That for the Combate they had singled forth When this was done the Earle demaunds his Name Pardon quoth he that were against a Vow To no man liuing I le reueale the same For I haue changed Name and Nature now Natures corruptions I doe striue to leaue A new Regeneration to receiue Farewell my friend euen as my soule would fare If we ne're meete on Earth Heauen be the place For idle howers I haue no time to spare My hayres looke gray they turne to white apace I haue great losse in short time to redeeme A minutes sorrow is of much esteeme So he departs towards Iudea ground Samarta and Galile to see Those parts by Christian Pilgrims so renown'd Because their Sauiours choyse was their to bee Where he did suffer to redeeme our losse Euen from the Cratch vnto the bloody Crosse. Much time he spends and many yeares bestowes From place to place about this Holy Land That all his friends in England doe suppose Now Death of him had got the vpper-hand For no reporter came that could relate His Life his being or his present state This put the world to silence men were mute Concerning Guy they knew not what to say The dreadfull Champion in the armed sute Was neither knowne nor fear'd in simple Gray But did endeauour all that ere he might Neuer to be reueal'd to any wight For vnto none he would his Name disclose Nor tell direct what Countrey-man he was Nor of his Noble minde make any showes But striue in all thinges most obscure to passe Vntill by natiue loue his minde was led To come and lay his bones where he was bred Guy after many yeares comes home To England for his Graue Kils Colbron that great Gyant and Dyes poorely in a Caue Canto 12. EVen as the brightest glorious shining Day Will haue a Night of darknes to succeed Which takes the pride of Phoebus quite away And makes the Earth to mourne in sable weed Presenting vs with drowsie heauy sleepe Death's memory in carefull thoughts to keepe So Youth the day of Natures strength and beauty Which hath a splendor like faire Heauens eye Must yeeld to Age by a submissiue duty And grow so darke that life of force must dye When length of yeares brings ancient euening on Irreuocable time is posting gone This cogitation in Guyes brest appeares By his returning from the Holy Land He findes himselfe to be a man in yeares And that his Glasse had but a little sand To runne before his date of life expire Therefore to England he doth backe retire There to be buryed where he had bin borne Was all the cause that did induce him backe To end his euening where he had his morne In dolefull colours of a dead-mans blacke And let that body rest in English ground which through the world no resting place had found When he arriued on his Natiue shore He found the Countrey in extreame distresse For through the Kingdome armed troupes great store Against the Foe were all in readinesse The King of Denmarke whose destroying hand A mighty Army did securely land And marched from the Coast with deuastation Destroying Townes Villages set on fire Working such terrour vnto all the Nation King Athelstone was forced to retire To Winchester which when the Danes once knew Towards that Citty all their strength they drew Which was too strong for Speare and shield to win Inuincible our walles of Stone were then They wanted Cannon-keyes to let them in Hell's pick-locke powder was vnknowne to men The Deuill had not taught such murdering smoke A Soldiers honour was his manly stroke Beholding now how they repulsed were That Winchester by no meanes could be wonne They doe conclude to summon parley there And with a Challenge haue all quarrels done An Englishman to Combate with a Dane And that King loose that had his Champion slaine Wherewith a huge great Gyant doth appeare Demaunding where the Foxes all were crept Saying if one dare come and meete me heere That hath true valour for his Countrey kept Let him come forth his man-hood to disclose Or else the English are but Coward foes Why very crauens on their dunghils dare Both crow and strike before they runne and cry Is English courage now become so rare That none will fight because they feare to dye Then I pronounce you all faint-hearted fooles Affraid to looke on manly Martiall tooles What slaunders I haue heard in forraigne Lands Of these poore men for deeds which they haue done Most false they are belyed of their hands But he sayes true that sayes their feete can runne They haue a Prouerbe to instruct them in That 't is good sleeping in a sound whole skin Thus did he vaunt in tearmes of proude disdaine And threw his Gantlet downe saying ther 's my gloue At length great Guy no longer could refraine Seeing all straine curt'sie to expresse their loue But comes vnto the King and sayes dread Lord This Combate to thy vnknowne Knight afford Although in simple habite I am hid Yeelding no showe of that I vndertake I ne're attempted ought but what I did An end of Colbrond on my soule I le make Palmer quoth Athelstone I like thy sprite God sent thee hither and hee ayde the right His pow'rfull hand lend vigor to thy blowes And grant thy foote vpon the foe may treade Amen quoth Guy and with great courage goes Forth Winchesters North-gate vnto Hide-meade Where that same Monster of a man hee found Treading at eu'ry step two yardes of ground Art thou the man quoth Colbrond art thou he On whom the King will venter Englands Crowne Can hee not finde a fitter match forme Then this poore Rascall in a thred-bare Gowne Where 's all his Knights and worthy Champions now I doe disdaine so base a Slaue as thou Guy fights to free all Englands feares With Colbrond Gyant Dane And in Hide-mead at VVinchester Was that Goliah slaine Gyant said Guy man-hood should neuer rayie To beate the ayre with blasts of idle winde A Soldiours weapon best can tell his tale Thy destiny vpon my Sword I finde T will let thee blood while thou hast drops to bleed And spell thy Death for all the Danes to reed Thus I begin and on his Armour layd That Colbronds coate was neuer cudgel'd so Who with his Club did watch to meete his blade Intending to haue broke it with a blowe But Guy was sure his Sword would holde out play It had bin trusty many a cruell fray And therefore boldly he presumes thereon Laying about as fast as he could driue Vntill the Lubbers breath was almost gone For with a weighty Club did Colbrond striue Which lighting on the ground made earth giue ways As if some Deuill did about him lay So long they held this sterne and irefull fight That the beholders knew not what to deeme Yet still some wounds to Colbronds share did light Which to the English did great comfort seeme Besides their Champion gaue encouragement By
To the Honourable Ladyes of ENGLAND LAdyes in Elder times your sexe did neede Knight-hoods true valour to defend your rights Of admirable actions wee doe reede Haue beene atchiu'd in cruell bloody Fights Fell vgly Serpents were destroy'd and slaine Strange mōsters mangled Gyants hew'd in twaine But who deseru'd more in such enterprise Then worthy English bred where wee are borne Such as did ease and idlenes despise For Armour more then Silke by them was worne These were the Champions that for Ladyes good Would bleede as long as they had drops of blood Such was Sir Guy whose story heere wee tell Valours renowned honourable man He lou'd your kinde in heart exceeding well How can you chuse but loue his legend than Bestow the Reading of it if you please Gainst melancholy that same dull disease S. ROVVLANDS The Argument GVy of Warwicke Sonne to Earle Rohands Steward in blooming youth of Natures spring fell in Loue with the Earles faire Daughter Phelice whose disdaining of him in that hee was but a meane Gentleman and not by Birth answerable to her Honourable estate did afflict his cormented minde with most distressed passions till in a vision Cupid presents her with the Picture of Mars inioyning her to loue Guy as the admired Champion of Christendome Vpon this shee yeeldeth affection on condition of Aduentures which to atchiue hee departs into France and shortly returnes with Trophes of victory and prizes of Honour But Phelice not satisfied therewith he leaues England againe performing in forraine Countryes wonderfull acts then returning marries his Loue whom after Forty dayes hee leaues departing on Pilgrimage to the Holy Land effecting in that Iourney many strange things Then supposed to bee Dead comes backe disguised and out-worne to memory and Fights a combate for King Athelstone killing Colbrond the Gyant of Denmarke freeing thereby the Kingdome from inuasion After that liues obscurely in a Caue and comes for Almes to his owne Castle not reuealing himselfe till the houre of his Death and then hee sent his Lady a Ring by which token shee knewe her Husband and came most wofully to close vp his eyes dying her selfe shortly after him for very griefe and extreame sorowe The Famous History of Guy Earle of VVARWICKE In Natures greene vnmellowed yeares Cupid tormenteth Guy Inthrals his heart to Phelice Loue By obiect of the eye Canto 1. WHen dreadfull Mars in Armour eu'ry Day Lou'd stately Iuno and Bellona best Before hee knew the Court where Venus lay For then hee tooke himselfe to ease and rest When all his thoughts vnto the proofe were steeld And all his actions manag'd for the Field A Knight of his a worthy Englishman That went like him clad in an Yron Coate In Warwicke with the worlds applaude began To bee a man of admirable note Such was the Valour hee ascended by That Pagans trembled at the Name of Guy This man compos'd of courage full of spright Of hard aduentures and of great designes To fight with Gyants tooke a chiefe delight Or search some Caue that Monster vndermines Meete with a Bore to make a bloody fray Or Combate with a Dragon by the day Yet e're hee entertain'd his Loue to armes He grew deuoted to the Queene of Loue Attempting Beauties fort with fierce allarmes The victory of such a prize to proue As elder times before could ne're inioy A sweeter face then lost olde Priam Troy Faire Phelice equall match to Cupids Mother A curious Creature and the Kingdomes pride All spacious Brittaine had not such another For glorious Beauty and good partes beside Twixt her and Vulcans wife no ods were knowne But Venus had a mole and shee had none For most directly shee had Venus haire The same high fore-head and attractiue eye Her cheekes of Roses mixt with Lillies faire The very lippes of perfect Corall dye Iuory teeth a dainty rising Chin A soft touch-pleasing smooth and silken skin With all perfections make a pearelesse Creature From head to foote shee had them eu'ry one Mirrour shee was of comelinesse and feature An English Phenix supreme faire alone Whom gazing people censures thus would grace Beauty liues no where but in Phelice face In Phelice face this obiect of Guyes sight Were lookes of Loue and glaunces of disdaine From thence sometimes his eyes attracts delight From thence anon his heart deriueth paine One while sweet smiles doe giue encouragement Another time sterne lookes worke discontent Thus on Loues Seas tost by the stormes of terrour Twixt present calme and sodaine furious blast Resoluing Loue yet finding loue in errour In freedome chayn'd in liberty bound fast Hee sighes that Fortune doth so strangely deale To giue a wound that Beauty will not heale That Beauty will not heale quoth he fond man Thou wrongst thy selfe and thy faire Goddesse too By lookes to know a Womans heart who can And looke on her is onely all I doe I le take another course more resolute To speake to write my honest meanings suite But if I should doeso what hope haue I That shee will heare my wordes or reade my Lines Shee is Earle Rohands heyre and borne too hye To condiscend vnto my poore designes Though Ia Gentleman by Birth am knowne Earledomes I want and Lordships I haue none Oh! Women are ambitious out of measure They mount aloft vpon the winges of Pride And often match more for this worldly Treasure Then any louing cause on earth beside Which makes some wish rather there were no Golde Then Loue for it should base bee bought and solde If such she bee as not be such be rare What will my wordes or sighes or teares preuaile I enter then a Laborinth of care And striue against both winde and tyde to Sayle A restlesse Stone with Scisiphus I roule And heape continuall torments on my soule Then I attempt to flye with waxen winges Where Phoebus Chariot burnes in brightest flame And shall bee censur'd that in Childish thinges As Loue I haue begot eternall shame Reiected and dispisde in base esteeme To th' enuious world I shall no better seeme But cease Loues coward banish thoughts of feare Bee resolute and good accesse attend thee Phelice of force a louing heart must beare If he that shootes loues Darts of golde befriend And by no reason hee can be thy Foe Because thou lou'st his Mothers picture so I am resolu'd goe on to Phelice Bower And from as true a heart as Flesh can yeeld Intreat her heare me in a blessed houre And with kinde pitty all my sorrowes shield To looke vpon me with remorse of minde That holdes my life as her Loue is inclinde This said to Warwicke Castle hee repaires Where the rich Iewell of his heart remained Earle Rohand bids him welcome and prepares With Hunting sports to haue him entertained But thereunto vnwilling eare hee lends And sodaine Sicknesse for excuse pretends The Earle much grieued at this alteration Sent his Physition for to doe him good Who tolde Guy that his onely preseruation
doth sore possesse And sicknes gripes doe touch about my heart I feele I am not farre from happines But am in hope my foe and I shall part This aduersary which I long haue fed By whome my soule hath bin so much misled To my deare Phelice I will send my Ring Which I did promise for her sake to keepe I may no longer time deferre the thing For feare that Death preuent me with his sleepe I feele his Messenger approach apace And poore weake Nature must of force giue place So call'd a Heardsman as he passed by And said good friend doe me a speciall fauour Euen in a matter that concernes me nye My hope relyes vpon thy kinde behauiour To Warwicke Castle speedily repaire And for the Countesse aske with trusty care Deliuer this Ring to her-owne hand And say the ancient Pilgrim sent the same That lately at her Gate with Scrip did stand To beg an Almes in blessed Iesus Name And if shee aske thee where I doe remaine Direct her hither she 'le requite thy paine Sir quoth the Heardsman I shall be asham'd That ne're dust speake to Lady in my life Nay more and 't please you I may much be blam'd To carry Rings to such a great mans Wife Besides if I should loose it by the way Why what would you and Madam Phelice say Pre-thee said Guy frame not such idle doubt No preiudice can light on thee at all The acte is honest which thou goest about And for it none can thee in question call A curteous eare the Lady will thee lend Vpon my warrant feare you nothing friend With that he goes and mannerly betakes The token to the Countesse which she seeing Most admirable wonder at it makes Ah friend quoth she where is my husbands being Husband said he that newes I doe not bring From an olde Begger I receiu'd the Ring His house was made of neither Wood nor Stone But vnder ground into a hole he went And in my Conscience there he dwels alone And neuer payes his Land-lord quarters rent Ah 't is my Guy she said showe me his Cell And for thy paines I will reward thee well So he directs Warwicks faire Countesse thither Who entring in that melancholly place Her Lord and shee embracing weepe together Vnable to pronounce a word long space Long time they two had not a Tongue to speake Till Guyes discretions sorrowes doore did breake Phelice quoth he now take thy leaue of Guy That sent to see thee ere his sight decay Within thine armes I doe intreat to dye And breath my sprite from thy sweet soule away Thou gau'st me almes at Warwicke Castle late T is blessednes to pitty poore mens state Guy in repentance poorely liues Obscurely in a Caue Reueal'd to Phelice by a Ring When Death had digg'd his Graue Looke not so strange bewayle not so my Deare Ah weepe not Loue I doe not want thy teares I haue shed plenty since my comming heere Of true remorse my Conscience witnes beares Thou weep'st not now because I wept no more But to behold me friendlesse helplesse poore Wife I haue sought the place that all desire Though few endeauour for eternall rest The soule which to that Heauen doth aspire Must leaue the world and worldly thinges detest T is full of Deuils that on soules doe wayte And full of snares in euery place some bayte Ah Phelice I haue spent and then he wept Youth Natures day vpon the Loue of thee And for my God olde rotten Age haue kept The night of Nature Christ forgiue it me Sorrow lyes heauy on my soule for this Sweet Sauiour Iesus pardon my amisse In that I had destroy'd so many men Euen for one Woman to inioy thy Loue Therefore in this most solitary Den I sought my peace with that great God aboue Gainst whome by sinne I haue bin more misled Then there be hayres vpon my hoary head The other day feeling my body ill And all the partes thereof opprest with paine I did compose a Testament and Will To bee the last that euer I ordaine Loe heere it is I le reade it if I can Before I cease to bee a liuing man HIS WILL. EVen in the Name of him whose mighty pow'r Created all in Heauen and Earth contained As one to dye this very instant hower I leaue the world and all therein vnfained My soule I giue to him that gaue it mee Receiue it Jesus as I trust in thee I owe a debt of Life is due to Death And when 't is payde him he can aske no more A very vapour of a little breath Would he had had it many yeares before But heer 's my comfort though he come or stay T is ready for him if hee will to day I owe the world the stocke of wealth it lent When I did enter traffique with the same Lesse would haue giuen Nature more content T is happinesse to want a Rich mans name World leaue mee naked as I did begin I aske but one poore Sheet to wrap me in I doe bequeath more sinnes then I can number My dayly euils in a countlesse summe Euen from my cradle vnto Death's dead slumber Those past these present all that are to come To him that made them loades to burthen mee Sathan receiue them for they came from thee I giue good thoughts and eu'ry vertuous deed That euer grace hath guided me vnto To him from whom all goodnes doth proceed For onely euill Natvre taght me doe I was Conceiued bred and borne in sinne And all my Life most vaine and vile hath bin I giue to Sorrow all my sighes and cryes Fetch'd from the bottome of a bleeding heart I giue Repentance teares and watery eyes The signes vnfained of a true conuert Earth yeeld a Graue or Sea become a Tombe Jesus vnto my soule graunt Heauen-roome Phelice I faint farewell true loyall Wife Assist me with thy prayers thy Husband dyes I trust to meete thee in a better life Where teares shall all be wip'd from weeping eyes Come blessed Spirits come in Jesus Name Receiue my soule to him conuay the same And with these words his quiet sprite departs While mournfull Phelice well-nye dead for woe Her sences all to sorrowes vse conuerts And too aboundant doth her teares bestow Beating her brest till brest and heart be sore Wringing her handes till she could striue no more Then sighing said ah Death my sorrowes cause That hast depriu'd mee of my dearest Lord Since loathsome ayre my vitall spirits drawes This fauour for thy tyrannie afford Doe me a good to recompence thy ill And strike the stroke that all my cares can kill Let me not liue to see to morrowes light But make me thus colde bloodlesse pale and wan As this dead Carcasse doth appeare in fight This true discription of a mortall man Whose deedes of wonder past and gone before Haue left him now at Deaths darke prison doore Kissing his face with a farewell ef teares Shee leaues the body for the Graue to claime And from that place as 〈…〉 â—oule shee beares As euer Woman that the world can name Liuing but Fifteene dayes after his Death And then through extreame sorrow yeelded breath FINIS