put me from my wonted place And déepe deceipte hath wrought a wyle to wrest me out of grace Wyll home againe to cart as fitter were for mée Then thus in court to serue and starue where such proude porters bée Si fortunatus infoelix ¶ This question being propounded by a Dame vnto the Aucthour to witte why he should write Spreta tamen viuunt he aunswereth thus DEspysed things may liue although they pine in payne And things ofte trodden vnder foote may once yet rise againe The stone that lieth full lowe may clime at last full hye And stand a loft on stately towr's in sight of euery eye The cruell Axe which felles the trée that grew full straight Is worne with rust when it renewes and springeth vp on height The rootes of rotten Réedes in swelling seas are seene And when eche tide hath tost his worst they grow againe ful gréene Thus much to please my selfe vnpleasauntly I sing And shrich to ease my morning minde in spite of enuies sting I am nowe set full light who earst was dearely lou'd Som new foūd choise is more estemd than that which wel was prou'd Some Diomede is crept into Dame Cressides hart And trustie Troylus nowe is taught in vaine to playne his part What resteth then for me but thus to wade in wo And hang in hope of better chaunce when chaunge appointeth so I sée no sight on earth but it to Chaunge enclines As litle clowdes oft ouercast the brightest Sunne that shines No Flower is so freshe but frost can it deface No man so sure in any seate but he maye léese his place So that I stand content though much against my mind To take in worth this lothsome lot which luck to me assynd And trust to sée the time when they that nowe are vp May féele the whirle of fortunes whéele and tast of sorrowes cup. God knoweth I wishe it not it had bene bet for mée Styll to haue kept my quiet chayre in hap of high degrée But since without recure Dame Chaunge in loue must raigne I now wish chaunge that sought no chaūge but constāt did remaine And if suche chaunge do chaunce I vowe to clap my hands And laugh at them which laught at me lo thus my fansie standes Spreta tamen viuunt ¶ In trust is Treason written by a Louer leaning onelye to his Ladies promises and finding them to fayle THe straightest Trée that growes vpon one onely roote If that roote fayle wyll quickly fade no props can do it boote I am that fading plant which on thy grace dyd growe Thy grace is gone wherefore I mone and wither all in woe The tallest ship that sailes if shée too Ancors trust When Ancors slip Cables breake her helpe lyes in the dust I am the ship my selfe mine Ancor was thy faith Which now is fled thy promise broke I am driuen to death Who climeth oft on hie and trusts the rotten bowe If that bow breake may catch a fall such state stand I in now Me thought I was a loft and yet my seate full sure Thy heart dyd séeme to me a rock which euer might endure And sée it was but sand whome seas of subtiltie Haue soked so with wanton waues that faith was forst to flye The flooddes of ficklenesse haue vndermined so The first foundation of my ioy that myrth is ebb'd to wo. Yet at lowe water markes I lye and wayte my time To mend the breach but all in vaine it cannot passe the prime For when the prime flood comes which all this rage begoon Then waues of wyll do worke so fast my piles are ouer roon Dutie and dilligence which are my workmen there Are glad to take vp fooles in haste and run away for feare For fansie hath such force it ouerfloweth all And whispring tales do blow the blasts that make it ryse fall Thus in these tempests tost my restles life doth stand Because I builded on thy wodres as I was borne in hand Thou weart that only stake wereby I ment to stay Alas alas thou stoodst so weake the hedge is borne away By thee I thought to liue by thee now must Idye I made thee my Phisicion thou art my mallady For thee I longde to liue for thée nowe welcome death And welcome be that happie pang that stops my gasping breath Twise happie were that axe would cut my rotes downe right And sacred were that swelling sea which would consume me quight Blest were that bowe would breake to bring downe climing youth Which craks aloft and quakes full oft for feare of thine vntruth Ferenda Natura The constancie of a louer hath thus sometimes bene briefly declared THat selfe same tonge which first did thée entreat To linke thy liking with my lucky loue That trustie tonge must nowe these wordes repeate I loue thee still my fancie cannot moue That dreadlesse hart which durst attempt the thought To win thy will with mine for to consent Maintaines that vow which loue in me first wrought I loue thee still and neuer shall repent That happie hande which hardely did touch Thy tender body to my déepe delight Shall serue with sword to proue my passion such As loues thee still much more than it can write Thus loue I still with tongue hand hart and all And when I chaunge let vengeance on me fall Ferenda Natura ¶ The fruite of foes written to a Gentlewoman who blamed him for writing his friendly aduise in verse vnto another louer of hyrs THe cruell hate which boyles within thy burning brest And séekes to shape a sharpe reuenge on them that loue thée best May warne all faithfull friendes in case of ieopardie Howe they shall put their harmelesse hands betwéene the barck trée And I among the rest which wrote this weary song Must nedes alledge in my defence that thou hast done me wrong For if in simple verse I chaunc'd to touch thy name And toucht the same without reproch was I therefore to blame And if of great good will I gaue my best aduise Then thus to blame without cause why me thinkes thou art not wise Amongst olde written tales this one I beare in mind A simple soule much like my selfe dyd once a serpent find Which almost dead for colde lay moyling in the myre When he for pittie tooke it vp and brought it to the fyre No sooner was the Snake recured of hir griefe But straight shée sought to hurt the man that lent hir such reliefe Such Serpent séemest thou such simple soule am I That for the weight of my good wil am blam'd without cause why But as it best beseemes the harmelesse gentle hart Rather to take an open wrong than for to plaine his part I must and will endure thy spite without repent The blame is mine the triumph thine and I am well content Meritum petere graue A Louer often warned and once againe drouen into fantasticall flames by the chase of company doth thus bewayle his misfortunes I That
the woorthie prayse Whose ofspring holdes the honor of his sire He coulde declare what VVallop was alwayes What Awdelie séemde what Randell did require He coulde say what desertes in Drewrie be In Reade in Bryckwell and a meany moe But bashfulnesse did make him blush least he Should but eclypse their fames by singing so Suffiseth this that still he honors those Which wade in warres to get a woorthie name And least estéemes the gréedie snudge which goes To gayne good golde without respecte of fame And for the thirde sorte those that in dystresse Do driue their dayes till drummes do draw them out He coumpts him selfe to bée nor more nor lesse But euen the same for sure withouten doubt If drummes once sounde a lustie martch in déede Then farewell bookes for he will trudge with spéede FINIS Tam Marti quà m Mercurio Corected perfected and finished WHo soeuer is desirous to reade this proposicion more at large and cunningly handled let him but peruse the Prouerbe or adage it self in the first Centurian of the fourth Chyllyade of that famouse Clarke Erasmus Roterodamus the vvhiche is there also Entituled Dulce bellum inexpertis ⧠HEARBES Tam Marti quà m Mercurio ¶ In this diuision are conteyned The Comedie called Supposes Folio 1. The Tragedie called Iocasta Fol. 73 The fruite of Reconciliation 129 The force of true Frendship 131 The force of Loue in Strangers 132 The praise of browne beautie 134 The Partrich and the Merlyn 135 The vertue of Ver. 136 The complainte of a Dame in absence 138 The praise of a Coūtesse 139 The affectiō of a louer 140 The complainte of a Dame suspected 141 A Riddle 143 The shield of Loue. 144 The gloze vpon Dominus ijs opus habet 145 Gascoignes counsel to Diue. Fol. 148 Gascoignes counsel to Wythipole 151 Gascoygnes woodmanship Fol. 156 Gascoigns gardenings 160 Gascoigns iourney into Hollande 163 SVPPOSES A Comedie vvritten in the Italian tongue by Ariosto Englished by George Gascoygne of Grayes Inne Esquire and there presented 1566. The names of the Actors BAlia the Nurse Polynesta the yong woman Cleander the Doctor suter to Polynesta Pasyphilo the Parasite Carion the Doctors man. Dulypo fayned seruant and louer of Polynesta Erostrato fayned master and suter to Polynesta Dalio Crapyno seruantes to fayned Erostrato Scenaese a gentleman stranger Paquetto Petrucio his seruantes Damon father to Polinesta Neuola and two other his seruants Psyteria an olda hag in his house Phylogano a Scycilian gentleman father to Erostrato Lytio his seruant Ferrarese an Inkéeper of Ferrara The Comedie presented as it were in Ferrara The Prologue or argument I Suppose you are assembled here supposing to reape the fruite of my trauayles and to be playne I meane presently to presente you vvith a Comedie called Supposes the verye name vvherof may peraduenture driue into euery of your heades a sundry Suppose to suppose the meaning of our supposes Some percase vvill suppose vve meane to occupie your eares vvith sophisticall handling of subtill Suppositions Some other vvil suppose vve go about to discipher vnto you some queint conceiptes vvhich hitherto haue bene onely supposed as it vvere in shadovves and some I see smyling as though they supposed vve vvould trouble you vvith the vaine suppose of some vvanton Suppose But vnderstand this our Suppose is nothing else but a mystaking or imagination of one thing for an other For you shall see the master supposed for the seruant the seruant for the master the freeman for a slaue and the bondslaue for a freeman the stranger for a vvell knovven friend and the familiar for a stranger But vvhat I suppose that euen already you suppose me very fonde that haue so simply disclosed vnto you the subtilties of these our Supposes vvhere othervvise in deede I suppose you shoulde haue hearde almoste the laste of our Supposes before you coulde haue supposed anye of them arighte Let this then suffise Supposes Actus primus Scena 1. BALIA the Nurse POLYNESTA the yong vvoman HEre is no body come foorth Polynesta let vs looke about to be sure least any man heare our talke for I thinke within the house the tables the plankes the beds the portals yea and the cupbords them selues haue eares Pol. You might as well haue sayde the windowes and the doores do you not sée howe they harken Ba. Well you iest faire but I would aduise you take héede I haue bidden you a thousande times beware you will be spied one day talking with Dulippo Po. And why should I not talke with Dulippo as well as with any other I pray you Ba. I haue giuen you a wherfore for this why many times but go too followe your owne aduise till you ouerwhelme vs all with soden mishappe Po. A great mishappe I promise you marie Gods blessing on their heart that sette suche a brouche on my cappe Ba. Well looke well about you a man would thinke it were inough for you secretly to reioyce that by my helpe you haue passed so many pleasant nightes togither and yet by my trouth I do it more than halfe agaynst my will for I would rather you had setled your fansie in some noble familie yea and it is no small griefe vnto me that reiecting the suites of so many nobles and gentlemen you haue chosen for your darling a poore seruaunt of your fathers by whome shame and infamie is the best dower you can looke for to attayne Po. And I pray you whome may I thanke but gentle nourse that continually praysing him what for his personage his curtesie and aboue all the extreme passions of his minde in fine you would neuer cease till I accepted him delighted in him and at length desired him with no lesse affection than he earst desired me Ba. I can not denie but at the beginning I did recommende him vnto you as in déede I may say that for my selfe I haue a pitiful heart séeing the depth of his vnbridled affection and that continually he neuer ceassed to fill mine eares with lamentable complaynts Po. Nay rather that he filled your pursse with bribes and rewards Nourse Ba. Well you may iudge of Nourse as you liste In déede I haue thought it alwayes a déede of charitie to helpe the miserable yong men whose tender youth consumeth with the furious flames of loue But be you sure if I had thought you would haue passed to the termes you nowe stand in pitie nor pencion peny nor pater noster shoulde euer haue made Nurse once to open hir mouth in the cause Po. No of honestie I pray you who first brought him into my chamber who first taught him the way to my bed but you fie Nourse fie neuer speake of it for shame you will make me tell a wise tale anone Ba. And haue I these thanks for my good wil why then I sée wel I shall be counted the cause of all mishappe Po. Nay rather the author of my good happe gentle Nourse for I would thou knewest
call out of this darkesome denne The lustleste lodge of my lamenting yeres O daughter deare thy fathers blinded eyes Into the light I was not worthy of Or what suche sight O cruell destenie Without tormenting cares might I beholde That image am of deathe and not of man Anti. O father mine I bring vnluckie newes Vnto your eares your sonnes are nowe both slayne Ne doth your wife that wonted was to guyde So piteously your staylesse stumbling steppes Now sée this light alas and welaway Oed. O heape of infinite calamities And canst thou yet encrease when I thought least That any griefe more great could grow in thée But tell me yet what kinde of cruell death Had these thrée sory soules Anti. Without offence to speake deare father mine The lucklesse lotte the frowarde frowning fate That gaue you life to ende your fathers life Haue ledde your sonnes to reaue eche others life Oed. Of them I thought no lesse but tell me yet What causelesse death hath caught from me my deare What shall I call hir mother or my wife Anti. When as my mother sawe hir deare sonnes dead As pensiue pangs had prest hir tender heart With bloudlesse chéekes and gastly lookes she fell Drawing the dagger from Eteocles side She gorde hirselfe with wide recurelesse wounde And thus without mo words gaue vp the ghost Embracing both hir sonnes with both hir armes In these affrightes this frosen heart of mine By feare of death maynteines my dying life Cho. This drearie day is cause of many euils Poore Oedipus vnto thy progenie The Gods yet graunt it may become the cause Of better happe to this afflicted realme Scena 5. CREON. OEDIPVS ANTIGONE GOod Ladies leaue your bootelesse vayne complaynt Leaue to lament cut off your wofull cryes High time it is as now for to prouide The funerals for the renowmed king And thou Oedipus hearken to my wordes And know thus muche that for thy daughters dower Antigone with Hemone shall be wedde Thy sonne our king not long before his death Assigned hath the kingdome should descende To me that am his mothers brother borne And so the same might to my sonne succéede Now I that am the lorde and king of Thebes Will not permit that thou abide therein Ne maruell yet of this my heady will Ne blame thou me for why the heauens aboue Which onely rule the rolling life of man Haue so ordeynde and that my words be true Tyresias he that knoweth things to come By trustie tokens hath foretolde the towne That while thou didst within the walles remayne It should be plagned still with penurie Wherfore departe and thinke not that I speake These wofull wordes for hate I beare to thée But for the weale of this afflicted realme Oedipus O foule accursed fate that hast me bredde To beare the burthen of the miserie Of this colde death which we accompt for life Before my birth my father vnderstoode I should him slea and scarcely was I borne When he me made a pray for sauage beastes But what I slew him yet then caught the crowne And last of all defilde my mothers bedde By whom I haue this wicked ofspring got And to this heinous crime and filthy facte The heauens haue from highe enforced me Agaynst whose doome no counsell can preuayle Thus hate I now my life and last of all Lo by the newes of this so cruell death Of bothe my sonnes and deare beloued wife Mine angrie constellation me commaundes Withouten eyes to wander in mine age When these my wéery weake and crooked limme Haue greatest néede to craue their quiet rest O cruell Creon wilt thou slea me so For cruelly thou doste but murther me Out of my kingdome now to chase me thus Yet can I not with humble minde beséeche Thy curtesie ne fall before thy féete Let fortune take from me these worldly giftes She can not conquere this courageous heart That neuer yet could well be ouercome To force me yéelde for feare to villanie Do what thou canst I will be Oedipus Cre. So hast thou reason Oedipus to say And for my parte I would thée counsell eke Still to maynteine the high and hawtie minde That hath bene euer in thy noble heart For this be sure if thou wouldst kisse these knées And practise eke by prayer to preuayle No pitie coulde persuade me to consent That thou remayne one onely houre in Thebes And nowe prepare you worthie Citizens The funeralls that duely doe pertayne Vnto the Quéene and to Eteocles And eke for them prouide their stately tombes But Pollynice as common enimie Vnto his countrey carrie foorth his corps Out of the walles ne none so hardie be On peine of death his bodie to engraue But in the fieldes let him vnburied lye Without his honour and without complaynte An open praie for sauage beastes to spoyle And thou Antigone drie vp thy teares Plucke vp thy sprites and chéere thy harmelesse hearte To mariage for ere these two dayes passe Thou shalt espouse Hemone myne onely heire Antig. Father I sée vs wrapt in endlesse woe And nowe muche more doe I your state lamente Than these that nowe be dead not that I thinke Theyr greate missehappes too little to bewayle But this that you you onely doe surpasse All wretched wightes that in this worlde remayne But you my Lorde why banishe you with wrong My father thus out of his owne perforce And why will you denye these guiltlesse bones Of Polinice theyr graue in countrey soyle Creon So would not I so woulde Eteocles Anti. He cruel was you fonde to hold his hestes Creon Is then a fault to doe a kings cōmaund Anti. When his cōmaunde is cruell and vniust Creon Is it vniust that he vnburied be Anti. He not deseru'd so cruel punishment Creon He was his countreys cruell enimie Anti. Or else was he that helde him from his right Cre. Bare he not armes against his natiue land Anti. Offendeth he that sekes to winne his owne Cre. In spite of thée he shall vnburied be Anti. In spite of thée these hands shall burie him Cre. And with him eke then will I burie thée Anti. So graunt the gods I get none other graue Then with my Polinices deare to rest Cre. Go sirs lay holde on hir and take hir in Anti. I will not leaue this corps vnburied Cre. Canst thou vndoe the thing that is decréed Anti. A wicked foule decrée to wrong the dead Cre. The ground ne shall ne ought to couer him Anti. Creon yet I beseche thée for the loue Cre. Away I say thy prayers not preuaile Anti. That thou didst beare Iocasta in hir life Cre. Thou dost but waste thy words amid the wind Anti. Yet graunt me leaue to washe his wounded corps Cre. It can not be that I should graunt thée so Anti. O my deare Polinice this tirant yet With all his worongfull force can not fordoe But I will kisse these colde pale lippes of thine And washe thy wounds with my waymenting teares Cre.
charge And so saye I by proofe too dearely bought My haste mad wast my braue and brainsicke barge Did float to fast to catch a thing of nought With leasure measure meane and many mo I mought haue kept a chayre of quiet state But hastie heads can not bée setled so Till croked Fortune giue a crabbed mate As busie braynes muste beate on tickle toyes As rashe inuention bréedes a rawe deuise So sodayne falles doe hinder hastie ioyes And as swifte baytes doe fléetest fyshe entice So haste makes waste and therefore nowe I saye No haste but good where wisdome makes the waye 7. No haste but good where wisdome makes the waye For profe whereof behold the simple snayle Who sées the souldiers carcasse caste a waye With hotte assaulte the Castle to assayle By line and leysure clymes the loftye wall And winnes the turrettes toppe more conningly Than doughtyé Dick who loste his life and all With hoysting vp his head to hastilye The swiftest bitche brings foorth the blyndest whelpes The hottest Feuers coldest crampes ensue The nakedst néede hathe ouer latest helpes With Neuyle then I finde this prouerbe true That haste makes waste and therefore still I saye No haste but good where wisdome makes the waye Sic tuli Richarde Courtop the last of the fiue gaue him this theame Durum aeneum miserabile aeuum and therevpon hee wrote in this wise WHen péerelesse Princes courtes were frée from flatterie The Iustice from vnequal doome the quest from periurie The pillers of the state from proude presumption The clearkes from heresie the commones from rebellion Then right rewardes were giuen by swaye of dewe desarte Then vertues derlinges might be plaste aloft to play their part Then might they coumpt it true that hath béene sayde of olde The children of those happie dayes were borne in beds of golde And swadled in the same the Nurse that gaue them sucke Was wife to liberallitie and lemman to good lucke When Caesar woon the fielde his captaines caught the Townes And euery painful souldiours purse was crammed ful of crownes Licurgus for good Lawes lost his owne libertie And thought it better to preferre common commoditie But nowe the times are turnde it is not as it was The golde is gone the siluer sunke and nothing left but brasse To sée a King encroache what wonder should it séeme When commons cannot be content with countrie Dyadeeme The Prince maye dye a babe trust vp by trecherie Where vaine ambition doth moue trustlesse nobillitye Errours in pulpit preache where faith in priesthood failes Promotion not deuotion is cause why cleargie quailes Thus is the stage stakt out where all these partes be plaide And I the prologue should pronounce but that I am afraide First Cayphas playes the Priest and Herode sits as king Pylate the Iudge Iudas the Iurour verdict in doth bring Vaine tatling plaies the vice well cladde in ritche aray And poore Tom Trooth is laught to skorn with garments nothing gay The woman wantonnesse shée commes with ticing traine Pride in hir pocket plaies bo péepe and bawdry in hir braine Hir handmaides be deceipte daunger and dalliaunce Riot and Reuell follow hir they be of hir alliaunce Next these commes in Sim Swashe to see what sturre they kéepe Clim of the Clough then takes his héeles t is time for him to créepe To packe the pageaunt vp commes Sorrow with a song He say these iestes can get no grotes al this geare goth wrong Fyrst pride without cause why he singes the treble parte The meane hee mumbles out of tune for lacke of life and hart Cost lost the counter Tenor chanteth on apace Thus all in discords stands the cliffe and beggrie singes the base The players loose their paines where so fewe pence are sturring Their garmēts weare for lacke of gains fret for lack of furring When all is done and past was no part plaide but one For euerye player plaide the foole tyll all be spent and gone And thus this foolishe iest I put in dogrell rime Because a crosier staffe is best for such a crooked time Sic tuli ¶ And thus an ende of these fiue Theames admounting to the number of CCLVIII. verses deuised ryding by the way writing none of them vntill he came at the ende of his Iourney the which was no longer than one day in ryding one daye in tarying with his friend and the thirde in returning to Greyes Inne and therefore called Gascoignes memories ¶ A gloze vpon this text Dominus ijs opus habet MY recklesse race is runne gréene youth and pride be past My riper mellowed yéeres beginne to follow on as fast My glancing lookes are gone which wonted were to prie In euerie gorgious garishe glasse that glistred in mine eie My sight is now so dimme it can behold none such No mirrour but the merrie meane can please my fansie much And in that noble glasse I take delight to vewe The fashions of the wonted world compared by the newe For marke who lyst to looke eche man is for him selfe And beates his braine to hord heape this trashe worldly pelfe Our handes are closed vp great giftes go not abroade Fewe men wyll lende a locke of heye but for to gaine a loade Giue Gaue is a good man what néede we lashe it out The world is wondrous feareful now for danger bids men doubt And aske how chaunceth this or what meanes all this meede Forsoothe the common aunswere is because the Lord hath neede A noble iest by gisse I finde it in my glasse The same fréeholde our sauiour Christ conueyed to his asse A texte to trie the trueth and for this time full fitte Fo where should we our lessons learne but out of holy writte First marke our onely God which ruleth all the rost He sets a side all pompe and pride wherin fond wordlings boast His trayne is not so great as filthy Sathans band A smaller heard maye serue to féede at our great masters hand Next marke the heathens Gods and by them shall we sée They be not now so good fellowes as they were wonte to be Ioue Mars and Mercurie Dame Venus and the rest They bāquet not as they were wont they know it were not best So kinges and princes both haue left their halles at large Their priuie chambers cost enough they cut off euery charge And when an office falles as chaunce somtimes maye bée First kepe it close a yere or twayne then geld it by the fee. And giue it out at last but yet with this prouiso A bridle for a brainsicke Iade durante bene placito Some thinke these ladders low to climbe alofte with spéede Well let them créepe at leisure thē for sure the Lord hath neede Dukes Earles and Barons bold haue learnt like lesson nowe They breake vp house come to courte they liue not by that plowe Percase their roomes be skant not like their stately boure A field bed in a corner coucht a pallad on the floure
The thing God knowes was of no great emport Some fréendly lines the vertuous Lady wrote To me hir fréend and for my safe passeporte The Camepomaster Valdes his hand was gotte And seale therewith that I might safely trotte Vnto the Haghe a stately pleasaunt place Whereas remaynd this worthy womans grace 127 And here I set in open verse to showe The whole effect wherfore this work was wrought She had of mine whereof few folkes did knowe A counterfayte a thing to me deare bought Which thing to haue I many time had sought And when shee knew how much I did estéeme it Shée vowde that none but I should thence redéeme it 128 Lo here the cause of all this secrete sleight I sweare by Ioue that nothing els was ment The noble Prince who sawe that no deceipt Was practised gaue trust to mine entent And leaue to write from whence the same was sent But still the Bowgers Burghers should I saye Encreast their doubtes and watcht me day by day 129 At euery porte it was forsoth be last That I die groene Hopman might not go out But when their foes came skirmishing full fast Then with the rest the Gréene knight for them fought Then might he go without mistrust or doubt O drunken plompes I playne without cause why For all cardes tolde there was no foole but I. 130 I was the foole to fight in your defence Which know no fréende nor yet your selues full well Yet thus you sée how paye proclaymde for pence Pulles néedie soules in steade of heauen to hell And makes men hope to beare away the bell Whereas they hang in ropes that neuer rotte Yet warre seemes sweete to such as know it not 131 Well thus I dwelt in Delfe a winters tyde In Delfe I say without one pennie pay My men and I did colde and hunger bide To shew our truth and yet was neuer day Wherein the Spanyard came to make vs play But that the Gréene knight was amongst the rest Like Iohn Greyes birde that ventred with the best 132 At last the Prince to Zeland came himselfe To hunger Middleburgh or make it yéeld And I that neuer yet was set on shelf When any sayld or winde or waues could wéeld Went after him to shew my selfe in field The selfe same man which earst I vowed to be A trustie man to such a Prince as he 133 The force of Flaunders Brabant Geldres Fryze Henault Artoys Lyegeland and Luxembrough Were all ybent to bryng in new supplies To Myddleburgb and little all enough For why the Gaeulx would neyther bend nor bough But one of force must breake and come to nought All Walkers theirs or Flushyng dearly bought 134 There once agayne I serued vpon seas And for to tell the cause and how it fell It did one day the Prince my chieftayne please To aske me thus Gascoigne quoth he you dwell Amongst vs still and thereby séemeth well That to our side you beare a faithfull harte For else long since we should haue séene you starte 135 But are sayde he your Souldiours by your side O Prince quoth I full many dayes be past Since that my charge did with my Cronâ—ll glyde Yet byde I here and meane to be with last And for full proofe that this is not a blast Of glorious talke I craue some fisher boate To shew my force among this furious floate 136 The Prince gan like my fayth and forward will Equyppt a Hoye and set hir vnder sayle Wherein I serued according to my skill My minde was such my cunning could not quayle Withouten bragge of those that did assayle The foemens fleete which came in good aray I put my selfe in formost ranke alway 137 Thrée dayes wée fought as long as water serued And came to ancor neyghbourlike yféere The Prince himselfe to sée who best deserued Stoode euery day attending on the péere And might behold what barke went formost there Ill harte had he that would not stoutely fight When as his Prince is present still in sight 138 At last our foes had tidings ouer lande That neare to Bergh their fellowes went to wracke On Scheld they mette by Rymerswaell a bande Of Edell bloets who put their force abacke Lewes de Boyzett did put them there to sacke And lost an eye bicause he would resemble Dan Iuliane whome there he made to tremble 139 When this was knowen Sancio de Auila Who had the charge of those that fought with vs Went vp the Hont and tooke the ready way To Anwerpe towne leauing in daunger thus Poore Myddelburgh which now waxt dolorous To sée all hope of succour shrinke away Whiles they lackt bread and had done many a day 140 And when Mountdragon might no more endure He came to talke and rendred all at last With whome I was within the Cittie sure Before he went and on his promisse past Such trust I had to thinke his fayth was fast I dinde and supt and laye within the towne A daye before he was from thence ybowne 141 Thus Middleburgh Armew and all the rest Of Walkers Ile became the Princes pray Who gaue to me bycause I was so prest At such a pinche and on a dismall day Thrée hundreth gilderns good aboue my pay And bad me bide till his abilitie Might better gwerdon my fidelitie 142 I will not lie these Gilderns pleasd me well And much the more bycause they came vncraued Though not vnnéeded as my fortune fell But yet thereby my credite still was saued My skores were payde and with the best I braued Till lo at last an English newe relief Came ouer seas and Chester was their chief 143 Of these the Prince perswaded me to take A band in charge with Coronels consent At whose requests I there did vndertake To make mine ensigne once againe full bent And sooth to say it was my full entent To loose the sadle or the horse to winne Such haplesse hope the Prince had brought me in 144 Souldiours behold and Captaynes marke it well How hope is harbenger of all mishappe Some hope in honour for to beare the bell Some hope for gaine and venture many a clappe Some hope for trust and light in treasons lappe Hope leades the way our lodging to prepare Where high mishap ofte kéepes an Inne of care 145 I hoapt to shew such force agaynst our foes That those of Delf might sée how true I was I hopt in déede for to be one of those Whome fame should follow where my féete should passe I hoapt for gaynes and founde great losse alas I hoapt to winne a worthy Souldiours name And light on lucke which brought me still to blame 146 In Valkenburgh a fort but new begonne With others moe I was ordeynde to be And farre beforne the worke were half way done Our foes set forth our sorie seate to sée They came in time but cursed time for mée They came before the courtine
fynde thy noble matche so méete And woorthie bothe for thy degrée and byrthe I séeke to comforte thée by myne aduise That thou returne this citie to inhabite Whiche best of all may séeme to be the bowre Bothe for thy selfe and for thy noble spouse Forget thou then thy brothers iniuries And knowe deare chylde the harme of all missehap That happes twixt you must happe likewise to mée Ne can the cruell sworde so slightly touche Your tender fleshe but that the selfe same wounde Shall déepely bruse this aged brest of myne Cho. There is no loue may be comparde to that The tender mother beares vnto hir chyld For euen somuche the more it dothe encrease As their griefe growes or contentations cease Poli. I knowe not mother if I prayse deserue That you to please whome I ought not displease Haue traynde my selfe among my trustlesse foes But Nature drawes whether he will or nill Eche man to loue his natiue countrey soyle And who shoulde say that otherwise it were His toung should neuer with his hearte agrée This hath me drawne besyde my bounden due To set full light this lucklesse lyfe of myne For of my brother what may I else hope But traynes of treason force and falshoode bothe Yet neyther perill present nor to come Can holde me from my due obedience I graunte I can not grieflesse wel beholde My fathers pallace the holie aultars Ne louely lodge wherin I fostred was From whence driuen out and chaste vnworthily I haue to long aboade in forreyn coastes And as the growing gréene and pleasant plante Dothe beare freshe braunches one aboue another Euen so amidde the huge heape of my woes Doth growe one grudge more gréeuous than the rest To sée my deare and dolefull mother cladde In mourning tyre to tyre hir mourning minde Wretched alonely for my wretchednesse So lykes that enimie my brother best Soone shall you sée that in this wandring worlde No enmitie is equall vnto that That dark disdayne the cause of euery euill Dooth bréede full ofte in consanguinitie But Ioue he knowes what dole I doe endure For you and for my fathers wretched woe And eke how déepely I desire to knowe What wearie lyfe my louing sisters leade And what anoye myne absence them hath giuen Iocast Alas alas howe wrekefull wrath of Gods Doth still afflicte Oedipus progenie The fyrste cause was thy fathers wicked bedde And then oh why doe I my plagues recompte My burden borne and your vnhappie birth But néedes we must with pacient heartes abyde What so from high the heauens doe prouide With thée my chylde fayne would I question yet Of certaine things me woulde I that my wordes Might thée anoye ne yet renewe thy griefe Poli. Saye on deare mother say what so you please What pleaseth you shall neuer mée disease Iocast And séemes it not a heauie happe my sonne To be depriued of thy countrey coastes Poly. So heauie happe as toung can not expresse Iocast And what may moste molest the mynde of man This is exiled from his natiue soyle Poli. The libertie hée with his countrey loste And that he lacketh fréedome for to speake What séemeth best without controll or checke Iocast Why so eche seruant lacketh libertie To speake his minde without his maisters leaue Poli. In exile euery man or bonde or free Of noble race or meaner parentage Is not in this vnlike vnto the slaue That muste of force obey to eche mans will And prayse the péeuishnesse of eche mans pryde Iocast And séemed this so grieuous vnto thée Poli. What griefe can greater be than so constraynde Slauelike to serue gaynst right and reason bothe Yea muche the more to him that noble is By stately lyne or yet by vertuous lyfe And hath a heart lyke to his noble mynde Iocast What helpeth moste in suche aduersitie Poli. Hope helpeth moste to comfort miserie Ioca. Hope to returne from whence he fyrst was driuen Poli. Yea hope that happeneth oftentymes to late And many die before such hap may fall Iocast And howe didst thou before thy mariage sonne Mainteyne thy lyfe a straunger so bestad Poli. Sometyme I founde though seldome so it were Some gentle heart that coulde for curtesye Contente himselfe to succour myne estate Iocast Thy fathers friends and thyne did they not helpe For to reléeue that naked néede of thyne Poli. Mother he hath a foolishe fantasie That thinkes to fynd a frende in miserie Iocast Thou mightest haue helpe by thy nobilitie Poli. Couered alas in cloake of pouertie Iocast Wel ought we then that are but mortall héere Aboue all treasure counte our countrey deare Yea let me knowe my sonne what cause thée moued To goe to Grece Poli. The flying fame that thundred in myne eares How king Adrastus gouernour of Greece Was answered by Oracle that he Shoulde knitte in linkes of lawfull mariage His two faire daughters and his onely heires One to a Lyon th' other to a Boare An answere suche as eche man wondred at Iocast And how belongs this answere now to thée Poli. I toke my gesse euen by this ensigne héere A Lyon loe which I did alwayes beare Yet thinke I not but Ioue alonely brought These handes of myne to suche an high exploite Iocast And howe yet came it to this straunge effect Poli. The shining day had runne his hasted course And deawie night bespread hir mantell darke When I that wandred after wearie toyle To seke some harbrough for myne irked limmes Gan fynde at last a little cabbin close Adioyned faste vnto the stately walles Where king Adrastus held his royall towres Scarce was I there in quiet well ycought But thither came another exile eke Named Tydeus who straue perforce to driue Mée from this sorie seate and so at laste We settled vs to fell and bloudie fight Whereof the rumour grewe so great foorthwith That straight the king enformed was therof Who séeing then the ensignes that wée bare To be euen such as were to him foresayde Chose eche of vs to be his sonne by lawe And sithens did solemnize eke the same Iocast Yet woulde I know if that thy wyfe be suche As thou canst ioy in hir or what she is Pyli O mother deare fayrer ne wyser dame Is none in Greece Argia is hir name Iocast Howe couldst thou to this doubtfull enterprise So many bring thus armed all at once Poli. Adrastus sware that he woulde soone restore Vnto our right both Tydeus and me And fyrst for mée that had the greater néede Whereby the best and boldest blouds in Greece Haue followed me vnto this enterpryse A thing both iust and grieuous vnto me Gréeuous I saye for that I doe lament To be constrayned by such open wrong To warre agaynst myne owne deare countrey féeres But vnto you O mother dothe pertain To stinte this stryfe and both deliuer mée From exile now and eke the towne from siege For otherwise I sweare you here by heauens Eteocles who now doth me disdayne For brother
shortly shall sée me his lorde ▪ I aske the seate wherof I ought of right Possesse the halfe I am Oedipus sonne And yours so am I true sonne to you both Wherfore I hope that as in my defence The worlde will weygh so Ioue wil me assiste Eteocles commeth in here by the gates Electrae himself armed and before him .xx. gentlemen in armour his two pages wherof the one beareth his Target the other his helme Chor. Beholde O quéene beholde O woorthie quéene Vnwoorthie he Eteocles here cōmes So woulde the Gods that in this noble realme Shoulde neuer long vnnoble tyrant reigne Or that with wrong the right and doutlesse heire Shoulde banisht be out of his princely seate Yet thou O quéene so fyle thy sugred toung And with such counsell decke thy mothers tale That peace may both the brothers hartes inflame And rancour yelde that erst possesse the same Eteocl. Mother beholde your hestes for to obey In person nowe am I resorted hither In haste therefore fayne woulde I knowe what cause With hastie spéede so moued hath your minde To call me nowe so causelesse out of time When common wealth moste craues my onely ayde Fayne woulde I knowe what quent commoditie Perswades you thus to take a truce for tyme And yeld the gates wide open to my foe The gates that myght our stately state defende And now are made the path of our decay Ioca. Represse deare son those raging stormes of wrath That so bedimme the eyes of thine intent As when the tongue a redy Instrument Would fayne pronounce the meaning of the minde It cannot speake one honest séemely worde But when disdayne is shrunke or sette asyde And mynde of man with leysure can discourse What séemely wordes his tale may best beséeme And that the toung vnfoldes without affectes Then may procéede an answere sage and graue And euery sentence sawst with sobernesse Wherefore vnbende thine angrie browes deare childe And caste thy rolling eyes none other waye That here doest not Medusaes a face beholde But him euen him thy bloud and brother deare And thou behold my Polinices eke Thy brothers face wherein when thou mayst sée Thine owne image remember therewithall That what offence thou wouldst to him were done The blowes thereof rebounde vnto thy selfe And hereof eke I would you both forewarne When frendes or brethren kinsfolke or allies Whose hastie hearts some angrie moode had moued Be face to face by some of pitie brought Who seekes to ende their discorde and debate They onely ought consider well the cause For which they come and cast out of their minde For euermore the olde offences past So shall swéete peace driue pleading out of place Wherfore the first shall Polinices be To tell what reason first his minde did rule That thus our walles with forrein foes enclosde In sharpe reuenge of causelesse wronge receiu'd As he alledgeth by his brothers doome And of this wicked woe and dire debate Some God of pitie be the equall iudge Whome I beseeche to breath in both your breasts A yelding heart to deepe desire of peace Poli. My woorthie dame I finde that tried truthe Doth beste beseeme a simple naked tale Ne néedes to be with painted proces prickt That in hir selfe hath no diuersitie But alwayes shewes one vndisguised face Where déepe deceipt and lies must séeke the shade And wrap their wordes in guilefull eloquence As euer fraught with contrarietie So haue I often sayde and say againe That to auoide our fathers foule reproche And bitter curse I parted from this lande With right good will yet thus with him agréed That while the whirling wings of flying time Might roll one yeare aboute the heauenly spheare So long alone he might with peace possesse Our fathers seate in princely Diademe And when the yeare should eke his course renue Might I succeede to rule againe as long And that this lawe might still be kept for aye He bound him selfe by vowe of solemne othe By Gods by men by heauen and eke by earth Yet that forgot without all reuerence Vnto the Gods without respect to right Without respect that reason ought to rule His faith and troth both troden vnder foote He still vsurps most tyrantlike with wrong The right that doth of right to me belong But if he can with equall doome consent That I retourne into my natiue soyle To sway with him alike the kingly seate And euenly beare the bridle both in hand Deare mother mine I sweare by all the Gods To raise with speede the siege from these our walles And send the souldiers home from whence they came Which if he graunt me not then must I do Though loth as much as right and reason would To venge my cause that is both good and iust Yet this in heauen the Gods my records be And here in earth each mortall man may know That neuer yet my giltlesse heart did fayle Brotherly duetie to Eteocles And that causlesse he holdes me from mine owne Thus haue I said O mother euen as much As néedefull is wherein I me assure That in the iudgement both of good and badde My words may séeme of reason to procéede Constrained thus in my defence to speake Chor. None may denie O pere of princely race But that thy words are honest good and iust And such as well beséeme that tong of thine Eteo. If what to some séemes honest good and iust Could séeme euen so in euery doubtfull mind No darke debate nor quarell could arise But looke how many men so many minds And that that one man iudgeth good and iust Some other déemes as déepely to be wrong To say the truth mother this minde of mine Doth fléete full farre from that farfetch of his Ne will I longer couer my conceit If I could rule or reigne in heauen aboue And eke commaund in depth of darksome hell No toile ne trauell should my sprites abashe To take the way vnto my restlesse will To climbe aloft nor downe for to descend Then thinke you not that I can giue consent To yeld a part of my possession Wherin I liue and lead the monarchie A witlesse foole may euery man him gesse That leaues the more and takes him to the lesse With this reproch might to my name redound If he that hath with forren power spoilde Our pleasaunt fields might reaue from me perforce What so he list by force of armes demand No lesse reproofe the citizens ensewes If I for dread of Gréekish hosts should graunt That he might climbe to heigth of his desire In fine he ought not thus of me to craue Accord or peace with bloudy sword in hand But with humilitie and prayer both For often is it séene and proofe doth teach Swete words preuaile where sword and fire do faile Yet this if here within these stately walles He list to liue the sonne of Oedipus And not as king of Thebes I stand content But let him thinke since now
nones First from the minde it makes the heart to swell From thence the flesh is pampred euery parte The skinne is taught in Dyers shoppes to dwell The haire is curlde or frilled vp by arte Beléeue mée Batte our Countreymen of late Haue caughte such knackes abroade in forayne lande That most men call them Deuils incarnate So singular in theyr conceites they stande Nowe sir if I shall sée your maistershippe Come home disguysde and cladde in queynt araye As with a piketoothe byting on your lippe Your braue Mustachyos turnde the Turky waye A Coptanckt hatte made on a Flemmish blocke A nightgowne cloake downe trayling to your toes A slender sloppe close couched to your docke A curtold slipper and a shorte silke hose Bearing your Rapier pointe aboue the hilte And looking bigge like Marquise of all Beefe Then shall I coumpte your toyle and trauayle spilte Bycause my seconde P with you is chéefe But forwardes nowe although I stayde a while My hindmost P is worsse than bothe these two For it both bones and bodie doth defile With fouler blots than bothe those other doo Shorte tale to make this P can beare no blockes God shielde me Batte should beare it in his breast And with a dashe it spelleth piles and pockes A perlous P and woorsse than bothe the reste Now though I finde no cause for to suspect My Batte in this bycause he hath bene tryde Yet since such Spanish buttons can infect Kings Emperours Princes and the world so wide And since those sunnes do mellowe men so fast As most that trauayle come home very ripe Although by sweate they learne to liue and last When they haue daunced after Guydoes pype Therfore I thought it méete to warne my frende Of this foule P and so an ende of Ps. Now for thy diet marke my tale to ende And thanke me then for that is all my fees Sée thou excéede not in thrée double Vs The first is Wine which may enflame thy bloud The second Women such as haunte the stewes The thirde is Wilfulnesse which dooth no good These thrée eschue or temper them alwayes So shall my Batte prolong his youthfull yéeres And sée long George againe with happie dayes Who if he bée as faithfull to his féeres As hée was wonte will dayly pray for Batte And for Pencoyde and if it fall out so That Iames a Parrye doo but make good that Which he hath sayde and if he bée no no The best companion that long George can finde Then at the Spawe I promise for to bée In Auguste nexte if God turne not my minde Where as I would bée glad thyselfe to sée Till then farewell and thus I ende my song Take it in grée for else thou doest mée wrong Haud ictus sapio Gascoignes woodmanship written to the L. Grey of VVilton vpon this occasion the sayd L. Grey delighting amongst many other good qualities in chusing of his winter deare killing the same with his bowe did furnishe the Aucthor with a crossebowe cum pertinencijs and vouchsaued to vse his company in the said exercise calling him one of his woodmen Now the Aucthor shooting very often could neuer hitte any deare yea and oftentimes he let the heard passe by as though he had not seene thē VVhereat when this noble Lord tooke some pastime and had often put him in remembrance of his good skill in choosing and readinesse in killing of a winter deare he thought good thus to excuse it in verse MY woorthy Lord I pray you wonder not To sée your woodman shoote so ofte awrie Nor that he stands amased like a sot And lets the harmlesse deare vnhurt go by Or if he strike a Doe which is but carren Laugh not good Lord but fauoure such a fault Take will in worth he would faine hit the barren But though his harte be good his happe is naught And therefore now I craue your Lordships leaue To tell you plaine what is the cause of this First if it please your honour to perceyue What makes your woodman shoote so ofte amisse Beléeue me L. the case is nothing strange He shootes awrie almost at euery marke His eyes haue bene so vsed for to raunge That now God knowes they be both dimme and darke For proofe he beares the note of follie now Who shotte sometimes to hit Philosophie And aske you why forsooth I make auow Bicause his wanton wittes went all awrie Next that he shot to be a man of lawe And spent sometime with learned Litleton Yet in the end he proued but a daw◠For lawe was darke and he had quickly done Then could he wish Fitzharbert such a braine As Tully had to write the lawe by arte So that with pleasure or with litle paine He might perhaps haue caught a trewants parte But all to late he most mislikte the thing Which most might helpe to guide his arrow streight ▪ He winked wrong and so let slippe the string Which cast him wide for all his queint conceit From thence he shotte to catch a courtly grace And thought euen there to wield the world at will But out alas he much mistooke the place And shot awrie at euery rouer still The blasing baits which drawe the gazing eye Vnfethered there his first affection No wonder then although he shot awrie Wanting the feathers of discretion Yet more than them the marks of dignitie He much mistooke and shot the wronger way Thinking the purse of prodigalitie Had bene best meane to purchase such a pray He thought the flattring face which fleareth still Had bene full fraught with all fidelitie And that such wordes as courtiers vse at will. Could not haue varied from the veritie But when his bonet buttened with gold His comelie cape begarded all with gay His bumbast hose with linings manifold His knit silke stocks and all his queint aray Had pickt his purse of all the Peter pence Which might haue paide for his promotion Then all to late he found that light expence Had quite quencht out the courts deuotion So that since then the tast of miserie Hath bene alwayes full bitter in his bit And why forsooth bicause he shot awrie Mistaking still the markes which others hit But now behold what marke the man doth find He shootes to be a souldier in his age Mistrusting all the vertues of the minde He trusts the power of his personage As though long limmes led by a lusty hart Might yet suffice to make him rich againe But Flushyng fraies haue taught him such a parte That now he thinks the warres yéeld no such gaine And sure I feare vnlesse your lordship deigne To traine him yet into some better trade It will be long before he hit the veine Whereby he may a richer man be made He cannot climbe as other catchers can To leade a charge before himselfe be led He cannot spoile the simple sakeles man Which is content to feede him with his bread He cannot pinch the painefull souldiers pay And sheare
a twig or twayne you will like a tractable yong scholler pluck vp your quickned spirits cast this drowsinesse apart Ferdinando with a great sigh answered Alas good Mistres quod he if any like chastisement might quickē me how much more might the presence of all you louely Dames recomfort my dulled mind whome to behold were sufficient to reuiue an eye now dazled with the dread of death that not onely for the heauenly aspects whiche you represent but also much the more for your excéeding curtesie in that you haue deigned to visit mée so vnworthie a seruaunt But good Mistresse quod he as it were shame for me to confesse that euer my hart coulde yéelde for feare so I assure you that my minde cannot be content to induce infirmitie by sluggishe conceyt But in trueth Mistresse I am sicke quod he and therewithall the trembling of his hart had sent vp suche throbbing into his throte as that his voyce now depriued of breath commaunded the tong to be still When Dame Elynor for compassion distilled into teares and drew towardes the window leauing the other Gentlewomen about his bed who being no lesse sorye for his griefe yet for that they were none of them so touched in their secrete thoughtes they had bolder sprits and fréeer speach to recomfort him amongest the rest the Lady Fraunces who in deede loued him déepely and could best coniecture the cause of his conceipts sayd vnto him Good Trust quod shée if any helpe of Phisick may cure your maladie I would not haue you hurt your selfe with these doubts whiche you séeme to retayne If choice of Diet may helpe beholde vs here your cookes ready to minister all things néedefull if company may driue away your anoye wee meane not to leaue you solitary if griefe of mind be cause of your infirmitie wée all here will offer our deuoyre to turne it into ioye if mishap haue giuen you cause to feare or dreade any thing remember Hope which neuer fayleth to recomfort an afflicted minde And good Trust quod she distreining his hand right hartely let this simple proofe of our poore good willes bee so excepted of you as that it maye work therby the effect of our desires Ferdinando as on in a traunce had marked very litle of hir curteouse talke yet gaue hir thankes and so held his peace whereat the Ladyes being all amazed there became a silence in the chamber on all sides Dame Elynor fearing thereby that she might the more easely be espyed and hauing nowe dryed vp hir teares retourned to hir seruaunt recomforting him by all possible meanes of common curtesie promising that since in hir sicknes he had not only staunched hir bleding but also by his gentle company and sundry deuices of honest pastime had driuen a waye the pensiuenes of hir mind she thought hir selfe bound with like willingnes to do hir best in any thing that might restore his health taking him by the hand said further Good seruaunte if thou beare in deed any true affection to thy poore Mistres start vpon thy féet again and let hir enioye thine accustomed seruice to hir cōfort for sure quod she I will neuer leaue to visite this chamber once in a daye vntill I may haue thée downe with mée Ferdinando hearyng the harty woordes of his Mistris and perceiuyng the earnest maner of hir pronunciation began to receyue vnspeakeable comfort in the same and sayd Mistris your excéedyng courtesie were able to reuiue a man half dead and to me it is bothe great comfort and it doeth also glad my remēbrance with a continual smart of myne owne vnworthinesse but as I woulde desire no longer life than til I might be able to deserue some part of your boūty so I wil endeuor my self to liue were it but only vnto the ende that I might merite some parte of your fauour with acceptable seruice and requight some deale the courtesie of all these other fayre Ladies who haue so farre aboue my deserts deigned to doe me good Thus sayd the Ladies taried not long before they were called to Euensong when his Mistres taking his hand kissed it saying Farewel good seruaunt and I praye thée suffer not the mallice of thy sickenesse to ouercome the gentlenesse of thy good hart Fardinando rauished with ioy suffered them all to departe and was not able to pronounce one word After their departure he gan cast in his mind the exceeding curtesie vsed towardes him by them all but aboue all other the bounty of his Mystresse and therwithall tooke a sound firme opinion that it was not possible for hir to coūterfeite so deepely as in déede I beleeue that shee then did not wherby he sodenly felt his hert greatly eased and began in himselfe thus to reason Was euer man of so wretched a heart I am the most bounden to loue quod he of all them that euer possessed his seruice I enioy one the fayrest that euer was found and I finde hir the kindest that euer was hearde of yet in mine owne wicked heart I coulde vilanously conceyue that of hir which being compared with the rest of hir vertues is not possible to harbour in so noble a mind Herby I haue brought my self without cause into this féeblenesse and good reason that for so high an offence I should be punished with great infirmitie what shall I then doe yelde to the same no but according to my late protestation I will recomfort this languishing minde of mine to the ende I may liue but onely to do penaunce for this so notable a cryme so rashly committed and thus saying he start from his bed and gan to walke towardes the window but the venimous serpent which as before I rehearsed had stong him coulde not be content that these medicines applyed by the mouth of his gentle Mistresse should so soone restorte him to guerison And although in dede they were such Nythrydate to him as that they had nowe expelled the rancour of the poyson yet that ougly hellishe monster had left behind hir in the most secret of his bosome euen betwene the minde and the man one of hir familiers named suspect whiche gan work in the weake spirites of Ferdinando efectes of no lese perill than before he had receiued his head swelling with these troublsome toyes and his hart swimming in the tempests of tossing fantasie he felt his legges so féeble that he was cōstrayned to lie down on his bed again and repeating in his own remembraunce euery woorde that his mistres had spoken vnto him he gan to dread that she had brought the willow braunche to beate hym with in token that he was of hir forsaken for so louers do most commonly expound the willow garlande and this to thinke did cut his hart in twayne A wonderfull chaunge and here a little to staye you I will discribe as I finde it in Bartello the beginning the fall the retourne and the being of this hellish byrde who in déede maye well