defit vtrique sua Ingenio tandem praestans Watsonus arte Pieridas docuit verba Britanna loqui Et faciles alijs aditus patefecit ad artem Quam multi cupiunt fingere nemo refert Iste tuus labor est lúcrum est Watsone tuorum Et tua ne desint praemia Laurus erit ITs seldome seene that Merite hath his due Or els Dezerte to find his iust desire For nowe Reproofe with his defacing crewe Treades vnderfoote that rightly should aspyre Malde Industrie discourag'd hides his face And shuns the light in feare to meete Disgrace Seld seene said I yet alwaies seene with some That Merite gains good will a golden hyre With whome Reproofe is cast aside for scumme That growes apace that vertue helps t'aspire And Industrie well chearish't to his face In sunshine walkes in spight of sowre Disgrace This fauour hath put life into the pen That heere presentes his first fruite in this kinde He hopes acceptance friendly graunte it then Perchaunce some better worke doth stay behinde My censure is which reading you shall see A Pythy sweete and cunning poesye M. Roydon To the Authour IF grauer headdes shall count it ouerlight To treate of Loue say thou to them A staine Is incident vnto the finest die And yet no staine at all it is for thee These layes of Loue as myrth to melancholy To fellowe fast thy sad Antigone Which may beare out a broader worke then this Compyl'd with iudgement order and with arte And shrowde thee vnder shadowe of his winges Whose gentle heart and head with learning fraight Shall yeld thee gracious fauour and defence G. Peele A Quatorzain of the Authour vnto this his booke of Louepassions MY little booke goe hye thee hence away Whose price God know's will countervaile no parte Of paines I tooke to make thee what thou arte And yet I ioy thy byrth But hence I say Thy brothers are halfe hurt by thy delaye For thou thy selfe arte like the deadly dart Which bred thy byrth from out my wounded hart But still obserue this rule where ere thou staye In all thou mai'st tender thy fathers fame Bad is the Bird that fileth his owne nest If thou be much mislik't They are to blame Say thou that deedes well donne to euill wrest Or els confesse A Toye to be thy name This trifling world A Toye beseemeth best I The Author in this Passion taketh but occasion to open his estate in loue the miserable accidentes whereof are sufficiently described hereafter in the copious varietie of his deuises whereas in this Sonnet he seemeth one while to despaire and yet by by after to haue some hope of good successe the contrarietie ought not to offend if the nature true qualitie of a loue passion bee well considered And where he mentioneth that once hee scorned loue hee alludeth to a peece of worke whiche he wrote long since De Remedio Amoris which he hath lately perfected to the good likinge of many that haue seene and perused it though not fully to his owne fancy which causeth him as yet to kepe it backe from the printe WEll fare the life sometimes I ledde ere this When yet no downy heare yclad my face my heart deuoyde of cares did bath in blisse my thoughts were free in euery time place But now alas all's fowle which then was faire My wonted ioyes are turning to despaire Where then I liu'd without controule or checke An other now is mistris of my minde Cupid hath clapt a yoake vpon my necke Under whose waighte I hue in seruile kinde I now cry creake that ere I scorned loue Whose might is more then other Gods aboue I haue assaide by labour to eschewe What fancy buildes vpon a loue conceite But nearthelesse my thought reuiues anew Where in fond loue is wrapt and workes deceite Some comfort yet I haue to liue her thrall In whome as yet I find no fault at all II In this passion the Author describeth in how pitious a case the hart of a louer is being as he fayneth heere seperated from his owne body remoued into a darksome and solitarie wildernes of woes The coÌ„ueyance of his inuention is plaine pleasant enough of it selfe and therefore needeth the lesse annotation before it MY harte is sett him downe twixt hope feares Upon the stonie banke of high desire To view his own made flud of blubberig teares Whose waues are bitter salt and hote as fire There blowes no blast of wind but ghostly grones Nor waues make other noyse then pitious moanes As life were spent he waiteth Charons boate And thinkes he dwells on side of Stigian lake But blacke despaire some times with open throate Or spightfull Ielousie doth cause him quake With howlinge shrikes on him they call and crie That he as yet shall nether liue nor die Thus voyde of helpe he sittes in heauie case And wanteth voyce to make his iust complaint No flowr but Hiacynth in all the place No sunne comes there nor any heau'nly sainte But onely shee which in him selfe remaines And ioyes her ease though he abound in paines III This passion is all framed in manner of a dialogue wherein the Author talketh with his owne heart beeing nowe through the commandement and force of loue separated from his bodie miraculouslie and against nature to follow his mistres in hope by long attendance vpon her to purchase in the end her loue and fauour and by that meanes to make him â—elfe all one with her owne hearte SPeake gentle heart where is thy dwelling place W t her whose birth the heaueÌ„s theÌ„selues haue blest What dost thou there Somtimes behold her face And lodge sometimes within her cristall brest She cold thou hot how can you then agree Not nature now but loue doth gouerne me With her wilt thou remaine and let mee die If I returne wee both shall die for griefe If still thou staye what good shall growe thereby Ile moue her heart to purchase thy reliefe What if her heart be hard stop his eares Ile sigh aloud make him soft with teares If that preuaile wilte thou returne from thence Not I alone her heart shall come with mee Then will you both liue vnder my defence So long as life will let vs both agree Why then dispaire goe packe thee hence away I liue in hope to haue a golden daie IIII The chiefe grounde and matter of this Sonnet standeth vppon the rehearsall of such thinges as by reporte of the Poets are dedicated vnto Venus whereof the Authour sometime wrote these three Latine verses Mons Erycinus Acidalins sons alba columba Hesperus ora Pathos Rosa Myrtus insula Cyprus Idaluimque nemus Veneri haec sunt omnia sacra And Forcatulus the French Poet wrote vppon the same particulars but more at large he beginneth thus Est arbor Veneri Myrtus gratisâ—ima flores Tam Rosa quam volucres alba columba praeit Igniferum coeli prae cunctis diligit astris
alas dare say for very shame How fame my soule an interchaunge would make Twixt this her present State and Limbo lake And yet she dread's least when she paites from hence Her Heates be such that Charon will retire And let her passe for prayer nor for pence For feare his with'red boat be set on fire So daung'rous are the flames of Mighty Loue In Stix it selfe in earth or heau'n aboue Wherefore déere Dame voutchsafe to rew my case And salue the soare which thou thy selfe hast made My Heates first grew by gazing on thy face Whose lights were such that I could find no shade And thou my weary Soule bend all thy force By Plaintes and Teares to moue her to remorse L In this Passion is effectually set downe in how straunge a case he liueth that is in loue and in how contrary an estate to all other men which are at defiaunce with the like follye And this the Authour expresseth here in his owne person therewithall calling vpon Loue to stand his frend or if he faile vpon death to cut of his wearysome life WHile others féede my fancy makes me fast While others liue secure I feare mischaunce I dread no force where other stand agast I follow sute where Fortune leades the Daunce Who like a mumming mate so throwes the Dice That Reason léesing all Loue winnes the price Which Loue by force so warketh in my brest That néedes perforce I must encline my will To die in dreames whiles others liue in rest And liue in woes while others feele none ill O gentle Death let heere my dayes haue ende Or mightie Loue so vse me as thy frend Mine eyes are worne with teares my wittes with woe My coulour dride with cares my hart with paines My will bewitcht my limmes consumed soe That scarsely bloud or vitall breath remaynes While others ioy or sleepe I wayle and wake All this Deere Dame I suffer for thy sake LI Tityus was the sonne of Iupiter and for attempting to dishonest Latona was slaine by Apollo Since which time the Poetes faine that for punishment he lieth in hell miserably tormented with a rauening Vulture which feedeth vpon his bowels continuallie and they as they are consumed still miraculously growe vp againe to breede his endlesse miserie as the Poet witnesseth Quid dieam Tityum cuius sub vulnere saeuo Viscera nascuntur grauibus certanitia poenis The Authour compareth his passions with the paines of this Tityus and imitateth Seneca writing to the like effect Vultur relicto transuolet Tityo ferus Meumque poenae semper accrescat iccur IF Tityus wretched wight beheld my paines He would confesse his woundes to be but small A Vultur worse then his teares all my vaines Yet neuer lets me die nor liue at all Would Gods a while I might possesse his place To iudge of both which were in better case The Hell is darke wherein he suffreth smarte And wants not some Compartners of his gréefe I liue in Light and see what hurtes my hart But want some mourning mates for my releefe His Paine is iust rewarde his crimes were such My greatest fault is this I loue too much Why then since too much loue can breede offence Thou daung'rous Bird the roote of my desire Goe pearch elswhere remoue thy selfe from hence I freeze like Ile and burne like flaming fire Yet stay good Bird for if thou scare away Twixt Frost and Flame my dayes will soone decay LII Here the Authour after some dolorous discourse of his vnhappines and rehearsall of some particular hurtes which he susteineth in the pursute of his loue first questioneth with his Lady of his deserte and then as hauinge made a sufficiente proofe of his innocency perswadeth her to pitie him whom she herselfe hath hurte Moreouer it is to be noted that the first letters of all the verses in this Passion being ioyned together as they stand do conteine this posie agreeable to his meaning Amor me pungit vrit A AWâ—â—ld of woes doth raigne within my brest m My pensiue thoughtes are cou'red all with care o Of all that sing the Swanne doth please me best r Restraint of ioyes exiles my woonted fare M Mad mooded Loue vsurping Reasons place e Extremitie doth ouer rule the case P Paine drieth vp my vaines and vitall bloud u Unlesse the Saint I serue geue helpe in time n None els but she alone can do me good g Graunt then ye Gods that first she may not clime i Immortall heau'ns to liue with Saintes aboue t Then she vouchsafe to yeeld me loue for loue E Examine well the time of my distresse t Thou dainty Dame for whom I pine away V Unguyltie though as needes thou â—nust confesse r Remembring but the cause of my decay i In vewing thy sweete face arose my griefe t. Therefore in time vouchsafe me some reliefe LIII The two first partes of this Sonnet are an imitation of certaine Greeke verses of Theocritus which verses as they are translated by many good Poets of later dayes so moste aptlye and plainely by C. Vrcinus Velius in his Epigrammes hee beginneth thus Nuper apis furem pupugit violenter Amorem Ipsum ex alueolis clam mella fauosque legentem Cui summos manuum digitos confixit at ille Indoluit laesae tumuerunt vulnere palmae Flanxit humum saltu trepidans pulsauit ipsi Ostendens Veneri casum narrauit acerbum c. WHere tender Loue had laide han downe to sleepe A little Bee so stong his fingers end That burning ache enforced him to wéepe And call for Phebus Sonne to stand his frend To whome he cride I muse so small a thing Can pricke thus déepe with suche a little Sting Why so sweet Boy quoth Venus sitting by Thy selfe is yong thy arrowes are but small And yet thy shotte makes hardest harts to cry To Phebus Sunne she turned there withall And prayde him shew his skill to cure the sore Whose like her Boy had neuer felt before Then he with Herbes recured soone the wound Which being done he threw the Herbes away Whose force through touching Loue in selfe same ground By haplesse hap did breede my hartes decay For there they fell where long my hart had li'ne To waite for Loue and what he should assigne LIIII In this Passion the Authour boasteth howe sound a pleasure he lately enioyed in the companie of his Beloued by pleasing effectually all his fiue senses exterior and that through the onely benefite of her friendly presence and extraordinarie fauour towards him And in many choyse particulars of this Sonnet he imitateth here and there a verse of Ronsardes in a certaine Elegie to Ianet peintre du Roy which beginneth thus Pein moi Ianet pein moiie te supplie Dans ce tableau les beautés de m'amie De la façon c. WHat happie howre was that I lately past With her in whome I fedde my senses all With one sure sealed kisse I pleas'd my
speedie fauoure and goodwill alleaginge what hurte may growe through her longer delaye THat thing wherein mine eyes haue most delight Is greatest cause my heart doth suffer paine Such is the hurt that comes by wanton sight Which reason striues to vanquish all in vaine This onely sense more quicke then all the rest Hath kindled holie fire within my brest And so my mourning hearte is parching drie With sending sighes abroade and keeping care That néedes it must consume if longe if lye In place where such a flame doth make repare This flame is Loue whome none may well intreate But onely shee for wheme I suffer heate Then péerelesse Dame the ground of all my griefe Uoullâ—fe to cure the cause of my complainte No fauouâ—e els but thine can yeelde reliefe But helpe in time be ore I further fainte For Daunger growes by lingringe till the last And phisick hath no helpe when life is past LX The Authour groundeth this Passion vpon three poyntes In the first he sheweth howe he witting and wilfully followeth his owne hurt with such like words as Medea sometime vsed Video meliora proboque Deteriora sequor c. In the second he excuseth his fault vpon the maine force and tyrannie of Loue being the onely gouernour of his wil. And lastly he humbly entreateth his Lady for the restitution of his wonted libertie desiring her not to exact more of him then his abilitie of bodie or mind can well susteine according to the olde verse Pelle magis rabida nihil est de Vulpe pettendum WAs euer man whose Loue was like to mine I follow still the cause of my distresse My Hart foreseeing hurte doth yet encline To seeke the same and thinkes the harme the lesse In doing thus you aske me what I ayle Against maine force what reason can preuaile Loue is the Lord and Signor of my will How shall I then dispose of any deede By forced Bond he holdes my freedome still He duls each sense and makes my hart to bleede Thou Sacred Nimph whose vertue wanteth staine Agree with Loue and set me free againe Of this my weary Life no day shall fall Wherein my penne shall once thy praise forget No Night with sleepe shall close mine eyes at all Before I make recount of such a debt Then force me not to more then well I may Besides his Skinne the For hath nought to pay LXI The inuention of this Passion is borrowed for the most parte from Seraphine Son 125. Which beginneth Selgran tormento i fier fulmini accesi Perduti hauessi e li suoi strali Amore I n'ho tanti traffitti in meggio el core Che sol da me li potriano esser resi Ese de gli ampli mari in terra stesi Fusse priuo Neptuno io spando fore Lagryme tante che con piùliquore Potrebbe nuoui mari hauer ripresi c. IF Loue had lost his shaftes and Ioue downe threw His thundring boltes and spent his forked fire They onely might recou'red be anew From out my Hart croswounded with desire Or if Debate by Mars were lost a space It might be found within the selfe same place If Neptunes waues were all dride vp and gone My wéeping eyes so many teares distill That greater Seas might grow by them alone Or if no flame were yet remayning still In Vulcans forge he might from out my brest Make choise of such as should befit him best If Aeole were depriu'd of all his charge Yet soone could I restore his windes againe By sobbing sighes which sorth I blow at large To moue her mind that pleasures in my paine What man but I could thus encline his will To liue in Loue which hath no end of ill LXII That the vulgar sorte may the better vnderstand this PassioÌ„ I will briefly touch those whom the Author nameth herein being al camned soules as the Poets faine destinate vnto sundrie punishmentes Tantalus hauing his lippes still at the brinke of the riuer Eridanus yet dieth for thirst Ixion is tied vnto a wheele which turneth incessantly A vulture feeâ—eth vpon the bowels of Tityus which growe vp againe euer as they are deuoured Sisyphus rowleth a great rounde stoane vp a steepe hill which being once at the top preseÌ„tly falleth downe amaine Belides are fifty sisters whose continuall taske is to fill a bottomlesse tub full of water by lading in their pitchers full at once IN that I thirst for such a Goddesse grace As wantes remorse like Tantalus I die My state is equall to Ixions case Whose rented limm's ar turn'd eternally In that my tossing toyles can haue no end Nor time nor place nor chauÌ„ce will stand my friend In that my heart consuming neuer dyes I féele with Tityus an equall payne On whome an euer feeding Uultur lyes In that I ryse through hope and fall againe By feare like Sisyphus I labour still To turle a rowling stoane against the hill In that I make my vowes to her alone Whose eares are deafe and will reteine no sound With Belides my state is all but one Which sill a tub whose bottome is not sound A wondrous thing y â— Loue should make the wound Wherein a second Hell may thus be found LXIII Loue hath two arrowes as CoÌ„radus Celtis witnesseth in these two verses Per matris astrum per fera spicula Quae bina fert saeuus Cupido c. The one is made of leade the other of golde and either of them different in quality from the other The Authour therfore faineth in this Passion that when Cupid had strokeÌ„ him with that of lead soone after pittying his painefull estate he thought good to strike his beloued with the other But her brest was so hard that the shaft rebounding backe againe wounded Lone him selfe at vnawares Wherehence fell out these three inconueniences first that Loue himselfe became her thrall whome hee shoulde haue conquered then that she became proud where she should haue been frieÌ„dly and lastly that the Authour by this meanes despaireth to haue any recure of his vnquiet life therefore desireth a spee die death as alluding to those seÌ„teÌ„tious verses of Sophocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be thus Englished paraphrastically What can it him auaile to liue a while Whome of all others euilles are betyde LOue hath two shaftes the one of beaten gold By stroake wherof a sweete effect is wrought The other is of lumpishe leaden mould And worketh none effect but what is nought Within my brest the latter of the twaine Breades feare feare thought and thought a lasting paine One day amongst the rest sweete Loue beganne To pitty mine estate and thought it best To perce my Deare with golde that she might scanne My case aright and turne my toyles to rest But from her brest more hard then hardest flint His shafte flewe backe and in him selfe made printe And this is cause that Loue doth stoup her lure Whose heart he
it out againe And cure me so that skarre should scarce appeare Or if Alcides shaft did make me bleed Machaons art would stand me in some steede But being as it is I must compare With fatall woundes of Telephus alone And say that he whose hand hath wrought my care Must eyther cure my fatall wounde or none Helpe therefore gentle Loue to ease my heart Whose paines encrease till thou withdraw thy dart LXIX In the first staffe of this Passion The Authour as one more then halfe drowping with despaire sorowfully recounteth some particular causes of his vnhappinesse in Loue. In the residue he entreateth a better aspecte of the Planets to the end that either his life may bee inclined to a more happie course or his death be hastned to end all his misery at once MY ioyes are donne my comfort quite dismay'd My weary wittes bewitch't with wanton will My will by Fancies headeles faulte betrayd Whose eyes on Beauties face are fixed still And whose conceyte Folly hath clouded soe That Loue concludes my heart must liue in woe But change aspect ye angry starres aboue And powrs diuine restore my liberty Or graunte that soone I may enioye my Loue Before my life incurre more misery For nowe so hotte is each assault I feele As woulde dissolue a heart more harde then steele Or if you needes must worke my deadly smart Performe your charge by hasting on my death In sight of her whose eyes enthrall my heart Both life and death to her I doe bequeath In hope at last she will voutsafe to say I rewe his death whose life I made away LXX In this passion the Authour some what a farre off imitateth an Ode in Gervasius Sepinus written to Cupid where hee beginneth thus Quid tenelle puer Pharetra vbinam est Vbi arcus referens acuta Lunae Bina cornua vbi flagrans Amoris fax vbi igneus ille arcus in quo De ipsis Coelicolis virisque victis Vinctisque ante iugum aureus triumphas Haud possent tua summa numina vnam Vnam vincere Virginem tenellam Qui fortes animos pudicae Elisae Fortioribus irrigans venenis Vicisti c. CVpid where is thy golden quiuer nowe Where is thy sturdy Bowe and where the fire Which made ere this the Gods themselues to bow Shall she alone which forceth my Desire Report or thinke thy Godhead is so small That she through pride can scape from being thrall Whilom thou ouercam'st the stately minde Of chast Elisa queene of Carthage land And did'st constraine Pasiphae gainst her kind And broughtest Europa faire to Creta sande Quite through the swelling Seas to pleasure Ioue Whose heau'nly heart was touch't with mortall loue Thus wert thou wunt to shewe thy force and slight By conqu'ring those that were of highest race Where nowe it seemes thou changest thy delight Permitting still to thy no small disgrace A virgin to despise thy selfe and me Whose heart is hers where ere my body be LXXI The Authour writeth this Sonnet vnto his very friend in excuse of his late change of study manners and delights all happening through the default of Loue. And here by examples he proueth vnto him calling him by the name of Titus as if him selfe were Gysippus that Loue not onely worketh alteration in the mindes of men but also in the very Gods them selues and that so farre forth as first to drawe them from their Celestiall seates and functions and then to ensnare them with the vnseemely desire of mortall creatures a Passion ill befitting the maiesty of their Godheads ALas deere Titus mine my auncient frend What makes thee muse at this my present plight To sée my woonted ioyes enioy their end And how my Muse hath lost her old delight This is the least effect of Cupids dart To change the minde by wounding of the heart Alcides fell in loue as I haue done And layd aside both club and Lions skinne Achilles too when he faire Bryses wunne To fall from warres to wooing did beginne Nay if thou list suruey the heau'ns aboue And sée how Gods them selues are chang'd by Loue Ioue steales from skies to lye by Laedaes side Arcas descendes for faire Aglaurus sake And Sol so soone as Daphne is espied To followe her his Chariot doth forsake No meruaile then although I change my minde Which am in loue with one of heau'nly kinde LXXII In this Sonnet The Authour seemeth to specifie that his Beloued maketh her aboade in this our beautifull and faire Citty of London situate vpon the side of the Themse called in latine Thamesis And therefore whilst he faineth that Thamesis is honourably to be conueyed hence by all the Gods towardes the Palace of old Nereus he seemeth to growe into some iealosie of his mistres whose beautie if it were as well known to thē as it is to him it would as he saith both deserue more to be honoured by thē and please Tryton much better then Thamesis although she be the fairest daughter of old Oceanus OCeanus not long agoe decreed To wedd his dearest daughter Thamesis To Tryton Neptunes sonne and that with speede When Neptune sawe the match was not amisse Hee prayde the Gods from highest to the least With him to celebrate the Nuptiall feast Ioue did descend with all his heau'nly trayne And came for Thamesis to London side In whose conduct each one imployd his paine To reuerence the state of such a Bride But whilst I sawe her led to Nereus Hall My iealous heart begann to throbb withall I doubted I lest any of that crewe In fetching Thamesis shoud see my Loue Whose tising face is of more liuely hewe Then any Saintes in earth or heau'n aboue Besides I fear'd that Tryton would desire My Loue and let his Thamesis retyre LXXIII Here the Author by faining a quarrell betwixt Loue and his Heart vnder a shadow expresseth the tyrannie of the one the miserie of the other to sturre vp a just hatred of the ones iniustice and cause due compassion of the others vnhappines But as he accuseth Loue for his readines to hurt where he may so he not excuseth his Heart for desiring a faire imprisonment when he neded not thereby specifying in Loue a wilfull malice in his Heart a heedlesse follie I Rue to thinke vpon the dismall day When Cupid first proclamed open warre Against my Hearte which fledde without delay But when he thought from Loue to be most farre The winged boy preuented him by flight And led him captiuelyke from all delight The time of triumph being ouerpast He scarcely knewe where to bestowe the spoile Till through my heedlesse Heartes desire at last He lockt him vp in Tower of endlesse toyle Within her brest whose hardned wil doth vexe Her silly ghest softer then liquid wex This prison at the first did please him well And seem'd to be some earthly Paradise Where now alas Experience doth tell That Beawties bates can make the simple wise And biddes him
THE ἙΚΑΤΟΜΠΑΘΊΑ OR PASSIONATE Centurie of Loue Diuided into two parts whereof the first expresseth the Authors sufferance in Loue the latter his long farewell to Loue and all his tyrannie Composed by Thomas Watson Gentleman and published at the request of certaine Gentlemen his very frendes LONDON ¶ Imprinted by Iohn Wolfe for Gabriell Cawood dwellinge in Paules Churchyard at the Signe of the Holy Ghost To the Right Honorable my very good Lord Edward de Vere Earle of Oxenford Vicount Bulbecke Lord of Escales and Badlesmere and Lord High Chamberlaine of England all happinesse ALexander the Great passing on a time by the workeshop of Apelles curiouslie surueyed some of his doings whose long stay in viewing them brought all the people into so great a good liking of the painters workemanship that immediatelie after they bought vp all his pictures what price soeuer he set them at And the like good happe Right Honorable befel vnto mee latelie concerning these my Loue Passions which then chaunced to Apelles for his Portraites For since the world hath vnderstood I know not how that your Honor had willinglie voutchsafed the acceptance of this worke and at conuenient leisures fauourablie perused it being as yet but in written hand many haue oftentimes and earnestly called vpon mee to put it to the presse that for their mony they might but see what your Lordship with some liking had alreadie perused And therewithall some of them said either to yeeld your Honour his due prayse for soundnes of iudgement or to please me of whome long since they had conceiued well that Alexander would like of no lines but such as were drawen by the cunning hand and with the curious pensill of Apelles VVhich I set not downe here to that end that I would conferre my Poemes with Apelles Portraites for worthinesse albeit I fitlie compare your Honors person with Alexanders for excellencie But how bold soeuer I haue bene in turning out this my pettie poore flocke vpon the open Common of the wide world where euerie man may behold their nakednesse I humbly make request that if any storme fall vnlooked for by the fault of malicious high foreheads or the poyson of euill edged tongues these my little ones maye shrowde themselues vnder the broad leafed Platane of your Honours patronage And thus at this present I humbly take my leaue but first wishing the continuall encrease of your Lordships honour with abundance of true Friends reconciliation of all Foes and what good soeuer tendeth vnto perfect happines Your Lordships humbly at commaund Thomas VVatson To the frendly Reader COurteous Reader if anie thing herein either please or profitte thee afforde me thy good worde in recompence of my paines if ought offend or hurt thee I desire that thou forget the one and forgiue the other This toye being liked the next may prooue better being discouraged wil cut of the likeliehood of my trauaile to come But by that meanes all will be well and both parties pleased For neither shall I repent my labour in the like nor thou be anie more troubled with my faultes or follies Yet for this once I hope thou wilt in respect of my trauaile in penning these louepassions or for pitie of my paines in suffering them although but supposed so suruey the faultes herein escaped as eyther to winke at them as ouersightes of a blinde Louer or to excuse them as idle toyes proceedinge from a youngling frenzie or lastlie to defend them by saying it is nothing Praeter decorum for a maiemed man to halt in his pase where his wound enforceth him or for a Poete to falter in his Poëme whē his matter requireth it Homer in mētioning the swiftnes of the winde maketh his verse to runne in posthaste all vpon Dactilus and Virgill in expressing the striking downe of an oxe letteth the end of his hexameter fall withall Procumbit humibos Therefore if I roughhewed my verse where my sense was vnsetled whether through the nature of the passion which I felt or by rule of art which I had learned it may seeme a happie fault or if it were so framed by counsell thou mayest thinke it well donne if by chaunce happelie Yet write I not this to excuse my selfe of such errours as are escaped eyther by dotage or ignorance but those I referre to thy gentle curtisie and fauourable construction or lay manie of them vpon the Printers necke whom I would blame by his owne presse if he would suffer me As for any Aristarchus Momus or Zoilus if they pinch me more then is reasonable thou courteous Reader which arte of a better disposition shalt rebuke them in my behalfe saying to the first that my birdes are al of mine own hatching and that my onelie ouermuch hast made Sol angrie in theire Birthday to the second that although Venus be in my verse yet her slipper is left out to the last and worst that I rather take vpon me to write better then Chaerilus then once suppose to imitate Homer I am ouer long as well for the feare I had to be bitten by such as are captious as for the desire I haue to please thee that art frendlie But since I now wel remember me that nothing is more easlie let flowne nothing soner dispersed nothing later recalled backe againe then the bitter blast of an euill spoaken man and that he whome it shall hurt hath no recure but by patience I will set it behinde my heele as a hurt remedilesse or els when it comes salue it vp with patience In the meane space curteous Reader I once againe craue thy fauourable iudgement and so for breuitie sake abruptlie make an end committing the to God and my worke to thy fauour Thine as thou art his Thomas Watson Iohn Lyly to the Authour his friend MY good friend I haue read your new passions and they haue renewed mine old pleasures the which brought to me no lesse delight thē they haue done to your selfe commendations And certes had not one of mine eies about serious affaires beene watchfull both by being too too busie had beene wanton such is the nature of persuading pleasure that it melteth the marrowe before it scorch the skin and burneth before it warmeth Not vnlike vnto the oyle of Ieat which rotteth the bone and neuer ranckleth the flesh or the Scarab flies which enter into the roote and neuer touch the rinde And whereas you desire to haue my opinion you may imagine that my stomake is rather cloyed then quesie therfore mine appetite of lesse force thē mine affection fearing rather a surfet of sweetenes then desiring a satisfying The repeating of Loue wrought in me a remembrance of liking but serching the very vaines of my hearte I could finde nothing but a broad scarre where I left a deepe wounde and loose stringes where I tyed hard knots and a table of steele where I framed a plot of wax Whereby I noted that young swannes are grey the olde white yoūg
Hesperon Idalium sapè adit vna memus c. SWéete Venus if as nowe thou stand my friende As once thou didst vnto Kinge Priaâ—s sonne My ioyfull muse shall neuer make an end Of praising thee and all that thou hast done Nor tâ—o my peane shall euer cease to write Of ought wherin swéete Venus takes delite My temples hedged in with Myrtle bowes Shall set aside Apolloes Lawrell trée As did Anchises sonne when both his browes With Myrtle hée beset to honour thée Then will I say the Rose of flowres is best And siluer Dooues for birdes excell the rest Ile praise no starre but Hesperus alone Nor any hill but Erycinus meunte Nor any woodde but I daly alone Nor any spring but Acidalian founte Nor any land but onely Cyprus shoare Nor Gods but Loue what would Venus more V All this Passion two verses only excepted is wholly translated out of Petrarch where he writeth Samor non è che dunque è quel ch'i sento Ma s'egh è amor per Dio che cosa e quale Se buona ond'è l'effetto aspro e mortale Seria ond'è sidolce ogni tormento Heerein certaine contrarieties whiche are incident to him that loueth extrèemelye are liuely expressed by a Metaphore And it may be noted that the Author in his first halfe verse of this translation varieth from that sense which Chawcer vseth in translating the selfe same which he doth vpon no other warrant then his owne simple priuate opinion which yet he will not greatly stand vpon IF't bée not loue I feele what is it then If loue it bée what kind a thing is loue If good how chance he hurtes so many men If badd how happ's that none his hurtes disproue If willingly I burne how chance I waile If gainst my will what sorrow will auaile O liuesome death Oswéete and pleasant ill Against my minde how can thy might preuaile If I bend backe and but refraine my will If I consent I doe not well to waile And touching him whome will hath made a slaue The Prouerbe saith of olde Selfe doe selfe haue Thus béeing tost with windes of sundry sorte Through daung'rous Seas but in a slender Boat With errour stuâ—t and driu'n beside the porte Where voide of wisdomes fraight it lies afloate I waue in doubt what helpe I shall require In Sommer fréeze in winter burne like fire VI This passion is a translation into latine of the selfe same sonnet of Petrarch which you red lastly alleaged and commeth somwhat neerer vnto the Italian phrase theÌ„ the English doth The Author wheÌ„ he translated it was not then minded euer to haue imboldned him selfe so farre as to thrust in foote amongst our english Poets But beinge busied in translating Petrarch his sonnets into latin new clothed this amoÌ„gst many others which one day may perchance come to light And because it befitteth this place he is content you suruey it here as a probable signe of his dayly sufferance in loue HOc si non sit amor quod persentisco quid ergo est Si sit amor tum quid sit amor qualisque rogandum Si bonus est vndè effectus producit acerbos Sin malus vnde eius tormentum dulce putatur Sique volens vror quae tanti causa doloris Sin inuitus amo quid me lament a iuuabunt O laethum viuax ô delectabile damnum Quî sic me superes tibi si concedere nolim â—t me si patior vinci cur lugeo victus Aduersis rapior ventis nulloque magistrâ— Per maris effusi fluctus in puppe caduca Quae vacua ingenio tantoque errore grauata est Ipsus vt ignorem de me quid dicere possim Erigeo dum media est aestas dum brumae calesco VII This pà ssion of loue is liuely expressed by the Authour in that he lauishlie praiseth the person and beautifull ornamentes of his loue one after an other as they lie in order He partly imitateth here in Aeneas Siluius who setteth downe the like in describing Lucretia the loue of Euryalus partly he followeth Ariosto cant 7. where he describeth Alciâ—a partly borroweth from some others where they describe the famous Helen of Greece you may therefore if you please aptlie call this sonnet as a Scholler of good iudgement hath already Christened it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HArke you that list to heare what sainte I serue Her yellowe lockes exceede the beaten goulde Her sparkeling eies in heau'n a place deserue Her forehead high and faire of comely moulde Her wordes are musicke all of siluer sounde Her wit so sharpe as like can searse be found Each eybrowe hanges like Iris in the skies â—Her Eagles nose is straight of stately frame On either cheeke a Rose and Lillie lies Her breath is sweete perfume or hollie flame Her lips more red then any Corall stone Her necke more white then aged Swans y â— mone Her brest transparent is like Christall rocke Her singers long fit for Apolloes Lute Her slipper such as Momus dare not mocke Her vertues all so great as make me mute What other partes she hath I neede not say Whose face alone is cause of my decaye VIII A laeon for espying Diana as shee bathed her naked was transformed into a Hart and sone after torne in pieces by his owne houndes as Ouid describeth at large lib. 3. Metamorph. And Silius Italicus libr. 12. de bello Punicâ— glaunceth at it in this manner Fama est cum laceris Actaeon flebile membris Supplicium lueret spectatae in fonte Dianae Attonitum nouitate malae fugisse parentem Per frâ—ta Aristaeum c. The Author alluding in al this Passion vnto the fault of Actaeon and to the hurte which hee susteined setteth downe his owne amorous infelicitie as Ouid did after his banishmente when in an other sense hee applied this fiction vnto himselfe being exiled as it should seeme for hauing at vnawares taken Caesar in some great fault for thus hee writeth Cur aliquid vidi cur noxia lumina fâ—ci c. Inscius Actaeon vidit sine veste Dianam Praeda fuit canibus nec minus ille suis. A Ctaeon lost in middle of his sport Both shape and life for looking but a wry Diana was afraid he would report What secretes he had séene in passing by To tell but trueth the selfe same hurt haue I By viewing her for whome I dayly die I léese my woonted shape in that my minde Doth suffer wracke vpon the stonie rocke Of her disdaine who contrary to kinde Doth beare a brest more harde then any stocke And former forme of limmes is changed quite By cares in loue and want of due delight I léese my life in that each secret thought Which I conceiue through wanton fond regard Doth make me say that life auaileth nought Where seruice cannot haue a due reward I dare not name the Nimph that works my smart Though loue hath grau'n her
the last staffe of this sonnet he falleth into this fiction that whilest he greedelie laied open his eares to the hearing of his Ladies voice as one more then halfe in a doubt that Apollo him selfe had beene at hand Loue espiyng a time of aduantage transformed him selfe into the substance of aier and so deceitfullie entered into him with his owne great goodwill and desire and nowe by mayne force still holdeth his possession SOme that reporte great Alexanders life They say that harmonie so mou'd his mind That oft he roase from meat to warlike strife At sounde of Trumpe or noyse of battle kind And then that musickes force of softer vaine Caus'd him returne froÌ„ strokes to meat againe And as for me I thinke it nothing strange That musick hauing birth from heau'ns aboue By diuers tunes can make the minde to change For I my selfe in hearing my sweete Loue By vertue of her song both tasted griefe And such delight as yeelded some reliefe When first I gan to giue attentiue eare Thinking Apolloes voice did haunte the place I little thought my Lady had beene there But whilest mine eares lay open in this case Transform'd to ayre Loue entred with my will And nowe perforce doth kéepe possession still XV Still hee followeth on with further deuise vppon the late Melodie of his Mistres in this sonnet doth namelie preferre her before Musicke her selfe and all the three Graces affirming if either he or els Apollo bee ordeined a iudge to giue sentence of their desertes on either side that then his Ladie can not faile to beare both pricke and prize awaie NOwe Musicke hide thy face or blush for shame Since thou hast heard hir skill warbling voice Who far béefore thy selfe deseru's thy name And for a Science should bée had in choise Or if thou still thy title wilt retame Equall hir song with helpe of all thy traine But as I déeme it better were to yéelde Thy place to her to whom the price belonges Then after strife to léese both fame and field For though rude Satyres like of Marsias songes And Choridon estéeme his oaten quill Compare them with hir voice and both are ill Nay which is more bring forth the Graces thrée And each of them let sing hir song apart And who doth best twill soone appeare by mée When she shall make replie which rules my heart Or if you néedes will make Apollo iudge So sure I am to winne I néede not grudge XVI In this passion the Authour vpon the late sweete song of his Mistres maketh her his birde therwithall partlie describeth her worthines partlie his owne estate The one parte he sheweth by the coulour of her feathers by her statelie minde and by that souereintie which she hath ouer him the other by description of his delight in her companie and her strangenes drawing backe from a dewe acceptance of his seruice MY gentle birde which sung so swéete of late Is not like those that flie about by kind Her feathers are of golde shée wantes a mate And knowing wel her worth is proud of mind And wheras sâ—m do keepe their birds in cage My bird kéepes mée rules me as hir page She séedes mine eare with tunes of rare delight Mine eye with louing lookes my heart with ioy Wherhence I thinke my seruitude but light Although in déede I suffer great annoye And sure it is but reason I suppose He féele the pricke that séekes to pluck the Rose And who so mad as woulde not with his will Leese libertie and life to heare her sing Whose voice excels those harmonies that fill Elisian fieldes where growes eternall spring If mightie Ioue should heare what I haue hard She sure were his and all my market marde XVII The Authour not yet hauing forgotten the songe of his mistres maketh her in this passion a seconde Phoenix though not of Arabia and yet no lesse acceptable to Apollo then is that bird of Arabia And the cheife causes why Sol shoulde fauour hir he accounteth to be these two hir excellent beawtie and hir skill in musike of which two qualities Sol is well knowen to be an especiall cheife patrone and sometimes the only author or giuer of the same YF Poets haue done well in times long past To glose on trifling toyes of little price Why should not I presume to fame as fast Espying forth a ground of good deuise A Sacred Nimph is ground whereon ile write The fairest Nimph that euer yet saw light And since her song hath fild mine eares with ioye Hir vertues pleas'd my minde hir face mine eye I dare affirme what some will thinke a toy She Phoenix is though not of Arabie And yet the plumes about hir neck are bright And Sol him selfe in her hath chiefâ— delight You that will know why Sol afoordes her loue Séeke but the cawse why Peakocks draw the place Where Iuno sitts why Venus likes the Doue Or why the Owle befitts Mineruaes grace Then yf you grudge that she to Sol belonge Marke but hir face and heare hir skill in songe XVIII This sonnet is perfectly patheticall and consisteth in two principall pointes wherof the first coÌ„teyneth an accusatioÌ„ of Loue for his hurtfull effects vsuall tyrannie the second part is a sudden recantation or excuse of the Authors euill words by castinge the same vpon the necke of his beloued as being the onely cause of his late frenzy and blaspheamous rage so lauishly powred forth in fowle speaches LOue is a sowr delight a sugred greefe A liuinge death an euerdying life A breache of Reasons lawe a secret theefe A sea of teares an euerlasting strife A bayte for fooles a scourge of noble witts A Deadly wound a shotte which euer hitts Loue is a blinded God an angry boye A Labyrinth of dowbts an ydle lust A slaue to Beawties will a witles toy A rauening bird a tyraunt most vniust A burning heate A cold a flattringe foe A priuate hell a very world of woe Yet mightie Loue regard not what I saye Which lye in traunce berest of all my witts But blame the light that leades me thus astraye And makes my tongue blaspheme by frantike fitts Yet hurt her not lest I susteyne the smart which am content to lodge her in my heart XIX The Author in this passion reproueth the vsuall description of loue which olde Poetes haue so long time embraced and proueth by probabilities that he neither is a childe as they say nor blinde nor winged like a birde nor armed archer like with bowe arrowes neither frantike nor wise nor yet vncloathed nor to conclude anie God at all And yet wheÌ„ he hath said al he can to this end he cryeth out vpon the secret nature and qualitie of Loue as being that whereunto he can by no meanes attaine although he haue spent a long tedious course of time in his seruice IF Cupid were a childe as Poets faine How comes it then that Mars doth feare
tast Mine eares with woordes which seemed Musicall My smelling with her breath like Ciuet sweete My touch in place where modestie thought meete But shall I say what obiectes held mine eye Her curled Lockes of Gold like Tagus sandes Her Forehead smooth and white as Iuory Where Glory State and Bashfullnes held handes Her Eyes one making Peace the other Warres By Venus one the other rul'd by Mars Her Egles Nose her Scarlate Cheekes halfe white Her Teeth of Orient Pearle her gracious smile Her dimpled Chinne her Breast as cleere as light Her Hand like hers who Tithon did beguile For worldly ioyes who might compare with mée While thus I fedde each sense in his degree LV The whole inuention of all this Passion is deducted out of Seraphine Sonnet 63. whose verses if you reade you will iudge this Authors imitatioÌ„ the more praise worthy these they are Come alma assai bramosa poco accorta Che mai visto hauea amor se non depinto Disposi vn di cercar suo Laberinto Vedere él monstro tanta gente morta Ma quel fil dèragion che chi per scorta Del qual fu tutto el ceco loco cinto Subito ahime fu da lui rotto vinto Talche mai piu trouar seppi la porta MY heedelesse hart which Loue yet neuer knew But as he was describ'd with Painters hand One day amongst the rest would needes goe view The Labyrinth of Loue with all his hand To see the Minotaure his ougly face And such as there lay slaine within the place But soone my guiding thrid by Reason spunne Wherewith I past a long his darkesome caue Was broake alas by him and ouerrunne And I perforce became his captiue slaue Since when as yet I neuer found the way To leaue that maze wherein so many stray Yet thou on whome mine eyes haue gaz'd so longe May'st if thou wilt play Ariadnaes part And by a second Thrid reuenge the wronge Which through deceit hath hurt my guiltlesse hart Uouchsafe in time to saue and set me free Which seeke and serue none other Saint but thee LVI The first Staffe of this Passion is much like vnto that inuention of Seraphuâ—e in his Strambotti where he saith Morte che vuoi te bramo Eccomi appresso Prendemi a che che manchi el mio dolore Non posso ohime non puoi non per adesso Perche pero che in te non regnail core c. The second Staffe somewhat imitateth an other of his Strambotti in the same leafe it beginneth thus Amor amor chi è quel che chiama tanto Vn tuo seruo fidel non ti conosco c. The Authour in the laste Staffe returneth to entreate Death a new to ende his dayes as being halfe perswaded that Loue would restore vnto him his hart againe COme gentle Death who cals one thats opprest What is thy will that thou abridge my woe By cutting of my life cease thy request I cannot kill thee yet alas why soe Thou want'st thy Hart. Who stoale the same away Loue whom thou seru'st intreat him if thou may Come come come Loue who calleth me so oft Thy Uassall true whome thou should'st know by right What makes thy cry so faint my voyce is softe And almost spent by wayling day and night Why then whats thy request that thou restore To me my Hart and steale the same no more And thou O Death when I possesse my Hart Dispatch me then at once why so By promise thou art bound to end my smart Why if thy Hart returne then whats thy woe That brought from colde It neuer will desire To rest with me which ani more hote then fire LVII Here the Authour cheerefully comforting himselfe rebuketh all those his frendes or others whatsoeuer which pitie his estate in Loue and groundeth his inuention for the moste part vpon the old Latine Prouerbe Consuetudo est altera natura Which Prouerbe hee confirmeth by two examples the one of him that being borne farre North seldome ketcheth colde the other of the Negro which beinge borne vnder a hote climate is neuer smoothered with ouermuch heate ALl yee that gréeue to thinke my death so néere Take pitie on your selues whose thought is blind Can there be Day vnlesse some Light appeare Can fire be colde which yeeldeth heate by kinde If Loue were past my life would soone decay Loue bids me hoape and hoape is all my stay And you that sée in what estate I stand Now hote now colde and yet am liuing still Persuade your selues Loue hath a mightie hand And custome frames what pleaseth best her wil A ling'ring vse of Loue hath taught my brest To harbor strife and yet to liue in rest The man that dwelles farre North hath seldome harme With blast of winters wind or nipping frost The Negro seldome féeles himselfe too warme If he abide within his nature coast So Loue in me a Second Nature is And custome makes me thinke my Woes are Blisse LVIII Aetna called in times past Inesia as Volaterranus witnesseth is a hollow hill in Sicilia whose toppe burneth continuallie the fire being maintained with a vaine of brimstone and other such like Mineralles which are within the said Mountaine Which notwithstanding the bottome of the hill is verie pleasant as well for the aboundance of sweete fruites and flowers as for the number of freshe springes and fountaines The Poetes faine that when Iuppiter had with his thunderboltes beaten downe the Gyantes of the earth which rebelled against heauen he did forthwith couer and oppresse them all with the weight of this hill Aetna These thinges being well considered together with the verse of Horace Deus immortalis haberi Dum cupit Empedocles ardeutem frigidus Aetnam Insiluit It may easily appeare why the Author in this passion compareth his heart vnto the hill THere is a monstrous hill in Sicill soyle Where workes that limping God which Vulcan hight And rebell Gyantes lurke whome Ioue did foyle When gainst the heau'ns they durst presume to fight The toppe thereof breathes cut a burning flame And Flora sittes at bottome of the same My swelling heart is such an other hill Wherein a blinded God beares all the swaye And rebell thoughtes resisting reasons skill Are bound by will from starting thence awaye The toppe thereof doth smoake with scalding smart And seldome ioyes obtaine the lowest parte Yet learne herewith the difference of the twaine Empedocles consum'd with Aetnaes fire When godheade there he sought but all in vaine But this my heart all flauming with desire Embraceth in it selfe an Angels face Which beareth rule as Goddesse of the place LIX The Author in this passion accuseth his owne eyes as the principall or onelie cause of his amorous infeliâ—itie wl er in his hearte is so oppressed continuallie with euils which are contrarie in them selues that reason can beare no swaye in the cause Therefore in the ende he instantlie entreatetâ— his Ladie of her
thought to conquere for my sake That she is proude and I without recure Which triple hurte doth cause my hope to quake Hoape lost breedes griefe griefe paine and paine disease Disease bringes death which death will onely please LXIIII This Passion is of like frame and fashion with that which was before vnder the number of XLI whetherto I referre the Reader But touching the sense or substance of this Passion it is euident that herein the Authour by layinge open the long continued grieuesomnes of his misery in Loue seeketh to moue his Mistres to some compassion MY humble sute hath set my minde on pride Which pride is cause thou hast me in disdaine By which disdaine my woundes are made so wide That widenesse of my woundes augmentes my paine Which Paine is cause by force of secreate iarres That I sustaine a brunt of priuate Warres But cease deere Dame to kindle further strife Let Strifes haue ende and Peace enioy their place If Peace take place Pitie may saue my life For Pitie should be show'ne to such as trace Most daung'rous wayes and tread their stepp's awry Or liue in woes and such a one am I. Therefore My Deere Delight regard my Loue Whome Loue doth force to follow Fond Desire Which Fond Desire no counsell can remoue For what can counsell doe to quench the fire That fires my hart through fancies wanton will Fancie by kind with Reason striueth still LXV In the first and second part of this passion the Author proueth by examples or rather by manner of argument A maiori ad minus that he may with good reason yeeld him selfe to the imperie of Loue whome the gods them selues obey as Iuppiter in heauen Neptune in the seas and Pluto in hell In the last staffe he imitateth certaine Italian verses of M. Girolamo Parabosco which are as followeth Occhi tuoi anzi stelle alme fatali Oâ—e ha prescritto il ciel mio mal mio bene Mie lagrime e sospir mio riso e canto Mia spene mio timor mio foco giaccio Mia noia mio piacer mia vita morte WHo knoweth not how often Venus sonne Hath forced Iuppiter to leaue his seate Or els how often Neptune he hath wunne From seaes to sandes to play some wanton feate Or howe he hath constraind the Lord of Stix To come on earth to practise louing trickes If heau'n if seaes if hell must néedes obay And all therein be subiect vnto Loue What shall it then auaile if I gainsay And to my double hurt his pow'r do proue No no I yéeld my selfe as is but meete For hetherto with sow'r he yéeldes me sweet From out my Mistres eyes two lightsome starres He destinates estate of double kinde My teares my smyling cheere my peace my warres My sighes my songes my feare my hoping minde My fyre my frost my ioy my sorrowes gall My curse my prayse my death but life with all LXVI This Latine passion is borrowed from Petrarch Sonettâ— 133. which beginneth Hor ch'l ciel e la terra e'l vento tace E le fere e gli augelli il sonno affrena Notte'l carro stellato in giro mena E nel suo letto il mar senz ' onda giace c. Wherein he imitated Virgill speaking of Dido thus Nox erat et tacitum carpebant fessa soporem Corpora c. And this Author presumeth vpon the paines he hath taken in faithfully translating it to place it amongst these his owne passions for a signe of his greate sufferance in loue DVm coelum dum terra tacet ventusque silescit Dumque feras volucresque quies complectitur alta Noxque agit in gyrum stellantes sydere currus Inque suo lecto recubat sine flumine Pontus Multa ego contemplor studeo conflagro gemisco Et mea quae dulcis paena est mihi semper oberrâ—â— In me bella gero plenusque doloris irae Paxque mihi modica est Laurae solius in vmbra Oritur ex vno claro mihi fonte acerbum Et quod dulce sapit quorum depascor vtrque Vnica meque manus ladit laesoque medetur Martyriumque meum nullo quia limite clausum est Mille neces pacior vitas totidemque resumo Quoque die superestque mihi spes nulla salutis LXVII A man singuler for his learning and magistrate of no small accoumpt vpon slight suruey of this booke of passions eyther for the liking he had to the Author or for his owne priuate pleasure or for some good he conceyued of the worke voutchsafed with his own hand to set down certaine posies concerning the same Amongst which this was one Loue hath no leaden heeles Whereat the Author glaunceth throughout al this Sonnet which he purposely compyled at the presse in remembrance of his worshipfull frend and in honour of his golden posie WHen Cupid is content to keepe the skies He neuer takes delight in standing still But too and froe and eu'ry where he flies And eu'ry God subdueth at his will As if his boaw were like to Fortunes wheele Him selfe like her hauing no leaden heele When other whiles he passeth Lemnos Ile Unhappy boy he gybes the Clubfoote Smith Who threatens him and bids him stay a while But laughing out he leaues him he forthwith And makes him selfe companion with the Windâ— To shew his heeles are of no leaden kinde But in my selfe I haue too trewe a proofe For when he first espyde my raunging Heart He Falcon like came sowsing from aloofe His swiftly falling stroake encreast my smart As yet my Heart the violence it feeles Which makes me say Loue hath no leaden heeles LXVIII The Author hath wrought this passion out of certaine verses of Stephanus Forcatulus which are these Cor mihi punxit amor sed punxit praepete telo figitur hoc tum plus cum magis exeutio c. Carpere dictamum Cretoea nil iuuet Ida quo vellunt cerui spicula fixa leues Telephus haec eadem fatalia vulnera sensit sanare vt tantum quifacit illa queat And whereas the Author in the end of this passion alludeth to the woundes of Telephus he is to be vnderstoode of that Telephus the Sonne of Hercules of whose wounde being made and healed by Achilles onely Ouid writeth thus Vulnus Achillaeo quod quondam fecerat hosti Vulneris auxilium Pelias hasta tulit And propertius in like maner lib. 2. Mysus et Haemonia iuuenis qui cuspide vulnus Senserat hac ipsa cuspide sensit opem Suidas mentioneth an other Telephus an excellent GraÌ„marian of Pergamus IN secrete seate and centre of my hearte Unwares to me not once suspecting ill Blinde Cupides-hand hath fixt a deadly dart Whereat how ere I plucke it sticketh still And workes effect like those of Arab soyle Whose heades are dipt in poyson steed of oyle If't were like those wherewith in Ida plaine The Craetan hunter woundes the chased deere I could with Dictame drawe
LXXXIIII The Authour in this Sonnet expresseth his mallice towardes Venus and her Sonne Cupid by currying fauour with Diana and by suing to haue the selfe same office in her walkes and forrest which sometimes her chast and best beloued Hippokins enioyed Which Hippolitus as Seruius witnesseth dyed by the false deceipt of his Stepmother Phaedra for not yeelding ouer himselfe vnto her incestuous loue whereuppon Senâ—ca writeth thus Iuuenisque castus crimine incestae iacet Pudicus insons DIana since Hippolytus is deade Let me enioy thy fauour and his place My might through will shall stand thée in some steade To driue blinde Loue and Venus from thy chase For where they lately wrought me miekle woe I vow me nowe to be theire mortall foe And doe thou not mistrust my chastetie When I shall raunge amidst thy virgine traine My raynes are chastned so through miserie That Loue with me can nere preuaile againe The childe whose finger once hath felt the fire To playe therewith will haue but sinale desire Besides I vow to heare a watchful eye Discou'ring such as passe along thy groue If Iuppiter him selfe come loytring by Ile call thy crew and bid them fly from Ioue For if they stay he will obtaine at last What now I loathe because my loue is past LXXXV The cheifest substance of this Sonnet is borrowed out of certeine Latin verses of Strozza a noble man of Italy and one of the best Poëts in all his age who in describing Metaphorically to his friend Antonius the true forme of his amorous estate writeth thus Vnda hic sunt Lachrima Venti suspiria Remi Vota Error velum Mens malesana Ratis Spes Temo Curae Comites Constantia Amoris Est malus Dolor est Anchora Nauita Amor c. THe souldiar worne with warres delightes in peace The pilgrime in his ease when toyles are past The ship to gayne the porte when stormes doe cease And I reioyce from Loue dischargâ—d at last Whome while I seru'd peace rest and land I lost With grieusome wars with toyles with storm's betost Sweete liberty nowe giues me leaue to sing What worlde it was where Loue the rule did beare Howe â—oolish Chaunce by lottes rul'd euery thing Howe Error was maine saile each waue a Teare The master Loue him selfe deepe sighes were winde Cares rowd with vowes the ship vumery minde False hope as healme oft turn'd the boat about Inconstant faith stood vp for middle mâ—aste Despaire the cable twisted all with Doubt Held Griping Griefe the pyked Anchor fast Beautie was all the rockes But I at last Am now twise free and all my loue is past LXXXVI The sense of this Sonnet is for the most part taken out of a letter which Aeneas Syluius wrote vnto his friend to persuade him that albeit he lately had published the wanton loue of Lucretia and Euryalus yet hee liked nothing lesse then such fond Loue and that he nowe repented him of his owne labour ouer idlely bestowed in describing the same SWeete liberty restores my woonted ioy And bids me tell how painters set to viewe The forme of Loue They painte him but a Boy As working most in mindes of youthfull crewe They set him naked all as wanting shame To keepe his secret partes or t' hide the same They paint him blinde in that he cannot spy What diffrence is twixt vertue and default With Boe in hand as one that doth defie And cumber heedelesse heartes with fierce assault His other hand both hold a brand of fire In signe of heate he makes through hot desire They giue him winges to flie from place to place To note that all are wau'ring like the winde Whose liberty fond Loue doth vnce deface This forme to Loue old paynters haue assignd Whose fond effects if any list to proue Where I make end let them begin to Loue. LXXXVII The Authour in the firste staffe of this Sonnet expresseth how Loue first went beyond him by persuading him that all was golde which glistered In the second hee telleth how time broughte hym to trueth and Trueth to Reason by whose good counsell he found the way from worse to better did ouergoe the malice of blinde Fortune In the third staffe he craueth pardon at euery man for the offences of his youth and to Loue the onely cause of his long errour hee geueth his vltimum â—ale YOuth made a fault through lightnes of Beléefe Which fond Beleefe Loue placed in my brest But now I finde that Reason giues◠〈◊〉 And time shewes Trueth and Wit thats bought it best Muse not therefore although I chaunge my vaine He runnes too farre which neuer turnes againe Henceforth my mind shall haue a watchfull eye Ile scorne Fond Loue and practise or the same The wisedome of my hart shall soone descâ—ie Each thing thats good from what deserueth blame My song shalbe Fortune hath spâ—tte her spight And Loue can hurt no more withall his might Therefore all you to whome my courâ—e is knowne Thinke better comes and pardon what is past I find that all my wildest Oates are sowne And Ioy to see what now I see at last And since that Loue was cause I trode a wry I heere take off his Bels and let him flie LXXXVIII This whole Sonnet is nothing els but a briefe and pithy morall and made after the selfe same vaine with that which is last before it The two first staffes excepting onely the two first verses of all expresse the Authours alteration of minde life and his change from his late vaine estate and follies in loue by a metaphore of the shipmaÌ„ which by shipwrakes chaunce is happely restoared on a sodeine vnto that land which he a long time had most wished for I Long maintayned warre gainst Reasons rule I wandred pilgrime like in Errors maze I sat in Follies ship and playde the foole Till on Repentance rocke hir sides did craze Herewith I learne by hurtes alreadie past That each extreme will change it selfe at last This shipwrackes chance hath set me on a shelfe Where neither Loue can hurte me any more Nor Fortunes hand though she enforce her selfe Discretion graunts to set me safe on shoare Where guile is fettred fast and wisedome rules To punish heedeles hearts and wilfull fooles And since the heau'ns haue better lot assign'd I feare to burne as hauing felte the fire And proofe of harmes so changed hath my minde That witt and will to Reason doe retyre Not Venus nowe nor Loue with all his snares Can drawe my witts to woes at vnawares LXXXIX The two first staffes of this Sonnet are altogether sententiall and euerie one verse of them is grownded vpon a diuerse reason and authoritie from the rest I haue thought good for breuitie sake onelie to set downe here the authorities with figures whereby to applie euerie one of them to his due lyne in order as they stand 1. Hieronimus In delicijs difficile est seruare castitatem 2 Ausonius dispulit inconsultus amor
c. 3. Seneca Amor est ociosae causa sollicitudinis 4. Propertius Errat qui finem vesani quaerit amoris 5. Horatius Semper ardentes acueÌ„s sagittas 6. Xenophon scribit amorem esse igne flamma flagrantiorem quòd ignis vrat tangentes et proxima tantuÌ„ cremet amor ex longinquo spectante torreat 7. Calenti Plurima Zelotipo sunt in amore mala 8. Ouidius Inferet arma tibi saeua rebellis amor 9. Pontanus Si vacuum sineret perfidiosus amor 10. Marullus Quid tantum lachrimis meis proterue Insultas puer 11. Tibullus At lasciuus amor rixae mala verba ministrat 12. Virgilius Bellum saepe petit ferus exitiale Cupido LOue hath delight in sweete delicious fare Loue neuer takes good Counsell for his frende Loue author is and cause of ydle care Loue is distraught of witte and hath no end Loue shoteth shaftes of burning hote desire Loue burneth more then eyther flame or fire Loue doth much harme through Iealosies assault Loue once embrast will hardly part againe Loue thinkes in breach of faith there is no fault Loue makes a sporte of others deadly paine Loue is a wanton Childe and loues to brall Loue with his warre bringes many soules to thrall These are the smallest faultes that lurke in Loue These are the hurtes which I haue cause to curse to curse These are those truethes which no man can disproue These are such harmes as none can suffer worse All this I write that others may beware Though now my selfe twise frée from all such care XC In this Latine passion the Authour translateth as it were paraphrastically the Sonnet of Petrarch which beginneth thus Tennemi Amor anni vent ' vno ardendo Lieto nel foco eâ—nel duol pien dispeme c. But to make it serue his owne turne he varieth from Petrarches wordes where he declareth howe manie yeares he liued in loue as well before as since the death of his beloued Lawra Vnder which name also the Authour in this Sonnet specifieth her whom he lately loued ME sibi ter binos annos vnum subegit Diuus Amor latusque fui licet ignibus arsi Spemque habui certam curis licèt ictus acerbis Iamque duos alios exutus amore perêgi Ac si sydereos mea Laura volârit in orbes Duxerit et secum veteris penetralia cordis Pertaesum tandem vitae me panitet actae Et pudet erroris peâ—è absumpsisse sub vmbra Semina virtutum Sed qua pars vltima restat Supplice mente tibi tandem Deus alte repono Et malè transactae deploro temporae vitae Cuius agendus erat meliori tramite cursus Litis in arcendae studijs et pace colenda Ergò summe Deus per quem sum clausus in isto Carcere ab aeterno saluum fac esse periclo XCI In the latter part of this Sonnet the Authour imitateth those verses of Horace Me tabula saeer Votiua paries indicat vuida Suspendisse potenti Vestimenta maris Deo Whom also that renowned Florentine M. Agnolo Firenzâ—ola did imitate long agoe both in like manner and matter as followeth O miseri coloro Che non prouar di donna fede mai Il pericol ch'io corsi Nel tempestoso mar nella procella Del lor cradel Amore Mostrar lo può lataeuoletta posta Eâ—le vesti ancor molli Sospese al tempio del horrendo Dio Di questo mar crudele YE captiue soules of blindefold Cyprians boate Marke with aduise in what estate yee stande Your Boteman neuer whistles mearie noate And Folly keeping sterne still puttes from lande And makes a sport to tosse you to and froe Twixt sighing windes and surging waues of woe On Beawties rocke she runnes you at her will And holdes you in suspense twixt hope and feare Where dying oft yet are you liuing still But such a life as death much better were Be therefore circumspect and follow me When Chaunce or chaunge of maners sets you frée Beware how you returne to seas againe Hang up your votiue tables in the quyre Of Cupids Church in witnesse of the paine You suffer now by forced fond desire Thou hang your through wett garmentes on the wall And sing with me That Loue is mixt with gall XCII Here the Author by comparing the tyrannous delightes and deedes of blinde Cupid with the honest delightes deedes or other his fellow Goddestes and Gods doth blesle the time and howre that euer he forsooke to follow him whom he confesseth to haue bene greate forcible in his doings though but litle of stature and in apparence weakelie Of all the names here mentioned Hebe is seldomest redde wherfore know they which know it not alreadie that Hebe as Seruius writeth is Iunoes daughter hauing no father now wife to Hercules and Goddesse of youth and youthlie sporting and was cupbearer to Ioue till she fell in the presence of all the Goddes so vnhappelie that they sawe her priuities whereupon Ioue being angry substituted Ganimedes into her office and place PHebus delightes to view his Lawrel Tree The Popplar pleaseth Hercules alone Melisla mother is and fautrix to the Bee Pallas will weare the Oliue branche or none Of shepheardes and theire flocke Pales is Quene And Cores rypes the corne was lately gréene To Chloris eu'ry flower belonges of right The Dryade Nimphs of woodes make chiefe accoumpt Oreades in hills haue theire delight Diana doth protect each bubblinge Fount To Hebe louely kissing is asign'd To Zephire eu'ry gentle breathing winde But what is Loues delight to hurt each where He cares not whome with daites of deepe desire With watchfull iealosie with hope with feare With nipping cold and secrete flames of fire O happye howre wherein I did forgoe This litle God so greate a cause of woe XCIII In the first and sixt line of this Passion the Authour alludeth to two sentencious verses in Sophocles whereof the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O foole in euills fretting nought auailes The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For who can make vndon what once is done In the other two staffes following the Authour pursueth on his matter beginning and ending euery line with the selfe same sillable he vsed in the first wherein hee imitateth some Italian Poets who more to trie their witts hen for any other conceite haue written after the like manner MY loue is past woe woorth the day and how'r When to such folly first I did encline Whereof the very thought is bitter sow'r And still would hurte were not my soule diuine Or did not Reason teach that care is vaine For ill once past which cannot turne againe My Loue is past blessed the day and how'r When from so fond estate I did decline Wherein was little sweet with mickle sow'r And losse of minde whose substance is diuine Or at the lest expence of time in vaine For which expence no Loue returneth
gaine My Loue is past wherein was no good how'r When others ioy'd to cares I did encline Whereon I fedde although the taste were sow'r And still beleu'd Loue was some pow'r diuine Or some instinct which could not worke in vaine Forgetting Time well spent was double gaine XCIIII In this Passion tho Authour hath but augmented the inuention of Seraphine where he writeth in this manner Biastemo quando mai le labbra apersi Per dar nome à costei che acciò me induce Biastemo il tempo quanti giorni hò persi A seguitar si tenebrosa luce Biastemo charta inchiostro e versi Et quanto Amor per me fama gliaduce Biastemo quando mai la vidi anchora El mese l'anno giorno el punto â—hora I Curse the time wherein these lips of mine Did praye or praise the Danie that was vnkinde I curse both leafe and yâ—ke and euery line My hand hath writ in hope to moue her minde I curse her hollowe heart and slattring eyes Whose slie deceyte did cause my mourning cryes I curse the sugred speach end Syrens song Wherewith so oft she hath bewitcht mine eare I curse my foolish will that stay'd so long And tooke delight to bide twixte hoape and feare I curse the howre wherein I first began By louing lookes to proue a witlesse man I curse those dayes which I haue spent in vaine By seruing such an one as reaches no right I curse each cause of all my secret paine Though Loue to heare the same haue small delight And since the heau'ns my freedome nowe restore Hence foorth Ile liue at ease and loue no more XCV A Labyrinth is a place made full of turnings creekes wherehence he that is once gotten in can hardly get out againe Of this sorte Pliny mentioneth foure in the world which were most noble One in Crete made by Daedalus at the commaundement of king Minos to shut vp the Minotaure in to which monster the Atheniens by league were bound euery yeere to send seuen of their children to bee deuoured which was perfourmed till at the last by the helpe of Ariadne Theseus slewe the monster An other he mentioneth to haue beene in Aegipt which also Pomponius Mela describeth in his first booke The third in Lemnos wherein were erected a huÌ„dreth fifty pillers of singuler workmaÌ„ship The fourth in Italy builded by Porsenna king of Heâ—ruria to serue for his sepulchre But in this Passion the Authour alludeth vnto that of Crete only THough somewhat late at last I found the way To leaue the doubtfull Labyrinth of Loue Wherein alas each minute seemd a day Him selfe was Minotaure whose force to proue I was enforst till Reason taught my mind To slay the beast and leaue him there behind But being scaped thus from out his maze And past the dang'rous Denne so full of doubt False Theseus like my credite shall I craze Forsaking her whose hand did helpe me out With Ariadne Reason shall not say I sau'd his life and yet he runnes away No no before I leaue the golden rule Or lawes of her that stoode so much my friend Or once againe will play the louing foole The sky shall fall and all shall haue an end I wish as much to you that louers be Whose paines will passe if you beware by me XCVI In this Passion the Authour in skoffing bitterly at Venus and her sonne Cupid alludeth vnto certaine verses in Ouid but inuerteth them to an other sense then Ouid vsed who wrote them vpon the death of Tibullus These are the verses which he imitateth Ecce puer Veneris fert euersamque phraretram Et fractos arcus sine luce facem Aspice demissis vt eat miserabilis alis Pectoraque infesta tondat aperta manu c. Net minus est confusa Venus c Quà m iuuenis rupit cum ferus inguen aper WHat ayles poore Venus nowe to sit alone In funerall attyre her woonted hew Nuite chang'd her smile to teares her myrth to mean As though Adonis woundes nowe bled anew Or she wish young Iulus late return'd From seeing her Aeneas carkas burn'd Alack for woe what ayles her little Boy To haue his tender cheekes besprent with teares And sit and sighe where he was wonte to toy How happes no longer he his quiuer weares But breakes his Boe throwing the shiuers by And pluckes his winges and lettes his fyrebrand dye No Dame and Darling too yee come to late To winne me now as you haue done tofore I liue secure and quiet in estate Fully resolu'd from louing any more Goe pack for shame from hence to Cyprus Ile And there goe play your prankes an other while XCVII The Authour in this passion alludeth to the fable of Phineus which is sette downe at large in the Argonauticks of Apollonius and Valerius Flaccus He compareth him selfe vnto Phineus his Mistres vnto the Harpyes and his thoughtes vnto Zethes and his desires vnto Calais the two twinnes of Boreas and the voyce of Ne plus vltra spoaken from Heauen to Calais and Zethes vnto the Diuine grace which willed him to follow no further the miseries of a Louers estate but to professe vnfainedlie that his Loue is past And last of all the Author concludeth against the sower sawce of Loue with the French prouerbe Pour vn plaisir mille douleurs THe Harpye birdes that did in such despight Greiue and annâ—y old Phinëus so sore Were chas'd away by Calais in fight And by his brother Zeth for euermore Who follow'd them vntill they hard on hye A voyce that said Ye Twinnes No further fly Phineus I am that so tormented was My Laura here I may an Harpye name My thoughtes and lustes bee Sonnes to Borëas Which neuer cea'st in following my Dame Till heau'nly Grace said vnto me at last Leaue fond Delightes and say thy loue is past My loue is past I say and sing full glad My time alas mispent in Loue I rewe Wherein few ioyes or none at all I had But stoare of woes I found the prouer be true For eu'ry pleasure that in Loue is found A thousand woes and more therein abound XCVIII The Author is this passion telling what Loue is easeth his heart as it were by rayling out right where he can worke no other manner of reuenge The inuention hereof for the most part of the particulars conteyned is taken out of certeine Latine verses which this Authour composed vpon Quid Amor. Which because they may well importe a passion on of the writer and aptly befitte the present title of his ouerpasâ—ed Loue he setteth them downe in this next page following but not as accomptable for one of the hundreth passions of this booke HArke wanton youthes whome Beawtie maketh blinde And learne of me what kinde a thing is Loue Loue is a Brainesicke Boy and fierce by kinde A Willfull Thought which Reason can not moue A Flattring Sycophant a Murd'ring Thiefe A Poysned choaking Bayte