abused Lord graunt we may conuert and that with speede For well we know we neuer had more neede Let vs not linger and driue from day to day We haue beene warned sufficiently we know The Lord is angry and not without good cause And though he do but signes vnto vs shew Well let vs thinke if we do thus exceede In sinne so ryfe we shall it feele in deede Amend your liues for the kingdome of God is at hand Mat. 3. None good but God Verses written vnto his friend W. C. of not and nor NOt boyst crouse winds of Aeolus force caÌ„stir the hardy reckâ—s Nor wooden wedges can preuaile to cleane the knotty block Not absence he to frendly heartes can any breach procure Nor spiteful spite can do much hurte where frieÌ„dship doth assure Not frowning lookes of frowarde Mars that can my peâ— restraine Nor doubtfull speach can me reuoke in verse to shew my vaine Not want of good will ready prest shall be one let or cause Nor yet the feare of any man shall make me for to pause Not Time to tarry to deuise some pleasant thing to write Nor yet to proue for to be sine my verse for to indite Not that I thinke my friend he will for rashnesse laugh at me Nor that I stand in doubt if that this thing he take in grâ—â— Not that I am a Poet braue for to declare my minde Nor that I haue a curiouse head some pleasant thing to finde Not that my friend is scrupulousse but friendly be will take Nor that he is of Momus sect to mocks that I do make Not that I know my friend will now accept my ragged verse Nor I thinke he will reiect that which I do rehearse Not that the Time doth let me now some farder wordes to vse Nor that I meane in any thing my friend for to abuse In steade of giftes to thanke thee for Yake Yates his gifte of not and nor Verses written vpon the captiouse coniecture of one who not offended THe state of worldly wightes is straunge And mutall mindes do passe my skill The good haue bad for their exchaunge By cogitations wrong to will The iniury hath small repay Where maiestie doth beare the sway The supreame rule supporteth much Me thinkes it saith why I am hee Men know my nature to be such As scant my like is knowne to be For where I may I croppe I loppe I make them stoupe and bowe their toppe But Iustice sittes with sword in hand And Equity with ballance right The cause and truth to vnderstand To deale by equall Doome vpright For sure the Gods they will not see That worngfull iudgement geuen be Then preace in place thou guyltlesse minde Whose modest moode deserues no blame God will all misbeliues vnbinde And try thy truth with worthie fame And like as Laurell kepes the hue So truth the falshood shall subbue Conceyne no cause of ponstue thought In Nature good each small is greate The wise themselues haue wisely taught More then my pen can here repeat Wherefore I cease I stay to tell Hoping in end all shall be well Verses written vpon a Question I Being once occasioned Comparisons to vse A friend of mine a question put to aunswere or refuse The which was this VVhat thing vvas that vvhich longest doth remaine In happie blisse but at the last it tasteth of some paine Where with I grewe astonied an aunswere streight to make For why quoth I deliberation in this I had neede take Yet as my simple head a simple reason can render I hope you will accept it well though it be small and slender Then Sir I thus confesse as reason would I should To tell my minde I am content to speake the best I could The happiest thing quoth I is Gods eternall grace For that is that which doth remaine and stayes in happie case For els I knowe no thing that happie can be counted No worldly wealth no Towre high that to the skye is mounted No faith of any friend for why it shall decay We see it is like fortunes wheele which turneth euery way In faith my friend quoth he you haue me full resolued It seemes you trust not much the world from it you are dissolued The fragrant florishing feates and gallant glosing glee Is like a blast or puffe of wind which blowes the leafe from tree Esteeme it as it is and weigh and ponder thus That mindes of men change euery houre as fancie doth discusse But ah the changlesse state that euer shall endure Is Gods eternall blisse on hye of this we may be sure Verses written vpon Desire to vnload the minde THe Bird that buildes her nest doth order due obserue And therein takes her rest her younglings to preserue As nature doth ordaine each thing by course of kind So she doth them maintane till seekers do them find Like so where worldly woes doe dayly still increase And lucklesse chaunces shewe that sorrowes will not cease Till happy hap doth hit and course doth turnâ— and change And good lucke come to those to whome she hath bin strange Where want doth weaue the web there skâ—nt doth pleasure growe Wherâ— good 〈◊〉 doth 〈◊〉 there ill successe doth slowe Where Patience perforce in spight must vsed be Vnhappy is that course such haplesse hap to sec. As pleasantnesse doth vade and dieth like the flowre So ioyfulnesse consumes within one silly houre Or what doth boote it nowe in myrth for to abound When as we bend and bow to sorrowes sollemne sound The head opprest with dumpes the heart doth heauie make And wayward chances come our ioyes away to take And as the Impe that 's greene is tender for the knife So mirth is seldome seene whereas such cares be rife Verses vvhich signifie the ease Hovv medling least doth not displease THe busie heads whose harebraine wits With causelesse cause will haue to deale Doe often shewe but foolish fittes For nothing they can close conceale All you that meane to liue at ease To meddle least doth not displease The Royster and the quarreling foole That standes vpon his garde of strength May meete with one that shall him coole And ouercome his pride at length All you that meane to liue at ease To meddle least doth not displease The pratler he cannot abstaine No yet keepe in his tongue from prate O blame him not for t is his vaine He takes a glory in that rate All you that meane to liue at case To meddle least doth not displease T is vaine to put our hand in fire Or in a fray to take a parte When as no cause doth so require Perchance he comes vnto his smart All you that meane to liue at ease To meddle least doth not displease The prouerbe often thus doth shew Which warneth vs in this respect Heere much but little seeke to know That any tumult may erect All you that meane to liue at ease To meddle least doth not displease By busie pates strife
me vnhappely doth passe For why I dare not halfe so boldely no waspire I dare not once presume to warme me by the fire I dare not Parle nowe so bolde as I was wont For if I doe the aunswere comes both sharpe both tarte and blunt And head is hanged downe and eyes doe looke aside And faces of the other sorte are made as they woulde chide Wherfore you flattering flurt Dame fortune by your name A vengeance take thy truthles trade for thou didst cause the same But though in thy dispight yet will I vse my ioy And neuer soake my heart with care although they seeme so coy For they are but thy fittes I knowe it very well When pleasantnesse is so disposed such thinges he can expell To which most happy time I trust but not to thee For thou art still of flitting kind and euermore wilt be Verses declaring how each Desire Is satisfied in Time THe hungery soule that wantes of foode his Corpes to fill Is forced forth through pâ—â—ing 〈◊〉 to remedie his ill And if by happie lotte he lighteth in such place Whereas is foode abundantly to helpe his dolefull case Then you shall see this swame whom hungers hate had hist When he in Time hath had Desire doth skorne that ofte he mist The wight that keepes in Courtâ— and viewes the gallant shewes Of Princes Pallace deerely dect whose eyes it dayly knowes Esteemeth not so much the sight though it be rare As â—e esteemes a new fond toy where on his eyes may starâ— What is the cause of this because that he is fill'd And hath enough euen of the sight As much as he hath will'd The Goldsmith that doth worke vpon the Diamond rare Doth not so much esteeme the sight as sequell doth declare The Painter that doth make with pencell in his hanâ— Some passing peece of Portracture like liuely shape to stand At first time when he went with will to learne that art Desire was a mate of his and woulde not drawe a part And marke how he by Time of it hath had his fill He passeth more for greedie gold then he esteemes his skill Thus is Desire at length by Time brought into vre The Painter pleased is with Coynâ— as well as Portracture The Gentleman that keepes a Hauke for his delight And taketh pleasure for to view the swiftnesse of her dight With spannelles for to raunge the game alofte to spring At length we see he wearily accompteth of the thing The greedy Lyon eke that roareth for her pray Is neuer satisfied vntill Some faultlesse thinge she flayâ— And then when she hath fed and fulnesse her inuest She neuer passeth more for it till hunger doth request The Cat will watch adn wayte till she the Mouse hath got And then when she hath fedde her â—â—llâ— a dewe she careth not The Scriuener that takes paine with painfull penne to please Espieth not his labour wayed so much the more disease That company which keepes for a long time together By time grows strange as euer they were at first time comming hether The booke that newe is madâ— is more esteem'd of price And better liked on by some then workes of deepe deuice Wherefore the way to haue a thing esteemed well Is secretly to keepe the same and not abroade to tell For why I well perceiue examples put before That friendship failes when fancy findes new liking for her store Wherefore to learne to keepe in secret silent brest It is a poynt of wisedome sure in whom so ere it rest Thus is Desire fedde thus is Desire strange Thus doth Desire giue vs fill and makes our friendes to change Verses written vnto one which had wrote A Curious Commendation of his happie Exchange VVHy dost thou vaunt before thâ—u â—â—â—owe Why dost thou bragge before thou trie All is not golde that is of glittering shewe Nor trust not that which pleaseth the eye For in the same deceipte doth rest As proofe doth make it manifest For since thou wrot'st that glorious stile In praise of thy so good exchange A frowarde fit some did compile Which vnto thee did seeme full strange That at the first it did befall Such rough repulse to sleepe withall Wherefore I counsell thus doe giue To frame thy nature now to abyde And see that thou discreete doe liue And â—ainte not though some sondly chide For why thou wotst so much before You knowe my minde â—le say no more Verses written for a requisite remembrance of the earth quake which happened on wednesday the 6. of Aprill 1580. betwene 5. and 6 of the clocke at night of the same day WHen man doth least accompt of this his end And as he thinkes doth safely sit at rest Then suddenly or euer he beware Doth Death aproch his corps for to inuest And in a moment all his pompe and pride And glory vaine is quickly laide a side His house the which he takes for his Defence And as it were doth make a sure grounde Presuming that it standeth firme and fast Foundation such noâ— likely tâ— confound By any chaunce except the ground do fall The which high Ioue hath 〈◊〉 at his call Oh gratious God how wonderful are thy workes Thy secretes not known to mind of man Thou send'st vs signes and tokens of thy wrath And if with grace we rightly do them scanne We may thus thinke and also vnderstand Thy iudgemente day is very â—y at hand Yet mercifully thou doest vs all fore warne And wouldest not that we should sinke in sinne But penetently thy merry for to craue And leaue such leawdnesse as we do beginne Too much to vse alas the more the doth And God will scourge no doubt for our vntruth Oh sudden mosion and shaking of the earth No blustering blastes the weaâ—her calme and milde Good Lord the sudden rarenesse of the thing A sudden feare did bring to man and childe They verely thought as well in field as Towne The earth should sinke and the houses all fall downe Well let vs print this present in our heartes And call to God for neuer neede we more Crauing of him mercy for our misdeedes Our sinfull liues from heart for to deplore For let vs thinke this token doth portend A scourge nere hand if we do still offend Yet neuer was Gods word more diligently Preached vnto vs then it is at this day But out alas what boote is it to heare And presently forget what they do say For he which layes his hand vpon the plowâ— And turneth backe shall speed you know as how The wantonnesse and lewdnesse now adayes Is much to write therefore it is but vaine To seeme at large the same for to expresse The grauer sorte do much of it complaine And wish there were amendment of ill life Which euery where alas is too too rife Pride is too pearâ—e and falshood florisheth much Deceipte is deepe good Lord how it is vsed Enuy is rife blaspheming doth not want Wel in effect each thing is now
Oh vertuous Dame how is thy mind giuen vp to Constancie Alas how should I pen thy praise I know not well perdie But sooth to say the flying Fame that is as swifte as winde Hath bruted abroade sufficiently of Chastnesse and her kinde One night Sir Morpheus did me leade and then vnto me shewed How Lucrese sate in heauen aboue her seate was there bestowed And although she her life did end in such a desperate wise Yet thou maist see she hath a roome aboue heere in the skies There saw I eke Zenobia that Gratious Queene so Chaste Sitting aloft in heauenly Throne which neuer aye shall waste And Etifriga sometime our Queene in England heere did reigne I did behold her where she sate aske Morpheus if I feine A multitude of Matrons sure was there as I did see Yet Morpheus tolde not me the names but onely of these three For why quoth he I do not mind to tell thee any more If thou canst learne their names thy selfe then keepe them for thy store And write of them as thou thinkst good but what should neede so much So busily to take in hand It would but get thee gruch I answered him with words most milde and seemely countenance sure I thanke you that you would vouchsafe these three to put in vre And when these wordes I spoken had sir Morpheâ—s did depart And I awaked from my sleepe and maruail'd in my heart What wight he was and how I came vnto those ioyfull sightes To view the place and to behold thâ—se glorious heauenly wights And now to tell the full thereof that I in â—â—eepe did see I will assay with simple skil which reâ—reth now in me My thought I was thether by him led since he is God of Dreames Conuayed by him as I thought vnto the loftie heauens Where I beheld most glorious Dames which shined like the Sunne For by their Chaste and Vertuous life that heauenly place they wunne There might I view the Angells face there might I heare such songes As did reioyce me very much as right thereto belonges There is no weeping any Time but only myrth and ioy Who would not then liâ—e Chaste to gaine a place voyde of annoy They shall behold our glorious God sitting in heauenly seat There shal be such ioyes as doe passe my tongue for to repeate There shal they liue a life for Aye which neuer shall surcease Alas we liue heere mortally our life doth soone decrease We neede not boast we are like grasse which withereth with the sunne Alas how tickle is our life how soone hath death it woone Our life is â—raile our dayes no stay for vs to leane vnto Incertaine is each thought we thinke or what we els can doe Well if thou be esspoused once and linck'd with wedlockes chaine Conuert thou not to others vse least hatefull be thy gaine For looke what order thou dost vse the same thou shalt imbrace When as thou comesâ— before that Iudge that Iudgeth each mans case Beware no wantonnesse be seene O mayden some so pray Liue as thou wouldst intend to liue in 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 Loue onely one 〈…〉 thought as heart and onely dâ—â—re So shall thy life be Chaste in deede this sentence is most cleere Yea cleere 〈◊〉 cleere as cleere may be which 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 Bruted abroade by â—â—ying Fame which neuer shall be done Beautie is but a blazing bayte in high respect of this Yet Beautie pleaseth mindes of men as certaine true it is Beautie is glorious in Attyre according to her hue Alluring the eyes of men vpon her for to view Marke this I say you Cupids knights esteeming Beautie so That it may happen for to hit to bring you vnto wo. Was not strong Sampson he beguilde when harlot clipt his hayre Was not the valiant Hercules also ketched in snare Did not Poore Paris buy it deere for Hellina so fine When all the Troyans felt the smart as Terrour did assigne Did there not rise Achilles wrath vpon him silly man Which did conclude in blooddy broylâ— a wofull cause to sâ—an Did not the vitious Sodomites and Gomorians feele the smarte Because they had not grace to turne and from sinne to conuert No preaching could them reforme til fiery â—lames from hye Did downe descend them to destroy O ruthfull miserye What was the cause their fleshly liues their vile and vitious deedes They follow not Dame Chastnesse steppes whom Ryot onely feedes But if they had addicted beene to chastnesse and good life They had not felt the furtouse force of their deserued strife But they were giuen ryotously to pleasure and to pride It is impossible well to liue where grace doth want to guyde Oh Chastnesse thou the floure of grace the Impe of ioy so deere The Lanthorne light of life so pure which shines like Christall cleere The proppe the piller and the stay which holdes vp honest life The hope of heauen the hap of ioy which euer shall be rife Oh God what Beneficialnesse by Chastnesse doth insue Much more then I with tongue can tell or pen can well renew Or if I had Dame Pallas Ayde or Poets learned stile Yet trust me true I were too weake her praise for to compile Wherefore of Poets thus I craue such pardon to attaine Since that but skillesnesse doth leade in verse to shew my vaine For surely I not presume in gloriouse title braue But from my heart deuoyde of guile pardon of them I craue For to proceede as simple witt shall lend me simple skill Where nothing wantes but learning she to aide my readie will The horse although his force be small yet if he haue desire Is worthie simply of great praise though he ly in the myre Euen so I must confesse to you I haue an earnest will To praise this worthie gifte in deede though simple be my skill Wishing I had beene learn'd in schoole among the learned sorte Then should I with lesse tediousnesse haue made this my reporte But truly I lament the losse of that I most desire Which to recouer by no meanes I can not well require But Lord it is a world to see how foolish fickle youth Accompts the schoole a purgatorie a place of paine and ruth And neuer are in quyet minde till absent thence they bee Youth onely mindeth playe and sporte apparantly we see But when that Time hath brought our yeares and some experience gayned Then they lament the losse of Time which once they so dâ—â—dayned A lamentation made to late 〈◊〉 â—â—â—hsome to inuest For to 〈◊〉 the losse of Time is pâ—nsiue to the brest What meane I thus to spend my Time so fonâ—â—y to â—â—â—yte I see t is want of learned lore to guide me now aright Me thinkes I heare one say to me go too go on proceede Of former matter to intreate for this is more then neede Praise thou Dame Chastnesse as thou shouldst Digresse not so aside And to thy matter directly go and in it do