bellowes blowes The quenchles coales of Râ—le that burneth still And ore the banks the flouds of folly flowes And priuate wealth â—o blindes a worldlings will That wicked wit doth banish reasons skill Climes vp aloft cries fame and rare renowne Till heauy stone from top comes tottering downe The mounting heart that daily doth aspire With wilfull wings of pride to cloudes would flie And though he feeles his feathers singd with fire He will not stoupe he holdes his head so hie To beare a sway and alwaies casts his eie With eager lookes on honors stately throne He likes no mate but all would weld alone The simple sort that sées soore Fawcon rise Disdains to death the bird that flies too farre Then as on owle flocks crowes and chatring pies So at great dogs the little tikes doe snarre Tweene small and great when spite â—nes moues the warre There is no rest for rage runnes all on head Hate kindleth fire and loue growes cold as lead A greater strife is when two tides doe méete Both of one force like mighty strugling streames I meane when men doe striue of equall sprite The robe is ript or rented through the seames Great troubles grow in sundry ciuill Realmes For whilst the one in chiefest rowme is plaste The other comes and hales him downe in hast There is no meane where matches meete at shocke The strong shewes strength the stout stands wrangling still About the ball the finest fellowes flocke They winne the goale that hath the greatest skill The force of floud turns round the Water-mill So where two men doe wrastle for a fall Most might preuailes the weake is turnde to wall But why do I finde fault with greatest band My traine was such as I a King had beene In Court and Towne Earle Murton was so mand As euery day I had a world to winne That was the frette that did the warre beginne For those that sawe me waited on so well Did skorne the same and so like toades they swell At my renowne and loe a greater thing By chaunce befell for I had secret foes That daily sought my fall about the King And as on steps to stately stage I rose So my decay in Court and countrey growes For priuy hate and malice matchth with might Tooke out the oyle that gaue my lampe the light Yet through great helpe and friends as world may wéene Whose wisdoms was wel known both graue sage I regent was when many a broile was gréene And set abroach in Court by reuels rage I ruled all whilst King was vnder age And where I saw the people make offence I scowrgd them sore which kept them quiet sence Some did I hang and trust them vp on hye That slaughters made or murders did committe Some were redeemde that did for fauour crie And strongest heads I helde in hard with bitts With equall eares I would in iudgement sit Yea bent my braine to beate out right and wrong And conscience bad deferre not iustice long The rich by this were sory to offend The poore did dread to hang that faulty were And yet oft times when faulters did amend I hangd but one to bring the rest in feare To suters all I gaue a gracious eare By gentle waies and wisdomes modest meane From filthy facts I cleansed Countrey cleane By order good I made them feare the law I pincht the purse and pawsde in sheading blood I punisht sore where great abuse I saw Straight rules I sette to learne rude people good By which strong staies my state in surety stood So wealth came in with goodly gold and geare That paide for paines and did the charges beare Yea sure more wealth and riches I possest Then twenty Lords of Scotland any way I might compare for treasure with the best We call it Poess in our plaine Scottish lay I had the bags of Aungell nobles gay I had the chests fild vp vnto the brim With sondry stamps of coine and treasure trim My houses stood in gladsom soiles and sâ—ats Stuft with rich things and Arras clothes â—now My table spread with deare and dainty meates My ward robe storde with change of garments throw My corne in stacks my hay in many a mowe My stable great of gallant goldings good And I like Prince amidst these pleasures stoodâ— What I would wish I had with glorie great Each knée did bow and make their bodies bend Each eye stood fixt to gase on honors seat Eache friendlie face a louing looke would send To stately throne and I againe would lend A Lordlie grace to kéepe the worlds good will Whereby encreast my fame and honor still I buyâ—t me bowers sometime to banquet in Made plotts for walkes and gardens of delight Sought swéete conceits not fowsing soule in sinne With glutted gorge at pleasures baite to bite But pastime tooke to put off worlds despite My streamers stoode in topp of barke so braue That flaggs of ioy with each good wind wold waue For worldly pompe and worship waites at héele Where rule and power sets out gay glittring showes Who folowes not the swinge of fortunes wheele What fish forsakes the floode that daily flowes Both great and small with course of water goes Where sunne doth shine both beast birdes repaire And what flies not to pleasaunt weather faire But well away when we haue all we wish A house a home bedect with gallaunt grace A golden net beguiles a carlesse fish Wee haue no holde of fortunes flittering face For when wee doe worldes flattring giftes embrace Wee groope and gape for more vaine goodes so fast That gracelesse hap sweepes all away at last Our gréedy mind gaines gold and tyens good name Winnes wealth yet workes a wicked web of woe Breedes déepe disdaine and bringes a man in blame Breakes bandes of loue makes friend become a foe Shutes spitefull shaftes from malice sturdie bowe Strikes dead good name reares vp slaunders brute Sowes seedes of vice and brings foorth rotten fruite All these deâ—eâ—s doth follow gréedie minde But loe my skill and sight in publicke state For soaking soores a soueraigne salue could finde For where I fearde sharpe warres foule debate To cut off strife great friendes at hand I gat And by my wit to kéepe the King in right At my commaund I fréelie brought much might Which strake the stroke and stoutly rulde the roste Spent many dayes in broyles and making peace Bestowde great charge and carde not for no coste So that they could our common quarrels seace And euer as I sawe our brawles encreace I helpt the harmes by worthy wisdomes arte So planted peace rule in euery part For euery years some brawle was set abroche Some treason wrought some trecherie tane in hand Which without stay would sounde to my reproche Such falshood raignde and raged in the land In factions still did runne a bloodie bande About the Realme as wilde as wolues for praye But by my friendes I set these thinges in sâ—aye In greatest
yeld to death and vpward lift the minde Where lothsome life shall present comfort finde Since hope can haue no honey from the Hiue And paines can plucke no pleasure for his toyle It is but vaine for wearie life to striue And stretch out time with torment and tormoyle Get what we can death triumphes ore the spoyle Then note this well though wee winne neere so mitch When death takes all wee leaue a mizer ritch To liue and lacke is double death indeede A present death exceedes a lingring woe Since no good hap in youth did helpe my neede In age why should I striue with Fortune so Old yeares are come and hastes me hence to goe The time drawes on I hate the life I haue When heart shall breake my griefe shall ende in graue Should I seeke life that findes no place of rest Ne soyle nor seate to shroude me from the ayre When cramping cold beclyps my carefull breast And dolour driues my heaâ—t in deepâ— dispayre For such foule dayes darke death is wonderous fayre As good to make the scrawling wormes a feast As please the world where mischiefe makes her neast Hie time it is to haste my caâ—kasse hence Youth stole awaie and felt no kinde of ioy And age he left in trauell euer since The wanton dayes that made mee nice and coy Were but a dreame a shadowe and a toy Sith slauerie heere I find and nothing else My home is there where soule in freedome dwels In warres and woe my yeares are wasted cleane What should I see if Lordly life I led I looke in glasse and finde my cheekes so leane That euery houre I doe but wish mee dead Now backe bendes downe and forward falls the head And hollow eyes in wrinkled brow doth shroude As though two starres were créeping vnder cloude The lips waxe cold and lookes both pale and thin The teeth fals out as nuts forsoke the shale The hare bald-head but shewes where haiâ—e hath bin The liuely ioyntes waxe verie stiffe and stale The ready tongue now folters in his tale The wearish face and tawney colour showes The courage quayles as strength decaies and goes The sweete delights are drownde in dulled mind The gladsome sportes to groning sighes are bent The frisking limmes so farre from frame I finde That I forethinke the time that youth hath spent But when I waigh that all these thinges were lent And I must pay the earth her dutie throw I shrinke no whit to yelde these pleasures now Had I possest the giftes of Fortune héere A house a wife and Children there withall And had in store to make my friendes good chéere Such common thinges as neighbours haue at call In such dispayre perchaunce I would not fall But want of this and other lackes a score Bids mee seeke death and wish to liue no more The thatcher hath a cottage poore you see The sheapheard knowes where he shall sleepe at night The dayly drudge at night can quiet beeÌ„ Thus Fortune sendes some rest to euery wight So borne I was to house and land by right But in a bagg to Court I brought the same From Shrewsburie towne a seate of auncient fame What thinkes my friendes that there behind I laft What fault findes shée that gaue me life and sucke O courting fine thou art too cold a craft The Carter hath at home much better lucke Well well I say adue all worldly mucke Ne house nor Land we beare away I knoe I naked came and naked hence must goe The greatest King must passe the selfe same way Our day of birth and buriall are alike Their ioy their pompe their wealth and rich aray Shall soone consume like snow that lies in dike No Buckler serues when soddaine death doth strike As soone may come a poore mans soule to blis As may the rich or greatest Lord that is Well ere my breath my body doe forsake My spriâ—e I do bequeath to God aboue My bookes my scronies and songes that I did make I leaue with friendes that freely me did loue To slyring foes whose malice me did moue I wishe in hast amendment of their waies And to the Court and courtiers happy daies My fortune straunge to straungers do I leaue That straungly can retaine such straunge mishap To such as still in world did me deceaue I wish they may beware of such like trap To slaunderous tongues that killde me with a clap I wish more rest than they haue giuen to mee And blesse those shreawes that curst and crabbed bee To such as yet did neuer pleasure man I giue those rimes that nips the gawled backe To such as would doe good and if they can I wish good lucke long life and voyde of lacke To currish Karles a whyp and Colliers sacke And to the proude that stands vppon their braues A wainscot face and twentie crabtree staues To surlie sirs that scornes the meaner sort A nightcap furd with Foynes I them bequeath To such as scowle at others good report And sets much store by their owne paynted sheat In signe of lucke I giue a willow wreath To such as are vnnamde and merits much The stone I leaue that tries the Gold by tutch To gentill race with good conditions ioynd I wish more ioy than man imagin may And since for poore I haue noe mony coynd God graunt them all a mery mariage day To such as doth delight in honest play I wish the Gold that I haue lost thereby And all the wealth I want before I die Now friends shake handes I must be gone my boyes Our mirth takes end our triumph all is done Our tykling talke our sportes and merry toyes Do slide away like shadowe of the Sun Another comes when I my race haue run Shall passe the time with you in better plite And finde good cause of greater thinges to write FINIS A DREAME To the right worshipfull my good Lady the Lady Paulet who was wife to the honorable sir Hugh Pauleâ— Knight AMong the manifold works in print pamphelets bookes volumes and deuises I neuer addressed my pen to your Ladiship till now though bound for many courtesies better to consider of so good a Lady and now worst able to redeeme duty forgotten I bring my selfe backeward to behold my great ouersight but presing forward to win ground I leese the keeping of a writers credit for no one thing is left worthy your view and looking on such hast haue I had in the spoiling of my selfe inuentions a prodicall point of bountie rather than the part of a wise bountiful writer especially to bestowe the best matters on others and present but a dreame to your Ladiship shewing thereby the shallownes of my iudgement but yet some such substaunce of matter as I trust is more delightfull than dainty For my Dreame hauing many significations may grow on many causes and hit on a nomber of Accidents fit for my humour but skarse meet for your graue consideration yet such fancies as a dreame brings
ioyne in a battaile against those dogs that biteth them The Fish in the floud swim in skulles arming themselues against their enemies and you shall reade in Plinie that among the Dolphins was such amity that a Dolphin being taken prisoner by a King and closely kept there assembled such a number of Dolphins together as is incredible and they neuer lefte mourning and playning showing by sorrowfull signes the dolour taken for the losse of their companion by which meanes they recouered him againe of the King Thus if Fish Fowle and Beast agrée in vnion with a wonderful league of amity men may blush to behold their own defects and Serpentine natures that neuer rests hissing stinging and casting out of venome bred in vaine mindes and nourished in hatefull brests The reason that man beareth and the forme and shape of his noble creation should be an euerlasting remembraunce to moue him vnto quietnes especially the renowne that is gotten by patience and fortitude should alwaies kéepe reasonable men from rages and be a bulwarke and target to beare of quarrels the destruction of life the hour glasse of death and the whole consumer of all good credite It is to be presupposed that prowd hearts growes so Princely and euery one that is quarrelous would séeme a King or a conquerour yet Princes take great aduisement before they breake peace and cunningly put of causes of warre waying the innumerable troubles daungers and losses that pertaines to a quarrell but the generall number of men runs headlong into mischiefe casting neither perill nor hazard as all our life and fame stood on slashing cutting roisting and striuing for vain-glory In our Elders daies fighters were called ruffians and ruffians were so lothsome that no honest man could abide their company If seruing men which alwaies should be ciuile had quiet sober maisters such buckelers with pikes such swords like spits and such long great daggers should not bee worne The weapon and countenaunce by maintainers of quarrels may cause cowards to be bold and cause corage to catch copper or creepe closely in cornes And now in the chiefe and highest degree of quarrelling where see you iarres questions brawls banding and the rest of disorders but where some party is ouer great playing on aduantage or weapons are not equall except it be among noble great mindes whose valiauncy can neither suffer iniury nor abide any blemishe of honour So euen now to them this worke is adressed the baser sort néedes not my perswasions nor but of good will and presumption this needeth not I speake of The whole world is fraught so full of malice that the least occasion can be ministred bréedes such great busines that quarrels are so common the custome thereof so olde it séemeth nothing straunge to beholde murthers odious practises shamefull poisnings and miserable man slaughters In Italy a simple quarrell but once conceiued neuer endes till death hath dispatched peraduenture both the parties and so greedily they goe to take away life that all the mischiefe can be imagined is put in exercises without delay taking breath regard of God feare of law or shame of the world so blouddy is the minde the body sléepes not till the handes haue done some abhominable outrage The minde cannot bee in quiet til open folly monstruous madnes haue disturbed the whole sences and brought the life and body in hazard of hell fire or daunger of worldly shame these are the fruits of fury The defects of nature the miseries of man and the brutish conditions of the counterfaite finesse in Italy In Fraunce if a lie may bée brought in by circumstaunces or a fine quarrell can be sifted out of grosse speeches present death followes or perpetuall hatred is set abroach wherein murthers are committed and many a mischieuous act is taken in hand odious to beholde and a great horror to heare but most vnchristianly executed And so generally in all countreys and kingdoms a quarrell once begon comes to butchery and bloudshed and commonly growes after in many generations and kindreds to deadly foed and shamelesse slaughters A quarrell in property nature may be compared to many bigge barrels of Gun-powder which once set on fire flames so vehemently that euery little corne thereof is throughout consumed and the blast and busines it makes ouerthrowes houses beateth downe great buildings and shakes a whole towne and the walles thereof in sunder Yea euen as a tennis ball the harder is stricken the further it flieth and the oftner it reboundeth the more he labors that strikes it so a sparke of spitefull hatred being blowen with the busy bellowes of mallice that kindleth coales which can neuer be quenched encreaseth such a smoothering smoke and fire that burnes like the hill of Ethna that neuer goeth out nor wanteth heate and fume to trouble a whole countrey And one especiall point is alwaies to be noted in the naughty nature of a quarrell that whosoeuer hath done any iniury or giuen a wound or a blow neuer can auoide daunger and vtter destruction without some amendes made crauing of pardon open repentance or secrete working of friends that are wearied with the long debating of the matter As one good turne doth craue another so an Iniury demands a quarrell a quarrell bréedes a thousand offences offences hardly can bee forgotten and the more a wrong remaines in minde â—he lesse hope is of forgiuing the fault and the more mischiefe is put in proofe and exercise And whosoeuer duely considers the ill inclination of people he shall finde thousands so apt and ready to take in hand a quarell that in some sort it is held a cowardise and a kinde of no courage to put vp a trifle so many desires to sée bloudshed so many sets men agog in vnhappines and so many goes about with tales and bad deuises to stur vp strife and contention Well since our imbecillity is much our fury not little and disposition so stout that all thinges must be disputed of and drawen to the vttermost degrée of dangerous quarrelling I wish peraduenture vpon some experience that mildnes might moderate the manner of our falling out and if nothing could qualifie the cruelty of courage a regard of God good reputation iust cause and honest dealing may be vsed exhorting all men to looke to life common society mutuall loue and the generall peace of a christian Kingdome For how so euer the Worlde may imagine of fighting and brawling the very route and grounde of disorder in a common wealth is vnreasonable quarels wherein is maintained a kinde of Turkishe tyranny and brutish boldnesse This not spoken beyond the compasse of dutie nor to the preiudice and hinderaunce of any mans manhood which may bee as well seene and vnderstood by the conquering of himselfe and maistring his owne passions as in hauing the victorie of others Which triumph and victorie cannot bée gotten without great bloodshed and businesse Thus Friend worshipfull I haue discoursed a matter worthy treating off
Then thousands doe the world doth so report FINIS A Discourse of an old Souldiour and a young To the right Worshipfull Sir Henry Kneuet Knight one of the Lieutenants of Willshire THE world cannot wonder nor the wise thereof thinke strange that experience commaunds me to keepe friends and my pen doth what it maie to purchase me fauour for that is all the fruites of my studies Which once taken from me I haue neither prop to vphold mee nor foundation to stand on so feaâ—ing the weaknes of my feeble buildings that lies open to enuies blast which soddenly may bee blown downe I seeke manie staies and craue manie supportations for the maintenance of my honest mind and workes framed for the world to behold So good sir Henry among the worthy company of my selected friends I honor you with a smal discourse of age youth where a little is spoken of the olde Souldiour and the young not in dispraise of anie of them both but in the commendation of knowledge courage conduct vnder which three vertues consists many noble actions so vnder your fauourable sufferaunce I passe to my purposed matter THere is a strife a swéete dispute I troe Betwene two sorres of men in these our daies On which debate doth many reasons grow That soundes in déede to each good Souldiours praise Whose fame my pen is ready for to raise But my intent is first with flat plaine truth To treat a verse or two of age and youth Age is the fire and father of great thinges That hath begot both science rule and wit Brought great renowne and honour vnto kinges And for mans wealth may well in councell sit Youth is for field and towne a member fit To vse the sword in Countreys cause and right In whose defence youth hath great force to fight Age may commaund because it knoweth most And best can iudge of euery thing it knowes Hath mightie mind yet makes but little bost On whose aduice men may their liues repose The worth of youth standes oft in outward shewes That fresh and gay to worlde it séemeth still Like bladder faire that is blowne vp with quill Age lookes like tree whose barke is rough without When winters waste hath made gréene leaues to fall But when spring comes that braunch should bud and sprout With threefold fruite the sprayes are loaded all Bare youth lookes like a picture on a wall That stands both mute and dumme like shadow weake To séeke for sence whom age beginnes to â—peake The brute in world is how old thinges decreace For that sweete sap at length forsakes the trée Yet men will aske old wittes in warres or peace Of this or that what the successe shall be In outward shewes young iudgements well can sée When old mens sightes that wisely lookes within The end beholdes as sâ—one as they beginne A great old Oake long time will akornes beare And small young graffes are long in sprouting out Some say old wine is liked euery where And all men knowe new ale is full of growt Old horse goes well young titts are much to doubt But sure old gold is more estéemed than new No hauke compares with haggard in the mue Old men knowes much though young men calls them fooles Old bookes are best for there great learning is Old authors too are dayly read in schooles New Sects are naught olde knowledge cannot misse Old guise was good and nothing like to this Where fraude and craft and finesse all would haue And plainest men can neyther powle nor shaue Old Fathers builte faire Colleges good store And gaue great goodes and landes to bring vp youth Young men loues not to make of little more But spendes away their thrift to tell the trueth Old men were full of mercie grace and rueth And pittie tooke on those that seemde to lacke Young gallants gay from poore doe turne their backe Old beaten wayes are ready still to hit These new be-pathes leades men on many stiles An old prouerbye hath no more worâ—es than wit New fangled heades at each old order smiles Old wisedome farre surmountes young fondlings willes Experience is the Doctor euerie daie That carries close all knowledge cleane awaie Young houndes are fléete the old huntes sloe and true Old dogges bite sore if all their teeth be sound Old auncient freindes are better than the new In younglings loue there is small suretie found For like a top light fancie turneth round Old clothe or silke made in our elders dayes Wears long and firme when new thinges soone decayes Old souldiers are the beauty of a state Young branches beare but blossomes many a day Old Doctors can deepe matters well debate Young punies knowes not what old doctors say King Harries crue brought conquest home away From Flowdayne field from France and many a soyle And put the proud by strength and force to foyle Old souldiers were great Allexanders ayde And chiefest ioy in all the warres he had The white gray head made beardlesse boyes affraide Where graue men ruld the countrey all was glad And where they lackt the fortune was but bad As all thinges doth to skill and knowledge yeeld So old men beare the honour of the field What needs more proofe of auncient souldiers nowe Both old and young are needfull members heere I want both time and power to praise them throw For seruice great in countries quarrell deere When cause requires ye know the case is cleere These champions must in field and open plaine With shining sword the right of kinges maintaine FINIS A DISCOVRSE OF CALAMITY To the right VVorshipfull my singuler good friend Sir William Hatton knight IN the remembrance of a sorrowful losse I had by the death of the last Lord Chancelor good Sir William Hatton and considering your great countenance partly declined by that soddaine accident besides the great soms of money you were left to pay For the parting from such an honourable friend I thought euery peece of cause well waied you knowe as well what calamitie is as a meaner man and feeling the smart and weight of that burthen before you were ready to support it your care and calamitie could not be little First for the losse of so great a comfort next for the sorrow trobles that belongs to such a losse though lands or liuings helps to beare of a peece of the vexasion of mind yet the body shall alwayes beare to the death a sorrowfull imagination of that hastie mishap the impression therof shal neuer goe out of your memory so long as life lasteth So good sir in signe of some consolation I present you a discourse of Calamity the right path to come to quietnesse and the very hie way that leades a good mind to thinke of the immortality of the soule thus presuming your fauorable acception of the same I passe to the discourse of Calamity wishing you much worship hartes ease health T. Churchyard A Discription or Discourse that declareth how
CHVRCHYARDS Challenge LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe 1593. To the right honourable Sir Iohn VVolley Knight Secretary for the Latin tung to the Queenes Maiestie and one of her priuie Councell Thomas Churchyard wisheth increase of honor blessednes of life and abundance of worldly felicitie and heauenly happines THe long trauell and tracing out of life in this wearisome pilgrimage right honorable hauing brought me now almost to the ende of my iourney makes me glad with a restles desire to be rid of the burthens of my minde and the labours of my body the one neuer free from studie and the other seldome voide of toyle and yet both of them neither brought great benefite to the life nor blessing to the soule in which small rest and vnquietnes many sorrowfull discourses in my dayes I haue written and numbers of bookes I haue printed and because they shall not be buried with me I challenge them all as my children to abide behinde me in the worlde to make them inheritors of such fame dispraise as their father which begat them on sweet inuention heere enioyes or deserues hoping they shall not be called bastards nor none aliue will be so hardy as to call them his babes that I haue bred in my bowels brought forth and fostred vp so carefully at mine owne charges and hazard of an enuious worlde And now indeede for that diuers of disdainfull disposition doo or may hinder the good reporte of those labors which I thinke well bestowed among my freends I haue set forth while I am liuing a great number of my works in this booke named my Challenge that after my death shalbe witnesses they were mine owne dooings not for any great matter in them but for the iustnes of troth and true triall of all my honest exercises and so to purchase credit and the more freends and fauourers to prop vp my poore reputation I not only dedicate this booke and all therein to your honor but haue made also in the same booke diuers dedications to sundry honorable and worshipfull personages protesting that there is nothing heerein but came from mine owne deuice which inuencions spoken as becomes me shal be in all honest sorte defended by pen or any way I may to the vttermost of my breath or abilitie ioying much with all gladnes of hart that they are presented to so honourable a personage and one of such singuler learning whose worth and value by a worthy and vertuous Princes is seene into and throwly considered of which gracious Queene hath alwaies made her princely choice in such an excellent and vnspeakable maner as God himselfe should deuinely appoint and direct to our great wealth and his great glory and in whose râ—re commendation all the pen men of the world may write Now good sir vnder your excellent fauour and countenance I shielde my presumption and boldenes that hath offred a booke of so many discourses to the iudgement of such a multitude that quickly can discouer the weakenes of my labors but hauing ventured so farre as to publishe them in print I must now of necessitie commit them to the common opinion of the world So in hope the best will fall out I present you with my studies and take leaue of your honor desiring of God what goodnes can be wished to be alwaies at your commaundement Dutifully and loyally in all at commaundement Thomas Churchyard To the worthiest sorte of People that gently can reade and iustly can iudge GOod Reader if my presumption were so great that I thought my booke might passe without your fauourable iudgement mine error were as much as my ouer-weening and yet to vse perswasions in purchasing your good liking I should passe the bounds of common reason and fall into the danger of adulation for your good wils are rather won with good matter then bare wordes and say what I can to gaine your affection toward my worke you will speake what seemeth best in your owne conceites For among many thousands are many of deepe consideration and some vndoubtedly of as shallow iudgement so that the one or the other cannot nor will not be led and caried away with any deuice of my pen though all the hye spirits and excellency of Poetry might drop out of the quill I writ withall wherefore now I must as well abide the hazard of your censure as I haue boldely vnfolded my selfe to the worlde there is now no crauing of pardon nor pleading for your furtherance to encrease my good fame my works must abide waight they are thrust into the ballance and I of necessitie must content me with your allowance and what price pleaseth you to set on my marchandise but if they proue too light in the skales I pray you helpe them with some graine of good skill that they be not condemned as trifles because they haue cost me great labour and study and put me to no little charges I freely offer them to you for three or foure causes the one to keep the reputation of a writer the second to pleasure my freendes with the reading of new inuentions and thirdly to desire my foes to giue me true reporte of those workes I haue made and last of all to affirme that euery thing in this my booke of Challenge is mine owne dooing which iustlye no man can deny Not boasting thereof as matter worthy memory but claiming a better regarde then enuy would giue me I stand to the praise or dispraise of all I haue done maruelling much that in my life time any one would take from me the honest laudation I deserue I striue no further in that point but commit to God and good people the indifferency and iustnes of my cause and the best is which shall beare it selfe the wise of the worlde and worthiest of knowledge and capacitie are the only Iudges shall yeeld me my right the rest are but hearers and lookers on whose voices may make a great noise but giues so vncertaine a sound they can doo no great harme because of nature and condition they neuer doo no great good Now my pleading time is past my booke must appeare in that bare fashion as I haue formed the matter I hope it shall not walke so nakedly abroade but shalbe able to abide the coldenes of ill will and the extreame heate of hatefull mens disposition God the giuer of goodnes guide my verses so well that they neuer happen into their hands that loues me not and make my prose and plainenes of speech be as welcome to the Reader as it was well ment of the writer So with double and treble blessing Farwell FINIS My next booke shalbe the last booke of the Worthines of Wales And my last booke called my Vltimum Vale shalbe if it please God twelue long tales for Christmas dedicated to twelue honorable Lords Heere followes the seuerall matters contained in this booke THe tragedie of the Earle of Morton The tragedie of sir Simon Burley A discours that a man
found me aliue Long was the talke of manie a farlye thoe Long did I looke for that which did not come But all those blasts in sine did ouerbloe I listned long to heere the sound of drumme Yet though I had the great good will of some God would not thâ—ell for one mans sake alone That broyles should cause a million make their mone When birde is limde farewell faire feathers all The fish in net maie bidde the sea adiew When world beholds a man is neere his fall It leaues him there and follows fancies newe When all is saide the olde prouerbe is true Who cannot swimme must sincke there is no boote Who hath no horse of force must goe on foote Thus â—yed to clogge and pende in prison fast My hope decaide my hart did heauie waxe So souldiers came and brought me foorth at last The butcher then began to whâ—t his axe All was on flame the fire was flowne in flaxe There was no choise I must a size abide Prooue foule or cleane and by my Peeres be tried To Edenbrough the captiue man was brought Along the fieldes where flockes of people were The sight of whom did trouble much my thought But when in deede I was ariued there Both streetes and stalles and windows euery where Were stuffed full to giue on me the gaze But that might not my manly mind amaze Yet neither one nor other small nor great Did me salute So turnde the moodes of men That colde deuice nay rather raging heate Could not appall my princely courage then For I did looke as I did nothing ken Yet knew the whole that some in secret bore So passed through the thronge what would ye more A russet cloake a garment rude and bare For such a state make what of mee they would With foule felt hat and robes but base I ware That people might my great disgrace beholde Alas poore lambe thy life was bought and soulde No force of weedes to couer clott of claye Morton was dead full longe before that daie Now Lawyers flockte and swarmde in ilke a place Now Lords repaird and Lardes came daily in Now learned heads did long debate my case Now did in deed my sorrowes all beginne Now was the time that I must lose or winne For I appeard before the iudgement seate And there maintainde my right with reasons great Made good defence to many matters sure Spake boldly still and did but iustice craue My pleading there did foure long houres endure And Lawyers then to me good leasure gaue But to what end did I long pleading haue I was condemnd the world would haue it so A thing there was but that the Lord doth know And I that héere confesse my former gylt A murther than was laide vnto my charge Which I concealde yet saw a Kings bloud spilt A fowle offence for which there is no targe Nor could not claime therefore to goe at large But byed the sence and censure of the lawes For fowle God wot and filthy was my cause The iudgement was a heauy thing to héere But what they did I could not call againe The sentence past too late my selfe to cleere Once iudgd to die condemnd I must remaine As silly shéepe in shopp must needes be slaine Then to the pot or pit our flesh must passe All flesh is dust vaine ashes earth and grasse Then thought I on some friend that absent was And spoke some words but askâ— not what they were So from the bench to prison did I pas And for to die did make me ready there The Preachers came and shed full many a teare To bring my soule in perfect patience than And make me die a faithfull christian man In secrete sort the Preachers there I told Great things of waight that in my conscience lay And so confest what right and reason would But thereon pawsde I would no further say Aske what they pleasde I did but troth bewray Whereat I knockt my troubled trembling brest And so desirde the Preachers let me rest O brethren mine your doctrine likes me well Qd. I good men bestow some praiers now In your beliefe looke that you daily dwell As you beganne so still continue through The bloud of Christ hath washt my blotted brow As white as snow I haue no doubt nor feare Shall be my sinnes that red as scarlet were The Preachers glad to bring my soule to rest Brought Scripture in and did the text vnfold And many a place and sentence they exprest Towardes the death to make my body bolde O my good Lord you may not now behold The pompe quoth they and glory that is past But you must thinke on that which aye shall last Both wealth and friends and worldly wisedome to Are banisht quite and blush to come in place When soule goes hence those things haue nought to doe With man that is then newly borne in grace The light of day hath darkenes still in chase The heauenly thoughts doe hate all earthly things And faith to clowdes doth flie with flittring wings They praide with me and wipt their wéeping eies My heauy sprite stood troubled sore that tide And as the sighes from panâ—ing heart did rise My groaning Ghost O Abba father cride The sobs flew forth the â—eares I could not hide As babe doth wéepe when he beholds the rod So then I feard the wrath of my good God Full soone reformde I was in godly wise Gaue ore the world forgot all earthly thing Heaud vp my hands and heart vnto the skies To God that did this plague vppon me bring And then I sued and sent vnto the King To scape the coard by losse of life and breath For heading was for me more Nobler death He graunted that and sad for my mishap He let me goe where God and man assignd Now euery fault lay open in my lap Each small offence came freshly to my minde The secret sinnes that we in conscience finde A muster made and passed for their pay Before great God that doth all things bewray The wrong I did to simple people plaine Bad heart â—orethinke the fury of mine ire The gréedy thirst of glory rule and gaine Made soule afeard of hote infernall fire My selfe I blamde for fleshly fond desire But falling thus full prostrate on my face From heauens hie I felt a sparke of grace Which warmd my sprites that waxed faint and cold The last conflict that in this life we haue Then comfort came and made weake body bold Care not for death for life mounts vp from graue Qd. knowledge then when Christ the soule shall saue With that I flong behinde all fearefull dread So cald for booke and many a Psalme did reade In lesse then halfe the time that I haue spoke Me thought I talkt with God whose face did shine Who from a cloude discende as thinne as smoke And entred in my breast by power diuine O mortall man said he come thou art mine Be strong and stout to fight the battell throw
For my right hand is here to helpe thée now Blush not to sée the raging worlds despite The bloudy are nor scaffolde full of bils My mercy seat shall be thy chiefe delihte And though on earth thine enimies haue their wils I am the God that stormes and tempests stils In quiet calme passe gently thou away And suffer much yet doe but little say Death is the end of all that beareth life Not one shall scape this world is but a dreame The seeds of sinne brings forth but flowres of strife In painted robes lies many a rotten seame It is but griefe to guide and rule a Realme Great charge and care a great accompt must make And when I frown the whole round world I shake I cause one wight to take anothers place To chop off heads to kill to hang and draw And when I take from rulers new my grace His head againe shall yeeld to sword and law Men blowes the cole but I put fire in straw And where doth fall the flame of my great â—e All things consumes to cinders in that fire Come Murton come and play thy pageant well Thou goest before perhaps a yeare or twaine But after thee shall passe to heauen or hell A number more that mercy now remaine World hath no stay I tell â—hee all is vaine Both raigne and rule and regall power most hie When bastards dreame in durt and dust shall lie My God thus sayd with that my sprites reuiude My wits were armde my sence redoubled than And with my flesh the holy Ghost he striude By Angels force but not by might of man A marulous stirre in stomacke then beganne For to subdue the â—arrein corps of care And burthend breast that sinfull body bare Now hope in hast made heauy heart full light The feare was fled that comes by course of law Gods promise wrought through mercy grace and might A noble worke in me cleare conscience saw A fig for death his force not worth a straw Qd. I a rush for worlds reproach and shame For written is in booke of life my name The Preachers then began to wéepe for ioy Your firme beliefe my Lord shall make you frée Qd they and sure your soule is from annoy Both in this world and where swéete Angels be And where right soone you shall Gods glory see Not with bare view but with immortall eies As body shall at latter day arise Then knéeld I downe and to the cloudes I looke The thought and care the while of world was past And I in God such ioy and pleasure tooke That at my héeles all earthly pompe I cast By this the houre of death approached fast The Gard gaue sign with halbards bright in hand I must prepare on Skaffold streight to stand The stréetes were full of souldiers armed well With shot and match and all belongs for warre I saw in house I could no lonâ—er dwell For people said the day was spent full farre Then ope the doore qd I draw backe the barre I will goe hence to better home I trust Here is no hope I see that die I must To comfort sence and strengthen vitall sprete I tasted foed and dranke a draught of wine And pawsde a while as I thought fit and méete But sure no dread of death within mine eine Was seene for God by speciall grace deuine Held vp my heart and head as high to shoe As when from home I did a walking goe Milde words I gaue when bitter spéech I hard So passed through them all with manly chéere And did no more this world nor earth regard Then though in deede I neuer had beene here But when in sight the Skaffold did appeare My minde was bent to fight the battle out And conquere death and banish feare and dout So stept I vp on Skaffold lightly than Where sundry came to aske me many a thing I lookte to God and made small count of man Saue that alowd I saide God blesse the King God giue him grace in peace the state to bring And shunne the harmes and dangers ore his head To finde on earth long life when I am dead Had I serud God aswell in euery sort As I did serue my king and maister still My scope had not this season beene so short Nor world haue â—ad the power to doe me ill But loe I liude against my makers will That feeles my flesh that feeles my soule alas That fault I feare where now my soule shall passe That that good Lord forgiue whilst breath I haue It is the sinne that to this world I brought It buried shall be with my flesh in graue It is a sore and sickenesse of the thought It is most vaine a wretched thing of nought A wicked wound that death doth heale alone Dwels last in flesh and first was bred in bone Pray you for me that sets your sinnes by mine And such as doe professe the faith I hold Marke who I am that here by power diuine Am forst this daie my conscience to vnfolde Looke neerely both to your owne Faults vntolde And pray as well for me with humble minde As for your selues that here I leaue behinde My matter stands before the iudge of all Men haue condemnd my body to the tort When that great iudge will for a reckning call Both you and I shut vp in sentence short Shall soone be known who gaines the best report There accuse ne small nor great this day My part is plaide and I must passe my way The faith this howre that all the Realme doth know I die in here and seale it with my blood To other faith beware bend not your bowe The râ—tten string will breake and doe no good Whilst in this land such trash aâ—d tromprie stood God was not pleasd the King not serude aright And we did walke in darkenes stead of light Good â—earers all my babes and children deere I brought you vp full long in this beliefe Your regent ones now preacheth to you here Chaunge not my barns religion to your griefe Serue first your God next honor King as chiefe This lesson keepe and so good friends adiew The dead from quicke so takes his leaue of you Thus full resolude temptation to resist Great time I stood and talkte in stoutest shoe Of sondry things as freely as I list But waying then that hence the soule must goe And that my necke must bide the blouddy bloe I stretched armes as hie as I could heaue So turnd my backe and did the audience leaue The heauenly hope that heart doth long vphold Did hale me hence and bad dispatch in haste As firme as rocke I stood say what they would For after this I spake no word in waste Then downe I lay and balefull blocke embraste And there receiude the blow as are did fall That cut me cleaue from cares and cumbers all The gasping head as in the Lorde I slept A vision had ye may the fame suppose I dreamde it saw how friende
Soutch quarrell with Captaine Randall then Maior of the fielde And Mayster Soutch did vrge through ill words and stout language Captaine Randall verye farre which might haue mooued any manne living But Captaine Randall in a manner vsed those words that the Italian had done before expressed and going further on in communication commaunded the Souldiours to lay handes on Maister Soutch and swore hee would execute him and learne all other by his boldnesse to knowe their duties And when Mayster Soutch was stayed well qouth Captaine Randall since thou hast challenged mee I will not vse my power and authoritie ouer thee But by the fayth of a souldier when I am out of the Sergeaunt Maiors roume I will meete thee and make thy heart ake for those wordes thou haste giuen excepte thou repent before of thy lewde demeanour Mayster Soutch hauing disgested and wisely waighed this matter being talked withall of the Captaines in the campe came like a Gentleman on himselfe and acknowledged his fault most dutifully and with great repentaunce for which submission of his hee was the better thought on after This shewes and declares that an auncient souldiour and Officer hath a great Priuilege and not be compared with nor offered any iniurie because hee carries the admiration of the people and the honour of the field Yee shall find written in the Spanish and the Language of the Portugall which Portugalles founde out the Easte Indians that there was a mightie King of Calicute and many other Kinges in the Indians whose Souldiours were all Gentlemen and did liue euer on the sâ—ipend that the King allowed them And those Souldiours had many Priuileges and titles of honour and stood so much on their reputation that they would not touch a Husband mans handes nor suffer a Rusticall fellowe to come into their houses And the Husbande men were bounde when the Souldiours goe in the streetes to crie with a loude voyce to make place for the Souldiours For if those Gentlemen did come and bid the Common people goe out of the waie and they doe not obay their commaundement therein It was sufferable for the Gentlemen Souldiours to kill those obstinate and proude people And furthermore the King could not make Gentlemen iâ— they were not borne of some Noble stocke of the race of Souldiours They could not take their weapons nor enter into Combate before they were armed Knightes They must at the age of seauen yeares bée put to learne to play with all Weapons and to the ende they shoulde bee perfect their Maysters doe hale their armes verie farre out thereby to stretch their limmes and afterwarde they teach them such Fence as is apt for that purpose They did by an ordinaunce and custome of theirs honour and salute their Maysters that hadde taught them at the Weapons which were Graduates and cunninge menne wheresoeuer they mett them in the stréete They were bound twoo Monethes in the yeare to plie their schoole and take a Lesson at their Maysters handes By which reason they were verie skilfull of their Weapons and for that cause they greatlye estéemed themselues They coulde not bee knighted but by the Kinges owne handes who asked them before he layde his hande on their heades if they could obserue and keepe the custome and ordinaunce of gentlemenne Souldiours and they sayde and aunswered the king They minded to take that profession of Armes vppon them and so the king caused a Sworde to be girded about them and after embraceth those Gentlemen so knighted then they did sweare to liue and die with him and for him which oath they would keepe and obserue For if theyr Lord were slayne in the Warre they would fight to their last breath and kill him that had slayne theyr King Or if at that instaunt they could not bring their purpose to effecte they would watch and spie out a conuenient season for the perfourmaunce of their promisse and oath And vndoubtedlie some of them woulde reuenge their Maysters death They hadde a great regarde to their duety and endeuoure They thought nothinge so precious as fidelitie and their Princes fauour They cared not for life so glorye might bee gotten by theyr death They serued most faythfullye vnder them that gaue them intertaynemente They spared nothing but spent liberally They applied their onely studies for the mainteinaunce of their king and Countrey They would not suffer any dishonour nor offer anye iniurie They thought it a double death to loose their good name They made no accompt of their meat money sléepe or ease and little estéemed their owne liues or persons when they should make proofe and shewe of their manhood Their wages and stipende was so much and so well payde that euerye one of them might liue gallantlye and the meanest might keepe to waite on him a man or a boye The Lawe was that they might not marrie and yet hadde Lemmans and Women appoynted by order which they kepte and vsed well and all quarrells was auoyded by that meanes For they might not companie with their women but at certaine seasons appoynted Thus they past ouer theyr life time without the care and trouble of Wife and Children They might forsake vppon a good cause anye of their Lemmans And their Women might at their owne willes forsake the menne All those that accompanied these Souldiours were Gentlewoman and of good birth but might not bee married to anie person after shée hadde béene at the Souldiours commaundement And because many men by their often chaunging happen to haue the companye of one Woman they fathered not any Child though it were neuer so much like them and therefore their Brothers children did alwayes inherite their Landes and goodes And this Lawe that those Gentlemen Souldiours should not marrie was made by a King that woulde not haue a manne of Warre to fixe his loue on a wife and children nor thereby to waxe féeble spirited and effeminate But the king ordained because these Gentlemen should haue no womannish manners nor minds that they should haue all thinges at their willes and liue in such libertie as no one thing might drawe them from noble seruice nor commaunde them to seruile drudgerie And because they should be the more animated to liue in noble order and encouraged to serue well they were priuileged that no man might imprison them for anye cause nor they might not bee put to death by anye meane of ordinarie iustice Howbeit when one killed another or did sleepe with a Countrey Woman or did speake euill of the king then raigning Then would the king hauing iuste and true information of the matter make a Writing and sende the same to a head Officer commaunding him to cutte in péeces the offendour wheresoeuer hee was founde And after hee was deade there should bee hanged about him the kinges Writing to shewe the people wherefore hee suffered but no Law nor Iustice coulde touche him before the king had iustlye condempned him So by this Libertie and honour that Souldiours had is
that by tasting of miseries men are become happie written for that souldiers alwayes beares the burthen of sorrow and suffers more calamitie then any other people RIght worshipfull for that calamitie and combersome chances doe seeme intollerable too beare and for our first fathers offence they are the burthens of life and companions of man till the hower of his death I being often charged with the heauie faâ—dle of misfortunes haue taken in hand to treate of a troubled mynd and shewe what blessednesse and benefit to the body and soule this worldly in felicity bringeth As the common afflictions of mankind are many in number and seeme at the first feeling so irksome and weightie that few can suffer them or support them So a multitude of miseries accustometh the mind so long in the sharpnesse of sorrowes that a sound iudgement is made the more able therby to abide the brunte of troubles and attende for a short season a remedie of mischâ—eâ—eâ— by proofe â—he troth of this is tried For let the laboryng man or ordinarie porter that daily carries great burthens be often vsed to lift vp packes he shall better beare a great burthen then an other that is fine fingered shall bâ—e able to heaue a small peece of Timber And there is none that laboureth so sore but is sure at one tyme or other to attaine to rest and commoditie So that all sorrowes are to be compted but a sharpe sause to season the appetite and bring the sweete and delicate dishes into such order that it glut not the stomacke And nowe to consider how all pleasures are possessed and proâ—ittes take their begininges The very issue and originall of those yearthly commodities springes onely from continuall care and paine and labourious vexation of body and minde The greatest glories and chiefest seates of honour any where are gotten and compassed by this kinde of calamitie and the least or most sparkes of mans delite is maintained and at the length enioyed by the meane of studious labour and painefull exersices But herein to be briefe paine and labour is the portion appointed for man in his pilgrimage and they that are most persecuted so they be not tempted aboue their strength are most to be thought in fauour with God and happiest among men if heauenly graces and correction be measured by the yearthly vesselles of vanitie that we carry about which without correction and refourming would growe so full of filthe and corrupt manners that they neither could holde good liquor nor serue to any good purpose Doe you not behold that the purest mettall with ill looking vnto becometh full of cankers and rust if it be not scoured rubbed and roughly handled his beautie decayeth and the worth and vallue of it is little because it hath lost his vertue and estimation So mans corrupt Nature were it not serched with sundrie instrumentes that takes away the dead flesh and toutcheth the quicke would putrifie and waxe lothsome to the whole world and to the creature himselfe that beares it in his bowells And for the auoiding of such an inconuenience calamitie must be tasted and troubles are necessary for the keeping cleane of a spotted conscience and fraile body puffed vp with Pride and vanitie of curious conceits And so I proue aduersitie is the bringer home of good spirites and gentill wittes that wanders after worldly follies and runnes a gadding beyonde the boundes of measure to the vtter confines of daunger and destruction Yea a little trouble and torment produceth great goodnesse and bringeth soorth noble bookes and goodly workes which the libertie of life and wantonnesse of pleasure denies and hinders As a thing that drawes man from the coueting of Fame and true searching of immortalitie Mans prosperous estate breedes but idlenesse nourisheth vice contemnes vertue and banisheth good studies and learning albeit some one among the richest at one season or other may looke on a booke fauor writers and giue good speeches of well dooyng Yet seldome comes any great worke from their handes that are in prosperity And none in a manner but the afflicted did at any time hetherto yeeld benefit to their countrey and knowledge to the vniuersall worlde Let Socrates Plato Aristotle Cleantes and a number of poore Philosophers yea princes of education be witnesse of that I speake from which Philosophers the fountaine of noble Arts Sciences did spring and aboundantly flow The body pampered bedecked with beautie full of ornamentes and set out to sale like flesh in the Shambelles Either would be bought quickly or will be tainted in hanging too long in the winde So that as horses doe waxe reistie for want of good vsage and cleanest thinges taketh corruption by lacke of looking vnto in season Pleasure and liberty in processe of time makes a man wild if callamitie tame not thâ— bodie and bring the minde in willing subiection Sorrow sadnesse and other passions of this worlde that comes by common causes puttes the wittes and iudgemente to such a plonge secret shifte and policy that all the senses openly makes a muster to defend the estimation and vpright body from falling to which assemblie comes Patience Reuerence and Modestie that the matter is so well taken iniuries are put vppe and wronges that haue beene offered woorkes in a wise head a world of deuises wherein vertue gettes victorie To beare the comfortable crosse of persecution is the true badge of blessednesse whereby the seruant is seene to follow his maister and all the vices of man he maistered or reformed by the crossyng chances of this worlde and vertuous operation of calamitie which miraculously worketh the distempered minde as the hote Fornace tries out the Golde and the warme fire bringes in temper and makes softe the hard and coldest Waxe A deuine secret to them that are chosen and familiar example to those that glories in wordly felicitie who knowes the naturall causes of earthly thinges If a man might aske wherefore was man made sent from the highest dignitie of pleasures to this lowe dongion of sorrowes and base soile of seruitude It may be aunswered Adam was thrust out of Paradice for offence he had committed and for that he was formed out of the earth on the race of the earth he should get his foode and liuing as a vessell ordained to beare all manner of liquour that is put into it and as a Creature condemned to tast and feele tormentes sorrowes and troubles wherein man sees Gods mercie and his owne infirmities And refusing to beare and suffer what is laied vpon him hee seemeth to holde an other course then God hath appointed and so seeketh that he cannot attaine For since the earth was cursed it neuer could bring forth but cares and griefe of minde The onely fruit and painefull portion that was from the beginning prepared for al Adams children and posteritie Now some will replie and say that the rich and wealthy of the worlde that may wallow and tumble on their treasure Haue builded such
drops of claret wine The beaten snow nor Lily in the field No whiter sure then naked necke and hand My lookes had force to make a Lyon yeeld And at my forme in gase a world would stand My body small framd finely to be spand As though dame kind had sworne in solemne sort To shrowd herselfe in my faire forme and port No part amisse when nature tooke such care To set me out as nought should be awry To fornish forth in due proportion rare A péece of worke should please a princes eie O would to God that boast might proue a lie For pride youth tooke in beauties borrowde trash Gaue age a whippe and left me in the lash My shape some saide was séemely to each sight My countenance did shewe a sober grace Mine eies in lookes were neuer proued light My tongue in wordes was chast in euery case Mine eares were deafe and would no louers place Saue that alas a Prince did blot my browe Loe there the strong did make the weake to bowe The maiestie that kings to people beare The stately port the awefull cheere they showe Doth make the meane to shrinke and couch for feare Like as the hounde that doth his maister knowe What then since I was made vnto the bowe There is no cloake can serue to â—ide my fault For I agréede the fort he should assault The eagles force subdues ech bird that flies What mettall may resist the flaming fire Doth not the Sun dasill the cléerest eyes And melt the yse and make the frost retyre Who can withstand a puissant kings desire The stiffest stones are perced through with tooles The wisest are with Princes made but fooles Yf kinde had wrought my forme in common frames And set me forth in colours blacke and browne Or beautie had beene parcht in Phoebus flames Or shamefast wayes had pluckt my fethers downe Then had I kept my fame and good renowne For natures gifts were cause of all my griefe A pleasaunt pray entiseth many a théefe Thus woe to thée that wrought my peacocks pride By cloathing me with natures tapestry Woe worth the hewe wherein my face was dyde Which made me thinke I pleased euery eie Like as the starres make men beholde the skye So beauties showe doth make the wise full fond And brings free harts full oft in endlesse bond But cléere from blame my friends can not be found Before my time my youth they did abuse In mariage yoke a prentise was I bound When that méere loue I knewe not how to vse But wel away that cannot me excuse The harme is mine though they deuisde my care And I must smart and sit in slaunderous snare Yet giue me leaue to pleade my cause at large Yf that the horse doe run beyonde his race Or any thinge that kéepers haue in charge Doe breake their course where rulers may take place Or meate be set before the hungries face Who is in fault th'offender yea or no Or they that are the cause of all this woe Note well what strife this forced mariage makes What lothed liues doe come where loue doth lacke What scratching briâ—rs doe growe vpon such brakes What common weales by it are brought to wracke What heauy loade is put on patients backe What strange delights this branch of vice doth bréed And marke what graine springs out of such a seede Compell the hauke to sit that is vnmande Or make the hounde vnraind to drawe the deere Or bring the free against his will in band Or moue the sad a pleasant tale to here Your time is lost and you no whit the nere So loue ne learnes of force the knot to knit She serues but those that féeles swéete fancies fit The lesse defame redounds to my dispraise I was muste by traines and trapt by trust Though in 〈◊〉 force remained yeas and nayes Unto my friends yet needes consent I must In euery thing yea lawâ—ull or vniust They breake the bowes and shake the trée by sleight And bend the wand that mought haue growne full straight What helpe is this the pale thus broken downe The deere must needes in danger run astray At me therefore why should the world so frowne My weakenes made my youth a Princes pray Though wisdome should the course of nature stay Yet try my case who list and they shall proue The ripest wits are soonest thralls to loue What néede I more to cleere my selfe so much A king me wan and had me at his call His royall state his princely grace was such The hope of will that women seeke for all The ease and wealth the gifts which were not small Beâ—â—eged me so strongly round about My powre was weake I could not holde him out Duke Hanniball in all his conquest great Or Caesar yet whose triumphes did exceed Of all their spoyles which made them toyle and sweate Were not so glad to haue so rich a méede As was this prince when I to him agreede And yéelded me a prisner willingly As one that knewe no way away to fly The Nightingale for all his merry voyce Nor yet the Larke that still delights to sing Did neuer make the hearers so reioyce As I with wordes haue made this worthy King I neuer iarde in tune was euery string I tempred so my tongue to please his eare That what I saide was currant euery where Sweete are the songs that merry-night crow singes For many parts are in those charming notes Swéete are the tunes and Pipes that pleaseth kings Sweete is the loue wherein great Lordings dotes But swéetst of all is fancie where it flotes For throwe rough seas it smoothly swimmes away And in déepe flouds where skulles of fish doe play And where loue slides it leaues no signe nor showe Where it hath gon the way so shuts againe It is a sport to heare the fine night-crow Chaunt in the queere vpon a pricke song plaine No musicke more may please a princes vaine Then descant strange and voice of faurets breesâ— In quiet bower when birds be all at rest No such consort as plaine two parts in one Whose rare reports doth carry cunning clean Where two long loues and liues in ioy alone They sing at will the treble or the meane UUhere musicke wants the mirth not worth a beanâ— The king and I agreed in such concorde I ruld by loue though he did raigne a Lord. I ioynd my talke my iestures and my grace In wittie frames that long might last and stand So that I brought the King in such a case That to his death I was his chiefest hand I gouernd him that ruled all this land I bare the sword though he did weare the Crowne I strake the stroke that threwe the mightie downe If iustice said that iudgement was but death With my sweete wordes I could the King perswade And make him pause and take therein a breath Till I with suite the fautors peace had made I knewe what way to vse him in his trade I had
Yet in that plight who had on me remorse O God thou knowste my friends forsooke me than Not one holpe me that succred many a man They frownd on me that fawnd on me before And fled from me that followed me full fast They hated me by whome I set much store They ken we full well my Fortune did not last In euery place I was condemnde and cast To pleade my cause at bar it was no boote For euery man did treade me vnder foote Thus long I liud all weary of my life Till death approcht and rid me from that woe Example take by me both maide and wife Beware take heede fall not to folly so A Mirrour make by my great ouerthroe Defye the world and all his wanton wayes Beware by me that spent so ill her dayes T. Churchyard A Story of an Eagle and a Lady excellently set out in Du Bartas MOunt Eagle vp with fame and honour great By Pellycan that feedes her young with blood Of her owne brest make thou thy noble seat Thy vertues doe surmount all worldly good No bird but one which is a Phenix rare Doth thée surpasse or may with thee compare The Story A Lady once in Thraciaas we read Two Eagles found newe hatched in their neast The one she tooke and did that bird so feede And kept it warme amid her tender brest Tha as this dame fell sicke vpon a day This Eagle flue abroad to get his pray And what so ere this Eagle kild in field He brought it home as choycely as he might At mistresse foote the pray then would he yéelde Who mused much to see so strange a sight But mistresse health by this might not be had Which daily made the Eagle wonderous sad But still he flue to field for dainty fare To feede this dame that long a dying lay And when the bird saw house so full of care For mistresse death whose life was past away Upon the bed he sat and bowd his beake Downe to the flore to heare his mistresse speake Oft would he kisse her mouth as colde as stone And spread his winges abroad to warme her face And in his kind he made such heauy mone As man for wife may doe in such a case But when no life in mistresse might be found With his owne beake himselfe he gan to wound Brusd all his brest and body euery where Pluckt feathers off and flung them flat on flore Bled out of frame and did his flesh so teare That he could not no way flye out of dore Would take no foode nor rest but growling lay By bare bedstocke halfe dead full many a day At length her corse a funerall must haue Where mistresse must be burnd as was the gyse The Eagle then did follow her to graue And vnder winge did mount aloft in skyes And when in fire was cast this noble dame The Eagle flung himselfe amid the flame With pikes and staues the people held him backe That helpt no whit the Eagle there would burne So bent to seeke in fire his ruine and wracke Into the flame againe he did returne Mount Eagle then from dust and ashes héere Unto the clouds where vertue shineth cléere TO THE HONOVRABLE MY LADIE Carie. Sir George Caries wife one of the Ladies of the priuie chamber HAuing great desire good madame in some seruiceable sort to dedicate to you a peece of such my honest labors as may merit your Ladiships good liking I find my selfe so vnable for the same as in a manner halfe discouraged I doubted what inuencion I should take in hand but waieng your vertuous disposition ioyned with a sweet and courteous kind of behauiour that wins the worlds goodwill I presumed that your Ladiship would not thinke amisse of anie that would honour you in good meaning with such workes of the pen as becometh an humble writer to present to such a worthie Ladie so searching my simple storehouse of studies I found fit for my purpose though farre vnmeet for your reading a dolefull discourse of a haplesse man penned long a goe to bee looked on but cast carelesly aside therefore nowe reuiued againe to manifest his misfortunes that willinglie would not depart the world till his whole pilgrimage were well known to the best sort of people as the verses that followes shal amply declare which verses I commit to your ladiships iudgement and viewe wishing you much honour and good Fortune with encrease of vertue A TRAGICAL DISCOVRSE OF THE Haplesse mans life COme Courties al draw néere my morning hers Come heare my knell ere corse to church shal goe Or at the least come read this woefull verse And last farwell the haples penneth so And such as doth his life and manners kno Come shed some teares and sée him painted out That restles here did wander world about O pilgrimes poore presse néere my pagent nowe And note ful wel the part that I haue playd And wisely waye my thriftles Fortune throwe And print in brest ech word that héere is said Shrinke not my friends step forth stand not afrayd Though monstrous hap I daily héere possest Some swéeter chaunce may bring your hearts to rest For though the wretch in cold and hunger lies The happie wight in pompe and pleasure sits The weake falls downe where mightie folke aries The sound feeles not the féeble ague fits So world you wot doth serue the finest wits The wise at will can walke where shins the Sun And to the streame and floud ech fish will run And hap falles not to euery man a like Some sleepes full sound yet hath the world at call Some leapes the hedge some lights amid the dike Some sucks the sweat and some the bitter gall The vse of things blynd destnie giues vs all So though you sée ten thousand soules in hell Yet may you hope in heauens blisse to dwell Let my mishap a worldly wonder be For few can finde the fruit that I did tast Ne leaues nor bowes I found vpon the trée And where I ploud the Ground lay euer wast A man would thinke the child was borne in hast Or out of time that had such lucke as I For loe I looke for Larkes when falles the skye No soyle nor seat nor season serues my turne Ech plot is sowne with sorowe where I goe On mountaine top they say where torch should burn I find but smoke and lothsome smothring woe Neere Fountaine head where springs doe daily floe Cold yse I get that melts with warmth of hand So that I starue where Cocke and Cundits stand I quench small thirst where thousands drinke bib An empty cup I carry cleane away And though as leane as rake is euery rib And hollow chéekes doth hidden griefe bewray The riche cats all the poore may fast and pray No butter cleaus vpon my bread at néede When hungry maw thinkes throate is cut indéede The shallow brokes where little fishe are found I shun and séeke the Seas to swyin thereon Yet
to come The skréeking Owle in silent night at window clapt his winges To threaten death or badde successe of sundry doubtful thinges No ioyfull sound was heard with eare no newes of happy yeares No pleasure to the pinched heart in prison strong appeares Admit the Lute with touch of hand a heauy dumpe doth shoe A cooling comfort Musicke brings to wretches wrapt in woe No mirth with mourning moue may matche for mischiefe measure lacks And care consumes the minde of man as fire melts Uirgin Waxe In silly Sell and seuerall place these two estates did sit Whose comming out did far surmount the compasse of our wit As long they spent their tickle time in teene and terrour great So oft God wot of matters harde in head did hammers beat Now hoping that the clouds would calm and storms would stand at stay Then looking when the Planets turnd their course another way But shaken ships in Seas doe sincke when surges rise aloft And vnder waues for want of aide weake vessels welter oft So that no hope of succour seemes to come when tempests rage Except the gods draw back the plagues and winde and weather swage The present panges and parlous thoughts that pearceth troubled minds Is knowne to none but such I say that lacke of fréedome findes A prisner beares a simple port most glad to please and ply As subiect to the kéepers becke and iellouse Gailors eye Now tracing out a weary walke now whisht and quiet stands Now down on knées now to the clouds lookes vp with stretched hands Now listning after happy neweâ— now nipt with sorrowes old Now sore abasht and brought in muse now merry stout and bold Now ripe and ready for to speake now dombe and dare not store Now fearfull of each sodaine sound and clap of euery dore Now bent to beare and suffer wrong now full reposde on right Now faine to fawne on féeble folke now setting all thinges light These passions still awakes their spryets that carefull captiues are Such smart they tast such bread they bite that feedes on loaues of carâ— Yea some are serude with change of meats yet touch they neare a dishe But sits like Tantalus in Hell and wants that most they wishe These twaine I troe were not so vsde but yet when best they sped On heauie morfâ—els mixte with mone their hungrie stomackes fed No day stoode free from Fortunes foyle no houre but nourisht feare No season serude to salue the sores of soking sorrowes there No drinke could coole the furie hote of thraldomes thirstie throte No pleasant verie nor dittie framde to dolors dolfull note No booke nor story might reuiue their drowping dead delite For through the thoughts of thirled hartes are pleasures banisht quite To slowth to sléepe and mirthlesse moodes their dompish daies enclinde As from the clue of worldly cares should threde of life vntwinde Dispiesd the night abhord the daye and hated houre of birth Thought scorne of foode and cleane forsooke the pleasures of the earth Would faine haue lost both speach breath and looke when hearts would burst Beleude they were in mothers wombe or else in cradell curst Though drousie dreed did death desire and griefe sought quicke dispatch There was no parting from the place till day discharge the watch Wee cannot pay our borrowed breath before thâ—appoynted houre The end of strife nor staie of state stands not in peoples power The God that guides the heauens high in secret doth beholde The fine and fléeting féeble course of earth and massie molde The heart may heaue the breast may blâ—e the bodie sigh and swelt The face by open sinnes may show of priuy paâ—hons felt But all the stormes haue little force to rid mans wretched dayes As by these 〈◊〉 playne I prooue through torments sundrie waies Well those from whom the Gods restraine the scope and vse of will Must bend the backe and bow the ioyntes to beare the burthen still And yet no toyle nor griefe so great but findes at length some ease There follows after swelling floodes a quiet calmie seas By meane of sute and labours long and gracious Prince indeede A swéeter soyle these Prisoners sound that better blood did breed But kept apart as Fortune shapt and so in silent shade As place and time did licence graunt a fresh complaint they made Of crooked chaunce and straunge extremes that soâ—dred faythfull hartes Whose sugred loue was euer mixt with baâ—e and bitter smartes And neuer after like to méete nor set no eye nor vewe The one vppon the other Lord a matter much to rew Long in the broyle of this conflict and battle of the mind They past their time with bare beléefe of better happ behind And wearing out with wailings long their weary liues God wot And finding hauen chooked vp where passage should be got At ankor vnder watch and ward in tossed Barke they laye From whence there was no quiet meanes nor hope to scape awaie The Lady now for last farewell betooke her selfe to teares And of dispaire in pearsed brest a double portion beares Her hollow chéekes and daseled eyes declarde her death was néere And bad her kéepers to prepare both shrowding shéete and Beere For nature did denie her life her hart was taynted so That cankred thought should come ful soone and make an ende of woe Her colour changde her chéerfull lookes and countenaunce wanted spréete To â—allow ashes turnde the hue of beauties blossomes sweete And drery dulnesse had bespred the wearish bodie throw Ech vitall vaine did flat refuse to doe their dutie now The blood forsooke the wonted course and backward ganne retire And left the limmes as cold and swarâ—e as coles that wastes with fire The moysture taken from the trée the leaues droppe downe apace When sap dries vp and fayles the roote the braunches loose their grace Some bowes you see doe florish fayre and groes a goodly height And some by frost and cold ayre nipt and so are blasted streight As euery fruite and flowre in fielde to yéelde to sodaine claps So all that breathes with liuing soule are subiect to mishaps How should this dame desire to liue that hourely wore awaye Who would not shed some teares to sée this tender twig decay What stonie hart could suffer more and beare with euen hand The wearie wight of worldly woes and whiske or whipping wand And when she saw her hourâ— approche and death his dutie crauâ— And shee amid her chiefest prime must goe to gréedie graue Shée tooke of World a noble leaue and calling for a friend Who liueth yet and can report how she did make an end Shee sayd with loude and comely voyce O world I thee forsake I haue béene here a Pilgrime long and now my leaue I take Of all thy pompe and pleasures vaine that makes my sences blinde Whose glorie doth beginne with payne and ends with griefe of minde In dungeon déepe of dayntie thoughtes thou holdest euerie wight And féedes their foolish fancie still
mourning chéere to part from them God knowes For children finde small comfort héere when hence the mother goes If God moue not the Princes minde to pittie their estate Now as the Ladie did at large about her Babes debate Uppon her déere bought iewell than shée cast her onely thought Yea for whose sake and great good will shee was in trouble brought And pausing on this matter through a heauie sigh she gaue O good sir Knight sayd shee to one a thing of you I craue Commend me to my worthy friend and bid him comfort take And hope in God and Princes grace though I doe world forsake He may doe well and freedome get but mée hee shall not méete Till from the caue of pampred flesh departes his groning spréete Whiles life I had I honoured him and safely kept my vow As life did bind mee his in all so death doth loose mée now From him and all my worldly ioyes but though my friend I leaue On high where dwells a greater freind if hope not mée deceauâ— I trust to sée his babes and him and though much griefe it is To leaue them heere in bitter bale yet note I goe to blisse Where is no mind of combrous cares nor cause of sorrow knowne O tell him that aboue I hope these stormes shall be ore blowne And as a scroule is â—apped vp yea so shall all thinges héere When soule shall be immortall made vnto our view appeere No sooner of the soule shée spoke but sodaine chaunge beganne In lookes and limmes of deadly showâ— with colour pale and wan The eyes did stare the bodie stretch the strength and force did faile The teeth they chattered in the Cheekes the handes did quake and quayle The mouth did some the head did shake the flesh it quiuered fast The feet waxt cold the face did sweate full swift the pulses past The heart did heaue and beat in breast the breath like earth did sent At eares and nose the stiffled Ghost and vitall life sought vent Though gasping breath brought passioÌ„s on and gripâ— hâ—r heart full hard Yet showd she through those sharpe assaults to â—rend a great regard And calling for a boâ—e of Kinges among them chose shee one In which was set by cunning Art a rich and precious stone Hold carrie this quoth shee good Sir to my deere noble Knight He can remember what that stone presents vnto his sight The other token that I send it is a waightie ring Best likt and dearest bought God wot of any earthly thing And when you shall giue him this gift desire him well to minde The little Impes the pretty soules the babes I leaue behinde And bid him bring them vp in feare of God and Prince I saie Lâ—e that is all I doe require of him my dying daie I haue no gold to send my Babes but blessing I them giue Which God confirme with grace good storâ— as long as they shall liue O yet there is another ring which loe my lone must sée Where is my picture death I meane and tell my friend from mee That I as colde and sencelesse too shall be in little space As is that shaddow dum and deaffe and spritelesse shape of face This done shée turnde her head aside and bad them all farewell Twere good quoth shee in signe of death I heard the passing bell For such as liue may pray the while and know when bell doth toule Into the bowells of the earth the bodie parts from soule Yet meete they shall when trumpet sounds and that the dead arise And both together shall ascende I hope to starrie skies With this beganne the battell fierce betwéene her life and death Like Ghost shée lay whiles heart did grone and mouth gepte wide for breath Then sayd shee Lord into thy handes I doe commend my spréeâ— And so her selfe closde vp her eyes and hid her head in sheet And went awaie like infant young cleane voyde of storme or rage Or like a bodie falls a sléepe that cannot speake for age Thus breathlesse lay this Lady now like weightie lump of clay That earst had life and feeling force and past like floure away But when the newes of this was brought vnto her Playffeers eares With roaring voyce and blubbred eyes there gushed out such teares That witnest well with outward signes what woe heâ— felt within And truely tolde when shée did ende his delour did beginne Be rest of sleepe and robde of rest hée romed vp and downe And cast of wéedes of worldly pompe and clapt on mourning Gowne No ease nor pleasures could possesse nor féele the taste of meate Resolude to pine and staâ—â—e himselfe his griefes they were so great No councell could him comfort long and still alone he drue To mourne to mâ—ane to houle and cry and make complaint anâ—e And worne away with woefull sighes when sorrow helped not At length the life must be sustaynde with some reliefe yée wot But how he takes this mischiefe yet and how the matter goeth It passeth farre my reach and wit to iudge I tell you troth His Ladie gene as you haue heard when dayes and yeares were spent In thraldome long yet after that was better fortune seâ—t For into Princes grace againe hee came by blessed chaunce And so he liues in open Worlde where vertue may aduaunce Both him and many thousandes more that Noble liues doe leade And wisely walke with vpright mindes and steps of honour treade Loe héere you Dames of high renowne a Ladies death set out Whose life for faith full few shall finde that seekes wide world about To God and Prince repentaunt sure to worlde a mirrour bright Wherefore with tongue and true report resounde her prayse a â—ight FINIS Syr Symon Burley complains to him that knowes what sorrow meanes Sir Simon brought vp at Schoole with the Prince of Wales and Aquitayne Into Galatia to coÌ„duct Don Petro King of Castell Sir Simon was sent as one of chiefest for that purpose Hee appeased an vprore in the Citty of London The Dutches of Burbon prisoner and did raunsome Sir Simon Burley One Pascall was sent from the K. of Nauarhether for sauiour and Kinge Richarde made Sir Simon answer the Ambasdor the Earl of Salisbury and other in presence Kinge Richarde sent him to conclude a mariage and the Duke of Tasson was sent hither with Sir Simon from the king of Beam Almaine aboute this matter He was Lorde Chamberlain The Earle of Oxford called duke of IrelaÌ„d fauored much 〈◊〉 Simon The band that the duke made against the king the duke of Yorke the Earle of Salisbury the earle of Arundell the earle of Northumberland the earle of NottinghaÌ„ the archbishop of Canterburie A noble of euery 〈◊〉 in England was the taxe that the naughty duke sayd the king did demaund The Duke of Glocester and Duke of York with others maligned those the king fauoured King Richards best friends were by traytors frowardly handled The Bishop of Canterbury accusde him of sacrilege conuaying money ouer the Sea by night to the king of Beam The Prince of Orâ—nge M. Candeler maister of the assuraunces in the Royall Exchange is aliue witnesse to this M. Iosephe Loupo his Brother Peter two excellent musitionâ— are aliue witnesse to this in like sorte For poisning her maister A right figure of death A patterne of Death
knacke Beare euen hand and holde the bridle right Yet whiskt the wande sometimes for pleasures sake Yea spyce thy speach and tearmes with trifels light That lookers on may not thy mind mistake When store is gone yet doe thy budget shake Among the best and féede their fancies still No matter though a mouse créepe out of hill Small toyes may bréede great sporte in great estates And in great grounds men walke through little gates Doe wisely warne and warely vse thy pen Speake english playne and roue about the but And shoote at will and flaunt by wicked men Shale cut the shell and bid them cracke the Nut Shew some delight and so the sentence shut And bid the world beholde mee in a glasse That did to ruine from Pompe and pleasure passe Now I am gone I wish the rest behinde As they desire may better Fortune finde FINIS THE MAN IS BVT his Minde TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull my singular good friend Sir Iohn Skidmoer one of the Liefetenants of Haruordshire I Am not forgetfull good Sir Iohn of a promise made touching The man is but his minde Which worke now I present you though not so well penned as the matter requireth yet as wel ment as any peece of worke in this Booke written as well to keepe promise as to show the circumstance of the mistery that belongeth to euery mans minde and to hope that all I write thereof shall be as well taken as a dutifull writer can meane I haue plainely set downe mine opinion in that behalf doubting not but some one man or other shall see a peece of his owne minde in this my presumption of the same So wishing your good and vertuous minde augmented in grace and your selfe encreased in worship and contentation of mind I betake you to God and fall to my purposed discourse AS I was reading in the delightfull discourses of Ieronimus Cardanus his comforts among many pleasant passages and speciall sentences I founde that he said A man was but his mind either in the value of vertue or vanity of vice So waying the worth of that conclusion knowing that Manhood or Cowardize consistes in the selfe same opinion of the minde I considered that common quarrels and priuate reuengement of Iniuries receiued proceeded in a manner from this spring and flowing Fountaine that euer is fedde and nourished with som setled conceite or other For the minde is so noble watchfull and worthy that it is neuer vnoccupied whilest the man is awaken nor taketh any great rest when the body is a sleepe as some dreames and visions manifesteth plaine For euen as a cunning CarpeÌ„ter or Smith is hammering and heawing some péece of wood or iron to bring the same to such shape and perfection as the artificer would haue it So the minde the harber of all secretes and mouer of all good and bad motions can at no season be idle or wax weary of deuises The Imaginations thereof are so many and the innumerable conceites therein are so mighty the fire is of such vehement heat and operation that it must néedes burne or consume any thing that long remaines in it so the minde is of such force and power that it leadeth the man any way it listeth and shapes al the sences and vitall spirites in what forme or fashion it pleaseth For the longer the fancies of the head by rouling to and froe are tired and at length reposeth themselues in the constantnes of the minde the more is the mans reason subiect to the mindes resolution and the lesse strength the iudgement hath when it féeles the forces of the body captiuated and compeld to obay the greatnes of the minde Though learning education and good instructions be a meane and restraint that a peruerse mind shall not draw the whole body to destruction yet the minde being bent to some dangerous determination hath ouercome all the good causes rehearsed and brought both the body reputation and life into a shamefull disorder and made a cruell confusion not onely of the man but likewise brought a licentious liberty to the minde experience of proud practises hath proued this argument no fable but now to talke truely and probably of the minde what can be named or thought on if they be things to be executed but the minde dare attempt and the man may goe about it dare aduenture the hazarde of the soule the losse of life and goods and the cracking of estimation and credit if any purposed mischiefe hale the minde forewarde to some odious enterprises this showes but a weakenes of Iudgement naughtines of nature and a most wicked and wilfull disposition of a desperate conceite diuelishly drawen and enclined and carelesly coÌ„mitting it selfe to euery kinde of practises and dangerous determination But now to touch the noblenes of an inuincible minde that neither Fortune can conquer power may commaund nor worldly pompe nor wealth can winne The true discourse of this minde craues a writer of a higher knowledge for the vnspeakeable spirite that keepes life and breatheth continuall constancy in the brest where this minde makes his mansion house is to be explained and set forth by the profoundest pen man of the worlde that can lay open like an Anotomy the hidden and secrete partes of the body especially the diuine nature closed vp in flesh and bloud and secrecy belonging to the vertue of this manly and valiaunt minde Some men there are and though they boast not much the nuÌ„ber may be great that with a strong heart can suffer afflictions beare burthens abide disgraces and in their most torments seeme careles of all the crossings counterchecks is offered them yet they are armed within to withstand all outward assaults as it were a fortresse manned with souldiers and munition throughly to defend it selfe against the power of Princes practises of warlike people yea as they in peace can vse this approued patience so in the hottest broiles of the warre the hope to ouercome the cruelty of their enemies doth redouble their courages and so with a resolute minde the Cannon they approch the combate they present and the present daunger is presently forgotten a present matter of great momeÌ„t to be in the presence and presented before the vniuersall people placed vnder the cope of the heauens But yet I can not leaue out the mind they haue of honour in greatest extremities for minding the preseruation of Prince and countrey they clap on such a minde as Mucius Sceuola did that burned his hande in the â—ire for missing the killing of Porcena They care not in like sort for imprisonment penury hunger torting racking but can suffer all manner of misery as want of meat lacke of liberty and open aire and lie on the hard earth or bare strawe to kéepe their enemies out of the Fort or hould committed to their charge yea and in respect of the loue they loyally beare to their Countrey they suffer many a mortall wound and in the end offer
themselues to the death manifestly to showe that a man is but his minde and the minde is it that makes the man both famous immortall Now to the contrary come to the nature and condition of a Coward whose minde is neuer to do any noble act for he that can beare the infamy and blot of that name to be called a Coward liues carelesse of all other villanies and no reproche slaunder shamefull report fowle fact or what filthines can be rehearsed may make him blushe his miserable minde is so monstrous that all soiles kingdomes and countries are alike for him to liue in and as a countrey cur delightes to gnaw a bone on a midding so he is fed fatte among wretches of the world with folly beastlines lewd behauiour and a number of naughty conditions neither fit to be followed nor néedefull to be written of The studient that mindes nothing so much as learning takes such a pleasure and felicity in hearing and reading new deuises and auncient authors that his Bookes are onely his companions and solitary places the swéete soiles of his repaire and he holdeth time so precious anâ— deere that he spends in Idlenes no one howre of the day and hath such glory in gaining of knowledge shal he makes no account of any other Treasure knowing that he that hath vertue is next vnto God nor delighteth in any society or company but such as are learned wise graue and honest and when long labour and study hath gathered the swéete Sap of Iudgement as the Bée hath sucked Hony from the flowres he writeth new volumes and setteth out such workes and pamphlets as may merite commendation and purchase credite and benefite and be accepted and embraced among all posterities that mind hath a naturall disposition in all diuine graces and that mindâ— is as a day watch to the body and stands as a strong Guard to the Soule and euerlasting renown The ignoraunt minde that hates education and despiseth knowledge is an enemy to himselfe and all common wealthes most currish and rude of condition barbarous and sauage as an vnâ—amed beast he swels and powts like a Tode to heare the praise of a good man and mindes nor loues nothing but blockishnesse ribawdry and corrupt manners and hath so naughty an inclination and is subiect to so many defectes and deformities that this naught and lewde minde is not necessary to bee knowen among men nor made mention of where noble minds are estéemed Now in generall let euery particular man here somewhat of himselfe There are some kinde of men made of so fine a moulde whose mindes may not suffer them to here beholde touch or come neare any lothsome or vncleane thing such mindes disdaines to offend the sight which is a cleare candle of life with vnseemely shoes and will not haue the Soule defiled with conceiuing of filtâ—y matters that moues a general misliking in the whole Iudgement and euery part of the body and minde to abhorre the vnderstanding of any foule and infectious thing either ministred by talke or vttered by vew in open assembly Another sort of base minded fellowes haue their onely ioyâ— in fruitlesse babble foolish fancies and offensiue wordes that thunders in the aire and corrupts good maners that fils a house full of clamors and bruite and makes a fewe Idiots laugh and many wise men lowre but these haerbraine tratlers and fantasticall minded mates striuing to haue all the talke themselues and glorying to here their owne voice do sodainly become so audacious and bolde that they are not onely a trouble to the whole company but likewise a disquietnes to themselues as apparauntlye falleth out for when such vaine glorious minded marchaunts are knowen and perceiued they are glad that first can be rid of their fellowship and society A graue and modest minded man looks into a statelier kind of life and skornes to open his mouth but in causes of credite and matter of great moment and then the wel couched spéeches and swéete spised sentences comes flowing from his tongue as the faire water spouteth from the fountain a man of that aduisednes carries an easy hand ouer the rash multitude and gathers to his minde a greater knowledge of the course of this world and euen as the persing songs and musicall harmony of the Nightingale reioyseth the hearts of the hearers so the sweete tempred talke of a wise Orator drawes the eares of the audience after him and leades them in a string that haue anye motion and minde of vertue or can consider the value worth of such a well minded man The merry and pleasant companion in his kinde beares another disposition for his minde is so delightfull that his tonge is like a Taber and a Pipe prettily playing and gibing on euery mans mannors and he that carries this minde is continually tuning him selfe as a Minstrell were tempring and wresting of his Instrument to pleasure with sports the dumpishe people that sits listning to heare some straunge pastime but in this merry minde are many humors that are fedde with some sharpe and bitter conceits which often turns to ouer bolâ— boording and yet a well ordered minde can smoothly cast a clowde cunningly on the matter to auoide all suspition and to bringe the world in beliefe a merry fellow for the solasing of his own minde hath free scope and liberty to ride by his neighbours and yet keepe euery one cleane from dashing and he himselfe to be taken as a man whose mind meanes alwaies to make all the company merry A greedy minded groaper of this world lookes solemnly on all thinges he goes about and in a surly sort and fashion stands bending the browes and frowning at a number of accidents he beholdes his talke is of bargaines purchases buildings and prises of each thing that commeth to the market and mindeth so much his priuate gaine and profite that he forgets both common wealth and countrey neuer merry but when his money and bags be vnder his Elbow and alwaies sad when hee must depart with any great sumâ—e and payment though double benefite proceede from the same a minde ready to doe wrong and a body neuer apte to doe seruice in warres nor liue quietly without brabble in peace The vnthrift or more properly called a player at al manner of games sets his minde so earnestly thereon that he will losâ— meat sleepe and rest to winne somewat by gaming many times practising to packe the Cards and cogge the Dice sodenly moued for a little losse to fall into a great fury a minde that couets al and makes no conscience if it be at play to beguile his companion yet many of them haue such minde to be called fair players that they are as carelesse what they lose as they are desirous to gaine but if the losse be great full many a raw Pigeon lies wambling in their stomackes after their first sleepe and yet waking they minde nothing more then a reuenge eyther to take a
diuers doe good hap and frendship win And duetie makes a World of people flocke And thousands Loe drawes water from the Cocke I scearse may moyst my mouth when thirst is great And hart is cleane consumde with scalding heat A spring of kind doth floe aboue the brim Yet cannot stoppe a Fountaine if you would For through hard rockes it runneth cléere and trim And in some Ground it casts vp grayne of Gold It bursts the Earth and deepely digges the Ground It gusheth out and goes in sundry vaines From mountaines top and spreadeth al the playnes The Spring créepes vp the highest hil that is And many Wells thereon are easly found And this I wot where doe you water mis Small fruit doth grow it is but barraine Ground The soyle is sweete where pleasaunt springes abound The Cowslop sproutes where spring and fountaines bée And floodes beginne from fountaine heades you sée The laboring man thereat doth cole his heat The birdes doe bathe their breasts full brauely there The brutest beastes therein find pleasures great And likes not halfe so well another where What cause in mee what doubt what fault or feare That I may not in this so weake a plight Go drinke my fill where ech thing hath delight The more wée drawe the water from the well The better farre wee bring the spring in frame The seas themselues of nature rise and swell The more the wind and weather workes the same The fire burnes best when bellowes blowes the flame Let thinges stand still and stirre them not in time They shall decay by meane of drosse and slâ—â—ne I sée some streames with stickes are choked vp And Riuers large are marde with beds of sande I sée some bring from Doels an emptie cup Yet craue an almes and showes a néedie hand I see bare boyes before the banket stand And no man sayth loe poore man if thou wut Take heere a dish to fill thy hungrie gut Of cormorant kind some crammed Capons are The more they eate the more they may consume Some men likewise the better that they fare The worse they bee and sicker of the rume And some so chafe so frowne so fret and fume When others féede they cannot God hée knows Spare any time the dropping of their nose The bordes are spread and feasts are made thereon And such sits downe that hath their bellies full Whose greedy mouthes from dogge would snatch the bone Which snudges swell and looke like greiste wull They puffe they blowe yea like a bayted bull And shoue them backe that on small crumes would féede Whose patient heartes makes vertue of a neede The Glutton thinkes his belly is too small When in his eye a dayntie morsell is Hee grines and gapes as though no crum should fall From him and lookes as all the world were his Thus such as want are sure the post to kis For poulting pride doth presse so fast in place That poore plaine Tom dare scarse come shew his face Ech one doth seeke for to aspire and rise Yet hate wee those that doth by vertue clime The foole hee scornes the worship of the wise Yet dolts presume beyond the wise sometime And all this strife is but for drosse and slime That out of earth we dig with daungers deepe Full hard to winne and much more wordes to keepe This makes me muse when some haue heapes in hord They will not helpe the neerest friend they haue And yet with smiles and many a friendlie word They graunt to giue before a man doe craue Such Barbors fine can finely poule and shaue And wash full cleane till all away they wash Then good sir Grime like lob they leaue in lash What should men loose when they enough haue had If that they part with thinges that might be sparde A little peece out of a golden gad For seruice long might be a great reward No no as steele and flint is stiffe and hard So World is waxt and no good turne is found But where indeede doe double gifts rebound We make a legge and kisse the hand withall A French deuice nay sure a Spanish tricke And speake in Print and say loe at your call I will remaine your owne both dead and quicke A Courtier so can giue a lobbe a licke And dresse a dolt in Motley for a while And so in sléeue at silly Woodcocke smile If meaning went with painted wordes and shoes It might suffice such courteous cheare to tast But with the same disdaine and enuie goes And trumpry great with wind and wordes in wast Then arme in arme comes flattery full in hast And leads away the sences out of frame That vpright wits are thereby striken lame This lowting lowe and bowing downe the knée But gropes mens mindes to créepe in credits lap Like malte horse then he holdes vp head you sée That late before could vaile both knée and cap The Nurse a while can feede the child with pap And after beate him on the bréech full bare A swarme God wot of these fine Natures are There be that bites yet gronts and whines withall There be that winnes yet sweare and sayth cylose There be that stops and steales away the ball There be that plantes a weede and plucks a rose There be pleads want to whome the fountaine floes Such hides their haps to make the world to thinke At faire well head they need not for to drinke The whales you see eates vp the little fish The pretie Penk with Sammon may not swime The greatest heades are fed with finesh dish The foulest piss saire water runneth trime He gets the gaine that standeth néere the brime He blowes the cole that hath cold fingers still He starues for bread that hath no corne at mill A world to see the course and state of thinges Some would get vp that knows not where to light Some soer the skies that neuer had no winges Some wrastle well by cunning not by might Some seemes to iudge faire coulours without sight And euery one with some oddâ— shift or grace In world at will runnes out a goodly race But to be plaine I lag and come behinde As I were lame and had a broken leg Or else I cannot lye within the winde And hearken still what I might easely beg I neede no say in mouth I haue geg For I haue spoke and sped in matters small By helpe of him that hath my verses all But farre God wot I am from that to seeke And misse the marke that many men doe hit Wherefore salt teares doe trickle downe the chéeke And heart doth feele full manie a woefull fitt And so aside in solempne sorrow sit As one indeede that is forsaken cleane Where most he doth deserue and best doth meane No matter now though each man march and treade On him that hates the life he beares about Yet such as shall these heauie Verses reade Shall finde I blame my fortune out of doubt But since on hope no better hap will sprout I