had leaue to parte That vsually did wayte To yelde the king his ease Thus dealte the suttle dame And to be sure to haue her will She shifted thence with shame Her sleepie husbandes sworde VVho then in slumber lay For that he should by no deuise Haue powre to scape away This done the cruel wightes Of whome I spake before VVith bloudie mindes and armed hands Approched to the doore And vp they thrust the same And softly entred in And stole vpon the heauie prince That slumbring long had byn Yet wrought it not so well For all their théeuish pace But that king perceiude them when They came vnto the place Who mazed in his midde And chargde with sodaine feare To see these two suspected wights To prease in presence there Gate him vp with Lions rage From Cabbin where he slept And to his sworde for safegarde of His life and honour leapt But out alas the Quéene Had reft the weapon thence Which earst the Prince was wont to vse And weare for his defence The Ruffians that in rage For blood and mischiefe sought Bestowde their blowes vpon the kyng That no such practise thought And so bestirde themselues His weapons being bad As in a while they slue him there And so their purpose had Vnwist of any wight The murther was vnseene And knowne of none but of the two And of the cursed Queene When this deuise was wrought Ermigio out of hande Did seyze vpon the Pallace with Intent to rule the land And thought to wed the Quéene And so he did indeede Whereto the Quéene and all the rest That fauourde her agréede Imagine of their ioyes Whom filthie sinne did linke What pleasure they in kingdome tooke I leaue for you to thinke But sure in my conceite Where murther brings the wife There wealth is woe lust turnes to loath And liking growes to strife But turne I to my tale That plainly may appeare What hap befell and whether they Did buie their marriage deare The Lumbards paiute that Their king was fouly slaine And that by meane thereof they might Their purpose not aitaine But should bée forst to flee Or worser hap to haue By longer stay their chiefest goods And iewels for to saue Trusst vp in fardell wise And so conueide by stealth The Ladie Aluisenda thence And eke good store of wealth Who daughter to the king But lately murthred was Not by this wife but by the first Away the Lumbards passe Vnto Rauenna where As God and fortune woulde Longinus tho Licuetenant to Tyberius courte did holde Great Constantine his sonne Whose Empire stretched wide And vnder whom Longinus had In trust those Realines to guide This Captaine entertainde Them in good louing wise And did the greatest friendship vse That he mought well deuise It fortunde so at last The cause I wote not well Longinus to good liking of The Ladie Rosmonde fell Whose fausie grew so great Vnto the featurde wight As marrie out of hand he would To further his delight To bring this match about He practisde with the dame And gaue aduise that she shoulde take In hand a déede of shame The murther of the man That vsde her as his wife There was no choyce but shée must reaue Ermigio of his life The Quéene that cleane had cast The feare of God away And awe of men not weying what The world of her might say And thirsting for estate Whereto she hoapte to clime Preparde a poysoned drinke for him Against his bathing time And made in wise she gaue A holesome Gossups cup. Which he should finde excéeding good If he would drinke it vp Who hauing no distrust Of wife or diuelish drift With willing hands vnto his mouth The poysoned pot did lift And drank a gréedie draught His former heat to quell It was not long before the drinke Vnto his working fell VVhich when he felt to rage And boyle within his breast And knew himselfe vnto the death VVith venim vile possest He drew his desperate sworde In choler and despite And draue the Quéene to quaffe the rest And empt the vessell quite VVhich done at one selfe time Both he and eke his Quéene Did end their liues that hastners of King Albyons bane had béene Oue poysoned syrrupe slue This cursed couple tho VVhose beastly liues deserude so vile A death for lyuing so VVhich when Longinus heard And how that matters went The Ladie Aluisinda streight Vnto Tyberius sent And all her treasure eke That earst her fathers was VVithall Parradio who did ayde To bring these feates to passe Who heing there in place In eruell sort was slaine And ere he dyde was reft his eyes To put him more to paine Nullum peccatum impunitum Ogni peccato a morte a'l fin Ihuom meua The Lenuoy LO heere the fatall end of murther done Such blooddie factes deserue no better hyte 〈◊〉 the threede that of such wooll is spon Marke well their lot that mischtese doe conspire It lighthe doth vpon their heads retire And thâ—ie that are the workers of the deed Though long forborne at last no better speed See to reuenge when Rosmond once began Incenst there to vy wrath and deepe disdaine She could not stint by murther of a man Nor leaue although she saw her husoande slaine But thought she woulde attempt the like againe Her vise conceite was blinded all with blood She could not turne about to see the good Soldst once in sinne and washt in waues of ill She â—amsht ruth and pitie flong aside Yelding hey selâ—e to spoyle the flaughter still Whom she misukte should streight haue furehe dide 〈…〉 flames of wreake withyn her bowels fride 〈◊〉 being caid to hie and princelie state In foule attempts she could not want a mate Worth whyle to note how such as beare the sway And sit in seat of royall dignitie The righteous Gods without respect doe pay And plague them for their hellish crueltic With losse of honour liues and iolitie And such as are their ministers in ill Either gallowes eates or fatall sworde doth kill Crude'ltasta spesso in donna bella The Argument to the sixt Historie THE king of Thunise had a daughter faire Whose beauties brute through many countries ran This Lady was her fathers only heire Which made her loude and likt of eury man But most of all the king of Granate than Began to loue who for he was a king By little sute this match to cloth did bring The promise past betweene these noble states The rested nought but onlie her conuey In safetie home for feare of rouing mates Who would perhaps assault them by the way Wherefore the king Cicils pledge they pray Who gaue his word and Gantlet from his hand Not to be vext by any of his land Away they went the ships forsooke the shore And helde their couse to Granate warde amaine When sodeinly Gerbino who before Had lovde the Queen did his match 〈◊〉 VVith Galies came this royall prize to gaine The fight was fierce a cruell battaile
Alas I thinke to murther me would do thée little good Whom if you séeme to rue as I do hope you will In prayse of your good nature then my hand shall shew his skill Lo here in pawne of loue I vowe my selfe to thée A slaue a seruant and a friend till dying day to bée He vvisheth his dreames either longer or truer SHort is the day wherein I doe not thinke of thee And in the night amid my sleepe thy face deare dame I see The dreame delights me much it cuts my care away Me thinkes I kisse and clip thée oft the rest I blush to say Who happy then but I whilest sléepe and slumber last But who alas so much a wretch as I when sleepe is past For with the sliding sleepe away slips my delight Departing dreames doe driue away thy countnance out of sight And then in place of glee in glydes a crew of care My panting hart laments that I do féele my bed so bare For thou that wert the cause of comfort art not there And I poore silly wofull man in sobs the night do weare Then curse I cankred chance that made me dreame of thée And fansie fond that fed it selfe with dreames that fained bée Thus weares away the night consumde in carefull paine Those restlesse banners beating still vpon my busie braine Then drawes the dawning on I leaue my couch and rise In hope to find some pleasant toy that may content mine eyes But out alas I can not sée so faire a sight That can my heause hart relieue and daintie cies delight Each beautie that doth blaze each visage that I see Augments my care in causing me to long and looke for thee Thus waste I all the night in dreames without desire Thus driue I on my dayes in loue that scalds like scorching fire Yet well content therewith so that at my returne Thou pitie me who for thy sake with Cupids coles do burne I am the Turile true that sits vpon the trée And waile my woe without a make and onely wish for thée Vnable by long and hard trauell to banish loue returnes hir friend VVOunded with loue and piercing déep desire Of your faire face I left my natiue land With Russia snow to slacke mine English fire But well I sée no cold can quench the brand That Cupides coles enkindle in the brest Frost hath no force where friendship is possest The Ocean sea for all his featefull flood The perils great of passage not preuaile To banish loue the riuers do no good The mountains hie cause Cupid not to quaile Wight are his wings and fansie flies as fast As any ship for all his sailes and mast The riuer Dwina cannot wash away With all his waues the loue I beare to thée Nor Suchan swift loues raging heate delay Good will was graft vpon so sure a trée Sith tranaile then nor frost can coole this fire From Mosqua I thy frend wil home retire That he findeth others as faire but not so faithfull as his frend I Sundry sée for beuties glosse that with my mistresse may compare But few I finde for true good wil that to their frends so frendly are Looke what she saies I may assure my selfe thereof she wil not faine What others speake is hard to trust they measure all their words by gaine Her lookes declare her louing minde her countnance and her heart agrée When others laugh they looke as smooth but loue not halfe so wel as she The gréefe is hers when I am grypte my fingers ache is her disease With me though others mourne to sight yet are their hearts at quiet ease So that I marke in Cupids court are many faire and fresh to sée Each where is sowen dame beuties féede but faire and faithfull few there bée Trauailing the desert of Russia he complayneth to Eccho vvith request that she comfort his afflicted state YOu hollow hilles and vallies wide that wonted are to yelde againe The latter cause of louers cries resound and help me to complaine Repeate my piteous pensiue plaints recite my tale when I haue done Howle out ye hilles and let me heart my voice among your rockes to run It wil delight my dazed sprites when I report my mistresse name Amid my plaint to heare the hilles at euery call to call the same Good Eccho shew me thy good will is no man here but thou and I Take vp my tale as I lament and say Alas as I doe crie Was neuer man that did enioy a better dame then I haue done But now Alas she is alacke helpe Eccho helpe I am vndone Besides mine absence from her sight another doth possesse my place And of my haruest sheares the sheaues helpe Eccho helpe lament my case I know not when I shal returne or when to see that swéete againe For out alas she is away good eccho helpe to ease my paine But nought I sée it doth auaile thy talke encreaseth but my woe It irkes me to recite her name and misse the saint I honor so Wherefore sith bootlesse be complaints and clepings cannot right my case I bid thée Eccho here adew I will goe seeke to sée her face The face that Paris would haue chose if he had séene her in the mount Good faith the lady Venus had béen had as then in small account And as for Pallas and the third I meane the mighty Iunos grace I know right wel they would haue hid themselues and neuer prest in place For nature made hir not to match but to excéede and passe the rest Thrice happy he that can attaine her loue and to be liked best He craues his mistresse to accept his wryting being otherwise insufficient to vvinne good liking from her AS many are the meanes to fall in fancies frame So diuers be the driftes of men for to atchieue the same For some to winne their loues and purchase priuy grace With curious tonges like carpet knights doe pleade a fained case And all to please the eares and mate their mistresse minde Of this and that they tell their tales as they fit leasure finde Some other wanting chatte not hauing words at wil With nimble ioynts and fingering fine on Lutes doe shew their skil By sugred sound to winne their ladies to their loue With earnest care those wanton wights Apollos practise proue And such as skilfull are in daunsing doe desire To practise that whereby to sit their fronions harts on fire Whose breast is swéete to eare he straines his voice to sing The reby vnto his gréedy lust his mistresse minde to bring The martial man at armes to muster doth delight And loues to shew his helmed head before his Ladies sight In hope to purchase praise and after praise some grace For vvomen loue a valiant man that dares defend their case Thus each one doth attempt and puts the thing in â—re That fittest is to gaine good will so Faulkners vse the lure But I vnhappy wight that can doe nought of these How
treason that Iugurtha and the Iew Doest far excell and from thy friend withholdst thy fauour dew O traiterous of thy troth of all good nature bare Loe here of my poore wounded hart the gash cut in by care I sée thou séest my sore and yet thou wilt be blind Thou stopst thine eares and wilt not hear the griefs that I do find ¶ Where is become thy loue and ancient great good will That earst was borne where 's that desire that forst thée to fulfill Thy pleasures past with me in cabbin where we lay What is become of those delights where is that sugred play Where 's all that daliance now and profers proudly made Where 's those imbrasings friendly where is that blessed trade And signs of perfit loue which then thou putst in vre And which for any gift of mine mought yet right well endure ¶ Full shadowlike they shift and can no longer bide Like dust before the wind they flie your other mate doth guide And strikes so great a stroke he wrests your wits as round As flittering leaues that from the Ashe or pine are shaken dowue Full lightly womans loue is altred euermore It may not last there is exchange continually in store And reason For by kind a woman is but light Which makes that fansie from hir brest is apt to take hir flight ¶ I had good hope at first when hap did me assure To like of thée that this thy loue was planted to endure I neuer feard a fall on ground that lay so gréene Where path was plaine for me to passe and bottom to be seene I doubted no decay nor feard-no after smart Thy beautie did me not despaire thy lookes assured thy hart But who beléeues the lookes of any of your race May soone deceiue himselfe There lies no credite in the face Well fith thy froward mind doth like to heare my mone And mine vnhappy planet giues consent that I alone Without thy loue shall liue and lacke the lampe of light To cleare mine eies that far excels all other stars in sight Vnto the hawtie skies and people here below I will my griping griefs expresse and surge of sorowes show In hope that direfull death with dreadfull dart of force Will couch my carease in the graue and there conuey my corse Yet ere I die receiue this Swan-like song To ease my hart and shew thine open wrong O Wauering womans will that bends so soone about Why doest thou so reuolt in hast and shutst thy friend without Against the law of loue O thrise vnhappy hée That doth beléeue thy beauties beames and lookes of gallant glée For neither thraldom long that I poore wight abode Nor great good will by sundry signs and outward gesture shewed Had force to hold thy hart and kéep thée at a stay No good desart of mine might stop that would of force away Yet of this cruel lotte and fel mischance I finde Nor know no cause but that thou art sprong out of womans kind I iudge that Nature and the Gods that gouerne all Deuisde this wicked shameles secte to plague the earth withall A mischiefe for vs men a burden bad to beare Without whose match too happy we and too too blessed were Euen as the Beares are bread the Serpent and the Snake The barking Wolfe the filthy flie that noysome flesh doth make The stinking wéede to smell that growes among the graine Euen so I thinke the Gods haue made your race vs men to paine Why did not kinde foresée and nature so deuise That man of man without the help of woman mought arise As by the art of hande of apples apples spring And as the pearetrée graft by kind another peare doeth bring But if you marke it wel the cause is quickly seene It is for that thou Nature art a woman though a Quéene O dames I would not wish you peacocklike to looke Or puft with pride to vaunt that man of you his being tooke For on the bryar oft a gallant Rose doth grow And of a stincking wéde an herbe or floure fresh to shew Ye are excessiue proude stuft vp with stately spite Voyd of good loue of loyall trueth and all good counsel quite Rash cruel causlesse curst vnkinde without desert Borne onely for the scourge of him that beares a faithful hart I rather wish to die then liue a vassaile stil Or thrall my selfe vnto a dame that yeldes me no good wil. The wormes shal sooner féede vpon my happy hart Within my graue then I for loue of you wil suffer smart Adue déere dames the gastly ghostes of hel Shal plague your bones that gloze and loue not wel To his cruel mistresse GEue loosers leaue to speake let him that féeles the smare Without controlment tel his tale to ease his heauy hart To thée proude dame I poynt who like the beast of Nile By teares procurest thy frend to loue and flaiest him all the while By wéeping first to winne and after conquest made To spoyle with spite those yelding impes that follow Cupids trade Condemnes thy cancred kinde more glory were for thée To ransacke none but rebel harts and let the rest goe frée Kinde wist not what she wrought when she such beuty lent Vnto those gallant limmes of thine to monstrous mischiefe bent For either fowler face she would haue yelded thée Or better moode and milder minde to make remorse of me Thou bearest two burning brands below those browes of thine And I the brimstone in my brest which makes my hart to pine Eche lowring looke of yours Irets farther in my hart And nips me néerer then the force of any other dart And to increase my care thou makest thy beutie more An oyle God wotte vnto my fire no salue to case my sore If thou a woman were of ruth and due remorse Thou wouldst allow me loue and not so proudly plague my corse I sue for mercy now with hands lift vp on hie Which if I misse I am assurde within fewe dayes to die And if I may not haue the thing I would enioy I pray the Gods to plague thée as they did the dame of Troy I meane that Creside coy that linkt her with a Gréeke And left the lusty Troyan Duke of all his loue to séeke And so they wil I trust a mirror make of thée That beuties darlings may beware when they thy scourge shal sée I neuer meant thée wel in all my life before But now to plague thy foule abuse I hate thée ten times more For reason willes me so my frends to loue and serue And cruel Ladies like thy selfe to wish as they deserue Hencefoorth if any limme of mine perhap rebel And thée whom I of right should loth doe loue or fancie wel I quite renounce the same he shall no more be mine To vse or stand in stead then I doe purpose to be thine And thus I make an end of loue and lines at once The frounce consume the flesh of her that féedes vpon my bones
vvise thy iudgement good the thing will praise it self Qui nihil sperat nihil disperat ¶ The Authour here declareth the cause why hee wrote these Histories and forewent the translation of the learned Poet Lucan I Vndertooke Dan Lucans verse and raught hys horne in hand To sound out Caesars blooddy broiles and Pompeis puisant bande I meant to paint the haughtie hate of those two marshall men And had in purpose ciuill swords of rufull Rome to pen Of rufull Rome to penne the plagues when Caesar sought to raigne And Pompey pitying Countries spoyle would doe him downe againe I had begonne that hard attempt to turne that ferule soyle My bullocks were alreadie yokte and flatly fell to toyle Me thought they laboured meetlie well Tyll on a certaine night I gazde so long vpon my booke in bed by candle light Till heauy sleep sull slilie came and muffled so mine eye That I was forst with quill in hand in slumber downe to lie To whom within a while appeard Melpomene the Muse That to intreat of warlike wights and dreadfull armes doth vse Who me beheld with graue regard and countnance fraught with feare And thus the gastly Goddesse spake her wordes in minde I beare And art thou woxe so wilfull as thou seemest to outward eye Darste thou presume with ymped quilles so prowde a pitch to flie Remember how fonde Phaeton farde that vndertooke to guide Apollos charge by meane of which that wilfull wanton dide Eare thou doe wade so farre reuoke to minde to bedlam boy That in his forged wings of waxe reposed too great a ioy And soard so neare the scorching blaze of burning Phoebus brande As feathers failde and be fell short of what he tooke in hand In this thy hauty heart thou shewst too playne thy pryde appeares How durst thou deale in field affaires leaue off vnyoke thy Stéeres Let loftie Lucans verse alone a deed of deepe deuise A stately stile a peerelesse pen a worke of weightie pâ—â—ce More meete for noble Buckhurst braine where Pallas built her bowre Of purpose there to lodge her selfe 〈◊〉 and shew her princely powre His swelling vaine would better blase those Royall Romane peeres Than anyone in Brutus land that liude these many yeeres And yet within that little Isle of golden wittes is store Great change and choise of learned ymps as euer was of yore I none dislike I fancie some but yet of all the rest Sance enuie let my verdite passe Lord Buckurst is the best Wee all that Ladie Muses are Who be in nuber nine With one accord did blesse this babe each said This ympe is mine Each one of vs at time of birth with Iuno were in place And each vpon this tender childe bestowd her gist of grace My felse amonge the moe alowde him Poets praised skill And to commend his gallant verse I gaue him wordes at will Minerâ—a â—uid him on her lappe and let him many a kisse As who would say when all is done they all shall yeeld to this This matter were more meet for him and farre vnfit for thee My sister Clio with thy kinde doth best of all Agree Shee deals in case of liking loue her lute is set but lowe And thou werte wonte in such deuise thine humour to bestow 1. As when thou toldest the Shepheards tale that Mantuan erst had pend 2. And turndst those letters into verse that louing Dames did send Vnto their liugring mates that fought at sacke and siege of Troy 3 And as thou didst in the writing of thy songs of sugred ioy 4 Mancynus vertues fitterore for thee to take in hande Than glitering gleaues and weak full warres that all on slaughter stand The Giants proud aspiring pompe when they so fondly strove And hopde with helpe of heaped hills to conquere mightie Ioue Is not for euery wit to wield the weight too heauy weare For eury Poet that hath wrote in auncient age to beare Vnless that Lucan Virgill or the great renowmed Greeke Would vndertake those boysteous broiles the rest are all to seeke Each slender ship that heares a saile and flittes in quiet flood Is not to brooke the byllowe when the rooryng teas be wood Alcydes slippers are too wide for euery wretch to weare Not euery childe can Atlas charge vpon hys shoulders beare Not euery dick that dares to drawe a sworde is Hectors paere Not euery woodman that doth shoote hath skill to chose his Deere No beast can match the lions might his force is ouer fell Though euery little starre doe shine yet doth the Sunne excell Not euery bryer or tender twigge is equall to the Pyne Nor euery Prelate that can preache is thought a déepe deuine Not euery fish that flittes amyd the floud with feeble finne Is fellowe to the Delphine swifte when he doth once beginne The peeuishe puttocke may not preace in place where Eagles are For why their kingly might excéedes their puissance passeth farre All which I speake to let thée wyte that though thou haue some skill Yet hast thou not sufficient stuffe this Authors loome to fill Too slender is thy féeble twiste thy webbe is all too weake Before thy worke be halfe dispatchte no doubte thy warpe will breake Wherefore renounce thy rash deuice thy yéelding force I knowe And none so well as I can iudge the bente of Lucans bowe Thinke of the toade in Aesops tale that sought to matche the Bull For highnesse and did burst at length his bowels were so full So thou vnlesse hou take good héede translating Lucans warre Shalt spoyle thy Lute stroy thy strings in straining them too farre I héere aduise and eke commounde that thou no farther goe Laye dawne thy Lute obey my will for sure it shall be so With that my orousie slumber fledde my senses came againe And I that earst was vrownde in dreames behelde the Godâ—â—e playne Whose frouning phrase spitefull speach bad daunted so my witte As for my life I wiste not howe to shape an aunswere fitte Each worde me thought did wound me so eache looke did lurche my barâ—e Eache sentence bredde my sorroiâ—es such eache lyne was like a darte But yet at laste with manly minde and mouth vnfraught of feare Vnto this loftie learned Muse these wordes I vttred there O noble Impe and daughter deare to mightie Ioue his grace It much relieues my weakened wittes to see thy heauenly face For which ten thousand thanks I yelde thée heere with bended knee And counte my selfe the blessedst man aliue thine eyes to sée Thy presence makes me to presume thou holdst me verie deare But out alas thy wordes were such as I was lothe to heare Controlements came froÌ„ hanghtie breast for that I vndertooke With English quill to turne the verse of learned Lucans booke And shall I Lady be unflykâ—c to take in hande a déed By which vnto my â—atiue sayâ—â— aduantage may succéedrâ—â— By which the ciuill swordes of Rome and mischiefes done thereby May be a myrront vnto vs the like
beare the Of Lombards chunst to light In Italy and there Two hundred yéeres and somewhat more The only rule did beare Throughout that realme which we Now Lombardie do call Vntill such time as Charles the Great Had dispossest them all And draue them theuce by force And meane of knightly might What time I say it was their lot In Italy to light One Alboine was their chiefe A man of monstrous wit And valiant in the feate of armes For martiall practise sit This Alboin ere his came To Italy had slain Ring Cunimundus and bereft Hina of his princely raigne And not content with death Nor hauing helly full Of noble blood cut off his bead And of the clouen skull Did make a quaffing cup Wherein he tooke delight To bouse at boorde in token of His pompe and former fight This Cunimundus had A daughter passing faire Rosmunda hight that was his ioy And should haue bene his heire If he had kept his crowne And not bene conquered so But being slayne his daughter was A captiue to his foe This Captaine kept her thrall And ment it all her life Till loue at last this Lumbard forst To take her to his wife When marriage day was past And he to battell fell And conquering of Italie He loude his wife so well As she might neuer parte But like a warlike dame She euer logde in open campe Where so her husband came Who sundrie cities tooke And conquerde many a towne By force of sworde and Lyonlike Went ramping vp and downe Vntill at length he came To Pauoy where of olde As in the chiefest place of all The kings their courte did holde When full thrée yéeres and more This Lumbarde there had layne Vnto Verona he remoude With all his princely trayne And presently preparde A solemne banket there To seast his frendes and others that Of his retinue were Amids which princely cheere And royall feast the king Did will the wayter on his cup That he to boorde should bring The mazare that was made Of Cunimundus head And hauing it in presence there Where he with wyne were sped Or else by malice moude I wote neare what to thinke But hauing it in place he gaue His Quéene the cuppe to drinke The cuppe her fathers skull O wilfull witlesse acte Which no man well aduisde would do But one that were distracte The Quéene perceiuing this In mockage to be ment Of Alboyne as it was in déede And sawe his lewde entent And how he skofte the king Her father in the same Was stuft with raging rancour streight And blusht for verie shame In sorte that all hir loue Which she had borne before Vnto her husbande grewe to hate She loathde him tenne times more Than euer she had loude Or fansted any wight And thereupon resolude to doe A mischiefe if she might And to reuenge by death Of Alboyne monstrous man Her father Cunimundus bloud Loe here the broyle began For Rosmonde all in rage Consulted with a péere Ermigio calde a courtly wighte This noble man to stéere To murther of the Prince I leaue her wordes vnpende This noble hearing whereunto Her long discourse did tende Declarde the Quéene his mynde And vttred his conceite And said Parradio was the man That must dispatche the feate Without whose helpe quoth he I wote neare what to say I thinke him such a one as dares Such ventrous parts to play Your grace were best to proue If he consent you shall Not fayle of me but stande assurde To haue me at a call Forthwith the Quéene did cause Parradio to appeare Who after sundrie offers made And wordes of courtly cheare To moue him to the spoyle Of Alboyn thus replyde In vayne your grace doth goe aboute To haue the king destroyde By these my giltlesse handes That day shall neuer be I truste the world shall neuer proue So foule a fact by me As to procure the death And murther of the king Of treason vile to haue a thought To practise such a thing Leaue off your lewde entente Or séeke some other wight To worke your feate I neuer yet In slaughter tooke delight The Ladie hearing this Hnd hauing earnest zeale To worke her will reiecting shame Bethought her howe to deale There did at selfe same time Vpon the Quéene awayte A proper wenche of comely grace Full fitte to make a bayte To take such louing woormes And hang them on the hooke Whose greatest pleasure is vpon A courtly dame to looke This gallant likte her glee Her gesture and her face And by deuice did bape at last To purchace priuie grace Meane whyle the subtile Quéene That found this louers haunt And knew he daily plyde her mayde Thereby to make her graunte And yelde him his desire Thus thought it best to worke In selfe same place where they did méete In secrete sorte to lurke As though it were the wenche With whome he would debate And so perhaps she might both checke And giue the foole a mate Which hapned so in déede For on a certaine day The Quéene to compasse this her crafte Put on her maydes aray And in the wonted place Where they did vse to talke Bestowde her self When night was come Forth gan this gallant walke And to the standing came Where lay this lodged doe Whome he had thought to be the mayde But it was nothing so Streight he in wonted wyse As custome was of yore Pronounste his painted termes of loue And flattred moâ—â— and more Bewraying all his thoughtes And ripping vp his harte Vnto the wenche for so he deemde And playde the Louers parte Ten thousande wordes he spake And tending all to loue Whome after all his long discourse The Quéene did thus reproue Parradio doest thou knowe With whome thou standest here Who thus replyde in louing wyse Yea that I doe my deare And namde the selfe same mayde Who was his friende in déede With whom he had conferrde of loue In great good hope to spéede What sir you are beguilde I am not she you wéene No seruing mayde assure thy selfe I am quoth she a Quéene And Rosmond is my name Nowe doe I knowe thy minde And priuie am to all thy guyle Thou shalt be sure to fynde Of me a mortall foe Nowe make thy choyce of twayne Where thou wilt spoyle the king my spouse Or thou thy selfe be slayne For this outrage of thine Which thou hast done to me Leaue off delayes dispatche with spéede It may nane other be Parradio hearing this And pondring in his thought To howe extreme a poynt by wyle Of Rosmond he was brought Resolude to slay the Prince And ridde him of his lyfe And for the better working of His feate did vse the wyfe The diuelish Queenes deuise And Don Armigios ayde And in this sorte these wicked folkes The cruel pageant playde The king as custome was Because the day was hotte To take a nappe at after noone Into his chamber gotte Where being softely layde The place was voyded strayte And eurte groome
With ioynt consent of many moe Tooke armes against the king To bid him battaile out of hand Their Souldiers they did bring Within the tyrants countrie boundes And did possesse the land That bordred on the citie which This monster held in hand There making stout and strong defence Against the Princes powre From whence they might with ease assail And eke the foe deuoure And to increase their might the more All such as fled for feare From Elyesus ioynde their bandes And were vnited there So that the whole assembled rout Vnto an armie grew So many were those banisht men That from their countrie flew Wherwith the Tyrant gan to quake And tremble verie much For why this battaile that did grow His state did greatly touch The hammers beate within his brains As on a smithes forge He wist not how to void the foe Or troubles to disgorge That on his backe were like to light At length he thus bethought That hauing all their wiues and babes Who all the mischiefe wrought In prison closely vnder key He hopte he mought with ease Deuise a meane the malice of His enemies to appease Not by entreatie but by force For so his cankred minde Was bent to rigour as of course It is the Cyrants kinde Wherefore vpon a day he went Vnto the prison where The sillie captiue Ladies lay With countnance full of feare With glowing eies withbended browes And angrie Lions looke Commanding those whose husbands earst Their natiue soyle forsooke To write their letters out of hand And spéede a poast away With earnest sute vnto the men From farther force to stay And do their wrathful weapons down Thus wild he them to write This was the summe that he would haue Those women to endite Which of you do refuse quoth he To complish by and by Be sure those eluish brattes of yours And puling babes shall die And more than that you mothers you Shall not be clere exempt Of torment but the duly scurgde For penance of contempt The women aunswerd not a word VVhich chaft the tyrant sore VVho being thus to choller movde Bid them delay no more Nor trifle but resolue vpon The matter out of hand If not they shoulde his princely power And pleasure vnderstand The Ladies doubtfull what to say Vpon ech other gazde As who would say they feared not But somowhat were amazde There was by chance amongst the rest One wife a worthie dame Temoliont her husband hight Megesten was her name VVho for the honour of her spouse A man of good discent And her good vertues farre before Those other matrons went One whom the rest did reuerence much And honor for her wit This Ladie whilst the tyrant talkt VVith sober grace did sit And neuer modde her selfe a whit But causde the others eke To doe the like who when the Prince Had done his tale gan speake Not honoring the king at all And thus the Ladie sed O Aristo timus hadst thou Had iudgement in thy hed Or any wisedome in thy brest Thou wouldst not thus entice Or goe about to make vs write Our letters of aduice Vnto our husbands teaching them How they should doe and deale In case concerning good estate Of this our common weale Farre fitter had it béen for thée Vs matrons to haue sent In message vsing better termes To further thine intent And better order in thy déedes Thaâ— thou hast done of late I meane the time when we were staide Euen at the castle gate At point to issue out of towne Thou mockdst vs there in déede Full greatly to thy taynte and shame But now that things preceede Against thée as thou knowste no meane To scape the present doubt If now I say by meane of vs In spéech thou goe about Our husbands to begile as vs In déedes thou hast before I tell thee plaine thou art deceidde Thou scanste without thy score That they be not encrapt againe Wée women will beware I would not wish thou shouldst furmise That we such Asses are Or sotted so as seeking wayes To ayde and saue our selues From paine of prison and to ease Our little apish elues We would aduise out husbands to Despise their countrie wealth Whose fréedome dearer ought to be Than any womas health The lesse were light though we decay That babes and women be And better were our husbands should Vs all in cofyn see Than they should vnreuenged goe Or die without the foyle Of him that seekes to murther men And worke his countrie spoyle This Ladie would haue further gon And tolde the processe out Saue that the Tyrant grew in rage And gastly lookt about Vnable longer to endure The force of furious rage Go sirra goe in poste and fetche Quoth he vnto his page This desperate dames vnhappie babe And ere I parte this place I will destroy and slay the some Before the mothers face Whilste thus the Page in message sent Went seeking here and there Among the other boyes this dame A Ladie voyde of feare Had spide anon her little impe Come hither come quoth she My prettie elfe yet rather I My selfe will murther thee With friendly mothers forced hande And reaue thy limmes of life Than euer with thy bloud thou shalte Imbrewe a butchers knife Which speach of hers so spitefull was And nipe the King so nye As he in furie farther sette Did sweare the dame should die And therewithall set haud to sworde To let the Ladie blood That readie there to brooke his force Before his presence stood And died doubtles there shée had And caught a sodaine clappe To set her packing saue there was A friend of his by happe One Cylo whom he déerly loude That held the Princes arme And was the cause by â—ay thereof The Lady had no harme This Cylo he was one of them Who ment to flay the king With helpe of good Ellanycus They had deuisde the thing Long earst betwixt themselues for why They could no longer byde This cruell monsters bluddie hande And stomacke stuft with pride This sage appeasde the Priuces wrath Who hauing throughly made A truce betwixt his rage and him And causde him sheathe his blade Perswaded that it yll became And was a brutish thing For him that was a noble peere Yea such a puisant King To bathe his blade in womans bloud The conquest was vnfitte For such as in the like estate And royall roome did sitte Within a while that this was done A marueilous happe befell To Aristotimus that did This tyrants death foretell For being with his Quéene in bed In daliauce and delight His seruants going to their meate An Egle sawe in sight That made vnto the Pallacewarde As fast as shée mought flie This vggly Egle came am 〈◊〉 And soaring in the skie Iust ouergainst the very place Somewhat beside the hall Where lay the Prince from out her foote The foule a stone let fall And presently vpon the déed Away apace did flie Quite out of sight and as she went Shée gaue a
cruell crye Whereat the seruants meruelld much And made so great a dyn As therewithall the king awoke That had in slumber byn His seruants tolde him what they saw And how the rase did stande He all in poast vpon reporte Sent horsemen out of hand For one that was a déepe deuine In whom he did affye To shewe the case to heare his minde And what was ment thereby The Prophet made him answere thus O puisant Prince quoth be Disgorge thy care abandon feare Let nothing trouble thée Pluck vp thy manly harte for Ioue Doth tender thine estate And makes a speciaâ—â—re of thée The Egle that of late Thy seruants sawe his herald is Whom he in message sent To shew thée that the mightie God Is very greatly bent To ayde thy force against thy foes Who long with murthring knife To spoyle theyr countrie of their king And reaue the Princes life But boldly this presume that God Himselfe will stand with thée Gainst such as séeke thy death and who Thy mortall enemies bée The tale this cunning Calcar tolde Did ease the tyrants brest Of diuers doubtes wherewith he was By Egles meane opprest Hée soundly slepte not doubting death Nor fearing ciuill sworde But marke the end and what it was To trust a Prophets worde For hereupon the men that ment The murther of the king Ellanicus and all his mates Thought good to doe the thing Which they pretended out of hande Not making longer stay And so among themselues eft soone Concluded on the day That followed next to worke the feate And bring their drifte to passe And that selfe night Ellanicus As he in slumber was Dreamte that the elder of his sonnes Whom earst the tyrant flewe Presented him before his face With wordes that here ensue Why sléepe slugge you father deare VVhy doe you linger so That you to morowe shall subdue Doe you as yet not know And reaue this citie from the king VVho now enioyes the same Departe your pillow father mine And balke your bed for shame Wherewith Ellanycus reliude And hoping then in déede Of happie lucke in breake of day Sought out his crewe with spéede That were confedered in the facte Perswading them to caste All dread aparte and slat to fall Vnto their feate at laste And at the selfe same time the king As hapte a vision had That fed him with assured hope And made him passing glad This dreame presented to his thought That with a mightie trayne Craterus came to take his parte Resistance was in vayne There was no cause why he should care But be of courage stoute For that Craterus had beset Olympia rounde about This vision vayne of good successe Did so assure the king As in the dawning timely hée Not dreading any thing Departes the Pallace voyde of awe With whom there only went That Câ—lo which was one of those That all this mischief ment By one and one his other men Did followe somewhat slacke Which when Ellanycus perceiude How hée his trayne did lacke The time it fitted finely then The season séemed good Vnto this auncient foe of his To let this tyrant blood Without the giuing any signe For so deuisde he had VVith such as were his fellow friendes But being very glad Vp lifteth he his aged armes Vnto the azurde skies And with the lowdest voyce he could Vnto his mates he cryes VVhy doe you loyter valiant laddes And men of great renowne To doe so worthy déede as this Amid your noble towne VVhich worde us soner spoken was But Cylo first of all Set hand to sword and drewe it out And slewe me therewithall First one of those that issued with The tyrant him to garde VVho so should take a tyrants parte Deserues the like rewarde Then after that when Cylo thus The matter had begunne Lampydio and Trasybule VVith all their force did runne Vpon the monster fully bent Him out of hand to slay VVho then began to trust his legges For why he ran his way To scape the danger of his death And to the temple fled Of Iupiter the mightie God In hope to saue his hed But heathen gods mought nothing help His enemies were so hote As him amid the sacred Church With shining swordes they smote And there bereft him of his life That well deserude to dye And after dragde him blooddy thence In open stréete to lye There lay his loathsome tarkasse slaine For euery man to vewe The people did reioyce at harte For fréedome gotte anewe So glad were neuer hungrie houndes Pursuing of the hare To fasten on the fearefull beast Each dogge to haue his share As were the subiects eger then The tyrant to pursue With hatefull blood of such a beast Their wepons to imbrew Whilst thus the folkes debating stood Of matter hapt so late Ech wife began to gaze about And prie to finde her mate For now the banisht men were come Vnto the towne againe To tell the mirth at méeting the I thinke it were in vaine For as their care was common earst Whilst he the realme did gide So semblant was their ioy no doubt When such a monster dyde This done the people gan to preace Vnto their Pallaceward But ere they came how matters went The quaking Quéene had hard And of the flaughter of her King Full beauie newes God wot Wherefore mistrusting what would hap Eftsoone her selfe she got Into a priuie counting house Where to escape their force About a beame shée hting a shéete And strangled so her corse A dolefull case that any dame That was a Princes wife Should for her husbands sake be forst To rid herselfe of life But yet of both more happy she Than was her husband slaine For ventrously shée put her selfe To death not dreading paine But he the captiue cowardlike To Ioue for succour ran And tooke the temple like a wretch And dide not like a man But turne we to our tale againe The tyrant by this Quéene Two daughters had the fairest wights That lightly mought be séene And ripe in yéeres to match with men Who hauing heard report How that their father murthred was In such a cruell sort In minde to void the furious foes As virgins full of feare Conuaide themselues into a vawte To stay in safetie there But they that sought so many were And pryed so well about As in the seller where they lay They found the maidens out Whom thence without delay they drew And whet their eger knyues As fully bent 〈◊〉 men mought be To reaue the Ladies liues But there by hap Megesten was Of whom we spake before At whose entreatie and the sute Of other matrones more Those noble Nymphs wer tho forborn For thus Megesten said To such as sought to doe the déede In slaying of a maid You do the thing that Butchers hearts Would neuer vndertake Good faith it were a shamefull fact So vile a spoile to make As file your sisters with virgins blood Against your manly kinde Let gréedie lust to be
might I doe or what deuise my mistresse minde to please Where neither tongue can talke nor finger frame with Lute Nor footing serue to dauner alas how should I moue my sute Not pleasant is my voice vnable to delight I can doe nought vnlesst it be with pen to shew my plight I only can in verse set out a dame to showâ— And on a wel deseruing frend a frendly praise bestow Thus must I hunt for loue wherefoe good Lady then In lieu of other finer skilles accept my ragged pen. Let me by writing win what others doe by arte And during life you shal assure you of a louing hart No vertue shal be lodgde within your curteous brest But I wil blaze the same abroad as brauely as the best And as for beuties praise I wil procure that fame Shal sound it out so loud that all the world shal read thy name So as by louing me you shal haue loue againe And eke the harts of thousands me for you good wil attaine I neuer was mine owne sith first 〈◊〉 your face Nor neuer wil but euer yours if you wil rue my case The meane is best THe fire doeth frye the frost doeth fréese the colde bréedes care the heate doeth harme The middle point twixt both is best nor ouer-cold nor ouer-warme I dreame it not the happy life the néedie beggers bag to beare Ne yet the blessed state of all a mightie Kaisars crowne to weare That one is cloied with sundry cares and dies ten thousand times a day That other still in danger goes for euery traitors hand to flay The highest hill is not the place whereon to build the stately bower The deepest bale it is as ill for lightly there doth rest the shower The failing ship that kéepes the shore vpon the rocke is often rent And he that dentures out too farre and tries the stream with waues is hent For there the winâ— doth worke his will there Neptunes churlish imps â—o raign The middle way is safe to saile I mean the mean betwixt the twain So that the meane is best to choose not ouer hie nor ouer lowe Wherfore if you your safetie loue imbrace the meane let mounting goe To his friend Edward Dancie of Deceit DAncie deceit is rifer now a day Then houest dealing vertue is but vile I sée dissembling beares the bell away Craft hath a cloke to couer all his guile And vnderneath the same a knife doth lurke When time shall serue a shamefull spoile to worke Each man almost hath change of faces now To shift at pleasure when it may auaile A man must giue no credit to the browe The smoothest smiling friend will soonest faile No trust without a triall many yéeres All is not gold that glistringly appeeres Who so shall make his choice vpon a man To loue and like must warily looke abouâ— A faithfull friend is like a coleblacke Swan We may not trust the painted sheath without Vnlesse good lucke continue at a stay Farewell thy friends like foules they flie away Of the right noble L. VVilliam Earle of Pembroke his death THough betters pen the praise of him that earned fame Yet pardon men of meaner skill if they attempt the same Good will may be as great in simple wits to write In commendation of the good as heads of déeper sight Wherfore among the rest that rue this Earles want My selfe will set my Muse abroach although my vaine be scant This Realme hath lost a lampe that gaue a gallant show No stranger halfe so strange to vs but did this Noble know His vertues spred so farre his worthy works so wide That forrain princes held him déere where so he was imploid Whose wit such credite won in countrey seruice still That Enuie could not giue the checke nor rancor reaue good will He euer kept the roume that prince and fortune gaue As curteous in the countrey as in court a Courtier braue To low and meanest men a lowly mind he bore No hawtie hart to stoute estates vnlesse the cause were more But than a Lions hart this dreadfull Dragon had In field among his foes as fierce as in the Senate sad Had Pallas at his birth for Pembroke done hir best As nature did then Pembroke had surmounted all the rest For though that learning lackt to paint the matter out What case of wright so weightie was but Pembroke brought about By wit great wealth he wonne by fortune fauour came With fauor friends and with the friends assurance of the same Of Princes euer praisd aduaunst and staid in state From first to last commended much in honors stoole he sate Beloued of Henry well of Edward held as déere A doubt whether sonne or father loued him best as might appéere Quéene Mary fele a want If Pembroke were away So greatly she affied him whilest the did beare the sway And of our péerelesse Quéene that all the rest doth passe I néed not write she shewd hir loue whose Steward Pembroke was Sith such a noble then by death our daily foe Is reft this realme why do we not by teares our sorowes show Why leaue we to lament why kéepe we in our cries Why do we not powre out our plaints by condites of the eies Our noble prince our péeres both poore and rich may rue And each one sorow Pembroke dead that earst him liuing knew Yt ioy in one respect that he who liued so hie In honors seat his honor saued and fortunde so to die Which stocke of noble state sith cruell death hath reft I wish the branches long to bud that of the roote are left And prosper so aliue as did this noble trée and after many happy dayes to die as well as hée Finding his Mistresse vntrue he exclaimeth thereat SVnne cease to shine by day restraine thy golden beames Let starres refuse to lend their light let fish renounce the streames Sea passe thy kindly bounds set ebbe and flood aside Brasse leaue to grow yet gallant plants depart with all your pride Bend Tyber backe againe and to thy spring returne Let firie coles begin to fréeze let I se and water burne Wolues leaue to slay the Lambs hounds hunt the Hare no more Be friend to foules ye hungry haukes whom ye pursude before For kind hath altred course the law that nature set Is broken quite hir orders skornd and bands in sunder fret Loue is accounted light and friendship forced nought My selfe may well proclaime the same that loue hath dearly bought I fortund once to like and fansie such a dame As sundry serud but none atchieud hir feature wan hir fante Long sute and great desnet with triall of my truste Did make hir fansie me againe she found me persâ—â— iust But ere I felt the blisse that louers do attaine I bode a thousead ecuâ—ll ficâ— ten thousand kinds of paine Till ruth by reason grew and rigor layd apart On me she did bestow hir loue that best deserued hir hart Then mirth gan counter prise the
almost the simplest wil Both geue a checke and eke a mate by practise comes their skil Againe the dice as fast the poorest roges of all Wil sit them downe in open field and there to gaming fall Their dice are very small in fashion like to those Which we doe vse he takes them vp and ouer thumbe he throwes Not shaking themâ—a whit they cast suspiciously And yet I déeme them voyd of arte that dicing most apply At plaxe when siluer lackes goes saddle horse and all And each thing els worth siluer walkes although the price be small Because thou louest to play frend Parker otherwhile I wish thée there the weary day with dicing to beguile But thou were better farre at home I wist it wel And wouldst béen loath among such loutes so long a time to dwel Then iudge of vs thy frends what kind of life we had That néere the frozen pole to wast our weary dayes were glad In such a sauage soyle where lawes doe beare no sway But all is at the King his wil to saue or els to slay And that saunce cause God wot if so his minde be such But what meane I with kings to dealt we ought no Saints to touch Conceaue the rest your selfe and déeme what liues they leade Where lust is law and subiectes liue continually in dread And where the best estates haue none assurance good Of lands of liues nor nothing falles vnto the next of bloud But all of custome doeth vnto the Prince redowne And all the whole reuenue comes vnto the king his crowne Good faith I sée thée muse at what I tel thée now But true it is no choyce but all at Princes pleasure bowe So Tarquine ruled Rome as thou remembrest well And what his fortune was at last I know thy selfe canst tell Where will in common weale doth beare the onely sway And lust is law the prince and realme must néeds in time decay The strangenesse of the place is such for sundry things I sée As if I would I cannot write each priuate point to thée The cold is rare the people rude the prince so full of pride The realm so stord with monks nunnes and priests on euery side The maners are so Turkylike the men so full of guile The women wanton temples stuft with idols that destle The seats that sacred ought to be the customs are so quaint As if I would describe the whole I feare my pen would faint In summe I say I neuer saw a prince that so did raigne Nor people so beset with Saints yet all but vile and vaine Wild Irish are as ciuil as the Russies in their kind Hard choice which is the best of both each bloodie rude and blind If thou be wise as wise thou art and wilt be rulde by mée Liue still at home and couet not those barbarous coasts to sée No good befals a man that seekes and finds no better place No ciuil customs to be learnd where God bestowes no grace And truly ill they do deserue to be beloued of God That neither loue nor stand in awe of his assured rod. Which thogh be long yet plagues at last the vile and beastly sort Of sinfull wights that all in vice do place their chiefest sport Adieu friend Parker if thou list to know the Russies well To Sigismundus booke repaire who all the truth can tell For he long earst in message went vnto that sauage king Sent by the Pole and true report in each respect did bring To him I recommend my selfe to ease my pen of paine And now at last do wish thée well and bid farewell againe To his friend Nicholas Roscarock to induce him to take a wife ROscarocke sith my raging prime is past And riper age with reasons learned lore Well staied hath my wits that went so saft And coold the heat that hent my brest of yore I cannot choose but write some solemne stuffe For thée to read when thou art in thy ruffe I sée thée muse what should the matter be Whereof I meane to treate thou bitest thy lip And bendst thy browe as though I were not he That had a tricke my Cornish friend to trip Well to be short it toucheth mariage vow An order which my selfe haue entred now A sacred yoke a state of mickle praise A blessed band belikt of God and man And such a life as if in former dayes I had but knowen as now commend I can Good faith I would not wasted so my prime In wanton wise and spent an idle time An idle time as sundry gallants vse I meane my London mates that tread the stréete And golden wits with fond conceits abuse And base deuises farre for such vnméet Leauing the law and casting bookes aside Wherby in time you mought your countries guide Your daily practise is to beat the bush Where beauties birds do lodge themselues to lie You shoote at shapes and faces deare a rush And bend your bowes your féeble strengths to trie Of closure you somtimes do common make And where you list abroad your pleasures take You count it but a game to graffe the horne That inward growes and seldom shewes without The silly man you skoffe and laugh to skorne And for his pacience déeme him but a lout By day you gaze vpon your Ladies lookes By night you gad to hang your baited hookes Thus do you lauish frolike youth away With idle words not woorth a parched pease And like to wanton colts that run astray You leape the pale and into euery lease Where fitter far it were to marry wiues And well disposd to lead more sober liues Reuolt in tyme least time repentance bring Let each enioy his lawfull wedded mate Or else be sure your selues in time shall sing The selfesame note and rue your harmes too late For commonly the wrong that we entend Lights on our heads and shoulders in the end Perhaps thou wouldst as willing wedded be As I my selfe and many other moe But that thou canst no perfit beautie sée For which thou wilt thy single life forgoe Both yoong faire with wealth goods thou séekst Such one she is whom thou Roscarocke léekst Be rulde by me let giddy fansie go Imbrace a wife with wealth and coyne enough Force not the face regard not feature so And aged grandame that maintains the plough And brings thée bags is woorth a thousand peates That pranck their pates liue by Spanish meates That one contents hir self with now and than Right glad if she might sit at Venus messe Once in the moneth the youthfull Damsell can Not so be pleasd hir rage must haue redresse As oft as pleasure pricks hir lims to lust Els all the matter lies amid the dust Wherfore I iudge the best and wisest way Were wife to wed and leaue to range at will In maried life there is assured stay Where otherwise to follow euery Gill Bréeds wracke of wealth of credit ease and blisse And makes men run their races quite