What greuous crimes to God he doeth commit What plagues what panges what perill thereby spryng With no sure hower in all his daies to sit He would sure thinke and with greate cause I doo The daie of death is happier of the twoo Death is the doore whereby we drawe to ioye Life is a lake that drowneth all in paine Death is so dole it seaseth all awaie Life is so leude that all it yelds is vaine And as by life in bondage man is brought Euen so by death is freedome likewise wrought Wherefore with Paule let all men wishe and praie To be disolued of this foule fleshly masse Or at the least be armed against the daie That thei be founde good souldiers prest to passe From life to death from death to life againe And suche a life as euer shall remaine Finis D. S. 44. Beyng asked the occasion of his white head he aunswereth thus WHere sethyng sighes and sower sobbs Hath slaine the slipps that nature sett And skaldyng showers with stonie throbbs The kindly sappe from them hath fett What wonder then though you doe see Vpon my head white heere 's to bee Where thought hath thrild and throne his speares To hurt the harte that harmth hym not And gronyng grief hath grounde for the teares Myne eyne to staine my face to spot What wonder then though you doe see Vpon my head white heere 's to bee Where pinchyng paine hym self hath plaste There peace with pleasures were possest And walles of wealth are fallen to waste And pouertie in them is prest What wonder then though you doe see Vpon my head white heere 's to bee Where wretched woe doeth weaue her webbe There care the clewe can catche and caste And floudds of ioye are fallen to ebbe So loe that life maie not long laste What wonder then though you doe see Vpon my head white heere 's to bee These heere 's of age are messengers Whiche bidd me fast repent and praie Thei be of death the harbingers That doeth prepare and dresse the waie Wherefore I ioye that you maie see Vpon my head suche heere 's to bee Thei be the line that lead the length How farre my race was for to ronne Thei saie my yongth is fledde with strength And how old age is well begonne The whiche I feele and you maie see Vpon my head suche lines to bee Thei be the stryngs of sober sounde Whose Musicke is hermonicall Their tunes declare a tyme from grounde I came and how thereto I shall Wherefore I ioye that you maie see Vpon my head suche stryngs to bee God graunt to those that white heere 's haue No worse them take then I haue ment That after thei be laied in graue Their soules maie ioye their liues well spent God graunt likewise that you maie see Vpon my head suche heere 's to bee Finis L. V. I Would to God I were Acteon that Diana did disguise To walke the Forest vp and doune whereas my ladie lies An Harte of heere and hewe I wishe that I were so So that my Ladie knewe me onely and no mo The shalyng Nutts and Maste that falleth from the tree Should well suffice for my repast might I my ladie see It should not greue me there in frost to lye vpon the grounde Delite should easly quite the coste what euill so that I founde Sometyme that I might saie when I sawe her alone Beholde see yonder slaue aldaie that walketh the woodds alone Finis M.B. WHy should I lenger long to liue In this desease of fantasie Sins fortune doeth not cease to giue Things to my mynde moste contrarie And at my ioyes doeth lowre and froune Till she hath tourned them vpsidoune Affrende I had to me moste dere And of long tyme faithfull and iuste There was no one my harte so nere Nor one in whom I had more truste Whom now of late without cause why Fortune hath made my enemie The grasse me thinks should growe in skie The starres vnto the yearth cleaue faste The water streame should passe awrie The winds should leue their streÌ„gt of blast The Sonne and Moone by one assent Should bothe forsake the firmament The fishe in ayer should flie with sinne The foules in floud should bryng forth fry All thyngs me thinks should erst beginne To take their course vnnaturally Afore my frende should alter so Without a cause to bee my foe But suche is Fortunes hate I saie Suche is her will on me to wreake Suche spite she hath at me alwaie And ceasseth not my harte to breake With suche dispite of crueltie Wherefore then longer liue should I. Finis E. S. 47. Prudens The historie of Damacles Dionise WHoso is set in princly trone and craueth rule to beare Is still beset on euery side with perill and with feare High trees by stormie winds are shakt rent vp froÌ„ the grouÌ„d and flashy flaks of lightnings flames on turrets do robouÌ„d When little shrubs in sauetie lurke in couert all alowe And freshly florishe in their kynde what euer winde doe blowe The cruell kyng of Scisily who fearyng Barbars hands Was wont to singe his beard hym self with cole and fire brands Hath taught vs this the proofe whereof fuâ—l plainly we maye see Was neuer thyng more liuely touched to shewe it so to bee This kyng did seme to Damacles to be the happiest wight Because he thought none like to hym in power or in might Who did alone so farre excell the rest in his degree As doeth the Sunne in brightnes cleare the darkest starre we see Wilt thou then said this cruell kyng proue this my present state Possesse thou shalt this seate of myne and so be fortunate Full gladly then this Damacles this proferd honour tooke And shootyng at a princely life his quiet rest forsooke In honours seate then was he plast accordyng to his will Forthwith a banquet was preparde that he might feast his fill Nothyng did want wherein t was thought that he would take delite To feede his eye to fill his mouthe or please the appetite Suche store of plate I thinke in Grece there scarsly was so much His seruitours did Angels seme their passyng shape was suche No daintie dishe but there it was and thereof was suche store That throughout Grece so princly chere was neuer seen before Thus while in poÌ„pe and pleasures seate this Damacles was plast And did beginne with gladsome harte eche daintie dishe to taste At length by chaunce cast vp his eyes and gan the house to vewe And sawe a sight that hym enforst his princly state to rewe A sworde forsoth with dounward point that had no stronger thred Then one horse heere that peised it direct vpon his head Wherewith he was so sore amasde and shooke in euery parte As though the sworde that hong aboue had stroke hym to the hart Then all their pleasures toke their leaue sorowe came in place His heauie harte the teares declared that trickled doune his face And then forthwith
And frendship hath receiued suche wounde as he is almoste deade And hatefull harte with malice greate so boyles in cankerd minde That flatteries flearyng in my face had almoste made me blinde But now I see all is not golde that glittereth in the eye Nor yet suche frends as thei professe as now by profe I finde Though secret spight by craft hath made a coate of Panters skin And thinks to finde me in the shade by sleight to wrapp me in Yet God be praised my eye is cleare and can beholde the Sonne When falshood dares not once appeare to ende that he begonne Thus tyme shall trie the thyng amisse whiche God sone shortly sende And turne the hatte that fained is to be a faithfull frende Finis THe Spider with greate skill doeth trauell daie by daie His limmes no tyme lye still to set his house in staie And when he hath it wrought thinkyng therein to raigne A blast of winde vnthought doeth driue it doune againe The profe whereof is true to make his worke indure He paines hym self a newe in hope to dwell more sure Or in some secret place a corner of the wall He trauaileth a spare to builde and rest with all His pleasure swete to staie when he to rest is bent An vgly shamble Flie approcheth to his tent And there entends by forse his labours greate to win Or els to yelde his corse by fatall death therein Thus is the Spiders nest from tyme to tyme throwne downe And he to labour prest with endles pains vnknowne So suche as louers be like trauell doe attaine Those endles works ye see â—er alwaies full of paine W. Hunis THe subtill â—â—â—y sleights that worldly men doe worke The freÌ„dly showes vnder whose shade most craft doth ofteÌ„ lurke Enforceth me alas with yernfull voice to saie Wo worthe the wily heads that seeks the simple mans decaie The birde that dreds no guile is sonest caught in snare Eche gentle harte deuoide of craft is sonest brought to care Good nature sonest trapt whiche giues me cause to saie Wo worthe the wily heads that seeks the simple mans decaie I see the serpent vile that lurks vnder the grene How subtelly he shrouds hym self that he maie not be sene And yet his fosters bane his leryng looks bewraie Wo worthe the wily heads that seeks the simple mans decaie Wo worthe the fainyng looks one fauour that doe waite Wo worthe the fained frendly harte that harbours depe deceit Wo worthe the Vipers broode oh chrise wo worthe I saie All worldly wily heads that seeks the simple mans decaie Finis M. Edwards WIth painted speache I list not proue my cunnyng for to trie Norâ—et will vse to fill my penne with gilefull flatterie With pen in hand and harte in breast shall faithfull promise make To loue you best and serue you moste for your great vertues sake And since dame Nature hath you deckt with gifts aboue the rest Let not disdaine a harbour finde within your noble brest For loue hath ledd his lawe alike to men of eche degree So that the begger with the prince shall loue as well as he I am no prince I must confesse nor yet of princes line Nor yet a brutishe begger borne that feeds among the Swine The fruite shall trie the tree at last the blossomes good or no Then doe not iudge of me the worse till you haue tried me so As I deserue so then reward I make you iudge of all If I be false in worde or deede let lightnyng thunder fall And furies fell with franticke fitts bereue and stopp my breathe For an example to the rest if I shall breake my faithe Finis M. B. Trie and then trust THe sainct I serue and haue besought full oft Vpon my knees to stande my Goddes good With hope did holde my head sometyme aloft And fed my faunyng frende with daintie foode But now I see that words are nought but winde The sweter meate the sowrer sauce I finde Thus while I helde the Ele by the taile I had some hope yet neuer wanted feare Of double dread that man can neuer faile That will presume to take the Wolfe by the eare I snatche for sothe muche like to Esops dogg I sought for fishe and alwaies caught a frogg Thus did I long bite on the fomyng bitt Whiche found me plaie enough vnto my paine Thus while I loued I neuer wanted fitt But liued by losse and sought no other gaine But why should I mislike with Fortunes fetters Since that the like haue hapt vnto my betters Richard Hill. Complainyng to his frende he replieth wittely A. THe fire shall freese the frost shall frie the frozen mountains hie B. what straÌ„ge thinges shal dame nature force to turne her course awrie A. My Ladie hath me left and taken a newe man B. This is not straunge it happes oft tymes the truthe to scan A. The more is my paine B. her loue then refraine A. Who thought she would flitt B. ethe one that hath witt A. Is not this straunge B. light loue will chaunge A. By skilfull meanes I her reclaime to stope vnto my luer B. Suche hagard haukes will sore awaie of them who can be fuct A. With siluer bells and hoode my ioye was her to decke B. She was full gorgd she would the soner giue the checke A. The more is my paine B. her loue then refraine A. Who thought she would flitt B. eche one that hath witt A. Is not this straunge B. light loue will chaunge A. Her chirping lippes would chirp to me swete wordes of her desire B. Suche chirping birdes who euer sawe to preach still â—n one brire A. She saied she loued me dests and would doe till she die B. She saied in wordes she thought it not as tyme doeth trie A. The more is my paine B. her loue then refraine A. Who thought she would flitt B. eche one that hath witt A. Is not this straunge B. light loue will chaunge A. Can no man winne a woman so to make her loue endure B. To make the Foxe his wiles to leaue what man will put in vre A. Why then there is no choice but all women will chaunge B. As men doe vse so some women doe loue to raunge A. The more is my paine B. her loue then refraine A. Who thought she would flitt B. eche one that hath witt A. Is not this straunge B. light loue will chaunge A. Sithe slipper gaine falles to my lot farwell that glidyng praie B. Sithe that the dice doeth runne a wrie betimes leaue of thy plaie A. I will no more lament the thyng I maie not haue B. Then by exchaunge the losse to come all shalt thou saue A. Loue will I refraine B. thereby thou shalt gaine A. With losse I will leaue B. she will thee deceiue A. That is not straunge B. then let her raunge M. Edwards No paines comparable to his attempt VVHat watche what we what want what wracke Is due to those that
with sobbing voice besought the king of grace That he would licens hym with speede to depart out of that place And saied that he full long enough had tried now with feare What t is to be a happie man and princly rule to beare This deede of thyne oh Dionise deserues immortall fame This deede shall alwaies liue with praise though thou didst liue with shame Whereby bothe kyngs be put in minde their dangers to be great And subiects be forbid to clime high stepps of honours seate Finis 48. Fortitude A yong man of Aegipt and Valerian EChe one deserues great praise to haue but yet not like I think Bothe he that can sustain the yoke of paines doeth not shrink And he whom Cupids couert crafte can nothyng moue at all Into the harde and tangled knotts of Venus snares to fall Besturre you then who so delights in vertues race to ronne The fliyng boye with bowe ibent by strength to ouercome As one did once when he was yong and in his tender daies Whose stout and noble deede of his hath got immortall praise The wicked Romaines did pursue the sely Christians than What tyme Valerian Emperour was a wicked cruell man. Who spared not with bloudy draughts to quēche his owne desire Dispatchyng all that stucke to Christ with hotte consumyng fire At length a man of tender yeres was brought before his sight Suche one as Nature semed to make a witnesse of her might For euery parte so well was set that nothyng was depraued So that the cruell kyng hym self would gladly haue hym saued So loth he was to see a woorke so rare of Naturs power So finely built so sodainly destroied within an hower Then meanes he sought to ouercome or winne hym at the lest To slip from Christe whom he before had earnestly profest A bedde preparde so finely deckt suche diuers pleasaunt smels That well it might appeare a place where pleasure onely dwells By hym he laied a naked wenche a Venus darlyng sure With sugred speache louely toyes that might his minde allure Such wanton lewres as these he thought might eassy him entise Which things he knewe with lustie youth had alwaies been in prise Suche waies I thinke the Gods themselues could haue inuented none For flatteryng Venus ouercoms the senses euery chone And he hym self was euen at point to Venus to consent Had not his stout and manly mynde resisted his entent When he perceiued his fleshe to yelde to pleasures wanton toyes And was by sleight almoste prouoked to tast of Venus ioyes More cruell to hym self then those that glad would hym vndoo With bloudie tooth his tēder tong bote quite and cleane in twoo Thus was the paine so passyng greate of this his bloudie bitte That all the fire and carnall lust was quenched euery whitte Doe ill and all thy pleasures then full sone will passe awaie But yet the shame of those thy deedes will neuermore decaie Do well though thy paines be great yet sone eche one wil cease But yet the praise of those thy deedes will euermore increase Finis 49. iustice Zaleuch and his Sonne LEt rulers make most perfect lawes to rule both great smal If thei them selues obeye them not it boteth not at all As lawes be nought but rulers dome cōteining egall might So rulers should be speakyng lawes to rule by line of right Zaleuch the Prince of Locrine once appointed by decree Eche lecherer should be punished with losse of either eye His sonne by chaunce offended first whiche when his father sawe Lorde God how earnest then was he to execute the lawe Then ran the people all by flocks to hym with wepyng eyes Not one emong the rout therewas but pardon pardon cries By whose outcries and earnest sute his sonne in hope did stande That he thereby should then obtaine some pardon at his hande But all in vaine for he is founde to be the man he was And maketh hast so muche the more to haue the lawe to passe The people yet renued their sute in hope of some relief Whose faces all besprent with teares did testifie their grief And cried all for pities sake yelde now to our request If all you will not cleane remit yet ease the paine at lest Then somewhat was the father moued with all the peoples voice And euery man did giue a shoote to shewe thei did reioyce Well then quoth he it shal be thus the lawe shal be fufilde And yet my sonne shall fauour haue accordyng as you wilde One eye of his shal be pulde out thus hath his leudnesse got And likewise so shall one of myne though I deserue it not This worde no soner was pronoūcde but strait the deede was doen Twoo eyes no mo were left betwene the father and the sonne Saie now who can and on my faithe Apollo he shal be Was he more gentle father now or iuster Iudge trowe ye This man would not his lawes belike the webbs the spiders weue Wherein thei lurke when thei entende the simple to deceiue Wherewith small flies full sone be caught tangled ere thei wist When greate ones flie and scape awaie breake them as thei list Finis 50. Temperaunce Spurina and the Romaine Ladies IF nature beare thee so great loue the she in thee haue beautie plast Full harde it is as we doe proue to kepe the body cleane chast Twixt comelinesse and chastitie A deadly strife is thought to be For beautie whiche some men suppose to be as t were a golden ill Prouoketh strief and many foes that seke on her to worke her wil Assaults to tounes if many make No toune so strong but maie be take And this Spurina witnesse can who did for beautie beare the bell So cleane a wight so comly made no dame in Rome but loued wel Not one could cole her hote desire So burnyng was the flame of fire Like as when baite caste in the floud forthwith doeth cause the fishes come That pleasantly before did plaie now presently to death to runne For when thei see the baite to fall Straight waie thei swallowe hooke and all So when Spurina thei did see to hym thei flocked out of hande She happest dame was thought to be that in his fauour moste did stande Not knowyng vnder sweete deceits How Venus hids her poysoned baits But whē he sawe them thus to rage whom loue had linked in his chain This means he sought for to aswage these ladies of their greuous pain His shape intendyng to disgrace With many wounds he skotch his face By whiche his deede it came to passe that he that semed an angel bright Euen now so cleane disfigured was that he became a sothsom wight And rather had be foule and chast Then faire and filthie ioyes to tast What pen cā write or tōg expresse the worthy praises of this deede My think that God can do no lesse then graunt him heauen for his meede Who for to saue hym self vpright Hym self hath first destroyed
braine Could kepe thee from their trecherie Suche Sirens haue we now adaies That tempt vs by a thousande waies Thei syng thei daunce thei sport thei plaie Thei humbly fall vpon their knees Thei sigh thei sobb thei prate thei praie With suche dissemblyng shifts as these Thei calculate thei chaunt thei charme To conquere vs that meane no harme Good ladies all letts ioyne in one And banishe cleane this Siren kinde What nede we yelde to heare their mone Since their deceipt we daiely finde Let not your harts to them apply Defie them all for so will I. And if where Circes now doeth dwell You wisht you witt aduise to learne Loe I am she that best can tell Their Sirens songes and them discerne For why experience yeldeth skill To me that scapt that Sirens ill Finis M. Bew. 55. Findyng no ioye he desireth death THe Cony in his caue the Feret doeth anoye And fleyng thence his life to saue him self he doeth destroye His Berrie rounde about besett with hunters snares So that when he to scape starts out is caught therein vnwares Like choise poore man haue I to bide and rest in loue Or els from thence to start and still as bad a death to proue I see in loue to rest vnkindnesse doeth pursue To rent the harte out of his breast whiche is a louer true And if from loue I starte as one that loue forsaks Then pensiue thoughts my harte doeth perse so my life it taks Thus then to fly or bide harde is the choise to chuse Since death hath caÌ„pde treaÌ„hed eche side saith life now refuse Content I am therefore my life therein to spende And death I take a salue for sore my wearie daies to ende And thus I you request that faithfull loue professe When carcas cased is in chest and bodie laied on hears Your brinishe teares to saue suche as my corse shall moue And therewith write vpon my graue behold the force of loue W. H. Hope well and haue well IN hope the Shipman hoiseth saile in hope of passage good In hope of health the sickly man doeth suffer losse of bloud In hope the prisoner linckt in chaines hopes libertie to finde Thus hope breds helth helth breds ease to euery troubled mynd In hope desire getts victorie in hope greate comfort spryngs In hope the louer liues in ioyes he feares no dreadfull flyngs In hope we â—iue and maie abide suche stormes as are assignde Thus hope breds helth helth breds ease to euery troubled mind In hope we easely suffer harme in hope of future tyme In hope of fruite the pain semes swete that to the tree doeth clime In hope of loue suche glory growes as now by profe I finde That hope breds helth helth breds ease to euery troubled minde W. H. He repenteth his folly WHeÌ„ first mine eyes did vew marke thy beautie faire for to behold And wheÌ„ myne eares gan first to harke the pleasant words that thou me told I would as theÌ„ I had been free froÌ„ eares to heare eyes to se And when my hands did handle oft that might thee kepe in memorie And when my feete had gone so softe to finde and haue thy companie I would eche hande a foote had been and eke eche foote a hand so seen And when in minde I did consent to followe thus my fansies will And when my harte did first relent to tast suche baite my self to spill I would my harte had been as thine or els thy harte as soft as myne TheÌ„ should not I suche cause haue fouÌ„d to wish this moÌ„strus sight to se Ne thou alas that madest the wounde should not deny me remedy Then should one will in bothe remain to grauÌ„t one hart whiche now is twaine W. H. He requesteth some frendly comfort affirmyng his constancie THe mountaines hie whose loftie topps doeth mete the hautie sky The craggie rocke that to the sea free passage doeth deny The aged Oke that doeth resist the force of blustryng blast The pleasaunt herbe that euery where a fragrant smell doeth cast The Lyons forse whose courage stout declares a princlike might The Eagle that for worthinesse is borne of kyngs in fight The Serpent eke whose poisoned waies doeth belche out venim vile The lothsome Tode that shunneth light and liueth in exile These these I saie and thousands more by trackt of tyme decaie And like to tyme doe quite consume and vade from forme to claie But my true harte and seruice vowed shall last tyme out of minde And still remaine as thine by dome as Cupid hath assignde My faithe loe here I vowe to thee my trothe thou knowest right well My goods my frends my life is thine what nede I more to tell I am not myne but thine I vowe thy hests I will obeye And serue thee as a seruaunt ought in pleasyng if I maie And sith I haue no fliyng wings to see thee as I wishe Ne finnes to cut the siluer streames as doeth the glidyng fishe Wherefore leaue now forgetfulnesse and sende againe to me And straine thy azured vaines to write that I maie greetyng see And thus farewell more deare to me then chiefest frende I haue Whose loue in harte I minde to shrine till death his fee doe craue M. Edwards He complaineth his mishapp SHall rigor raigne where youth hath ron shall fansie now forsake Shall fortune lose that fauour wonne shall not your anger flake Shall hatefull harte be had in you that frendly did pretende Shall slipper thoughts and faithe vntrue that harte of yours defende Shall nature shewe your beautie faire that gentle semes to be Shall frowardnesse your fancies ayer be of more force then she Shall now disdaine the dragg of death direct and leade the waie Shall all the imps vpon the yearth reioyce at my decaie Shall this the seruice of my youth haue suche reward at last Shall I receiue rigor for ruth and be from fauour cast Shall I therefore berent my harte with wights that wishe to dye Or shall I bathe my self with teares to feede your fickle eye No no I shall in paine lye still with Turtle doue moste true And vowe my self to witt and will their counsels to ensue Good Ladies all that louers be your helpe hereto purtende Giue place to witt let reason seme your enemie to defende Lest that you thinke as I haue thought your self to striue in vaine And so to be in thraldome brought with me to suffer paine Finis M.H. No foe to a flatterer I Would it were not as I thinke I would it were not so I am not blinde although I winke I feele what winds doe blowe I knowe where craft with smilyng cheare creps into bloudy brest I heare how fained speache speaks faire where hatred is possest I se the Serpent lye and Iurck vnder the grene alowe I see hym watche a tyme to worke his poyson to bestowe In frendly looks suche fraude is founde as faithe for feare is fleade
nayd Well well let these with wisedomes passe be waide And in your chest of cheefest secreates laide What is or may be mine That is and shall be thine Till death the twist vntwine That doth our loues combine But if thy heart repine Thy body should be mine Shew me thereof some sine That I may slacke the line That knitts thy will to mine Finis My Lucke is losse 40 Donec eris Felix multos numerabis amicos Nullus ad amissus ibit amicus opes EVen as the Rauen the Crowe and greedie Rite Doe swarming flocke where carren corpes doth fall And tiring teare with beake and talentes might Both skin and fleshe to gorge their guttes withall And neuer cease but gather moe to moe Doe all to pull the carkase too and froe Till bared bones at last they leaue behinde And seeke elsewhere some fatter foode to finde Euen so I see where wealth doth waxe at will And Golde doth growe to heapes of great encrease There frendes resort and profering frendship still Full thicke they throng with neuer ceasing prease And stilie make a shew of true intent When nought but guile and inwarde hate is ment For when mischaunce shall chaunge such wealth to want They packe them thence to place of ritcher haunt Finis My Lucke is losse 41. What ioye to a contented mynde THe faithe that failes must nedes be thought vntrue The frende that faines who holdeth not vniust Who likes that loue that chaungeth still for newe Who hopes for truthe where trothe is voide of trust No faithe no frende no loue no trothe so sure But rather failes then stedfastly endure What head so staied that altereth not intent What thought so sure that stedfast doeth remaine What witte so wise that neuer nedes repent What tonge so true but sometyme wonts to faine What foote so firme that neuer treads awrie What soner dimde then fight of clerest eye What harte so fixt but some enclines to change What moode so milde that neuer moued debate What faithe so strong but lightly likes to range What loue so true that neuer learnde to hate What life so pure that lasts without offence What worldly mynde but moues with ill pretence What knot so fast that maie not be vntide What seale so sure but fraude or forse shall breke What prop of staye but one tyme shrinks aside What ship so stauche that neuer had a leke What graunt so large that no exception maks What hoped helpe but frende at nede forsaks What seate so high but lowe to grounde maie fall What hap so good that neuer founde mislike What state so sure but subiect is to thrall What force preuailes where Fortune liste to strike What wealth so muche but tyme maie turne to want What store so greate but wastyng maketh skant What profites hope in depth of dangers thrall What ruste in tyme but waxeth worse and worse What helpes good harte if Fortune froune withall What blessyng thriues gainst heauenly helples curse What winnes desire to get and can not gaine What botes to wishe and neuer to obtaine Finis My lucke is losse 42. Amantium irae amoris redintigratia est IN goyng to my naked bedde as one that would haue slept I heard a wife syng to her child that long before had wept She sighed sore and sang full sore to bryng the babe to rest That would not rest but cried still in suckyng at her brest She was full wearie of her watche and greued with her child She rocked it and rated it vntill on her it smilde Then did she saie now haue I founde the prouerbe true to proue The fallyng out of faithfull frends is the renuyng of loue Then tooke I paper penne and ynke this prouerbe for to write In regester for to remaine of suche a worthie wight As she proceded thus in song vnto her little bratte Muche matter vttered she of waight in place whereas she satte And proued plaine there was no beast nor creature bearyng life Could well be knowne to liue in loue without discorde and strife Then kissed she her little babe and sware by God aboue The fallyng out of faithfull frends is the renuyng of loue She saied that neither kyng ne prince ne lorde could liue aright Vntill their puissance thei did proue their manhode their might When manhode shal be matched so that feare can take no place Then wearie works makes warriours eche other to embrace And leaue their forse that failed thē whiche did consume the rout That might before haue liued their tyme and nature out Then did she syng as one that thought no man could her reproue The fallyng out of faithfull frendes is the renuyng of loue She saied she sawe no fishe ne foule nor beast within her haunt That mete a straunger in their kinde but could geue it a taunt Since fleshe might not indure but reste must wrathe succede And forse the fight to fall to plaie in pasture where thei feede So noble nature can well ende the works she hath begone And bridle well that will not cease her tragedy in some Thus in her songe she oft reherst as did her well behoue The fallyng out of faithfull frends is the renuyng of loue I meruaile muche pardy quoth she for to beholde the route To see man woman boy beast to tosse the worlde about Some knele some crouch some beck some check some cā smothly smile And some embrace others in armes and there thinke many a wile Some stande aloufe at cap and knee some humble and some stout Yet are thei neuer frends indeede vntill thei once fall out Thus ended she her song and saied before she did remoue The fallyng out of faithfull frends is the renuyng of loue M. Edwardes 43. Thinke to dye THe life is long whiche lothsomely doeth laste The dolfull daies drawe slowly to their date The present panges and painfull plags forepast Yelds greffe aye grene to stablishe this estate So that I feele in this greate storme and strife That death is sweete that shorteneth suche a life And by the stroke of this straunge ouerthrowe All whiche conflict in thraldome I was thrust The Lorde be praised I am well taught to knowe From whens man came and eke whereto he must And by the waie vpon how feble force His terme doeth stande till death doeth ende his course The pleasant yeres that semes so swetely ronne The mery daies to ende so fast that flete The ioyfull wights of whiche daies dawes so sone The happie howrs whiche mo doe misse then mete Doe all consume as snowe against the Sonne And death maks ende of all that life begonne Since death shall dure till all the worlde be wast What meaneth man to dread death then so sore As man might make that life should alwaie last Without regard the Lorde hath ledde before The daunce of death whiche all must runne on rowe The hower wherein onely hymself doeth knowe If man would mynde what burdeins life doeth bryng