charge And so saye I by proofe too dearely bought My haste mad wast my braue and brainsicke barge Did float to fast to catch a thing of nought With leasure measure meane and many mo I mought haue kept a chayre of quiet state But hastie heads can not bée setled so Till croked Fortune giue a crabbed mate As busie braynes muste beate on tickle toyes As rashe inuention bréedes a rawe deuise So sodayne falles doe hinder hastie ioyes And as swifte baytes doe fléetest fyshe entice So haste makes waste and therefore nowe I saye No haste but good where wisdome makes the waye 7. No haste but good where wisdome makes the waye For profe whereof behold the simple snayle Who sées the souldiers carcasse caste a waye With hotte assaulte the Castle to assayle By line and leysure clymes the loftye wall And winnes the turrettes toppe more conningly Than doughtyé Dick who loste his life and all With hoysting vp his head to hastilye The swiftest bitche brings foorth the blyndest whelpes The hottest Feuers coldest crampes ensue The nakedst néede hathe ouer latest helpes With Neuyle then I finde this prouerbe true That haste makes waste and therefore still I saye No haste but good where wisdome makes the waye Sic tuli Richarde Courtop the last of the fiue gaue him this theame Durum aeneum miserabile aeuum and therevpon hee wrote in this wise WHen péerelesse Princes courtes were frée from flatterie The Iustice from vnequal doome the quest from periurie The pillers of the state from proude presumption The clearkes from heresie the commones from rebellion Then right rewardes were giuen by swaye of dewe desarte Then vertues derlinges might be plaste aloft to play their part Then might they coumpt it true that hath béene sayde of olde The children of those happie dayes were borne in beds of golde And swadled in the same the Nurse that gaue them sucke Was wife to liberallitie and lemman to good lucke When Caesar woon the fielde his captaines caught the Townes And euery painful souldiours purse was crammed ful of crownes Licurgus for good Lawes lost his owne libertie And thought it better to preferre common commoditie But nowe the times are turnde it is not as it was The golde is gone the siluer sunke and nothing left but brasse To sée a King encroache what wonder should it séeme When commons cannot be content with countrie Dyadeeme The Prince maye dye a babe trust vp by trecherie Where vaine ambition doth moue trustlesse nobillitye Errours in pulpit preache where faith in priesthood failes Promotion not deuotion is cause why cleargie quailes Thus is the stage stakt out where all these partes be plaide And I the prologue should pronounce but that I am afraide First Cayphas playes the Priest and Herode sits as king Pylate the Iudge Iudas the Iurour verdict in doth bring Vaine tatling plaies the vice well cladde in ritche aray And poore Tom Trooth is laught to skorn with garments nothing gay The woman wantonnesse shée commes with ticing traine Pride in hir pocket plaies bo péepe and bawdry in hir braine Hir handmaides be deceipte daunger and dalliaunce Riot and Reuell follow hir they be of hir alliaunce Next these commes in Sim Swashe to see what sturre they kéepe Clim of the Clough then takes his héeles t is time for him to créepe To packe the pageaunt vp commes Sorrow with a song He say these iestes can get no grotes al this geare goth wrong Fyrst pride without cause why he singes the treble parte The meane hee mumbles out of tune for lacke of life and hart Cost lost the counter Tenor chanteth on apace Thus all in discords stands the cliffe and beggrie singes the base The players loose their paines where so fewe pence are sturring Their garmēts weare for lacke of gains fret for lack of furring When all is done and past was no part plaide but one For euerye player plaide the foole tyll all be spent and gone And thus this foolishe iest I put in dogrell rime Because a crosier staffe is best for such a crooked time Sic tuli ¶ And thus an ende of these fiue Theames admounting to the number of CCLVIII. verses deuised ryding by the way writing none of them vntill he came at the ende of his Iourney the which was no longer than one day in ryding one daye in tarying with his friend and the thirde in returning to Greyes Inne and therefore called Gascoignes memories ¶ A gloze vpon this text Dominus ijs opus habet MY recklesse race is runne gréene youth and pride be past My riper mellowed yéeres beginne to follow on as fast My glancing lookes are gone which wonted were to prie In euerie gorgious garishe glasse that glistred in mine eie My sight is now so dimme it can behold none such No mirrour but the merrie meane can please my fansie much And in that noble glasse I take delight to vewe The fashions of the wonted world compared by the newe For marke who lyst to looke eche man is for him selfe And beates his braine to hord heape this trashe worldly pelfe Our handes are closed vp great giftes go not abroade Fewe men wyll lende a locke of heye but for to gaine a loade Giue Gaue is a good man what néede we lashe it out The world is wondrous feareful now for danger bids men doubt And aske how chaunceth this or what meanes all this meede Forsoothe the common aunswere is because the Lord hath neede A noble iest by gisse I finde it in my glasse The same fréeholde our sauiour Christ conueyed to his asse A texte to trie the trueth and for this time full fitte Fo where should we our lessons learne but out of holy writte First marke our onely God which ruleth all the rost He sets a side all pompe and pride wherin fond wordlings boast His trayne is not so great as filthy Sathans band A smaller heard maye serue to féede at our great masters hand Next marke the heathens Gods and by them shall we sée They be not now so good fellowes as they were wonte to be Ioue Mars and Mercurie Dame Venus and the rest They bāquet not as they were wont they know it were not best So kinges and princes both haue left their halles at large Their priuie chambers cost enough they cut off euery charge And when an office falles as chaunce somtimes maye bée First kepe it close a yere or twayne then geld it by the fee. And giue it out at last but yet with this prouiso A bridle for a brainsicke Iade durante bene placito Some thinke these ladders low to climbe alofte with spéede Well let them créepe at leisure thē for sure the Lord hath neede Dukes Earles and Barons bold haue learnt like lesson nowe They breake vp house come to courte they liue not by that plowe Percase their roomes be skant not like their stately boure A field bed in a corner coucht a pallad on the floure
of hewe And in hir giftes no lacke I can suppose But that at last alas she was vntrue Which flinging fault bicause it is not new Nor seldome seene in kits of Cressides kind I maruaile not nor beare it much in mind Dame Natures fruits wherewith hir face was fraught Were so frost bitten with the cold of craft That all saue such as Cupides snares had caught Might soone espie the fethers of his shaft But Bartholmew his wits had so bedaft That all seemd good which might of hir be gotten Although it proude no sooner ripe than rotten That mouth of hirs which séemde to flowe with mell In spéeche in voice in tender touch in tast That dympled chin wherein delight dyd dwell That ruddy lippe wherein was pleasure plast Those well shapt hands fine armes and slender wast With al the giftes which gaue hir any grace Were smiling baites which caught fond fooles apace Why striue I then to paint hir name with praise Since forme and fruites were found so farre vnlyke Since of hir cage Inconstance kept the keyes And Change had cast hir honoure downe in dike Since fickle kind in hir the stroke did strike I may no prayse vnto a knife bequeath With rust yfret though paynted be the sheath But since I must a name to hir assigne Let call hir now Ferenda Natura And if thereat she séeme for to repine No force at all for hereof am I sure a That since hir prankes were for the most vnpure a. I can appoint hir well no better name Than this where in dame Nature bears the blame And thus I say when Bartholmew had spent His pride of youth vntide in linkes of loue Behold how happe contrary to intent Or destenies ordained from aboue From which no wight on earth maye well remoue Presented to his vew this fierie dame To kindle coles where earst had bene no flame Whome when he sawe to shine in séemely grace And therewithall gan marke hir tender youth He thought not like that vnder such aface She could conuey the treason of vntruth Whereby be vowed alas the more his ruth To serue this saynt for terme of all his life Lo here both roote and rind of all his strife I cannot nowe in louing termes displaye His suite his seruice nor his sorie fare His obseruaunces nor his queynt aray His skalding sighes nor yet his cooling care His wayting still to snatch himselfe in snare I can not write what was his swéetest soure For I my selfe was neuer Paramoure But to conclude much worth in litle writte The highest flying hauke will stoupe at laste The wildest beast is drawne with hungrye bitte To eate a homlye bayte some times in hast The pricke of kinde can neuer be vnplaste And so it séemed by this dayntye dame Whome he at last with labour did reclame And when he had with mickel payne procured The calme consent of hir vnweldie will When he had hir by faith and troth assured To like him beste and aye to loue him still When fansie had of flatterie fedde his fill I not discerne to tell my tale aright What man but he had euer such delight The lingring dayes he spent in trifling toyes To whette the tooles which carued his contente The poasting nightes he past in pleasing ioyes Wearing the webbe which loue to him had lente In such a pinfolde were his pleasures pent That selde he could hir company eschewe Or leaue such lookes as might his sport renewe But if by force he forced were to parte Then mighte you see howe fansie fedde his minde Then all alone he mused on his marte All company séemde then but hirs vnkind Then sent he tokens true loue for to bind Then wrote he letters lines and louing layes So to beguile his absent dolefull dayes And since I know as others eake can tell What skyll he had and howe he could endite Mée thinkes I cannot better doe than well To set downe here his ditties of delyght For so at least I maye my selfe acquite And vaunt to shewe some verses yet vnknowne Well worthy prayse though none of them myne owne No force for that take you them as they be Since mine emprice is but to make report Imagine then before you that you sée A wight bewitcht in many a subtile sort A Louer lodgd in pleasures princely port Vaunting in verse what ioyes be dyd possesse His triumphes here I thinke wyll shewe no lesse Dan Bartholmew his first Triumphe REsigne king Priams sonnes that princes were in Troy Resigne to me your happy dayes and boast no more of ioy Syr Paris first stand forth make aunswere for thy pheare And if thou canst defend hir cause whome Troy did bye so deare What blush not man be bold although thou beare some blame Tell truth at last and so be sure to saue thy selfe from shame Then gentle Sheapheard say what madnesse dyd thée moue To choose of all the flowers in Greece foule Helene for thy loue Néeds must I coumpt hir foule whose first frutes were forlorne Although she solde hir seconde chaffe aboue the price of corne Alas shée made of thée a noddye for the nonce For Menelaus lost hir twise though thou hir foundst but once But yet if in thine eye shée séemde a péerelesse péece Aske Theseus that mighty Duke what towns she knew in Greece Aske him what made hir leaue hir wofull aged sire And steale to Athens gyglot like what what but foule desire Alas poore Paris thou didst nothing else but gleane The partched eares which he cast by when he had reaped cleane He sliude the gentle slippe which could both twist and twind And growing left the broken braunch for thē that came behind Yet hast thou fild the world with brute the more thy blame And sayest that Hellens bewty past each other stately dame For profe thou canst alledge the tast of ten years warre And how hir blazing beames first brought both Greece Troy to iarre No no thou art deceiude the drugs of of foule despite Did worke in Menelaus will not losse of such delighte Not loue but lothsome hate not dolour but disdain Did make him selfe a sharpe reuēge til both his foes were slain Thy brother Troylus eke that gemme of gentle déedes To thinke howe he abused was alas my heart it bléedes He bet about the bushe whiles other caught the birds Whome crafty Gresside mockt to muche yet fede him still with words And god he knoweth not I who pluckt hir first sprong rose Since Lollius and Chaucer both make doubt vpon that glose But this I knowe to well and he to farre it felte How Diomede vndid his knots caught both brooch and belt And how she chose to change and how she changed still And how she dyed leaper like a gainst hir louers will. Content you then good knightes your triumphe to resigne Confesse your starres both dimme and darke wheras my sunne doth shine For this I dare avow without vaunt be it told My derling is
fight And whiles we staie twixt faynte and forward will. Our enemies prepare themselues to flight They hoyste vp sayle o wearie woorde to wrihgt They hoyste vp saile that lacke both streame and windes And we stand still so forst by frowarde mindes 106 O victorie whome Haughty hartes do hunte O spoyle and praye which gréedy mindes desire O golden heapes for whom these Misers wonte To follow Hope which settes all hartes on fire O gayne O golde who list to you aspyre And glorie eke by bolde attempts to winne There was a day to take your prisoners in 107 The shippes retyre with riches full yfraught The Souldiours marche meane while into the towne The tide skarce good the winde starke staring naught The haste so hoate that eare they sinke the sowne They came on ground and strike all sayles adowne While we ay me by backward saylers ledde Take vp the worst when all the best are fledde 108 Such triūphs chance where such Lieutenāts rule Where will commaundes when skill is out of towne Where boldest bloudes are forced to recule By Simme the boteswayne when he list to frowne Where Captaynes crouch and fishers weare the Crowne Such happes which happen in such haplesse warres Make me to tearme them broyles and beastly iarres 109 And in these broyles a beastly broyle to wryte My Colonell and I fell at debate So that I left both charge and office quite A Captaynes charge and eke a Martials state Whereby I proued perhaps though all to late How soone they fall whiche leane to rotten bowes Such faith finde they that trust to some mens vowes 110 My harte was high I could not séeme to serue In regiment where no good rules remayne Where officers and such as well deserue Shall be abusde by euery page and swayne Where discipline shall be but déemed vayne Where blockes are stridde by stumblers at a strawe And where selfe will must stand for martiall lawe 111 These things with mo I could not séeme to beare And therevpon I crackt my staffe in two Yet stayde I still though out of pay I were And learne to liue as priuate Souldiours do I liued yet by God and lacked too Till at the last when Beauois fledde amayne Our campe removde to streine the lande van Strayne 112 When Beauois fledde Mountdragon came to towne And like a Souldiour Myddelburgh he kept But courage now was coldly come adowne On either side and quietly they slept So that my self from Zeland lightly lept Withfull entent to taste our English ale Yet first I ment to tell the Prince my tale 113 For though the warres waxt colde in euery place And small experience was there to be séene Yet thought I not to parte in such disgrace Although I longed much to sée our Quéene For he that once a hyred man hath bene Must take his Maisters leaue before he goe Vnlesse he meane to make his fréend his foe 114 Then went I straight to Delfe a pleasant towne Vnto that Prince whose passing vertues shine And vnto him I came on knées adowne Beséeching that his excellence in fine Would graunt me leaue to sée this countrey mine Not that I wearie was in warres to serue Nor that I lackt what so I did deserue 115 But for I found some contecke and debate In regiment where I was woont to rule And for I founde the staie of their estate Was forced now in townes for to recule I craued leaue no longer but till Yewle And promist then to come againe Sans fayle To spende my bloud where it might him auayle 116 The noble Prince gaue graunt to my request And made me passeporte signed with his seale But when I was with baggs and baggage prest The Prince began to ring another peale And sent for me desiring for my weale That I woulde stay a day or two to sée What was the cause he sent againe for mée 117 My Colonell was nowe come to the Courte With whome the Prince had many things to treate And for he hoapte in good and godlie sorte Twéene him and me to worke a friendlie feate He like a gracious Prince his braines did beate To set accorde betwéene vs if he might Such paynes he toke to bring the wrong to right 118 O noble Prince there are too fewe like thée If Vertue wake she watcheth in thy will If Iustice liue then surely thou art hée If Grace do growe it groweth with thée still O worthy Prince would God I had the skill To write thy worth that men thereby might sée How much they erre that speake amisse of thée 119 The simple Sottes do coumpt thée simple too Whose like for witte our age hath seldome bredde The rayling roges mistrust thou darest not do As Hector did for whom the Grecians fledde Although thou yet werte neuer séene to dredde The slandrous tongues do say thou drinkst to much When God he knowes thy custome is not such 120 But why do I in worthlesse verse deuise To write his prayse that doth excell so farre He heard our gréeues himself in gratious wise And mildly ment to ioyne our angry iarre He ment to make that we beganne to marre But wicked wrath had some so farre enraged As by no meanes theyr malice could be swaged 121 In this meane while the Spainiards came so neare That Delfe was girte with siege on euery side And though men might take shippyng euery where And so be gone at any time or tide Yet truth to tell I speake it for no pryde I could not leaue that Prince in such distresse Which cared for me and yet the cause much lesse 122 But sée mishappe how craftely it créepes Whiles fawning fortune fleareth full in face My heauie harte within my bellie wéepes To recken here a droppe of darke disgrace Which fell vpon my pleasant plight apace And brought a packe of doubts and dumps to passe Whiles I with Prince in loue and fauour was 123 A worthie dame whose prayse my penne shal write My sworde shall eke hir honour still defende A louing letter to me did endight And from the Campe the same to me did sende I meane from Campe where foes their force did bende She sent a brief vnto me by hir mayde Which at the gates of Delfe was stoutely stayde 124 This letter tane I was mistrusted much And thought a man that were not for to truste The Burghers streight began to beare me grutche And cast a snare to make my necke be trust For when they had this letter well discust They sent it me by hir that brought it so To trie if I would kéepe it close or no. 125 I redde the lines and knowing whence they came My harmelesse harte began to pant apace Wel to be playne I thought that neuer Dame Should make me deale in any doubtfull case Or do the thing might make me hide my face So that vnto the Prince I went forthwith And shewed to him of all this packe the pith 126
The thing God knowes was of no great emport Some fréendly lines the vertuous Lady wrote To me hir fréend and for my safe passeporte The Camepomaster Valdes his hand was gotte And seale therewith that I might safely trotte Vnto the Haghe a stately pleasaunt place Whereas remaynd this worthy womans grace 127 And here I set in open verse to showe The whole effect wherfore this work was wrought She had of mine whereof few folkes did knowe A counterfayte a thing to me deare bought Which thing to haue I many time had sought And when shee knew how much I did estéeme it Shée vowde that none but I should thence redéeme it 128 Lo here the cause of all this secrete sleight I sweare by Ioue that nothing els was ment The noble Prince who sawe that no deceipt Was practised gaue trust to mine entent And leaue to write from whence the same was sent But still the Bowgers Burghers should I saye Encreast their doubtes and watcht me day by day 129 At euery porte it was forsoth be last That I die groene Hopman might not go out But when their foes came skirmishing full fast Then with the rest the Gréene knight for them fought Then might he go without mistrust or doubt O drunken plompes I playne without cause why For all cardes tolde there was no foole but I. 130 I was the foole to fight in your defence Which know no fréende nor yet your selues full well Yet thus you sée how paye proclaymde for pence Pulles néedie soules in steade of heauen to hell And makes men hope to beare away the bell Whereas they hang in ropes that neuer rotte Yet warre seemes sweete to such as know it not 131 Well thus I dwelt in Delfe a winters tyde In Delfe I say without one pennie pay My men and I did colde and hunger bide To shew our truth and yet was neuer day Wherein the Spanyard came to make vs play But that the Gréene knight was amongst the rest Like Iohn Greyes birde that ventred with the best 132 At last the Prince to Zeland came himselfe To hunger Middleburgh or make it yéeld And I that neuer yet was set on shelf When any sayld or winde or waues could wéeld Went after him to shew my selfe in field The selfe same man which earst I vowed to be A trustie man to such a Prince as he 133 The force of Flaunders Brabant Geldres Fryze Henault Artoys Lyegeland and Luxembrough Were all ybent to bryng in new supplies To Myddleburgb and little all enough For why the Gaeulx would neyther bend nor bough But one of force must breake and come to nought All Walkers theirs or Flushyng dearly bought 134 There once agayne I serued vpon seas And for to tell the cause and how it fell It did one day the Prince my chieftayne please To aske me thus Gascoigne quoth he you dwell Amongst vs still and thereby séemeth well That to our side you beare a faithfull harte For else long since we should haue séene you starte 135 But are sayde he your Souldiours by your side O Prince quoth I full many dayes be past Since that my charge did with my Cronâ—ll glyde Yet byde I here and meane to be with last And for full proofe that this is not a blast Of glorious talke I craue some fisher boate To shew my force among this furious floate 136 The Prince gan like my fayth and forward will Equyppt a Hoye and set hir vnder sayle Wherein I serued according to my skill My minde was such my cunning could not quayle Withouten bragge of those that did assayle The foemens fleete which came in good aray I put my selfe in formost ranke alway 137 Thrée dayes wée fought as long as water serued And came to ancor neyghbourlike yféere The Prince himselfe to sée who best deserued Stoode euery day attending on the péere And might behold what barke went formost there Ill harte had he that would not stoutely fight When as his Prince is present still in sight 138 At last our foes had tidings ouer lande That neare to Bergh their fellowes went to wracke On Scheld they mette by Rymerswaell a bande Of Edell bloets who put their force abacke Lewes de Boyzett did put them there to sacke And lost an eye bicause he would resemble Dan Iuliane whome there he made to tremble 139 When this was knowen Sancio de Auila Who had the charge of those that fought with vs Went vp the Hont and tooke the ready way To Anwerpe towne leauing in daunger thus Poore Myddelburgh which now waxt dolorous To sée all hope of succour shrinke away Whiles they lackt bread and had done many a day 140 And when Mountdragon might no more endure He came to talke and rendred all at last With whome I was within the Cittie sure Before he went and on his promisse past Such trust I had to thinke his fayth was fast I dinde and supt and laye within the towne A daye before he was from thence ybowne 141 Thus Middleburgh Armew and all the rest Of Walkers Ile became the Princes pray Who gaue to me bycause I was so prest At such a pinche and on a dismall day Thrée hundreth gilderns good aboue my pay And bad me bide till his abilitie Might better gwerdon my fidelitie 142 I will not lie these Gilderns pleasd me well And much the more bycause they came vncraued Though not vnnéeded as my fortune fell But yet thereby my credite still was saued My skores were payde and with the best I braued Till lo at last an English newe relief Came ouer seas and Chester was their chief 143 Of these the Prince perswaded me to take A band in charge with Coronels consent At whose requests I there did vndertake To make mine ensigne once againe full bent And sooth to say it was my full entent To loose the sadle or the horse to winne Such haplesse hope the Prince had brought me in 144 Souldiours behold and Captaynes marke it well How hope is harbenger of all mishappe Some hope in honour for to beare the bell Some hope for gaine and venture many a clappe Some hope for trust and light in treasons lappe Hope leades the way our lodging to prepare Where high mishap ofte kéepes an Inne of care 145 I hoapt to shew such force agaynst our foes That those of Delf might sée how true I was I hopt in déede for to be one of those Whome fame should follow where my féete should passe I hoapt for gaynes and founde great losse alas I hoapt to winne a worthy Souldiours name And light on lucke which brought me still to blame 146 In Valkenburgh a fort but new begonne With others moe I was ordeynde to be And farre beforne the worke were half way done Our foes set forth our sorie seate to sée They came in time but cursed time for mée They came before the courtine
liue and such a life leade I. The Sunny dayes which gladde the saddest wightes Yet neuer shine to cleare my misty moone No quiet sléepe amidde the mooneshine nightes Can close mine eyes when I am woe begone Into such shades my péeuishe sorrowe shrowdes That Sunne and Moone are styll to me in clowdes And feuerlike I féede my fancie styll With such repast as most empaires my health Which feuer first I caught by wanton wyll When coles of kind dyd stirre my blood by stealth And gazing eyes in bewtie put such trust That loue enflamd my liuer al with lust My fits are lyke the feuer Ectick fits Which one daye quakes within and burnes without The next day heate within the boosoms sits And shiuiring colde the body goes about So is my heart most hote when hope is colde And quaketh most when I most heate behold Tormented thus without delayes I stand All wayes in one and euermore shal be In greatest griefe when helpe is nearest hand And best at ease if death might make me frée Delighting most in that which hurtes my heart And hating change which might relieue my smart Yet you deare dame to whome this cure pertaines Deuise by times some drammes for my disease A noble name shall be your greatest gaines Whereof be sure if you wyll worke mine ease And though fond fooles set forth their fittes as fast Yet graunt with me that my straunge passion past Euer or neuer ¶ A straunge passion of a Louer AMid my Bale I hath in blisse I swim in heauen I sinke in hell I find amends for euery misse And yet my moane no tongue can tell I liue and loue what wold you more As neuer louer liu'd before I laugh sometimes with little lust So iest I oft and féele no ioye Myne ease is builded all on trust And yit mistrust bréedes myne anoye I liue and lacke I lacke and haue I haue and misse the thing I craue These things séeme strange yet are they trew Beléeue me sweete my state is such One pleasure which I wold eschew Both slakes my grief and breedes my grutch So doth one paine which I would shoon Renew my ioyes where grief begoon Then like the larke that past the night In heauy sleepe with cares opprest Yit when shee spies the pleasaunt light She sends sweete notes from out hir brest So sing I now because I thinke How ioyes approch when sorrowes shrinke And as fayre Philomene againe Can watch and singe when other sleepe And taketh pleasure in hir payne To wray the woo that makes hir weepe So sing I now for to bewray The lothsome life I lead alway The which to thée deare wenche I write That know'st my mirth but not my moane I praye God graunt thée déepe delight To liue in ioyes when I am gone I cannot liue it wyll not bée I dye to thinke to part from thée Ferendo Natura ¶ The Diuorce of a Louer DIuorce me nowe good death from loue and lingring life That one hath bene my concubine that other was my wife In youth I liued with loue she had my lustye dayes In age I thought with lingering life to stay my wādering wais But now abusde by both I come for to complaine To thée good death in whom my helpe doth wholy now remain My libell loe behold wherein I doe protest The processe of my plaint is true in which my griefe doth rest First loue my concubine whome I haue kept so trimme Euen she for whome I séemd of yore in seas of ioy to swimme To whome I dare auowe that I haue serued as well And played my part as gallantly as he that heares the hell She cast me of long since and holdes me in disdaine I cannot pranke to please hir nowe my vaunting is but vaine My writhled chéekes bewraye that pride of heate is past My stagring steppes eke tell the trueth that nature fadeth fast My quaking crooked ioyntes are combred with the crampe The boxe of oyle is wasted wel which once dyd féede my lampe The gréenesse of my yeares doth wyther now so sore That lusty loue leapes quite awaye and lyketh me no more And loue my lemman gone what lyking can I take In lothsome lyfe that croked croane although she be my make Shée cloyes me with the cough hir comfort is but cold She bids me giue mine age for almes wher first my youth was sold No day can passe my head but she beginnes to brall No mery thoughts conceiued so fast but she confounds them al. When I pretend to please she ouerthwarts me still When I would faynest part with hir she ouerwayes my will. Be iudge then gentle death and take my cause in hand Consider euery circumstaunce marke how the case doth stand Percase thou wilte aledge that cause thou canst none sée But that I like not of that one that other likes not me Yea gentle iudge giue eare and thou shalt see me proue My concubine incontinent a common whore is loue And in my wyfe I find such discord and debate As no man liuing can endure the tormentes of my state Wherefore thy sentence say deuorce me from them both Since only thou mayst right my wronges good death nowe he not loath But cast thy pearcing dart into my panting brest That I may leaue both loue and life thereby purchase rest Haud ictus sapio ¶ The Lullabie of a Louer SIng lullaby as women doe Wherewith they bring their babes to rest And lullaby can I sing to As womanly as can the best With lullaby they still the childe And if I be not much beguild Full many wanton babes haue I Which must be stild with lullabie First lullaby my youthfull yeares It is nowe time to go to bed For croocked age and hoary heares Haue wone the hauen with in my head With Lullaby then youth be still With Lullaby content thy will Since courage quayles and commes behind Go sleepe and so beguile thy minde Next Lullaby my gazing eyes Which wonted were to glaunce apace For euery Glasse maye nowe suffise To shewe the furrowes in my face With Lullabye then winke awhile With Lullabye your lookes beguile Lette no fayre face nor beautie brighte Entice you efte with vayne delighte And Lullaby my wanton will Lette reasons rule nowe reigne thy thought Since all to late I finde by skyll Howe deare I haue thy fansies bought With Lullaby nowe tak thyne ease With Lullaby thy doubtes appease For trust to this if thou be styll My body shall obey thy will. Eke Lullaby my louing boye My little Robyn take thy rest Since age is colde and nothing coye Keepe close thy coyne for so is best With Lullady be thou content With Lullaby thy lustes relente Lette others pay which hath mo pence Thou art to pore for such expence Thus Lullabye my youth myne eyes My will my ware and all that was I can no mo delayes deuise But welcome payne let pleasure passe With Lullaby now take your leaue
O noble king to thée That I haue béene a Rebell in my youth I preast alwaies in pleasures court to bée I fled from that which Cupide still eschuth I fled from Care lo now I tell the truth And in delightes I loued so to dwell Thy heauenly house dyd séeme to me but hell Such was my rage the which I now repent And pardon craue My soule to saue Before the webbe of weary life be spent But marke what fruites dyd grow on such a trée What crop dyd rise vpon so rashe sowne séede For when I thought my selfe in heauen to bée In depth of hell I drowned was in déede Whereon to thinke my heauie hart doth bléede Me thought I swumme in Seas of all delight When as I sunke in puddles of despight Alas alas I thought my selfe belou'd When deadly hate Did play checke mate With me poore pawne that no such prancks had prou'd This when I tryed ay me to be to true I wept for woe I pined all for paine I tare my héere I often chaunged hewe I left delight with dollours to complaine I shund each place where pleasure dyd remaine I cride I calde on euery kinde of death I stroue eache way to stop my fainting breath Short tale to make I stept so farre in strife That still I sought With all my thought Some happie helpe to leaue my lothed life But hope was he that held my hande abacke From quicke dispatch of all my griping griefe When heate of hate had burnt my will to wracke Then hope was colde and lent my life reliefe In euery choice hope challengde to be chiefe When coldest crampes had cleane orecome my heart Then hope was hote and warnde my weary smart Then heart was heardie hope was still in dread When heart was faint With feares attaint Then hardie hope held vp my fearefull head Thus when I found that neither flowing teares Could drowne my heart in waues of wery wo Nor hardy hand could ouercome my feares To cut the sacke of all my sorrowes so Nor death would come nor I to death could go And yet I felt great droppes of secrete smart Distilling styll within my dying heart I then perceiude that onely care was he Which as my friend Might make an end Of all these paines and set my fansie frée Wherefore oh Care graunt thou my iust request Oh kyll my corpse oh quickly kyll me nowe Oh make an ende and bring my bones to rest Oh cut my thread good Care I care not howe Oh Care be kinde and here I make a vowe That when my life out of my brest shall part I wyll present thée with my faithfull hart And send it to thée as a Sacrifice Bicause thou hast Vouchsaft at last To ende my furies in this friendly wise Fato non Fortuna WHat greater glory can a Keysar gaine If madde moode moue his subiectes to rebell Than that at last when all the traytours traine Haue trode the pathe of déepe repentaunce well And naked néede with Cold and Hunger both Hath bitten them abrode in forren land Whereby they may their lewde deuises loth When hairbraind haste with cold aduise is scande If then at last they come vpon their knée And pardon craue with due submission And for this cause I thinke that Care of me Was moued most to take compassion For now I find that pittie prickes his mind To sée me plonged still in endlesse paine And right remorse his princely heart doth bind To rule the rage wherein I do remaine I féele my teares doe now begin to stay For Care from them their swelling springs doth soke I feele my sighes their labours now allaye For Care hath quencht the coles that made thē smoke I feele my panting heart begins to rest For Care hath staide the hammers of my head I feele the flame which blazed in my brest Is nowe with carefull ashes ouerspread And gentle Care hath whet his karuing knife To cut in twaine the thread of all my thrall Desired death nowe ouercommeth life And wo still workes to helpe in haste with all But since I féele these panges approching so And lothed life begin to take his leaue Me thinkes it meete to giue before I go Such landes and goodes as I behind me leaue So to discharge my troubled conscience And eke to set an order for my heyre Who might perhaps be put to great expence To sue for that which I bequeath him here Wherefore déere wenche with all my full intent I thus begin to make my Testament Fato non fortuna His last wyll and Testament IN Ioue his mighty name this eight and twentith day Of frosted bearded Ianuar the enemy to May Since Adam was create fiue thousand yéeres I gesse Fiue hundreth forty more and fiue as stories do expresse I being whole of minde immortall Gods haue praise Though in my body languishing with panges of paine alwayes Do thus ordaine my wyll which long in woes haue wepte Beséeching mine executours to sée it duely kept Fyrst I bequeath my soule on Charons boate to tende Vntill thy life my loue at last may light on luckye ende That there it may awaite to wayte vpon thy ghost Whē thou hast quite clene forgot what pranks now please thée most So shall it well be séene whose loue is like to mine For so I meane to trye my truth and there tyll then to pine My body he enbalmde and cloased vp in chest With oyntments and with spiceries of euery swéete the best And so preserued styll vntill the day do come That death diuorce my loue from life trusse hir vp in tombe Then I bequeath my corps to couche beneathe hir bones And there to féede the gréedy wormes that linger for the nones To frette vppon her fleshe which is to fine therefore This seruice may it doe hir yet although it do no more My heart as heretofore I must bequeathe to Care And God he knowes I thinke the gift to simple for his share But that he may perceiue I meane to pay my dew I will it shall be taken quicke and borne him bléeding new As for my funerals I leaue that toye at large To be as mine executours wyll giue thereto in charge Yet if my goodes will stretche vnto my strange deuice Then let this order be obseru'd mine heyre shall pay the price First let the torche bearers be wrapte in weedes of woe Let all their lightes be virgin waxe because I lou'de it so And care not though the twist be course that lends them light If fansie fume frée wil flame then must they néeds burn bright Next them let come the quier with psalmes and dolefull song Recording all my rough repulse and wraying all my wrong And when the deskant singes in tréeble tunes aboue Then let fa burden say by lowe I liu'd and dyde for loue About my heauy hearse some mourners would I haue Who migh the same accompany and stand about the graue But let them be such
fresh Samon or any suche good dishe he followeth to the house and either with some newes or some stale iest he will be sure to make himselfe a geast Ero. In faith and I will séeke there for him Du. Then muste you néedes finde him and when you haue done I will make you laughe Ero. Whereat Du. At certaine sport I made to day with master doctor Ero. And why not now Du. No it asketh further leysure I pray thée dispatche and finde out Pasiphilo that honest man. Dulipo tarieth Erostrato goeth out Scena ij DVLIPO alone THis amorous cause that hāgeth in cōtrouersie betwene Domine doctor me may be compared to thē that play at primero of whō some one peraduēture shal léese a great sum of money before he win one stake at last halfe in anger shal set vp his rest win it after that another another another till at last he draw the most part of the money to his heape the other by litle litle stil diminishing his rest til at last he be come as néere the brinke as earst the other was yet again peraduēture fortune smiling on him he shal as it were by péece meale pull out the guts of his fellows bags bring him barer than he himselfe was tofore so in play continue stil fortune fauoring now this way now that way til at last the one of thē is left with as many crosses as God hath brethren O howe often haue I thoughte my selfe sure of the vpper hande herein but I triumphed before the victorie And then how ofte againe haue I thoughte the fielde loste Thus haue I béene tossed nowe ouer nowe vnder euen as fortune list to whirle the whéele neither sure to winne nor certayne to loose the wager And this practise that nowe my seruaunte hath deuised although hitherto it hath not succeeded amisse yet can I not count my selfe assured of it for I feare still that one mischance or other wyll come and turne it topsie turuie But looke where my mayster commeth Damon comming in espieth Dulipo and calleth him Scena iij. DAMON DVLIPO NEVOLA and two mo seruants DVlipo Du. Here sir Da. Go in and bid Neuola and his fellowes come hither that I may tell them what they shall goe about and go you into my studie there vpon the shelfe you shall find a roule of writings which Iohn of the Deane made to my Father when he solde him the Grange ferme endorced with bothe their names bring it hither to me Du. It shall be done sir Da. Go I wil prepare other maner of writings for you thā you are aware of O fooles that trust any mā but themselues now adaies oh spiteful fortune thou doest me wrong I thinke that from the depth of Hell pitte thou haste sente mée this seruaunt to be the subuersion of me and all mine Come hither sirs and heare what I shal say vnto you go into my studie where you shall finde Dulipo step to him all at once take him and with a corde that I haue laide on the table for the nonce bind him hande and foote carie him into the dungeon vnder the stayres make faste the dore bring me the key it hangeth by vpon a pin on the wall Dispatche and doe this geare as priuily as you can and thou Neuola come hither to me againe with spéede Ne. Well I shall Da. Alas how shall I be reuenged of this extreme despite if I punishe my seruant according to his diuelishe deserts I shall heape further cares vpon mine owne head for to suche detestable offences no punishment can séeme sufficient but onely death and in such cases it is not lawful for a man to be his owne caruer The lawes are ordeyned and officers appoynted to minister iustice for the redresse of wrongs and if to the potestates I complayne me I shall publishe mine owne reproche to the worlde Yea what should it preuayle me to vse all the puinishments that can be deuised the thing once done can not be vndone My daughter is defloured and I vtterly dishonested how can I then wype that blot off my browe and on whome shall I séeke reuenge Alas alas I my selfe haue bene the cause of all these cares and haue deserued to beare the punishment of all these mishappes Alas I should not haue committed my dearest darling in custodie to so carelesse a creasure as this olde Nurse for we see by common proofe that these olde women be either péeuishe or pitifull either easily enclined to euill or quickly corrupted with bribes and rewards O wife my good wife that nowe lyest colde in the graue now may I well bewayle the wante of thée and mourning nowe may I bemone that I misse thée if thou hadst liued suche was thy gouernement of the least things that thou wouldest prudently haue prouided for the preseruation of this pearle A costly iewell may I well accompte hir that hath béen my chéefe comforte in youth and is nowe become the corosiue of mine age O Polynesta full euill hast thou requited the clemencie of thy carefull father and yet to excuse thée giltlesse before God and to condemne thée giltie before the worlde I can count none other but my wretched selfe the caytife and causer of all my cares For of al the dueties that are requisite in humane lyfe onely obedience is by the parents to be required of the childe where on the other side the parents are bound first to beget them then to bring thē foorth after to nourish them to preserue them from bodily perils in the cradle from daunger of soule by godly education to matche them in consort enclined to vertue too banish them all ydle and wanton companie to allow them sufficiente for their sustentation to cut off excesse the open gate of sinne seldome or neuer to smile on them vnlesse it be to their encouragement in vertue and finally to prouide them mariages in time cōuenient lest neglected of vs they learne to sette either to much or to litle by thēselues Fiue yeares are past since I might haue maried hir when by cōtinuall excuses I haue prolonged it to my owne perdition Alas I shoulde haue considered she is a collop of my owne flesh what shold I think to make hir a princesse Alas alas a poore kingdome haue I now caught to endowe hir with It is too true that of all sorowes this is the head source and chiefe fountaine of all furies the goods of the world are incertain the gaines to be reioyced at and the losse not greatly to be lamented only the children cast away cutteth the parents throate with the knife of inward care which knife will kill me surely I make none other accompte Damons seruants come to him againe Scena iiij NEVOLA DAMON PASIPHILO SIr we haue done as you hadde vs and here is the key Da. Well go then Neuola and séeke master Casteling the iayler he dwelleth by S. Antonies gate desire him too lend me a
vp Thus yere by yere the one succéeding other This royall crowne should vnto bothe remayne Ser. Oh th unbridled mindes of ambicious men Ioca. Etocles thus plast in princely seate Drunke with the sugred taste of kingly raigne Not onely shut his brother from the crowne But also from his natiue country soyle Alas poore Polynice what might he doe Vniustly by his brother thus betrayed To Argos he with sad and heauie cheere Forthwith conuayde him selfe on whom at length With fauning face good fortune smyled so As with Adrastus king of Argiues there He founde such fauour and affinitie As to restore my sonne vnto his raigne He hath besiedge this noble citie Thebes And hence procéedes my most extreme annoye For of my sonnes who euer doe preuaile The victorie will turne vnto my griefe Alas I feare such is the chaunce of warre That one or both shall purchase death therby Wherfore to shunne the worst that may befall Thoughe comfortlesse yet as a pitifull mother Whom nature binds to loue hir louing sonnes And to prouide the best for their auaile I haue thought good by prayers to entreate The two brethren nay rather cruel foes A while to staie their fierce and furious fight Till I haue tried by meanes for to apease The swelling wrath of their outraging willes And so with much to doe at my request They haue forborne vnto this onely houre Ser. Small space good wot to stint so great a strife Ioca. And euen right now a trustie man of mine Returned from the campe enforming me That Polynice will straight to Thebes come Thus of my woe this is the wailefull sūme And for bycause in vaine and bootelesse plainte I haue small néede to spend this litle time Here will I cease in wordes more to be wray The restlesse state of my afflicted minde Desiring thée thou goe to Eteocles Hartly on my behalfe beseching him That out of hand according to his promise He will vouchsafe to come vnto my courte I know he loues thée well and to thy wordes I thinke thou knowst he will giue willing eare Ser. O noble Quéene sith vnto such affayres My spedie diligence is requisite I will applie effectually to doe What so your highnesse hath commaunded me Ioca. I will goe in and pray the Gods therwhile With tender pitie to appease my griefe Iocasta goeth off the stage into hir pallace hir foure handmaides follow hir the foure Chorus also follow hir to the gates of hir pallace after comming on the stage take their place where they cōtinue to the end of the Tragedie SERVVS SOLVS THe simple man whose meruaile is so great At stately courts and princes regall seate With gasing eye but onely doth regarde The golden glosse that outwardly appeares The crownes bedeckt with pearle and precious stones The riche attire imbost with beaten golde The glittering mace the pompe of swarming traine The mightie halles heapt full of flattering frendes The chambers huge the goodly gorgeous beddes The gilted roofes embowde with curious worke The faces swéete of fine disdayning dames The vaine suppose of wanton raigne at luste But neuer viewes with eye of inward thought The painefull toile the great and greuous cares The troubles still the newe increasing feares That princes nourish in their iealous brestes He wayeth not the charge that Ioue hath laid On princes how for themselues they raigne not He wéenes the law must stoope to princely will But princes frame their noble wills to lawe He knoweth not that as the boystrous winde Doth shake the toppes of highest reared towres So doth the force of frowarde fortune strike The wight that highest sits in haughtie state Lo Oedipus that sometime raigned king Of Thebane soyle that wonted to suppresse The mightest Prince and kepe him vnder checke That fearefull was vnto his forraine foes Now like a poore afflicted prisoner In dungeon darke shut vp from chéerefull light In euery part so plagued with annoy As he abhorrs to leade a longer life By meanes wherof the one against the other His wrathfull sonnes haue planted all their force And Thebes here this auncient worthy towne With threatning siege girt in on euerie side In daunger lyes to be subuerted quite If helpe of heuenly Ioue vpholde it not But as darke night succedes the shining day So lowring griefe comes after pleasant ioy Well now the charge hir highnesse did commaund I must fulfill though haply all in vaine Seruus goeth off the stage by the gates called Electrae Antygone attended with .iij. gentlewomen and hir gouernour commeth out of the Queene hir mothers Pallace BAILO ANTIGONE O Gentle daughter of King Oedipus O sister deare to that vnhappie wight Whom brothers rage hath reaued of his right To whom thou knowst in yong and tender yeares I was a friend and faithfull gouenour Come forth sith that hir grace hath graunted leaue And let me knowe what cause hath moued nowe So chaste a maide to set hir daintie foote Ouer the thresholde of hir secrete lodge Since that the towne is furnishte euery where With men of armes and warlike instrumentes Vnto our eares there cōmes no other noyse But sounde of trumpe and neigh of trampling stedes Which running vp and downe from place to place With hideous cries betoken bloude and death The blasing sunne ne shineth halfe so brighte As it was wont to doe at dawne of day The wretched dames throughout the wofull towne Together clustring to the temples goe Beseching Ioue by way of humble plainte With tender ruthe to pitie their distresse An. The loue I beare to my swéete Polynice My deare brother is onely cause hereof Bai. Why daughter knowst thou any remedie How to defend thy fathers citie here From that outrage and fierce repyning wrathe Which he against it iustly hath conceiued An. Oh gouernour might this my faultlesse bloude Suffise to stay my brethrens dyre debate With glad content I coulde afford my life Betwixte them both to plant a perfect peace But since alas I cannot as I woulde A hote desire enflames my feruent mind To haue a sight of my swéete Polynice Wherfore good guide vouchsafe to guide me vp Into some tower about this hugie court From whence I may behold our enemies campe Therby at least to féede my hungry eyes But with the sight of my beloued brother Then if I die contented shall I die Bai. O princly dame the tender care thou takste Of thy deare brother deserueth double praise Yet crau'st thou that which cannot be obtainde By reason of the distance from the towne Vnto the plaine where th armie lies incampte And furthermore besemeth not a maide To shew hir selfe in such vnséemly place Whereas among such yong and lustie troupes Of harebrainde souldiers marching to and fro Both honest name and honour is empairde But yet reioyce sith this thy great desire Without long let or yet without thy paine At wishe and will shortly may be fulfillde For Polynice forthwith will hither come Euen I my selfe was lately at
which might endure no more Gan rende in twayne and suckt the water in Then might you sée pale lookes and wofull cheare Then might you heare loude cries and deadly dinne Well noble minds in perils best appeare And boldest harts in bale will neuer blinne For there were some of whome I will not say That I was one which neuer changed hew But pumpt apace and labord euery way To saue themselues and all their louely crew Which cast the best fraight ouerboorde away Both corne and cloth and all that was of weight Which halde and pulde at euery helping corde Which prayed to God and made their conscience streight As for my self I here protest my Lorde My words were these O God in heauen on height Behold me not as now a wicked wight A sacke of sinne a wretch ywrapt in wroth Let no fault past O Lord offende thy sight But weye my will which now those faults doth lothe And of thy mercy pittie this our plight Euen thou good God which of thy grace didst saye That for one good thou wouldst all Sodome saue Behold vs all thy shyning beames displaye Some here I trust thy goodnesse shall engraue To be chast vessels vnto thée alwaye And so to liue in honour of thy name Beleue me Lord thus to the Lord I sayde But there were some alas the more their blame Which in the pumpe their onely comfort layde And trusted that to turne our griefe to game Alas quod I our pumpe good God must be Our sayle our sterne our tackling and our trust Some other cried to cleare the shipboate frée To saue the chiefe and leaue the rest in dust Which word once spoke a wondrous thing to sée All hast post hast was made to haue it done And vp it commes in hast much more than spéede There did I see a wofull worke begonne Which now euen now doth make my hart to bléede Some made such hast that in the boate they wonne Before it was aboue the hatches brought Straunge tale to tell what hast some men shall make To find their death before the same be sought Some twixt the boate and shippe their bane do take Both drownd and slayne with braynes for hast crusht out At last the boat halfe fraighted in the aire Is hoyst alofte and on the seas downe set When I that yet in God could not dispaire Still plide the pumpe and patiently did let All such take boate as thither made repaire And herewithall I safely may protest I might haue wonne the boate as wel as one And had that séemed a safetie for the rest I should percase euen with the first haue gone But when I saw the boate was ouer prest And pestred full with moe than it might beare And therwithall with cherefull looke might sée My chiefe companions whome I held most deare Whofe companie had thither trained me Abiding still aboorde our shippe yfeare Nay then quoth I good God thy will be done For with my feeres I will both liue and dye And eare the boate farre from our sight was gon The waue so wrought that they which thought to flée And so to scape with waues were ouer ronne Lo how he striues in vaine that striues with God For there we lost the flowre of the band And of our crew full twentie soules and odde The Sea sucks vp whils we on hatches stand In smarting feare to feele that selfe same rodde Well on as yet our battred barke did passe And brought the rest within a myle of lande Then thought I sure now néede not I to passe For I can swymme and so escape this sande Thus dyd I déeme all carelesse like an Asse When sodaynely the wynde our foresayle tooke And turnd about and brought vs eft to Seas Then cryed we all cast out the ancor hooke And here let byde such helpe as god may please Which ancor cast we soone the same forsooke And cut it off for feare least therevpon Our shippe should bowge then callde we fast for fire And so dischargde our great gunnes euerychone To warne the towne thereby of our desire But all in vayne for succor sent they none At last a Hoy from Sea came flinging fast And towards vs helde course as streight as lyne Then might you sée our hands to heauen vp cast To render thanks vnto the power deuine That so vouchsafte to saue vs yet at last But when this Hoy gan welnéere boorde our barke And might perceiue what peryll we were in It turnd away and left vs still in carke This tale is true for now to lie were sin It lefte vs there in dreade and daungers darke It lefte vs so and that within the sight And hearing both of all the peare at Breyll Now ply thee pen and paint the foule despite Of drunken Dutchmen standing there euen still For whom we came in their cause for to fight For whom we came their state for to defende For whom we came as friends to grieue their foes They now disdaynd in this distresse to lend One helping boate for to asswage our woes They sawe our harmes the which they would not mend And had not bene that God euen then did rayse Some instruments to succor vs at néede We had bene sunk and swallowed all in Seas But Gods will was in way of our good spéede That on the peare lamenting our mysease Some englishe were whose naked swordes did force The drunken dutch the cankred churles to come And so at last not moued by remorce But forst by feare they sent vs succor some Some must I say and for to tell the course They sent vs succor saust with sowre despite They saued our liues and spoylde vs of the rest They stale our goods by day and eke by night They shewed the worst and closely kept the best And in this time this treason must I wryte Our Pylot fled but how not emptie handed He fled from vs and with him did conueye A Hoy full fraught whiles we meane while were landed With pouder shotte and all our best araye This skill he had for all he set vs sanded And now my Lord declare your noble mynde Was this a Pylot or a Pilate iudge Or rather was he not of Iudas kynde Which left vs thus and close away could trudge Well at the Bryell to tell you what we finde The Gouernour was all bedewed with drinke His truls and he were all layde downe to sléepe And we must shift and of our selues must thinke What meane was best and how we best might kéepe That yet remaynd the rest was close in clinke Well on our knées with trickling teares of ioye We gaue God thanks and as we might did learne What might be founde in euery pynke and hoye And thus my Lord your honour may descerne Our perils past and how in our anoye God saued me your Lordshippes bound for euer Who else should not be able now to tell The state wherein this countrey doth perseuer Ne how they séeme
pleased not you I cannot my selfe therwith be pleased as one that seeketh not to please many and more desirous to please you than any The cause of myne affection I suppose you behold dayly For self loue auoyded euery wight may iudge of themselues as much as reason perswadeth the which if it be in your good nature suppressed with bashfulnesse then mighty loue graunt you may once behold my wan cheekes washed in woe that therein my salt teares may be a myrrour to represent your owne shadow and that like vnto Nacissus you may be constrayned to kisse the cold waues wherein your counterfait is so liuely purtrayed For if aboundance of other matters fayled to drawe my gazing eyes in contemplation of so rare excellency yet might these your letters both frame in me an admiration of such diuine esprite and a confusion too my dull vnderstanding whiche so rashly presumed too wander in this endles Laberinth Such I esteeme you and thereby am become such and euen HE. F.I. THis letter finished and fayre written ouer his chaunce was to méete hir alone in a Gallery of the same house where his manhood in this kinde of combat was firste tried and therein I can compare him to a valiant Prince who distressed with power of enemies had committed the safegard of his person to treaty of Ambassade and sodenly surprised with a Camassado in his owne trenches was enforced to yéeld as prisoner Euen so Ferdinando Ieronimi lately ouercome by the beautifull beames of this Dame Elynor and hauing now committed his moste secrete intent to these late rehearsed letters was at vnwares encountred with his friendly foe and constrayned either to prepare some new defence or else like a recreant to yéeld himselfe as already vanquished Wherefore as in a traunce he lifted vp his dazled eies and so continued in a certen kind of admiration not vnlike the Astronomer who hauing after a whole nights trauaile in the grey morning found his desired starre hath fired his hungry eies to behold the Comete long looked for wherat this gracious Dame as one that could discerne the sunne before hir chamber windowes were wide opeÌ„ did deign to embolden the fainting Knight with these or like woordes I perceiue nowe quod she howe mishap doth follow me that hauing chosen this walke for a simple solace I am here disquieted by the man that meaneth my destruction and therwithall as half angry began to turne hir backe when Ferdinando now awaked gan thus salute hir Mistresse quod he and I perceiue now that good hap hauÌ„ts me for being by lacke of oportuniâ—ie constreined to commit my welfare vnto these blabbing leaues of bewraying paper shewing that in his haÌ„d I am here recomforted with happy view of my desired ioy and therewithall reuerently kissing his hand did softly distreyne hir slender arme and so slayed hir departure The firste blow thus profered and defended they walked and talked trauersing diuerse wayes wherein I doubte not but that the Venetian coulde quite himselfe resonably well For after long talke shee was contented to accept his proffered seruice but yet still disabling hir selfe and séeming to maruell what cause had moued him to subiect his libertie so wilfully or at least in a prison as shée termed it so vnworthy Wherevnto I néede not rehearse his answere but suppose now that thus they departed sauing I had forgotten this shée required of him the last rehearsed letter saying that his firste was loste and nowe shée lacked a new bottome for hir silke the whiche I warrant you he graunted and so preffering to take an humble congé by Bezolas manos she graciously gaue him the Zuccado dez labros and so for then departed And there vppon recompting hir woordes he compiled these following whiche he termed Terza sequenza too sweete Mistresse SHE OF thee deare Dame three lessons would I learne What reason first persuades the foolish Fly As soone as shee a candle can discerne To play with flame till shee bee burnt thereby Or what may moue the Mouse to byte the bayte Which strikes the trappe that stops hir hungry breth What calles the bird where snares of deepe deceit Are closely coucht to draw hir to hir death Consider well what is the cause of this And though percase thou wilt not so confesse Yet deepe desire to gayne a heauenly blisse May drowne the minde in dole and darke distresse Oft is it seene whereat my hart may bleede Fooles play so long till they be caught in deede And then It is a heauen to see them hop and skip And seeke all shiftes to shake their shackles off It is a world to see them hang the lip Who earst at loue were wont to skorne and skoff But as the Mouse once caught in crafty trap May bounce and beate against the boorden wall Till shee haue brought hir head in such mishap That downe to death hir fainting lymbes must fall And as the Flie once singed in the flame Cannot commaund hir wings to waue away But by the heele shee hangeth in the same Till cruell death hir hasty iourney stay So they that seeke to breake the linkes of loue Striue with the streame and this by paine I proue For when I first beheld that heauenly hewe of thine Thy stately stature and thy comly grace I must confesse these dazled eies of mine Did wincke for feare when I first viewd thy face But bold desire did open them againe And had mee looke till I had lookt to long I pitied them that did procure my paine And lou'd the lookes that wrought me all the wrong And as the byrd once caught but woorks hir woe That striues to leaue the limed twigges behind Euen so the more I straue to parte thee fro The greater grief did growe within my minde Remedilesse then must I yeeld to thee And craue no more thy seruaunt but to bee Till then and euer HE. F.I. WHen he had well sorted this sequence he sought oportunitie to leaue it where shée might finde it before it were lost And nowe the coles began to kindle whereof but ere while shée feigned hir selfe altogither ignorant The flames began to breake out on euery side and she to quench them shut vp hir selfe in hir chamber solitarily But as the smithie gathers greater heate by casting on of water euen so the more she absented hir self from company the fresher was the griefe whiche galded hir remembrance so that at laste the report was spredde thorough the house that Mistresse Elinor was sicke At which newes Ferdinando tooke small comfort neuerthelesse Dame Venus with good aspect did yet thus much furder his enterprise The Dame whether it were by sodaine chaunge or of wonted custome fell one day into a greate bléeding at the nose For whiche accident the sayde Venetian amongst other pretie conceits had a present remedie Whereby he tooke occasion when they of the house had all in vayne sought many waies to stoppe hir bléeding to worke his feate in this wise
no great continuance betwene vs and as I do lament your case so doo I reioyce for myne own contentation that I shal now sée a due triall of the experimēt which I haue long desired This sayd she kept silence When Ferdinando somwhat astonied with hir straunge spéech thus answered Mistresse although I cannot conceiue the meaning of your woordes yet by curtesie I am constrayned to yéelde you thankes for your good wil the which appeareth no lesse in lamenting of mishappes than in reioycing at good fortune What experiment you meane to trie by mée I knowe not but I dare assure you that my skill in experiments is very simple Herewith the Instruments sounded a new Measure and they passed forthwards leauing to talke vntill the noise ceassed whiche done the Gentlewoman replied I am sory sir that you did erewhile denie loue and all his lawes and that in so open audience Not so quod Ferdinando but as the woorde was roundly taken so can I readely answere it by good reason Well quod shée howe if the hearers will admit no reasonable answere My reasons yet bée neuerthelesse quod he in reasonable iudgement Herewith shée smiled and he cast a glance towards dame Elinor askances arte thou pleased Againe the viols called them forthwardes and againe at the ende of the braule sayde Ferdinando Ieronimi to this Gentlewoman I pray you Mistres and what may be the second cause of your sorow sustained in my behalfe Nay soft quod she percase I haue not yet tolde you the first but content your selfe for the second cause you shall neuer know at my handes vntill I sée due triall of the experiment which I haue long desired Why then quod he I can but wishe a present occasion to bring the same to effect to the end that I might also vnderstand the mistery of your meaning And so might you faile of your purpose quod she for I meane to be better assured of him that shal know the depth of mine intent in such a secrete than I do suppose that any creature one except may be of you Gentlewoman quod he you speake Greeke the which I haue nowe forgotten and mine instructers are to farre from mée at this present to expound your words Or els to neare quod she and so smiling stayed hir talke when the Musicke called them to another daunce Whiche ended Ferdinando halfe afrayd of false suspect and more amazed at this straunge talke gaue ouer and bringing Mistresse Fraunces to hir place was thus saluted by his Mistresse Seruaunt quod shée I had done you great wrong to haue daunced with you consideringe that this gentlewoman and you had former occasion of so waighty conference Mistresse sayd Ferdinando you had done mée great pleasure for by our conference I haue but brought my braynes in a busie coniecture I doubt not sayd his Mistresse but you wil end that busines easely It is hard said he to ende the thing whereof yet I haue founde no begininge His Mistresse with chaunge of countenaunce kept silence whereat dame Fraunces reioycinge cast out this bone to gnawe on I perceyue quod she it is euill to halte before a Creple Ferdinando perceyuing now that his Mistresse waxed angry thought good on hir behalfe thus to aunswere and it is euill to hop before them that runne for the Bell his Mistresse replied and it is euill to hange the Bell at their heeles which are alwayes running The Lord of he Castle ouerhearing these proper quippes rose out of his chaire comming towards Ferdinando required him to daunce a Gallyard Sir sayd he I haue hitherto at your apoyntmēt but walked about the house now if you be desirous to see one tomble a turne or twayne it is like ynough that I mighte prouoke you to laugh at mee but in good fayth my dauncing dayes are almost done and therfore sir quod he I pray you speake to them that are more nymble at trippinge on the toe Whilest hée was thus saying dame Elynor had made hir Congey and was now entring the doore of hir chamber when Ferdinando al amazed at hir sodeyne departure followed to take leaue of his Mistresse but she more then angrie refused to heare his good night and entring hir chamber caused hir mayde to clappe to the doore Ferdinando with heauie cheare returned to his company and Mistresse Fraunces to toutch his sore with a corosiue sayd to him softly in this wise Sir you may now perceyue that this our countrie cannot allowe the French manner of dauncing for they as I haue heard tell do more commonly daunce to talke then entreate to daunce Fardenando hoping to driue out one naile with another and thinking this a meane moste conuenient to suppresse all ielous supposes tooke Mistresse Fraunces by the hand and with a heauy smile aunswered Mistresse and I because I haue seene the french maner of dauncing will eftsonnes entreat you to daunce a Bargynet what meane you by thys quod mistresse Fraunces If it please you to followe quod he you shall sée that I can iest without ioye and laugh without lust and calling the musitions caused them softly to sounde the Tynternall when he clearing his voyce did Allá Napolitana applie these verses following vnto the measure IN prime of lustie yeares when Cupid caught mee in And nature taught the waie to loue how I might best begin To please my wandring eie in beauties tickle trade To gaze on eache that passed by a carelesse sporte I made VVith sweete entising baite I fisht for manie a dame And warmed me by manie a fire yet felt I not the flame But when at last I spied that face that pleasde me most The coales were quicke the woode was drie I began to tost And smiling yet full oft I haue behelde that face VVhen in my hearte I might bewaile mine owne vnluckie case And oft againe with lokes that might bewraie my griefe I pleaded harde for iust rewarde and sought to finde reliefe VVhat will you more so oft my gazing eies did seeke To see the rose and Lillie striue vpon that liuelie cheeke Till at the last I spied and by good proofe I founde That in that face was painted plaine the pearcer of my wound Then all to late agast I did my foote retire And sought with secret sighes to quench my gredie skalding fire But lo I did preuaile asmuche to guide my will As he that seekes with halting heele to hop against the hill Or as the feeble sight woulde searche the sunnie beame Euen so J founde but labour lost to striue against the streame Then gan I thus resolue since liking forced loue Should I mislike my happie choice before I did it proue And since none other ioye I had but her to see Soulde I retire my deepe desire no no it would not bee Though great the duetie were that shee did well deserue And I poore man vnworthie am so wotthie a wight to serue Yet hope my comfort staide that she would haue regard To
vnder him than to descant any longer vpon Ferdinandoes playne song and thus they continued in good accord vntill it fortuned that Dame Fraunces came into her chamber vpon such sodaine as she had like to haue marred all the musicke well they conueyed their clifes as closely as they could but yet not altogither without some suspicion giuen to the sayd dame Fraunces who although she could haue bene cōtent to take any paine in Ieronimies behalfe yet otherwise she could neuer haue bestowed the watching about so worthelesse a pryse After womanly salutations they fell into sundrye discourses the Secretary stil abiding in the chamber with them At last two or thrée other gentlewomen of the Castle came into Madam Elinores chamber who after their Bon iour did all vna voce séeme to lament the sikenes of Ferdinando and called vppon the Dames Elynor and Fraunces to goe visite him againe The Lady Fraunces curteously consented but Madame Elynor first alledged that she her selfe was also sickly the which she attributed to hir late paynes taken about him and sayd that onely for that cause she was constrayned to kepe hir bed longer than hir accustomed hower The Dames but specially the Lady Fraunces gan streight wayes coniecture some great cause of sodaine chaūge and so leauing dame Elinor walked altogether into the parke to take the ayre in the morning And as they thus walked it chaūced that Dame Pergo heard a Cuckoe chaunt who because the pride of the spring was now past cried Cuck cuck Cuckoe in hir stamering voyce A ha quod Pergo this foule byrd begines to flye the countrye and yet before hir departure sée how spitfully she can deuyse to salute vs Not so quod Dame Fraunces but some other whom she hath espyed wherewith Dame Pergo looking round about hir and espying none other companie sayde Why here is no body but we few women qd she Thanks be to God the house is not farre from vs quod Dame Fraunces Here at the wylie Pergo partly perceyuing Dame Fraunces meaning replyed on this sort I vnderstand you not quod she but to leap out of this matter shall wée goe visit Maister Ieronimy and see how he doth this morning Why quod dame Fraunces do you suppose that the Cuckoe called vnto him Nay mary quod Pergo for as fare as I knowe he is not maried As who should say quod Dame Fraunces that the Cuckoe enuieth none but maryed folkes I take it so sayd Pergo the Lady Frances answered Yes sure I haue noated as euill lucke in loue after the Cuckoes call to haue hapned vnto diuers vnmaried folkes as euer I did vnto the maryed but I can be well content that we go vnto him for I promised on the behalfe of vs al that we would vse our best deuoyre to recomfort him vntill he had recouered helth and I do much meruayle that the Lady Elinor is now become so vnwilling to take any trauayle in his behalfe especially remembring that but yesternight she was so diligent to bring him to bed But I perceiue that all earthly thinges are subiect vnto change Euen so they be quod Pergo for you maye behold the trées which but euen this other daye were clad in gladsome gréene and nowe their leaues begin to fade and change collour Thus they passed talkeing and walking vntill they returned vnto the Castle whereas they went strayght vnto Ferdinandoes chamber and found him in bed Why how now Trust quod Dame Fraunces will it be no better Yes shortly I hope quod he The Ladyes all saluted him and he gaue them the gra-mercy at the last Pergo popped this question vnto him And howe haue you slept in your Mistres shetes Mayster Ieronemy quod she reasonably well quod he but I pray you where is my mistresse this morning Mary sayd Pergo we left hir in bed scarce well at ease I am the more sorye quod he Why Trust sayd Mistresse Fraunces be of good comfort assure your selfe that here are others who would be as glad of your wel doing as your mistres in any respect I ought not to doubt there of quod Ferdinādo hauing the profe that I haue had of your great courtesies but I thought it my dutye to aske for my mistresse being absent Thus they passed some time with him vntill they were called awaye vnto prayers and that being finished they went to dinner where they met Dame Elynor attired in an night kerchiefe after the soolenest the solempnest fashion I should haue said who loked very drowsely vpon all folkes vnlesse it were hir secretary vnto whom she deigned somtime to lend a frendly glaunce The Lord of the Castle demaunded of hir how master Ieronemy did this morning She answered that she knew not for she had not sene him that day You may do wel then daughter quod the Lord to go now vnto him and to assay if he will eate any thing and if here be no meates that like him I praye you commaunde for him anye thing that is in my house You must pardon me sir quod she I am sickely disposed and would be loth to take the ayre why then go you mistres Fraunces quod he and take some body with you and I charge you sée that he lacke nothing Mistres Fraunces was glad of the ambassege and arysing from the table with one other gentleman tooke with hir a dish of chikins boiled in white broth saying to hir father I think this meat méetest for mayster Ieronimy Of any that is here It is so quod he daughter and if he like not that cause some what els to be dressed for him according to his apetite Thus she departed and came to Ferdinando who being plonged in sundry woes and thrilled with restlesse thoughtes was nowe beginning to rise But seing the Dames couched down agayne and sayd vnto them Alas fayre Ladyes you put your selues to more paynes than eyther I do desire or can deserue Good Trust quod Dame Fraunces our paynes are no greater than duty requireth nor yet so great as we could vouchsafee in your behalfe And presently my father hath sent vs vnto you quod she with this pittaunce and if your apetite desire any on thing more than other we are to desire likewise that you will not refrayne to call for it Oh my good Hope quod he I perceiue that I shall not dye as long as you maye make me liue And being nowe some deale recomforted with the remembraunce of his mistres words which she hadde vsed ouer night at hir first comming and also thinkinge that although shee parted in choller it was but iustlye prouoked by him selfe and that at leasure hee shoulde finde some salue for that sore also hée determined to take the comforte of his assured Hope and so to expell all venomnes of mistrust before receiued Wherfor raising him selfe in his bed hee cast a night gowne about his shoulders saying It shall neuer be sayd that my fainting hart can reiect the comfortable Cordialles
them shée layde also before him howe trusty she had bene vnto him in all professions she confessed also howe faithfullye he had discharged the duety of a friend in al respectes and therwithall she declared that her late alteration and pensiuenesse of minde was not without great cause for that she had of late such a mishap as might chaunge the disposition of any lyuing creature Yea and that the case was such as vnlesse she found present remedy hir death must needes ensue and that spedely for the preuenting whereof she alledged that she had beaten hir braines with al deuises possible and that in the ende she could thinke of no redresse but one the which lay only in him to acomplish Wherfore she besought him for all the loue and good will which had euer passed betwéene them nowe to shewe the fruites of true friendship and to gratifie hir with a frée graunt to this request The louer who had alwayes bene desirous to pleasure hir in any thing but now especially to recouer hir wonted kindnesse gan franklye promise to accomplishe any thing that might be to him possible yea though it were to his great detriment and therewithall dyd déepely blame hir in that shée would so long torment hir selfe with any griefe considering that it lay in him to helpe it The Ladye aunswered that she had so long kept it from his knowledge bicause she doubted whether hée would be content to performe it or not although it was such a thing as he might easely graunt without any manner of hurt to himself yet now in the ende she was forced to aduenture vppon his curtesie being no longer able to beare the burdē of hir griefe the louer solicited her most earnestly to disclose it and she as fast séemed to mistrust that he would not accomplish it In the ende she tooke out a booke which she had brought for the nonce bound him by othe to accomplishe it The louer mistrusting nothing lesse thā that ensued toke the othe willingly which done she declared al that had passed betwene hir hir husband his griefe hir repentance his pardon hir vowe and in the ende of hir tale enioyned the louer that from thenceforthwardes he should neuer attempt to breake her constant determinatiō the louer replied that this was vnpossible But she plainlye assured him that if he graunted hir that request she would be his friend in al honest godly wise if not she put him out of doubt that she would eschew his company and flée from his sight as from a scorpion The louer considering that hir request was but iust accusing his owne guiltye conscience remembring the great curtesies alwayes vsed by hir husband and therewithall séeing the case now brought to such an issue as that by no other meanes than by this it could be conceiled from the knowledge of the worlde but most of all being vrged by his othe dyd at last giue an vnwilling consent and yet a faithful promise to yelde vnto hir wyl in al thinges and thus being become of one assent he remaineth the derest friend most welcome gest that may be both to the Lady and hir husband and the man and the wife so kind each to other as if there neuer had bene such a breche betwen them Now of you noble Gouernor I would faine lerne whether the perplexity of the husband when he looked in at the keye hoole or of the wife when she knewe the cause why the Carolines were so scattered or of the louer when he knew what was his mistres charge was greater of the thrée I might haue put in also the troubled thoughts of the sisters the mayd when they saw their good wil reiected but let these thrée suffice Gentle Hope quod Ferdinando you haue rehearsed that right eloquētly a notable tale or rather a notable history because you séeme to affirme that is was done in dede of late not far hence Wherein I note fiue especial pointes that is a maruailous patience in the husband no lesse repentaunce in the wife no smal boldnesse of the mayde but muche more rashnesse in the sisters last of al a rare tractabilitie in the louer Neuerthelesse so returne vnto your question I thinke the husbands perplexity greatest because his losses abounded aboue the rest his iniuries were vncōparable The Lady Fraunces did not seme to contrary him but rather smiled in hir sléeue at Dame Pergo who had no lesse patience to here the tale recited then the Lady Fraunces had pleasure in telling of it By this time the sléeping houre aproched the Ladyes prepared their departure when as mistres Fraūces sayd vnto the Venetiane Although percase I shall not do it so hādsomly as your mistres yet good Trust quod she if you vouchsafe it I can be content to trim vp your bed in the best maner that I may as on who would be as glad as she to procure your quiet rest Ferdinando gaue hir great thāks desiring hir not to trouble hirself but to let his man alone with that charge Thus they departed how al partyes toke rest that night I knowe not but in the morning Ferdinando began to consider with himselfe that he might lye long ynough in his bed before his mistres would be apeased in hir peuishe conceipts wherfore he arose being aparelled in his night gowne tooke occation to walke in the gallery néere adioyning vnto his mistres chamber but there might he walke long inough ere his Mistresse would come to walke with him When dinner time came he went into the great chamber whereas the Lord of the Castle saluted him being ioyful of his recouerye Ieronimy giuing due thanks declared that his friēdly entertainement togeather with the great curtesie of the gentlewomen was such as might reuiue a man although he were halfe dead I would bée loath quod the hoast that any Gentleman comming to mee for good wyll shoulde want any curtesie of intertainement that lyeth in my power When the meate was serued to the table the Gentlewomen came in all but Dame Elynor and Mistresse Pergo the which Ferdinando marked very well and it dyd somewhat abate his apetite After diner his Hope came vnto him and demaunded of him howe hée would passe the daye for his recreation to whome he answered euen as it best pleased hir She deuised to walke into the parke and so by litle and litle to acquaint himself with the ayre he agréed and they walked togeather being accompanied with one or two other gentle women And although there were nowe more cause that hee shoulde mistrust his Mistresse than euer he had before receyued yet the vehement passions which he sawe in her when she first came to visite him and moreouer the earnest words which she pronounced in his extremitie were such a refreshing to his minde as that he determined no more to trouble him selfe with like conceiptes concluding further that if his mistresse were not faultie then had
howe thou séemest to like me well And how thou saydest I did deserue To be thy Lord thy Knight thy King. And how much more I list not sing And canst thou now thou cruell one Condemne desert to déepe dispayre Is all thy promise past and gone Is fayth so fled into the ayre If that be so what rests for me But thus in song to saye to thée If Cressydes name were not so knowen And written wide on euery wall If brute of pryde were not so blowen Vpon Angelica withall For hault disdayne thou mightst be she Or Cresside for inconstancie And in reward of thy desart I hope at last to sée thée payd With déepe repentaunce for thy part Which thou hast now so lewedly playd Medoro hée must bée thy make Since thou Orlando doest for sake Such is the fruite that groweth alwaies Vpon the roote of ripe disdaine Such kindly wages Cupide payes Where constant hearts cannot remaine I hope to see thée in such bandes When I may laugh and clappe my handes But yet for thee I must protest But sure the faulte is none of thine Thou art as true as is the best That euer came of Cressedes lyne For constant yet was neuer none But in vnconstancie alone Meritum petere graue ¶ Mars in despite of Vulcane vvritten for an absent louer parted from his Lady by Sea. BOth deepe and dreadfull were the Seas Which held Leander from his loue Yet could no doubtes his mind appease Nor saue his life for hir behoue But guiltlesse bloud it selfe would spill To please the waues and worke his wyll O greedye gulfe O wretched waues O cruell floods O sinke of shames You holde true louers bound like slaues And keepe them from their worthy Dames Your open mouth gapes euermore Tyll one or both be drowned therefore For proofe whereof my selfe maye sing And shrich to pearce the loftye skies Whose Lady left me languishing Vppon the shoare in woofull wise And crost the Seas out of my sight Wherby I lost my chiefe delight She sayd that no such trustlesse flood Should keepe our loues long time in twayne ▪ She sware no bread shoulde doe hyr good Till she mighe sée my selfe agayne She sayd and swore these wordes and mo But now I finde them nothing so What resteth then for me to doo Thou salte sea foome come saye thy minde Should I come drowne within thee to That am of true Leanders kind And headlong cast this corpes of mine Into this greedy guttes of thine No cruel but in spite of thée I will make Seas where earst were none My teares shall flowe in full degree Tyll all my myrth may ebbe to mone Into such droppes I meane to melt And in such Seas my selfe to swelt Lenuoie ¶ Yet you déere Dame for whome I fade Thus staruing still in wretched state Remember once your promise made Performe it now though all to late Come home to Mars who may you please Let Vulcane bide beyond the Seas Meritum petere graue ¶ Patience perforce wherein an absent louer doth thus encourage his Lady to continew constant COntent thy selfe with patience perforce And quenche no loue with droppes of darcke mistrust Let absence haue no power to diuorce Thy faithfull friend which meaneth to be iust Beare but a while thy constance to declare For when I come one ynche shall breake no square I must confesse that promise dyd me binde For to haue sene thy seemely selfe ere now And if thou knewest what griefes did gaule my minde Bicause I coulde not kéepe that faithfull vowe My iust excuse I can my selfe assure With lytle paine thy pardon might procure But call to minde how long Vlisses was In lingring absence from his louing make And howe she deigned then hir dayes to passe In solitary silence for his sake Be thou a true Penelope to me And thou shalt sone thine owne Vlisses sée What sayd I sone yea sone I saye againe I wyll come sone and soner if I maye Beléeue me nowe it is a pinching payne To thinke of loue when louers are awaye Such thoughts I haue and when I thinke on thée My thoughtes are there whereas my bones would bée The longing lust which Priames sonne of Troye Had for to see his Cresside come againe Could not exceede the depth of mine anoye Nor séeme to passe the patterne of my payne I fryse in hope I thaw in hote desire Farre from the flame and yet I burne like fire Wherfore deare friend thinke on the pleasures past And let my teares for both our paines suffise The lingring ioyes when as they come at last Are bet then those which passe in posting wise And I my selfe to proue this tale is true In hast post hast thy comfort will renew Meritum petere graue ¶ A letter deuised for a yong louer REceiue you worthy Dame this rude ragged verse Lend wylling eare vnto the tale which I shall nowe rehearse And though my witlesse woordes might mooue you for to smile Yet trust to that which I shal tel neuer marke my stile Amongst fiue hundreth Dames presented to my view I find most cause by due desert to like the best of you I sée your beautie such as séemeth to suffice To binde my heart in linckes of loue by iudgement of myne eyes And but your bounty quench the coales of quicke desire I feare that face of yours wyll set ten thousand hearts on fire But bounty so aboundes aboue al my desart As that I quake and shrinke for feare to shewe you of my smart Yet since mine eye made choice my hart shal not repent But yéeld it self vnto your wyl therwith stand content God knowth I am not great my power it is not much The greater glorye shall you gaine to shew your fauour suche And what I am or haue all that I yéeld to you My hande and sworde shall serue alwayes to proue my tongue is true Then take me for your owne and so I wyl be still Beléeue me nowe I make this vowe in hope of your good wyll Which if I may obtaine God leaue me when I change This is the tale I meant to tell good Lady be not strange Meritum petere graue ¶ Dauids salutacions to Berzabe vvherein are three sonets in sequence vvritten vppon this occation The deuiser hereof amongst other friendes had named a gentlevvoman his Berzabe and she vvas content to call him hir Dauid The man presented his Lady vvith a booke of the Golden Asse vvritten by Lucius Apuleius and in the beginning of the books vvrote this sequence You must conferre it vvith the Historye of Apuleius for else it vvyll haue small grace THis Apuleius was in Affricke borne And tooke delight to trauaile Thessaly As one that helde his natiue soyle in skorne In foraine coastes to feede his fantasie And such againe as wandring wits find out This yonker wonne by wyll and weary toyle A youth mispent a doting age in doubt A body brusd with many a
to be written in letters of golde But too the purpose I thinke you shall neuer recouer the wealth that you loste at Otranto Cle. I thinke I haue dubled it or rather made it foure times as muche but in déed I lost mine only sonne there a childe of fiue yeres olde Pa. O great pitie Cle. Yea I had rather haue lost al the goods in the world Pa. Alas alas by God and grafts of suche a stocke are very gayson in these dayes Cle. I know not whether he were slayne or the Turks toke him and kept him as a bond slaue Pa. Alas I could weepe for compassion but there is no remedy but patience you shall get many by this yong damsell with the grace of God. Cle. Yea if I get hir Pa. Get hir why doubt you of that Cle. Why hir father holds me off with delayes so that I must needes doubt Pa. Content your selfe sir he is a wise man and desirous to place his Daughter well he will not be too rashe in hys determination he will thinke well of the matter and lette him thinke for the longer he thinketh the more good of you shall he thinke whose welth whose vertue whose skill or whose estimation can he compare to yours in this Citie Cle. And hast thou not tolde him that I would make his Daughter a dower of two thousand Ducates Pa. Why euen now I came but frâ—m thence since Cle. What said he Pa. Nothing but that Erostrato had profered the like Cle. Erostrato how can he make any dower and his father yet aliue Pa. Thinke you I did not tell him so yes I warraÌ„t you I forgot nothing that may furder your cause doubte you not Erostrato shal neuer haue hir vnlesse it be in a dreame Cle. Well gentle Pasiphilo go thy wayes and tell Damon I require nothing but his daughter I wil none of his goods I shal enrich hir of mine owne if this dower of two thousand Ducates seem not sufficieÌ„t I wil make it fiue hundreth more yea a thousand or what so euer he wil demauÌ„d rather theÌ„ faile go to Pasiphilo shew thy selfe freÌ„dly in working this feate for me spare for no cost since I haue gone thus farre I wil be loth to be out bidden Go. Pa. Where shall I come to you againe Cle. At my house Pa. When Cle. When thou wilte Pa. Shall I come at dinner time Cle. I would byd thée to dinner but it is a Saincts euen which I haue euer fasted Pa. Faste till thou famishe Cle. Harke Pa. He speaketh of a dead mans faste Cle. Thou hearest me not Pa. Nor thou vnderstandest me not Cle. I dare say thou art angrie I byd the not to dinner but come if thou wilte thou shalt take such as thou findest Pa. What think you I know not where to dine Cle. Yes Pasiphilo thou art not to séeke Pa. No be you sure there are enowe will pray me Cle. That I knowe well enough Pasiphilo but thou canst not be better welcome in any place than to me I will tarrie for thée Pa. Well since you will néedes I will come Cle. Dispatche then and bring no newes but good Pa. Better than my rewarde by the rood Cleander exit Pasiphilo restat Scena iij. PASIPHILO DVLIPO O Miserable couetous wretche he findeth an excuse by S. Nicolas fast bicause I should not dine with him as though I should dine at his owne dishe he maketh goodly feasts I promise you it is no wonder though hée thinke me bounde vnto him for my fare for ouer and besides that his prouision is as skant as may be yet there is great difference betwéene his diet and mine I neuer so much as sippe of the wine that he tasteth I féede at the bordes ende with browne bread Marie I reach always to his owne dishe for there are no more but that only on the table Yet he thinks that for one such dinner I am bound to do him al the seruice that I can and thinks me sufficiently rewarded for all my trauell with one suche festiuall promotion And yet peraduenture some men thinke I haue great gaines vnder him but I may say and sweare that this dosen yéere I haue not gayned so muche in value as the points at my hose whiche are but thrée with codpéece poynt and al he thinkes that I may féede vpon his fauour and faire wordes but if I could not otherwise prouide for one Pasiphilo were in a wyse case Pasiphilo hath mo pastures to passe in than one I warrant you I am of housholde with this scholer Erostrato his riuale as well as with Domine Cleander nowe with the one and then with the other according as I sée their Caters prouide good chéere at the market and I finde the meanes so to handle the matter that I am welcome too bothe If the one sée me talke with the other I make him beleeue it is to harken newes in the furtherance of his cause and thus I become a broker on bothe sides Well lette them bothe apply the matter as well as they can for in déede I will trauell for none of them bothe yet will I séeme to worke wonders on eche hande But is not this one of Damons seruants that commeth foorth it is of him I shall vnderstand where his master is Whither goeth this ioyly gallant Du. I come to séeke some body that may accompany my Master at dinner he is alone and woulde fayne haue good company Pa. Séeke no further you coulde neuer haue found one better than me Du. I haue no commission to bring so many Pa. How many I will come alone Du. How canst thou come alone that hast continually a legion of rauening wolues within thée Pa. Thou doest as seruants commonly doe hate al that loue to visite their maisters Du. And why Pa. Bicause they haue too many téeth as you thinke Du. Nay bicause they haue to many tongues Pa. ToÌ„gues I pray you what did my toÌ„gue euer hurt you Du. I speake but merily with you Pasiphilo goe in my maister is ready to dine Pa. What dineth he so earely Du. He that riseth early dineth early Pa. I would I were his man maister doctor neuer dineth till noone and how dilicately then God knoweth I wil he bolde to goe in for I count my selfe bidden Du. You were best so Pasiphilo intrat Dul. restat Hard hap had I when I first began this vnfortunate enterprise for I supposed the readiest medicine to my miserable affects had bene to change name clothes credite with my seruant to place my selfe in Damons seruice thinking that as sheuering colde by glowing fire thurst by drinke hunger by pleasant repasts and a thousande suche like passions finde remedie by their contraries so my rest lesse desire might haue founde quiet by continuall contemplation But alas I find that only loue is vnsaciable for as the flie playeth with the flame till at last she is cause of hir owne decay so the
louer that thinketh with kissing and colling to content his vnbrideled apetite is cōmonly seene the only cause of his owne consumption Two yeeres are nowe past since vnder the colour of Damons seruice I haue bene a sworne seruant to Cupid of whom I haue receiued as much fauour grace as euer man founde in his seruice I haue free libertie at al times to behold my desired to talke with hir to embrace hir yea be it spoken in secrete to lie with hir I reape the fruites of my desire yet as my ioyes abounde euen so my paines encrease I fare like the couetous man that hauing all the world at will is neuer yet content the more I haue the more I desire Alas what wretched estate haue I brought my selfe vnto if in the ende of all my farre fetches she be giuen by hir father to this olde doting doctor this buzard this bribing villaine that by so many meanes seeketh to obtain hir at hir fathers hāds I know she loueth me best of all others but what may that preuaile when perforce she shal be cōstrained to marie another Alas the pleasant tast of my sugred ioyes doth yet remaine so perfect in my remēbrance that the least soppe of sorow séemeth more soure thā gal in my mouth If I had neuer knowen delight with better contentatiō might I haue passed these dreadful dolours And if this olde Mumpsimus whom the pockes consume should win hir then may I say farewell the pleasant talke the kind embracings yea farewel the sight of my Polynestat for he like a ielouse wretch will pen hir vp that I thinke the birdes of the aire shall not winne the sighte of hir I hoped to haue caste a blocke in his waie by the meanes that my seruaunt who is supposed to be Erostrato and with my habite and credite is wel estéemed should proffer himself a suter at the least to counteruaile the doctors proffers But my maister knowing the wealth of the one and doubting the state of the other is determined to be fed no longer with faire wordes but to accept the doctor whom he right well knoweth for his sonne in law Wel my seruant promised me yesterday to deuise yet againe some newe conspiracie to driue maister doctor out of conceite and to laye a snare that the foxe himselfe might be caughte in what it is I knowe not nor I saw him not since he went about it I will goe sée if he be within that at least if he helpe me not be maye yet prolong my life for this once But here commeth his lackie ho Iack pack where is Erostrato Here must Crapine be comming in with a basket and a sticke in his hand Scena iiij CRAPINO the Lackie DVLIPO ERostrato mary he is in his skinne Du. Ah hooreson boy I say howe shall I finde Erostrato Cra. Finde him howe meane you by the wéeke or by the yéere Du. You cracke halter if I catche you by the eares I shall make you answere me directly Cra. In déede Du. Tarry me a little Cra. In faith sir I haue no leisure Du. Shall we trie who can runne fastest Cra. Your legges be longer than mine you should haue giuen me the aduauntage Du. Go to tell me where is Erostrato Cra. I left him in the stréete where he gaue me this Casket this basket I would haue sayde and had me beare it to Dalio and returne to him at the Dukes Palace Du. If thou sée him tell him I must needes speake with him immediatly or abide awhyle I will go seeke him my selfe rather than he suspected by going to his house Crapino departeth and Dulipo also after Dulipo commeth in agayne seeking Erostrato Finis Actus 1. Actus ij Scena j. DVLIPO EROSTRATO I Thinke if I had as many eyes as Argus I coulde not haue sought a man more narrowly in euery stréete and euery by lane there are not many Gentlemen scholers nor Marchauntes in the Citie of Ferara but I haue mette with them excepte him peraduenture hée is come home an other way but looke where he commeth at the last Ero. In good time haue I spied my good maister Du. For the loue of God call me Dulipo not master maintayne the credite that thou haste hitherto kepte and let me alone Ero. Yet sir let me sometimes do my duetie vnto you especially where no body heareth Du. Yea but so long the Parat vseth to crie knappe in sporte that at the last she calleth hir maister knaue in earnest so long you will vse to call me master that at the last we shall be heard What newes Ero. Good. Du. In déede Ero. Yea excellent we haue as good as won the wager Du. Oh how happie were I if this were true Ero. Heare you me yesternight in the euening I walked out and founde Pasiphilo and with small entreating I had him home to supper where by suche meanes as I vsed he became my great friend and tolde me the whole order of our aduersaries determination yea and what Damon doth intende to do also and hath promised me that frō time to time what he can espie he will bring me word of it Du. I can not tel whether you know him or no he is not to trust vnto a very flattering and a lying knaue Ero. I know him very well he can not deceiue me and this that he hath told me I know must néedes be true Du. And what was it in effect Ero. That Damon had purposed to giue his daughter in mariage to this doctor vpō the dower that he hath profered Du. Are these your good newes your excellent newes Ero. Stay a whyle you will vnderstande me before you heare me Du. Well say on Ero. I answered to that I was ready to make hir the lyke dower Du. Well sayde Ero. Abide you heare not the worst yet Du. O God is there any worsse behinde Ero. Worsse why what assurance coulde you suppose that I might make without some speciall consent from Philogano my father Du. Nay you can tell you are better scholer than I. Ero. In deede you haue lost your time for the books that you tosse now a dayes treate of smal science Du. Leaue thy iesting and procéede Ero. I sayd further that I receyued letters lately from my father whereby I vnderstoode that he woulde be héere very shortly to performe all that I had profered therefore I required him to request Damon on my behalf that he would stay his promise to the doctor for a fourtnight or more Du. This is somewhat yet for by this meanes I shal be sure to linger and liue in hope one fourtnight longer but at the fourthnights ende when Philogano commeth not how shall I then do yea and though he came howe may I any way hope of his consent when he shall sée that to follow this amorous enterprise I haue set aside all studie all remembraunce of my duetie and all dread of shame Alas alas I may go hang my selfe Ero. Comforte your selfe