their turnes stricke not to play the Bée Scorne not for gaine in age to holde the doore They once were yong that were your bandes before 101 And now my larges giuen farewel foule guile Farewel O world no wile shal make me rich My mynd abhorres welth won by falshoodes vyle To mount by fraud I loth such loftie pitch I can not scratch the harmelesse ere they itch If due desart proude Flatterie pyneth still I list not fawne play hypocrite that will. 102 Fare wel fare wel O world farewel againe Thou now God wot froÌ„ wonted course doest réele The clergie once in preaching tooke great paine Whose words in works bare witnes of their zeale Most now in words but few in workes reueale They teach with toung when thought on tything is O wicked world thy wealth is cause of this 103 O world accurst in court thou settest pryde Whose mynions are fraude flatterie and disdaine They pyne desart before his truth be tryde They forge offened well meaning mindes to staine They cast at al yet sildome lose amaine Wo worth the world thy brauerie works the wracke Of such in court as well deserue and lacke 104 The souldier stout foreséeing small reliefe For seruice doone if spoyled honre he comes As forst to play no souldier but the théefe When fortune fits to gather vp his crumbes For once at home poore store of pence he thumbes O world thy wealth with rulers worketh so As what they haue they hardly will forgo 105 The lawe first made to wéede out wrongs for right To yeald amends vnto the poore opprest â—s wrested nowe for fauour or for spight Nowe monie so corrupts the Lawyers breast That daying is for poore mens suits the best Yea such effects in worldly muche doth lurke As iudges harme where helpe they ought to worke 106 Fine fare and slouth discases strange do bréede And grieued wights will spare no cost for ease But golden fées so doth Physicians féede As séelde or nere they rich mens paines appease With drinks and drugs they still do them displease O wicked world thy welth first wrought their grief Thy wealth againe doth hinder their reliefe 107 Desire of gaine make offices so heape As solde they be not giuen who best deserues Who buyeth deare séelde thriues by selling cheape Who wrongeth yet from honest getting swerues No force for that fewe nowe such course obserues Thus pelfe O world first makes the Doner foule To leauie mendes the Done néedes must poule 108 Each pleasant paine each swéete inticing sowre O world thou workst our wanton yeres to witch And not content we should our selues deuour But churles thou sett'st to clawe vs ere we itch Thou burnst the byrde and bastes the bacon stitch O spiteful world thou hap frank harts dost grutch And grieuest churles by giuing of too much 109 The merchant once bent all his care to seas In forreine soyle he sought desired gaine Then was his toyle to common wealth an ease And he deseru'd his wish in lye of paine But nowe at home he findes a swéeter vaine Sance venter nowe he will in wealth abound Foule fall the wight this second trade that found 110 The reachlesse héede youthes haue in large expence To flaunt it out their cost no care to thriue Inticeth churles with shewe of good pretence In prime of pride their maintnance to depriue For lymed once small bootes the wrong'd to striue Right Cousners haue such helps friends at néede As struange it is to sée how â—leare they spéede 111 Thy pryde O world doth bréede such wanton thought As most men nowe receiue dame Venus hyre To stoupe faire dames such sharp assaults are sought Such proffers large such wiles to winne desire As wonder t' is what fortes are set on fire Who sinneth not is such a gnawing bone To raise this siege that fewe will throwe a stone 112 Fye on the world fye on thy soule deceites Fye on thy fraude thy flatterie and thy pryde Fye on thy shifts thy subtilties and sleites Fye on thy cloakes thy filthy crimes to hyde Adieu adieu I can thée not abyde And thee O God for euermore I laude For kéeping me vntainted so with fraude 113 For though I haue consumd my dayes in thral Now death drawes néere my couÌ„t is quickly made And well I wot death doth all sorts appall The prince the poore yea men of euery trade Who lewdly liues with recknings huge is lade Thus worldlings griefe where mine doth eb doth flowe A sorrie swéete to end with sowre woe 114 Through conscience I féele no thought of hell I conquer'd haue of dreadful death the feare Where is thy sting where doth thy furie dwell Where is thy force O Death wher is thy speare Assault say I that with my Christe I were I ready am both euening noone and morne The diuell the world and all their works I scorne Lenuoy 115 YOu worldlings chiefe to you this tale I tell God graunt my words be to your woundes a leache The fruites of fraude vntold you knowe too well Yea better then my naked Muse can teach But to this end this dririe plaintes I preach That hencefoorth you to getting haue such eye As you may liue as though you dayly dye 116 And least the lewde should wrest my worde amis I do exempt the good of euery trade The which I trust will not repine at this To shew thy praise this checking verse was made The Clergie first at whome a glaunce I had Of them there be great store of preachers good To shewe the truth that will not spare their blood 117 There are in court that liue in worthy fame And well deserue renoune and credite both Some officers will take no bribes for shame Some laweyers are to sowe dissention loth And citizens with whome I séemde so wroth I néedes must graunt how so my Muse did square Of euery trade a number honest are 118 The souldier now whom I do honour much How so I toucht their faults that do offend I graunt we haue of noble souldiers such As maimes to fame that will those vices shend I blame none such the rest I wish amend Physicians good as many sure there be Will not repine the lewde reprou'd to sée 119 How so I toucht some scriueners faults at quicke There are of those I knowe of honest fame Such haue no cause against my Muse to kicke Nor yet the lewde that wisely weyes the same I blase abuse yet touch no creatures name Yea to be shore â—â—ypt no foot of men That truly can wâ—th malice charge my pen. Veritas non querit angulos G.W. opinion of trades as touching gaine written to his especiall friend maister R.C. MIne owne good friend â–ª since thou so faine wouldst know What kynde of trade doth yeald the surest gaine My iudgement now of some I meane to showe And after toyle which quiteth best thy paine The merchant he which cuts the mounting seas With
sâ—ooteth home Such is their force where credite beareth sway A perfect tale although the wronged tell Their thwarting speach what they mislike will stay The wronged wight with wrath may haply swell And pleades a fresh though not so passing well Then sausie knaue how maâ—lapeart hée is Away go packe your purpose you shall mis. But if the sot which in their fauour stand Do slammer forth a patched tale of lyes Their helping speach will force him vnderstand The way and meanes afresh for to deuise To frame his talke from shew of trueth to rise A vertue straunge their wordes can bring to passe That fooles séeme wise the wise in shew an Asse UUhat fréer life then others to commaund UUhat happier state then for to liue in rest What greater wealth then what a man demaund UUhat credite like the countnaunce of the best For thralles it were a heauen to reach the left But they aloft whom vertue doth aduaunce If more may bée inioy more happie chaunce UUho will not then both séeke and double séeke To reach this hap with hazard at the first The foreward wight though fortune giue the gléeke A fresh will toyle till that his harâ— doth burst â–ª If still shée frowne in faith the man is curst A fall saith he who recketh such a losse An asse shall ride and no hie sturring horsse For proofe againe the huge and mightie oke UUhose withered roote from falling cannot stay But downe hee comes by sturdie Boreas stroke His fall god wot doth crush the vnder spray Euen so it fares with those that beareth sway If by mishap they wrapped be in thrall The poore doth beare the burthen of their fall For where as mindes by mischiefe raisâ—e too hie Sedition sowe their natiue soilâ— to wring UUhen Princes might doth make such rebels flie The leaders chiefe well horst away do fling UUhen pesaunts stay and Sursum corde sing They sue for grace safe in anothers land When toyling thralles are trussed out of hand If in abuse of both their states be best Although the best in faith is very bad Deseruing well they are farre better blest They roist in silkes wheÌ„ clownes in raggs are clad They haue their will and what can more be had Who will not then how so sly hap saith nay Séeke out this chaunce if vertue sayes hée may ¶ An Epitaphe on the death of the right worshipful maister Robert Wingfield of Vpton in the countie of Northampton Esquier TO shewe their cause of dole whom Wingfields death doth pearse Good muse take thou a little paine his vertues to rehearse Hée wel was knowne to spring from house of auncient name Yea leaue his Armes and blase his actes and you shall sée the same His zeale to serue his God his care to saue his soule His stoute contempt of Romish ragges their taxe their tyth and toule The Gospell that hée lou'd his life that showde no lesse Bare witnesse that in words and workes the trueth he did professe Beléeue his blessings else which hée receyu'd from hie The first long life in happie health till age inforst him die And then this comfort swéete to frée his age from feares Hée sawe his children liue and like in credite many yeares Sufficient wealth hée had ynough hée thought a feast Hée had ynough hée spent ynough and with ynough deceast His credite with his Prince continued from his youth A sight most rare in office plast hée trust returnde with trueth Full fiftie yeares and twoe a Iustice place hee vsde For common peace and profite both hée séeldome paynes refusde Hée wéeded wronges from right by law and not by ame Hee kept this course to helpe the poore the lewd againe to blame His life vpright and iust hée ioyde in no mans thrall His dealings were both lou'd and likt among his neighbours all His bountie at his bord his store for euery sort The hie the lowe the riche the poâ—re wrought him a rare report And thus long time hée liu'de in credite and in loue Till death to worke his ioy our griefe his force began to proue But yet hée sicknes sent for to forewarne him first Whose honest minde whose conscience cleare straight bade him doe his worst And so with hope of heauen vnto the graue hee vailde Of which hée glad his friendes as sad if sorrowe ought preuailde Viuit post funera virtus ¶ An Epitaphe on the death of the right worshipfull maister Iohn Ayleworth Esquier IF men may waile their losse that death hath ridde from woe Then giue mée leaue to wéepe my fill my sorrowes so to showe And though to bathe in teares small botes now hée is gone Yet none can leaue so firme a friend and showe no signe of mone When brainesicke I a bruse with ouer brauery caught Hée first did cure my néede with coyne then soundly thus mée taught Bée stayde for rowling stones do sildome gather mosse I tryde his ayde I likt his wordes and still shall rue his losse His losse not I alone but thousands more lament His children friends seruaunts poore with brackish teares are sprent But Oh you fillie poore whom néede doth nip and pearce With hart with hand with might maine your heapes of woe rehearse Crye out of cruell death for reauing your reliefe You are the wightes that haue God wott the greatest cause of griefe When hunger faintes your heartes when you with cold shall frease The lacke of Ayleworths foode and fire your starued limms to ease When might would marre your right his counsell sound and sure His open purse to pleade your cause the paines hée but in vre When you poore soules shall misse with him that was your stay Then shall your griefes appeare as gréene as hée had dyde to day These were his fruites of faith these almes hée did of zeale Hee wayde no showe his woordes in workes the Gospell did reueale EXHORTATIO O life of much auaile O worldlings it insue So shall you not be ledde by gold but gold be rulde by you So shall you kéepe him bright that mouldeth in your chest So shall the world speake well of you your conscience so in rest The swéetest ioyes of all though death your farewell giue So so your soules with his in heauen your fames on earth shal liue ¶ An Epitaphe in the order of an admonition written on the death of his verie friend Iohn Note of Grayes Inne Gent. Vntimely flaine the 2. of Nouember 1575. WIth teares in thought imprint both frem and knowen frende Thrée speciall notes of much auaile by Notes vntimely ende 1. Note first his honest life of euery sort was lou'd Learned hée was and vertuous both his manhoode throughly prou'd A gallant witte hee had the which hée gouernde so As did content all sortes of men when cause the vse did show Hée had both health and wealth his fortune was to hard And yet in spite of froward chaunce Fame shall his vertues gard 2. His life would followed bée
vpon his auncestours did desire By dint of blade not bagges of drosse to honour to aspire Which when Vlrico wisely wayde and wanted on account He bent him selfe with hassard life by seruice for to mount But loe by lot he hit in loue a wonder small to tell Saue that his Ladies vertues did her beautie braue excell Her portion yet God wot was small yet all in wisdome lay A dowrie little reackt vpon where churles doth beare asway But Beautie here affection raysde then Vertue friendship wrought These two conioynd in séemely dame in loue Vlrico brought The earth quoth he is sure the Lords the fruites thereof his wracke And may it be the begger then shall clawe his seruants backe O no no wight as yet hath séene the righteous begge his breade Although the lewd through foule offence are often nipt with neade And if I should for gaine quoth he vnto some wanten bend Which venter into Cornewall would her honestie to send Vlrico haplesse then should be a common scorne of men Delight to dele from pleasure paine should chaunge his fortunes then To swimme in wealth he meanes not so to hassard his delight He somewhat hath and more may get by manhood and by might Thy choise if once thou winst thy choice in spight of Fortunes wracke Will saue what thy aduentures gaines for to relieue thy lacke Then maist thou liue in forreine soyle without a iealous braine Then maist thou taste at thy returne sweete pleasure for thy paine Why standst thou then amasde quoth he thy honest suite to moue The silent man the prouerbe sayth hath sildome hap in loue Confesse that constant long thou liu'dst y linckt in beauties bandes And challenge fréedome for thy truth at thy swéete maistresse handes This wayd Vlrico hies in haste whereas his Lady liues And there her friends in her behalfe him intertainment giues As time did serue he shewd his zeale vnto his only ioy She likte his words but more him selfe how so she séemed coy His gallant shape his vertues straunge his honour neuer stainde His truth once knowne the truth to tell her loue had soone obtainde And quickly eake with friendes consent them Iunoes rites doth glad He had his will and she her wish and what would more be had The nuptiall feastes y finished Vlrico with his dame Bids friends adewe to castle his they do their iourney frame Where one doth rayse the others ioy one rids the others care And thus contented with their choice in ioy their dayes they weare Till néede at length Vlrico nips who was in spending frée His rents but small these two accounts will hardly well agrée And yet to poll his tenants poore his honest mynde doth greaue What then he faine would serue his leage but loth his wife to leaue Sée here how passing loue is apt to rayse a iealous feare Withouten cause we so do dread the thing we hold full deare Vlricos mynd despiseth want yet dreads to séeke reliefe In absence least his Ladyes chaunge should worke his greater griefe And thus in silence long he mournes and ebs his ioyes with woe Till secrete sighes and heauie lookes his inward harmes foreshewe Which haply when his spouse espide to cleare his cloudes of scare Swéete heart quoth she vnto thy wife thy hidden sorrowes share So shall thy cares abridged be so shall I knowe thy mynde And haply in my counsell thou some comfort swéete maist finde These words Vlrico likte so well as straight he tels the truth Of present want of meane to wealth in order as insu'th Mine owne quoth he you know my state or present lacke withall Our charge is great our myndes are high our liuing is but small Of force we must our brauerie leaue or séeke some way of gaine And vayling to the valliant mynde is sure a matchlesse paine This is the meane to mend our want to serue my souereine leage Who now is bent with might and maine the Turke forto besiege Those warres ere this I well haue tryde vnder Cilia Count Those warres I trust shal force thy feare with wealth fame to mount But ah aye me I loth yet would vnfolde what makes me stay But sith swéete wench loue is the cause allowe what I shall say Long wisht at length I won thy loue O gem of al my ioy As loth I am to leaue thée now least absence make thée coy I call to mynd fayre Helens moode who trudg'd with Troian knight When as her Lord was forst from home with forreine foes to fight The ruffling rout at Ithaca Vlysses farre from home Doth force a thousand fearefull thoughts within my head to rome Then Penelopes constancie this dread would gladly weare She plaste alone without her leake a fresh doth raise my feare The speach of womans méekenesse eake my thoughtes doth run among And straight my thinkes I motions heare that do Vlrico wrong In mynd I viewe what batterie is against thy beautie bent In thought I sée what sharpe assaults in sugred wordes are sent What fearelesse othes what carelesse vowes do flée to foyle thy fame In sine thou forst with yealding will dost blot thy name with blame Then rage I straight the harmelesse gainst as thogh these toyes wer true And straight I checke those raunging thoughts with reason that insue Vlrico fye why wrongs thy wife so fouly with mistrust Whom hitherto thou couldst not finde in worde or déede vniust Whose modestie thou séest abhorres with rufflers for to prate To saue thy wealth whose mynd to worke giues wanton youth the mate Whose life with foule and leaude offence report could neuer spot What cause hast thou Vlrico then her fame with feare to blot To breake this brall faire Barbara so was this Lady namde With prettie nippes with pardon mixt this answere foorthwith framde Well sayde quoth she first faine you feare to frée my shrewd mistrust That choise and chaunge in wanton court wil make you proue vniust But simple I accept your shewe and faith I trust to finde But to my Lord if so he please I yet will shewe my minde I long ere this haue wayde our want and thought on meanes of gaine And sure I sawe the way for wealth was as you did explaine Yet durst I not vnfolde the same vnto my louing Lord Before his words foreshewd his thoughts with mine did wel accord By seruice you shall credite winne by seruice likewise fame By seruice you shall riches reape as you deserue the same By seruice fauour with our prince acquaintance in the court You sure shall finde slacke not these helpes your wife doth you exhort If God with children blesse our life their youth from vices fréed Your credite after in the court will stand them in some stéede And in your absence I so well will to your causes sée As you shall haue reliefe abroade sufficient left for mée Yea sure to braue it with the best yet liue within our boundes Such skyll I haue to most auayle to rate and rent our groundes And knowe you
more hast then néedes resortes Both hie and lowe the riche and poore of name Pro et contra for pence at euery barre In right and wronge the lawyers were at iarre In faith quoth I these men deserueth praise For Iustice cause which thus imployes their paine But I to hie a note their names did raise In right or wrong they still did gape for gaine And as I walkt I saw one wrapt in woe Which much complainde of matter de post facto Speake English man what meanes these words quoth I Oh syr hee said a quillet in the lawe Alas it is which makes mée howle and crie And looking backe another man I sawe Of whom I askt why hée did looke so glum Hée plagued was with plées of non est factum I smyling then to heare the clownish drone By néede inforst to talke hée wist not what But as I learnd the cause of all his mone More pittie sure a lawyers friend how that To pay him pence did enter into band The which hée seald and liuered with his hand But after catcht by craft the selfe same bill The former seale he falslie toke away An other seald the same which he did spill And vnsuspect the bond there downe did lay Which forfet once in law they fall at iarre The seale was off was pleaded then in barre There might I sée releasses finely framde Prouided yet that if such thinges were done Which latter wordes by former force were lamde Who so releast a faire thred then hée spunne With thousand toyes which I do here omitt Did cousening Craft within his capcase knitt I lately feard to sée the fearelesse blowes The proud attempes assayd by desperate men Here rouled bookes my manhoode ouer throwes I durst not bide the truncheon of a pen Yet well I markt how mercie bared sway The conquerd wightes were prisoners sent away But for this grace their raunsome sure was great The gaylor fléest the lawyer had a share If pence were spent cold yrons made him sweate Hard beds well payde poore chéere was costly fare Agréeued much extortion bare such sway To patience I mée thought these words did say Can cousening shiftes thus conscience foyle in sight Where is no right may hellhoundes thus extort Shall periurie condemne the guiltlesse wight And may it bee suborâ—ing should support The lewde in lies when grace is not their stay Can Iustice rule a right with parciall sway Content thy selfe quoth patience then to mée Good lawes are made to punish their amisse But pence their wronge doth couler oft wée sée And want doth ware the poore mans right I wisse And thus thou séest presented to thy sight The prouerbe old how might doth maister right Then out wée goe I glad to leaue this hell But soone wée shipt into as hard a vaine Where Usurie with bagges of gold did swell Who much complainde of penall statutes paine And ioynde with craft the same for to preuent Now this now that the myser doth inuent On casuall chaunce I may my monie lend Yet hassard small shall happen by my marte If I my wife my seruaunt child or friend Do goe to Powles and home againe reuert Then twentie in the hundred you shall pay This gaine is small forsooth doth Holdfast say Collusion then did catch him by the backe And feasde his pence which songe loth to depart To leuey mends the harmles went to wracke Thus salued was his sore by others smart Couetousnes went myching vpp and downe His iacket pilde and threadbare was his gowne But banckrowte sure did braue it with the best His cape of cloth with veluet linde within His hoase of silke with stitches straunglie drest More cost hée said more worship did him win But well I markt how soone this pride decayd his héeles he tooke when debtes should be defrayd Some kept their house and durst not shewe their face Some were betrayde and came in cutthrotes handes Then plees of néede did purchase litle grace Past starting now they tyde in Darbyes bandes In prison vile of force must lye and rott Till they haue paid their debt and cost God wott Then forth wée goe into a paltrie towne Where vnderprops eche stagering house did stay I chaunste to méete a sillie countrie clowne Of whom I askt what wrought their townes decay Who aunswerd straight your mastâ—ips honour sees Yond goodly place that pluckt vs on our knées Yond stately walles our chiefest stones did steale UUhich were the stay vnto our féeble farmes For want of strength then did our houses reale And worse then that to worke our greater harmes Inclosures great so in our commons créepe UUhere kine wée kept wée scase can kéepe a shéepe Yet racked rentes increase our landlords gaine UUée moile wée toile wée worke both morne and Euen Our landlords reape reward for all our paine To pay our rentes and make the world euen Doe what wee can wée compasse very hard UUith farmers now the wonted world is mard UUhen hée did raise besides his Landlords rent Old gold good store to serue him at his néede The cribel loafe about his bord then went Salt béefe good souce their hungrie mawes did féede A stand of ale hée euer had in store UUell come gossipe a cruse of ale to the dore Then droyling Dicke and toyling Tom did sturre To mucke his ground to make a fatter croppe To serue his hogges poore Madge his maide did spurre For winters cold he hedge rowes large might loppe To ride abroade he seeldome lackt a mare And in this sort the fermers life did ware But now god wott our rentes we hardly pay To barlie crustes is turnde our cribel bread Where béefe brawne souce our hungers did allay On cruddes and chéese wée hungerly do féede A pecke of malte doth make him ale good store Wellcome gossip no drinke now to the dore Where Hicke and Tom his boyes about did moyle He delues hée digges he labours for his hire And Ioane his wife perforce herselfe doth droyle In steede of woode now pestrow makes good fire Where earst hée ridde abroade vppon his nagge For falling now on tenne toes hee doth lagge Thus Iohn Adroynes did wray the farmers woe And I mée thought did pittie much their want Quoth patience then now time doth serue to showe The cause why care thy heauie hart doth haunt Thou sayest thy want is weade with others wealth Thy harmes are payste with weighes of others health Good reason why thou viewdst in courtiers trade Both good and bad a like did gaine expecte A like not so â–ª the good by vertuous ayde The bad did sâ—â—ke by traynes of false suspect The best to throw from grace despite to spell Whilst they by craft did catch such crummes as fell How hypocrites with shew of honest life In fauour créepes when goodmen be disdainde How souldiers winne the field with bloudy knife When cowards filch which their aduenture gainde How cutthrotes thriue where conscience beares no sway When simple men with want are
by this time the open ayre hath purged it but if before this time I my selfe am infected it smally helpes to throwe away this poore braunch and so your counsel is out of season and yet for the same I courteously thancke you Well quoth Frizaldo snuffinge at this aunsweare you were best to perfecte your delighte to weare a Rose with your Rosemarie meaninge the first letters of those two flowers aunsweared her louers name Roberto Rinaldo These woordes stroake poore Giletta dead and yet shée pretily dissemblinge her knowledge of Frizaldoes minde found out meanes to cutte off those crosse speaches with argumente that méetely well contented him But poore wench so soone as shée was bestowed alone in her Chamber solitarinesse wroughte a freshe remembraunce of Frizaldoes doubtfull woordes but yet after shee had a space bewayled her Fortunes shée wisely entered into the consideration of her owne estate and waying howe greatly that Frizaldo was fauoured of her friendes and on the contrarie parte Rinaldo of small accompte shée concluded to please all her friendes and contente both her louers to vse this policie Frizaldo whom shee smally esteemed shée mente to féede with courteous delayes Rinaldo whom in déede shée honoured shée determined in heart to loue and in showe to hate thinking by this meanes that she should extinguish quench Frizaldos ielous suspicion which in very déede contraried her imagination For although he liked Gilettas intertaynment yet hee continually feared her affection towardes Rinaldo yea hée eyed her with such mistrust as that shée could hardly finde occasion to acquainte her Rinaldo with this deuise notwithstanding hopinge of fauourable time to execute her purpose shée continued her fained good will towards Frizaldo but Rinaldo shée would neither sée send nor write vnto Who wonderinge at this insolencie and straungenes althoughe hée had hardly recouered his empayred health yet hée aduentured abroade to learne the cause of this soudaine alteration But his ouermuch temeritie and makinge hast herein had wroughte wofull waste of his life had not God wonderfully saued him For repayringe vnto the place of his wonted ioy and accustomed comforte hée found his mystresse dallying with a fresh gallant On him shée would not vouchsafe to looke Yea if on occasion hée saluted her by the name of his mystresse very disdainfulâ—y and scornefully or not at all shée aunsweared him On him shée frowned with a curst countenaunce On his enimie shée fleared with a delightsome fauour with him shee would not speake with his enimie shée continually talked Which vnfriendly welcome was far worse God wot to Rinaldo then his late sicknes But worst of al he digested the report of the Courtiers who inferring on their familiaritie gaue out for certainty that Segnior Frizaldo should marie with mystres Giletta These newes poore Rinaldo was like ynough to credite himselfe seing such apparaunte proofe thereof yea hée credited them so farre as hée could not away with any thought of hope In so much that scorning both Courte and companie as one forsaken of himselfe hée forthwith went vnto his chamber wheras passionately discoursinge on his harde Fortunes which plaint hée powdred with a thousand sighes by chaunce hée fastned his eye on the Iewel which Giletta had bestowed on him and with litle lust reading the posie thereof supposinge she had falsified her vowe toucht with the proofe of his wretchednes hée forthwith wrote these vnder written Uerses For faithfull loue the hate I finde in lue My vowe performde the false of her behest The small reward I reape for seruice true Her ioy to sée mée plunged in vnrest Doth force mée say to finde an ende of paine O fancie die thou féedest hope in vaine I sue for grace shée smyles to sée my smart I pleade for peace shée séekes to sowe debate My sowre her swéete my griefe doth glad her hart I fawne shée frownes I loue and shée doth hate Sith soe I say to finde an ende of paine O fancie die thou féedest hope in vaine Starue thou desire which kéepeth life in loue And so my thought from showring woe shall cease But loue aliue while fancie hope may moue A lyuing death my sorrowes will increase Wherefore I say to finde an ende of paine O fancie die thou féedest hope in vaine My fancies dead I end of woes should finde My eyes nay seas God wot of brackish teares Would leaue to loue whom loue hath made so blinde My thorned thoughtes no more should foster feares But oh aye mée for to proroge my paine My fancies liue and féedeth hope in vaine Doe what I can I pray on plighted troth A simple thinke shée will not breake this bonde I vowe to loue I will not false my othe But ah I finde her false and I too fonde Wherefore good death at once delay my paine My fancies liue and féedeth hope in vaine Roberto Rinaldo Unto these Uerses Rinaldo set a very sollem note and the nighte following hée bestowed himselfe vnder Gilettas chamber windowe where playing on his lute hée very mournefully sounge this passionate inuentioÌ„ of purpose like vnto the Swanne that sings before her death to bid his mystresse adieu for euer Good Giletta hearing this sorrowfull farewell much lamented her seruants estate yet durst shée not at that instant any wayes comfort him The cause was Segnior Frizaldo was then in her chamber who knew very well that it was Rinaldo that with his sollem musicke saluted mystresse Giletta yea hée knew by the ouer often chaunging of her couler how notwithstanding her dissimulation she greatly sorrowed Rinaldos distresse and therefore he thought best during his discomforture by some slye policie at once to ouerthrow him with distrust and vntil the execution of this treachery he thought best to giue him this bone to gnaw vppon First to shew his credite to be admitted into her chamber at that time of the night Next to proue his authoritie hée called Giletta by the name of his subiect Who duetifully aunswered him with the title of her souereigne which done quoch hée looking out of the window it is for you sake faire Lady wée are presented with this swéete musicke although your vnknowen welwiller maketh show of the sorrowes hée suffers not yet courtesie wills you to intercept his paines with thankes Poore Rinaldo hearing Frizaldos tongue made no stay for Gilettas thankes but returning to his chamber as one that had foregone his senses a while in sighes he vttered his plainte And after his sorrowe was somewhat eased quoth hée alas good Giletta thy exchaunge is very hard to leaue to be Rinaldos mystresse to become Frizaldos subiect But Rinaldo worse is thy hap that thou must serue her that is subiect to thy mortal enimie thy thraldome is intollerable thy tornients without end with violent death dispatch both thy seruitude and sorrowes so shalt thou force them to pittie that now triumphe at thy miseries In this sort Rinaldo continually raged at his fortunes Well how euer Rinaldo fared
instruments of Rinaldos lamentable destnie in so much as neither shew of pleasure companie of acquaintance or persuasion of friendes could moue her vnto any comfort Well leaue we sorrowfull Giletta continually bemoning the death of her best beloued seruant and turne we to Rinaldo who after he had a while felt the furie of the floudes was wearie of dying so that for life he laboured vnto the shoare which happily recouered he felt his stomacke at that instant rather ouercharged with water then loue yet for that by sight of his sowre-swéete maistresse he would not renue his sorrowes nor that he coulde brooke in the court to be frumpt and slouted at he consented in a forrest neare adioyning vnto this riuer in miserie to consume the residue of his life And abasing his mind vnto the condition of his distresse he was content to take a hollow caue for his house and herbour the bare ground both for his bed and bedding For companions to make choice of wild beastes to bemone his fortunes vnto the wild forrests to make the night rauen his clocke his harmonie of hellishe noise of monsters his foode the fruits of the earth O strange effectes of loue that could vaile his mynde to vouchsafe these miseries that lately held at will almost what he could wish But leaue I now to write of loue his force whom no maÌ„ hitherto could either truly define or describe and turne againe to poore Rinaldos hard estate who roming in the wilde forrestes for foode espied an apple trée the fruit wherof put him in remembrance of the apple Giletta deliuered him wherin he found a letter that forst him to this penance the sight wherof with sorrow not only slaked his hunger but moued him to such impatiencie that in despaire and despight of the fruite vpon the trée he carued this inuention O Needlesse fruit of sinne the meane at first Thou forcedst Eue and Adam didst intice To byte their bale for which the earth was curst And headlong they from vertue fell to vice Thou wert the baite that Paris gaue the Dame Who in reward set stately Troy aflame Thou didst conuey the louing write that woode Dianas nymphe from chaste to foule desire By thée too soone I wretched vnderstoode Gilettas scorne that chaung'd her loue to yre And not content but when my woes were dead With former cares thou combrest fresh my head O enuious fruit in whom few vertues are Thy shew is all but who so on thée féedes Shall hardly finde thée helpe but health impaire Then sith to man such plagues thy beautie breedes Would God thy guilt vpon each apple trée Igrauen were for euery eye to see Roberto Rinaldo Rinaldo thus freshly entered into the consideration of his former loue likewise felt his former vnquietnesse of mynd faine would he haue found out some litle sparke of hope but out alas the sowre letter his swéete maistresse deliuered together with her hatefull shewe against him and her louing zeale towardes Frizaldo so hugely increased his distrust as by no means he could away with hope in so much quoth he O cowardly wretch why dost thou not by death at once dispatch thy sorowes rather theÌ„ to die a thousaÌ„d deaths by prâ—roging a lothed life canst thou brooke continual bondage wheÌ„ with one blow thou maist rid thy wretchednesse set feare aside vse force vpon thy selfe thou hast liued an exile too long since thou séest no hope of attonemeÌ„t at home nor fealest quietnesse abroad In this desperate passion Rinaldo was determined to commit murder vpon him selfe and yet he thought best to deferre the execution vntil he might conuey him selfe neare vnto Gilettas lodging that there her eyes might be witnesse of his loyaltie her owne crueltie To hasâ—eÌ„ which follie the next night he tooke his iourney towardes Bologna castle and by the way he deuised this petition EUen with the bloud that issues from his hart Rinaldo wretch this sorrie boune doth craue There may be grauen by some continuing Arte These woful words vpon his timelesse graue Loe here he lies that reaped hate for loue Which hard exchaunge to slea him selfe did moue These verses Rinaldo determined to write with bloud that issued from his deadly wound coÌ„ming vnto the place of his desired rest he drew his dagger in mind to finish his sorowes But finding his enterprise by reason of the dead time of night vnlikely to be troubled before he executed this tragedie he weakely wrested foorth this heauie farewell Oh God quoth he that the grones procéeding from my gored hart might now awake Giletta that she might sée the vse of my murthering knife then wold my yawning breath my bloudy sighs deadly gaspes no dout bedew her chéekes whiche hitherto my intollerable miseries with ruthfull teares could neuer wet so should she knowe my escaped dangers were but lightening ioyes for to inlarge my sorrowes so might she sée the vnfained confirmation of my loyaltie accuse her of inconstancie so séeing so vnnaturall a tragedie executed by the dome of her scorne vpon her faultlesse seruaunt remorse might happily moue her to repentaunce and pittie winne her from her wauering fancies But oh I tyre time with too néedelesse a tale she quietly sléepes to whom I thus sorrowfully talke Fare wel Giletta farewel These naked wals besprent with bloud shal shortly bewray my mone My breathlesse corps shal witnesse my constancie and purchase I trust so muche pitie as notwithstanding my carelesse prouision to be bestowed in some forgetlesse tumbe I can not stay thy answere and therfore I leaue it to thy curtesie Come wished death now vse thy force my will is made the time and place fitteth my desire my teares and sighes are already bestowed these waâ—â—es my executors only wanteth their hire my waste bloud I bequeath theÌ„ only to continue remembrance of my loyaltie c. Good Giletta continually lameÌ„ting the losse of her seruant both night day was smally disposed to rest in so much that leaning in her chamber window she heard though not perfectly this sorowful discourse and being moued with pitie as Rinaldos complaint grew to an end she vsed these words Yonder mans tong mone and miseries workes such fresh remembrance of my good Rinaldos destruction as for his sake I wil apply vnto his sorowes what honest comfort I can Therewithall she prepared her selfe to learne his cause of griefe Rinaldo amased with this souden comfort helde his hande from his throte till Giletta was at his elbowe who verie modestly demaunded both what he was what forst him so pitiously to coÌ„plaine Rinaldo on this small incouragement began now to mistrust yll measure in others and yet to trie in whome the fault might be he at the first both hid his name and the true cause of his griefe from Giletta Giletta earnestly noting the order of his talk began now to be so distempered with the thought of Rinaldo as she fell straight thus to bee moue his
villanies which spendst thy life without thought of vertue and diedst without shewe of repentance And nowe againe vnto this tyrant Frizaldos actions with a friendly countenaunce he came vnto Rosina and after his courteous salutations he hayted his poysoned enterprise with this swéete persuasioÌ„ Sweete wench quoth he thou séest a great preparation supposed for a marriage betwéene thy maistresse and me if which were true in fayth I should do thée too too much wrong to whome I am in conscience betrothed But for that thou maist now find performance of that in déeds that hitherto I promised in words I giue thée to wit my intent Thou very well knowest my faithful loue once towardes Giletta her smal regard of me my suite her scorne yea her crosse answering of all my amorous actions so that my necessitie enforst I shund her sight that nothing estéemed my seruice dayly pleaded with teares solicited with sighes which vncurteous nay cruel vsage as thou knowest ful wel soudenly chaÌ„ged my loue to hate so that continuing or rather increasing my malice I haue hitherto sought how to be auenged And lo a happie opportunitie her coynesse is come downe nowe she is content to loue the man that she so highly hated yea to allure him with friendly lookes whose teares sometimes could purchase no ruth I meane my selfe she is thus affected to Who in truth rather séekes to be reuenged of her former crueltie then to reward her present courtesie and to vse auenge more currantly Upon this newe reconcilement I shadowed my displeasure with the shew of wonted kindnesse of purpose when she thought her selfe most assured then to giue her the slip and now the supposed wedding day drawes neare but her delight farre enough off Nowe nowe swéete wench the accomplishment of my promise and thy comfort approcheth it is thou shalt inioy the benefite of this preparation Frizaldo meanes to marrie none but Rosina whome he will shortly espouse Wherfore quoth he to worke both secretely and safely in this matter I meane the night before my supposed marriage with Giletta to conuey thée to my house and the next morning to make thée my wife â–ª This currant tale not a little pleased Rosina She thought all was gold that glistered she neuer remembred howe the poysoned hooke lay wrapt in pleasant bayte howe the Crocodile obtaines her pray with pitifull teares nor howe subtile deuises are â—or the most compassed with sugred wordes she neuer dreaded insuing danger but presently consented to what Frizaldo should demaund yea she thought euery day a yere vntill she had ouertaken this appointed houre at which time according vnto promise Frizaldo with two other ruffens to whome he had deliuered his mynd repayred to this mistrustlesse mayde whome Frizaldo wild quickly to prepare her selfe to ryde with those his men vnto his house and he him selfe would make what speede he might after She that was ready an houre before Frizaldo came made answere she was in a readinesse to perfourme his pleasure and so with more haste then good successe away she packs But so soone as these two ruffens had her in the forrest to sowre her swéete conceites they made her acquainted with Frizaldos commaundement It was his pleasure she shuld be slaine whose dome they promist and would obey and execute and therefore they willed her to vse her prayers for no persuasions might purchase grace The poore wench thus beset with naked swordes and séeing by their stearne countenances how those traytors were spoyled of pitie began very lamentably to cry and scrike out which these gracelesse variets hearing commaunded her foorthwith to forsake her ouerloude clamors and fall if she woulde quietly to her prayers if not they would abridge her short time of repentance Good soule she séeing them so furiously bent became foorthwith silent and only to proroge her life I thinke with small deuotion she fel a praying for wheÌ„ she setled her self to most patiencie she would soudenly exclame of Frizaldos tirannie Rinaldo who since his owne wilful exile liued in this forrest by fortune hearde Rosinaes pitious complaint and being well armed hasted to learne the cause of so great an outcrie who espying a gentlewoman vpon her knées betwéen two ruffens that with naked swordes were readie to shorten her life set spurres vnto his horse for her more spéedie rescue The varlets séeing an armed knight make towardes them without damaging the Gentlewoman foorthwith fled to saue them selues Rosina thus happily preserued through very ioy fell into an extasie but being both reuiued and comforted by Rinaldo Rinaldo preseÌ„tly perceiued how that he had wrought this saftie vnto Gilettas waiting woman and greatly wondering at the rarenesse of the chaunce was earnest to knowe what led her to this misfortune she not knowing by reason he was armed that wheÌ„ she had so ofteÌ„ wronged to pleasure Frizaldo was the man that saued her life whiche Frizaldo traiterously sought from the first to the last layde open all Frizaldos trecherie and further she sayde that to morrowe he should espouse good Giletta Nay quoth Rinaldo I my self hope to hinder that match and to morrowe quoth he we wil both go to Bologna castle in the meane while he prayed her to rest contented with his intertainment This long lookt for morrowe morning is now at length come and yet not so fortunate as to some wished for but to him to whome it was most daungerous it was best welcome I meane to Frizaldo who hauing a lightening delight against his souden destruction very early gets him vp brauely arrayes him selfe and accompanied with diuers gay gallants with delicat musike awakens Giletta Giletta that liued assured of Rinaldos chalenge séemed greatly contented with Frizaldos readinesse and with what spéede she might she decked her self as brauely as she could The bridegrome and the bride being readie the Lord of the castle with the Lady his wife accompanied with other their friends with what honor they could accompanied them both towards the church But loe by the way an vnlookt for let in viewe of the whole companie there posted towards them a knight accoÌ„panied with one only Gentlewoman the knight well mounted vpon a blacke horse was armed all in blacke armour saue vpon the left side about his hearts defence there was grauen a white Turtle Doue with this poesie Once chose and neuer chaunge the strangnesse of which sight enforst them to stay to knowe the knights errant who being arriued among them his Gentlewoman was straight waies knowne which straunge aduenture greatly increast their wonder and more greatly Frizaldos feare Well this gentlewoman vpon her knées requested both pardon and respyt to speake whiche graunted she made firsâ— report of the loue betwéene Rinaldo and Giletta then of Frizaldos liking iealous distrust further how Giletta fained to fancie him to forsake Rinaldo which deuise she wrote in a letter inclosed it in an aple thinking by the deliuery therof to acquaint Rinaldo
And yet this woe doth wrong me most I mourne without a mate For if one drop of hope were séene though dride with scorne in sight I might with pyning Tantale ioyne who sterues in swéete delight Or if I could but halfe the hill roule vp the tumbling stone I had a mate of Sisyphus to match with mée in mone But oh O not my hap more harde they haue a scambling ioy But I no thought of swéete remorse my souereigne is so coy My ioy in was my woe in is and so is like to bée My fancies turne to firie sightes aliue my death to sée The court the court where pleasure liues with paine increast my care Eche blisie séemde bale eche gleame of grace did mist my ioyes with scare Eche show of sport my sorrowes moude eche pleasure made mée plaine Yet there I preast to féede on sight digesting dire disdaine Were loue not blinde this life were straunge for one to loue his foe More straunge to haunt a place of harme but most to ioy in wee But Oh who féeles his aukeward fittes and suckes the swéete in soure Shall bide a yeare of dole with ease to féele one lightning houre Such life I lykt til sogge of scorne did rise to dampe my ioyes Till secrete sighes wrought open scoffes till flontes did quite my ioye Untill the colours which I wore my secrete mourning wrayde Till dauntes of friendes till frumpes of foes my feeble hope dismayde And till her blondie hate was séene of euery béetell sight Till then I neuer shronke but sought with zeale to quenche her spight But then quoth I Dom Diego wretch bid Court not care adue Some vnkouth haunt thy fortune séemes thy harmes alone to rue Thou gau'st thy woord to die her loue let word in worke agrée Her checking chaunge her scorne for faith is no excuse for thée A Hermits life beseemes thy lucke go haunt the Pyren hills To touch the foode wée may not taste increaseth hungry wills Therwith I vow'de in desart houltes alone to rue my harme Where fretting sighes doth serue for fire my frosen flesh to warme My foode is aples hawes and héepes such fruites as féede a beast Wilde monsters are companions mine in hollow caues I rest A crabtrée staffe my surest stéede my sterued legges to ease My thoughts new wounds increaseth stil whē cares I would appease The watchfull clocke the warning bell the harmonie I heare Is dreadfull noyes of dreadlesse beastes of whom I liue in feare My studie is to way and waile that fortune thus doth lowre Wher wealth by wāt once loue by scorne my swéete by present sowre Where fethers flue about my helme a willowe wreath to weare My wéedes of worth by cote of leaues sharpe flowes for deintie fare My stately home by hard exile delight by wythred woe Doth force god wott my wasted teares through griefe a fresh to flow My lute that sometime lent mée ease hath neither frett nor stringe My sugred voice with howling hoarst forbids mée now to singe My penns are worne my incke is done my paper all is writ Yet halfe my passions and my paine vnpainted are as yet So that for onely exercise in trées and Marble stone My griefe to case I forced now do graue my wretched mone Liue longe in blisse thou loftie Béeche wherein this vow is writt No luring friend nor lowring foe Geneuras faith shall flitt To witnes now her foule vntruth Dom Diego writes belowe Her vowed faith from knowen friend is reft by sawning foe But chiefe of all thou sacred stone remaine thou sound and safe Continue thou these letters fresh which are my Epitaphe Hard by this rough and ragged stone Dom Diego wretched ▪ lyes Geneuras hate exiled him yet louing her hee dies This homely tumbe is all my helpe to bring my death to light This must record my faithfull loue and show my Ladies spight In time I trust some forrest Pan or wandring pilgrime may Peruse my woes and to my swéete this sowre message wray To saue my faithfull boone vnbroke to show my seruice iust My souereignes scorne with face of faith her treason cloakt with trus◠Me wretched Dom Diego forst before my time to die My bones vnburied by this tumbe makes proofe it is no lie And now good death with spéede diuorce my soule from lothed life My ioyes are worne my pleasures past my peace is chaung'd to strife I sée no meane of quiet rest but onely death by thée Then spare them death whom pleasure hauntes vse thy force on me ▪ Dom Diego hauing for the space of 22. monethes thus liued an exiles life onely accōpanied with sorrow wretchednes and miserie which comfortlesse cōpanions no one houre forsooke him it chaunced that Dom Roderico a speciall friend of his had occasion to trauel into Gascoine and as hée iourneyed in the desart forrest whereof this wretched louer was made frée citizen he mist of his way in the end finding out Dom Diegos homely caben of whom he demaunded the way to Barcelone hauing his aunswere as he departed hée espied in a corner of his cotage two faire saddles vppon the one of them was ingrauen this Poesse in Spanish Que brantare la fe es causamuy fea To violate faith is a thing detestable Dom Roderico reading this poesse called to remembraunce how that his frend Dom Diego in al his deuises vsed the same to be short he so handled the matter as the hermite whō hée knewe not so was hée ouergrowne with haire and worne with woe confessed himselfe to be Dom Diego his friend taking him a side hée deliuered the whole cause of his exile Dom Roderico séeing this foster louers miserable estate vowed with what possible speede hée could to worke his remedie who for more haste forsooke his iourney and returned home vnto his owne castle At his comming home making no semblaunce of his knowledg hée roade to the place where fayre Geneuora with her mother soiourned of purpose to learne what new gallant had wooed her and finting him to bée a yonge gentleman of Biskaye who shortly after by her owne consent was minded to steale her away Dom Roderico so cunningly coyned with Geneuoras Page who wholy knew his mystresse secretes that he certainly learned the night of these louers departure The same night accompanied with ix or x. Gentlemen his cōpanions and friends he laye in waite for this Biskayne louer his Lady who about x. or a xi of the clocke only accompanied with two or thrée gentlemen his companions came merely on their way Roderico so soone as he saw the instrument of Dom Diegos miserie set spurres vnto his horse with speare in Rest so rudely welcomed this Biskayne that for all his coate of plate hée pearst through both his sides The souldiers of this amorous captaine séeing their maister thus infortunately slaine and waying their vnable force to incounter with Dom Rodericos cōpany saued thēselues by flight left woofull
Geneuora to shift for her selfe on whom Rodericos seruauntes soudainly seased ▪ blinding her with a scarfe with spéed cōuayd her where wretched Dom Diego liued Dom Diego somewhat comforted with the sight of his swéete mystresse began amaine to craue recōpence for his faithful seruice Geneuora so soone as she saw Dom Diego and knew that syr Roderico for his cause had murthered her miniō answered him exclaimed on thē both with what opprobrious speach she coulde yea the more they persuaded her with friendly requestes the more peruerse was her refusal Dom Diego thus seing an impossibilitie of fauour with inward sorrow fel into a swoon Dom Roderico seig the distresse of his deare friend and the continuance or rather increasing of Geneuoras disdaine cōmaunded presently her throte to be cut Dom Diego halfe reuiued seing one redie to execute this iudgement profered what reskue hée could Oh good Roderico stay quoth hée I allow of thy honest zeale yet attribute my wretchednes to fortune not her fault Wherefore for the loue thou bearest to mee for the loue I owe to her sée Geneuora without further damage safely conueyed home Geneuora seeing him offer reskue and craue her safe conduite whose death her frowardnes well nie had wrought on the soudaiue was wonne vnto pitie and louingly imbracing Dom Diego shée offered satisfaction for his sorrowes and for an earnest pennie shée freely kist him Dom Diego late the miserablest creature liuing vnwares became the happiest man aliue whose matchlesse pleasures appeare in this vnder written triumphe Dom Diego his triumphe WHo can report that neuer tasted bale What difference is twéene sorrow and delite And who may tell a more triumphant tale Then hée in ioy that late was kept in spite I am the man in mone there was none such My mone is past my mirth must be as much Sith so alone I rule in throne of ioy Of pleasures mount I weald the golden Mace Then leaue to bragge you Princes proud of Troy Your brayd delights by mée can haue no place Once beautes blisse to vaunt doth make you bould I haue such hap and tenne times more in hould And by your leane your Ladies blemisht are Aske Theseus who first lopt fayre Hellens loue Syr Diomede the spoile of Troylus ware Suppose them true whom none could euer proue Your lightning ioyes such lasting woes did brue As you may wish your fames to die with you But Lady mine I wrong thée much in this To peize thy praise with such as liu'de or liue For natures toile some wayes disabled is Shée frames our forme but can no fortune giue But thou wert shapt for feare of fortunes spight Of precious moold by force of heauenly might By heauenly might and worthie well such toyle Whose liuely limms the Indian riches showe Her haire fiue gold her front doth yuorie foyle Her eyes giue light as diamonds there did growe Her words of worth as cause doth cause her speake Twéene rockes of pearle their pleasaunt passage breake What should I say of truth from top too to These precious gems in beautie shée doth staine And more then that besides the outward sho Their vertues shée with vauntage doth retaine So that of force I forst must her define Not bound to kinde but wholy is diuine Thrise happie man whose loue this Saint did lure Dom Diego late euen very wretchednesse Now maist thou daunt thy vauntage is so sure That none aliue thy pleasures halfe possesse Through chaunce of loue do thousands chaunce on death But dying I my loue inlargde my breath The scource of woe is sauourie sauce to taste Our swéete delights if once delight wée féele The rough repulse if battring tyre be plaste Amends the spoile when walles perforce do réele Of euery thinge the goodnes doth increase If once afore the losse did vs distresse Sufficient proofe my lingring loue can shoe I tyred hope ere time my truth could trie Yea desperate wretch forworne with wreake of woe I left my sute and sought the meane to die Now winning her whose want wrought such annoy On former griefes I graft my fruites of ioy In waxe say I men easily graue their will In Marble stone the woorke with paine is wonne But perfect once the print remayneth still When waxen seales with euery browse are donne Euen so in loue soone wonne as soone is loste When forst through faith it bydes both fire frost I can not vaunt of easie conquerd loue I graunt with faith I foyle Geneuras scorne But now in peace Distrust shall neuer moue One ielous thought of wilde Acteons horne And yet forsooth this feare hée liueth in To lose the wight with words that words did win O happie loue whose torments proue so swéete O friendly foes whose treason tride my trueth O luckie man Dom Roderic to méete Geneura thou thrise honord for thy ruth Thou onely thou the rest of small auaile Didst saue my life when hope and all did faile Now forth I throw my Gauntlet for this grace To chalenge such as séeke to foile thy fame For sure the Armes that durst my swéete imbrace Dares to defend the honour of her name If which I faile in prison let mée sterue So doome my fault for so I should deserue The complaint of two louers restrained from their wished desires by the displeasure of their friendes WE lucklesse wightes in thraldome lincked still May sit and singe oure layes of déepe lament Whose wayward friendes accoyde in sullen will Both stirre and striue to sunder our consent And yet God wot 〈…〉 a sting is in vaine One will serues both 〈…〉 and in paine Haue they desire wée should bée shrinde in clay By sundring vs that loues each other so Will they not know Loue doth no Lawe obey Nor how hée wrappes the wysest wightes in wo Thinke they that force can force our selues to hate O no in vaine they séeke to sowe debate Our plighted faith shall neuer falled bée Constrainte of will our wishes cannot yoke Our woordes in woorkes in weale and woe agrée Such care wée haue to kéepe our vowe vnbroke O loue through whom wée liue in this vnrest Once ease thy thralles that thus obey thy hest Remoue their wrath that woorkes to wrack our will That after stormes wée may some sunne shine sée The fault is thine if loue betyde vs yll Which bound our selues that thou mightst set vs frée Wherefore vouchsafe to sowre our swéete at last That gleames of Grace our clowdes of woe may wast ¶ The Deuice of a Gentlewoman to persuade her louer of her constancie notwithstanding her show of hate which shee onely vsed to quench the ielous suspicion of her friendes SIth fortune threates to woorke our wreake of ioy By sowsing of our ship in seas of yre Sith sullen thoughtes doth so our friends accoy As wayward will still wresteth our desire I sée no meanes more méete for our behoue Then saile to strike till stormes 〈◊〉 and gone Our lookes must
fast your lawlesse loue to tame And further to allay your heate vnlesse you daily spinne This distaffe laden full of flaxe your fare will be but thinne This sayd the distaffe in she throwes and bad him thus adieu My tale is tolde you knowe your taske nowe worke as pleaseth you Alberto at these sorrie newes straight to this choller waxe Shall I from martiall exercise fall nowe a spinning flaxe Shall I that liu'd at libertie in prison thus be pend Shall I be sys'd of meate and drinke that late so much did spend And shall a Ladie foyle me thus whose hart the stoutest quaild There with he stroue to breake the doores but small his force auaild His griefe but gréene with termes of hate he blam'd this Ladie oft And supperlesse so went to bed which was not very soft But in respect of other plagues he thought the hardnesse small Who tyred with tormenting thoughts a sléepe did quickly fall When he had sleapt the night away and cares digested well Sharpe hunger so assayld this Lord as he to spinning fell His goutie and yll shapen thredes so moued him to smyle That well he likt the exercise his sorrowes to beguile At dinner time dame Barbaras mayde was to Alberto sent To share his lowance like his worke to whome this courtoll went And rudely calles to sée the yarne he had that morning sponne Alberto eger of his meate deliuerd what was donne By Saint Marie quoth this queane your buswiuerie is good And after she had frumpt him well she fetcht his sorrie foode A wéeke or more these hungrie meales in worth Alberto tooke In hope of grace which came so slowe as he his hope forsooke Sée yet desire of libertie sée nowe the fruites of néede Sée here how théeues their fellowes peche sée sée how hope doth féede Alberto for dame Barbara sendes to whom he shewes at large The wanton wager words and workes as I haue giuen in charge And how that Vdislao would ere long attempt the like Which straunge discourse the Ladie did into a wonder strike Oh God quoth she what cause giue I men should suspect my life I neuer clim'd beyonde my reach I am a louing wife And comes there yet another Lord that would my vertues staine Well let him come he shall abide hard penance for his paine This sayde she wild the gaylor sée Alberto spinne apace His newes thus recompenced were whome nowe I leaue a space To shewe what rumor in the court in euery corner roung Some say Albertos ioyes were such as loth to part he soung Vlrico oft his image viewd to sée what hue it bare And all the while it yealowe séemd he liu'd in perilous feare But when it turnd to white againe what so the courtiers say He knewe Alberto had the foyle and he had won the lay The other competitor thought his fellowes ioyes too great So that to haue a share with him he posted till he sweate And posting thus he at the length Vlricos castle spyde And making then more haste then spéede post haste he thether hyde Who safe arriu'd where he did wish to make his welcome more He had an errant readie stampt yea two or thrée in store He first commended to this dame her husbande 's happie health His speciall credite with his prince his fame and heapes of wealth And how on causes of his owne into these coastes he came And how he heard in happie time his friend Vlricos name And also how not farre from thence did dwell his Ladie faire And howe he bounde by courtesie to sée her did repaire The Ladie smiled in her mynde to heare this currant scuse And yet dissembling what she thought she friendly did him vse Yea courteously she crau'd he would his causes yet adiourne And at his friend Vlricos house with her awhile soiourne Her gentle offer to accept this Lord was nothing nice And yet ere longe her courtesse he bought at too hie price Well both contented as it séemd into the castle goe Where as faire Barbara glads her friend with welcomes great in shoe She talkt she walkt shee satt she stoode as likt this gallant best Yea many a straunge discourse did passe betwéene her and her guest In sinc to towle this lord in loue a sighing shée began And asked how Alberto farde as if shée lou'de the man The lord Vdislao did take this motion in good part Who smyld and said in secrete thought Alberto had her heart And for to strike her in a mase quoth hée I wott not well Since last he vew'd these countrye costes where as my frend doth dwel Faire Barbara as though she feard this lords welfare did faine And is hée not quoth shée returnde vnto your court againe This lure thus throwne to worke some hope in Vdislaos breast The Lady broke the prattle off and fell to feast her guest The lusty Hungarian lord likt well her kindnes showne Yet still he for aduauntage stayde to make his passions knowne Whose subtiltie when shée espide t'imbolden him the more Against her will her eyes dâ—d séeme more wanton then of yore And trained thus to treate of loue at length his tongue found scope She made it nice yet not so straunge but he might féede on hope Hée féeding still on showe of grace was loth to leaue the féeld She faring as shée likt his talke by péece meales gan to yéeld In fine she fainde how that his sute had wonne her to agrée And how shée would sometime that night her louers lodging sée Untill which time this frolicke lord committed her a Dio A fainde good night shée likewise gaue and wild her seruannts shoe Him where he should that night be lodgde whose lodging was prepard Next chamber to the prison where Alberto hardly farde Well Vdislao went to bedde full fraught with secrete ioy And still he lookt when his faire dame would kepe her promist foy But all in vaine he gapt for grace she glad he had him catcht Yet sée the fond conceites in loue in hope the night he watcht He hard no noyse no mouse could steare but streight in thought he smild O welcome Lady quoth his heart but when he was beguild He Sopor blamd for charging her with to much drowsie sléepe But of his faultes and wager fond at all he tooke no kéepe Wel al this night with fancies tost no sléepe lodgde in his breast When morning came this comfort came to set his heart at rest Dame Barbaras mayde brought him a réele and yearne Alberto made She tould him he should reele the same for that he had assaide To robbe her Lady of good fame to her then life more deare If he refusde to doe his taske he should haue sorrie cheare Loke you for neither meate nor drinke before your worke be donne And syr quoth shée t' incourage you the thread Alberto sponne Hée is your neighbour fare you well I can no longer stay These sorrie newes Vdislao nie out of his wittes did fray
might These following rules if you imprint in minde Your enuious foes shall pine away with spite First choose a friend whose wordes in workes you finde With courtesie a straunger intertaine But louing sutes cutt off with chaste disdaine Thinke sâ—gred wordes as Syrens songes do wound All is not gold in sight that sémeth gay In carelesse trust is euer treason sound Then shunne the baites that philed tongues do lay With proude reuenge racke not your yéelding foe Lest nettels doe amonge swéete flowers groe Mount with your minde by Uertue to the skies Uaile yet your eares the mysers mone to heare From all extreames in spite of enuies spies In calme delight your dayes so shal you weare Thus souereigne ends your sausie pesaunts songe Accept it well or else you do him wronge Epilogus LOe Ladies heare if you can vse it well An Arbour fenst from burning fire and frost A place it is where pride shall neuer dwell Nor fortune worke a mase doe shée her worst A place wherein the worthie dame should liue Whom no extreame may change from vertuous thought Euen such a place my Muse faire dames doth giue To you the which with double toile is wrought Here may you sée by lampes of others liues A president to liue in worthie name Here may you sée when death your dayes depriues In spight of death remembraunce of your fame Virescit vulnere virtus The Ortchard of repentance Wherein is reported the miseries of dice the mischiefes of quarelling and the fall of prodigalitie Wherein is discouered the deceits of all sortes of people Wherein is reported the souden endes of foure notable Cousiners With diuers other discourses necessarie for all sortes of men The whole worke the inuention and collection of George Whetstons Gent. Formae nulla fides am nothing dismayde with such nyce findfaultes misliking Suffiseth me if the learned and wel disposed take my paines in worth among the which I chiefly seeke to please your worship the authoritie of whose patronage will both defende and commend my trauell desiring you to take it as a testimonie of the faithfull zeale I beare towardes you and being incouraged with your fauourable acceptancu I will not faile God willing to enterprise some worke that shall better deserue your countenance content the reader and commend my paines From my longing in Holborne where I dayly pray for the prosperous health and hap both of you and your good Lady The 15. of October 1576. Your worships most bounden G. Whetstons The honest minded mans aduentures his largesse and his farewell to the world A worke discouering the subtilties of all sortes of men REpyne not friends to view the forme of scorne Skew not to sée a figure fresh of ruth A crooked péece with withered age for worne In drouping dayes whome beggâ—riâ— pursuth A sorrie crop for séede of all his youth Who moylde who toyld who gaped after gaine When losse ensude a poore reward for paine 2 Though straunge at first my tale may séeme in sight Yet wisely wayde the cause appeareth playne Why backward hap my foreward hope did quite Why losse I found where I did looke for gayne Why pouertie I reapt in lue of paine For trye who list and he by proofe shall sée With honest myndes the world will hardly grée 3 Which of it selfe a kingdome is of sinne The deuill is prince whose pomp doth neuer fade Deceite and Craft his chiefest counsellers bin Extortion foule his treasurer is made Couetousnesse is merchant of his trade Uile Usurie his racking rents doth rake As auditour account doth Briberie take 4 Within his court these vipers beareth sway First false suspect high chamberlain they call Who raps theÌ„ down which mount by honest way Disdaine controuls the wightes which be in thral Then grudge the garde doth place them in the hal Mistrust and spight doth dayly watch and ward And malice is the captaine of the garde 5 Enuie and Hate the presence doore doth kéepe Which eluish elfes dame Uertue still deryde Or if she knocke the sottes will be a sléepe Next to the diuel the court doth Lecherie guyde On whom attends dame Pleasure Lust Pryde What office beares the Glutton with the rest Or drunken sot to shewe it were a iest 6 Debate and strife the coastes doth dayly scowre Well meaning mynds to sée they do repyne Though Fortune laugh the world on theÌ„ doth lowre Her subiects sléepe and snore like fatted swyne When hunger sterude with want the vertuous pyne No wonder though they leade this lothsome life For worldly rule with vertue is at strife 7 But I too long do tyre you with this tale To wray the rule the worldly wretches haue Who bath in blisse when others boyle in bale Who do commaund when others gladly craue Yet shame and all they leaue to fill their graue I ment and meane to shewe his ouerthrowe Whose honest mynd became his chiefest foe 8 I first by cost did séeke in court to mount A néedefull helpe in court to purchase grace But fowly short I fell vpon account I quite forgot to flatter and to face The thrall to scorne the best for to imbrace I su'â— I seru'd I did attendance daunce And still I thought desart would me aduaunce 9 I lookt aloft and brau'd it with the best The charge mine owne no countnance did I lacke Whilest pence were ryfe I was a welcome guest I ayded those whom spitefull scorne did sacke Which one aduaunst were first that threwe me backe With conges kynde the gallants would me gréefe With cap and knée the meaner did me méete 10 The sneaking curres by bryberie layd a traine A myle to catch before they fell the crumbes I thought desart perforce would fasten gaine On me which gape but gained nought but plumbes For former graunts still nickt me oore the thumbes The drawlatch thriu'd my selfe who helpt to grace As well as he which bare the proudest face 11 Ne enuide I of either part the thrift Since Fortune smylde vpon the silly sot I thought aloft no doubt she would me lift So spent in hope for feare I spared not By cost I sayd that worship still was got But I so long did spende vpon the store That all was gone then could I spend no more 12 Then countnance straight with sower face did frowne And credite next began to slip aside Disdaine and spight with spéede then threwe me downe In this distresse whom earst I helpt I tryde Who gaue good words but no reliefe applyde Thus quight forsooke I in the briers stucke And cryde perforce a vengance of yll lucke 13 I thought mishap my fortune did withstand And méere good hap to others gaine assignde I little thought that Item in the hand Remembrance was a friend in court to finde Or some for some could leade a stately mynde Ne flatterie I did feare should be prefarde Ere seruice true had reapt his full rewarde 14 I could not thinke the
be pulde Once snarled in their gin The counter serues him for a cage Where bréeding holes there be â–ª But louer lights to scape away This doue cote lackes we sée For him that earâ—t did raunge abroade This ayre is not fit The Bench he thinks more fréedome hath For to refresh his wit. More haste then néedes he findes a meane His causeâ— to reméeue And that the body come with him The writ doth charge the shréene Well mand then comes he to the barre The iudge commaundes away Then tipstaues snatch him vp in haste They make no long delay Safe lockt they leaue him vnder charge Untill the court doth rise Then guarded to the mershals house This lustie gallant hies Who passing through the porters lodge Then findes no iesting game For Burton with his booke of doome Requesteth him his name Roger Woodcocke of vnthriftes rowe What gentleman or squire Ten grotes and two pence you must pay I do but right require Which payd a while to viewe the house He lets him go at large But soone the vermine comes againe To giue the second charge Your worship knowes the losse sayth he My maister should sustaine If any prisoner should escape Their ease his little gaine And therefore each of you he may By lawe in yrons lay Yet he for pitie trusteth you Your penance is to pay For them thrée halfpence in the pound Your actions yeald thus much Which trifle for your ease to giue Your worship néede not grutch Then may you in the garden walke When you haue payd your fées Thus euery way the poore is pincht To plucke him on his knées An answere faire the prisoner makes Which doth content the time Then he to séeke his fellow mates The stayres straight doth clime Some subtile lawyer soone he findes Who great acquaintance craues To whome he shewes his lucklesse lot Enforst by shifting slaues And lastly to his skill commends If yron fées be due Extortion plaine the Lawyer sayth His wordes be very true The statute here at large I haue Set downe for prisoners ease The Gaylor can by lawe receiue A groate no more for fées And in your other causes I The snudge will sharply yoke But looke your counsell lackes no coyne For monie strikes the stroke Which monie killes the heart of him Whome present néede doth pine Yet he at first do share him fées As though he had a mine And all on hoyh he rashly reakes His prisonment a scorne And vainely vaunts to plague his foe â–ª Till Saturday at morne Corrections then be sharply giuen To them which monie lackes Now Burton comes for yron fées My youth now stoutly crakes If he extort where is no right The statute to prepare And sweares to make him pay the paine And damage for his share But here no laweÌ„ nor right do rule Nâ— vaileth threats nor crakes With boltes and shackles on his shins His loade héeles he shakes Where late was golde an yron chaine Do well beseeme the necke His wrystes in steade of braslets braue With manacles be deckt And nowe they will him coole his féete He cloyde with yrons great For all his lawe is glad to pay Yea more then that entreate Thus he that thought Caribdis rockes By wisedome to escape By follie fell in Sillaes gulfe His greater griefes to shape How spéedes he nowe in all his suites When all his pence be spent Unféed do Lawyers ply his cause Till newe receit of rent Nay Niclas nihil dicet sure To nip him to the hart In execution layes him vp For feare that he should start He fast his fained friends yet frée To sée him be not rash And Mynx his minion hath a mate And leaues him in the lash For Haggard like she will not stoope But where she gets her pray His coyne consumd his courage coolde In hope she will not stay What restes nowe to this lucklesse man What pen his woes can wray Of friends forlorne of fréedome reft And he at beggers bay Thus gaulde with griefe his Lawyer yet This slender shift doth vse And sayth that prisoners be opprest And all men do refuse To ease their wants and therefore sure The best is to agrée He may the better plague his foes Abroad when he is frée Which freedome so doth féede his hart Whome present bondage nippes That he through hope before his hap For ioy now hops and skips And then in hast for holdfast sends Agréement for to make But once or twise he must be praid Ere hée the paines will take And then with one or two he comes And vp and downe he iets Nowe do I smile to shewe the speach Betwixt these counterfets The youth that roughly rayld of late A pitious plaint doth paint The diuell him selfe in Christian shewe Doth counterfet a Saint But after many wordes of griefe That either part can say The youth perforce the candle holdes And beares the blame away And gladly yealdes him selfe in fault Whose crauing suite nowe is That cutthrote will release him of The penance of his mis And take such order as they both In friendly league may liue The more that he in prison spendes The lesse he hath to giue As though that conscience mou'd his mynd The merchant doth lament Through péeuish pride and hautie hart His pence and time mispent And order takes his owne the gaine The losse he leaues to him Which thought without dame wisdomes bark In seas of ioyes to swimme From prison frée he nothing myndes The statute to prefare Nor for the cousning shiftes he vsde To cloy the churle with care But runnes vnto his former vaine If ought he haue to play To posting then he somewhat puts His commons to defray Some Cheater haply will him teach Some coging trickes at dice Whereby he may mainteine him selfe If therein he be wise Then is he set a sale to toule Some other yonkers in To make them bite at vnthrifts bayte While he their pence doth win Some can not brooke this seruile life But néedes in ventures barge Will séeke a price but howe they spéede I leaue to shewe at large The swéete report of souldiers gaine By them that lacke the sower Persuadeth straight some ventrous mynde To scale dame Fortunes bower But Flushing frayes hath wrought such feare That they suspend their hope If one did gaine then two were slaine The thirde did stretch a rope And beggers most returnd againe Unto their natiue soyle For Holland yealded litle thrift In lue of all their toyle And some with trifles séekes to thriue But fewe do spéede so well And with a litle haply learnes Repentance for to spell The seruing man that plyes this vaine A shorter cut doth make He hath no fines to fill his purse Nor racked rents to rake His way for to supply his want Is by the Scottish cog But finely he must strike his dye Least yrons do him clog And worse then
possesse in dreame that earst thou had Acquaintaunce for to craue aduentrous boy assay Thou wert not nise ne I abasht my secretes to bewray I showde thée all and some what I in vision sawe Thou wart mine owne by beauties dome vnlesse thou scorndst her law My wordes did like thée well or praises that I vsde And smyling saidst Dame beauties hest must no wayes be abusde Thus after slender sute thou knowste whom I euioyde But easily wonne as soone thou wert through sullon will accoyde And in thy wrangling rage I sawe thée raunge for newe I chafte through sight Dame beautie blamd cause Laymos was not true UUhich soone I did recant and yéelded for to haue My sute performde at beauties hands in forme as I did craue I askst a gallant gyrle which vaild at first assault I askte no faith nor none I found in whom was then the fault In him who now will learne to make his match more sure And as for thée thou dost but kinde to stoupe to euery lure The reporter This wrangling hate séemeth to be but a passion procéeding of Plasmos passing loue the which digested made his affection more perfect Neuerthelesse this following inuention wrayeth the euill fortunes of rash beléefe and cholericke reuenge after which for the most insueth repentaunce yet for that the Sonet it selfe foresheweth but a fitt of disquiet minde by loue occasioned it shal passe for mée without any preface FOwle fall thée false suspect so thriue thou ielous thought UUoe worth you both you reard the hate that all my harme hath wrought You did enuie my hap when late I liu'de in ioy You slaunder forg'd you mou'd mistrust you made my souereigne coy Shée wronged saunce offence good reason hath to hate But you no cause of filthie strife twixt friends to set debate But sith my heart did yeeld such motions to beléeue Both heart head and euery veine with fretting thoughtes to gréeue First loue renue thy force my ioyes for to consume And when desire hath blowen the cooles till all my fancies fume Then conscience guilt detect my follies day and houre And base desert exile remorse sée dreade my swéete thou soure Disdaine persuade my minde my Ladies passing loue Is chaungd to scorne from scorne to hate from hate reuenge to proue Tormenting passions eake abate my pride in showe Then scaulding sighes present my state vnto my friendly foe UUhich when shée once hath séene with wrecke of my delight Despaire end me dole with death in my swéete mistresse sight â–ª But least shée beare the blame of this my bloudy hand I craue vpon my timelesse tumbe this Epitaphe may stand Loe heare doth lie his corps Himselfe for woe who slue That Ielous thoughts his Lady blamde She euer liuing true The reporter These passionate verses wittingly lost wheras fayre Laymos might find them of likelyhoode she perceiuing his singular good loue hauing sufficient cause of quarell waxed euery day more straunger then other vntil poore Plasmos purse to make attonemeÌ„t prouided some pretie deuise that appeased her anger these louers thus reconciled it séemeth Plasmos to requite the friendship of his purse in praise whereof hée wrote these verses insuing P. Plasmos in praise of his Purse COme prettie purse the iewell of my ioy The daintie soile wherein delight is sowen Thou well deseru'st the title of a Ioy Who doth not feare whereas thy force is knowen UUho dare rebell where thou dost rule and reigne Thou foylest kinges by force of treason vile Thou clokest craft with flattrie feare or gaine UUhen Iustice should vncase his crooked guile By thée escapes the traytour and the théefe The murdrous mate which languisht late in woe Thou werst to ebb their tossing tydes of gréefe And graftest myrth where mone but late did growe To maske with pride thou art a visard fitt Thou heau'st him vp which held the plough of late Thou telst his tale which wants both Art and witt Thou wodcocke setst before the wise estate The wilie churle which wronges the wretch full oft The cousening mate whose mischiefe neuer endes Should sol fa singe in couseners cliffe aloft But that thou cloakst their craft with wealthie friends The thriftlesse childe by thée doth looke full hie UUhose sparing friends at home the plough doth hold In Court thou art the badge of brauerie UUho doth not fawne on gentle maister gold Deformed girles by thée are made full faire Dame Venus stoupes through thée to Vulcans lure The coffing churle doth match with beauties heire â–ª Such straunge consents can Lady Coyne procure UUhy stay I then swéete purse thée to embrace UUhose ayde I vsde when fortune most did lowre â–ª My clowdes of scare thou cleardst with gleames of grace My bale to blisse to swéete thou chaungst my sowre Thou saâ—'dst my life with passing loue nie pinde UUhich friendly turnes are written in my minde The reporter It is hie time to digresse from the report of Plasmos wanton deuises vnto other his inuentions touching his miseries and repentance which immediatly followed his wanton expences and for that want is the contrarie vnto wealth I thought good to plaâ—e after the praise of his purse his complaint of wante the commodities of the one and the discommodities of the other dulie considered are meanes to persuade the wise in prosperitie to haue an eye vnto aduersitie and once in fauour to make prouision for Fortunes chaunge For fewe are so happie but in their time they are visited with miserie so wel beloued but once in their life they are as deadly hated so highly fauoured but are as vnhappily scorned not withstanding all these chaunces and chaunges Coyne in the coffer is an assured friend whereas if thou haue respect but to serue thy present tourne in prosperitie thou art so ouer prodigal that when pouertie pincheth the remembraunce of thy former swéete delights doth increase thy sower passions proofe appeareth by Plasmos who being nipped with neede calleth to remembrance what pleasures he had receiued by his purse and crossed euery of the said commodities with the inconueniences occasioned by his want as followeth P. Plasmos complaint of want I Whilome writ a iest what ioyes my purse did plant But now I wray with litle lust the woes of withered want When Purse with pence did flow a thousand friends I found Now woÌ„ted wealth doth weare to ebb their freÌ„dship runnes aground When Coyne I had in claw my wronges weare doomde for right Since néede did nippe my rightfull sutes was ouerâ— ayde with might When wealth I had at wil my wished ioyes were wrought Now want doth choke those iestes with care cloyes my braynes with thought With wealth I fréedome wonne by wealth my woes did weare Through lacke restrainte of libertie doth foyle my hope with feare With Coyne I seruaunts kept which serued for mine ease By néede inforst now am I faine to pray to pay and please I ratlted then in silkes by brauerie of my bagges But pouer man now am I