they are affected the indifferent victory vnto the innocent Rinaldos friendes vnto the vnknowne knight but Giletta aboue the rest wisheth Frizaldos ouerthrowe whome she knowes to be faultie in the quarell Still they fight and yet the victorie doubtfull one while Rinaldo hath the best and straight a crosse blowe makes him lose his aduauntage Remorse of conscience nothing weakeneth Frizaldo but Rinaldos honest cause doubleth his strength so that the longer he fought the fearcer he was and yet Frizaldo valiantly mainteines his dishonest quarrell But what doth might auaile when God assistes the right Frizaldo for all his force in the end beganne to faint which Rinaldo espying and eying his Ladies beautie assaild him with such furie that ere long he sent him dead to the earth The battell thus fortunately won Rinaldo vnarmes him self clames Giletta as his wife the people at the sight of Rinaldo shoke the earth with clamors of ioy Giletta that lately wondered at Rinaldos absence now charged her father with his promise the Lorde de Bologna with the rest of his friends agréed Rinaldo and Giletta should forthwith be married The courtly companie that came to honor Frizaldos marriage had his dishonest actions in such disdaine as now they would not vouchsafe to sée him honestly buried But with all their prouision of brauerie on Rinaldo they willingly attended glad was be that could with any curtesie present him The marriage rites solemnly pronounced these faithfull louers repaired to Bologna castle where they were welcomed with what pleasure might be had yea to cōclude for to worke satisfactiō for their long miseries there wanted nothing that coyne cunning or credit might compasse And thus after fortune had long threatned the shipwracke of their delightes their constancie conducted them to the port of their wished desires El fine fa el tutto Epilogus LOe here the fruits of lust and lawlesse loue Loe here their faults that vale to either vice Loe Ladyes here their falles for your behoue Whose wanton willes sets light by sound aduice Here lords may learn with noble dames to match For dunghill Kyte from kinde wil neuer slye The vessell long will of the liquor smatch Wherewith at first the same we taste or trie Here Cressids life her lucke and lothsome end Their Fortunes paint that Cressids heires are Her fall doth will all wantons to amend Their lightning ioyes are ioynd with yeres of care Here youths that sée a strumpets angrie moode May haply feare to execute her hate Their hard luckes héere that purchase loue with bloud Are warnings méete for such as sowe debate And to be short the sowre in swéetest loue Doth proue him blest that least therof doth proue Formae nulla fides THE GARDEN OF VNthriftinesse wherein is reported the dolorous discourse of Dom Diego a Spaniard together with his triumphe Wherein are diuers other flowers or fancies of honest loue Being the inuentions and collection of George Whestone Gent. Formae nulla fides The Argument DOm Diego a Spaniard falling in loue with faire Geneuora was in the prime of his fancies with like loue by Geneuora friendly acquainted Afterwards Geneuora else where fancying had Dom Diego in such disdaine as still she crost both his suite and seruice with scorne Dom Diego seeing an impossibilitie of fauour exiled him selfe both from courte and companie and vowed to liue and dye in the Pyren mountains vnlesse Geneuora would both remoue her misliking and friendly fetch him home againe who solemnely perseuering in this senselesse vowe you may suppose among the Pyren hilles to wrest foorth this following complaint of his wretchednesse DOM DIEGO HIS dolerous discourse I Wretched weary am of toile good death delay my paine My words in wast my works are lost my wishes are in vaine I serue with faith my hire is fraud I loue reape but hate
And yet this woe doth wrong me most I mourne without a mate For if one drop of hope were séene though dride with scorne in sight I might with pyning Tantale ioyne who sterues in swéete delight Or if I could but halfe the hill roule vp the tumbling stone I had a mate of Sisyphus to match with mée in mone But oh O not my hap more harde they haue a scambling ioy But I no thought of swéete remorse my souereigne is so coy My ioy in was my woe in is and so is like to bée My fancies turne to firie sightes aliue my death to sée The court the court where pleasure liues with paine increast my care Eche blisie séemde bale eche gleame of grace did mist my ioyes with scare Eche show of sport my sorrowes moude eche pleasure made mée plaine Yet there I preast to féede on sight digesting dire disdaine Were loue not blinde this life were straunge for one to loue his foe More straunge to haunt a place of harme but most to ioy in wee But Oh who féeles his aukeward fittes and suckes the swéete in soure Shall bide a yeare of dole with ease to féele one lightning houre Such life I lykt til sogge of scorne did rise to dampe my ioyes Till secrete sighes wrought open scoffes till flontes did quite my ioye Untill the colours which I wore my secrete mourning wrayde Till dauntes of friendes till frumpes of foes my feeble hope dismayde And till her blondie hate was séene of euery béetell sight Till then I neuer shronke but sought with zeale to quenche her spight But then quoth I Dom Diego wretch bid Court not care adue Some vnkouth haunt thy fortune séemes thy harmes alone to rue Thou gau'st thy woord to die her loue let word in worke agrée Her checking chaunge her scorne for faith is no excuse for thée A Hermits life beseemes thy lucke go haunt the Pyren hills To touch the foode wée may not taste increaseth hungry wills Therwith I vow'de in desart houltes alone to rue my harme Where fretting sighes doth serue for fire my frosen flesh to warme My foode is aples hawes and héepes such fruites as féede a beast Wilde monsters are companions mine in hollow caues I rest A crabtrée staffe my surest stéede my sterued legges to ease My thoughts new wounds increaseth stil whē cares I would appease The watchfull clocke the warning bell the harmonie I heare Is dreadfull noyes of dreadlesse beastes of whom I liue in feare My studie is to way and waile that fortune thus doth lowre Wher wealth by wāt once loue by scorne my swéete by present sowre Where fethers flue about my helme a willowe wreath to weare My wéedes of worth by cote of leaues sharpe flowes for deintie fare My stately home by hard exile delight by wythred woe Doth force god wott my wasted teares through griefe a fresh to flow My lute that sometime lent mée ease hath neither frett nor stringe My sugred voice with howling hoarst forbids mée now to singe My penns are worne my incke is done my paper all is writ Yet halfe my passions and my paine vnpainted are as yet So that for onely exercise in trées and Marble stone My griefe to case I forced now do graue my wretched mone Liue longe in blisse thou loftie Béeche wherein this vow is writt No luring friend nor lowring foe Geneuras faith shall flitt To witnes now her foule vntruth Dom Diego writes belowe Her vowed faith from knowen friend is reft by sawning foe But chiefe of all thou sacred stone remaine thou sound and safe Continue thou these letters fresh which are my Epitaphe Hard by this rough and ragged stone Dom Diego wretched ▪ lyes Geneuras hate exiled him yet louing her hee dies This homely tumbe is all my helpe to bring my death to light This must record my faithfull loue and show my Ladies spight In time I trust some forrest Pan or wandring pilgrime may Peruse my woes and to my swéete this sowre message wray To saue my faithfull boone vnbroke to show my seruice iust My souereignes scorne with face of faith her treason cloakt with trus◠Me wretched Dom Diego forst before my time to die My bones vnburied by this tumbe makes proofe it is no lie And now good death with spéede diuorce my soule from lothed life My ioyes are worne my pleasures past my peace is chaung'd to strife I sée no meane of quiet rest but onely death by thée Then spare them death whom pleasure hauntes vse thy force on me ▪ Dom Diego hauing for the space of 22. monethes thus liued an exiles life onely accōpanied with sorrow wretchednes and miserie which comfortlesse cōpanions no one houre forsooke him it chaunced that Dom Roderico a speciall friend of his had occasion to trauel into Gascoine and as hée iourneyed in the desart forrest whereof this wretched louer was made frée citizen he mist of his way in the end finding out Dom Diegos homely caben of whom he demaunded the way to Barcelone hauing his aunswere as he departed hée espied in a corner of his cotage two faire saddles vppon the one of them was ingrauen this Poesse in Spanish Que brantare la fe es causamuy fea To violate faith is a thing detestable Dom Roderico reading this poesse called to remembraunce how that his frend Dom Diego in al his deuises vsed the same to be short he so handled the matter as the hermite whō hée knewe not so was hée ouergrowne with haire and worne with woe confessed himselfe to be Dom Diego his friend taking him a side hée deliuered the whole cause of his exile Dom Roderico séeing this foster louers miserable estate vowed with what possible speede hée could to worke his remedie who for more haste forsooke his iourney and returned home vnto his owne castle At his comming home making no semblaunce of his knowledg hée roade to the place where fayre Geneuora with her mother soiourned of purpose to learne what new gallant had wooed her and finting him to bée a yonge gentleman of Biskaye who shortly after by her owne consent was minded to steale her away Dom Roderico so cunningly coyned with Geneuoras Page who wholy knew his mystresse secretes that he certainly learned the night of these louers departure The same night accompanied with ix or x. Gentlemen his cōpanions and friends he laye in waite for this Biskayne louer his Lady who about x. or a xi of the clocke only accompanied with two or thrée gentlemen his companions came merely on their way Roderico so soone as he saw the instrument of Dom Diegos miserie set spurres vnto his horse with speare in Rest so rudely welcomed this Biskayne that for all his coate of plate hée pearst through both his sides The souldiers of this amorous captaine séeing their maister thus infortunately slaine and waying their vnable force to incounter with Dom Rodericos cōpany saued thēselues by flight left woofull
fate my faith can moue A rare ascorde in prime of rouing yeres When fancie sets a thousand thoughts on fire When faith is choakt with smoke of filthy change When folly fumes when flameth fond desire When raging lust beyond his bounds doth range When euery bayte beguileth brainsicke youth When newe found loue the olde exileth still When sugred wordes are sauced with vntruth What straunge consent subdude my wanton wil Forsooth swéet weÌ„ch this stay thy vertue wrought Thy rare report this Metamorphose made And lest my youth shuld wroÌ„g thée with som thought I vse this helpe all vaine desires to vade In absenâ—e loe to leaue with thée my hart That al my ioy may liue where thou doest rest I likewise vse to frée thy hidden smart By secrete sighes which flies from couert brest My hart to send to ioyne in ayde with thine That thou mayst ioy although in paine I pyne The louer neither greatly fauoured nor openly refused compareth the wretchednesse of his estate vnto the paines of hell FUll fearefull is the talke of Tantals griefe Who hunger sterues in seas of deintie fare Which failes to eb when he should find reliefe And flowes againe his hope with woes to ware And how in vaine poore Sisyphus doth mone To mountaine top who stil doth roll the stone And reaching thus the point of all his paine For ioy he leapes downe falles his fruites of toyle Straight backe he runnes to feâ—ch the stone againe A new he rolles but reapes his former foyle These be their plagues which light in sathans trap To wish and want to hope and haue no hap If then it be a hell in doubt to liue My selfe by proofe can blase thereof the paine Who findeth grace where scorn but late did grieue And fead with hope with hate is steru'd againe For all his suite who can no answere knowe If his swéete maistresse loues him yea or no. If secrete yea this Item would but giue I loue in hart where most in shewe I hate To frée suspect thus straungely do I liue To plight my fayth where scorne doth faine debate Unto my smart it were a swéete reliefe Then should my lute sound notes of ioy not griefe Then would I laugh to sée my Lady pout And smyle when most she wrouÌ„g her mouth awry A signe of fayth should séeme each thwarting flout And iealous feare farre from my hart should fly Although in armes my foe did her imbrace If once she fleard with fancie on my face If open no would will my suites to cease I know the worst and so adieu to smart A hastie death my sorrowes could appease Or languor would soone pierce my pyning hart Thus death were worsse how so my fortune â—ell But nowe aliue I féele the paines of hell By gleames of grace I reape a hote reliefe With storms of scorne I fréese againe with feare â–ª Thus flouds of ioy do fall to eb with griefe And doubtfull hope desired hap doth weare In fauour most I moue her still to loue Soft she replyes I must your patience proue I feare to say be plaine with yea or no Least in her pettes no please her péeuish thought And scorne with all my ioyes do ouerthrowe So forward haste with backward speed were bought Thus am I forst to daunce attendance still God graunt for al in fiue I get good will. G.W. to the signe of the brasen bell AND not without desart I thée a tyrant call Which saue a scorne thou madst of me to eache mishape art thrall Thy credite is the church O false vnfriendly bell When as thou soundest the marridge â–ª ioyes or ringst the carefull knell The souldier in distresse by the alarum makes And when good hap doth him aduaunce thy sides he rudely shakes Digressing from his state to toyle of baser chaunce A thrall thou art to Hick and Steuen in euery morris daunce The hinde doth decke his horse with belles to make him frée The harmelesse foole vpon his cap doth make a scorne of thée Besides to sauage beastes a seruile slaue thou restes The deintie dog in Ladies lap is iueld with thy iostes The mounting faulcon loft bewrayes by thée her stande By thée the hobby dares the larke before he well be mande Of yore this phrase I learnd when things ne framed well A capcase for the foole to call a cockscomb and a bell Then canst that thus arte scornd besides thy seruile strokes A tryumph make vpon his teares whom loue ne lust prouokes To like thy maistresse lookes and loue her as his life Who wel is bent to quite thy toyle when stinted is his strife He sure would thée aduaunce from brasse to glittering golde If that by pearcing peales thou wouldst his sorrowes once vnfolde Thou séest what sighes I sende and howe my suites be payd Thou séest my maistresse smyle with grace and graunt she earst denayd Thou seest me Cupids thrall her loue in league with hate Thou séest my blisse is wayd with bale when wrath doth weaue debate Thou séest my greatest ioyes are counterpeisde with paine Thou séest my myrth is mixt with mone when iealousie doth reigne Yet when she smyles thou spar'st my sorrowes to deface And when she frownes thou fearst to speake to winne her wonted grace Well sith through feare or scorne thou lettst me languish still I present now will plead for grace to winne my wished will And first good tong prepare to tell a louers tale Sound foorth my ioyes aduaun'st by hope by dyre despaire my bale And when mistrust infectes my Ladies hautie hart Then scalding sighes giue you the charge to shew my ceaselesse smart But if she list to toy and smyle with friendly face With easie force then armes assay thy maistresse to imbrace Then sorrowe séeke reuenge vpon her ruby lips Then wounded hart receiue the cure of cruell Cupids nips Thus forward vaunce your selues the maister griefes to wray The silent man still suffers wrong the prouerbe olde doth say And where aduenture wants the wishing wight ne thriues Faint heart hath ben a common phrase faire Lady neuer wiues The louer blameth his Ladies mistrust wherin is figured the passions of an earnest louer WHat fancie fond did force your mynde My deare to iudge me so vnkinde As one of wits bereau'd To breake the bondes of loyaltie As one deuoyd of honestie No no you are deceaud For where such perfect amitie Is linckt with true fidelitie By no meanes Iunos iealousie A sunder may it part For since with you I fell in loue Assigned by the Gods aboue My heart did neuer seeke to proue From yours once to start For proofe to try what I haue sayd Marke how my flesh away doth fade And inward parts doth fret For who can hide the slankering fire But that it will shewe foorth his ire By vertue of his heate So those ypearst with Cupides dart Cannot so closely cloake their smart But that they must complaine Their scalding sighes their sorowes shewe Their colour fading
vpon his auncestours did desire By dint of blade not bagges of drosse to honour to aspire Which when Vlrico wisely wayde and wanted on account He bent him selfe with hassard life by seruice for to mount But loe by lot he hit in loue a wonder small to tell Saue that his Ladies vertues did her beautie braue excell Her portion yet God wot was small yet all in wisdome lay A dowrie little reackt vpon where churles doth beare asway But Beautie here affection raysde then Vertue friendship wrought These two conioynd in séemely dame in loue Vlrico brought The earth quoth he is sure the Lords the fruites thereof his wracke And may it be the begger then shall clawe his seruants backe O no no wight as yet hath séene the righteous begge his breade Although the lewd through foule offence are often nipt with neade And if I should for gaine quoth he vnto some wanten bend Which venter into Cornewall would her honestie to send Vlrico haplesse then should be a common scorne of men Delight to dele from pleasure paine should chaunge his fortunes then To swimme in wealth he meanes not so to hassard his delight He somewhat hath and more may get by manhood and by might Thy choise if once thou winst thy choice in spight of Fortunes wracke Will saue what thy aduentures gaines for to relieue thy lacke Then maist thou liue in forreine soyle without a iealous braine Then maist thou taste at thy returne sweete pleasure for thy paine Why standst thou then amasde quoth he thy honest suite to moue The silent man the prouerbe sayth hath sildome hap in loue Confesse that constant long thou liu'dst y linckt in beauties bandes And challenge fréedome for thy truth at thy swéete maistresse handes This wayd Vlrico hies in haste whereas his Lady liues And there her friends in her behalfe him intertainment giues As time did serue he shewd his zeale vnto his only ioy She likte his words but more him selfe how so she séemed coy His gallant shape his vertues straunge his honour neuer stainde His truth once knowne the truth to tell her loue had soone obtainde And quickly eake with friendes consent them Iunoes rites doth glad He had his will and she her wish and what would more be had The nuptiall feastes y finished Vlrico with his dame Bids friends adewe to castle his they do their iourney frame Where one doth rayse the others ioy one rids the others care And thus contented with their choice in ioy their dayes they weare Till néede at length Vlrico nips who was in spending frée His rents but small these two accounts will hardly well agrée And yet to poll his tenants poore his honest mynde doth greaue What then he faine would serue his leage but loth his wife to leaue Sée here how passing loue is apt to rayse a iealous feare Withouten cause we so do dread the thing we hold full deare Vlricos mynd despiseth want yet dreads to séeke reliefe In absence least his Ladyes chaunge should worke his greater griefe And thus in silence long he mournes and ebs his ioyes with woe Till secrete sighes and heauie lookes his inward harmes foreshewe Which haply when his spouse espide to cleare his cloudes of scare Swéete heart quoth she vnto thy wife thy hidden sorrowes share So shall thy cares abridged be so shall I knowe thy mynde And haply in my counsell thou some comfort swéete maist finde These words Vlrico likte so well as straight he tels the truth Of present want of meane to wealth in order as insu'th Mine owne quoth he you know my state or present lacke withall Our charge is great our myndes are high our liuing is but small Of force we must our brauerie leaue or séeke some way of gaine And vayling to the valliant mynde is sure a matchlesse paine This is the meane to mend our want to serue my souereine leage Who now is bent with might and maine the Turke forto besiege Those warres ere this I well haue tryde vnder Cilia Count Those warres I trust shal force thy feare with wealth fame to mount But ah aye me I loth yet would vnfolde what makes me stay But sith swéete wench loue is the cause allowe what I shall say Long wisht at length I won thy loue O gem of al my ioy As loth I am to leaue thée now least absence make thée coy I call to mynd fayre Helens moode who trudg'd with Troian knight When as her Lord was forst from home with forreine foes to fight The ruffling rout at Ithaca Vlysses farre from home Doth force a thousand fearefull thoughts within my head to rome Then Penelopes constancie this dread would gladly weare She plaste alone without her leake a fresh doth raise my feare The speach of womans méekenesse eake my thoughtes doth run among And straight my thinkes I motions heare that do Vlrico wrong In mynd I viewe what batterie is against thy beautie bent In thought I sée what sharpe assaults in sugred wordes are sent What fearelesse othes what carelesse vowes do flée to foyle thy fame In sine thou forst with yealding will dost blot thy name with blame Then rage I straight the harmelesse gainst as thogh these toyes wer true And straight I checke those raunging thoughts with reason that insue Vlrico fye why wrongs thy wife so fouly with mistrust Whom hitherto thou couldst not finde in worde or déede vniust Whose modestie thou séest abhorres with rufflers for to prate To saue thy wealth whose mynd to worke giues wanton youth the mate Whose life with foule and leaude offence report could neuer spot What cause hast thou Vlrico then her fame with feare to blot To breake this brall faire Barbara so was this Lady namde With prettie nippes with pardon mixt this answere foorthwith framde Well sayde quoth she first faine you feare to frée my shrewd mistrust That choise and chaunge in wanton court wil make you proue vniust But simple I accept your shewe and faith I trust to finde But to my Lord if so he please I yet will shewe my minde I long ere this haue wayde our want and thought on meanes of gaine And sure I sawe the way for wealth was as you did explaine Yet durst I not vnfolde the same vnto my louing Lord Before his words foreshewd his thoughts with mine did wel accord By seruice you shall credite winne by seruice likewise fame By seruice you shall riches reape as you deserue the same By seruice fauour with our prince acquaintance in the court You sure shall finde slacke not these helpes your wife doth you exhort If God with children blesse our life their youth from vices fréed Your credite after in the court will stand them in some stéede And in your absence I so well will to your causes sée As you shall haue reliefe abroade sufficient left for mée Yea sure to braue it with the best yet liue within our boundes Such skyll I haue to most auayle to
rate and rent our groundes And knowe you once my hart is high if liuing there to stretch Yet stoupe I will to please my Lord to liue as rents will retch And thus Vlrico doest thou heare what thy poore wife can say In wealth in want abroade at home thy will she will obay Whose modest tale Vlrico heard with patience to the end And sayd to vse her sound aduise long earst his thought did tend And now I am resolu'd quoth he the warres sweete wife to ply Let worst betyde that may befall I sure with fame shall dye Yet ere I go my friends shall know my mynd and state at large ▪ But of my lande my house and goods none shall but you haue charge And in this moode from friend to friend so long he did resort That at the length Pollaccos skill he heard by fonde report Of whome was sayd by secrete Arte he could such wonders doe As none could worke an acte in thought but he the same would shoe He could informe the louing worme if his faire Ladie fainde Or if she lou'd yea if she had her honour euer stainde For ramping rigges to Venus ioyes their nature proane that feales He could worke meanes of sport without a Tympanie with heales Strange charmes he had to force them loue that late to hate were bent He could foretell what hap what harme the heauens to vs ment With thousand sleights of hidden skill which I omit to write Yet turne I to Vlricos thought when rumour did recite Pollaccos learning thus at large who sayed in his mynde To frée my iealous head from feare a meane now shall I finde Pollaccos knowes if that my wife her selfe will faithfull shewe Or if she doth her honour staine I absent yea or no If in this iourney she be iust then dread for aye adue If she be false I fellowes haue whose wiues are founde vntrue Once feare yet frets my hart as sore as if such fault were wayde With that Vlrico postes with spéede to craue Pollaccos ayde And comming to his homely house he doth Pollacco gréete And craues to speake a worde with him where he should thinke it méete They both vnto a Garden walke and thus Vlrico sayde Your speciall giftes in secrete Artes to me of late bewrayde Compels me now Pollacco friend to craue your friendly might My sute is small and yet be sure great gaine your paine shall quite In what I can Pollacco sayd I rest at your commaund Then vse your Arte quoth he I pray to graunt this poore demaund Truth is I meane with spéede to serue my souereine in the warres Yet iealous thoughts I wot not why with this accorde still iarres Sometime my Ladies zeale in shewe doth banish dread with hope But straight againe mistrust doth giue to fearefull fancies scope And thus to naught auayle I weare my golden time in woe Such is the force of passing loue to feare for euery showe But now Pollacco to my suite by arte I craue to knowe In absence mine if that my wife be faithfull yea or no Let worst betide yet so I shall my dread exile quote he Such feates you can and therfore nowe let will with skill agrée Pollacco masde to heare this tale to this effect replyde That Science to her schollers yet such secretes had denyde And how should I dissolue this doubt that learned iudges dread Conceiue the best ne wrongs the worst saunce knowledge of the dead And therefore Syr Vlrico cease your suite surmounts my skill What so quoth he of skill befalles graunt but agréeing will Whereon Pollacco thus replyde sith nycenesse will not serue I graunt I know by Arte this acte but vse from lawe doth swerue Yet breach of lawe I hazarde will to frée Vlricos dout Stay here quoth he to worke this feate I will now go about Anon he comes with picture framde much like Vlricos wife So long quoth he this forme kéepes faire she liues an honest life If yellowe tempted then she is if blacke with merrie gayles Unto the Cornish mount god buoy in hast her honour sayles This knowne appayd Vlrico sayd in hope thy words are true Holde here thy hyre my hart is easde and so good friend adue Away he goes and to his wife his houshold charge commits Which done while winde and whether seru'd vnto the seas he gets Such spéede he made as soone he at Albe regale lands The king there lay Vlricoes suite who shortly vnderstands And gladly intertained him yea gaue him pay in peace Which grace when foes inforst in fight did double force increase As proofe ere long appeared plaine the Turke began to sturre Which causde the king to cry alar'm to chase this gracelesse curre The valliant wightes in armour dight their forward myndes do shewe Each thing prepard for souldiers vse to warres these gallants goe Mustapha Basca had the charge of all the princes power Vlrico was his Colonel preferd in happie houre Post haste they made vntill they came within their enimies sight Then bustling to their bloudy tooles they shewe good willes to fight At trumpets sound the horsemen fling the shot to skyrmish fall The archers with their feathred dartes both horse and man doth gall The furie of the forward wightes to handie stroakes then bring Here houlbards hewe there bloudy swords on battered targets sing Som faint with wounds some flée for feare som fight to saue their friend Thus eyther side king Harrie knockes both doth receiue and lend The battell long continued hote each would faine victor bée But to be short for all their force in fine the Mahomes flée The Turke his pryde abated well and all things quiet made Mustapha Basca and his charge return'd with honour lade The Ladies nowe with many a kysse receiue their souereine Lords And euery man to sée his friend a buon venu affordes In court there doth no triumph want these captaines to delight At iustes some vse their force in sport that late did fiercely fight Some makes report of wreakefull warres the blisse and cake the bale Some loytrers in their Ladies lappes doth tell a wanton tale Some haue an ore in others boate some colours do expound And some doth note their heauie lookes whome Cupides dart did wound Syr Vlrico among this crue some exercise did vse To whome at length Alberto sayde syr knight I can but muse That you that haue a Ladie faire two yeares from her haue stayde You knowe a womans force God wot a long is easily layde You knowe that loue with leasure ioynde makes wantons to be bolde She hath her will health wealth and ease she rules and not contrould With all these helpes she sure will wish to taste some wanton ioy Then if she haue her wish at will thinke you she will be coy Whereto Vlrico thus replyde I answere not for all But sure my wife will constant be what fortune so befall She is no gadder farre from home she helpes not beauties blase Her words
Alberto toke his pennaunce ill but he did tenne times worse Hée rag'd he rau'd the Ladies scorne himselfe and all did curse But what for that how so he did himselfe agréeued feele One of these euills hée néedes must chuse to sterâ—e or else to réele And of both bads the best he chusde in fine to worke he fell His rash attempt had this successe which he deserued well Nowe that this vertuous dame hath gott the conquest of her foes These lordinges pennannce for their pride she to their seruants shoes In whose behalfe her bouutie here I must of force commende They wanted not for daintie fare how so they fast were pend These barons men at libertie streight posted to the Court And of their lords imprisonment there make they large report These newes of note about the Court went flinging every where So longe as both the king and Quéene these gallants fortunes heare The king to learne the certaine truth to Lady Barbara sent His chauncelour and other Lords where as they found fast pent Lord Alberto and Vdislao Alberto spinning thread And Vdislao réeting it with fretting well nie dead The Lady shewde the newe come Lords the matter all and some And how to tame their lawlesse loue the barons bid this dome The Chauncelor what earst is showne returned to the king Whose pleasure was he should with him with spéede both parties bring They al arriued at the Court the king iudg'd out of hand Vlrico had the wager wonne and he should haue the land And more against the spoiled lords with iustice to perseuer In penaunce of their lauish tongues they were exilde for euer Faire Barbara for foyling them did to this honour mount She was the chiefe about the quéene in credite and account Whereas she liued many dayes and helde her wish at will Nowe being deade in worthy fame her vertues liueth still Virescit vulnere virtus The complaint of the Lorde Alberto and Vdislao the two Hungarian barons that vnaduisedly wagered their land to winne the vertuous Ladie Barbara to wantonnesse Who hauing the foyle besides the losse of their liuings for their slaunderous opinions were condemned to perpetuall exile COme gallants come by both our falles take héede With our fonde faults you most infected are You worke more wrong in slaunder then in déede And yet in déede your flatterie worketh scare Learne learne by vs too lauish speach to spare Large offers though faire Ladies ofte intice Thinke there be dames that will not vaile to vice First mende your owne ere others faults you blame Sée that your life before you teach you trie Plucke out the beame that blindes your sighte with shame So may you finde a moate in others eye What yet you note reproue not openly Obserue this course heare sée and say the best For lauish words procureth much vnrest Had we but wayde that halfe experience shewes We might haue liu'd in honour as of yore The want we waile and warne you by our woes The least of which your hearts would much abhorre For what may be then this a mischiefe more Once lustie Lords nowe prisd at lowest rate And frée men borne to liue in banisht state What noble mynde whose hands could weapons vse Would brooke his handes should eyther réele or spinne To féede on crustes what foole would not refuse Whose coursest fare a messe of meate hath bin In this distresse perforce we liued in Too hard a plague say you for fault so small We thinke not so that haue indurd the thrall For who at full may value honest fame Whose wound so déepe as his that slaunders carud Our slaundrous thoughts suspected euery dame Our slaundrous toungs sayd all from vertue swaru'd For which exile we worthily desaru'd She vsde vs well whose praise we sought to spoyle In huswiues trades for meate to make vs moyle Our lande we lost by lawe and wager both He wonne it well that ventured for the same But worse then these the which to shewe I loth Our follies leane a memorie of shame Unto vs both a corsiue to our name Well what is paste too late we call againe Sufficeth nowe we warne with proofe of paine And knowe ye first what raisd this slaundrous thought Forsooth our liues in loytring daliance spent We other doomde by faults that they had wrought And ioynd with this their spoyles by fonde consent Which yealded bound vnto our louing bent Did make vs thinke at euery wanton whoope To lures of loue a Ladie faire would stoope What yet we thought our toungs did sore recoyle In slaundring them our liues for to accuse For who so vaunts of any louing spoyle Confesseth howe him selfe he doth abuse The greatest vice that worthy mynds may vse Deseruing wel their worth who should not praise Deseruing ill much lesse a thousand wayes Oh stay we here what meaneth our aduise When we God wot so much of counsell néede And how againe shall we vnhappie rise Alberto speake what way shall we procéede And art thou mute Vdislaoes hart doth bléede Oh men forlorne how wretched is our state Whome heauen and earth oppresse with heapes of hate Who will estéeme our manhoode and our might By Ladies force to carde to spinne and réele Where so we liue all women will vs spight And cause they haue with such disdaine to deale Yet plagues ynow we else in penance féele O slaunder thou on vs these haste brought Foule fall the cause thou harboredst in our thought Had wretched we for treason banisht bin Some would haue ru'de our miserie and mone But slaundrous speach is such a hatefull sinne As slaunders falls lamented are of none In bookes of shame their faults are rolld alone Their names are scornd their presence ten times more All filthy vice that all men thus abhore This resteth then for vs vnhappie men To leade our liues in houltes and vncouth woods A hollowe caue to make our homely den To foyle hunger with apples hawes and buds For nobles borne God wot but sorrie foodes There we poore we must rue our harmes alone Or monsters make companions in our mone O friendly death our worldly farewell giue From hated fleshe our loathed life diuorce Spare them good death the which in pleasure liue And vse at once on vs thy matchlesse force To thée alone our woes sues for remorce When all is done our helpe remaines in thée Then strike with spéede our sorrowes for to frée â–ª In praise of the right H. the Ladie I.S.G. of Wilton WHere loue affects or flatterie forgeth praise There fayles no will faire Ladies fames to wray But Art I lacke such parciall notes to raise Truth guardes the checke in what I write or say And warded thus when all their wit is showne I boldly vaunt although in barren verse This Ladie staines their Ladies euerie one She shewes in workes what they in wordes rehearse Past natures reach a gift of great imprise Her faultlesse life puts slaunder to his shifts And yet she
that to make him sure In haste doth hangman spéede Where he in cogging winnes the coate For that he strikes him dead The plowman and the poorest sort Which toyles and sowes the soyle And sixe pence by the day doth gaine In recompence of toyle If he at night consume at play The price of all his hire His wife with hunger well may sterue His children fréese for fire O horned hap of hatefull harme O venom vile to tell O gréedie gulfe of endlesse griefe O horror next to hell O foule infection fraught with care O sinke of such a sent Which neuer leau'st thy poysned thrals Till all their wealth be spent For not in vaine Agrippa writ The fiends of yre you made An Art most fit for hellish ympes And not for Christians trade A spring from whence all vice did flowe Of péeuish Pride the nurse For note the dicer roystes in silke When pence be pert in purse Then must he prease in pleasures court To be of Venus traine Which soone will purge his foggie purse From all their pinching paine His body earst that able was To serue at eache assay By sloth c. is so weake That faintnesse bids him stay To shewe the valure of his mynde â–ª Till natures griefe be easde His fearelesse othes will feare the diuell When losse hath him displeasde When malice moues him to reuenge His quarels do excell His carelesse slashing at his foe Doth wray the fourme of hell An Epicure for his fare Such is his costly cates His mynde is bent to snatch and catch Yea more to rob his mates When all is spent and credite crackt Despaire then strikes the stroke And makes him gape in hope of plumbes For pence will shun his poke And thus you heare in ragged ryme For so be séemes the worke What veines of vice what lakes of losse In dogged dice doth lurke For loftie verse vnfitly serues To paint the plagues of hell Though not the same yet next thereto This dogrell rime doth tell How youthes from rod to fréedome leapt Are thrall to sharper whips Whom cousner first whom cutthrote next Whome lawyer lastly nips The braunches of the cousners trée Are whordome theft and pride From rutthrotes rout doth bondage spring With losse on euery side The Lawyer lickes that they haue left And lets him sinke or swim Pure néede then makes him leane on those That earst did liue by him Although at large I here do touch Each vice in his degrée A speciall meaning hath my wordes To graunt that some there be By rules of lawe which rightly liue And not which rules the lawe To wrest the sense to serue their turne Their clyents coyne to clewe Some merchaunts rise by honest meanes And not by craftie shiftes Some tabling halles in fayth I iudge Are frée from cheters driftes The which I trust will not repine Or quite my toyle with blame Nor yet the guiltie well may grudge Which wisely wayes the same Quod nocet docet Fiftie apples of admonition late growing on the tree of good gouernment bestowed on his especiall friends and companions the Gentlemen of Furniuals In. SErue loue and dread you God on high obey your Prince on earth Unto your betters dutie shewe be they by rule or byrth Liue you within the bounds of lawe and tether of your fée For lightly after one yeares store of scarcitie commeth thrée Use studie when your wits are fresh and aptest to conceiue But studie not the fruites of fraud your neighbour to deceiue Use exercise with such a meane as workes your bodies wealth And too much toyle doth hinder strength sloth impayreth health Make choice to choose such companie as are of honest fame For to be séene with thriftlesse men impayreth your good name Use modestie in all your wordes despraise no man too much For lauish speach bréeds great vnrest in you and them you tuch Make you no shewe of such conceit how others you excell For if you doe the wise will say wit with a foole doth dwell Inforce your selfe silence to vse when others tell a tale For babble then both troubleth them and sets your wits to sale Haue care to vse some recompence where you beholding are For trust me with ingratitude no honest mynde can bare What so your friend commits to you be euer secrete found Who giues his toung much libertie doth all his body wound Beware of taylers curious cuts for they will shake your bags The merrie meane I holde for best tweene roysting silkes rags The tipling tauerne and such like to haunt haue small desire Of all reports it is the worst to be a drunken squire Who quarels much hath care enough with mischiefe oft he ends SauÌ„ce néed throw not your selus in brals in néed assist your frieÌ„ds Shun you the trains of wantoÌ„ dames whose bayts are swéet in tast But yet in truth helth welth and fame the courtesan doth wast As high way vnto beggerie beware of dogged dice. The greatest cause of blasphemie a vaine of filthy vice Out of the merchants iurnals kéepe buy sildome wares on trust Such vsurie bites aboue the rest do try it who so lust In néede make choice to sell out right before you morgage lande What so befalls looke for no grace at any cutthrotes hande Looke what you seale read ere you seale â–ª therin trust no maÌ„s truth And writings seald kéepe safe your owne lest had I wist ensuth Haue great regard to suretiship all is not golde that shines Yet stretch your selues to help your friend with penurie that pines WheÌ„ wedlock life doth like your mynd match with a vertuous maid The mischiefe of the contrarie a plague next hell is sayd And married wel the citie leaue sing then Pierce Plowmans song For women vsde to London once will euer thether long Where so you liue haue great regarde to vse your neighbor well A good report in my conceit doth riches farre excell What some consume in painted pride good house kéep you withal Relieue the poore in any case let chaps walke in your hall Intreate your honest seruant well giue him his hired due The flatterer and the make bate wretch in any wise eschue Account that wrangling in the lawe is enimie to rest A spoyle of fame a losse of time a théefe that robs your chest This reckoning make to serue your selues you are not only born Your countrie friends children looke each one for som good turn Thrée sorts of men with speciall care salue you their néedy grieâ—e The scholer forced from his booke abroad to séeke reliefe The souldier spoyled in the wars whose hassard works your peace And next the simple husbandman who toyles for your increase So spend your time as you may leaue some monument of fame Preferre an honest death
before a life prorog'd with shame Quod cauere possis stultum est admittere A caueat to G. W. at his going into Fraunce written by his friend R.C. POst haste since so thou mak'st the coast of Fraunce to sée Thy frends aduice in baren verse good George yet take with thée Haue thou a haught disdaine which art a Bryttan bred At thy returne to proue howe that French follies filles thy hed In natiue soyle disguis'd thy selfe God shield thou showe In coate in cloake in hat in hose a French man like to go French shoes made fast with pointes in doublets syde and wide Which French men weare God wot for ease sute not thy selfe through pride What tendeth to thy thrift to folow not refuse Kéepe thou one seruant and no more but not as french men vse For wages pay not words as is the guise of Fraunce Array him not in tattered rags french like or nakt to daunce One meale no more a day is pittance very small To like wel of such french like fare few English yeomen fall Let gesture words nor wéedes inforce thy friends to say Behold a frenchman wher he flaunts if face be turn'd away Which face french like to sute good George take special héede In taste the baites are very swéete that do such cankers bréede For to pronounce thy wordes yea french and all first lose Afore thou spoyle thy English tong with snufling in the nose Thou knowest what I meane thy wit is good and quicke Yet wise men oft before they looke fast in the myre sticke But ere thou rashly leape the ditches I reueale The plainesse of my Muse bewrayes my warning is of zeale My ioy thy profite great if thy returne do showe Thy trauell tends to countries good not french man like to goe The rage of retchlesse youth thy trauell did allay And not thereby with proudest shewe to royst in garments gay That thou canst yeald account what is the countries state What newes of note do run abroade as well of loue as hate These fruits thy friends expect at thy returne to reape But stay I here into aduice my Muse too farre doth créepe She ment not to direct how thou shouldst vse thy time She ment french follies for thy heede to touch in naked rime Well since she rou'd so farre alowe what she hath sayde Mâ— inward wish for thy auayle she hath no more but wrayde Viue vale Whetstons Dreame I Waying once my harmes by others health By iust account I found the selfe same thing Which weaud my wo did worke anothers wealth Which wrought my pain to some did pleasure bring Thus cloyd with care to sâ— my lucklesse lot My senses fayld as though I â—ere a sot Yet Sopors beames so could not cleare my brest But stormes of care did shower in my thought Thus slumber swéete did yeald but little rest For pinching paine supprest that pleasure wrought But as my woes did wander here and there My thought I sawe an aged man appeare Yet such a one as care me séemd to cloy And Patience he did name him selfe to me Who bad me straight to bannish all annoy And of these doubtes I soone an end should sée Then I with him pursude the most resort Unto a place which séemde a princes court Whereas my thought sat crownd a famous quéene By due desart to beare the regall sway Whose princely rule hath seldome earst ben séene As though the Gods dame nature did obey That iustice should degrade them of each grace Her to inuest with rule of vertues mace Upon whose grace did nobles graue attend By whose foresight in peace her subiects liue And valiaunt péeres were ready to defend If forreine force would once aduenture giue By warlike frayes to worke our great vnrest With fire sworde and piercing speare in rest Within this court clothed in honest shewe Was Enuie Hate Ambition and Deceit On whome to waite whereas these fiends did go Base minded wights were ready at the gate Which neuer sought that vertue should aduance Their hautie mindes to heigth of happie chance There might I sée of men another race Which séemd to wayle their woes with wéeping eye Whom these same sprites had shakeÌ„ once of grace By false suspect and filthy slatterie And well I markt how they did crouch créepe And all for grace which euermore did sleepe Then I espide another valiant crewe Which lookt aloft by vertue to aspire Unto the roome to their desart ydewe If due desart had reapt deserued hire But vertue gapt and gained nought but plums For flatterie catcht before they fell the crums Quoth grayberd then such once was my good hap To be aduaunst to heigth of great renoune But I too soone was caught in Enuiâ—s trap Where false suspect by flatterie kept me downe Then patience I perforce a vertue made And left with losse the countries tickle trade The foorth we go into another place By outward shew wher saints my thought did sit Whose gentle speach presaged endlesse grace There loose their gaine they voucht by sacred writ These prelates were their words deseru'd their roome But sure their déedes I leaue to others doome Hypocrisie did beare a vengeance sway His double tong did bleare the clergies eye He still affirmde t' was true that they did say Gainst their deuice a thousand woes did cry Mas Ignoraunce a minister was made Who babbled much yet wist not what he sayd Yet sure this clarke did so in scriptures créepe As voucht the same to cloake each crime he could Pasce oues he tooke for grasing sheepe Which well he fed and daily viewd his fould And yet this sot with pence procur'd such grace As oft he wrought true preachers out of place Then out we goe into a pleasant plaine In armour bright where gallants we espy The captaine stird the souldiers rawe to traine Of some vnwisht vnwares their foes drewe nye The cannon crackes like thunder claps did sing At trumpets sound the horse men forward fling In formost frunt the fearelesse youthes did fight Which honour sought and so with honour dyde The fencer there prou'd not the forwardst wight Base minded Dick the spoyle not blowes applyde The coward yet a loofe did catch a licke As soone as he which throngd among the thicke When fearelesse blowes had driuen their foes away To slash and slay the cowards did not spare When spoile was giuen the souldiers paines to pay Who best deseru'd did reape the barest share Thus vallor fought and falshoode fléest the spoile The coward thriu'de who least of all did toile These bloudie broiles mée thought wée then forsooke And soone wée slipt into a stately hall Now well apayde about the same I looke For glad I was I scapt the souldiers thrall And proudly then I throngd amid the preace For that their wéedes bewrayde the men of peace Within this hall were kept the Princes courtes Where Lawyers sate as Iudges in the same To shew their griefes
possesse in dreame that earst thou had Acquaintaunce for to craue aduentrous boy assay Thou wert not nise ne I abasht my secretes to bewray I showde thée all and some what I in vision sawe Thou wart mine owne by beauties dome vnlesse thou scorndst her law My wordes did like thée well or praises that I vsde And smyling saidst Dame beauties hest must no wayes be abusde Thus after slender sute thou knowste whom I euioyde But easily wonne as soone thou wert through sullon will accoyde And in thy wrangling rage I sawe thée raunge for newe I chafte through sight Dame beautie blamd cause Laymos was not true UUhich soone I did recant and yéelded for to haue My sute performde at beauties hands in forme as I did craue I askst a gallant gyrle which vaild at first assault I askte no faith nor none I found in whom was then the fault In him who now will learne to make his match more sure And as for thée thou dost but kinde to stoupe to euery lure The reporter This wrangling hate séemeth to be but a passion procéeding of Plasmos passing loue the which digested made his affection more perfect Neuerthelesse this following inuention wrayeth the euill fortunes of rash beléefe and cholericke reuenge after which for the most insueth repentaunce yet for that the Sonet it selfe foresheweth but a fitt of disquiet minde by loue occasioned it shal passe for mée without any preface FOwle fall thée false suspect so thriue thou ielous thought UUoe worth you both you reard the hate that all my harme hath wrought You did enuie my hap when late I liu'de in ioy You slaunder forg'd you mou'd mistrust you made my souereigne coy Shée wronged saunce offence good reason hath to hate But you no cause of filthie strife twixt friends to set debate But sith my heart did yeeld such motions to beléeue Both heart head and euery veine with fretting thoughtes to gréeue First loue renue thy force my ioyes for to consume And when desire hath blowen the cooles till all my fancies fume Then conscience guilt detect my follies day and houre And base desert exile remorse sée dreade my swéete thou soure Disdaine persuade my minde my Ladies passing loue Is chaungd to scorne from scorne to hate from hate reuenge to proue Tormenting passions eake abate my pride in showe Then scaulding sighes present my state vnto my friendly foe UUhich when shée once hath séene with wrecke of my delight Despaire end me dole with death in my swéete mistresse sight â–ª But least shée beare the blame of this my bloudy hand I craue vpon my timelesse tumbe this Epitaphe may stand Loe heare doth lie his corps Himselfe for woe who slue That Ielous thoughts his Lady blamde She euer liuing true The reporter These passionate verses wittingly lost wheras fayre Laymos might find them of likelyhoode she perceiuing his singular good loue hauing sufficient cause of quarell waxed euery day more straunger then other vntil poore Plasmos purse to make attonemeÌ„t prouided some pretie deuise that appeased her anger these louers thus reconciled it séemeth Plasmos to requite the friendship of his purse in praise whereof hée wrote these verses insuing P. Plasmos in praise of his Purse COme prettie purse the iewell of my ioy The daintie soile wherein delight is sowen Thou well deseru'st the title of a Ioy Who doth not feare whereas thy force is knowen UUho dare rebell where thou dost rule and reigne Thou foylest kinges by force of treason vile Thou clokest craft with flattrie feare or gaine UUhen Iustice should vncase his crooked guile By thée escapes the traytour and the théefe The murdrous mate which languisht late in woe Thou werst to ebb their tossing tydes of gréefe And graftest myrth where mone but late did growe To maske with pride thou art a visard fitt Thou heau'st him vp which held the plough of late Thou telst his tale which wants both Art and witt Thou wodcocke setst before the wise estate The wilie churle which wronges the wretch full oft The cousening mate whose mischiefe neuer endes Should sol fa singe in couseners cliffe aloft But that thou cloakst their craft with wealthie friends The thriftlesse childe by thée doth looke full hie UUhose sparing friends at home the plough doth hold In Court thou art the badge of brauerie UUho doth not fawne on gentle maister gold Deformed girles by thée are made full faire Dame Venus stoupes through thée to Vulcans lure The coffing churle doth match with beauties heire â–ª Such straunge consents can Lady Coyne procure UUhy stay I then swéete purse thée to embrace UUhose ayde I vsde when fortune most did lowre â–ª My clowdes of scare thou cleardst with gleames of grace My bale to blisse to swéete thou chaungst my sowre Thou saâ—'dst my life with passing loue nie pinde UUhich friendly turnes are written in my minde The reporter It is hie time to digresse from the report of Plasmos wanton deuises vnto other his inuentions touching his miseries and repentance which immediatly followed his wanton expences and for that want is the contrarie vnto wealth I thought good to plaâ—e after the praise of his purse his complaint of wante the commodities of the one and the discommodities of the other dulie considered are meanes to persuade the wise in prosperitie to haue an eye vnto aduersitie and once in fauour to make prouision for Fortunes chaunge For fewe are so happie but in their time they are visited with miserie so wel beloued but once in their life they are as deadly hated so highly fauoured but are as vnhappily scorned not withstanding all these chaunces and chaunges Coyne in the coffer is an assured friend whereas if thou haue respect but to serue thy present tourne in prosperitie thou art so ouer prodigal that when pouertie pincheth the remembraunce of thy former swéete delights doth increase thy sower passions proofe appeareth by Plasmos who being nipped with neede calleth to remembrance what pleasures he had receiued by his purse and crossed euery of the said commodities with the inconueniences occasioned by his want as followeth P. Plasmos complaint of want I Whilome writ a iest what ioyes my purse did plant But now I wray with litle lust the woes of withered want When Purse with pence did flow a thousand friends I found Now woÌ„ted wealth doth weare to ebb their freÌ„dship runnes aground When Coyne I had in claw my wronges weare doomde for right Since néede did nippe my rightfull sutes was ouerâ— ayde with might When wealth I had at wil my wished ioyes were wrought Now want doth choke those iestes with care cloyes my braynes with thought With wealth I fréedome wonne by wealth my woes did weare Through lacke restrainte of libertie doth foyle my hope with feare With Coyne I seruaunts kept which serued for mine ease By néede inforst now am I faine to pray to pay and please I ratlted then in silkes by brauerie of my bagges But pouer man now am I
had the mischiefe wrought But oh swéete Christ thy grace this folly stayd Thou cleardst my sight which mistes of loue did bleare Unto whose praise my conscience hath bewrayd My former life deuoyde of godly feare Thou crau'st good Lord no other aduocate But prayer mine to purchase heauenly grace The which thou sayst doth neuer come too late If I repent when prayer pleades my case A contrite hart is the swéete sacrifice That thou dost séeke ere we thy fauour winne The which deare God with sighes wéeping eyes I offer vp in recompence of sinne Attending still when triall of my fayth Shall treade downe death Sathan force to réele And boldly say till latter gaspe of breath My soul through faith the ioyes of heauen doth féele The reporter To make this recantation or repentance more perfect in shewe and in déede he wrote this following admonition vnto him selfe which he termed his farewel to follie P. Plasmos farewell to folly FArewell you fading ioyes Which fancie forst me loue Adieu'go trudge your tickle toyes Though late too soone I proue O wandring head leaue off Fonde fancies to imbrace And sugred toung nowe cease to scoffe Or others to disgrace Forsake O luring eyes To faine the louing art And scalding sighes be you no spies To wound a womans hart O mynde with verses vaine No more thy selfe acquaint Forsake in time faire Venus game Ere age doth thée attaint O hart on hoyh y set Be warnd by wisedomes lawe So shalt thou scape blinde Cupides net Of which thou stoodst in awe Beware of tenne and foure Which be the cheaters fare Least hassards hard thy swéete do soure And make thy purse full bare This double charge I giue To you vnhappie handes From quarels fond y frée to liue As foe to life and landes Now last to you my legges Which be my bodies stay Frame not your gate as men on egges Whome busting doth affray Nor yet so stoutly stride As mens that beares would binde For stately steps bewrayes the pride Which harbours in the mynde My other members all Be rulde by reasons lore Let vertue reigne where vice did stall And former faults deplore Least future plagues you pricke To worke your greater paine For why against the thornes to kicke I count it more then vaine Nunquam sero The reporter I thinke it good to leaue P. Plasmos in this good moode vntill time fitteth he thus forewarned for the report of his better fortunes naythelesse for others héede I will make discourse of the souden fal of foure of his enimies whoÌ„ Gods iustice worthily cut off in the prime or before the accoÌ„plishment of their lewde desires the first of them was Lyros the only executioner of al his copartners deceites who vpon the reuealement of his and their mischieues fell into an extreme quarterne ague which haunted him vntill his death he hauing but one only childe which soudenly without any shew of sicknesse died he for feare of arrest forsooke his house and liued in corners And yet to comfort his solitarie life he oft song a counter tenure he being before a lustie and able man became soudenly a most weake and miserable creature to accompanie whiche he lost the vse both of memorie and wit. And to make an end of his miseries in steade of drinke he dronke poyson so that shortly after he was in shewe a most lothsome lepre who thus distrest forsaken of friendes and vexed with his foes for want of succour miserably yet repentauntly died whose complaint almost in order as hée confessed insueth The complainâ— of one Lyros a notable Cousener supposed at the houre of his death AMonge their falles by filthie fraude which fell Let my mishappe registred be I pray Whose wanton toyes whose wily trickes to tell But chéefe of all whose wofull plight to wray No doubt the lewde will bring to better stay For whose behoofe loe here I paint my thrall My happ my harme my life my death and all Noe shame it is for mée to showe my euill Though gracelesse life from wisedomes lore did swerue A sinne it were to liue and die a deuill So soule and all with Tantals hope should sterue My warning here for others héede may serue Fresh harmes they say will force men to beware When had I wist comes after still the faire Then couseners first to you my tale I streach God graunt my wordes to heale your woundes auaile But you will say my selfe doth néede a Leach To heire my head to helpe eche perisht naile To ridde my scabbes my Leprosie to scaile To cleare my eyes which are now darke and dim My nummed ioyntes to make both lith and trim I néede God wot if néede could fauour winne But out alas too late doth come the cure When God is bent to punish filthie sinne Though longe hée stayes in fine hée striketh sure Best therefore then ere you his wrath procure You sée your helpe with his precept agrée Ante languorem medicinam adhibe Prouide a salue before that sicknes come Prouide a mends for sinne and foule amisse Before Gods wrath your due desert doth dome For note deare friends I whilome bathde in blisse I swam in ioy my heart at woe did hisse I then had strength with health and wealth at will. My hap was cleare I sawe no clowdes of ill Then muse you will to sée so rare a chaunge As manly force to faile in prime of youth As faire to foule as health to scabbes and maunge As hap to harme as ioy to gréefe and ruth But listen well and marke what woordes ensuthe And you shall sée what forced mée to fall What wrought my woe what turnde by ioy to thrall First wéene that wealth did puffe mée vp with pride Next forme and force enforst me to aspire Then loue and lust into my brest did glide Last fretting thought so set my heart on fire That mariage néedes must coole my hoate desire My choice was good if chaunge had béene exilde But follie faith and fancie truth begilde My wandring will directed mée this course Which brainesicke youth did duelie treade and trace And entred once I fell from bad to worse I made a pray of euery yéelding face â–ª Such wanton lust doth follow want of grace Ne was this life defrayde with small expence And I God wott had not a mine of pence While coyne did last yet carelesse did I spend A poore increase can spring on such a roote When coyne was spent ne did my fancies end With youth to striue for reason t' was no boote No lacke could treade my follies vnder foote While land did last my want I did supplie With â—urchases of Dedi concessi My liuing sould and monie in my purse My lauish minde had neuer thought of lacke To geâ—t or saue I quite forgot the course For euery toy my Testours went to wracke Which did my bagges vnto the bottome sacke My coyne consumde and yearely rents thus gonâ— â–ª What refuge then once