your curtesie onely for some sparke of grace But you as one willing to heare my pittyfull playnâ—e commaunded me with retyre to turne againe to the gayle of affection where being clogged with chaynes of extremitie all libertie was restrayned neither can my trembling tongue tell foorth so tedious a tale as should expresse the pinchyng payne and pyning penury wherin my crased corpse and lothsome limmes haue languisht this seuen moneths day and more Twise hope hath repreued me to appeale my chiefe dorrs herein whiche as yet I woulde neuer But the thirde time in extremity of panges and dreadfull doubte of life I am content Braue beautie demeanure Cupid and affection hath moued me herevnto Loe to thy demaund I haue yeelded graunt therefore grace in tyme else I wishe not to liue but die My gryping griefes would enioyne me to silence but that extremitie forceth me to speake make answere therefore I pray thee to this demaunde what should be the cause of the restrainte of your curtesie as to base of byrth haue I clymed to hie then the greater my fall But my parentage may counteruayle â–ª our wealth may incounter vnlace therefore your loyaltie But is there any mistrust of true meaning constancie greate good will or perfite loue proofe declares this needed not or thinke you extremity will cause me change those mistrustfull handes of dissimulation doe but hinder your wittes of well thinking and yet are no daynties for fine affection to feede vpon it so any curtesie rested in you Wherefore thinke vpon my paineful pangs and what I suffer for your sake all is to little to gayne my wiche and the least to muche to leese it Graunt therefore with pittie what resteth to graunt or else at the least in steede of a perfite yea graunt but a weake denay Then lingring hope wil perswade me that where I tooke a deadly wound there shall I finde a salue Thus trusting to your vnknowne curtesie wayling in woe and doubtfull of redresse I leaue you to likyng And yet my constancie commendes me thine owne for aye Yours and not mine F. E. The paynting of a Curtizan IT is a worlde to see eache feate displaying wise Of Venus Nimphes of Curtizans whom folly doth disguise Yea how and by what meanes they doe allure the youth To spend vpon theÌ„ all they haue whose beauty whettes their tooth Who listeth to beholde and marke my painting penne Shall see their garish trickes set downe wherby they allure the meÌ„ First with their lawnes and calles of golde beset with spangs With died and frizeled perewigs with hartes fro thence that haÌ„gs With veluet cappes and plumes they doe adorne their heddes With red white they painte their face to tice theÌ„ to there beddes There partlets set with spangs come close vnto their chinne There gorgets fairely wrought without inclose blacke neckâ— within And from their eare there hangs a pearle and siluer ring As for a bell the sounde whereof such like to hir doth bring About hir necke likewise there hangeth many a chayne Yea many a costly iem they weare that 's giueÌ„ theÌ„ of their trayne Their gownes in fashion are there vardingales are greate Their gownes likewise which are so side do sweepe aloÌ„g the streate Their pompes most oft are white their pantables are blacke Their woâ—â—ed hose are purple blâ—w thus nothing do they lacke Their gloues are all befumde with pure and perfect smell Yea all their clothes which smels of muske loe here she goes they tel Their smockes are all bewrought about the necke hande And to be short I tell you playne all things in order stande They onely walke the streates to see and to be seene Their waÌ„ton eyes caste here there will tell you what they bene But if hyr flanting lookes hath trayned any one Unto the mewe wherein she keepes along as she hath gone They shal be sure to finde all kinde of musicke there And she hir selfe at his request to play she will not spare Whiche doth inflame his harte with flashing sparkes of heate To trie with sugred wordes if so his harte would cease to beate Then she to passe the time at cardes will seeke to play Or else 〈◊〉 tables will they goe to driue the time away Then will they vaunt and graunt and for affinitie At cardes they will vye and reuye each their virginitie At Irishe game she will contrary to the game At bearing beare more than she should by proofe I know the same If that she taken be with this that hyr foule play Then makes she straight thereof a ieste I saw it not to say But with this ouersight she doth prouoke the man To thinke the worste and trie the best by all the meanes he can Then must she haue such cheare as may be got for quoyne That by the foode of dayntie dishe hir woes he might purloyne To spende and make no spare he must himselfe incline No quoyne good cheare aray nor gemmes for cost he may define For giue me and fetch me this is their dayly song But yet with this worde Adfer she driues him straight along This worde for to fulfill he settes on sale his lande And nought he seeth hir wante but buyth it out of hande His presence doth deserue remembraunce for to haue But out of sight so out of minde good will doth presence craue And if she grauntes him grace to mitigate his woes His handkercher she will bewet with water of a rose And then such wanton toyes she wil be sure to finde That he perswades himselfe herewith to him she is full kinde Who would requyre more it full requites his coste And he likewise as proude thereof will make thereof his boste Yea yea she treades so nice she would not wafers breake And maulte horse like she beares hir mayne that ayre hir armes doth streake Thus as a floting fishe she glides a long the streete As lauÌ„cing ships she cuts the seas hir plumes the sayles doth greete But if by candle light she chaunce hir selfe to showe Hir paynted forme so glistreth as the starres appearde arowe Such cousining trickes they haue each man for to deceaue That while they credite giue therto hir wordes their wits bereaue Wherfore let not thine eye reduce thy wanton woe Nor giue no credite to their wordes whiche honie like doe flowe Light wonne light lost againe be sure them thus to finde For lightly comen so lightly gone this is a harlots kinde Beleue a harlots wordes and weaue a webbe of woe No credite therefore giue thereto beleue it is not so She will not sticke to sweare she hath not knowen a man And thou alone hir maydenhed by filed phrase haste wan And that no man aliue could euer gayne his will When many an one yea evry day of hir hath had their fill No man hath toucht hir skinne excepting hande and face Thus will they lie with euery breath it is their wonted grace Take heede therefore betime least thou too late
The Golden Aphroditis A pleasant discourse penned by Iohn Grange Gentleman Student in the Common Lavve of Englande Wherevnto be annexed by the same Authour asvvell certayne Metres vpon sundry poyntes as also diuers Pamphlets in prose which he entituleth His GARDEN pleasant to the eare and delightful to the Reader if he abuse not the scente of the floures Habet musca splenem Et formicae sua bilis inest AT LONDON ANNO. 1577. ¶ To the right Honorable and his singular good Lord the Lord Sturton Iohn Grange vvisheth health vvelth and prosperitie vvith increase of Honour I Knowe moste Honorable your vvisedome may maruell and not vvithout cause that I vvho of all other am to be reputed the moste vnlearned vvoulde take vpon me hauing small skill or little or none in Palmistrie to discourse or rather intreate of the eleuation or declination of the Mount of Venus seing both finer vvittes and â—yper heads before this time herein haue vvaded ouer shoes for vvaÌ„t of greater skill Yet my Lord vnder your most Honorable correction to this your admiration in mine ovvne defence I obiect this lavvful excuse Honoâ— as Tullie sayth alit artes omnesque incenduntur ad studia gloriae VVherfore reconing my selfe as one of this generalitie and yet desirous to keepe me vvithin the boundes of this phrase Ne â—utor vltra crepidam lavvfully alluded of Apelles for the curious carping at his vndeserued pensell I may vvanting feete to runne creepe though as slovve as doth the Snayle vvho refusing to come at the cal of Iupiter vnto his generall feast for all liuing creatures vvas iustly punished as you see vvith the cariage of hir house on hir backe vvherby straying vvhether she list is neuer the farther from home Thus your vvisedome may see the great desire vvhich I had somvvhat to set forth and that vvhat best might agree vvith your Honours youthfull yeeres not mislike my youthfull aucthoritie vvho desirous to paint as vvel the pleasure as displeasure of Loue thought good mingling the svveete vvith the soure not onely to discourse of the eleuation but also of the declinatioÌ„ of the Mount of Venus for that they are dependant as fellovv â—abians the one to the other And though my Lord nothing ought to be penned svvaruing or not proceding froÌ„ graue aucthoritie yet often times vnder a defuse garmeÌ„t lieth a clodde of vvisdome Likevvise if vnskilfull heds shoulde frame theÌ„selues to the limitation of this Greeke prouerbe Quam quisque â—orit artem in bac se exerceat then skill muste dye vvith the Auctor for vvant of youthfull exercise yea nothing should be practised much lesse learned fevve then do as Plato Pithagoras and Democritus did vvho as some say sought all the partes of the vvorlde vvherein any thing vvas that might or coulde be learned Yea Democritus and Anaxagoâ—as lofte bothe their goodes and patrimonies as all men do knovv onely for the desire of learning Also Diodoâ—us the Stoike is not much incoÌ„parable to these vvho thorovv his continuall vvatch and excessiue studie being blinde of long time knovving nothing but vvhat vvas red vnto him by a little childe yet gaue himselfe vnto the studie of Geometrie teaching vvith vvordes vvho vvere desirous to learne hovv and in vvhat maÌ„ner each liue should be layed VVherfore O grafte of noble stocke hauing the like desire if so I might say as these haue had to learning my desire and not my skill my good vvill and not my penne is to be accepted as the simple Raddish roote vvrapped in a peece of greene Sarcenet vvas better accepted at the Prince his handes than vvas a goodly fayre Horse gorgeously trapped giuen him of his marchaunt for that in deede he knevv their vvilles vvere not alike the poore man gaue his Radish roote for pure loue but the other his sumptuous Horse in hope of a greater benefite Thus preacing more boldly than vvisely vpoÌ„ your Honours curtesie I haue brought vnto your Lordshippe a handfull of fragrant floures though not gathered in Adonis garden the chiefe vvhereof are Primeroses and Violettes Your choyce is not great yet chuse vvhat likes you best the vvorst turne backe againe For if some may please and none displease I shall not onely thinke my time vvel spent and my diligence better imployed but also my labour and trauell best of al bestovved And vvheras I seeme as you shall hereafter perceyue to ground my Paganicall Pamphlet vpon the song of Apollo most melodiously song vnto me as me thought in a visioÌ„ I vvould not your Honour should thinke the painting of my peÌ„ne to be Verbatim spoken of Apollo his mouth but rather the grounde thereof vvhiche in most ample manner follovving I haue delated vvherby eche one may see as it vvere in a gorgeous garish glasse before their eyes a pretie poeticall Pamphlet shevving paganically as vvell the lavvful copulacion betvveene Vulcano and Venus as the vnlavvfull combat betvveene hir and Mars Also in this mery meane a playne mirrour of youthful vanities shall play his parte and the shade thereof shall bereaue you of your senses In the ensigne likevvise of this army your Honour shall finde vvritte as it vvere vvith letters of pure Gold a chiefe poynte of vvomens vanities videlicet looke vvhat they may haue coste it neuer so muche they esteeme not but by a toy of light valevve and not easily commen by they â—oâ—great store vvherof this Prouerbe came Far feâ— and deere bought are good for Ladyes Also diuers other pointes in this glasse your L. shall perceyue vvorthie of noting but vvhy seeme I vvho as yet neuer receyued one poynt of discourtesie of any veneriall Dame to display vvith penne and inke vpoÌ„ the imbecillitie of their natures God graunt say I Euripides may vvell vvithstand their boysterous blasts vvho in his Tragedie intituled Medea affirmeth that vvomens vvittes are vnapte to goodnesse but very vvell inclined to vnhappinesse bicause sayde he vvomen are creatures vnperfect and vvhere perfectioÌ„ is not there can nothing rest that is good It seemeth the nebbe of my penne is long and that I lesse do feare the stubbing therof Such surmises beleue me assent to veritie my yoÌ„g yeres say I speake not by experience but rather by heare say and vvhat of this riper yeares mellovver vvittes knovv I fayne not herein for many of them vnvvillingly haue the proofe thereof Yet vvould I not vvho haue no title hereunto should seeme to chaleÌ„ge me as their vniust accuser for I meane not generally my surmise is not vnknovvne Rubbe a gauld Horse on the backe and it is a chaunce if â—ee kicketh not I vvill not say but that Dame Nature hath played hir part in deuiding and distributing hir gifts equally as vvell to the one as to the other For vve see as vve haue Apollo and Mercurie for Goddes so Pallas and Minerua for Goddesses of vvisdome as Mars so Bellona for vvar as Cupide so Venus for loue as Pan so Ceres for inuention of husbandrie yea as
commonly come to the like effect For being matched so yong thorow the folly of their parents not seldome seene it is loue takyng no roote a greate disparagement riseth when they come to age or yeares of discretion eche saying to the other for wante of lyking folly and not wisâ—dome yea goodes and not loue brought vs together Thus not agreyng but continually â—â—cring the one at the other sometimes they seeke diuorcement whiche if they do not yet better I thinke were these mariages vnmade Who mindeth therefore to matche himselfe in such order as to leade a godly life might doe very well to followe Socrates rule therein who thus prescribed vnto a certen yong gentleman demaunding of him what wife were best to marie Nube equalem for so sayde he thou shalte be sure in no poynt to mislike or disagree But why seeme I thus to stray from my texte a good penne man will say or at the least thinke rither I did it for wante of matter else was I no perfite dilater in this cace To whome I answere thus though I swarue from my teâ—te yet not from the matter But Ad rem redeam for I know my recorded notes yee looke for The sacked loue of A. O beyng wonne as you see by my former style N. O. was very desirous to know of a certenty the day wherein this solemne mariage should be solemnised for that the preparation thereof required a long deliberation wherby eche thing belongyng to this sumptuous furniture mighte be had in such a readinesse as no hart aliue could wish it better to be And iudge yee whether time wanted to consulte thereof when as this demaunde being made before Christmasse the time appoynted was contriued or deferred vntil Easter bicause in deede of force she must so doe what though he thought it long it was a brauen to liue in hope Neyther passed this tedious tyme as he thought without vnfayned ioyes vnspeakeable pleasure for eche day they fedde their reume and pleased their appetites with choyce thereof For first N. O caused as the time required the twelue labours of Hercules and also his owne death to be liuely sette sorth in tragicall manner before hyr eyes videlicet firste the ouercommyng of the Lion thorow the ayde of Nemea secoÌ„dly the sleyng of the poysonous seuen hedded snake called Hydra thirdly the conquering of the foule sowe of Erymanthius fourthly the death of the harte with his gildeâ— hornes fiftly the oppression of the birdes of Sâ—ymphalide with his beÌ„ded bowe sâ—â—tly the loosing of Hyppolita froÌ„ hir binding chaynes seuenthly the clensing of the stable of Augia by his deuice of running waters for the eyght the conquering of the mighty Bull in wrestlyng then for the ninth as well the conquest of the horses of Diomedes as of the King himselfe for the tenth his ouercomming of Geriones with his triple body In the eleuenth the victory of Cerberus in descending for Proserpina and laste of all beyng conquerour of Hesperides the winnyng of the goldeÌ„ apples Yet being the author of so many worthy deedes howe miserably and pityfully yea in what lamentable order at the length he ended his lyfe thorowe the wearing of a shyrte whiche Deâ—anira put him on for the nonst besprinkled with the bloud of a Centaure whiche cleaned so faste vnto his vnwitting body that with greedy grypes it rente his harte asunder Also in this tragedie was mencioned the betrayâ—ng of Sampson thorowe a womans wilt Whereat some of the company departed with a dogge in their sleeue Who in mine opinion it becomed rather to haue stayed and lulled hir fancie in hiâ— lappe whose stinking breath anoyes the gentle route But what of this I dare sweare they are not onely perswaded that the scente therof is perfite restoritie but also it to caste as odoriferous a smell to their noses and to be as sweete to them and better accepted than the codde it selfe of muske But much good may it do them From such sweete and sauory smels God shielde me And yet so long as they perswade themselues this stewe or hoate bathe to be both a restoritie and perfitte muske I see no cause but that to them so supposing it shoulde be muske it selfe For I remember diuers prety iestes looking in my budget of pleasaÌ„t coÌ„ceyts First betwene a yoÌ„g man who perswaded himselfe that his nose was so greate that no roâ—me be it neuer so wide could receyue him neither was there any Monster aliue so foule as he although indeede his nose was in as good forme and fashioÌ„ as needed to be But notwithstanding such was his foolish persuasion fonde beliefe that vntill a Barbor had deceyued him in the cutting thereof at his owne request that hee woulde not beleeue it I finde also that an other persuaded himselfe that he was a glasse and none might come neare much lesse touche him least he should breake And to be shorte I finde an other mery ieste as touching this poynt betweene a man of the countrey and his parishe Priest who lying very sore sicke and the people aboute him looking alwayes when he shoulde say In manus Domini commendo spiritum meum bycause the pangs of deathe had inforced him oft before to say in raging wise Cupio dissolui esse cum Christo sente vnto maister Parson earnestly requesting him to coÌ„municate the holy Sacrament vnto him before he yeelded vp his ghost but this beyng at midnight and he lying warme in his bed was lothe to forgoe the same Wherefore he wrote to this pacient by the messenger as touchyng the Sacrament Câ—ode quod edu edu Thus master Parson litle regarding the egernesse of the wolfe and much lesse his soules saluation forgetting also this sentence Bâ—nâ— est Pastoris â—â—ndere pecus non diglubere by no meanes coulde be gotten forth of his warme bedde It chaunced yet in shorte time after this grieuous sicke man recouered his health againe and hauing occasion to ryde a litle way vppon some earnest businesse he sent to this Parson to borrow his horse who nothing mistrusting â—ente it him But knowing afterwarde that he was returned agayne he sente for his horse Who remembryng his newe kinde of ministring the Sacrament kepte still the horse and wrote vnto him in this order Non meministi quid mihi dixisti de corpore Christi Crede quod edu edis Sic ego rescribo de tuo Palphrido Crede quod habes habes Now sir whether he serued him well or no I referre the iudgement thereof to some apishe witte For eche man knoweth the feather of an Eagle is of force to consume the feathers of meaner byrdes But I willâ—-omitte these cragged snubbes and croked boughes to take holde once agayne of the streight body of the tree Firste I.I. seyng hee coulde not preuayle with his glosed talke hee gaue the assaulte once more not onely by profered seruice and professed friendshippe but also by offryng hyr rare Iewels and costly
let your loue to light Least want of â—endring like doth put your ioyes to flight Know first his nature well and then repose your trust Let nothing be to deare if so yee finde him iust Spende not your loue on those that will it not requite For why that wante of loue it can no one delight Thus ponder well my wordes let Pallas be your guyde Least that in wâ—â—ton lust your feete beginne to slyde Adewe my pleasures all adewe my chiefe delight Loue hath me wounded now and put you all to flight Wherefore Yee Tigrâ—s whelpes vnkinde and eke yee rauening Wolues The Stigian poole and eke the Acherontes golues Yea yea the Manâ—icors the Lyons in their rage Cerborus Alecto with the Leopardes sauage And to be shorte drawe neare yeâ— furiâ—s all of Hell Yee Fayries with the reste elsewhere where so you dwell And Clothâ— now leaue off thy disloffe aye to hed Lachesis sitte still and spinne no longer thred But Atropos make haste and with thy shredding knyfe Asunder cut the threede which doth prolong my lyfe For why Milecian maydes your â—â—ippes I meane to trâ—â—â— And as Lucrecia did my lyfe for to vnlace Wherefore ye dolefull dumpes and eke ye Ladies all Come rue the wretched chaunce whiche did to me befall Come Heraclitus nowe to weepe and eke to wayle And Ladies now to rue hoyste vp your mourning sayle Melpomene likewise now take thy penne in hande In mourning wise to paint how fortune doth withstande Likewise I thee beseeche Sulpicia of Rome Some posâ—e to indite to set vpon my tome That all whiche heares or sees may rue my wretched cace And know the cause wherefore my life I did vnlace This sayde with bloudy hande she tooke hir dyrchill knife And to hir harte it thrust to ende hir lothsome life Whiche blowne vnto his eares he rued in raging wise But nought he could withstande hir fonde and foolish guyse Why liue I on the earth that thus am lefte alone Why seeke I not to die and first to make my mone Alas my gem of ioy and eke my Dymande deere Ah fountayne of delight as dead why liest thou heere What shall of me become my ioyes exiled are My harte with griefe will â—urst hope lodged is so farre Hath Paris Leander Pyrame or Troylus Aye truer bene than I to thee my prety mus Pesistratus in fayth or Romeus in truth What cause then hast thou had to fall in such a ruth These wordes are but in vayne I do but seeke to drowne Thy crased corps in teares of certaine this is knowne It shall not aye be sayde that thou for me shalt die For I the like to doe thy former deede will trie Bloud shall be shedde for bloud and life shall pay for lyfe I haue like force I know like hande and the like knyfe With lyke adewe my ghost adewe my latter breath Adewe each pleasure that is founde vpon the earth Yet Ladies thus much graunt our corpse one tome to haue One Epitaphe thereon this onely thing I craue This sayde he kisâ—e hir corpse ten thousand times and more With teares be fillde those woundes that greeued him full sore He callde vpon hir name ten thousand times and more But life it yeelded had to cruel death his lore Hir eyes they were clong fast prest downe with heauie death Adewe my deare he sayde and thus he stopte his breath A Song whiche the Gentlewoman made before she slevve hir selfe O Cupide why arte thou to me vnkynde Unequall arte thou in thy raging moode Why didst thou seeke with loue to make me blynde By loue to die it will doe thee no good Unlesse perchaunce you ioy to see my woe I gaue no cause to finde you such a foe Did 〈◊〉 offend thy mother any time Whereby she sought on me to wrecke hir spight Did I commit at any time a crime Whiche moued you to put my ioyes to flight If so I haue then didst thou serue me well If not me thinkes thy nature is to fell Ioue knoweth all but I doe feele the smarte I haue the wounde whiche breedes my endlesse woe Alas alas what meanes that dyrefull darte It makes me loue whome neither may forgoe Alas to late I may repent the time Of my delight when Ver was in hir pryme For my delight hath giuen this deadly wounde Whiche by no meanes agayne may cured be Alas alas loue doth me nowe confounde By parant proofe each man the same may see And none aliue dothe rest to cure the same Thee Cupid now full iustly may I blame And Lady Ver thou arte my mortall foe For thy delights did force my feete to range Thou arte the cause of all this endlesse woe Though Fortune coy she seemed somewhat strange Thus all alike did gyue this mortall wounde And all alike hath sought me to confounde If Lethe lake shoulde yeelde vnto my lore Yet would it want in me his former force It could not be a salue for suche a sore For Cresses iuyce it would his wonte deuorce Wherefore in vayne I crie and looke for ayde For hope it selfe at neede hath me denayde Come Ladies now put on your mourning weedes Mourne and lament the cause of my distresse Through want of will my harte it dayly bleedes For hope denies to yeelde me ought redresse Mourne and lament each day with dolefull tunes For I am she whome lingring loue consumes What woman will in man repose hir trust And findeth them so oft to be vniust Worse than a beast is he that plights his troth And then for to performe the same is loth But worse is he that giues his faith to one When long before to others it was gone Falser art thou to me than Demophon Theseus Phaon Aeneas Iason Falser to me than euer any wight Who waste my ioy and eke my whole delight And of my death thy falshoode is in blame Whose bloud shall pay the ransome of the same Come rue therefore with me ye wretched wightes With dolefull tunes approche yee neare at hande Weepe now and wayle forbidding all delightes And pleasures eke at elbow yours to stande For loue it seekes to make me now a tome And loue it will me bryng vnto my dome FINIS An answere to a letter written vnto him by a Curtyzan A Bottome for your silke it seemes my letters are become Whiche with oft winding off and on are wasted whole and some Who nilling other for to finde but through my paintyng penne Thereto to giue occasion to wryte you will not lenne And sith you take such great delight my bottomes for to spende Beholde now grauntyng to your will an other here I sende Ne sutor vltra crepidam I giue this phrase to vewe Forbidding Sowters to exceede the clowting of a shooe T is seldome seene a Swan to diue of Morehennes had bene best For you to talke although you seeme that name for to detest Dianas troupe it best may blase the Swan of Menander It best becomes your penne
I founde that harde it was for ought to liue at rest For if dame Pleasure streake mine oare in this my youthfull race Swete meat sharp sauce I know requirs no iudgmeÌ„t in this cace And what though Venus graunts me grace nought therby shal I Such pleasures lasteth but a time yet they do aske paine â—gaine And then if so affection fonde within my brest should raygnt A Lion in an Asses skinne my harte it should retayne Whereof Valerius doth reporte that Aristophnes once In templis Acharonâ—â—s made prayers for the nonce â–ª That he in Charons ferry boate might passe the Stygian lake To Plutos grysly gates of Hell which for his daughters sake He did obtayne through fayned loue which he to them did beare Alecto and Tisiphone Megera these for feare He flattered much to whome I know such credite did they giue That they him taught with sops to feede if so he sought to liue The Triceps head of Cerberus the porter of his gate But see within thou stay not long least forth thou come to late This councell did he keepe ful well and as they had him tought He did and saw what was his will he founde eke what he sought But what he fouÌ„d that restes vnknowne but when he came againe Unto Thatheniensians he gan to warne them playne For wanton Lions fostryng vp within the Citie walles Least while they thinke of Melt to feede they taste of bitter galles Thus likyng breedes extremitie lulld in affections lappe And looke what others pleaseth moste therein I finde least sappe Alas what one can â—rame himselfe his youthfull race to spende All in Mineruas comely courte doth not Diana hende Sometime vnto Dame pleasures lawes how then caÌ„ I withstaÌ„d The firie force of Cupidâ—s bowe doth not dame Venus stande At Beauties barre with comly crewes routes of dayntie dames Whose smiling lookes praÌ„king toyes doth cast such fiery flames Before my greedy glauncing eyes that rolleth here and there That I poore soule do rest betrayde as doth the fearfull hare What shall I do poore sillie sotte make answere in this cace Where are thy wittes as now become that arte so wan of face If so they wandring be abrode then call them home againe A counsell generall to holde it asketh them no payne Therein determine of my life how I the same shall leade But yet determine of thy selfe that perfite path to treade That leades vnto the perfite ioyes else thou thy selfe beshrowe Mayst soone perchaunce vnawares the paine therof shalt know Thus beyng set in counsell graue this counsell did they giue That I my running head to stay and eke at ease to liue A wife should wedde oh waylfull woe what could haue chaunced wurse The wedded man best liues at ease when fast bounde in his purse He hath the tongue of wedded wife else will she clatter so Bothe to his face and at his backe that gladde he is to goe His way and leaue hyr all alone for why a shrewishe tongue Is like vnto an Aspen leafe that nothing vayles to clangue But yet for this they councellde me a wedded wife to take That I the fishe of coÌ„mon sewer might whole and cleane forsake I was content my wittes did serue and would me so to doe To wiue I wente as bootelesse bente a goslyng for to shoe For looke whose wife in beautie braue doth passe the middle sorte Each thinkes hir nought a secrete whore and giues hir this report But further yet of wiues to speake thus much I haue to say Whose wife in welth hir mate exceedes she then wil beare the sway And treade vpon hir husbandes crowne as for hir feete to lowe Thou mightst haue beggde this will she say if so she be a shrowe If not for me thou knowest full well thus will she beare the rule And weare the breeches of hir mate as wrapt in Friers cule I did deserue a better man than euer thou wilt be Why seekste thou then thy whole affayres or ought to hide fro me Why should not I thy councell be without restraint of will So ought it be and so it shall till pleasure hath his fill Then she disdayning of hir matche some one will soone procure To pay the boxe and eke with salue hir former wounde to cure To Cuckoldes hall she will him sende as warden for to be With grifted hornes vpon his head as euery one may see Hir husbandes wealth shall wasted be vpon hyr bilbowe boyes Thus ouerfayre and all to riche doe wante no tedious toyes Then who so wiues whome beauty waÌ„ts be she ere poore or ritche He will hir lothe she can not please she is not for his pitche Thus whiche way can a maried man at this day liue at ease When neyther faire the foule nor riche his fancy fond may please Yet I a merry meane did finde which is a berry Browne Browne and louely thus they say she only beares the crowne If so it be as Goddes it graunt then am I all to wedde For Browne and louely haue I cought taccompany me in bedde New married wiues and yong men too do thinke the day is long Wherein they wedded be and wishe for wante of other song The night were come so did I that Phebus to the west With steedes were drawne on chariot wheles and there to take his rest His course was done Vesper she with Luna playde their partes Whiche pleasde vs well for ioyes approcht most meete for louing harts But passing forth this pleasaÌ„t night with louely tricks I say Alas to soone dan Phebus he did shewe that it was day And with his radiant glittering beames began for to display It was not meete for louers yet so timely for to ryse But for to chat an houre or two this is their wonted guyse And playing thus with waÌ„toÌ„ toyes the Cuckow bad good morow Alas thought I a token t is for me to liue in sorrow Cuckow sang he Cuckow sayd I what destiny is this Who so it heares he well may thinke it is no sacred blisse Alas quoth she what cause haue you as yet thus for to say In Cuckow time few haue a charme to cause his tongue to stay Wherfore Content your selfe as well as I let reason rule your minde As Cuckolds come by destiny so Cuckowes sing by kinde FINIS The Louer forsaken bewayleth his chaunce IF euer man had cause to wayle then haue I cause to mourne Who ioyes to see my vowed foe I like and am forlorne I serue where no acceptance is and haue this seuen yeares space And thryce seuen in yeares I would hir serue in hope to purchace grace But all alas it is in vayne I like but to my coste For why the loue I haue bestowed I count it is but loste I take delight to vewe that face whiche yeeldes my deadly wounde I loue to serue in loyall thrall although no thankes are founde O gulfes of care O dolefull dumpes that sore oppresse my