eares are bayly â—ed In fine I see and proue the riche haue many foes He slepeth best and careth least that little hath to lose As tyme requireth now who woulde auoyde much strife Were better liue in poore estate then leade a princis life To passe those troublesom times I see but littil choyse But helpe to wayle with those that wepe laugh wheÌ„ they reioyce For as we se to day our brother brought in care To morow may we haue such chaunce to fal with him in snare Of this we may be sure who thinkes to sit most fast Shal sonest fal like withered leaues that can not bide a blast Though that the flood be great the ebbe as low doth runne When euery man hath playd his part our pagent wylbe donne Who trustes this wretched world I hold him worse then madde Here is not one that â—eareth God the bâ—st is all to badde For those that seme as saintes are diuels in their dedes Though that the earth bringes furth some flowers it beareth many wedes I see no presâ—ut helpe from mischiefe to preuaile But flee the seas of worldly care or beare a quiet saile For who that medleth least shal saue him selfe from smart Who stirres an oare in euery boate shal play a foolish part The dispairing louer lamenteth VVAlking the path of pensiue thought I askt my hart how came this wo Thine eye quod he this care me brought Thy minde thy witte thy wil also Enforceth me to loue her euer This is the cause ioy shal I neuer And as I walke as one dismaide Thinking that wroug this wo me lent Right sent me worde by wrath which sayd This iust iudgement to thee is sent â—euâ—r to 〈…〉 dâ—â—â—g ever â—â—ll â—râ—â—th thâ— fâ—â—le ioy shalâ— thou neuâ—â— â—â—â—h right â—oth iuâ—ge this wâ— tendurâ— Of health of welth of remedy As I haue done so be she sure Of faith and truth vntil I dye And as this paine cloke shal I euer â—o inwardly ioy shal I neuer Griping of gripes greuâ— not so sorâ— Nor serpentes styng causeth such smart Nothing on earth may paine me more Then sight that perst my woful hart Drowned with â—aâ—es stil to perseueâ— Come death betimes ioy shal I neuer O libertie why dost thou swaiâ—e And steale away thus all at ones And I in prison like to starue For lacke of foode do gnaw on bones My hope and trust in thee was euer Now thou art gon ioy shal I neuer But styl as one al desperate To leade my lâ—fe in misery Sith fearâ— from hope hath locke the gate Where pitie should graunt remedy Dispaire this lot assignes me euer To liue in paine ioy shal I neuer The louer praieth his seruice to be accepted and his defaultes pardoned PRoâ—â—yn that somtime serued Cephalus With hart as true as any louer might Yet her betide in louing this vnright That as in hart with loue surprised thus She on a day to see this Cephalus Where he was wont to shroude him in the shade When of his hunting he an ende had made Within y e woods with dredful lote forth stalketh So bussly loue in her hed it walketh That she to sene him may her not restraine This Cephalus that heard one shake y e leaues Uprist all egre thrusting after pray With darte in hand him list no further daine To see his loue but slew her in the greaues That ment to him but perfect loue alway So curious bene alas the rites all Of mighty loue that vnnethes may I thinke In his high seruice how to loke or winke Thus I complaine that wretchedst am of all To you my loue and soueraine lady dere That may my hart with death or life stere As ye best list That ye vouchsafe in all Mine humble seruice And if me misfall By negligence or els for lacke of wit That of your mercy yoâ— do pardon it And tâ—â—nk y â— loue made Procrin shake y e leues When with vnright she slain was in y â— greues Descripcion and praise of his loue LYke the Phenix a birde most rare in sight That nature hath with gold and purple drest Such she me semes in whom I most delight If I might speake for enuy at the least Nature I thinke first wrought her in despite â—â—rose and lilly that sommer bringeth first In beauty sure exceding all the rest â—nder the bent of her browes iustly pight â—s Diamondes or Saphires at the least Her glistring lightes the darknesse of the night Whose litle mouth and chinne like all the rest 〈◊〉 ruddy lippes excede the corall quite â—â— yuery teeth where none excedes the rest â—autlesse she is from foote vnto the waste Her body small and straight as mast vpright Her armes long in iust proporcion cast Her handes depaint with veines all blew white What shal I say for that is not in sight The hidden partes I iudge them by the rest And if I were the forman of the quest To geue a verdite of her beauty bright For geue me Phebus thou shouldst be dispossest Which doest vsurpe my ladies place of right Here will I cease lest enuy cause dispite But nature when she wrought so faire a wight In this her worke she surely dyd entende To frame a thing that God could not amende The louer declareth his paines to excede far the paines of hell THe soules that lacked grace Which lye in bitter paine Are not in such a place As foolish folke do faine Tormented all with fire And boile in leade againe With serpents full of ire Stong oft with deadly paine Then cast in frosen pittes To freze there certaine howers And for their painfull fittes Apointed tormentours No no it is not so Their sorow is not such And yet they haue of wo I dare say twise as much Which comes because they lack The sight of the godhed And be from that kept back Where with are aungels fed This thing know I by loue Through absence crueltie Which makes me for to proue Hell pain before I dye There is no tong can tell My thousand part of care Ther may no fire in hell With my desire compare No boyling leade can pas My scalding sighes in hete Nor snake that euer was With sâ—inging can so frete A true and tender hert As my thoughtes daâ—ly doe â—o that I know but smart And that which longes thereto O Cupid Uenns son As thou hast showed thy might And hast this conquest woon Now end the same aright And as I am thy slaue Contented with all this So helpe me soone to haue My parfect earthly blisse Of the death of sir Thomas wâ—ate the elder LO dead he liues that whilome liued here Among the dead that quick go on the grounâ— Though he be dead yet doth he quick apere By liuely name that death cannot confound His life for ay of fame the trump shall sound Though he be dead yet liues he here aliue Thus can no death from Wiate life depriue That length of time consumeth
stormy winters mantle white And yet my dere such was my heate When others freze then did I sweate And now though on the sunne I driue Whose feruent flame all thinges decaies His beames in brightnesse may not striue With light of your swete golden rayes Nor from my brest this heate remoue The frosen thoughtes grauen by loue Ne may the waues of the salt flood Quenche that your beauty set on fire For though mine eyes forbeare the foode That did releue the hot desire Such as I was such will I be Your own what would ye more of me A song written by the earle of Surrey by a ladie that refused to daunce with him EChe beast can chose his fere according to his minde And eke can shew a frendly chere like to their beastly kinde A Lion saw I late as white as any snow Which semed well to lead the race his port the same did show Upon the gentle beast to gaze it pleased me For still me thought he semed wel of noble blood to be And as he praunced before still seking for a make As who wold say there is none here I trow will me forsake I might perceiue a Wolfe as white as whales bone A fairer beast of fresher hue beheld I neuer none Saue that her lookes were coy and froward eke her grace Unto the which this gentle beast gan him aduance apace And with a beck full low he bowed at her feete In humble wise as who would say I am to farre vnmeete But such a scornefull chere wherewith she him rewâ—rded Was neuer sene I trow the like to such as well deserued With that she start aside welnere a foote or twaine And vnto him thus gan she say with spite and great disdaine Lion she sayd if thou hadst knowen my minde before Thou hadst not spent thy trauail thus nor all thy paine forlore â—oway I let thee wete thou shalt not play with me Go range about where thou maiest finde some meter fere for thee with that he bet his taile his eyes began to flame I might perceiue his noble hart much moued by the same Yet saw I him refraine and eke his wrath aswage And vnto her thus gan he say when he was past his rage Cruell you do me wrong to set me thus so light Without desert for my good will to shew me such despight How can ye thus entreat a Lion of the race That with his pawes a crowned king deuoured in the place Whose nature is to pray vpon no simple food As long as he may suck the flesh and drink of noble blood If you be faire and fresh am I not of your hue And for my vaunt I dare well say my blood is not vntrue For you your self haue heard it is not long agoe Sith that for loue one of the race did end his life in woe In tower strong and hie for his assured truth Whereas in teares he spent his breath alas the more the ruth This gentle beast so dyed whom nothing could remoue But willingly to lese his life for losse of his true loue Other there be whose liues do lingre still in paine Against their willes preserued at that would haue died faine But now I do perceaue that nought it moueth you My good entent my gentle hart nor yet my kinde so true But that your will is such to lure me to the trade As other some full many yeres to trace by craft ye made And thus behold our kindes how that we differ farre I seke my foes and you your frendes do threaten still with warre I fawne where I am fled you slay that sekes to you I can deuour no yelding pray you kill where you subdue My kinde is to desire the honour of the field And you with blood to slake your thirst on such as to you yeld Wherefore I would you wist that for your coyed lookes I am no man that will be trapt nor tangled with such hookes And though some lust to loue where blame full well they might And to such beasts of currant sort that would haue trauail bright I will obserue the law that Nature gaue to me To conquer such as will resist and let the rest go fre And as a Faucon free that soreth in the ayre Which neuer fed on hand nor lure nor for no stale doth care While that I liue and breath such shall my custome be In wildnes of the woods to seke my pray where pleaseth me where many one shall rue that neuer made offence Thus your refuse against my power shall bote them no defence And for reuenge therof I vow and swere therto A thousand spoiles I shall commit I neuer thought to do And if to light on you my lucke so good shall be I shall be glad to fede on that that would haue fed on me And thus farewell vnkinde to whom I bent and bow I would ye wist the ship is safe that bare his sailes so low Sith that a Lions hart is for a Wolfe no pray With bloody mouth go slake your thirst on simple shepe I say With more dispite and ire than I can now expresse Which to my paine though I refrain the cause you may wel gesse As for because my self was aucthor of the game It bootes me not that for my wrath I should disturbe the same The faithfull louer declareth his paines and his vncertein ioyes and with only hope recomforteth somwhat his wofull heart If care do cause men cry why do not I complaine If eche man do bewaile his wo why shew not I my paine Since that amongst them all I â—are well say is none So farre from weale so full of wo or hath more cause to mone For all thinges hauing life sometime haue quiet rest The bearing â—sse the drawing Oxe and euery other beast The peasant and the post that serues at all assayes The shipboy aud the galley slaue haue time to take their â—ase Saue I alas whom care of force doth so constraine To waile the day and wake the night continually in paine From pensluenes to plaint from plaint to bitter teares From teares to painfull plaint againe and thus my life it weares No thing vnder the sunne that I can heare or se But moueth me for to bewaile my cruell destenie For where men do reioyce since that I can not so I take no pleasure in that place it doubleth but my wo. And when I heare the sound of song or instrument Me think echâ— tune there dolefull is and helps me to lamâ—â—t And if I see some haue their most desired sight Alas think I eche man hath weal saue I most wofull wight Then as the striken Dere withdrawes him selfe alone So do I seke some secrete place where I may make my moâ—e There do my flowing eyes shew forth my melting hart So y t the stremes of those two welles right well declare my sâ—â—rt And in those â—ares so colde I force my selfe a heat As sick men in their shaking â—ittes
loue The frailtie and hurtfulnes of beautie BRittle beautie that nature made so fraile Wherof the gift is small and short the season Flowring to day to morowe apt to faile Tickell treasure abhorred of reason Daugerous to dele with vaine of none auaile Costly in keping past not worthe two peason Slipper in sliding as is an eles taile Hard to attaine once gotten not geason Iewel of ieopardie that perill doth assaile False and vntrue enticed oft to treason Enmy to youth that most may I bewaile Ah bitter swete infecting as the poyson Thou farest as frute that with the frost is taken To day redy ripe to morowe all to shaken A complaint by night of the louer not beloued ALas so all things now do hold their peace Heauen and earth disturbed in nothing The beasts the ayre the birdes their song do cease The nightes chare the starres about doth bring Calme is the Sea the waues worke lesse and lesse So am not I whom loue alas doth wring Bringing before my face the great encrease Of my desires whereat I wepe and sing In ioy and wo as in a doutfull ease For my swete thoughtes sometime do pleasure bring But by and by the cause of my disease Geues me a pang that inwardly doth sting When that I thinke what griefe it is againe To liue and lacke the thing should ridde my paine How eche thing saue the louer in spring reuiueth to pleasure WHen Windsor walles susteyned my wearied arme My hand my chin to ease my restles hed Set pleasant plots reuested green with warme The blossomd bowes with â—â—sty Ueryspred The flowred meades the wedded birdes so late Mine eyes discouer and to my minde resorte The ioly woes the hatelesse shorte debate The râ—kchell life that longes to loues disporte Wherewith alasâ— the heauy charge of care Heapt in my brest breakes forth against my will In smoky sighes that ouercast the ayre My vapord eyes suche drery teares distill The tender spring which quicken where they fall And I halfbent to throw me down withall Vow to loue faithfullie howsoeuer he be rewarded SEt me wheras the Sunne do parche the grene Or where his beames do not dissolue the yse In temperate heat where he is felt and sene In presence prest of people madde or wise Set me in hye or yet in low degree In longest night or in the shortest day In clearest skie or where clowdes thickest be In lusty youth or when my heares are gray Set me in heauen in earth or els in hell In hill or dale or in the foming flood Thrall or at large aliue where so I dwell Sicke or in healthâ— in â—uyll faine or good Hers will I be and onely with this thought Content my selfe although my chaunce be nought Complaint that his ladie after she knew of his loue kept her face alway hidden from him I Neuer saw my Ladie laye apart Her cornet blacke in cold nor yet in heate Sith first she knew my griefe was growen so great Which other fansies driueth from my hart That to my selfe I do the thought reserue The which vnwares did wounde my woful brest For on her face mine eyes mought neuer rest Sins that she knew I did her loue and serue Her golden tresse is clad alway with blacke Her smiling lokes to hide thus euermore And that restraines which I desire so sore So doth this corner gouerne my alacke In somer sunne in winters breath of frost Wherby the light of her faire lokes I lost Request to his loue to ioyne bountie with beautie THe golden gift that nature did thee geue To fasten frendes and feede them at thy wyll With fourme and fauour taught me to beleue How thow art made to shew her greatest skill Whose hidden vertues are not so vnknowen But liuely domes might gather at the furst Where beauty so her perfect seede hath sowen Of other graces folow nedes there must Now certesse Garret sins all this is true That from aboue thy giftes are thus elect Do not deface them than with fansies newe Nor change of mindes let not thy minde infect But mercy him thy frende that doth thee serue Who seekes alway thine honour to preserue Prisoned in windsor he recounteth his pleasure there passed SO cruell prison how could betide alas As proude Windsor where I in lust and ioy With a kinges sonne my childishe yeres did passe In greater feastes than Priams sonnes of Troy Where eche swete place returns a taste full sower The large grene courtes where we were wont to hone With eyes cast vp into the maydens tower And easie sighes such as folke drawe in loue The stately seates the ladies bright of hewe The daunces short long tales of great delight with wordes and lokes that tigers could but rewe Where eche of vs did pleade the others right The palme play where dispoiled for the game with dazed eies oft we by gleames of loue Haue mist the ball and got sight of our dame To baite her eies which kept the leads aboue The grauell ground with sleues tied on the helme On foming horse with swordes and frendly hartes With cheare as though one should another whelme Where we haue fought and chased oft with dartes with siluer droppes the meade yet spred for ruth In actiue games of nimblenes and strength Where we did straine trained with swarmes of youth Our tender limmes that yet shot vp in length The secret groues which oft we made resound Of pleasaunt plaint and of our ladies praise Recording oft what grace eche one had found what hope of spede what dread of long delaies The wilde forest the clothed holtes with grene With rains auailed and swift ybreathed horse With crie of houndes and mery blastes betwene Where we did chase the fearfull hart of force The wide vales eke that harborde vs ech night Wherwith alas reuiueth in mâ— brest The swete accord such slepes as yet delight The pleasant dreames the quiet bed of rest The secrete thoughtes imparted with such trust The wanton talke the diuers change of play The frenship sworne eche promise kept so iust wherwith we past the winter nightes away And with this thought the bloud forsakes the face The teares beâ—aine my chekes of deadly hewe The which as soone as sobbing sighes â—alas Upsupped haue thus I my plaint renew O place of blisse renuer of my woes Geue me accompt where is my noble fere Whom in thy walles thou doest eche night enclose To other leefe but vnto me most dere Eccho alas that doth my sorow rewe Returns therto a hollow sound of plaint Thus I alone where all my freedome grewe In prison pyne with bondage and restraint And with remembrance of the greater griefe To banish the lesse I finde my chief reliefe The louer comforteth himselfe with the worthinesse of his loue VVHen raging loue with extreme payne Most cruelly distrains my hart When that my teares as floods of rayne Beare witnes of my wofull smart When sighes haue wasted so my breath That
endles fame A goodly meane both to deterre from crime And to her steppes our sequele to enflame In daies of truth if Wiates frendes then waile The only det that dead of quick may claime That rare wit spent employd to our auaile where Christ is taught we led to vertues traine His liuely face their brestes how did it freat Whose cindres yet with enuy they do eate Of Sardanapalus dishonorable life and miserable death THassirian king in peace with foule desireâ— And filthy lustes that staind his regal hart In warre that should set princely hartes on fire Did yeld vanquisht for want of marciall art The dint of swordes from kisses semed strange And harder than his ladies side his targe From glutton feastes to soâ—ldiars fare a change His helmet farre aboue a garlands charge Who scace the name of manhode did retain Drenched in slouth and womanish delight Feble of sprite impacient of pain When he had lost his honor and his right Proud time of wealthâ— in stormes appalled with dred Murthered himself to shew some manful dede How no age is content with his owne eâ—tate and how the age of children is the happiest if they had skill to vnderstand it Lâ—yd in my quiet bed in study as I were I saw within my troubled head a heape of thoughtes appere And euery thought did sheweso liuely in myne eyes That now I sighed theÌ„ I smilde as cause of thought dyd rise I saw the litle boy in thought how oft that he Did wish of god to scape the â—â—d a tall yongman to be The yongman eke that feles his bones with paines opprest How he would be a rich olde man to lyue and lye at rest The rych oldman that sees his end draw on so sore How he would be a boy again to liue so much the more Wherat full oft I smilde to se how all these three From boy to man from man to boy would chop change degree And musing thus I think the case is very strange That man from welth to liue in wo doth euer seke to change Thus thoughtfull as I lay I saw my witherd skyn How it doth show my dented chewes the flesh was worne so thynâ— And eke my tothelesse chaps the gates of my rightway That opes and shuts as I do speake doe thus vnto me say Thy white and horish heares the messengers of age That shew like lines of true belife that this life doth asswage Byds thee lay hand and fele them hanging on thy chin The which do write two ages past the third now comming in Hang vp therfore the bit of thy yong wanton time And thou that therin beaten art the happiest life define Wherat I sighed and sayd farewell my wontedâ—ioy Trusse vp thy pack and trudge from me to euery litle boy And tell them thus from me their time most happy is If to their time they reason had to know the trueth of this Bonum est mihi quod humiliasti me THe stormes are past these cloudes are ouerblowne And humble chere great rigour hath represt For the defaute is set a paine fore knowne And pacience graft in a determed brest And in the hart wher heapes of griefes were growne The swete reuenge hath planted mirth and rest No company so pleasant as mine owne Thraldom at largeâ—hath made this prison fre Danger wel past remembreâ— workes delight Of lingring doubtes such hope is sprong pardie That nought I finde displeasaunt in my sight But when my glasse presented vnto me The curelesse wound that bledeth day and night To think alas such hap shoud graunted be Unto a wretch that hath no hart to fight To spill that blood that hath so oft bene shed For Britannes sake alas and now is ded Exhortacion to learne by others trouble MY Ratclâ—f when thy retchlesse youth offendes Receue thy scourge by others chastisement For such calling when it workes none amendes Then plages are sent without aduertisement Yet Salomon said the wronged shall recure But Wiaâ— said true the skarre doth aye endure The fansie of a weried louer THe fansy which that I haue serued long That hath alway bene enmy to myne ease Semed of late to rue vpon my wrong And bad me flye the cause of my misease And I forthwith did prease out of the throng That thought by flight my painfull hart to please Som other way tyll I saw faith more strong And to my self I said alas those daies In vayn were spent to runne the race so long And with that thought I met my guyde that playn Out of the way wherin I wandred wrong Brought me amiddes the hilles in base Bullayn Where I am now as restlesse to remayn Against my will full pleaâ—ed with my payn SVRREY The louer for shamefastnesse hideth his desire within his faithfull hart THe long loue that in my thought I harber And in my hart doth kepe his residence Into my face preaseth with bold pretence And there campeth displaying his banner She that me learns to loue and to suffer And willes that my trust and lustes negligencâ— Be reined by reason shame and reuerence With his hardinesse takes displeasure Wherwith loue to the hartes forest he fleeth Leauing his enterprise with paine and crye And there him hideth and not appeareth What may I do when my maister feareth But in the field with him to liue and dye For good is the life ending faithfully The louer waxeth wiser and will not die for affeccion YEt was I neuer of your loue agreued Nor neuer shall while that my life doth last But of hating my self that date is past And teares continuall sore hath me weried I will not yet in my graue be buried Nor on my tombe your name haue fixed fast As cruel cause that did my sprite sone hast From thunhappy boones by great sighes stirred Then if an hart â—f amorous faith and will Content your minde withouten doing grief Please it you so to this to do relief If other wise you seke for to fulfyll â—our wrath you erre and shall not as you wene 〈◊〉 you your self the cause therof haue bene The abused louer seeth his folie and entendeth to trust no more VVAs neuer file yet half so well yfiled To file a file for any smithâ—s entent As I was made a filing instrument To frame other while that I was begâ—led But reason loc hath at my foly smiled And pardoned me sins that I me repent Of my last yeres and of my time mispent For youth led me and falshod me misguided Yet this trust I haue of great apparence Sins that diâ—ceit is ay returnable Of very force it is agreable That therwithall be done the recompence Then gile begiled playnd should be neuer And the reward is little trust for euer The louer describeth his being striken with sight of his loue THe liuely sparkes that issue from those eyes Against the which there vaâ—â—eth no defence Haue perst my hart and done it none offence With quaking pleasure more then once
Your vertue mountes aboue my force so hye And with your beautie seased I am so sure That there auails resistance none in me But paciently your pleasure to endure For on your will my fansy shall attend My life my death I put both in your choyce And rather had this life by you to end Than liue by other alwayes to reioyce And if your crueltie do thirst my blood Then let it forth if it may do you good Vpon consideration of the state of this life he wisheth death THe lenger life the more offence The more offence the greater paine The greater paine the lesse defence The lesse defence the lesser gaine The losse of gaine long yll doth tryâ— Wherfore come death and let me dye The shorter life lesse count I fynde The lesse account the soner made The count soone made the merier mind The merier minde doth thought euade Short life in truth this thing doth trie Wherefore come death and let me dye Come gentle death the ebbe of care The ebbe of care the flood of lyfe The flood of life the ioifull fare The ioyfull faâ—e the end of strife The ende of strife that thing wishe I wherefore come death and let me dye The louer that once disdained loue is now become subiect being canght in his snare TO this my songe geue eare who list And mine â—ntent iudge as ye will The time is come that I haue myste The thing wheron I hoped styll And from the toppe of all my trust Mishap hath throwen me in the dust The time hath bene and that of late My hart and I might leape at large And was not shut within the gate Of looues desire nor toke no charge Of any thing that did pertaine As touching loue in any payn My thought was free my hart was lyght I marked not who lost who saught I playd by day I slept by night I forced not who wept who laught My thought from al such thinges was free And I my self at libertie I toke no hede to tauntes nor toys As leef to see them frowne as smyle where fortune laught I scornde their ioyes I founde their fraudes and euery wyle And to my selfe oft tymes I smiled To see howe loue had them begiled Thus in the net of my conceyt I masked still among the sort Of such as fed vpon the bayte That Cupide laide for his disport And euer as I saw them caught I them beheld and there at laught Tyll at the length when Cupide spied My scornefull wyll and spitefull vse And how I past not who was tyed So that my selfe myght still liue lose He set him self to lye in waite And in my way he threw a baite Such one as nature neuer made I dare well say saue she alone Such one she was as would inuade A hart more hard then marble stone Such â—ne she is I know it right Her nature made to shew her might Then as a man in a mase when vse of reason is away So I began to stare and gase And sodenly without delay Or euer I had the wit to loke I swalowed vp both baiâ— and hoke Whych dayly greues me more and more By sundry sortes of caâ—efull wo And none aliue may salue the sore But onely she tâ—at hurt me so In whom my lyfe doth now consist To saue or slay me as she list But seing now that I am caught And bounde so fast I cannot flee Be ye by myne ensample taught That in your fansies fele you free Despise not them that louers are Lest you be caught within his snare Of Fortune and fame THe plage is great where fortune frounes One mischiefe bringes a thousand woes Where trumpets gâ—ue their warlike sownâ—s The weke susteyne sharp ouerthrowes No better life they take and fele That subiect are to fortunes whele Her happy chaunce may last no time Her pleasure threatneth paines to come She is the fall of those that clime And yet her wheâ—e auanceth â—ome No force where that she hates or loues Her fickle minde so oft remoues She geues uo gift but craues as fast She sone repentes a thankfull dede She turneth after euery blast She helpes them oft that haue no nede Where power dwelles and riches rest False Fortune is a common gest Yet some affirme and proue by sayll Fortune is not a sleing fame She neyther can do good nor yll She hath no fourme yet beares a name Then we but striue against the stremes To frame such ioyes on fansies dreames If she haue shape or name alone Iâ— she do rule or beare no sway If she haue bodie life or none Be she a sprite I can not say But well I wot some cause there is That causeth wo and sendeth blisse The causes of thinges I will not blame Lest I offende the prince of peace But I may chide and braule with â—ame To make her crie and neuer cease To blow the trumpe within her eares That may appease my wofull teares Against wicked tonges O Euill tonges which clap at euery winde Ye slea the quicke and eke the dead defame Those that liue well some faute in them ye finde Ye take no thought in sclaundring their good name Ye put iust men oft times to open shame Ye ryng so loude ye sounde vnto the skyes Aâ—d yet in proofe ye sow nothing but lyâ—s Ye make great warre where peace hath ben of long Ye bring rich realmes to ruine and decay Ye pluck downe right ye enhaunce the wrong Ye turne swete mirth to wo and well away Of mischiefes all ye are the grounde I say Happy is he that liues on such a sort That nedes not feare such tonges of false report Hell tormenteth not the damned gostes so sore as vnkindnesse the louer THe restlesse â—age of depe deuouring hell The blasing brandes that neuer do consume The roring route in Plutoes den that dwell The fiery breath that from those ympes doth fume The dropsy dryeth that Tantale in the flood Endureth ay all hopelesse of reliefe He honger steruen where fruite is ready food So wretchedly his soule doth suffer griefe The liuer gnawne of gylefull Promethus Which Uultures fell with strained talant tire The labour lost of weried Sisiphus These hellish houndes with paines of quenchlesse fire Can not so sore the silly soules torment As her vntruth my hart hath all to rent Of the mutabilitie â—f the worlde BI fortune as I lay in bed my fortune was to finde Such faÌ„sies as my careful thought had brought into my minde And when eche one was gone to rest ful soft in bed to lye I would haue slept but than the watche did folow stil mine eye And sodenly I saw a sea of woful sorowes prest whose wicked wayes of sharpe repulse bred mine vnquiet rest I saw this worlde and how it went eche state in his degree And that from wealth I graunted is both life and libertie I saw how enuy it did raine and beare the greatest price Yet greater poyson is not founde
any clout and ded Lo sodenly the blood orespred And gon againe it uill so bide And thus from life to death I slide As colde sometymes as any stone And then againe as hote anone Thus comes and goes my sundry fits To geue me sundri sortes of wits Till that a sigh becomes my frende And then to all this wo doth ende And sure I thinke that sigh doth roon From me to you where ay you woon For well I finde it easeth me And cettes much it pleaseth me To think that it doth come to you As would to God it could so do For then I know you would soone finde By sent and sauour of the winde That euen a martirs sigh it is Whose ioy you are and all his blis His comfort and his pleasure eke And euen the same that he doth seke The same that he doth wishe and craue The same that he doth trust to haue To tender you in all he may And all your likinges to obey As farre as in his powre shall lye Till death shall darte him for to dye But wealeaway mine owne most best My ioy my comfort and my rest The causer of my wo and smart And yet the pleaser of my hart And she that on the earth aboue Is euen the worthiest for to loue Heare now my plaint heare now my wo. Heare now his paine that loues you so And if your hart do pitie beare Pitie the cause that you shall heare A dolefull foe in all this doubt Who leaues me not but sekes me out Of wretched forme and lothsome face While I stand in this wofull case Comes forth and takes me by the hand And saies frende harke and vnderstand I see well by thy port and chere And by thy lokes and thy manere And by thy sadnes as thou goest And by the sighes that thou outthrowesâ—â— That thou art stuffed full of wo The cause I thinke I do well know A fantaser thou art of some By whom thy wits are ouercome But hast thou red old pamphlets ought Or hast thou known how bokes haue taught That loue doth vse to such as thow When they do thinke them safe â—now And certain of their ladies grace Hast thou not sene oft tunes the case That sodenly there hap hath turnde As thinges in flame consumde and burnde Some by disceite forsaken right Some likwise changed of fansy light And some by absence sone forgot The lottes in loue why knowest thou not And tho that she be now thine own And knowes the well as may be knowne And thinkes the to be such a one As she likes best to be her own Thinkes thou that others haue not grace To shew and plain their wofull case And chose her for their lady now And swere her trouth as well as thow And what if she do alter minde Where is the loue that thou wouldest finde Absence my frende workes wonders oft Now bringes full low that lay full loft Now turnes the minde now to and fro And where art thou if it were so If basence quod I be marueilous I finde her not so dangerous For she may not remoue me fro The â—â—ore good will that I do owe To her whom vnneth I loue and shall And chosen haue aboue them all To serue and be her own as far As any man may offer her And will her serue and will her loue As lowly as it shall behoue And dye her own if fate be so Thus shall my hart nay part her frâ— And wilnes shall my good will be That absence takes her not from me But that my loue doth still encrease To minde her still and neuer cease Aud what I feele to be in me The same good will I think hath she As firme and fast to biden ay Till death depart vs both away And as I haue my tale thus told Sâ—â—ps vnto me with countenance bold A stedfast frende a counsellour And namde is Hope my comfortour And stoutly then he speakes and saies Thou hast sayde trouth withouten nayes For I assure thee euen by othe And theron take my hand and trothe That she is one the worthiest The truest and the faithfullest The gentlest and the meekest of minde That here on earth a man may finde And if that loue and trouth were gone In her it might be found alone For in her minde no thought there is But how she may be true â—wis And tenders thee and all thy heale And wisheth both thy health and weale And loues thee euen as farforth than As any woman may a man And is thine own and so she saies And cares for thee ten thousand waies On thee she speakes on thee she thinkes With thee she eates with thee she drinkes With thee she talkes with thee she mones With thee she sighes with thee she grones With thee she saies farewell mine own When thou God knowes full farre art gon And euen to tell thee all aright To thee she saies full oft good night And names thee oft her owne most dere Her comfort weale and al her chere And telles her pelow al the tale How thou hast doon her wo and bale And how she longes and plaines for the And saies why art thou so from me Am I not she that loues the best Do I not wish thine ease and test Seke I not how I may the please Why art thou then so from thine ease If I be she for whom thou carest For whom in tormentes so thou farest Alas thou knowest to finde me here Where I remaine thine owne most dere Thine own most true thine owne most iust Thine own that loues the styl and must Thine own that cares alone for the As thou I thinke dost care for me And euen the woman she alone That is full bent to be thine owne What wilt thou more what caÌ„st thou craue Since she is as thou wouldest her haue Then set this driuell out of dore That in thy braines such tales doth poore Of absence and of chaunges straunge Send him to those that vse to chaunge For she is none I the auowe And well thou maiest beleue me now When hope hath thus his reason said Lord how I fele me well apaide A new blood then orespredes my bones That al in ioy I stand at ones My handes I throw to heuen aboue And humbly thank the god of loue That of his grace I should bestow My loue so well as I it owe. And al the planets as they stand I thanke them to with hart and hand That their aspectes so frendly were That I should so my good will bere To you that are the worthiest The fairest and the gentillest And best can say and best can do That longes me thinkes a woman to And therfore are most worthy far To be beloued as you ar And so saies hope in all his tale Wherby he easeth all my bale For I beleue and thinke it true That he doth speake or say of you And thus contented lo I stand With that that hope beares me in
the fire will wast away And outward cast no flame Unto my self may I compare These coales that so consume Where nought is sene though men 〈◊〉 â—â—areâ— In stede of flame but fume They say also to make them burne Cold water must be cast Or els to ashes will they turne And half to sinder wast As this is wonder for to se Cold water warme the fire So hath your coldnesse caused me To burne in my desire And as this water cold of kinde Can cause both heat and cold And can these coales both breake and binde To burne as I haue told So can your tong of frosen yse From whence cold answers come Both coole the fire and fire entice To burne me all and some Like to the corne that standes on stake Which mowen in winter sunne Full faire without within is black Such heat therin doth runne By force of fire this water cold Hath bred to burne within Euen so am I that heat doth hold which cold did first begyn which heat is stint when I do striue To haue some ease sometime But flame a fresh I do reuiue Wherby I cause to clime In stede of smoke a sighing breath with sparkes of sprinkled teares That I should liue this liuyng death Which wastes and neuer weares The answer YOur borrowd meane to moue your mone of fume â—outen flame Being set from smithy smokyng coale ye seme so by the same To shew what such coales vse is taught by such as haue assayd As I that most do wish you well am so right well apayd That you haue such a lesson learnd how either to maintaine Your fredome of vnkindled coale vpheaped all in vaine Or how most frutefully to frame with worthy workmans art That cunnyng pece may passe there fro by help of heated hart Out of the forge wherin the fume of sighes doth mount aloftâ— That argues present force of fire to make the metall soft To yelde vnto the hammer hed as best the workman likes That thiron glowyâ—g after blast in time and temper strikes Wherin the vse of water is as you do seme to say To quenche no flame ne hinde heat ne yet to wast away But that which better is for youâ— and more deliteth me To saue you from the sodain waste vaine cinderlike to be Which lastyng better liâ—es in loue as you your semble ply Then doth the bauen blase that flames and fleteth by and by Sith then you know eche vse wherin your coale may be applide Either to lie and last on hoord in open ayre to bide wiâ—houten vse to gather fat by fallyng of the raines That makes the pitchy iucye to grow by sokyng in his veines Or lye on fornace in the forge as is his vse of right Wherin the water trough may serue and enteryeld her might By worke of smithes both hand and hed a cuÌ„nyng key to make Or other pece as cause shall craue and bid him vndertake Do as you deme most fit to do and wherupon may grow Such ioy to you as I may ioy your ioyfull case to know An epitaph made by w. G. lying on his death bed to be set vpon his owne tombe LO here lieth G. vnder the ground Among the gredy wormes Which in his life time neuer found But strife and sturdy stormes And namely through a wicked wife As to the worâ—d apperes She was the shortnyng of his life By many dayes and yeres He might haue liued long god wot His yerâ—s they were but yong Of wicked wâ—ues this is the lot To kill with spitefull tong Whoâ— memory shall still remayne In writiâ—g here with me That men may know whom she hath slayne And say this â—ame is she An answer IF that thy wicked wife had spon the thread And were the weauer of thy wo Then art thou double happy to be dead As happely dispatched so If rage did causelesse cause thee to complayne And mad moode mouer of thy mone If frensy forced on thy testy braine Then blist is she to liue alone So whether were the ground of others grefe Because so doutfull was the dome Now death hath brought your payne a right relefe And blessed be ye both become She that she liues no longer bound to beate The rule of such a froward hed Thou that thou liuest no lenger faine to feare The restlesse ramp that thou hadst wed Be thou as glad therfore that thou art gone As she is glad she doth avide For so ye be a sonder all is one A badder match can not betide An epitaph of maister Henry williams FRom worldly wo the mede of misbelefe From â—â—use of care that leadeth to lament From vaine delight the ground of greater grefe From feare for frendes from matter to repent From painefull pangs laâ—t sorowe that is sent From dred of death â—ith death doth set vs free With it the better pleased should we be This lothsome life where likyng we do finde Thencreaser of our crimes doth vs bereue Our blisse that alway ought to be in minde This wily world whiles here we breath aliue And flesh our fayned fo do stifly striue To flatter vs assuryng here the ioy Where we alas do finde but great annoy Untolde heapes though we haue of worldly wealth Though we possesse the sea and frutefull ground Strength beauty knowledge and vnharmed health Though at a wish all pleasure do abound It were but vaine no frendship can be found when death assalteth with his dredfull dart No raunsome can stay the home hastyng hart And sith thou cut the liues line in twaine Of Henry sonne to sir Iohn Williams knight whose manly hart and prowes none could staine Whose godly life to vertue was our light Whose worthy fame shall florish long by right Though in this life so cruell mightest thou be His spirite in heauen shall triumph ouer thee An other of the same STay gentle frend that passest by And learne the lore that leadeth all From whence we come with hast to hye To liue to dye and stand to fall And learne that strength and lusty age That wealth and want of worldly woe Can not withstand the mighty rage Of death our best vnwelcome foe For hopefull youth had hight me health My lust to last till time to dye And fortune found my vertue wealth But yet for all that here I lye Learne also this to ease thy minde when death on corps hath wrought his spite A time of triumph shalt thou finde with me to scorne him in delight For one day shall we mete againe Maugre deathes dart in life to dwell Then will I thanke thee for thy paine Now marke my wordes and fare thou well Against women either good or bad A Man may liue thrise Nestors life Thrise wander out Ulisses race Yet neuer finde Ulisses wife Such change hath chanced in this case Lesse age will serue than Paris had Small pein if none be small inough To finde good store of Helenes trade Such sap the rote doth yelde the bough
together Did loue renewes his blast That cause my ioyes to wither Then sodaynely a spark Startes out of my desire And lepes into my hart Settyng the coles a fire Then reason runnes about To seke forgetfull water To quench and clene put out The cause of all this matter And saith dead flesh must nedes Be cut out of the core For rotten withered wedes Can heale no greuous sore But then euen sodaynely The feruent heat doth slake And cold then straineth me That makes my bodies shake Alas who can endure To suffer all this paine Sins her that should me cure Most cruell death hath slaine Well well I say no more Let dead care for the dead Yet wo is me therfore I must attempt to lead One other kinde of life Then hitherto I haue Or els this paine and strife Will bring me to my graue ¶ Songes written by N. G. Of the ix Muses I Mâ—s of king Ioue and quene Remembrance lo The sisters nyne the poets pleasant feres Calliope doth stately stile bestow And worthy praises paintes of princely peres Clio in solem songes reneweth all day With present yeres conioyning age bypast Delitefull talke loues Comicall Thalsy In fresh grene youth who doth like laurell last With voyces Tragicall sowndes Melpomen And as with cheins thallâ—red eare she bindes Her stringes when Terpsichor doth touche euen then She toucheth hartes and raigneth in mens mindes Fine Erato whose looke a liuely chere Presents in dauncing keepes a comely grace With semely gesture doth Polymnie stere Whose wordes holle routes of rankes doo rule in place Uranie her globes to view all bent The ninefold heauen obserues with fixed face The blastes Eutrepe tunes of instrument With solace sweet hence heauie dumps to chase Lord Phebus in the mids whose heauenly sprite These ladies doth enspire embraceth all The graces in the Muses weed delite To lead them forth that men in maze they fall Musonius the Philosophers saying IN working well if trauell you sustain Into the winde shall lightly passe the paine But of the dede the glory shall remain And cause your name with worthy wights to raign In working wrong if pleasure you attaine The pleasure soon shall vade and voyde as vaine But of the deed throughout the life the shame Endures defacing you with fowl defame And still tormentes the minde both night and dayâ— Scant length of time the spot can wash away Flee then ylswading pleasures baits vntrew And noble vertues fair renown purseew Description of Vertue VVHat one art thou thus in torn weed yclad Uertue in price whom auncient sages had why poorely rayd For fading goodes past care Why doublefaced I marke ech fortunes fare This bridle what Mindes rages to restrain Tooles why beare you I loue to take great painâ— Why winges I teache aboue the starres to flye Why tread you death I onely cannot dyeâ— Praise of measure-keping THe auncient time commended not for nought The mean what better thing can ther be sought In meane is vertue placed on either side Both right and left amisse a man shall slideâ— Icar with sire hadst thou the mid way flown Icarian beck by name had no man known If middle path kept had proud Phaeton No burning brand this earth had faâ—â—ne vpon Nâ— cruel powr ne none to soft can raign That kepes a mean the same shall still remain Thee Iulie once did too much mercy spill Thee Nero stern rigor extreem did kill How could August so many yeres well passe Nor ouermeek nor ouerferse he was Worship not Ioue with curious fansies vain Nor him despise hold right atween these twain No wastefull wight no greedy goom is prayzd Stands largesse iust in egall balance payzd So Catoes meal surmountes Antonius chere And better fame his sober fare hath herâ— To slender building bad as bad to grosse One an eyesore the tother falls to losse As medcines help in measure so God wot By ouermuch the sick their bane haue got Unmeet mee seems to vtter this mo wayes Measure forbids vnmeasurable prayse Mans life after Possidonius or Crates VVHat path list you to tread what trade will you assay The courts of plea by braul bate driue geÌ„tle peace awayâ— In house for wife and childe there is but cark and care With trauail and with toyl ynough in feelds we vse to fare Upon the seas lieth dreed the rich in foraine land Doo fear the losse and there the poore like misers poorely standâ— Strife with a wife without your thrift full hard to see Yong brats a trouble none at allâ— a maym it seems to bee Youth fond age hath no hert and pincheth all to nye Choose then the leeser of these twoo no life or soon to dye Metrodorus minde to the contrarie VVHat race of life ronne you what trade will you assayâ— In courts is glory got and wit encreased day by day At home wee take our ease and beak our selues in rest The feeldes our nature doo refresh with pleasures of the bestâ— On seas is gayn to get the straunger hee shall bee Estemed hauing much if not none knoweth his lack but heeâ— A wife will trim thy house no wyfe then art thou free Brood is a louely thing without thy life is loose to thee â—ong bloods be strong old sires in double honour dwell Dâ—way that choyse no life or soon to dye for all is well Of frendship OF all the heauenly giftes that mortall men commend What trusty treasure in the world can counteruail a frend Our helth is soon decayd goodes casuall light and vain Broke haue we sene the force of powre and honour suffer stainâ— In bodies lust man doth resemble but base brute True vertue gets and keeps a frend good guide of our pursute Whose harty zeale with ours accords in euery case No terme of time no space of place no storme can it deface When fickle fortune failes this knot endureth still Thy kin out of their kinde may swarue wheÌ„ frends owe the good willâ— What sweter solace shall befall than one to finde Upon whose brest thou mayst repose the secretes of thy minde He wayleth at thy wo his teares with thine be shed With thee doth he all ioyes enioy so leef a life is led Behold thy frend and of thy self the patern see One soull a wonder shall it seem in bodies twain to bee In absence present rich in want in sicknesse sound Yea after death aliue mayst thou by thy sure frend be found Eche house eche towne eche realm by stedfast loue doth stand Where fowl debate breeds bitter bale in eche deuided land O frendship flowr of flowrs O liuely sprite of life O sacred bond of blisfull peace the stalworth staunch of strife Scipio with Lelius didst thou conioyn in care At home in warrs for weal and wo with egall faith to fare Gesippus eke with Tite Damon with Pythias And with Mâ—netus sonne Achill by thee combined was Euryalus and Nisus gaue Uirgil cause to sing Of â—ylades doo many rimes and
corage yet doth blome Her natiue hue so stroue with colour of the rose That Paris would haue Helene left and M. beauty chose A wight farre passyng all and is more faire to seme Then lusty May the lodg of loue that clothes the earth in greneâ— So angell like she shines she semeth no mortall wight But one whom nature in her forge did frame her self to spight Of beauty princesse chiefe so makelesse doth she rest Whose eye would glad an heauy wight and pryson payne in brest I waxe astonied to see the seator of her shape And woÌ„dred that a mortal hart such heauenly beames could scape Her limmes so answeryng were the mould of her faire face Of Uenus stocke she semde to spring the rote of beauties grace Her presens doth pretende such honour and estate That simple men might gesse her birthe if folly bred debate Her lokes in hartes of flint would such affectes imprese As rage of flame not Nilus stremes in Nestors yeres encrease Within the subtill seat of her bright eyen doth dwell Blinde Cupide with the pricke of paine that princes fredom sell. A Paradice it is her beauty to behold where natures stuffe so full is found that natures ware is soldâ— An old louer to a yong gentilwoman YE are to yong to bryng me in And I to old to gape for flies I haue to long a louer bene If such yong babes should bleare mine eyes But trill the ball before my face I am content to make you play I will not se I hide my face And turne my backe and ronne away But if you folowe on so fast And crosse the waies where I should go Ye may waxe weary at the last And then at length your self orethrow I meane where you and all your flocke Deuise to pen men in the pound I know a key can picke your locke And make you runne your selues on ground Some birdes can eate the strawie corne And flee the lime that fowlers set And some are ferde of euery thorne And so therby they scape the net But some do light and neuer loke And seeth not who doth stand in waite As fish that swalow vp the hoke And is begiled through the baite But men can loke before they leape And be at price for euery ware And penyworthes cast to bye good cheape And in ech thyng hath eye and â—are But he that bluntly runnes on hed And seeth not what the race shal be Is like to bring a foole to bed And thus ye get no more of me The louer forsaketh his vnkinde loue FArewell thou frosen hart and eares of hardned stele Thou lackest yeres to vnderstand the grefe that I did fele The gods reuenge my wrong with equall plage on thee When plesure shal prick forth thy youth to learn what loue shalbeâ— Perchance thou prouest now to scale blinde Cupides holde And matchest where thou maist repent when al thy cards are told But blush not thou therfore thy betters haue done so Who thought they had retaind a doue when they but caught a cro And some do lenger time with lofâ—y lokes we see That lights at length as low or wors theÌ„ doth the betell bee Yet let thy hope be good such hap may fall from hye That thou maist be if fortune serue a princesse er thou dye Is chance prefer thee so alas poore sely man where shall I scape thy cruell handes or seke for succour than God shud such greedy wolues should lap in giltlesse bloode And send short hornes to hurtful heads y â— rage like lyons woode I seldome se the day but malice wanteth might And hatefull harts haue neuer hap to wreke their wrath aright The madman is vnmete a naked sword to gide And more vnfit are they to clime that are orecome with pride I touch not thee herein thou art a fawcon sure That can both soer and stoupe sometime as men cast vp the lure The pecock hath no place in thee when thou shalt list For some no soner make a signe but thou perceuest the fist They haue that I do want and that doth thee begilde The lacâ— that thou dost se in me doth make thee loke so wilde My lurâ—ng is not goodâ— it liketh not thine eare My call it is not half so swete as would to god it were well wanton yet beware thou do noâ—tâ—ryng take At euery hand that would thee fede or to thee frendship make This councell take of him that ought thee once his loue Who hopes to mete thee after this among the saintes aboue But here within this world if he may shonne the place He rather asketh present death then to beholde thy face The louer preferreth his lady aboue all other REsigne you dames whom tikelyng brute delight The golden praise that flatteries tromp doth sownâ— And vassels be to her that claims by right The title iust that first dame beauty found Whose dainty eyes such sugred baits do hide As poyson harts where glims of loue do glide Come eke and see how heauen and nature wrought Within her face where framed is such ioy As Priams sonnes in vaine the seas had sought If halfe such light had had abode in Troy For as the golden sunne doth darke ech starre So doth her hue the fayrest dames as farre Ech heauenly gift ech grace that nature could By art or wit my lady lo retaynes A sacred head so heapt with hâ—â—res of gold As Phebus beames for beauty farre it stayns A sucred tong where eke such swetenesse snowes That well it semes a fountain where it flowes Two laughyng eyes so linked with pleasyng lokes As wold entice a tygers hart to serue The bayt is swete but eager be the hookes For Dyane sekes her honour to preserue Thus Arundell sits throned still with fame Whom enmies trompe can not attaynt with shame My dased head so daunted is with heapes Of giftes diuine that harber in her breâ—t Her heauenly shapâ— that lo my verses leapâ— And touch but that wherin she clowds the rest For if I should her graces all recite Both time should want and I should wonders write Her chere so swete so christall is her eyes Her mouth so small her lips to liuely red Her hand so fine her wordes so swete and wise That Pallas semâ—s to soiouâ—â—e in her hed Her vertues great her forme as farâ—e excedes As sunne the shade that mortall creatures leades Would God that wretched age would spare to race Her liuely hew that as her graces raâ—e Be goddesse like euen so her goddesse face Might neuer change but still continue faire That eke in after time ech wight may see How vertue can with beauty beare degree The louer lamenteth that he would forget loue and can not ALas when shall I ioy When shall my wofull hart Cast forth the folish toy That breadeth all my smart A thousand times and mo I haue attempted sore To rid this restlesse wo Which raigneth more and more But when remembrance past Hath laid dead coales