as was riquisite for one in his case SIr I am well assured that in seeking to giue councell to one so wise and consolaon to one of such constancy as you are I shall rather reape reproch for my rashnes then anye wayes purchase praise for my good meaning And although you that know what cause moued mee there vnto doe not so conceiue it yet they that shall heare reporte thereof being ignoraunte of the greate good will that I heare vnto you will be ready to imagine the worste of it But let them thinke what they list I had rather that all others shoulde accuse me of presumtion then that you should haue iust cause to condemne me of ingratitude or thinke my friendship to be of small effect And therefore though that I wright be not such as should seeme to proceede from a man indued with greate learning and wisedome yet being well assured that whatsoeuer it bee you will acceptablely receiue it and conster it to the best I will not fayle either by that or any other meane I may at all times to manifest my good meaning vnto you and the willing minde I haue to doe you good so farre forth as my weake witte and small habillitye can reach vnto It is not at al to be doubted but y miseries that raine in this wretched world are very many and very great but as they are necessary meanes to make vs knowe our selues and acknowledge the weakenesse of our humaine nature so should wee pacientlye tollerate the troublesome toyles and cormentes thereof as it is the part of a wyse and well disposed person alwayes to doe What though you be now forbidden the court whereyou haue long time liude in great estimation â–ª wil you therfore so vnmeasurably vex torment your selfe as though your sorrow should neuer take end It were no doubte a thing cleane contrary to your wisedome grauitie and would be a great disgrace to your noble nature the haughtinesse of your liberall hart to be found vnable by the rule of reason to resist the fierce assaultes of froward Fortune For as in time of prosperity you gouerned your selfe with great modesty so should you now that the contrary is happened be armed with as great pacience to sustaine the senister and sorrowfull euents that this wretched world rendreth vnto all them that therein haue their abiding Assure your selfe that those of your friends which now remain in the court are well contented that you haue so forsaken it withoute hope euer to retourne againe not because they are willing to wante youre companye for that is the thing they cheefely couet but because they knowe the misery of that place to bee suche as it shoulde rather bee shunted then sought for by all those that loue to leade a quiet and peaceable life And I am well assured that if you had the power to enter into the hartes of men to search their secrete thoughts you should find those of the Court accompanied with such continuall cares frighted with such fearefull fancies and fraught with such follyes subiect to so many daungerous discommodities and perplexed with suche straunge and perrillous passions as you your selfe since your departure from the Court neuer assayed the lyke but would bee foreed to confesse that their greefes doe farre surmount your owne Now by how much more greeuous and difficult it is to see then to heare those thinges that molest the mynde if by meanes of the miseries callamities of this wretched world which so greatly disturbeth the quiet state of all earthly creatures you suppose one place more painefull and troublesome to continue in then an other by so much should you thinke the same to be in the Courte rather then any where else for surely so it is as your selfe know right well what semblaunce soeuer you seeme to make to the contrary But you wright sometime like a Gnato enforced of necessitye either to praise that whiche is praise worthy or to doe that which is not desent but deseruing great blame both which are cleane contrary to your natural inclination Such is the wretchednesse of our age that euery one esteemeth his owne estate to be moste miserable what though men dispoyle you of those transitory ritches which Fortune sometime gaue you in great aboundance yet can they not bereaue you of that rare and renowned ritches to wete the excellent vertues of the mynde whiche God and Nature hath so graciously grafted in you from the beginning as they cannot by any meanes be altred or chaunged but do continually grow and increase in you are sufficiente though all thinges else were wanting for a hart conducted by honour and gouerned by reason to liue wel and happily withall Thus much haue I thought good to write vnto you to make proofe of your wisedome to the end she should again receiue into her handes the reine of reason which she had of late let slip whereby you were driuen for wante of her good guiding to wander out of the right way whiche you haue so long indueoured to follow I pray you wright oftener vnto me but let your letters conteine more myrth then those that heretofore you haue sent mee to the ende that I may finde for my satisfaction that my words were of the force to remoue from you al careful cogitations and fill your mynde with ioy and gladnesse praying the Almighty to graunt you your health and hartes desyre in all things Finis A yong Gentleman whose loue was hindred by falce reportes wrighteth to his Lady that had promised her good will so her friendes would agree vnto it THe poore wearied Traueyler that after long sayling the Seas in no small daunger and at the last attaineth to the wished Hauen is blowne backe againe and brought into greater perrils then before may most easily iudge the greatnesse of my greefes who being raised to the toppe of all felicity by the fauour I found at your friendly hands for furtheraunce of my desyred comforte I am nowe by myne owne euill desteny the mallice of malicious make-bates who more respecting their owne priuate profit then honest reputation the rather to preferre those that they like better of haue raised such slaunderous reports against me vtterly voyde of truth as haue mooued them to mislyke that of late liked well of me wherby I am driuen into such dangerous doubtes as if your good nature which I know cannot conceiue any ill of them that deserue wel did not somewhat releeue me all hope of comforte would quickly die in me and my cares so greatly abound as my harte should neuer be able to harbour such ioy as is meete for my yong yeares Your mother as I heare is so incensed against mee as not withstanding the many reasons alleaged and playne profes made to the contrary she will not reuoke that euill opinyon which the false perswations of lewde persons hath caused her vniustly to conceiue of me but let her or any other thinke of
dwelling in the same Cittie whome they brought vp somewhat more wantonly then well besee men Shortly after Salard determined to depart from Genes to inhabite in some other soyle not because he had anye disliking of the place for there was no reason he shoulde hauing there no want of any thing that was meete for his degree or agreeable with his mind but was moued therevnto by a desyre of chaunge which is commonly incident to all those that be at their owne libertye and not subiecte to any superiour wherefore hauing gotten a good Purse of Money with Iewels and other great ritches beeing also well furnished with Horse and Armoure hee departed from Genes with his wife Theodore and his adouted Daughter Postume and passing towardes Piemont at the last he ariued at Montferat where hée was honourably receiued of the inhabitauntes and there in shorte time growing in acquaintaunce with diuerse hee often times rid on hunting with the townes men and cittizens vsing with them diuerse other excersices wherin he tooke delight So that his magnificence beeing well knowne throughout the whole Littie he was not onely beloued of the common sorte but also greatly esteemed and honoured amongest the cheefest which comming to the eares of the Marques that gouerned those partes he desyred to be acquainted with him and perceiuing that hee was yong rich noblye borne wise and apt to all thinges hee began to beare so great affection towardes him as hee could not suffer him one whole day togither to hee out of his company To be shorte so great was the loue of the Marques towards Salard at he would neuer vouchsafe his fauour to any mā vnlesse his sute were first preferred by him wherfore Salard seeing himselfe in so greate credite with him sought all meanes possible to please him in doing that which might be most to his liking The Marques that was but yong tooke great pleasure in Hawking and to hunte wilde Beastes for which cause as it appertained to the degree of so greate a Lorde hee kepte continuallye great store of Hawkes and Houndes and would neuer goe abroade but he would haue Salarde with him It happened one day about the rest that Salard being alone in his chamber began to thinke of the great honour that the Marques had done vnto him Then he began to consider the good graces honest behauiour and good maners of his adobtiue daughter Postume and how obedient she was to him and his wyfe at al assayes and in this sort discoursing with himselfe he sayde Was not my Father greatly deceiued surely I holeeue he doted as commonly all old men doe I know not whether it were through follye or madnesse that hee did with such instance expresly commaunde mee not to bring vp a chylde that was not of myne owne issue nor to subiect my selfe to will of a Lord that gouerneth his Subiects after his owne fancy Nowe doe I plainely perceiue that all his commaundementes were vtterlye voyde of truth For Postume that is my adopted Daughter and not of myne owne issue is so good a chylde so witty gentle well borne and obedient as may be required Besides that is it possible that I shoulde anye where be better beloued then I am of the Marques It is certain that in these parts he hath no superioure neither is there any his equall and yet the loue he beareth me and the honour that dayly he doth vnto me is so great that it is commonly saide I am his gouernour whereat I haue greate meruale There are manye doting olde men who hauing vtterly forgotten what they themselues were in their youth would prescribe newe Lawes and ordinaunces to theire Children and all in vaine doe trouble their heads to bring them to that which they themselues neuer obserued whervnto they are not moued for any loue that they be are vnto them but onelye to trouble them long time with the obseruation of such thinges as are to no purpose But seing in two of those pointes whiche my Father prescribed vnto me contrary to my expectation I haue had so good successe I minde eare long to make tryall of the thyrde though it be nothing needefull for I am well assured that my sweete wife and friendly companion will soone confirme the same by her harty good will and loyalty towardes me Then shall shee whome I more esteeme then the Apple of my epe gene the world plainely to vnderstande with what great folly these olde men bee commonlye infected that adde to their will such ridiculous conditions Nowe may I well suppose that my father when he made his will was depriued of his right sence and that as a witlesse old man and one voide of al good iudgement hedid the dedes of a childe In whome may I better haue confidence then in myne owne wife that hath forsaken her Father her mother her bretheren her Sisters and her owne famely to bee made one only soule one onely hart with me so the I may safely reueale my secretes vnto her of what importaunce soueuer they be I will then make proofe of her loyalty not for that I doe any thing misdoubt her being wel assured that she loueth me more then her selfe but to followe therein the custome of other yong men that doe fondly suppose it to be a very foule offence to breake the lewde and beastlye ordinaunces of their parentes which doe continually run into some foolish fransie as men that are beside themselues Thus Salard with himselfe deriding his fathers wise and profitable precepts purposed to breake the thyrd and therevpon departing from his owne house went straight to the Marques Pallace and going to the place where his Hawkes were kept he tooke the best of them and that which the Marques made most account of from the perch where it stoode and secretely conuayde it to the house of a deare friend of his named maister Frauncis and presented the same vnto him praying him of all loues to keepe it vntil such time as he did further vnderstand his mind and then retourning home againe he secretlye sine one of his owne Hawkes and carried it to his wife saying vnto her in this manner By welbeloued Theodore I cannot as you may well perceiue haue one hower of rest for the Marques For be he a hunting hawking excercising feats of armes or vsing any other exploit he always kepeth me occupied with one thing or other in so much as I am often in the case that I know not wel whither I be deade or aliue wherfore to preuent our dayly excercise in hawking I haue played him such a pranke as when hee knoweth of it will not very well content him and peraduenture it may be a meane to make him keepe at home for a while so shall we take our ease togither Then sayd his wyse what haue you done vnto him he aunswered I haue slain the best and most beloued hawke that he had and I beleue when he misseth it and can heare no
THE FORREST OF Fancy WHEREIN IS CONTEINED VEry prety Apothegmes and pleasaunt histories both in meeter and prose Songes Sonets Epigrams and Epistles of diuerse matter and in diuerse manner VVith sundry other deuises no lesse pithye then pleasaunt and profytable Reade with regard peruse each point well thee and then giue thy iudgement as reason shall moue For eare thou conceiue it t were hard for to tell if cause be or no wherefore to reproue me ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Purfoote dwelling in Newgate Market within the new Rents at the Signe of the Lucrece 1579. The Booke speaketh to the Buyers To those that be welthy and passe by this place My talke only tendeth so conster the case WHat kind of thing I am my shape doth shew the same No Forrest though my father pleasde to tearme me by that name But Fancy fits me well For I am fully fraught With Fancies such as may correct but not corrupt the thought In me my friend thou mayst though thou be yong or olde Ritche poore of high or low degree thy duety here beholde For Yonkers I haue fonde and foolish trifles store For auncient syres such seemely sightes as shall content them more If thou a Louer bee come learne thy lesson here Where wilfull workes of witles wightes shall perfect playne appeare What treason is in trust how fickle friendes are found How wretched is the state of man what mischiefe doth abound What follies fond we frame our foolish fancy to Here mayst thou see and so discearne what best beseetes to do Sith then such profite may by meanes of me redounde To thee my friend before thou passe this present plot of grounde Put hand in purse for pence to purchase me withall What foole a Forrest would forsake that sees the price so small A Shilling is the moste a very slender share No hurt to him that hath ynough so small a peece to spare Finis qd Fancy The Authour to the Reader THe Husbandman when meetest time shall serue doth plow his ground and sow good seedes therein Then seekes he how he should the same preserue From carryon crowes that gape the graine to win Vntill that it to ripen doe begin And being ripe he makes no more delay But reapes it vp so soone as well he may His corne thus cropt and scattered on the ground Straight into sheafes he doth the same deuide And to his Barnes he beares it ready bound Whereas a while he suffers it to bide Till at the last he thrashers doth prouide Who from the corne the straw and stubble take And on a heape the graine togither rake Which as it is they put into a Fan And so deuise to driue the chaffe from it My selfe I count to be the Husbandman For in this booke as in a ground most fit To sow the seedes of my vnwildy wit I scattered haue my fancies in such wise And senst them so as I can best deuise All being done that doth thereto pertaine Good Reader I present to thee the same Desiring thee that thou wilt take the payne All thinges amisse to put in perfect frame And beare with me although I merite blame Considering that I sought of meere good will in all I might thy fancy to fulfill In Forrest wise here fancies I present To thee with hart that feruently doth craue Each curteous wight to way my good intent And note the cause why I presumed haue To thrust my selfe amidst the surging waue Not glory vaine or hope to purchase praise But sloth to shon my mind thereto did raise R. W. to the Reader in the Authours behalfe VVhat led Leander to presume so oft to swim through surging seas But hope to fynd his Hero there where he ariu'de his hart to ease What moude the Troyan to attempt to go to Greece but hope to haue The princely pearle the promised pray which most of all his hart did craue And what procured Aesans soone to put his life in perrill so To fetch the Fleece from Colcos Coste where to augment his greefe and wo So many perrils were preparde but that he hopte thereby to gaine Such glory great as after death should make his fame for aye remayne If all these hopte and had in fine the thing that they did hold most deare Let him that hath this prety booke for thy delight compyled heare Good Reader reape his iust reward to recompence his meere good will Receiue his gift in gratefull wise and of the same conceiue none ill For euill none he ment thereby what euer enuious mates surmise Right sure I am conceiue therefore of him and his none otherwise So shalt thou make him think his paynes imployed well in each respect And happy count his hap that some will with good will his work protect Finis The Epistle to the Reader SO variable are the minds of men gentle Reader and so diuerse their opinions that amongste twenty it is hard to fynd twaine that agree all in one thing For commonly that which one man lyketh another loatheth that which one man praiseth another reproueth that which one desyreth another disdayneth and whatsoeuer pleaseth one doth as much displease another The yong man taketh pleasure in all youthfull excersises as Daunsing Synging playing on instruments dallying with daynty dames and such like whereby his pleasure may be procured and increased without respecting any perrill that maye insue thereof The aunciente Syre whome experience hath taught to be more wise and wary of such vaine vanities hath an eye to his profit and reiecteth pleasure as a thing vnprofytable The couragious Captayne accompteth it for his greatest glory to be in the field marching among his men of warre or skirmishing with his enemies to trie his strength and courage with the hazarde of his life for the furtheraunce of his fame and increase of his commodity The man likewise that is inclyned to learning is alwayes best at ease when he is setled in his study there to tosse and turne his bokes perusing the workes of auncient wrighters whereby he may in tyme be able both to profite his countrey and purchase such prayse to himself as is due to his good desyres But as these great clarkes doe not all delight to study one onely science but some apply themselues to deuinity some to Philosophie some to phisicke some to Astronomy and some to euery one of them alike not making any speciall choyse of eyther of them So likewise the common sorte whose learning nor capacity cannot attaine to the full perfection or perfecte vnderstanding of such deepe misteries haue their seueral delightes as well in reading such workes as are in theire vulgare tongue as in any thing else For one will peruse pleasant Histories and other poeticall deuises this man merry tales and other like toyes that man deuine and morrall matter euery one seuerally according to his seuerall affection and naturall inclination and there is no man be he neuer so well stayed that will adict
ought beside be done that you like ill And that the same in euill part you take Goe seeke your mendes you may whereas you will I reke you naught this aunswere doe I make And though before offence were none committed yet this your writing fond would it procure which hath full well with your demeanour fitted Being rude and imprudent and ill to indure No more I neede at this time here to say For well you may by this my mind perceiue yet of one thing I warne you by the way That with vaine hope your selfe you not deceiue And so to conclude I bid you adue wishing you aduisedly my letters to view A yong man enamoured of a very fayre Gentlewoman declareth the dollorous passions that he suffereth for her sake and craueth mercy at her handes THe more I looke vppon her louely face whose like before dame nature neuer framde The more I like and long to liue in grace Of her that may Pandora well be namde whose deedes as due the highest place haue claimde A Phenic rale she may be tearmed right That so surmountes each other earthly wight Of Silke and Siluer seemes her heare to be Her teeth of pearle her eyes of Christall cleare Her lippes of Ruby wrought in each degree She doth excell and vaunteth voide of peere Her like did neuer liue that I could heare who would not then accompt himself in blis That might inioy so rare a iem as this Sir Aleran as may by bookes appeare A sily Sacon sought her loue to gaine That was the Emperour Othos Daughter deare And did in fine his wished will obtaine She graunted grace to quite his carefull paine And fearing nought her father 's furious yre Did yield her hart all whole at his desyre And Acharisto he but basely borne Besought the loue of fayre Euphimia who seemed nought his courtesy to scorn Though she were Queene of riche corinthia Yong Iason eke obtained Medea who though she knew not him nor his estate Forsooke her friendes to be his matched mate A million more I might alledge of those That did by seeking soone obtayne their will And when they were bewrapt in wretched woes Had speedy helpe to shield themselues from ill which otherwise their youthfull dayes would spill yea some we see from seruill state aduaunst By worthy dames whose grace to gaine they chaunst Then speake and speede be still and want thy hyre For many a time and oft I haue hard say And sometime proude that he that would aspire To that which will doth wish the wisest way Is to expulse dispayre which makes men stray Farre from the path of perfect peace and rest Sith Fortune still doth helpe the bouldest best For can the Leach recure his pacientes paine Before he see from whence his greefe doth grow Or can the Lawyer pleade a matter plaine Unles to him his case the client show Then should this dainty dame on me bestow Her loyall loue before she trye my truth The meetest meane to moue her mind to ruth Then welcome hope and foolish feare farewell Farewell all care and welcome pleasaunt ioy That guilefull gest no more with me shall dwell That would my helth and happy hap destroy What should I doubt sith she is nothing coy Her gentle hart can not his hurt procure That for her sake would any death indure On her my health on her my happy dayes Doe whole depend on her my myrth or mone My welth or wo my paine or pleasure stayes My lyfe and death doth rest in her alone By her I must alas or else by none Receaue releefe and hope to haue redresse Of all the paines that doe my mind oppresse And as her bewty brane bindes me to loue So doth her courtious countinaunce comfort yielde And as the paine I feele my mind doth moue So hope perswades that grace shall gaine the field But hap what may both loue and paine that builde Their bower in brest my sorrowes so renue That forst I am for grace to seeke and sue Behold therefore deare dame thy seruaunt heare Lies prostrate at thy feete to pleade for grace Oh rue my state let pittie plaine appeare For thou alas haste brought me in such case As if I find not fauour in thy face Like one that loathes his lyfe I wish my graue To quench the cares which doe my health depraue The bale I bide I would right happy count And thinke my selfe in Paradice to be Yea in good hap all others to surmount might it but please you once to deeme of me As I deserue and graciously agree To take me for your seruaunt slaue or swayne Whose mind to please I would refuse no payne Few wordes will serue a righteous cause to pleade If Iudge be iust by whome it must be tryde How said I what shall I her dealing dread No no I know she will not shrinke aside From reasons rule at any time or tide But render me my due deserued hyre Which is the somme of all my whole desyre Who serues deserues his recompence to haue Who truely loues ought to be loude againe Whose greefes are great must needes a medicine craue Or else permit himselfe to pine in paine Let me deare dame my guerdon then obtaine And doe not now in lew of lasting loue with deepe disdaine my rash attempt reproue Finis Certaine Verses written in commendation of the Nut cornell AS late for my delight when dumpes opprest my minde I walkte abrode the pleasaunt fieldes in hope some helpe to fynde By chaunce I lighted then Upon a huge great wood whereas in rankes right goodly trees of sundry sortes there stoode There were of large and lofty Okes great store in euery place Of Aspe and Elme with byrche and Boxe where euer I did trace There was great store of Holly to of willow asp and ew And all the ground was clad with flowers of sundry sent and hue Amongest the rest of Philberts fayre was plenty euery where And euery thing that hart could wish a man might find it there Then from this Philbert tree I pluct A cluster that were clong Togither fast in seemely sort as on the tree they hung And when I had them in my hand not knowing how to vse them I was at last by reason taught betwirt my teeth to bruse them which hauing done I found therein A Cornell fayre enclosde which for to be of pleasaunt tast I also then supposde And found it so for in my life I neuer tasted thing More pleasaunt then the Cornell was which from that tree did spring The Philbert Cornel is a dish for any Princes meete And they that of the same will tast shall find it wondrous sweete Aboue all other kinds of fruite the philbert in my minde Doth seeme most pleasaunt in the tast as they that proue shall find Such vertue in this cornel is that I haue heard men say Phisitions vse it many times their patientes paines to stay For many thinges this cornel is
meate My selfe can serue the turne full well Let him therefore that sowde the seede Enioy the fr 〈…〉 e thereof ac will His last is fittest for thy foote To roâ—â— thy Barge he best can skill Finis A Letter written to a yong widdowe that was before matched with a very olde man perswading her to make choyse of one whose yeares weare more agreeable with her owne MIstresse if I thought it necessarye for you to morne for the death of your dead Husband or if his lyfe had bene so delightfull vnto you as his death was happy for himselfe because thereby he was not onelye cid of the great torments that his pore afflicted body sustayned in this world but also attained to a more blessed life in the kingdom of heauen I wold neither blame you for wishiÌ„g him aliue again or perswade you froÌ„ lamenting his death though I know it is nothing auayleable but rather would exhort you thereunto and with teares as an vnfayned friende helpe you to bewayle the losse of so comfortable a Companyon But seing he was old angry weake impotent and continually so afflicted with sicknesse as he was and you so yong and comlye a gentle woman as you are you haue no cause to lamente his losse or be sorry for his death seeing it pleased God by calling him to his mercy both to release him of paine and 〈…〉 se yon of 〈◊〉 great trouble long sustained with him and therefore I would wish you to shake of the vaine Ceremonies that in such causes are commonlye vsed and frame your selfe againe to that blessed estate of matrimony chasing one who as well in yeares as otherwise may be more agreeable to your seemelye selfe then your late husbande whose old age was rather corsy then a comforte to your hart being in nothing correspondent to your minde or meete for your personage for so ought euery true christian woman to doe as well for procreation of Children as for other necessary commidities incident therevnto whereof by meanes of your greater yeares and more often excercise in worldly affayres you haue better experience then I and as you are not ignoraunt how conuenient it is to marrye and how inconuenient to leade a single life so am I well assured that you are not to learne what kind of person were most meete for you to match with all The Discommodities growing by the companye of an old man you haue already to your paine ouer long experimented and therefore I doubte not but you will beware how ye light on the like againe And to marry with a yong man vnlesse it bee one of whose demâ—anour you haue made some tryall maye be as perrillous as the other for if he be ritch he will ouer rule you if he be prodigall he will waste your substaunce and his owne patrimony if he be couetous he will keepe you bare and withhold from you that which is necessary to be had if he be laâ—iuâ—â—uâ—he will leaue you and like better of others Finally if he be viciously bent how ritch or yong sooner he be yet were you better to be buried then matched with him Let n 〈…〉 them the vayne vanities of the worlde so allure you or the perswasion of your friendes beare suche swaye with you as you will thereby be moued to take one for his w 〈…〉 whome ye cannot loue and to refuse him whome ye well like of for want o◠〈◊〉 â–ª considering what incon 〈…〉 groweth by the 〈◊〉 and what pro 〈…〉 may arys of the other waying withall how great an offence both to Bad and your owne conscience it is to do a thing so contracy to your own liking Wherefore it were best for you to make choyse of some poore yong man whose condicions and behauioure is already partly knowen vnto you to be good with whom you may with a contented minde leade a quiet and peaceable lyfe and haue all thinges at your owne desyre without interruption And if I thought not my selfe to sy 〈…〉 le for one so worthy as you are I would both offer my selfe 〈◊〉 you not as a Husbande but as a Steward to do al thinges at your direction and also hazard my lyfe to obtain such fauour at your handes assuring you that if it might so please you to accept of me you should of a pore friend finde mee so faithfull so conformable to your will so carefull for your welfare so redy to please you and so loth to offend you as you shall not haue cause eyther to thinke your loue euill imploted or repent you of the election of so base a personage And although in byrth I be farre inferiour and in wealth nothing comparable vnto those that I knowe you maye haue if you please yet dare I thus much vaunt of my selfe that there is not in the whole worlde any one that woulde more loue esteeme and cherish you then I would do if my hap might be so good to inioy you And if my purpose be not as my wordes doe pretend and my deedes agreeable with my promises I wishe the earth might gape and swallow me vp or fyre from heauen consume me for I protest vnto you before God from whome no secretes are concealed that it is not so much for youre welth or liuing that I desyre you as for your wisedome curtesy comly behauyour and other commendable vertues that abound in you wherefore long before youre husbandes departure I was so greatly enamoured as if feare of your displeasure and mine owne infamie had not deteined me with the raines of reason I had long since reuealed it vnto you But now that time hath offred mee so meete opportunity as I maye more lawfully and wyth lesse daunger do it I haue presumed though peraduenture more rashly then beseemeth me yet not withoute vrgente cause to manifest my meaning vnto you crauing both pardon for my bold attempt and easemente of my sorrowe so long sustayned for the loue of you which withoute yours grace or mine owne great perrill cannot possible bee repressed wherefore hoping of your accustomed clemency to find you fauourable in the furtheraunce of my desyre I do wholy commit my health lyfe and liberty vnto you whom I doe and will faithfully serue and obay for euer as your moste humble seruaunt A pretty fancy of the fynding of a Whyte wherein is collourablely included the course of a Captiue Louer in purchasing his desyred purpose NOt long agoe with bow in hande and arrowes by my syde An Archer like I went abrode my cunning to haue tride And being entred in the field 〈◊〉 cast mine eye a 〈◊〉 And loc a goodly glistering whyte before my face did glaunce Which pleasaunt sight did please me so as to suruay the same Me thought it did my hart much good and was my greatest game Narcissus fond did neuer gaâ—â— Upon his shadow more Nor by the Image which he made Pigmallyon set such store As I did by that 〈…〉 y wbyte which so reuiude my hart
and after the mistes of misery if any happen to assaile vs bring vs to the cleare lighte of felicitye as he did fayre Adulatia who neither for fearroâ— fathers displeasure or care to continue his good will for loue of Imperiall dignity or dread of any daunger no not for the fierce assaults of froward Fortune or for any other cause would forsake her Aleran but preferring his loyall loue before all worldly pleasure and his presents before al princely Ornamentes both in health and sicknesse in wealth and woe and fynally at all assayes continued hys true and faithfull companion for tearme of lyfe Be fyrme therefore my good Parmena and fayle not but as I intend stil to continue as loyal a louer to thee as euer was Aleran to his Adulatia so be thou as faithful a friend vnto me as was Adulatia to her beloued Aloran So shall no emnity but am 〈…〉 no repentance but contenentment no 〈…〉 ing but ioy be euer betweene vs and though one friendes frown vpon vs or hindred contemne vs and our Parentes reproue vs yet through patient 〈◊〉 in trace of time which breedeth chaunge in all thinges we shall by Codes helpe and our owne dilligent iudultrye recouer all former good will and fauour and after all the assaul 〈…〉 of aduerse Fortune attaine to the happy porte of rest and tranquillity with which hope I purpose alwayes to comfort my selfe wishing you also to doe the like as I 〈◊〉 you will and hartily require you to doe so neare as you can as well for your owne releefe as for the rest and comforte of him that loueth you no lesse then his owne proper lyfe Fare you well Finis The Aucthour wrighting to a friend of his that was toward mariage exhorteth her to make choyse of a wyse and verteous person THere is nothing wherein we ought to take So great aduise as sayeth 〈◊〉 wise As when we mind a mariage for to make wherein we must be carefull and presise Or else thereby great perrill may aryse Because the knot once 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 doe May not be broke whateuer chaunce in sue But some there are that will without respect Of future harmes that may to them befall The councell of their aged friendes reiect As frantick wightes to folish fancy thrall And harkening to the S 〈…〉 sâ—â— the call Procure thereby their 〈◊〉 and decay Where else they might haue liude in lasting 〈◊〉 Yet would I not that women so attend To friendes aduice or so by them be led That fancy fixe vppon some faythfull friend They should forsake the same for feare or dread For so they may wone bring a foole to bed And being linckt to one they cannot leeke be moude amisse reuengement due to seeke Some sortes there are that welthy husbandes chuse Because they should maintaine thomsine and braue Some sortes there are that others all refuse A comely wight desyring most to haue A vallyaunt venterâ—ns youth some 〈◊〉 Some like of those that be most franke and free And some of those that harde and sparing be The gallant gay some chiefely doe esteeme In one that curteous is some moste delight A cunning craftes man some for best do deeme But few or none esteeme the vertuous wight By wise and prudent men they set but light Few linke for loue but all for greedy gaine Though in the ende it tourne them most to paine Bewty doth fade when crooked age creepes in And like a Flower the sommer season past Nipt with the cold when winter doth begin Doth wither soone and weare a way at last And sicknesse makes the mighty man agast And takes from him all strength and courage quighte But vertue still abides in perfect plight In welth or wo in paine or pleasure still Uertue remaines without reprofe at all Not dreadfull death that doth the Carcas kill The power of vertue may in ought appall It liues with praise and neuer perrish shall For after death his glory reflech rise That whilst he liude did leade a vertuous life Therefore my friend I friendly thee aduise To match with one that is to vertue bent For bewty brittle is and of no prise Money but muck and quickly will be spent Strength soone destroyde if sicknesse so consent But vertue still in perfect state doth stand It keepes his course as well by Sea as land Moreouer I would wish thee for to make Thy choyse thy selfe whereas thou likest best And though thy friendes perswade thee for to take Some other wight with greater wealth possest Yet if thy mind and fancy be not prest To like of him then would I thee aduise To leaue that loathsome lot if thou be wise For whereas loue doth lack twice man and wife There harred needes must harbour in their hart Where hatred hath his holde is endlesse strife where stryfe is styrde there pleasure hath no part where pleasure is displaste eare keepes the marte where care doth keepe lyfe cannot long indure Then eare thou linke let loue be setled sure Finis Of the great patience and clemency of King Antigonus WHen as Antigonus did heare His Souldiers cursing him apace Because that in an euening darke He led them through a myry place That thence they hardly could escape He came himselfe to them vnknowne And very well did helpe them out which friendship when he had them showne He sayd now curse Antigonus That led you lately in the myre But pray for him that helpt you out Acording to your hartes desyre Finis What misery and misfortunes mankinde is continually subiecte vnto WHat kinde of state can any choose but he there in shall fynde Great bitternesse and endlesse woe to mooue his troubled minde In field much toyle at home great care and feare in Forrein Lande If ought we haue by fortune lent In youth Dome Follyes hande Doth hold vs fast her she imbrace and wisedomes lore do leaue In age doth sickesse vs assayle and so our strength bereaue In marry age is vnquietnesse in lacking of a wife All sollitary we remaine and leade a loathsome lyfe If God to vs doe children sende we haue continuall care If none then are we halfe dismayde farre worser doe we fare Therefore one of these twaine is best desyred for to be Not to be borne or else to dye before these dayes we see Finis A louer hauing long concealed his loue at the last reuealeth it and craueth grace at the handes of his beloued mistresse LIke as the silly soule That feeles himself distrest With heauy burthen on his backe doth seeke to be at rest So I whome loue longtyme hath led in Captiue handes Enforced am at last to sue for fauour at thy handes That hast my hart in holde who onely mayst apply Some pleasaunt potion to a sâ—wage the greeuous mallady Which long with little ease and most incessaunt greefe Hath me conserude twixt life and death denoyde of all releefe But needes I must confesse There is no fault in thee That I doe want
the Adulterers that did her deflower The one did stay himselfe that present hower The other the ouersecers of the temple then Caused to be executed in the market place That he might be a warning to all other men To teach them the path of vertue to trace Finis Of one Cianippus who in his dronkennesse deflowred his owue daughter ciane OF Siracuse cianip Behause that he did offer His Sacrifise to all the Gods and none to Bachus proffer was stroke with such a drunckennesse that meeting in the darke His Daughter Ciane her deflourde but what did follow marke She to the end to vnderstand and know who did the deede From of his finger p 〈…〉 his ring whereby she saw with spéede That it had bene her Father deare and after when the Citty was plagued all for this foule facte and that by sentence wittie Of th' oracle it wined was the Authour of the act For to be sacrifised vp for this foule fylthy fact whereas none knew who it should be or what did cause the same Ciane with afflitted minde remembring it die frame Her Fathers death who being dead herselfe she also 〈◊〉 And on his corpes her corpes she 〈◊〉 for euery man to view Finis Of one Ceselius Bassus a Carthagenian who deceiued the Emperour Nero. CEselius Bassus on a time vnto king Nero tolde That in a Lane within his ground was hid great heapes of Golde which he he sayd supposde to be of Didos hiding there Unto which wordes he credite gaue and from that place to beare The same he did full many send the Orators in meane space 〈…〉 ded Nero saying that he stoode in fortunes grace And that he was of all the Gods beloude and fauourde most within whose time such welth was found That had so long bene lost And hidden in the bo 〈…〉 le of the earth full many a day Wherefore in hope of new found Wealth this Emperour made away The store he had but in the end when they were at the place whereas thi 〈…〉 should 〈◊〉 〈…〉 lius maâ—â— them trace From this to that place vp and downe to seeke the foresaid â—aue And myners many one did seeke by 〈◊〉 the same to haue If any there should hidden lye but laboured all in waine He said sorte sprite had him dertaude and did a furie fayrte But to auoyde the present teare and sh 〈…〉 that should arise He slow himselfe and N 〈…〉 ft still gaping for his prise Finis The Louer woried with long loue taking assuraunce of succour enduceth his Lady to receiue 〈◊〉 to her seruice FOr asmuch as euery thing by nature enforceth it selfe with all dilligent industry so much as it may to resiste the great enormities wherewith it is afflicted I am now constrained after long sufferaunce to let you vnderstand the ardent desyre which by little and little cons 〈…〉 me as may plainely appeare by many manifest tokens which shewe suffieiente testimonye of my true intence And thinke not that I haue bene moued her 〈…〉 at all aduentures or without some hope and assuraunce that I haue in time to obtaine that which by the liberall helpe of your accustomed clemency may bring mee suche comforte as shall well content me assuring my selfe that from a thing of such excellency as is your seemely selfe in whome besides your â—euine bowty there are assembled so many good graces and heroicall ve 〈…〉 man may not expecte any other but a sincere and good inclination to immitate almost in all thinges the customes of amorous humanitys making him to appeare pittifull in deede and word and redye to impart his liberall fauour to all those that craue it and by their good behauiour doe duly deserue it This also yeldeth some satisfactioÌ„ to my troubled mind that my words which were of late restrained haue now found free issue whereby I requyre helpe at your handes whilste I yet feele in my selfe sufficiente habillitye to receiue it assuring you that it will be to late for so sitall a benefit if you delay the time to let me inioy the formine of your friendly â—â—uour wherof being very desyrous I attend your curteous aunswere with assured hope that your good pleasure will be to accept me for your humble seruant that so long as any sparke of lyfe remaineth in mee haue vowed my selfe to your seruice and cannot but accounte you for my onely mistresse Assure your selfe the refore that my lyfe may not long indure if my 〈…〉 destinye doe denye me the fauour to fynde you agreeable to my affectionate desyre Finis The Louer hauing long time loued a fayre Gentlewoman at whose handes he had reciued small hope of obtaining his purpose wrighteth vnto her as followeth TO vse any long discourse my dearely beloued Parmenia in the declaration of my great good will and seruent affection towardes you I coumpte it but friuotous seing I am well assured that you haue long since perceyued and from time to time made perfect â—ryall of my true â—uer towards you yet to the hope so vncertain that I haue hitherto receiued froÌ„ you as I cannot assure my self of any further fauour at your handes then he that hath neuer deserued any at all and as it is the property of all those that loue faithfully so feare the worst so doe I many times misdoubt least through my owne euill destenye or the fained flattery of some false dissembler I shal bee depriued of that comfort which doth more content me then the Conquest of a whole kingdome wherefore being greatly greued with the vncertaintie of my present estate by meanes 〈◊〉 y mutability that many times I find to be in you not able any longer to sustain the torments that it putteth me vnto I haue thought good to write these few words vnto you most humbly beseeching you to dissolue me of this doubt without delay that if I finde not your aunswere agreeable with my desyre I may seeke if I can to suppresse the seruente affection that is nowe so deepelye rooted in my harft as I feare mee I shall hardlye remooue it Doe this my good Parmenia and feare not anye inconuenience that may growe thereby For I hope that by graunting mee youre friendlye fauoure you shall haue no cause to repente you of any thing that shall happen vnto you vnlesse it be because you haue so long lacked the company of so comfortable a companyon by whose meanes with the helpe of God you shal not only be deliurred of your long and grreuous sicknesse which cannot be otherwise cured but also leauing the life that now you â—eade be cid of all these your mallicious Enemies that with their enuye on deuill dealing doe daylye vndeseruedly deuise to doe you displeasure and withall purchase to your selfe so faithfull a friend as for anye aduenture will neuer forsake you but vsing his dilligente carefull industry to prouide for your maintenance which neede I hope shall neuer happen vnto you howesoeuer you esteeme my present state to
long as any sparke of lyfe abydeth in my body it were great crueltye to contemne me or careleslye to cast me of without rendring me a recompeuce worthy my deseruing which I am fully perswaded that your curteous condicion cannot consent vnto and therefore am the more imboldened once againe to trouble you with my Letters And although you wordes haue hitherto giuen mee small hope of any further fauour then I haue already found yet am I so blinded with affection as I cannot but still perseuer in the same It pleased you at our laste conference amongest other thinges to enquyre of my estate which being in deede very simple in comparison of that which it hath pleased God to call you vnto If I shoulde haue made it better then it was when you should afterwardes haue proued the contrarye you mighte well haue deemed mee a Dissembler and worthye of greate blame for dealing so dublely with you and therefore I soughte rather to abase then better my selfe as I trust youre seemelye selfe haue well perceiued Yet would I not haue you thinke me so simple but that I shall be able alwayes to get an honest liuing to mainetayne me withall although I had none other helpes then that which God hath giuen me by nature much more then being matched with such a one as you are whose wealth is better knowne to others then wished of mee for myne owne priuate profite For as I knowe my selfe altogither vnworthy of so great a benefite so must I needes acknowledge the Fauoure that I haue already found at your handes farre to exceede my desartes And yet if you were priuie to my purposes and knew my true intent and the great god will and vnfayned affection that youre clemencye constrayneth mee to beare vnto you I doubte not but I shoulde fynde that friendlye fauour at your hands that otherwise were vnmete for one of my degree But peraduenture because I am a yong manne and haue but little to take vnto you thinke I woulde if I were once possessed of you seeke onely to liue vppon that which you haue and not being carefull for your commoditye nor respecting your person as I oughte to doe would carelessely consume your substaunce and when nothing remaineth to maintaine my ryots woulde leaue you to to shifte for your selfe as many vyld varlets doe at this day the more is the pitty But they be such as haue in them neither honestye nor wisedome or will doe well And if you so conceiue of me as I hope you do not how farre this imagination differeth from my good meaning God and mine owne conscieuce onely knoweth I beseech you therefore suffer no such thoughtes to sinke into youre minde for if my derdes bee founde anye thing differente from my wordes I wish that the earth may gape and swal low me vp or Fyre from heauen consume me Diuerse are the reasons that induce me thus earnestlye to solicite my sute vnto you First your personage which pleafeth me more then any that euer I sawe Secondly your curteous condttions vertues and wisdome being such as would well content any honoste and well minded man though the rest were wanting Teyrdelye your yeares which being at the full perfection neither to yong a wanton or to olde a Dotarde but one that are both hable for your experieuce to minister good councell to suche an vnskilfull yong man as I am and also sufficiently satisfye me in all other thinges requisite for my yong yeares Fowerrhlye youre wealth to supplye my wante whiche beeing so well ordred as I assure you it should be if I inioyed it it might not onelye be conserued but also increased to the great commoditie and comforte of vs both These be the causes that incourage mee so effectually to prosecute my purpose wherein if I finde you fauourable as I hope I shall I will not onelye bee readdye to perfourme my promyses in all respectes but also would be moste humbly at your commaundment as your moste bounden and obedient seruaunt Finis The fyrst Letter written to the same widdowe extolling her vertues which he allegeth to be the cause of his ardent affection he requyreth mariage of her THe commendable quallities togither wyth the incomparable curtesy that I haue hearde and partly seene to be in you hath in incouraged me thus boldly to presume to present you with my disordered Letters therebye to lette you vnderstand the harty good will and vntained affection which I haue long tyme borne vnto you though teare to offend you haue caused me hitherto to conceale it hoping that although my degree be farre inferiour to yours in euery respect yet will you not scorne my curtesy or requite my good will with crueltye My request is reasonable and my desyres not dishonest and therefore deserue the rather to be fauoured marriage is the marke I shoote at which is a holy thing and ordeyned by God from the beginning And although I craue to be matched with you yet if I might finde the fauour at your handes to be so accepted considering our inequallity and not desyring the Priueledge which perteineth to those that inioye their equals to were obediēce in the wife toward her husband I wold refer my self wholy vnto your discretion and yeild you the preheminence in al things as reason willeth being but as it were your steward woulde discharge you of those weighty and troublesome affayres that are incidēt to your calling As for my quallities and condicions what they are I will leaue tothe report of others But in deede my welth is verye small yet is that w 〈…〉 so supplyed with good will as I hope you shoulde haue no cause to repent you of the choyse of so base a persouage but rather reioyce that it was your lotte to light on so louing a friend For I am sure that the man liueth not on earth at this hower that would more esteeme loue and cherrish you then I would do if it would please you once to make triall of me I hope you should finde me in all things according to your hartes desyre which considered I doubt not but I shall finde you ready to releeue me by recompensing my good will with the lyke with which hope I will comforte my selfe till I heare the contrary and so crauing pardone for my boldenesse I commit you to God. A yong Gentlewoman wrighteth this for aunswere to a Gentlemans Letter that craued her loue and exhorteth her to keepe promise with him wherein excusing her selfe by her ouer yong yeres and his vnhabillitye she prayeth him to cease of his sute YOur Leeters syr I haue receiued and pondring well the same Haue now preparde my selfe thereto an aunswere fit to frome Though in your writ you rome and raunge aboute the bushe a while And vse huge heapes of needelesse wordes my sences to begyle I see you seeke but all in vaine to winne me to your wife Which I may not vouchsafe to graunt for feare of further stryfe Because
are vsde the pleasaunt Poets fayne As how that Phlegias to his treble paine Upon a turning wheele is fixed fast which makes him lothe his lyfe that long doth last How Sisiphus doth rowle the restlesse stone which to the top attaind turnes back againe How silly Titius making mostful mone Unto a Rock fast tyde doth stil sustaine The griping greefes that rauerring byrds constraine who on his entrailes dayly feede their fill And yet he liues to trye these tormentes still How Tantalus amidst the streame that standes Up to the chin is like for drouth to dye And goodly Apples almost in his hand with hunger nipt in extreame payne doth lye How Danaus daughters doe themselues apply with pailes that bottomes want a tubbe to fill That wanteth bottome to which passeth still But all their paiues may not compared be To that which I doe euery hower abyde For all at once assembled are in me There is no torment that I haue not tryde To me the heauens haue happy ha 〈…〉 denyde The Plannets all appointed me by fate to liue and leade my life in lothsome state All day my minde with fancies fond is fraught which greatly wastes my witte and breakes my braine To no effect at all when sleepe hath caughte Some holde of me at night alas my paine Growes greater farre for dreadfull dreauies restraine My quiet rest all myrth is mone to me All pleasure paine I loth the light to see Of all the wightes that euer liude in loue was neueralone whose 〈◊〉 was lyke 〈…〉 my 〈…〉 though grefe thein gript though pain they long 〈◊〉 proue yet did they gaine their wished will in fyne Their Ladies liking did it loue â—iclyne And they inioyde their ioy and hartes delight At wished will their wretched woe to quight Though pastor Paris past the surging Seas And many perrils more for Holl 〈…〉 sake yet he at last his heauy hart to ease Enioyde her loue and reft her from her make which deede the Greelies so gréeuousely did take As Troy therefore they did to ruine bring The fittest fruicte that of such loue doth spring when Peseus had with tedsous foyle distrest The Monstet huge that laboured to deuoke Andromada that 〈◊〉 Rock did rest Fast bound with chaines expecting euery hower For dread ull death he cropt the costly flower which fancy forst him seeke with such annoy And after led his life in lasting ioy And many more such lyke aâ—â—enge Ieoulde who after paine did 〈…〉 hase their desyre I might bring in Nastagio if I would Hippomanes that fryde in Cupids fyre And Pelops to if cause did so requyre But these will serue my faying true to trye That none for loue hath led such lyfe as I. For Ialas of all men most a 〈…〉 Haue spent much time with care and busy cure And when I thought me best my haâ— was worst when safe I seemde then sate I most vnsure Not deadly dole that I did long 〈◊〉 Not trickling teares 〈…〉 could serue To purchase that which I doe well deserue When as I glaunce my glaring eyes on her She bendes ger lookes vpon some other thing When as I would with wordes my sute preferre Then angry she away from me doth fling Saying take heede the Siren now doth sing And when with pen my passyons I depaint She rentes my writ and scornes my pittious plaine If messengers I send with her to treate And pleade my caufe as they can best deuise Their wordes so set her haughty hart in heate who causelesse still doth meso much despise As when she heares me narnde her blood doth rise An when my friendes doe her present with aught She frets and fnmes as one with fury fraught Through places scarcely knowne both day and night through wods through groues marish grounds I rode Through Forrests fennes and furrowes voyde of lighte yea ouer hautye hilles where I abode Full many bitter blastes before I trode The trustlesse where I this Tiger found whose diuelish deedes doth cause my cares abound Then cursed be the hower and eake the days wherein I did to her my iorney frame I would I had bene murdered by the way Before I came to see that cruell Dame who for good will doth yield me bitter blame For then the death had me depriude of all The daungers dyre wherein I dayly fall But all to late to shut the stable dore When so saith the prouer be olde I wisely should haue thought of this before I did attempt her bewty to beholde Who hath my heauy hart so hard in holde As needes I must both loue and serue her still Though she me lothe and seeke my blood to spill you yonglinges all where euer that you be That sibiect are vnto the lawes of loue Take hede in time be wysely warnd by me On whome you looke least lookes that liking moue Ingendring loue make you more paines to proue Then I pore wretch that dayly wish to dye And yet doe liue these tormentes straunge to trye Finis A yong man being in loue wiih a fayre Gentlewoman that was but his equall desyreth to be accepted for her husband THe passyons extreme which for your sake I haue long sustained being now through continuaunce of tyme so wonderfully augmented and increased that being no longer able to collerate the extreme paine thereof I am coacted and perforce constrained in most humble wise to craue grace at your handes which is the onely meane whereby I may be cured of this moste greeuous and in fupportable mallady Refuse not therefore I pray you this my petition which is both honest and reasonable let not my good will be required with disdaine nor my curtesie with crueltie for that were a point voyde of all humanitye and far different from all maydenlike modestie Dido Queene of Carthage loued Aeneas a straunger and a banished man Euphinia Daughter to the King and heyre to the crowne of the Kingdome of Corinth matched herselfe with Acharisto her fathers dondman The Dutchesse of Malsey chose for her husbande her seruaunt Virico And Venus also if we may giue credite to the fixions of Poets who for hee surpassing hewry was cauonized a Goddesse refused noe to be the wife of lame Vulcanus Much lesse neede you then that are mortal and but of a meane progenye in comparison of the worste of all those princely Dames before repeated to thinke scorue of mee that am no Straunger but your owne natiue contreyman no wandring exile but a true and faithfull Subiect continuing in the countrey where I was first borne and fostered neither seruaunt to you nor slaue to any other but vtterly free from the yoke of seruitude and bondage vntil such time as by contemplating the bright beames of your surpassing hewry my poore hart was so captinated that I was constrained to commit my selfe wholy vnto your clemency nor yet so monstrous and mishapen a creature whereby you might haue iuste occasion so mislike of mee but God I giue him thankes for it
may not onely order you as he ought to do but also bring vp his famely vertuously and in the feare of God for so shall God blesse him the better and al his actions shal haue a good prosperous end wheras if he be vicious of a lewd disposition his inferiors following his example wil be the like for such husband such wife such father such childreÌ„ such maisters such seruants so is it commonly seeneâ— so were he neuerso subtle witted or indued with neuer so great abundance one way or other al wold quickly go to wrach come to nothing for as much as the welth of y husband doth chiefely depeÌ„d vpon the good behauiour of his wife in y disposing of his houshold affairs I wold aduise you to be careful in all honest order to conserue increse y which your husband shall get not to spend super fluously vpon such trifles toyes as are but spurs to prouoke pride which is the pathway to perdition whereof the wife being the cheefest member of her husbands body shall be the fyrst that shall feele the smart of it when exchanging her gorgious garments for a pore patched cote her sine dellicate dishes for such scraps as she can get for Gods sake her soft fetherbeds and beds of downe for a Pallet of straw her gorgious buildinges for a silly sheepe cote or such like to be brought to that extremity that she shall rather wish to dye then line in that miserable estate when hauing bene a mistresse of manye seruauntes in her youth she shall her selfe in her olde age be faine to be a slaue and seruaunt to such as sometime she could commaund for it is no doubt a right miserable and wretched state atorment intollerable and a greefe in erplicable after so great plenty to feele such extreame pennry but it is thee meetest reward for them that wil not take heede before hande to repent them afterward when it is to late for when the steede is stolne it is no time to shutte the stable dore and it is most certaine one far from their good are neare to their harme for euery man basteth the fut hog but the leane shall burne before he be basted my meaning is and it is dayly seene that he that hath enough shal haue more he that hath a little shall haue lesse but hee that hath nothing at all of himselfe let him be sure that hee shall get nothing of another wherfore if you couet to be accounted wise and vertuous knowing how great an ennemye shee is to her selfe and into how many daungers she intrudeth herself that is negligent and care to conserue her husbands goods you will rather forbeare thinges necessary then you would be any hinderaunce to your husbands profit yea trauaile al that you can to increse his stock rather then one whit to deminish it wisely waighing that if any thing happen to her husband otherwise then well she is not one of the laste as I sayde before which shall feele the smart of it And thus praying you to print these precepts in your hart for feare to be oâ—eâ— cedious I leaue to trouble you anye more at this time Finis A pore yong mau being vehemently vexed for the loue of a fyre yong Gentlewoman craueth her fauour for the conseruation of his lyfe almost consumed SO rare is your bewtye bountie and grace that as the Adamante draweth yron vnto it so doeth the same draw the mindes of men vnto you and like Cirses charmes transporte them into what likenesse you list What maruaile is it then though manye worthy Gentlemen being bleared with the bright beames thereof be inforced for the appeasemente of their paine to seeke all meanes possible to purchase your gracious good will and fauour But my good mistresse amongst so many that haue made sute vnto you I maruaile you make choyse of none peraduenture it is because you cannot conceiue any constancye or faithful fidelitye to be 〈◊〉 in them if it be so behold I am he that can and will if you please supply that wante in you as you shold wel know if you made profe of me I doubt not but you should find me such a one as in all respectes would sufficiently satisfy your minde yea and so content you as the choyse of me shoulde not once mooue you to chaunge the basenesse of my byrth be any blemishe to your dignitie or your gentle accceptance to my offered curtesye moue you to repente you of so gracious a deede Pardon me I pray you if in this my rude writing I haue committed anye crime or done that which is contrarye to duty and impute the fault onely to loue whose burning flames hauing long tyme boyled in my brest not being able now any longer to concele the same I am thorow vehemency of the paine that thereby oppresseth my pore pensiue hart enforced at the last in hope of redresse to reueale my hidden greefes vnto you being the onely Mistresse of my health life and libertie without whose grace or mine owne great perrill may not possiblye be repressed nor my paines appeased for if they coulde then eyther feare of youre displeasure reason or duty woulde haue deteined me from this my present purpose and presumptious attempt and not haue permitted mee with woe to wade so farre in so daungerous a Sea seing therefore that the passion which oppresseth me is so paynefull the fyre that wasteth me so vehement the cause proceeding from you and the remedy resting only in your hands I thinke you cannot be so cruell harted but that pitty will moue you in the ende to rue the callamitye that youre poore Seruaunt hath for your sake so long sustayned and to hasten the remedy for his releefe that with the dewe of grace issuing from your moste delicate bodye you may speedilye quenche that consuming fyre whiche so continuallye inflameth his harte with desyre to doe suche seemelye seruice as shall be acceptable vnto you who accoumpting all payne but pleasure that hee sustaineth for your sake yeeldeth himselfe wholye vnto your clemencye to render him the finall sentence of lyfe or death which her dayly expecteth Finis How foolish women are in the choyse of their Louers THe Smith whose toyling trade besmeard his face with sweat And made him like a Croyden Knight with working in the heate More lucky was in loue then Hercules the stonte The one inioyde a dainty Dame the other went without Vulcanus had to wife the Lady cheefe of loue Whose passing bewty peerelesse was as Paris plaine did proue But long Alsides serude fayre Iole at her will In womans weede and yet did fayle to finde her fauour still For oft it is the trade of women to ellect Lewde lumpish loutes deuoyde of wit and wiser wightes reiect A Clowne that from the Cart is come in court to serue In whome there is no kinde of cause good liking to deserue Shall catch a gallaunt gyrle and
cannot but be greatly greeued for the small regarde you hadde of so faithfull a friend and then when it is to late will repent you of your great ingratitude Be not therfore so obstinately bent I beseech you to seeke his confusion that woulde accoumpte all payne but pleasure which he shoulde suffer in seeking your safetye consyder in what case your deuine bewtye hath broughte him and be not so carelesse of his welfare as you will suffer him to perishe for wante of pittie that cannot receiue any comforte but by your clemencye which to denye him weare extreame crueltye and woulde procure your perpetuall infamy The rather for that the remedye rested in you and that my grefe being taken in time might be easily cured to my comfort and your contentment as you shal be forced in the end of your selfe to confesse if you haue pittie vpon me as I hope you will wherein being fully resolued I rest for euer Your pore faithfull friend and obedient seruaunt The great loue that Itafernes wyfe bare to her brother WHen I tafernes with all his famely Were taken captiue By Darius army And cast into prison with great extremity His wife euery day Came to the kings gate making pittifull mone That these her plaints to take pittie vpon At last he was moued with 〈…〉 rcye alone As wrighters doe say In so much aâ— one vnto her he sent Who willed hee then with right good intent In the Kings name to â—cast to lament And freelye to chose The deliuery of one and she should him haue Then she 〈◊〉 the rest her Brother did craue Whose life and libertie she most sought to saue To lessen her woes The King then wondring that she would prefer Her Brother before the rest that were there 〈…〉 and children most deare This aunswere she gaue An other husband I may get quoth shee And other Children if Gods will it be But my Parentes being dead more bretheren then he I neuer can haue A Louer that stoode at an vncertaine staye wrighteth this for aunswere to a Letter that he receyued from her whome he loued MYstresse 〈◊〉 I receiued your Letters whiche 〈◊〉 vnto me so 〈◊〉 as I a 〈…〉 thereby broughte as it were into a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whiche I knowe not well how to winde me Some time you giue me hope and by and by crosse me with the contrary your wordes are so obscure as my simple capacitye cannot conceiue the meaning of them plaine dealing is best among friendes good meaning must not be couered with a counterfet collour I haue made you an honest demaund but can receiue 〈◊〉 certaine aunswere of it if you thinke mee vnworthye of you let me vnderstand it in plaine speeches and I will soone seace my fute for if you cannot fancy me I neither maye nor will inforce you to it If you like of my demaunde driue mee not of with doubtfull delayes for that is very daungerous Your vertuous education and commendable quallityes are the onely causes that haue constrained me to loue you for the which I more esteeme you being as you are then otherwise I woulde doe weare you neuer so welthye you say my sute is reasonable and yet ye reproue it as vnprofitable you confesse me to be worthy of you and yet refuse to render your selfe vnto me being the partie whome aboue all other I chiefely desyre and would most willingly possesse if so it pleased you In deede I confesse that good deliberation and carefull consideration is to bee had in so waighty a cause which I had in remembraunce before I made anye motion thereof vnto you yet if there bee anye thing that I haue neglected if you would let me vnderstaÌ„d wherein and what it is it should be better respected and being amisse most willingly amended And whereas you refuse to yeeld your consent without the counsel of others to aske councel in any thing it is commendable and to follow it if it be good is right profitable but whose counsell you craue I know not â—â—les it be your parentes which if it be the same I hope wil not be contrary to my contentation yet do I not so much depend vpon that as I will thefore seeke to them before I haue assayed you haue some assuraunce the thing I seeke for which is only in 〈◊〉 to graunt and without you cannot be obteyned or if it be it must be by compulsion then were a maÌ„ better be without it for forced mariages haue neuer good effect But peraduenture you haue some further purpose in it then I am priuy vnto it may be that you imagin my good will to be grounded vpon so light an occasyon as gaining my purpose I would quickly flie from my former professions make more haste in the matter then reason requyreth or vse some drifte to deceiue your present expectation but how farre my good meaning is from these imaginations God and myne own conscience only knoweth you challenge me as if I had bene ouer lauishe of my langwage in blazing things abrode that are not yet brought to passe which if I should doe as I take God to witnesse I haue not I might worthely be condemned for a foole serue as a laughing stock to all men that shal see it fal out otherwise hereafter And therefore I beseech you put such imaginations out of your minde and condemn me not as guiltye before you haue cause to accuse me And in conclusion I hartily beseech you not to trifle oute the time anye longer but to render me a ready aunswere to that whiche I demaund of you howsoeuer it be I care not for I can better brooke a flat refusall then suffer my selfe to be fedde with foolish hope for a thing so vncertaine and therefore where subtlely you say at the foote of your letter yours for so it may be henceforward either refuse me flatly or else put downe plainely in the place of it yours I am wil be so shall you both satisfy me sufficiently and also greatlye ease your self of the trouble that my tedious writing if so you accoumpte it doth presentlye put you vnto and so fare you well The straunge pangs of a pore passionate Louer NOt as I am nor as I wish to be But as falce Fortune frames mytroward fate Euen so I am not bound nor fully free Not quite forlorne nor yet in quiet state I wish for death and yet the death I hate This life leade I which life is wondrous strannge yet for no life would I my lyfe exchaunge I seeke the sight of that I sigh to see I ioy in that which breedes my great vnrest Such contraries doe dayly comber me As in one thing I find both ioy and rest Which gaine he gets that is Cupidos guest For whome he catcheth in his cursed snare He giues great hope yet kils his hart with care Finis Of the thankefulnesse of a Dragon towardes a man that had brought him vp AS Bruson mention makes one Thoas
in his youth Brought vp a Dragon yong and of a certain truth when as he greater grne fearing his nature fell Conuaide him thence into a woode and left him there to dwell It hapned after Thoas was within that wood beset with many Theeues at which self time not making stay or let when as the Dragon heatd his voyce which he remembred tho He rushed forth and rescued him from those that wisht his wo. Finis R. D. Being inflamed with the loue of a very bewtifull Gentlewoman by a sodaine view that he tooke of her doth colourably declare his case vnto her AS late I walkte abrode for my delight To put all â—oolish fancies from my minde It was my chaunce vpon a plot to light Wherein I did great cause of comfort fynde A goodly Garden garnisht euery where with fragrant flowers of sondry sort and sent No straunge deuice could be that wanted there That euer wit of man might well inuent A goodly christall spring ran through this place whose bankes with sundry trees was brauely decâ—â— To shew ech thing by course would craue long space And yet some part I should of force neglect But that which made me most of all to muse was to behold ech thing so well conuaide And could not finde that any one did vse To make abode therein yet halfe afrayde Though cause were none I durst not enter in But stoode as one amasde this sight to see That whosoeuer then had present bene would not haue thought that life had lodgde in me My sences failde my feete were fixed fast My sight waxt dimme yet staring stoode I still But comming to my selfe againe at last And seing there no signe of any ill Nor none that would my passage once restraine But that the gates wide open stoode to all I banisht feare which earst procurde my paine And did determine what so should befall To enter in and view it round about And so I did in deede without anoyt For nothing was there which I neede to doubt But all thinges turnde vnto my treble ioy when as I fully had ech thing suruaide And fed my fancy as it likte me best Into an Arbour I my selfe conuaide And there lay downe to take my quiet rest Into a heauy sleepe straight wayes I fell And then me thought there did appeare in place Two gallant Dames whose bewty did excell whereof the one beholding long my face At last with stealing steppes approcht more neare And drawing forth a knyfe in dreadfull wise Did pierce the part which I esteemde most deare which done from of the ground she gan to ryse And by and by did vanish out of sight which way or how I could not well perceiue Wherewith I wakened being sore afright So much it did my quiet rest beleaue And then my naked body I behilde To sec if any wound would there appeare But euery place with flesh was fully filde No wound was seene ech place was fayre and cleare But when I rose with mind to walke from thence Such griâ—ly greefe did gripe my tender hart As for a time it hindred my pretence And from that place I scarce had power to part yet as I could although my pase were slowe I at my lodging did at last ariue And layde me downe in greefe which still did grow And greater waxe and happy helth depriue I sought Phisitions helpe my hurt to heale But Phisick could no whit at all preuaile And therefore still I must the same conceale And as a wight forlorne my wee bewayle Untill the louely Dame that did the deede Uouchsafe her grace to ease my present greefe In her it lyes my bitter bale to breede Or if she please to render me releefe which if she once refuse I am right sure My lothed lyfe that hope doth now prolong Shall not long time be able to indure But die I must because she doth me wrong Finis An aunswere to a Letter that was not onely darke but also so disordered as their could no sence be perceiued in it VNloked for I did receiue of late Such lynes as led me into double doubt Fyrst whence they came and from what minyon mate And secondly I mused where about And for what cause they should to me be sent But when I had perusde them ouer well was neare the nere in knowing thy intent For such a sencelesse tale thou seemdste to tell And so confuse as what I should couceiue Of any part thereof I knew not I To stayed Studients I the same will leaue By learned skill the secrete sence to trie Unlesse that thou that didst deuise the same wilt take the paines to glose vpon the text And set to shew the figures thou didst frame Whereby it seemes thy mind is much perplext For neither doth the matter match aright Nor yet the vearce but varries euery where I speake in sport no cause I haue to spight And as thou wisht so with thy want I beare Loue is a lawlesse Lord both he and his Are free from blame what so they doe or say And therefore though they sometime rome amis That once haue leaned to his lucklesse lay The fault is in the troward fittes they feele which leades their mindes to like of many thinges And still to turne as doth the whirling wheele where of the fruicte of folly freely springs Thy worthy worke may well compared be Unto A building brauely deckt without The inward partes whereof who so shall see May finde it framde of clay and durt no doubt For on the same when fyrst myne eyes I bent The entraunce bare so braue a modesty That sure I thought some Muse the same had sent From Helicon to please my fantasy But when I had a little further past Such paltrie pelfe presented was to me As braue me into other thoughtes at last So great a chaunge so sodainly to see But borrowed ware will beare no better show Au Ape 's an Ape though robes be neare so ritche The good from bad a man may easily know This makes thee claw whereas thou doest not itch well galdback well although I rubde thee now If that thou winche I way it not a might Such cloked cunning can I not allow Halt not henceforth when Criples are in sight For trust to this thy Peacockes borrowed tayle Cannot so craftely be coucht on thee But that the fine deuice thereof will fayle If it be matchte with those that kindly be In fine I wishe thee if thy mind be moude To beare the matter more at large set out which to prouoke thou hast so blindlye proude Then make it plaine and cleare it cleane of doubt Let finenesse goe and vse no secrete slight To couer that which cannot be consealde And then will I as well pluck vp my sprightes To open that I haue not yet reuealde Finis C. L. Wrighting to a speciall Friende of his that was somewhat greeued in minde for certaine troubles that were happened vnto him geneth him such friendly consolation