our dayes no stay for vs to leane vnto Incertaine is each thought we thinke or what we els can doe Well if thou be esspoused once and linck'd with wedlockes chaine Conuert thou not to others vse least hatefull be thy gaine For looke what order thou dost vse the same thou shalt imbrace When as thou comest before that Iudge that Iudgeth each mans case Beware no wantonnesse be seene O mayden some so pray Liue as thou wouldst intend to liue in life for lasting aye Loue onely one in secret thought as heart and onely deere So shall thy life be Chaste in deede this sentence is most cleere Yea cleere most cleere as cleere may be which shineth like the sunne Bruted abroade by flying Fame which neuer shall be done Beautie is but a blazing bayte in high respect of this Yet Beautie pleaseth mindes of men as certaine true it is Beautie is glorious in Attyre according to her hue Alluring the eyes of men vpon her for to view Marke this I say you Cupids knights esteeming Beautie so That it may happen for to hit to bring you vnto wo. Was not strong Sampson he beguilde when harlot clipt his hayre Was not the valiant Hercules also ketched in snare Did not Poore Paris buy it deere for Hellina so fine When all the Troyans felt the smart as Terrour did assigne Did there not rise Achilles wrath vpon him silly man Which did conclude in blooddy broylâ— a wosull cause to skan Did not the vitious Sodomites and Gomorians feele the smarte Because they had not grace to turne and from sinne to conuert No preaching could them reforme til fiery flames from hye Did downe â—â—scend them to destroy O ruthfull miserye What was the cause their fleshly liues their vile and vitious deedes They follow not Dame Chastnesse steppes whom Ryot onely feedes But if they had addicted beene to chastnesse and good life They had not felt the furiouse force of their deserued strife But they were giuen ryotously to pleasure and to pride It is impossible well to liue where grace doth want to guyde Oh Chastnesse thou the floure of grace the Impe of ioy so deere The Lanthorne light of life so pure which shines like Christall cleere The proppe the piller and the stay which holdes vp honest life The hope of heauen the hap of ioy which euer shall be rife Oh God what Beneficialnesse by Chastnesse doth insue Much more then I with tongue can tell or pen can well renew Or if I had Dame Pallas Ayde or Poets learned stile Yet trust me true I were too weake her praise for to compile Wherefore of Poets thus I craue such pardon to attaine Since that but skillesnesse doth leade in verse to shew my vaine For surely I not presume in gloriouse title braue But from my heart deuoyde of guile pardon of them I craue For to proceede as simple witt shall lend me simple skill Where nothing wantes but learning she to aide my readie will The horse although his force be small yet if he haue desire Is worthie simply of great praiseâ— though he ly in the myre Euen so I must confesse to you I haue an earnest will To praise this worthie gifte in deede though simple be my skill Wishing I had beene learn'd in schooâ—e among the learned sorte Then should I with lesse tediousnesse haue made this my reporte But truly I lament the losse of that I most desire Which to recouer by no meanes I can not well require But Lord it is a world to see how foolish fickle youth Accompts the schoole a purgatorie a place of paine and ruth And neuer are in quyet minde till absent thence they bee Youth onely mindeth playe and sporte apparantly we see But when that Time hath brought our yeareâ— and some experience gayned Then they lament the losse of Time â— which once they so disdayned A lamentation made to late is lothsome to inuest For to receaue the losse of Time is pensiue to the brest What meane I thus to spend my Time so fondly to recyte I see t is want of learned lorâ— to guide me now aright Me thinkes I heare one say to me go too go on proceede Of former matter to intreate for this is more then neede Praise thou Dame Chastnesse as thou shouldst Digresse not so aside And to thy matter directly go and in it do abide Wherewith I blusht and said againe oh Sir I pardon craue Accuse me not for slipping so my matter to deprauâ— But giue me leaue to raunge a while by foolish fancie fraught So shall you pleasure me no small since that my wittes be naught But since I did digresse so much I ten times praise this Dame Whose Chastitie and vertuouse life deserues eternall Fame Her steppes are steady like the rocke her fortresse is so stronge As no assault of Cupids Crue shalt enter in by wrong And as the pleasant meades refresh the flying foules in aire So doth Dame Chastnesse comforte giue to those that might dispaire Which suffer many Derisious floâ—tes and mokes of vilde and vitious kinde Yet sure the chaste and constant life all sorrowes do vnbinde A rich rewarde by Due desert to see such culling mates Be tinged about the towne in Cart and pulled by the pates When Chastnesse resteth like a Queene In high Magnificence With reuerence done of honest sorte and scapeth such offence As maketh them oft times asham'd and shrinke their heades in hold And chaunge in colours blacke and blew as though they were acold But Truth to say they are a colde in this chast honest lore They are more hote in Venus flames then honestie in store Reuoake recant relent with speede least Time do come to late I speake not to the honest Dames but to the viciouse mate For why I neede no honest warne then should I be too bold And I were worthy to be blam'd so much for to vnfolde Oh worthie wightes you sporte your mindes with sadde and sober sightes Oh gloriouse Chastnesse how she shines oh blest and happie wightes O sacret Dame by Ioue ordayn'd to be in heanenly place Where as no spot of spotted life thy seate shall once deface But with a heauenly body thou shalt there remaine for Aye Where Angels sitte in seemely sight which neuer shall decay Why then who would not liue a life as Chast as Chast might bee For they shall haue as promise iâ— eternall blisse you see Where contrariwise we purchase death and flashing flames of fire In Plutoes pit to spend our Time if grace we not require There shall we see the broyling brands and fendes of vgly hue There shall we heare lamenting cries with Torments that renewe Upon such mates whom Carnall Lust in life of fleshly will They had not grace for to repent but did perseuer still To greate confusion of their soule in euerlasting fire Wherefore God graunt we may be Chaste for to avoyde his Ire And that we treade Dame Chastnesse
mone To consâ—â—ue of each crosse conceipts is guyder vnto grone Whereâ—ore to vse indifferently the causes of ill lucke Is meane to moue no inwarde hate vpon our thâ—ught to sucke We see by due examples shewed the chaunges of our time We see ther 's none so warely liues that alwayes voydeth cryme We see who most doth frame him selfe to sober sorte of life Is forced though against his will to try and tast of strife The most of all that we do finde as hinderers of good happe Are crooked causes which do come our state for to intrappe The daintie dayes of due delight whereon some trust repose Incertaine are nothing so sure as life and them to lose The featured face which florisheth in beawtie blasing braue Shall wrimpled be when hoary Age commaundes it vnto graue The golden hayre which glittereth and showes so by in hewe Shall lodged be in cloddes of clay and kept from worldly view The listening eares which do delight in tales reporting pleasures Shall become deafe and brought to ground when death doth find his leasure The truthlesse tâ—ngue which doth agree to flatter and to faine Shall feede the wormes as it hath fed a number with disdaine The pleasant nose which takes repast to smell each pleasant sent Shall lose the profit of the same and vnto death relent The fingers that can finely frame to strike the ioyfull Luâ—e Shall cease from pleasure of the same when Death doth Life confute The feete which wonted were to goe and vnto mirth resorte Must be content to rest at home and leaue off former sporte The wanton wight which takes delight to cut it with his blade By tract of Time growes from that vse whein Age doth him inuade The Preacher he which feedes his flocke with ghostly counsell pure Must yeelde to death and be content his pangues for to endure The wise and worthiest wighte of all that euer liued here Must be content to yeelde to Death as plainely doth appeare Thus to conclude we may be bold each one of natures frame Shall taste of Death when mightie Ioue assigned hath the same Verses sent vnto his friend B. M. IN all thy deedes be circumspect Thy secretes not disclose But vnto such in whom thou dost a faithfull trust repose And if thou hast a â—aithfull friend be loth him to offend Accounte thoâ— not of flattering friendes thy eares to such not bend Serue God with faithfull fixed faith and frame thy life so iust As that thy carnall motions do not moue thee vnto lust Conceaue and way well thine estate take not too much in hand Frame thy expences as thou maist liue free from others band In doing this with iust regarde thou shalt auoyd much blame And euery one that markes thy vse will praise thee for the same Verses written for one who espyinge his friends fauour and countenance to be altered from the former fashion to satisfie his request he wrote as followeth I See and dayly spy by open viewe too plaine That those which once estem'd of me begin me to disdaine And much I muse thereat but my ill lucke is cause I stand in doubt and dumpish dreed and somtime in a pause I sigh I sobbe I waile I knocke vpon my brest I tosse me here I tosse me there as one that takes no rest I looke like sillie soule with ruthfull running eye And cast my head oft times abacke good countenance to espy But Lord how coy it seemes and squaimish to the showe I neuer thought that courteouse kind such malice once woulâ— owe. Oh Fortune fickle Dame in whom remains no trust Whose wauering chaunces are no â—taytâ— grouÌ„d vpoÌ„ for iusâ— As thou procurest friendes so thou procurest foes As thou makes â—ich so thou makes poore eueÌ„ as thy pleasure growes As now to day to laugh to morrow for to wâ—epe And those that wake in pleasure sweet at length in dauÌ„ger sléepe Thus vpside down thou roulest the whirling wheele of chauÌ„ce And I accompt them happilesse that most thou dost aduauÌ„câ—â— As for my onely state I blame thee oh of right For sure none the causer was but thou of this my spite Thou broughst my liking first and I was well esteemed And had a contenaunce voyd of hate sâ—lely I was deem'd To be in presence more then euer since I was But now a chaunce against me vnhappely doth passs For why I dare not halfe so boldely now aspire I dare not once presume to warme me by the fire I dare not Parle nowe so bolde as I was wont For if I doe the aunswere comes both sharpe both tarte and blunt And head is hanged downe and eyes doe looke aside And faces of the other sorte are made as they woulde chide Wherfore you flattering flurt Dame fortune by your name A vengeance take thy truthles trade for thou didst cause the same But though in thy dispight yet will I vse my coy And neuer soake my heart with care although they seeme so coy For they are but thy fittesâ— I knowe it very well When pleasantnesse is so disposed such thinges he can expell To which most happy time I trust but not to thee For thou art still of flitting kind and euermore wilt be Verses declaring how each Desirâ— Is satisfied in Time THe hungery soule that wantes of foode his Corpes to fill Is forced forth through pining plainte to remedie his ill And if by happie lotte he lighteth in such place Whereas is foode abundantly to helpe his dolefull case Then you shall see this swaine whom hungers hate had hiâ—t When he in Time hath had Desire doth skorne that ofte he mist The wâ—ght that keepes in Courtâ— and viewes the gallant shewes Of Princes Pallace deerely dect whose eyes it dayly knowes â—steemeth not so much the sight though it be rare As he esteemes a new fond toy where on his eyes may stare What is the cause of this because that he is fill'd And hath enough euen of the sight As much as he hath will'd The Goldsmith that doth worke vpon the Diamond rare Doth not so much esteeme the sight as sequell doth declare The Painter that doth make with pencell in his hand Some passing peece of Portracture like liuely shape to stand At first time when he went with will to learne that art Desire was a mate of his and woulde not drawe a part And marke how he by Time of it hath had his fill He passeth more for greedie gold then he esteemes his skill Thus is Desire at length by Time brought into vre The Painter pleased is with Coyne as well as Portracture The Gentleman that keepes a Hauke for his delight And taketh pleasure for to view the swiftnesse of her flight With spannelles for to raungeâ— the game alofte to spring At length we see he wearily accompteth of the thing The greedy Lyon eke that roareth for her pray Is neuer satisfied vntill Some faultlesse thingâ— she slay And then when she hath fed and fulnesse her inuest
the which O Lord preserue With Seemely Cepter in her Throne thy Gospell to conserue From forraine foe and faithlesse friendes from all that mischiffe workes Lord breake the broode of Enuies wyles in secrecie that loorkes Lay open to her Princly viewe all those that faithlesse be In thought against her Maiestie Lord let her highnesse see We must confesse vnfainedly we haue deseru'd thy ire We dayly lord be prompt to sinne smale goodnesse we require Yet haue compassion on our land and do the same defend From those which vnder shew of friendes their mallice do pretend Unto our Quene which raigned hath this three and twentie yeares In peacable Tranquillitie as well to vs appeares God graunt Her highnesse Nestors yeeres ouer this Realme to Raine Amen Amen for Iesus sake amen we do not faine God preserue with ioyfull life our Gracious Queene Elizabeth In the Commendation of a Godly and Vertuous Matron AS I alone did walke in fieldes I heard a thundering voyce Which did descend from loftie skyes whereof I stood in choyse For to coniecture with my selfe what voyce should be the same It answered me as I it heard I am the flying fame Which farther said take pen in hand and proue thy simple skill To blaze abroad a Matrons life whose minde doth meane no ill Her Vertuous life adorned is with Godly zeale and grace Lucrese if she were aliue she could it not deface No day doth passe this Matrons handes in any idle sporte She to the Church to serue her God in due time doth resorte If any wight shall purchase heauen for Godly life well spent Fame told me that should be she high Ioue did so assent And to conclude if graftes of grace doe growe in any wight Then in the Hinde you may be â—olde they shine with vertue bright Thus much as Fame commanded me I haue heere put in vre With heartie prayers to the Lorde her life may long indure Heauenly Happinesse is Due to the Hinde In the Commendation of a Dame Whose name is Elected with Fame IF skill did rest within my head or Poets cunning art Then would I proue to write her praise agreeing to her parte But Ladies if you doe deride and scorne a willing minde Dame wisedome doth not teach you that but Momus mocking kinde For sooth the gallanist of you all that be of Dians flocke May seeme to let her haue a roome without dispight or mocke For why her fauour is as sweete her Beautie is as saâ—ce As any Dame in Dians Courte I rightly may compare Yea Chaste she liues I tell you true in spite of Cupids ire A Vertuous praise she doth deserue if duety may requireâ— Foelix was not more faithfuller vnto his friend in heart Then she is true vnto her make her vertue hath desert Which long the Lord preserue and keepâ— with his defending hand From faithlesse friendes and fauning foes whose trust doth truthlesse stand Praise is a preferring of the party though needelesse In the Prayse of a vertuous Gentlewoman IF Vertue praise gaine by desert Or constant stay or faithfull minde Good Ladies let me in this part Some thing Declare for faithfull kinde Let not my pen rebâ—ked be Though simple skill doe rest in me But giue me leaue for to declare And speake my minde without offence Such duetie I vnto her beare As trust me this is my petence To write some thing although I see Unablenesse which rests in mee A Lady I obey and serue With heart and minde and onelie will Who hath done more then I deserue For which I am her seruant still To wish her well since wealth is small And wishing is the most of all But if that wishing could aduaunce My wishing should not come behind But wishing is a tickle chaunce Although we wish yet want we find Wherfore to wish it is but vaine When as we wish and not attaine If Courteous nature be on ground It is in her I dare depese Whose grafted Impes of grace are sounde As vertuous buddes at large disclose Whose fragrant life like Woodbine flower May seeme to deâ—ke a Matrons bower I shall not neede to name her name But priuately in fostering brest I meane â—or to obserue the same With former minde and so I rest Whose life I wish whose ioy I craue Till breath from corpes death doth depraue In the praise of Fennill and Woodbine IN garden braue when as I view'd and saw There euery herbe that nature had bedeckt And euery flower so fresh and red as Haw I stoode in choyse of which I should elect Yet coulâ— I none there finde that did me please So much as two by whom I haue found ease And Fennill first for sight hath done me good Whose water Stil'd did ease my pricking eies Reuiu'd my heart cheer'd my fainting blood And made me laugh wheÌ„ head was ful of cries What say you noâ— can you expulsse my clause May I not praise yes sir when I haue cause Yes sure this hearbe I likâ— and like againeâ— And if I had a garden as some haue I would much plant and take therein greate paine To haue in store for such as will it craueâ— Yet some will say that Fennill is to flatter They ouer reache their tongues too much do clattâ—r The Woodbine leafe is good to ease the thorte Or paine in mouth that comes by â—romnies in drinkeâ— I haue it tryed I do not lye for note Seeth thou the leaues in water as I thinke And wash thy mouth and thou shalt finde such â—asâ— As will no doubte the former paine appeasâ— For these same two I pray to God from hearte Their hewes may stand in happie sâ—ate and prime And boysterouse windes may blowe from them apart Who do good though fisâ—ily they clyme As helpe I finde so helpe I ought to praise That helpe may helpe when helpe shall neede alwaies Of a friende in prosperitie and a foe in aduersitie THat morning which so braue doth shine with Phebus glistering face â—are darksome night approched is a shower doth it disgrace And yet Sir Phebus gallant hew in morning did displaye Who seem'd to promise by aspect to burnish out the day Euen so of double harted friendeâ— I rightly do compare Which shewe a pleasant face vntill 〈◊〉 friend be caught in care And then as dimming of the Sunnâ— doth châ—unge the former hue So doth a double faced friend returne againe a new From faithfull friendship which as he by promise should not do But those that can dissemble Sir they know what longâ— theretoâ— But whilest thou art in prosperouse state and voyd of Fortunes lowre Then will they seeme to be thy friendes in pleasant wordes each howre But when Aduersitie that wretch hath caught thee in his snare Their friendship is forgotten then of thee they haue no care Wherefore who trustes a smiling face may chaunce to be beâ—uylde And he that toucheth pich they say shall thâ—rewith be defil'â— A perswation patiently to suffer