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
had beheld She watred straight her eyes And out alasse to Stramba and Lagina lowde she cries The louers left the déep discourse And to the place they runne Where as so late this chaunce befell And deadly déed was done Ariuing there and sinding dead The weauer in the grasse And more than this perceiuing how His body swollen was And séeing all his face bespaugde With spots as black as cole And that in all the body was Not any member whele Then Stramba cried out aloude Oh vile vnthriftie wench what hast thou done why hast thou giuen Thy friend a poysoned drench What meanst thou by this déed of thine Which words were spoke so hie That all the neighbours heard the same That were the dwellers by And in they pressed all in hast Into the garden where The showte was made and being come They found the body there Both void of life and fouly swolue An valy sight to sée And finding Stramba shedding teares And blaming her to be The only cause of Pasquines death The wench vnable eke For verie griefe of heart a worde In her defence to speake Though shée in déed were not the cause Yet they that came to view Did apprehend the girle and thought That Strambas wordes were true When thus the wench arested was Shée wrong and wept a pace And so from thence was brought before The common Iudge his face Vnto the pallace where hée dwelt The maidens accusers were Excéeding earnest in the case Both Stramba that was there With Pasquine as his faithfull friend And other moe beside That came into the garden when The faithfull virgin cride And hereupon the Iustice fell To question of the fact Debating with the witnesses Who hauing throughlie rackt The matter and not finding her As giltte of the déede Nor any proofe of malice that Might from the maide procéede As touching murther of the man Hée thought it good to stay His iudgement and himselfe to goe Where dead the carkasse lay To view the partie and the place To beace the matter out For all the other euidence Might not remoue the doubt Within his head the Iudge conceivde In this so strange a case The men that knew the garden brought The Iustice to the place Where Pasquines carkasse puffed lay And strouting in such wise As made the Iudge himselfe am azde Hée could not well deuise How such a mischiefe might bée done Which made him aske the maide Symona how the murther hapt To whom the virgin said Renowmed Iustice after talke Betwixt this man and me Hée stept aside vnto the bed Of Sage that here you sée And with a leafe thereof he rubd His gummes as I do nowe And therewithall shée tooke a leafe To shew the Iustice how Her friend had done and this quoth she He did and died than Whereat this Stramba and the rest That records were began To scorne and laugh in presence of The Iudge and earnestly Made sute that fire might bée fet Wherein the wench to trie To féele the penance of her fact Which like a wicked wretch She had deuisde shée earned death That would her friend dispatch The virgin wofull for the death Of him that latelie died And fearefull at the earnest sute Which Stramba made beside Thus hauing rubd her tender iawes With Sage before them all Without suspect of such mishap Bereft of life did fall Vnto the ground where Pasquine lay And in like sort did swell From louely lookes to loathsome limmes A monstrous chaunce to tell And thus to shew the meane how earst Her louer lost his breath This sillie giltlesse wench her selfe Euen there did die the death O happy soules whose hap it was In one ielfe day to laue So faithfully and in selfe day The pangs of death to proue And happter had you both ybin If you had had the grace Some other where to spent the time And not within that place But farre more blessed are yée nowe If in this death of yours You loue ech other as in life Your likings did endure But thou Symona happiest art For ending so thy dayes If we that liue may iudge aright And yeeld the dead their praise VVhose innocent and giltlesse ghost Dame Fortune did denie By Strambas false surmised proofs VVithout iust cause to die I count thée treble blest of God For Fortune found I say A meane for thée by selfe same death That rid thy friende away To set thee frée from misreports And slaunder that did growe And gaue thée leaue by losse of life Vnto thy loue to goe The Iudge that saw this sodain chance And all others eke That present were amazed stood And wist not what to speake Or to comecture in the cace The wisest tongues were domme At last the Iudge as soone as hée Was to his senses comme Thus said by this it doth appeare The Sage that here you sée Infected is and venim strong Though Sage by nature be A very soneraigne holesome hearbe The proofe hath made it plaine But for because we will be sure It shall not hurt againe Do delue it vp and burne it here It may offend no more The Gardner therewithall was come Who digd it vp before The Iudge and all the standers by He had not parde the ground Farre in but that the cause of both Those louers banes he founde For vnderneath this bed of Sage The fellow that did dig Turnd vp a toade a loathsome sight A worme excéeding big The toade was of a monstrous growth Then euery man could tell And iudge the cause of that mishap Which both those friends befell Then could they say the venomd worme Had bealchd his poyson out And so infected both the roote And all the bed about Where grewe the Sage that bred their deaths Then sawe they playne the cause And reason why the weauer dyde By rubbing of his lawes They made no more adoe but forst The gardner by and by To make a fyre to burne the Sage And eke the Toade to frie That was the cause of double spoyle The Iudge had nought to say When this was done but parted home The people went their way Straight Stramba and his other mates That gaue in euidence Against Symona brought a Beare And bare the bodies thence So vgly swollen as they lay Vnto Saint Paules and there Within one Tombe did burie both For of that Church they were Lenuoy AS noble mindes to loue are kindly bent And haughty harts to fancie homage yeelde As upâ—â— makes the stoutest states relent And martiall men that daunt the foe in fielde So meanest mates are masht within the net That wily loue to trappe his trayne hath set What Prince so prowde what King for al his crown What sage so sadde or solemne in his sawes What wight sowise but Cupid brings him downe And makes him stoupe to nature and her lawes Both poore and rich doe loue by course of kinde The proofe whereof in all degrees we finde That Hector sterne that stroue to mayntayne Troy And
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