vice doe to thy lot befall From thée they came doe take them to thee all To thée O earth agayne I do restore My carrion corpes which from thée did procéede Because it did neglect all godly lore Let gréedy wormes vpon it alwayes féede Let it in filth consume and rot away And so remaine vntil the iudgement day But my poore soule whō Christ most déerly bought Which hated sinne and loathed to offend Together with ech good and godly thought Into thy handes swéete Iesu I commend O sauiour Christ doe guide my steppes so well That after death she stil with thée may dwell A Complaynt of a Louer IF euer wofull wight had cause to pipe in bitter smart I which am thrall to Cupids lawes with him may beare a part Whose ioyful dayes alas are gone whom daily cares doe tosse But wote yée why I thus take on my lucke is turnde to losse Erecruell loue my heart possest no cares did vexe my head But since he harboured in my brest my golden dayes are fled Time was when fortune did allow great gladnesse to my share But ah for that time is not now doth grow my cause of care Time was when I liude in delight and reapt of ioyes my fill But now time is workes me despite would waste had tarried still No hap so hard no griefe so great whereof I féele not part Now shiuering colde now flaming heate anoyes my wofull heart So that hope is the onely stay on which my life dependes Which if it once be tane away my date of liuing ends God graunt my hope such hap may sée that good successe ensue Which if it long prolonged be through griefe I die adiew For his friende I That in fréedome liued of late And neuer stoupt to Cupids lure Haue now made change of my estate And thousand torments doe endure As late abrode I cast my lookes In fancies lune I fast was cought And beauty with her bayted hookes Hath me alas in bondage brought I loue but lacke the thing I craue I liue but want my chiefest good I hope but hap I cannot haue I serue but starue for want of foode Then so to loue what state more yll Such life affoordes small time of ioy Such wauering hope doth often kill To serue and starue what worse anoy Yet wil I loue whiles life doth last And liue whiles any hope remaines And hope when dismal dayes are past To haue reward for all my paynes Loe thus I liue by hope sustaynd Yet through dispayre die euery houre In sorow glad in pleasure painde Now fed with swéete now choakt with sowre Deare Dame in humble sort I sew Since mine estate to you is known Voutsafe my dolefull case to rew And saue his life who is your owne Somewhat made of nothing at a Gentlewomans request YE gladly would haue me to make you some toy And yet will not tel me wherof I should write The strangenes of this doth bréed me anoy And makes me to séeke what things to endite If I should write rashly what comes in my braine It might be such matter as likes you not best And rather I would great sorow sustayne Then not to fulfill your lawfull request Two dangers most doubtful oppresse me alike Ne am I resolued to which I might yéelde Wherfore by perforce I am foretd to séeke This slender deuice to serue for my shield Since nothing yée geue me to busie my brayne Nothing but your nothing of me can yée craue Wherfore now receiue your nothing agayne Of nothing but nothing what els would yée haue Of the instability of Fortune WHo wisely waies false fortunes fickle change Which in short space turnes loue to mortal hate Shall find smal cause to déem it wondrous strange To fléete from happie life to worse estate For whie her swéete is alwaies mixt with sowre If now shée fawne she frownes within an houre Her smiles are wyles to cause men hope for hap Her traynes bréede paynes though pleasant be the show Him whom shée now doth dandle in her lap Straightway sustaines a wretched ouer throw And whom thou séest at foote of whéele downe cast Within short space shée hoyseth vp as fast The raging Seas which dayly ebbes and flowes The wauering winds which blow now here now there More constant are then fortunes flattering vowes Who in one hoode a double face doth beare To trust her lookes when shée doth fleere or laugh Is nothing els but trust a broken staffe Pollicrates as auncient writers tell On Fortunes whéele most highly was aduaunste And many a yéere shée fauourd him so well That no ill hap long time vnto him chaunst Yet in the end to shew her double wayes With hemping roape shée causde him end his dayes If thou wilt shun all sorow and distresse By fortunes threates doe set but litle store If thine affayres haue euer good successe Yéeld hearty thankes to God thy Lorde therefore If great annoyes doe fall vpon thée fast Thinke them due plagues for some offences past By prayer then make leuell with the Lorde Repentant hearts haue mercie when they call Loue him with feare delight to reade his worde So great good haps vnto thée will befall So shalt thou leade thy life without annoyes And after death possesse eternal ioyes Of the vanitie of this life I Reade in Poets faigned bookes That wise Vlysses wandring came Where Circes through her fawning lookes Did worke his men a spightfull shame She causde them quaffe great bowles of wine And presently they turnde to swine But hée which followed vertue still Refusde to taste this proffered charme And would not worke her beastly will As one that doubted farther harme Her witchcraftes and enchantmentes straunge Were not of force this man to chaunge The world with his alluring toyes Is Circes witch of whome they write Which temptes vs with her sugred ioyes And makes vs swimme in such delight That wée so play with pleasures ball As if there were no God at all If man would way what enemies Are alwayes prest him to deuoure Mée thinkes from sinne hée should arise And make defence with all his power For why the world the flesh and deuill Doe neuer cease to worke vs euill These so bewitch our foolish braines That nought wée force eternall paine And euery one in sinne remaines As if hell were a fable vaine Alas wée are seduced so That all true heartes do bléede for woe The shéepe doth yéerely yéelde his fléese The plodding Oxe the plow doth draw And euery thing in willing wise Kéepes and obayes dame Natures law But man in witte which should excell Against his Lord doth still rebell Ech doth deferre from day to day And thinkes the morow to amend But death arestes vs by the way And sodainly some makes their end O wretched case that they bée in Which die and not lament their sinne Thou silly man still feare the Lord Thy former sinnes with spéede forsake The iudgement day in minde record In which ech
not rather rome abroad To séeke some pleasaunt sporte Then to be pend in study fast Like souldier in a forte To hawke to hunt to carde to dice To sing to daunce to play And can there bée more pleasaunt meanes To driue away the day To tosse the buckler and the blade Lewd women to entice Are not these vertues most estéemde And had in greatest price To lend ech man a firiendly looke And vse the glosers arte In outward shew to beare good will And hate him with our heart Are not such men as flatter best In euery coast estéemde Is not Tom teltroath euery where A busie cockscombe déeme It is a world to sée the sotte To haue a checke hée knowes And yet the noddy neuer linnes Mens vices to disclose Hée euer telles men of their faultes Such is his rude behauiour When hée by speaking nought at all Might purchase greater fauour Who countes it not a wisemans parte To runne with hare and hound To say and vnsay with one breath So winning may bée found Wherefore reioyce set cocâ—e on hoope Let nothing make thée sad Bée mery héere when thou art dead No mirth can then bée had Thus wanton will would euery day Still whisper in mine eare And wit which could not then be heard Was fled I know not where Who tries the hazard of the seas By sturdy tempest tost If that a drunkard guide their ship Are they not quickly lost How like I pray you is hée then Toâ— suffer shipwracke still VVhose wit and wisdome gouernde is By his vnruly will This Pilot vile in mée long time Did maisters roome supply Till good Aduice did tell mée plaine I ranne my course awry Hée spyed a time to breake his minde When Will was gone apart And thus to mée he did vnfolde The secretes of his heart O Man for whome Christ on the crosse His precious blood did spill What dost thou meane in mundane toyes To spend thy time so ill Dost thou not thinke that God hath eies To sée thy vile abuse What shew of reason canst thou bring Thy rashnes to excuse Did Christ sustaine must bitter death All sinneâ—â— to redâ—eme And wilt thou wallow still in lust And not his lawes estéeme If he by death and no meanes els Mens sinfull soules could saue Doest thou then thinke by wanton life Eternall ioyes to haue Too too too much thou art deceaude If so thou doe beléeue That he to haue men liue in vice Himselfe to death would geue With vpright eye peruse his lawes And thou shalt cléerely sée Into what sinkes of deadly sinne Thy will hath carried thée Thine eyes doe sée thine eares doe heare Thy senses all doe serue thée Yet canst thou neyther heare nor sée Such thinges as should preserue thée In earthly toyes thou canst discerne That which may best auayle thée But in such thing as touch thy soule Thy eyesight still doeth fayle thée O what a madnesse moues thy minde Thou séest and hast thy senses Yet wilt thou blindly wallow still In filth of vile â—ffences It better were for one to be Of sight depriued cléere Then sée to sinne and not sée that Which chiefly should be séenâ— Take héede therefore at length repent Its better late then neuer For Christ the Cockle from the corne At haruest will disseuer At day of doome the good and bad Shall not alike remayne The good shall taste vncessant ioyes The bad eternall payne Doste thinke that such as tospotlike Set all at sixe and seuen Are in a ready way to bring Their sinfull soules to heauen And those that in great Princes Courtes Doe Ruffian like behaue them Doste déeme that they thereby procure A ready meane to saue them To sweare to stare to bib bowse To flatter glose and lye Is this tell me the stedfast fayth That men are saued by If white be blacke if night be day If true pretence bée treason If fire be colde if senselesse things Fulfill the rule of reason Then may the pleasures of this worlde Be cause of our saluation For otherwise thou must confesse They further our damnation Take héede therefore and warned thus Let not the worlde beguile thée Ne let the lustes of lawlesse flesh With sinfull déedes defile thée Let wilfull will be banisht cleane With all his wanton toyes Which filles thy head with vayne delightes In stéede of stedfast ioyes Note well my wordes still serue the Lorde Repent and sinne no more Christ hath for true repentaunt heartes Great mercie still in store When good aduice had tolde this tale Prostrate I downe did fall And humbly holding vp my handes Thus on the Lorde did call OMighty God which for vs men Didst suffer on the Crosse The payneful pangues of bitter death To saue our soules from losse I yéeld thée héere most hearty thankes In that thou doest vouchsaue Of me most vile and sinfull wretch So great regard to haue Alas none euer had more cause To magnifie thy name Then I to whom thy mercies shewde Doe witnesse well the same So many brunts of fretting foes Who euer could withstand If thou hadst not protected me with thy most holy hand A thousand times in shamefull sort My sinfull life had ended If by thy gratious goodnesse Lorde I had not byn defended In stinking pooles of filthy vice So déepely was I drownde That none there was but thée alone To set my foote on ground Whenas the fiend had led my soule Euen to the gates of hell Thou caldst mée backe and doest me choose In heauen with thée to dwell Let furies now fret on their fill Let Sathan rage and rore As long as thou art on my side What néede I care for more MY Prayer sayde me thought I felt Such quiet in my mynde As shipmen after tempest past In wished harbour finde My wil woulde then no more presume To rule in reasons place For good aduice would bée at hand His doyngs to disgrace Who tolde me playne that wanton will Did alwayes serue the Diuell And was his busiest instrument To stirre vp men to euill Although the gallant be so braue And sell such pleasures here They that best cheape doe buy the same Shall find it all too déere Yet they that woulde aduenture there The Diuell and all may gayne With euery inch of pleasant ioyes He selles ten Elles of payne If that thou wisely wilt foresée Such winnings to eschew Ere beggery take thée by the backe Doe byd the Court adew Hencefoorth exile vile wanton will Which is thy chéefest foe Goe get thée home liue to thy selfe And let all courting goe Experience now should make thée know What vice in court doth rayne And tract of time shoulde teach thée shunne Her pleasures mixt with payne Though some may dayly there be séene That follow vertue still Which honour God obey their Prince And flie from dooyng ill Yet sure of them the greatest parte Are carried so away With vayne delightes that they ne thinke Nor mynde their soules decay O that
clownish men brought vp in digging of the ground and other rusticall exercises should bée so well instructed in humane sciences Departing from them they road towardes an inne not farre distant from the Citie which was fayre and large As they came somewhat néere it an Ostler came forth to inuite them saying Domini libèt ne vobis hospitari Hîc enim vobis erit bonum hospitium And for that the Florentines were very weary they alighted and meant to ryde no farther that night As they were mounting vp the stayres to goe to their lodging the goodman of the Inne met them saying Excellentissimi Domini placétne vobis vt praeparetur coena hÃc enim sunt bona vina oua recentia carnes volatilia alia huiusmodi Heereat the Florentines were amased and knew not what to say for that all they with whome they had spéech spake latine and pronounced no otherwise then if they had béene brought vp in studie all the dayes of their lyfe Shortly after a maide seruaunt indéedâ— came vnto them which was a young woman both wittie and learned and craftily brought thither for the purpose which sayde Indigéntne dominationes vestrae re aliqua placét vt sternentur lectuli vt requiem capiatis These wordes of the Maiden brought greater astonishment to the Florentines who began to reason with her who hauing answered to many thinges excéedingly well and all in latine they questioned with her of diuinitie of which shée did argue so catholiquely that there was not any y â— heard her but gaue her singular commendation Whiles the Maiden talked with them there came one in arayde like a baker his face blackt with coales who hearing the disputation that they had with the Maiden began to argue in her defence and interpreted the holy scriptures so learnedly that al the Florentine doctors affirmed amoÌ„gst themselues that they had seldome or neuer heard his better This dâ—sputation being finisht the Florentine Doctors weÌ„t to supper and so to their rest And the next day approching they tooke counsell amongst themselues whether it were better to goe forwards or returne home againe After great contention had about this matter they resolued that it was better to departe thinking thus with themselues that if the Inkéepers labourers hostlers women had such profound learning what was to bée looked for in the Citie where are most excellent men which continually followe nothing els but their bookes and studie This determination being well considered of without any longer tariaunce they put it in practise And not as much as séeing the walles of the Citie of Bergamaske taking their horses tooke their iourney backe againe towardes Florence And in this maner the Florentines were by pollicie conquered of theÌ„ of Bergamaske And from theÌ„ce forwards the Citizens of Bergamaske had a priuiledge from the Emperour to passe safely through all the partes of the world without thâ— let or disturbance of any man Of one that hyred a foolish seruaunt and was serued accordingly PAndolfus a Gentleman of Padua on a time standing greatly in néede of a serâ—â—iant chaunced to méete with one whâ— he thought would well serue his turne of whom hée demaunded whether he would serue him for resonable wages who made aunswere that hée would but with this condition that hée would at no time doe him any other seruice but looke to his horses and ride with him Héereon they concluded and there were Indentures of couenants drawn sealed and deliuered for the performance of the premisses It happened on a certaine day that Pandolfus as hée rode with his new seruant in a filthy mirie way his horse stumbling fell into a ditch and Padolfus vnder him who being in great feare and daunger cryed vnto his man for helpe His seruaunt standing still gaue him the looking on saying that heâ— was not bound to doe it and that there was no such thing contained in his Indenture of couenaunt and taking the copie thereof out of his pocket beganne from poynt to point to reade the conditions of it to sée whether it were therein contained or no that hée should helpe him in such a iâ—operdie His maister cryed out vnto him saying For the passion of God helpe mée Hée answered I cannot sir for that it is agaynst the couenantes of my Indenture His maister tolde him that if hée would not helpe him and deliuer him out of this daunger hée woulde not pay him such wages as was therein contained hée should haue The foolishe seruaunt sayde that hée would not doe it for feare of incurring the penaltie contained in the Indenture of couenaunt And if his maister had not béene presently holpen by one that came that way doubtlesse hée could neuer haue escaped For this cause after their returne home there were new couenantes drawne vnto which hée yeelded his consent vnder a certaine forfeiture to performe and obserue them truely which was that hée should assist his maister at all times in all causes that hée commaunded him and shoulde neuer departe or seperate himselfe from him It chaunced on a time that Pandolfus entring into one of the chiefest Churches of the Citie with certaine Venetian Gentlemen his seruaunt alwayes folowed him at his shoulders and would neuer leaue him The Gentlemen and other that were by for the rarenes of the sight tooke vp a great laughter through which the maister returning to his house chidde him bitterly shewing him what a foolish and vnaduised part hée plaied in walking so childishly with him in the Church without any respect either of him or the Gentlemen that were with him The seruaunt alledged vnto him that hée had not done contrary to the couenantes that were drawne betwixt them and had fulfilled the contents therof and no more Vpon this there was a new couenant put in that hée should goe farther of from him After that time the seruant would kéepe himselfe aloofe and not come néere him by fortie foote at the least And although his maister called him and had néede to vse him Neuerthelesse his seruaunt would not for feare of incurring the penaltie contained in the Indentures Heereat Pandolphus fretting a good at the folly and simplicity of his man told him that his comming farther of him was to bée vnderstoode about a thrée foote distant The seruant thinking himselfe now too be apparauntly aduertised of his maisters meaning tooke a staffe of the length of thrée foote and as hée went in the citie would set one end therof against his brest and holding the other towardes his maisters shoulders so followed him The Citizens Prentises seyng him to goe in this order déeming him to bee some notable foole did laugh at him vnmeasurably The maister as yet not knowing wherfore they so laught maruelled greatly but being afterwards aduertised how he carried the staffe after him he was in a great rage reprehending his seruant vehemently threatning also to beat him And he weeping and lamenting excused himselfe saying yée doe me manifest iniury Maister in going