As whilst it was within my sight I felt no paine nor smart But if I once did turne awaye from it my dazeling eyes Good Lord what cares within my brest did by and by arise So that as one berefte of sence as still as any stone I stoode at last and could not sturre But stared still vppon This passing white much like to those whome worthy Perseus made For to behold grim Gorgons head that causde their force to fade And turnde them all to stockes of stone for their outragious pride In seeking causelesse his decay whome Ioue himselfe did guide Then rusht in reason by and by in comly collours clad And calde alowde to cause me heare that earst no hearing had And when I was againe reuiude with countinaunce graue and sad why standst thou sencelesse thus beholding of the thing That still the more thou lookest thereon the more thy paine doth spring Lookes will not serue to swage thy greefe they rather cause thy care Therefore to put my wordes improofe see thou thy selfe prepare Resort with speede to pitties place intreate her for to wrighte Some piteous plaint in thy behalfe to shew thy painfull plight To Lady bewty that she may When she hath tryde thy truth Receiue thee as her seruaunt iust and on thy wo haue ruth Then teaching me which way I should the path to pitty finde And how I might in eche respect declare to her my minde She went her way I know not how but I to gaine releefe And purchase that which was in deede my ioy and comfort cheefe Did euery thing as she had wild and when I had obtainde At pitties hand my bill of plaint Straight wayes my steppes I straind To bewties bower and there ariude and knocking at the gate Straight started out an ongly wighte whose hart did harbour hate He asked me what was my will and why I did resorte Unto that place to whome in breefe I made a true reporte Of all my state and why I came which done he sayde to me Alas pore Lad thou arte vnwise and voyde of skill I see what thinkest thou heare to purchase ease no no thou art deceaude Therefore depart or else be sure thy wo will soone be weaude My mistresse she to lofty lookes to lende an eare to thee She will not harken to thy sutâ— but if thou earnest be And moue her minde with many wordes in Dungion deepe be sure Thou shalt be cast and during lyfe with daunger there indure where sadnesse shall assayle thee still and sorrow seeke to share Thy vitall thread yet shalt thou liue and leade thy lyfe in care So long as destinies doe permit beware therefore I say Take heede in tyme turne backe againe and seeke some surer way These wordes did fill my hart with feare and made me doubt to doe The thing which comfort did commaund and fancy forst me to And had not hope bene hard at hande to harteâ— me herein Dispayre had put me from that place such force his wordes did winne And in this sort sayde Hope to me Fond foole why doest thou flye The pleasaunt plot wherein thy rest and happy health doth lye Retourne againe and feare thou nought thy practise put in proofe To Lady Bewty moue thy sete as best for thy behoofe For such her gracious goodnesse is as neuer will she bide That any suffer bale for ought but that when time hath tryde His true intent she will vouchsafe to him his hartes desyre In eache respect assure thy selfe then hope for happy hyre I gaue her thankes for good aduice and sayd I would obay Wherewith she brought me to desyre who made no longer stay But led me vnto Bewties bower and bad me there attend Till she with all her traine came sorth and meekely then to bende My knee in offering vp the bill vnto her gracious hande Desyring her to view the same my mynde to vnderstande Which I obserude in eache respect my bill she doth detaine God graunt it worke so good effect as I some hope may gaine To purchase that which pleaseth me much more then all the Golde That Midas or King Crossus had my ioyes might not be tolde If I inioyde that Iewell rars That pearle that precious whyfe Which though it clad my corpes with care doth yeeld me great delight And if Dame bewties curtesy commit the same to me How much I would accoumpte thereof she would perceiue and see As Diamond deare I would it set in collour of my hart And keepe it still with busy care till death doe cleane conuert My corpes to clay from whence it came and leaue me voyde of lyfe Ye heauenly powers then graunt it me to make my ioyes more ryfe How Altamenes hauing vnwares slaine his owne Father Cartareus died for sorrow when he had knowledge thereof IN Crete which now we Candie call a fertill fruitfull Land One cartareus sometime raignde and Septure bare in band Who had to sonne a noble youth a stoute and vallyaunt knight In prowes proude to haue no peere and Altamenes highte This yong mans name who being then desirous for to know What destiny should to him betide the Oracle did show That he should cause his fathers death which sentence when he heard Desyrous for to shun the same with speede himselfe preparde To go and dwell at Camiros which towne in Rodes doth stand But that which God pretended hath no Creature may withstande For after in a little space Cartareus for to see His sonne desyring very muche such lucklesse lotte had hee That he by might at Camiros ariued on this sorte But with the there inhabitauntes as wrighters doe reporte His men then falling at debate whereby a tumult rose In which was Altamenes then to cause his treble woes And siue his Father vnawares which when he vnderstoode A shamed sore and halfe dismayde he went with heauy moode To wander in the wildernesse and daungerous desertes wide Where after many pittious plaintes at last for dole he dide Finis The Authour writeth this in commendation of his mistresse YOu Ladyes now leaue of your strife For Golden fruicte without delay And thou that art Vulcanus wife resigne the same with speede I say To mistresse mine that doth deserue for to possesse the same by right From this my hest seeme not to swetue Least thou be forst in open sight Perforce to yeeld it vnto her and so be put to open shame Let not thy God head make thee erre If thou wilt shun all blot and blame It is not all thy glory great Nor yet thy soune Cupido he That makes thee so with pryde replease Or else thy fathers high degree That may my mistresse once distaine In any point who doth thee passe As farre as Golde doth copper plaine Or perfect Emrod brittle glasse As farre as Phebus doth surmount The starre that lendes least light of all Aboue thy reache then doe not mount Least thou receaue the greater fall To her good Grisell may giue place
your rigour whiche you haue of long time extended towardes mee that am youre own so mollified that feeling my selfe recomforted by your compassion I may say that as by your be wyte I became amourous so doe I thereby also inioy the lyfe which if your hauty hart incline not to my prayers would without doubt be in such sort consumed as I shoulde shortelye dye and so might you be called and accoumpted the Murtherer of me and yet should my death be no honor at al vnto you notwithstanding I beleeue that when at any time the same should come to youre hearing you woulde saye to your selfe Alas what euill haue I done in not hauing compassyon of my Magniffico and beeing then to late to repente you of any thing that is past it will be vnto you an occasion of very great greefe Wherfore to the end that it come not so to passe haue now some compassion vpon mee and before I be past remedy render me that which may releue me for in you onelye doth it rest to make mee the moste contented or most discoutented Creatureliuing hoping alwayes that your curtesy shall be so great as you wil not suffer me to receiue death for recompence of suche and so great good will as I beare vnto you but will with a ioyfull and gracious aunswere recomforte my pore sprightes which altogither ouercome with feare doe tremble at your presence Then Magniffico making an ende and hauing shedde some teares after many greeuous sighes he began to harken what the Lady wold answere now she whom neither the long sutes made vnto her the Iustes and Turneyes nor lost time or anye such like thing which Magniffico had done for the loue of herre had neuer before mooued anye thing at all to loue him was nowe mooued therevnto by the effectuall words vttered by her moste feruente Louer and began to feele that which she had neuer felt before and iudged this to proceede only of loue and though to fulfill the charge that her husbande had giuen her shee held her peace notwithstanding by the secret sighes which she sent forth it mighte easilye bee coniectured what aunswere she would willingly haue made to her beloued Magniffico if she might He hauing a while attended her aunswere and perceiuing that shee aunswered nothing at all greatlye mernailed and beganne to perceiue the deceipte and subtiltie of her husband but yet in regarding her countinance and perceiuing some glaunces of her eyes cast vpon him besides that remembring the sighes which shee sent foorth from the bottome of her hart he receiued some good hope And building herevppon bethought himselfe and then began to aunswere her as though she her selfe had sayde in this manner Friend Magniffico I did long since surmise that thy loue towardes me was very great and perfecte and nowe am more certaine of it by thy words whiche are of farre greater force wherewith I am as well contented as may be notwithstanding if it seeme vnto thee that I haue hitherto bene hard and cruell vnto thee yet woulde I not haue thee to thinke that my harte hath bene suche as my countinance hath shewed me to be but rather y I haue loued and held thee more deare then any other but it was meete I should for y time conceale it as well for feare of others as to keepe my good name vnspotted but now the time commeth that I may make thee more plainely to vnderstand whether I loue thee or no and giue thee a meete guerdon for the loue which thou hast so long borne vnto me Wherefore comfort thy selfe and haue good hope for Seigne or Fransisco must go within these fewe dayes as Potentate to Millan as thou thy selfe knowest when thou for my sake hast giuen him thy good ambling Gelding and so soone as he is gone thou shalt be most welcome vnto me and we wil then giue ful accomplishment to our loue and therefore haue regarde from henceforth when thou findest two Kerchefes hanging out of my chamber window ouer the garden and then in the Euening when it is somewhat darke repaire thou vnto me by the garden dore hauing good regard that no body see thee there thou shalt finde me ready to receiue thee then will we take our pleasure togither all the whole night and make as greate cheare as we may When Magniffico had in the person of the Lady spoken all this he began to aunswere for himselfe and sayde Deare Lady my spirites are so much occupied by the aboundaunt ioy that I conceiue by your wordes that I can hardlye frame an aunswere or vtter anye thing to giue you condigne thankes for the same and if I could yet should I not finde sufficient time to gratifie youre good wil as I desyre and as it is mere I should and therfore I beseeche you that what soeuer I desyre to do cannot by wordes declare it you will vouchsafe to conceiue the same in your minde Only I assure you that without faulte I will performe your charge order all my actions according to your good direction and when meete opportunity shall serue me to receiue the fauour whiche you haue so freely promised I wil inforce my self in all I may to yeeld you the greatest thankes that I am able And now hauing no more to saye vnto you at this presente wishing you such ioy and welfare as your hart desyreth I commit you to God. For all this the Lady aunswered not a word wherefore Magniffico rise began to retourne towards her husband who seeing him vp went to meete him and sayd O syr what thinke you now haue I kept promise with you No Syr aunswered Magniffico for you promised me that I should talk with your wife you haue made me to speake with an Image of stone This answere greatly pleased Seigneor Fransisco who although he had a good opinion of his wife before yet now he thought better of her then euer he did and said but yet the ambling gelding that was yours is nowe myne Wherevnto Magniffico aunswered yea syr but if I had thought to reape no better Fruite then this by the fauour I found at your handes without demaunding the same I would freely haue giuen you my Gelding And would to God I had done so in deede for then had I not in selling him bought mine owne sorrow nor in seeking safety lost my former liberty Seigne or Fransisco laughed hartely at this aunswere and seing himself so wel prouided of an ambler shortly after set forward on his iorney towardes Millan The Lady then remayning in her house all alone thinking vpon the wordes that Magniffico had before time vsed vnto her remembring his loue and how he had for her sake giuen her Husband his good ambling Gelding seing also the sayd Magniffico diuerse times to passe to and fro before her dore she said vnto her selfe What shall I doe wherefore should I lose my youth my hand is 〈◊〉 to Millan and will not retourne again
doth youth insue And after age comes sicknes in then death doth life subdue And after death the winding sheete which bringes vs to the graue This is the state of mortall men this is the end they haue Wherefore doe men then heape vp coyne and hord it vp so fast why doe they care for worldly much as life would euer last why doe they take such paines for thee which they must leaue behind To them that will dispearse the same as chaffe against the winde Of fayned friendship AS Swallowes doe in Sommer time appeare And in the winter cold cannot be seene So faithles friendes will vnto vs draw neare so long as welth doth flourish fresh and greene But when that fayles then farewell friendship to All is for gaine that these vile vipers do The commodities of Mariage IF mariage bring a wife the wife good children bringes Those children happy life of happy life loue springes Of loue eternall ioy of ioy doth health proceede Of health long lyfe for aye loe this is mariage meede In contrarium If mariage bring a wife the wiâ—e ill children bringes Those children endles strife of strife all hatred springes Of hatred care and greefe through care doth sicknesse come Through sicknesse death in breefe lo this is all the somme Finis Of the wickednesse of women and howe prone they are to the procatious of the flesh IOue on a day disposde to iest with Iuno for delight The wicked wiles of womens wits in wordes did plaine resite And said that they to fleshly lustes more subiect were then men Iuno denyde to haue it tryde they craued iudgement then And for because Tiresias had both man and woman bin Supposing him the metest man and most expert therein They did elect him for their iudge the truth thereof to trye He sentence past with Iupiter and boldly did replye That women were the wantonner although for shame they sought For to conceale from open shew what was their secret thought But Iuno as the nature is of all the femine sect When as she saw Tiresias did her wished will reiect In giuing so his sentence graue contrary to her mind Inflamde with yre to worke reuenge she made Tiresias blinde Therefore I must of force conclude that neither fury fell Nor Serpent dyre not Tiger fierce nor all the fiendes in hell May more torment the mind of man or worke his wretched woe So much as can one wicked wench in whome doth fury floe Finis What small trust there is to be reposed in friendes or kinsfolkes SIth friendship is as rare a thing to finde As t is to see a Swanne all black of hue Wise Esope in his Fables as we finde Doth warne vs well to thinke no friend so true That will be prest our pleasure to fulfill So redily as we the same require For why in trust is treason tried still And fairest lookes doe lack the best desyre Wherefore saith he let no man trust his friend To doe the thing which he himselfe may doe For feare he be deceaued in the end By those whome he hath leaned most vnto For profe whereof a Fable he resightes which who so notes shall find to great effect The fraude of friendes he plainly there resites who to their promise haue but small respect A Larke there was vpon a certaine tyme That trained vp her yong ones in a feild Where Corne did grow which then was euen in prime To be cut downe as ripe the Larke to sheild Her little ones from harme when as she went Abrode to get such meate as should suffice To feede them with did giue commaundement That they should haue regard in any wise To that they heard and at her back returne To tell her all it hapned on a day whilst she was forth that thether came the Borne which ought the field which to his sonne did say This geare is ripe and ready to be cut wherefore to morrow go thou in my name Unto our friendes and them in mind doe put To come and helpe me to dispatch the same which charge his son dischargde in each respect whereto his friends in friendly wise did frame Their aunswere straight that they would not neglect To worke his will when night approched was This Larke come home her byrds did flitter fast About her all and shewing what did pas Desyred her that she in all the haste wold them transport vnto some other place But she perswading them to be content Commaunded them next day to lend good eare To that they heard and so awaye she went. Next day in Field the farmer doth appeare with Sim his sonne where all that day they spent But of his friendes there came not one of all wherefore vnto his sonne againe he said To morrow to my Cosines goe you shall And say that I require their friendly ayde To reape my corue the yong ones hearing this More earnest were with their beloued damme To be remoued from thence but she ywis Did let it slip vntill the next day came For why quoth she no cosins are so kinde That by and by will come at kinsemans call To morrow therefore marke what newes you find And then if neede require I le helpe you all Next day the Cosins came not into place wherefore the good man sayd all friendes farewell And kinsmen to now will I chaunge the case And trust no trifling tale that they shall tell Trust to our selues we will go thou my soune Prouide to sickles for thy selfe and me And by our selues it shall to morne be done when as the Larke hard this nay now quoth she T is time indeede to pack away from hence Unles we will each one destroyed be And so she bare her little ones from thence Finis A Letter written by a yong maiden to a Louer of hers wherein she detecteth the trechery of many men and their great dissimulation THe crow would seeme a milk white swan to be So likewise would the pratling rooke appeare Like Iunos byrd which cannot well agree For kind bewrayes his craft this is most cleare yea Copper oft in Siluer is inclosde In glittering gold great store of drosse doth bide In purest shels as triall hath disclosde Carnels corrupt themselues 〈◊〉 often hide The wily wolfe we diuerse times do fynde In sheepes skin cloathde and eake the dusty wall with hangings faire is hid in humaine kinde We also see the like effect to fall For many a one there is that makes a show Of perfect loue when he meanes nothing lesse Men seeke to bring poore women to their bow And in the end to leaue them in distresse And for because I thought you one of those whose pleasure is pore women to deceiue with tatling tong you flatteringly can glose As by your deedes I dayly do perceaue I sent to you a flower for Flatterers fit Regarding naught how ye the same would take So free I am from biting on the bit As yet not drencht in Lady Venus lake If
ought beside be done that you like ill And that the same in euill part you take Goe seeke your mendes you may whereas you will I reke you naught this aunswere doe I make And though before offence were none committed yet this your writing fond would it procure which hath full well with your demeanour fitted Being rude and imprudent and ill to indure No more I neede at this time here to say For well you may by this my mind perceiue yet of one thing I warne you by the way That with vaine hope your selfe you not deceiue And so to conclude I bid you adue wishing you aduisedly my letters to view A yong man enamoured of a very fayre Gentlewoman declareth the dollorous passions that he suffereth for her sake and craueth mercy at her handes THe more I looke vppon her louely face whose like before dame nature neuer framde The more I like and long to liue in grace Of her that may Pandora well be namde whose deedes as due the highest place haue claimde A Phenic rale she may be tearmed right That so surmountes each other earthly wight Of Silke and Siluer seemes her heare to be Her teeth of pearle her eyes of Christall cleare Her lippes of Ruby wrought in each degree She doth excell and vaunteth voide of peere Her like did neuer liue that I could heare who would not then accompt himself in blis That might inioy so rare a iem as this Sir Aleran as may by bookes appeare A sily Sacon sought her loue to gaine That was the Emperour Othos Daughter deare And did in fine his wished will obtaine She graunted grace to quite his carefull paine And fearing nought her father 's furious yre Did yield her hart all whole at his desyre And Acharisto he but basely borne Besought the loue of fayre Euphimia who seemed nought his courtesy to scorn Though she were Queene of riche corinthia Yong Iason eke obtained Medea who though she knew not him nor his estate Forsooke her friendes to be his matched mate A million more I might alledge of those That did by seeking soone obtayne their will And when they were bewrapt in wretched woes Had speedy helpe to shield themselues from ill which otherwise their youthfull dayes would spill yea some we see from seruill state aduaunst By worthy dames whose grace to gaine they chaunst Then speake and speede be still and want thy hyre For many a time and oft I haue hard say And sometime proude that he that would aspire To that which will doth wish the wisest way Is to expulse dispayre which makes men stray Farre from the path of perfect peace and rest Sith Fortune still doth helpe the bouldest best For can the Leach recure his pacientes paine Before he see from whence his greefe doth grow Or can the Lawyer pleade a matter plaine Unles to him his case the client show Then should this dainty dame on me bestow Her loyall loue before she trye my truth The meetest meane to moue her mind to ruth Then welcome hope and foolish feare farewell Farewell all care and welcome pleasaunt ioy That guilefull gest no more with me shall dwell That would my helth and happy hap destroy What should I doubt sith she is nothing coy Her gentle hart can not his hurt procure That for her sake would any death indure On her my health on her my happy dayes Doe whole depend on her my myrth or mone My welth or wo my paine or pleasure stayes My lyfe and death doth rest in her alone By her I must alas or else by none Receaue releefe and hope to haue redresse Of all the paines that doe my mind oppresse And as her bewty brane bindes me to loue So doth her courtious countinaunce comfort yielde And as the paine I feele my mind doth moue So hope perswades that grace shall gaine the field But hap what may both loue and paine that builde Their bower in brest my sorrowes so renue That forst I am for grace to seeke and sue Behold therefore deare dame thy seruaunt heare Lies prostrate at thy feete to pleade for grace Oh rue my state let pittie plaine appeare For thou alas haste brought me in such case As if I find not fauour in thy face Like one that loathes his lyfe I wish my graue To quench the cares which doe my health depraue The bale I bide I would right happy count And thinke my selfe in Paradice to be Yea in good hap all others to surmount might it but please you once to deeme of me As I deserue and graciously agree To take me for your seruaunt slaue or swayne Whose mind to please I would refuse no payne Few wordes will serue a righteous cause to pleade If Iudge be iust by whome it must be tryde How said I what shall I her dealing dread No no I know she will not shrinke aside From reasons rule at any time or tide But render me my due deserued hyre Which is the somme of all my whole desyre Who serues deserues his recompence to haue Who truely loues ought to be loude againe Whose greefes are great must needes a medicine craue Or else permit himselfe to pine in paine Let me deare dame my guerdon then obtaine And doe not now in lew of lasting loue with deepe disdaine my rash attempt reproue Finis Certaine Verses written in commendation of the Nut cornell AS late for my delight when dumpes opprest my minde I walkte abrode the pleasaunt fieldes in hope some helpe to fynde By chaunce I lighted then Upon a huge great wood whereas in rankes right goodly trees of sundry sortes there stoode There were of large and lofty Okes great store in euery place Of Aspe and Elme with byrche and Boxe where euer I did trace There was great store of Holly to of willow asp and ew And all the ground was clad with flowers of sundry sent and hue Amongest the rest of Philberts fayre was plenty euery where And euery thing that hart could wish a man might find it there Then from this Philbert tree I pluct A cluster that were clong Togither fast in seemely sort as on the tree they hung And when I had them in my hand not knowing how to vse them I was at last by reason taught betwirt my teeth to bruse them which hauing done I found therein A Cornell fayre enclosde which for to be of pleasaunt tast I also then supposde And found it so for in my life I neuer tasted thing More pleasaunt then the Cornell was which from that tree did spring The Philbert Cornel is a dish for any Princes meete And they that of the same will tast shall find it wondrous sweete Aboue all other kinds of fruite the philbert in my minde Doth seeme most pleasaunt in the tast as they that proue shall find Such vertue in this cornel is that I haue heard men say Phisitions vse it many times their patientes paines to stay For many thinges this cornel is
meate My selfe can serue the turne full well Let him therefore that sowde the seede Enioy the fr 〈…〉 e thereof ac will His last is fittest for thy foote To roâ—â— thy Barge he best can skill Finis A Letter written to a yong widdowe that was before matched with a very olde man perswading her to make choyse of one whose yeares weare more agreeable with her owne MIstresse if I thought it necessarye for you to morne for the death of your dead Husband or if his lyfe had bene so delightfull vnto you as his death was happy for himselfe because thereby he was not onelye cid of the great torments that his pore afflicted body sustayned in this world but also attained to a more blessed life in the kingdom of heauen I wold neither blame you for wishiÌ„g him aliue again or perswade you froÌ„ lamenting his death though I know it is nothing auayleable but rather would exhort you thereunto and with teares as an vnfayned friende helpe you to bewayle the losse of so comfortable a Companyon But seing he was old angry weake impotent and continually so afflicted with sicknesse as he was and you so yong and comlye a gentle woman as you are you haue no cause to lamente his losse or be sorry for his death seeing it pleased God by calling him to his mercy both to release him of paine and 〈…〉 se yon of 〈◊〉 great trouble long sustained with him and therefore I would wish you to shake of the vaine Ceremonies that in such causes are commonlye vsed and frame your selfe againe to that blessed estate of matrimony chasing one who as well in yeares as otherwise may be more agreeable to your seemelye selfe then your late husbande whose old age was rather corsy then a comforte to your hart being in nothing correspondent to your minde or meete for your personage for so ought euery true christian woman to doe as well for procreation of Children as for other necessary commidities incident therevnto whereof by meanes of your greater yeares and more often excercise in worldly affayres you haue better experience then I and as you are not ignoraunt how conuenient it is to marrye and how inconuenient to leade a single life so am I well assured that you are not to learne what kind of person were most meete for you to match with all The Discommodities growing by the companye of an old man you haue already to your paine ouer long experimented and therefore I doubte not but you will beware how ye light on the like againe And to marry with a yong man vnlesse it bee one of whose demâ—anour you haue made some tryall maye be as perrillous as the other for if he be ritch he will ouer rule you if he be prodigall he will waste your substaunce and his owne patrimony if he be couetous he will keepe you bare and withhold from you that which is necessary to be had if he be laâ—iuâ—â—uâ—he will leaue you and like better of others Finally if he be viciously bent how ritch or yong sooner he be yet were you better to be buried then matched with him Let n 〈…〉 them the vayne vanities of the worlde so allure you or the perswasion of your friendes beare suche swaye with you as you will thereby be moued to take one for his w 〈…〉 whome ye cannot loue and to refuse him whome ye well like of for want o◠〈◊〉 â–ª considering what incon 〈…〉 groweth by the 〈◊〉 and what pro 〈…〉 may arys of the other waying withall how great an offence both to Bad and your owne conscience it is to do a thing so contracy to your own liking Wherefore it were best for you to make choyse of some poore yong man whose condicions and behauioure is already partly knowen vnto you to be good with whom you may with a contented minde leade a quiet and peaceable lyfe and haue all thinges at your owne desyre without interruption And if I thought not my selfe to sy 〈…〉 le for one so worthy as you are I would both offer my selfe 〈◊〉 you not as a Husbande but as a Steward to do al thinges at your direction and also hazard my lyfe to obtain such fauour at your handes assuring you that if it might so please you to accept of me you should of a pore friend finde mee so faithfull so conformable to your will so carefull for your welfare so redy to please you and so loth to offend you as you shall not haue cause eyther to thinke your loue euill imploted or repent you of the election of so base a personage And although in byrth I be farre inferiour and in wealth nothing comparable vnto those that I knowe you maye haue if you please yet dare I thus much vaunt of my selfe that there is not in the whole worlde any one that woulde more loue esteeme and cherish you then I would do if my hap might be so good to inioy you And if my purpose be not as my wordes doe pretend and my deedes agreeable with my promises I wishe the earth might gape and swallow me vp or fyre from heauen consume me for I protest vnto you before God from whome no secretes are concealed that it is not so much for youre welth or liuing that I desyre you as for your wisedome curtesy comly behauyour and other commendable vertues that abound in you wherefore long before youre husbandes departure I was so greatly enamoured as if feare of your displeasure and mine owne infamie had not deteined me with the raines of reason I had long since reuealed it vnto you But now that time hath offred mee so meete opportunity as I maye more lawfully and wyth lesse daunger do it I haue presumed though peraduenture more rashly then beseemeth me yet not withoute vrgente cause to manifest my meaning vnto you crauing both pardon for my bold attempt and easemente of my sorrowe so long sustayned for the loue of you which withoute yours grace or mine owne great perrill cannot possible bee repressed wherefore hoping of your accustomed clemency to find you fauourable in the furtheraunce of my desyre I do wholy commit my health lyfe and liberty vnto you whom I doe and will faithfully serue and obay for euer as your moste humble seruaunt A pretty fancy of the fynding of a Whyte wherein is collourablely included the course of a Captiue Louer in purchasing his desyred purpose NOt long agoe with bow in hande and arrowes by my syde An Archer like I went abrode my cunning to haue tride And being entred in the field 〈◊〉 cast mine eye a 〈◊〉 And loc a goodly glistering whyte before my face did glaunce Which pleasaunt sight did please me so as to suruay the same Me thought it did my hart much good and was my greatest game Narcissus fond did neuer gaâ—â— Upon his shadow more Nor by the Image which he made Pigmallyon set such store As I did by that 〈…〉 y wbyte which so reuiude my hart
and after the mistes of misery if any happen to assaile vs bring vs to the cleare lighte of felicitye as he did fayre Adulatia who neither for fearroâ— fathers displeasure or care to continue his good will for loue of Imperiall dignity or dread of any daunger no not for the fierce assaults of froward Fortune or for any other cause would forsake her Aleran but preferring his loyall loue before all worldly pleasure and his presents before al princely Ornamentes both in health and sicknesse in wealth and woe and fynally at all assayes continued hys true and faithfull companion for tearme of lyfe Be fyrme therefore my good Parmena and fayle not but as I intend stil to continue as loyal a louer to thee as euer was Aleran to his Adulatia so be thou as faithful a friend vnto me as was Adulatia to her beloued Aloran So shall no emnity but am 〈…〉 no repentance but contenentment no 〈…〉 ing but ioy be euer betweene vs and though one friendes frown vpon vs or hindred contemne vs and our Parentes reproue vs yet through patient 〈◊〉 in trace of time which breedeth chaunge in all thinges we shall by Codes helpe and our owne dilligent iudultrye recouer all former good will and fauour and after all the assaul 〈…〉 of aduerse Fortune attaine to the happy porte of rest and tranquillity with which hope I purpose alwayes to comfort my selfe wishing you also to doe the like as I 〈◊〉 you will and hartily require you to doe so neare as you can as well for your owne releefe as for the rest and comforte of him that loueth you no lesse then his owne proper lyfe Fare you well Finis The Aucthour wrighting to a friend of his that was toward mariage exhorteth her to make choyse of a wyse and verteous person THere is nothing wherein we ought to take So great aduise as sayeth 〈◊〉 wise As when we mind a mariage for to make wherein we must be carefull and presise Or else thereby great perrill may aryse Because the knot once 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 doe May not be broke whateuer chaunce in sue But some there are that will without respect Of future harmes that may to them befall The councell of their aged friendes reiect As frantick wightes to folish fancy thrall And harkening to the S 〈…〉 sâ—â— the call Procure thereby their 〈◊〉 and decay Where else they might haue liude in lasting 〈◊〉 Yet would I not that women so attend To friendes aduice or so by them be led That fancy fixe vppon some faythfull friend They should forsake the same for feare or dread For so they may wone bring a foole to bed And being linckt to one they cannot leeke be moude amisse reuengement due to seeke Some sortes there are that welthy husbandes chuse Because they should maintaine thomsine and braue Some sortes there are that others all refuse A comely wight desyring most to haue A vallyaunt venterâ—ns youth some 〈◊〉 Some like of those that be most franke and free And some of those that harde and sparing be The gallant gay some chiefely doe esteeme In one that curteous is some moste delight A cunning craftes man some for best do deeme But few or none esteeme the vertuous wight By wise and prudent men they set but light Few linke for loue but all for greedy gaine Though in the ende it tourne them most to paine Bewty doth fade when crooked age creepes in And like a Flower the sommer season past Nipt with the cold when winter doth begin Doth wither soone and weare a way at last And sicknesse makes the mighty man agast And takes from him all strength and courage quighte But vertue still abides in perfect plight In welth or wo in paine or pleasure still Uertue remaines without reprofe at all Not dreadfull death that doth the Carcas kill The power of vertue may in ought appall It liues with praise and neuer perrish shall For after death his glory reflech rise That whilst he liude did leade a vertuous life Therefore my friend I friendly thee aduise To match with one that is to vertue bent For bewty brittle is and of no prise Money but muck and quickly will be spent Strength soone destroyde if sicknesse so consent But vertue still in perfect state doth stand It keepes his course as well by Sea as land Moreouer I would wish thee for to make Thy choyse thy selfe whereas thou likest best And though thy friendes perswade thee for to take Some other wight with greater wealth possest Yet if thy mind and fancy be not prest To like of him then would I thee aduise To leaue that loathsome lot if thou be wise For whereas loue doth lack twice man and wife There harred needes must harbour in their hart Where hatred hath his holde is endlesse strife where stryfe is styrde there pleasure hath no part where pleasure is displaste eare keepes the marte where care doth keepe lyfe cannot long indure Then eare thou linke let loue be setled sure Finis Of the great patience and clemency of King Antigonus WHen as Antigonus did heare His Souldiers cursing him apace Because that in an euening darke He led them through a myry place That thence they hardly could escape He came himselfe to them vnknowne And very well did helpe them out which friendship when he had them showne He sayd now curse Antigonus That led you lately in the myre But pray for him that helpt you out Acording to your hartes desyre Finis What misery and misfortunes mankinde is continually subiecte vnto WHat kinde of state can any choose but he there in shall fynde Great bitternesse and endlesse woe to mooue his troubled minde In field much toyle at home great care and feare in Forrein Lande If ought we haue by fortune lent In youth Dome Follyes hande Doth hold vs fast her she imbrace and wisedomes lore do leaue In age doth sickesse vs assayle and so our strength bereaue In marry age is vnquietnesse in lacking of a wife All sollitary we remaine and leade a loathsome lyfe If God to vs doe children sende we haue continuall care If none then are we halfe dismayde farre worser doe we fare Therefore one of these twaine is best desyred for to be Not to be borne or else to dye before these dayes we see Finis A louer hauing long concealed his loue at the last reuealeth it and craueth grace at the handes of his beloued mistresse LIke as the silly soule That feeles himself distrest With heauy burthen on his backe doth seeke to be at rest So I whome loue longtyme hath led in Captiue handes Enforced am at last to sue for fauour at thy handes That hast my hart in holde who onely mayst apply Some pleasaunt potion to a sâ—wage the greeuous mallady Which long with little ease and most incessaunt greefe Hath me conserude twixt life and death denoyde of all releefe But needes I must confesse There is no fault in thee That I doe want
his wiles he causeth all to quake yea euen the Gods themselues I fynde doe rest at Cupids grace And be but Subiectes vnto him in euery kinde of case Then how should I amortall man deuise to shunne the same Now dare I once resiâ—â— the wight that euery thing can tame Aletha oh my darling deare thou thou a lone art she which so hast laid thy snares abroade for to intangle me Thou art the dame that I desyre to serue and honour still Thou art the iewell of my ioy thou maist me saue or spill But stay what wordes be these I speake shall I become a slaue And bondman to my seruaunt so her fauour shall I craue That should by reason still remaine at my desyre and will To doe the thing that I commaund though it be good or ill No no I rather fyrst will choose vnto the naked knyfe My throte to yield that so I might bereaue my lothsome lyfe What if I should attempt the same what if I should requyre The same of her I am not sure to purchase my desyre But why doe I misdoubt the same before I haue it tryde why he that loueth feruently feares not to be denyde why should I any daungers dread to winne so fayre a dame well hoping for to gaine some grace my letters will I frame In dolefull wyse vnto my dealee whose splendent bewty rare Hath so inflamde my hart with loue and cloyde my mynde with care A Letter which the said Sidaspo sente to his seruaunt Aletha THy bewty braue O Aletha thy brestes like driuen snow Thy Currall lippes thy cristall eyes and heare which to the show Appeares lyke gold thy fyngers small with skinne as yuorye cleare And eake thy worthy quallities which make thee to appeare More lyke a Goddesse for to be then any earthly wight would sure allure a stonye harte in thee to haue delight For as the Fowler in his net the silly byrdes doth take So hath the same intrapped me which makes my hart to quake The Adamant stone would neuer draw the yron to it more Then hath your bewty drawne my hart which makes me now deplore For loue of you I liue in care my sorrowes doe abound And death will shortly end my dayes if helpe there none be found By you I haue receaude this harme which none but you can cure In you it restes to ease the paine that I doe now indure Therefore I craue you shew some grace to cure me of my greete Let pittie in your hart take place to bring me some releefe Oh who is able to resist the feruent force of loue Or who once wounded with the darte is able to remoue The same from him now surely none though Hectors hart he haue Or Hercules strength it will not serue from Cupid him to saue Therefore O louing Lady deare howe downe thy eyes of pittie Consider in thy skilfull braine that art both wise and wittye What tormentes for thy sake I byde which by no meanes will cease way well how like a wretch I liue till thou doe me release By graunting me my hartes desyre to cure my deadly smart whereby no harme mayÌ„ grow to thee but all to ioye conuart My lyfe my goods and all thinges else shall rest at thy desyre Euen as thy owne at euery time if thou the same requyre Let reason therefore O my deare perswade thee for to yeelde To my request by meanes thereof from sorrowes me to shield Thus for this time I make an ende and wish thee well to fare In wofull wise desyring thee to thinke vpon my care Finis The abiect Louer complaineth of the crueltye and disdainefull lookes of his Lady THe moste incessaunt painefull panges that I haue long sustainde By sundry meanes my feeble hande to write hath now constrainde Thereby to let thee vnderstand oh stony harted Dame The thing that this my dolefull hart to thy eternall shame Cannot conceale and seeing that thou rather seekst to be My mortall foe then faithfull friend I doe the like by thee If as I am thou were a man then weapons would I vse For to reuenge my wrong on thee that doest me so abuse But sith the tongue the weapon is wherewith fond women fight My tongue and pen shall now suffice to worke the lyke despight Who striues against the streame I see or sailes against the winde Or soweth seede in barren soyle but little gaine shall fynde So he that sets his loue where pryde hath taken place shall sooner catch his bitter bane then winne one sparke of grace As I vnto my paine haue proude to late alas By seruing thee oh scornefull dame that nought therefore doest passe For when by letters I my meaning doe declare Thy aunswere seemes as bitter gall for to increase my care When as I smyle thou frownest and eake when I am sad Then greatly seemst thou to reioyce as one whose hart is glad If I doe thee salute in friendly wise I see Thou turnest then thy head asyde and windste away from me The Tyger fierce in tyme is made both meeke and tame The stone through often drops of raine that fall vpon the same Doth weare the mountaines bye and strongest holds of all In tyme may by some casualtye be forst to ground to fall Yea Nilus may in time for all his scope of streames Be dryed vp and cleane consumde through heate of Phebus beames There is no thing on earth I thinke but may in tyme conuart Except it be in womans brest a hawty stubborne harte Which neither reason gentle wordes nor pittie can procure For to reuoke hir wilfull minde that setled is so sure My wound was wondrous deepe the paines I did indure By meanes of thy great crueltie my sorrowes did procure For thou in whome it onely lay to remedy the same In steede of salue didst poyson yielde my ruine for to frame Oh cursed wretchlesse rase of wicked woman kinde How can your hartes so cruell be to them that you make blynde what hart of flinte hath he who hauing hurt a man That is his friend to cure his payne will not doe what he can But thou a cruell Crocadile Ingendred in the floode Of foule Onilus wilt not graunt to doe thy pacient good Few women at this day doe lyue that guyde themselues so well But if one vertue good therebe which in their brest doth dwell Two worser vices for the same is found in them to be which doe the vertues cleane deface and force them for to flee They can condicions chaunge to cause their friendes vnrest As the Chameleon chaungeth hue When as it likes him best If that they be disposde pore louers to allure They can as wily wayes inuent their purpose to procure As the Hiena can by learning of the name And calling them whose present death they purpose for to frame Such pittifull complaintes the Sirens can not make As can these wicked women doe if once they vndertake No beast so brute as they
are vsde the pleasaunt Poets fayne As how that Phlegias to his treble paine Upon a turning wheele is fixed fast which makes him lothe his lyfe that long doth last How Sisiphus doth rowle the restlesse stone which to the top attaind turnes back againe How silly Titius making mostful mone Unto a Rock fast tyde doth stil sustaine The griping greefes that rauerring byrds constraine who on his entrailes dayly feede their fill And yet he liues to trye these tormentes still How Tantalus amidst the streame that standes Up to the chin is like for drouth to dye And goodly Apples almost in his hand with hunger nipt in extreame payne doth lye How Danaus daughters doe themselues apply with pailes that bottomes want a tubbe to fill That wanteth bottome to which passeth still But all their paiues may not compared be To that which I doe euery hower abyde For all at once assembled are in me There is no torment that I haue not tryde To me the heauens haue happy ha 〈…〉 denyde The Plannets all appointed me by fate to liue and leade my life in lothsome state All day my minde with fancies fond is fraught which greatly wastes my witte and breakes my braine To no effect at all when sleepe hath caughte Some holde of me at night alas my paine Growes greater farre for dreadfull dreauies restraine My quiet rest all myrth is mone to me All pleasure paine I loth the light to see Of all the wightes that euer liude in loue was neueralone whose 〈◊〉 was lyke 〈…〉 my 〈…〉 though grefe thein gript though pain they long 〈◊〉 proue yet did they gaine their wished will in fyne Their Ladies liking did it loue â—iclyne And they inioyde their ioy and hartes delight At wished will their wretched woe to quight Though pastor Paris past the surging Seas And many perrils more for Holl 〈…〉 sake yet he at last his heauy hart to ease Enioyde her loue and reft her from her make which deede the Greelies so gréeuousely did take As Troy therefore they did to ruine bring The fittest fruicte that of such loue doth spring when Peseus had with tedsous foyle distrest The Monstet huge that laboured to deuoke Andromada that 〈◊〉 Rock did rest Fast bound with chaines expecting euery hower For dread ull death he cropt the costly flower which fancy forst him seeke with such annoy And after led his life in lasting ioy And many more such lyke aâ—â—enge Ieoulde who after paine did 〈…〉 hase their desyre I might bring in Nastagio if I would Hippomanes that fryde in Cupids fyre And Pelops to if cause did so requyre But these will serue my faying true to trye That none for loue hath led such lyfe as I. For Ialas of all men most a 〈…〉 Haue spent much time with care and busy cure And when I thought me best my haâ— was worst when safe I seemde then sate I most vnsure Not deadly dole that I did long 〈◊〉 Not trickling teares 〈…〉 could serue To purchase that which I doe well deserue When as I glaunce my glaring eyes on her She bendes ger lookes vpon some other thing When as I would with wordes my sute preferre Then angry she away from me doth fling Saying take heede the Siren now doth sing And when with pen my passyons I depaint She rentes my writ and scornes my pittious plaine If messengers I send with her to treate And pleade my caufe as they can best deuise Their wordes so set her haughty hart in heate who causelesse still doth meso much despise As when she heares me narnde her blood doth rise An when my friendes doe her present with aught She frets and fnmes as one with fury fraught Through places scarcely knowne both day and night through wods through groues marish grounds I rode Through Forrests fennes and furrowes voyde of lighte yea ouer hautye hilles where I abode Full many bitter blastes before I trode The trustlesse where I this Tiger found whose diuelish deedes doth cause my cares abound Then cursed be the hower and eake the days wherein I did to her my iorney frame I would I had bene murdered by the way Before I came to see that cruell Dame who for good will doth yield me bitter blame For then the death had me depriude of all The daungers dyre wherein I dayly fall But all to late to shut the stable dore When so saith the prouer be olde I wisely should haue thought of this before I did attempt her bewty to beholde Who hath my heauy hart so hard in holde As needes I must both loue and serue her still Though she me lothe and seeke my blood to spill you yonglinges all where euer that you be That sibiect are vnto the lawes of loue Take hede in time be wysely warnd by me On whome you looke least lookes that liking moue Ingendring loue make you more paines to proue Then I pore wretch that dayly wish to dye And yet doe liue these tormentes straunge to trye Finis A yong man being in loue wiih a fayre Gentlewoman that was but his equall desyreth to be accepted for her husband THe passyons extreme which for your sake I haue long sustained being now through continuaunce of tyme so wonderfully augmented and increased that being no longer able to collerate the extreme paine thereof I am coacted and perforce constrained in most humble wise to craue grace at your handes which is the onely meane whereby I may be cured of this moste greeuous and in fupportable mallady Refuse not therefore I pray you this my petition which is both honest and reasonable let not my good will be required with disdaine nor my curtesie with crueltie for that were a point voyde of all humanitye and far different from all maydenlike modestie Dido Queene of Carthage loued Aeneas a straunger and a banished man Euphinia Daughter to the King and heyre to the crowne of the Kingdome of Corinth matched herselfe with Acharisto her fathers dondman The Dutchesse of Malsey chose for her husbande her seruaunt Virico And Venus also if we may giue credite to the fixions of Poets who for hee surpassing hewry was cauonized a Goddesse refused noe to be the wife of lame Vulcanus Much lesse neede you then that are mortal and but of a meane progenye in comparison of the worste of all those princely Dames before repeated to thinke scorue of mee that am no Straunger but your owne natiue contreyman no wandring exile but a true and faithfull Subiect continuing in the countrey where I was first borne and fostered neither seruaunt to you nor slaue to any other but vtterly free from the yoke of seruitude and bondage vntil such time as by contemplating the bright beames of your surpassing hewry my poore hart was so captinated that I was constrained to commit my selfe wholy vnto your clemency nor yet so monstrous and mishapen a creature whereby you might haue iuste occasion so mislike of mee but God I giue him thankes for it
cannot but be greatly greeued for the small regarde you hadde of so faithfull a friend and then when it is to late will repent you of your great ingratitude Be not therfore so obstinately bent I beseech you to seeke his confusion that woulde accoumpte all payne but pleasure which he shoulde suffer in seeking your safetye consyder in what case your deuine bewtye hath broughte him and be not so carelesse of his welfare as you will suffer him to perishe for wante of pittie that cannot receiue any comforte but by your clemencye which to denye him weare extreame crueltye and woulde procure your perpetuall infamy The rather for that the remedye rested in you and that my grefe being taken in time might be easily cured to my comfort and your contentment as you shal be forced in the end of your selfe to confesse if you haue pittie vpon me as I hope you will wherein being fully resolued I rest for euer Your pore faithfull friend and obedient seruaunt The great loue that Itafernes wyfe bare to her brother WHen I tafernes with all his famely Were taken captiue By Darius army And cast into prison with great extremity His wife euery day Came to the kings gate making pittifull mone That these her plaints to take pittie vpon At last he was moued with 〈…〉 rcye alone As wrighters doe say In so much aâ— one vnto her he sent Who willed hee then with right good intent In the Kings name to â—cast to lament And freelye to chose The deliuery of one and she should him haue Then she 〈◊〉 the rest her Brother did craue Whose life and libertie she most sought to saue To lessen her woes The King then wondring that she would prefer Her Brother before the rest that were there 〈…〉 and children most deare This aunswere she gaue An other husband I may get quoth shee And other Children if Gods will it be But my Parentes being dead more bretheren then he I neuer can haue A Louer that stoode at an vncertaine staye wrighteth this for aunswere to a Letter that he receyued from her whome he loued MYstresse 〈◊〉 I receiued your Letters whiche 〈◊〉 vnto me so 〈◊〉 as I a 〈…〉 thereby broughte as it were into a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whiche I knowe not well how to winde me Some time you giue me hope and by and by crosse me with the contrary your wordes are so obscure as my simple capacitye cannot conceiue the meaning of them plaine dealing is best among friendes good meaning must not be couered with a counterfet collour I haue made you an honest demaund but can receiue 〈◊〉 certaine aunswere of it if you thinke mee vnworthye of you let me vnderstand it in plaine speeches and I will soone seace my fute for if you cannot fancy me I neither maye nor will inforce you to it If you like of my demaunde driue mee not of with doubtfull delayes for that is very daungerous Your vertuous education and commendable quallityes are the onely causes that haue constrained me to loue you for the which I more esteeme you being as you are then otherwise I woulde doe weare you neuer so welthye you say my sute is reasonable and yet ye reproue it as vnprofitable you confesse me to be worthy of you and yet refuse to render your selfe vnto me being the partie whome aboue all other I chiefely desyre and would most willingly possesse if so it pleased you In deede I confesse that good deliberation and carefull consideration is to bee had in so waighty a cause which I had in remembraunce before I made anye motion thereof vnto you yet if there bee anye thing that I haue neglected if you would let me vnderstaÌ„d wherein and what it is it should be better respected and being amisse most willingly amended And whereas you refuse to yeeld your consent without the counsel of others to aske councel in any thing it is commendable and to follow it if it be good is right profitable but whose counsell you craue I know not â—â—les it be your parentes which if it be the same I hope wil not be contrary to my contentation yet do I not so much depend vpon that as I will thefore seeke to them before I haue assayed you haue some assuraunce the thing I seeke for which is only in 〈◊〉 to graunt and without you cannot be obteyned or if it be it must be by compulsion then were a maÌ„ better be without it for forced mariages haue neuer good effect But peraduenture you haue some further purpose in it then I am priuy vnto it may be that you imagin my good will to be grounded vpon so light an occasyon as gaining my purpose I would quickly flie from my former professions make more haste in the matter then reason requyreth or vse some drifte to deceiue your present expectation but how farre my good meaning is from these imaginations God and myne own conscience only knoweth you challenge me as if I had bene ouer lauishe of my langwage in blazing things abrode that are not yet brought to passe which if I should doe as I take God to witnesse I haue not I might worthely be condemned for a foole serue as a laughing stock to all men that shal see it fal out otherwise hereafter And therefore I beseech you put such imaginations out of your minde and condemn me not as guiltye before you haue cause to accuse me And in conclusion I hartily beseech you not to trifle oute the time anye longer but to render me a ready aunswere to that whiche I demaund of you howsoeuer it be I care not for I can better brooke a flat refusall then suffer my selfe to be fedde with foolish hope for a thing so vncertaine and therefore where subtlely you say at the foote of your letter yours for so it may be henceforward either refuse me flatly or else put downe plainely in the place of it yours I am wil be so shall you both satisfy me sufficiently and also greatlye ease your self of the trouble that my tedious writing if so you accoumpte it doth presentlye put you vnto and so fare you well The straunge pangs of a pore passionate Louer NOt as I am nor as I wish to be But as falce Fortune frames mytroward fate Euen so I am not bound nor fully free Not quite forlorne nor yet in quiet state I wish for death and yet the death I hate This life leade I which life is wondrous strannge yet for no life would I my lyfe exchaunge I seeke the sight of that I sigh to see I ioy in that which breedes my great vnrest Such contraries doe dayly comber me As in one thing I find both ioy and rest Which gaine he gets that is Cupidos guest For whome he catcheth in his cursed snare He giues great hope yet kils his hart with care Finis Of the thankefulnesse of a Dragon towardes a man that had brought him vp AS Bruson mention makes one Thoas
presenting her selfe before him she vsed these or such lyke wordes Father for as much as froward fortune hath ordayned that according to the seÌ„tence which my Lord Maques hath pronounced against you you shall this day withoute faile suffer death and that the third part of your goods is alotted vnto them that shall doe the execution vppon you knowing the loue that you beare vnto me I hope you wil not be offended if I take vpon me to discharge that office my selfe for in so doing your goods shall not fall into the handes of straungers but remain stil to those of your own famely wherwith me thinketh you should be well contented Salard that gaue attentiue eare to his daughters wordes aunswered in this manner God blesse thee my daughter thy reasons are very good and please me right well and though before I were vnwilling to dy now would I gladly end my life doe then thy office my daughter and deferre the time no longer Then Postume crauing pardon kissing him toke the halter and put it about his neck exhorting him to take his death patiently Salard seing the sodain alteration of thinges was greatly astonished and issuing out of the prison with his hands bound behind him the halter about his neck accompanied with the bayly al the rest of the officers ministers of iustice he passed with all speede to the place of execution being come thither tourning his back towards the ladder that was set against the Gibbet hee wente leyserlye from steppe to steppe till hee came to the toppe where with a stoute courage and stable countenaunce he behelde the people on euery syde declaring treateablye and with greate deliberation why he was brought thither and then in louing and friendlye mauer crauing pardon for-al his faults and offences committed earnestlye exhorted Chyldren to bée obediente to their Parents and Elders when the people had hard the whole cause of Salards condemnation there was not one in the companye but wepte and greatelye lamented the hard hap of this pore yong man and desyred GOD to giue them the grace to take example by him Whylste these thinges were a doing his friende Frauncis that was not vnmindefull of him tooke his way to the Marques Pallaice and hauing founde fit opportunity in moste humble wise besought him that Salard mighte be broughte to his presence to aunswere for himselfe before he were put to death assuring him that he was not gilty of the crime for which hee had condemned him and there vppon pleadged his lyfe So that at the last with much adoe the Marques caused Salard to be repriued willed he should be brought vnto him with the Haltex about his neck and the hangman with him which was perfourmed accordingly So soone as Salard was come into the Marques presence whose face was yet in flamed with furye he beganne with a bolde courage and stedfast countenaunce not being any thing troubled in his mind to vtter these suche lyke wordes Syr the seruice that I haue done you and the loue that I haue borne vnto you hath not deserued the outrage and shame that you haue done vnto me in condemning mee to dye so shameful villanous a death And although the displeasure that you haue taken against my great follye if it may be termed â—olly hath prouoked you to vse such cruelty towards me contrary to your naturall disposition yet shoulde you not so sodainly condemne me to deth without hearing me aunswere in my owne behalfe for the Hawke for the which you are so much offended thinking that it is dead is yet liuing and in as good case as euer it was And thinke not Syr that I woulde presume to kill or hurt it by any meanes but this that I haue done was to make try all of certaine thinges that I was before warned of as I will manifest vnto you