I not to learne And I did thinke you such that litle knew of guile But seemings now be plaste for deedes and please fulwel the while Why doo I wâ—nder thus to thinke this same so strange Who hath assayed and knoweth not that wemen choose to change Haue you thus sone forgot the doutes and dreades you made Of yongmens loue how litle holde how sone away they fade How hardly you beleeued â–ª how often would you say My wordes were spoken of the splene and I as oft denay How oft did you protest with handes vpstretcht to skyes How oft with othes vnto the Gods how oft with weeping eyes Did you beseech them all to rid your spending dayes When that you thought to leaue your fréend to dy without delayes Mée thought in heauen I saw how Ioue did laughe to skornâ— To sée you sweare so solemly and ment to be forsworne But as the Sirens singe when treason they procure So smyling baytes the harmles soules vnto their bane alure Thy fawning flattering wordes which now full falce I finde Perswades mee to content my selfe and turne from Cressids kinde And all the sorte of those that vse such craft I wish A speedy end or lothsome life to liue with Lasars dish Yet pardon I do pray and if my wordes offend A crased ship amid the streame the Marriner must mende And I thus to it and turnd whose life to shipwracke goes Complaynes of wrongs thou hast mee don and all my greefe forth showes And could your hart consent and could you gree therto Thus to betray your faythful freend and promis to vndo If nought your wordes could binde to holde your suer behest Nor ought my loue ne othes you sware could bide within your brest Yet for the worldly shame that by this facte might rise Or for the losse of your good name for dealing in this wise Or thus to see mee greeu'd tormented still in payne Thy gentil hart should haue bin pleasde such murder to refrayne But through thy cruell deede if that vntamed death With speedy dart shall rid my life or leaue my lyuing breath The gods then can and will requite thy bloddy acte And them I pray with lowly sute for to reuenge thy facte God graunt the earth may bring nought forth to thy auayle â–ª Nor any thing thou takest in hand to purpose may preuayle Thy most desired freend I wish may bee most coy Wherin thou doost thée most delite and takest the greatest ioy That same I would might turne vnto thy most mischeefe That in thy life thy hart may feele the smart of others greefe But sith no good can come of thy mishap to mee I graunt some blame I doo deserue that thus desire to see Thy blisfull life so changde from weaâ—e to wretched state When freendes do breake the bonde of loue then is their greatest hate Thy deedes do sure deserue much more reuenging spight Then hart can thinke or tongue can tel or this my pen can wright Thy bewty bright is sutch that well it would inuade A hart more hard then Tigar wilde and more it can perswade Then Tullyes cunning tongue or Ouids louing tale Well may I curse and ban them both that so haue brewed my bale I feare to praise to far least haply I begin To kindle fier that well is quencht and burne mée all within For well I may compare and boldly dare it say Thou art the Quéene of women kinde and all they ought obay And all for shame doo blush when thou doost come in place They curse ech thing that gaue thée life and more disdain thy face Then any liuyng wight doth hate the Serpent foule Or birdes that singe and flies by day abhors the shrikyng Owle Oh that a constant minde had guided forth thy dayes I had not then assayd myshap nor pen spoke thy disprayse Decréed sith that thou art for euer to forsake mée In sorrows swéete I wil mée shrine till death shall list to take mée Bewayle O woful eyes with fluds of flowing teares This great mischaunce thy lothsome life that all ill hap vp beares Since parted is your ioy resigne likewise your sight I neuer will agree to like or looke on other wight Nor neuer shall my mouth consent to pleasant sound But pale and leane with hollow lookes till death I will bée found And you vnhappy handes with lyking foode that fed mée Leaue of to labor more for mée since sorrow thus hath sped mée Lament vnlustie legges bée lame for euer more Sith shée is gone for whom you kept your willing pace in store O hatefull heauy hart bewayle thy great vnrest Consume thy selfe or part in twaine within my blouddy brest And yée my sences all whose helpe was aye at hand To length the life that lingreth now and lothsomely doth stand Yée sonne ye moone and starres that gyues the gladsome light Forbeare to show your force a while let all bée irkesome night Let neuer soyle bringe forth agayn the lusty gréene Nor trées that new dispoyled are with leafe be euer séene Let neither birde nor beast posses their wonted minde Let all the thinges that liues on earth be turned from their kinde Let all the furies forth that pine in Hell with payne Let all their torments come abroad with lyuing wightes to rayne Let peace be turnd to war let all consume with fier Sith I must dâ—e that once did ioy and lose that I desier I hate my life and breath I hate delighting food I hate my greefe I hate my death I hate that doth mee good I hate the gentill hart that rueth on my payne I hate the cruell stubborn sorte that doth my life disdayne I hate al sortes of men that haue their life in price And those I hate that folow death esteeming them vnwise I hate thâ—se carefull thoughtes that thinke on my sweet â—o I hate my selfe then twice as much if I forget her so I hate what would you more I wot not what I hate I wish her dead and layed in graue I wish her better state Come wilde and sauadge beastes stretch forth your cruell pawes Dismember mee consume my flesh imbrew your greedy iawes Within your entrayles see a coffin ye prepare To tombe this carefull corpes that now vnwillingly I bare Come lingringe slothful death that doost the wretch deny To show thy force and ridst the riche that list not for to dye Is this the recompence is this the due reward Doth loue thus pay his seruants hier and doth hee thus regard And doth hee vse to set the harmles soules on fier With faire sweet intisinge lookes to kindle their desier Fye false loue that hast so decte with bewty bright A Lady faire with such vntroth to worke such cruell spight And ye that did pursue blinde loue with speedy pace â—esâ—rame your steps example take of this my wofull case Let this alone suffise that in few wordes I say Who can beware by others harmes thrice blest and happy they Beleeue
print to shew A sure beléefe did straight inuade his ouerlyuing minde Tâ—at there the fatall ende alas of Thisbie was assinde And that her dainty flesh of beastes a pray vnmeet was made Wherwith distrest with woodlike rage the words he out abrade The lamentacion of Piramus for elâ—e loffe of his Loue Thisbie THis is the day wherin my irksome life And I of lyuely breath the last shall spend Nor death I dread for fled is feare care strife Daunger and all wheron they did depend Thisbie is dead and Pirame at his ende For neuer shall reporte hereafter say That Pyrame lyu'de his Lady tane away O soueraigne God what straung outragious woe Presents alas this corsiue to my hart Ah sauage beaste how durst thy spight vndoe Or séeke woes mée so perfect loue to part O Thisbie mine that was and only art My liues defence and I the cause alone Of thy decay and mine eternall mone Come Lyon thou whose rage here only shew Aduaunce with spéede and doo mée eke deuoure For ruthlesse fact so shalt thou pitty shew And mée too heere within thy brest restore Where wée shall rest togeather euermore Ah since thy corps thou graues within thy wombe Denye mée not swéet beast the selfesame tombe Alas my ioy thou parted art from mée By far more cruell meane then woonted fine Or common law of nature doth decrée And that encreaseth for woe this gréefe of mine Of that beautie only which was deuine And soueraigne most of all that liued here No litle signe may found be any where If the dead corps alas did yet remayne O great cruelty O rage of fortune spight More gréeuous far then any tongue may fayne To reue her life and in my more despight Mée to defraude of that my last delight Her once t' mbrace or yet her visage pale To kisse full oftâ— and as I should bewayle But since from mée thou hast the meane outchast Of this poore ioy thy might I héere defie For maugre thee and all the power thou hast In Plutoes raigne togeather will wée bée And you my loue since you are dead for mée Good reason is that I for you agayne Receiue no lesse but euen the selfsame payne Ah Mulberie thou witnes of our woe Right vnder thée assigned was the place Of all our ioy but thou our common foo Consented hast vnto her death alas Of beauty all that had alone the grace And therfore as the chéefe of others all Let men the Tree of deadly woe thée call Graunt our great God for honor of thy name A guerdoâ—â—f the woe wée shall here haue For I nill 〈◊〉 shée dead that rulde thesame Pronounce O Pluto from thy hollow Caue Where stayes thy raigne and let this trée receiue Such sentence iust as may a witnesse bée Of dollour most to all that shall it see ANd with those wordes his naked blade hée fiersly froÌ„ his side Out drew through his brest it forst with mortal wouÌ„d to glide The streames of gory blood out glush but hée with manly hart Careles of death and euery payne that death could them imparte His Thisbies kerchéefe hard hée straines kist with stedfast chere And harder strainde and ofter kist as death him drew more nere The Mulberies whose hue before had euer white lo béene To blackish collour straight transformed black ay since are séen And Thisbie then who all that while had kept the hollow trée Least hap her Louers long aboad may séeme him mockt to bée Shakes of all feare and passeth foorth in hope her loue to tell What terror great shée late was in and wonderous case her fel But wheÌ„ she doth approche that treâ— whos◠〈…〉 were Abasht she stands musing much how 〈…〉 should appere Her Pyramus with sights prosound and 〈…〉 that plained Shee hard and him a kerchefe saw how hee bit 〈◊〉 and strained Shee neuer drew but wheÌ„ the sword and gaping wound she saw The anguish great shee had therof her caus'd to ouerthrow In deadly swoone and to her selfe shee beeing come agayne With pittious playnts and deadly dole her loue shee did coÌ„playne That doone shee did her body leane and on him softly lay She kist his face whose collour fresh is spent and falne away Then to the sword these woords she sayth thou sword of bitter gall â–ª Thou hast bereaued mee my Loue my comfort ioy and all With that deare blood woes me of his thy cursed blade doth shine Wherfore thinke not thou canst be free to shed the same of mine In life no meane though wee it sought vs to assemble could Death shall who hath already his mine shall straight vnfolde And you O Gods this last request for ruthe yet graunt it mee That as one death wee should receiue one Tombe our graue may bee With that agayn she oft him kist then shee speaketh thus O Louer mine beholde thy loue alas my Pyramus Yet ere I dye beholde mee once that comfort not denye To her with thee that liu'd and lou'd and eke with thee will dye The Gentilman with this and as the lastest throwes of death Did pearce full fast at that same stroke to end both life and breath The voice hee knows euen ther with castes vp his heauy eyes And sees his loue hee striues to speake but death at hand denyes Yet loue whose might not theÌ„ was queÌ„cht in spite of death gaue streÌ„gth And causde froÌ„ bottoÌ„ of his hart these words to pas at leÌ„gth Alas my loue and liue ye yet did not your life define By Lyones rage the foe therof and caus'd that this of mine Is spent and past or as I thinke it is your soule so deare That seekes to ioy and honor both my last aduenture heare Euen with that woord a profound sighe from bottom of his hart Out cast his corps and spirit of life in sunder did depart Then Thisbie efte with shrike so shrill as dynned in the skye Swaps down in swoone shee eft reuiues hents the sword hereby Wherwith beneath her pap alas into her brest shée strake Saying thus will I die for him that thus dyed for my sake The purple Skaâ—let streames downe ran shee her close doth lay Unto her loue him kissing still as life did pyne away Lo thus they lou'd and died and dead one tombe theÌ„ graued there And Mulberies in signe of woe from white to blacke turnde were FINIS ⧠The lamentacion of a Gentilwoman vpon the death of her late deceased frend William Gruffith Gent. A doutfull dying dolefull Dame Not fearing death nor forcing life Nor caring ought for flitting fame Emongst such sturdy stormes of strife Here doth shee mourne and write her will Vpon her liked Louers ende Graunt Muses nyne your sacred skill Helpe to assist your mournfull freend Embouldned with your Nimphish ayde Shee will not cease but seeke to singe And eke employ her willing head Her Gruffithes prayse with ruthe to ringe WIth Poets pen I doo not preace to
dolefull case Where walkes no wight but I alone in drewsie desart place And there I empt my laden hart that sweld in fretting mone My sighes and playnts and panges I tell vnto my selfe alone What shall I say doo aske mee once why all these sorowes bee â–ª I answere true O foe or freend they all are made for thee Once knit the lynck that loue may last then shal my dollors ceasâ— It lyes in thee and wilt thou not the yeelding wight release O would to God it lay in mée to cure such gréefe of thine Thou shouldst not long be voyd of helpe if t were in power of mine But I would run range in stormes a thousand miles in payne Not fearing foyle of freends to haue my couÌ„tenance whole agayn And wilt thou then all mercylesse more longer torment mee In drawing backe sith my good helpe is only whole in thée Then send mée close y hewing knife my wider wound to stratch And thou shalt see by wofull gréefe of life a cleane dispatch When thou shalt say and prooue it true my hart entirely lou'd Which lost the life for countnance swéet froÌ„ whoÌ„ hée neuer mou'd Write then vpon my wofull Tombe these verses grauen aboue Heere lyes the hart his truth to trie that lost his life in loue Loe saue or spill thou mayst mee now thou sitst in iudgment hie Where I poore man at Bar doo stand and lowd for life doo cry Thou wilt not bée so mercylesse to slea a louing hart â–ª Small prayse it is to conquer him that durst no where to start Thou hast the sword that cut the wound of my vnholâ—en payne Thou canst and art the only helpe to heale the same agayne Then heale the hart that loues theé well vntill the day hée dye And firmely fast thy loue on him that 's true continually In thée my wealth in thee my woe in thée too saue or spill In thee mee lyfe in thee my death doth rest to worke thy will. Let vertue myxt with pitty great and louing mercy saue Him who without thy salue so sicke that hee must yeeld to graue O salue thou then my secret sore sith health in thee dooth stay And grauÌ„t with speed my iust request whose want works my decay Then shal I blesse the pleasaÌ„t place where once I tooke thy gloue And thanke the God who giues thée grace to grauÌ„t me loue for loue FINIS ¶ A louing Epistle written by Ruphilus a yonge Gentilman to his best beloued Lady Elriza as followeth TWice hath my quaking hand withdrawen this pen away And twice againe it gladly would before I dare béewray The secret shrined thoughts that in my hart do dwell That neuer wight as yet hath wist nor I desire to tell But as the smoothered cole doth wast and still consume And outwardly doth geue no heate of burnyng blaze or fume So hath my hidden harmes béen harbred in my corpce Till faintyng limmes and life and all had welnigh lost his force Yet stand I halfe in doubt whiche of these two to choose To hide my harmes still to my hurt or els this thraldome loose I will lay feare aside and so my tale beginne Who neuer durst assaile his foe did neuer conquest win Lo here my cause of care to thée vnfolde I will Help thou Minerua graunt I pray some of thy learned skill Help all you Muses nine my wofull Pen to write So stuffe my verse with pleasant wordes as she may haue delight With héedyng eares to reade my gréeif and great vnrest Some wordes of plaint may moue perhaps to pitty my request Oft haue I hard complaint how Cupid beares a sway In brittle youth and would commaund and how they did obay When I with skorning eares did all their talke dispise But well I see the blinded boy in lurking den hée lies To catch the careles sorte awayting with his Darte Hée threw at mée when I vnwares was wounded to the harte To speake and pray for helpe now loue hath mée constrainde And makes mée yéeld to serue the sorte that lately I disdainde Sith beggars haue no choyce nor néede had euer law The subiecte Oxe doth like his yoke when hée is driuen to draw That Ruphilus this wrote thou wonder wilt I know Cause neuer erst in louinge vearse my labor I bestowe Well woful loue is mine and wéeping lines I wright And doubtfull wordes with driery chéere beséemes a careful wight O thou Elrisa fayre the beuty of thine eyes Hath bred such bale within my drest and cau'sde such strife to ryse As I can not forget vntill deuouring death Shal leaue to mee a senceles goast and rid my longer breath Or at the least that thou doo graunt mée some releefe To ease the gréedy gripes I féele and end my great mischéefe As due to mee by right I can no mercy craue Thou hast the power to graunt mée life refuse not for to saue Put to thy helping hand to salue the wounded sore Though thou refuse it for my sake yet make thine honour more Too cruell were the facte if thou shouldst séeke to kill Thy faythful fréend that loues thee so and doth demaund no ill Thy heauenly shape I saw thy passing bewty bright Enforst mée to assay the bayt where now my bane I bight I nought repent my loue nor yet forthinke my facte The Gods I know were all agreed and secretly compacte To frame a worke of prayse to show their power deuine By good aduice this on the earth aboue the rest to shine Whose perfecte shape is such as Cupid feares his fall And euery wight that hath her séene I say not one but all With one consent they cry lo here dame Venus ayer Not Danae nor shée dame Lede was euer halfe so faire Though Princes sue for grace and ech one do thee woo Mislyke not this my meane estate wherwith I can nought doo As highest seates wee sée be subiect to most winde So base and poore estates we know be hateful to the minde The happy meane is mine which I do haply holde Thy honor is to yéeld for loue and not for heape of golde If euer thou hast felte the bitter panges that stinges A louers brâ—st or knowest the â—ares that Cupid on vs flinges Then pitty my request and wayle my wofull case Whose life to death with hasty whéeles doo toumble on apace Uouchsafe to â—ase the paine that loue on mée doth whelme Let not thy freend to shipwracke go sith thou doost hold his helme Who yeelâ—eth all hée hath as subiect to thy will If thou commaund hée doth obey and all thy heastes fulfill But if thou call to minde when I did part thee fro What was the cause of my exile and why I did forgo The happy life I held and lost there with thy sight Well mayst thou wayle thy want of troth rue thy great vnright If thou be found to fayle thy vow that thou hast sworne Or that one iot of my good will out of thy
could deuise I tel the truth beleeue mee wel the day will not suffise Graunt now therfore some rest since thus thou hast mee bound To be thine owne til body mine lye buried vnder ground FINIS ¶ The Louer hauing his beloued in suspition declareth his doutfull minde DEeme as ye list vpon good cause Yee may and thinke of this or that But what or why my selfe best knowes Wherby I thinke and feare not Wherunto I may wel like The doubtful sentence of this clause I would ye were not as I thinke I would I thought it were not so If that I thought it were not so Though it were so it greeued mee not Unto my hart it were as thâ— I harkened and I heare not At that I sée I cannot winke Nor for my hart to let it go I would it were not as I thinke I would I thought it were not so Lo how my thought might make mée frée Of that perchance it néedeth not For though no doubt in déede I sée I shrinke at that I beare not Yet in my hart this worde shall sinke Untill the proofe may better bée I would it were not as I thinke I would I thought it were not FINIS ¶ An exellent Sonet Wherin the Louer exclaymeth agaynst Detraction beeing the principall cause of all his care To the tune when Cupid scaled first the Fort. PAsse forth in doulfull dumpes my verse Thy Masters heauy haps vnfolde His grisled gréefe â—ache hart well perce Display his woes feare not bée bould Hid hole in heapes of heauinesse His dismale dayes are almost spent For fate which forgde this ficklenesse My youthly yeares with teares hath sprent I lothe the lingring life I â—ed â–ª O wished death why stayest thy hand Sith gladsome Ioyes away bée fled And linkte I am in Dollors bande In weltring waues my ship is tost My shattering sayles away bée shorne My Anker from the Stearne is lost And Tacklings from the Maynyard storne Thus driuen with euery gale of winde My weather beaten Barke doth sayle Still hoping harbor once to finde Which may these passinge perrils quayle But out alas in vayne I hope Sith Billowes prowd assault mée still And skill doth want with Seas to cope And licour salte my Kéele doth fill Yet storme doth cease but lo at hand A ship with warlike wightes addrest Which seemes to bee some Pyrates band With Powder and with Pellets prest To sinke or spoyle my brused Barke Which dangers dread could not a daunt And now the shot the ayre doth darke And Captayne on the Deke him vaunt Then Ignorance the ouerséear proude Cryes to Suspicion spare no shot And Enuy yelleth out aloude Yeeld to Detraction this thy Boate And as it is now Sea mens trade When might to coole the foe doth lacke By vayling foretop signe I made That to their lee I mee did take Then gathering winde to mee they make And Treason first on borde doth come Then followes Fraud like wily Snake And swift amongst them takes his rome These bindâ— mee Captiue tane with band Of carkinge care and fell annoy While vnder Hatches yet I stand Therby quight to abandon ioye Then hoysting sayles they homeward hye And mee present vnto Disdayne Who mee beheld with scorning eye The more for to encrease my payne As Lady shee commaunded strayght That to Dispayre they mee conuay And bid with skilfull heed hee wayght That Truth bee bard from mee away Madam quoth I let due desart Yet finde remorse for these my woes Of pitty graunt some ease to smart Let Troth draw neare to quayle my foes But all for nought I doo complayne For why the deafe can mone no noyse No more can they which doo disdayne But will in harte therat reioyce Wherfore twixt life and death I stay Til time with daughter his drawe nye Which may these furious foes dismay Or els in ruthfull plight I dye FINIS ¶ The Louer in bondage looketh for releasement and longeth for the releefe of his wedding day WHen shall reliefe release my wo When shall desert disdayne digest When shall my hap hap to mée so That my poore hart may come too rest When shall it so when shall it so When shall longe loue bée looked vpon When shall tried truth bée homeliest When shall hope haue that hope hangeth on That my poore hart may come to rest When shall it so c. When shall I sée shée séethe right When shall I heare shee heareth mée best When shall I féele shée féeleth delight That my poore harte may come to rest When shall it so c. When stinte all stormes that thus agréeue When stinte all stayes that wrong hath wrest When stinte all strifes right to reléeue That my poore hart may come to rest When shall it so c. When right shall sée right time to boste When right shall aright vnright oppresse When right shall raigne and rule the roste Then my poore harte shall come to rest Then shall it so c. When shall I watch the time to sée Now shall I wish the time possest Now shall I thinke each day yéeres thrée That my poore harte may come to rest When shall it so c. Now farewell harte most smooth most smart Now farewell hart with hart hartiest And farewell harte tiâ—â— hart in harte By harty harte may come to rest God graunt it so c. FINIS ¶ A fine and freendly Letter of the Louer to his beloued LIke as the Hauke is led by lure to draw from trée to trée So is my hart through force of loue where euer my body bee The Hauke to pray doth double wing her flight is fled in vayne I make my flight in waste of winde my hope receyueth no gayne Haukes that be high it hurtes to light two flightes without reward My flight is two and three againe alas Mistresse regarde The Hauke brought low is soone made high by féeding on warme foode Your mouthes breath settes mée aloft there is nothing so good Good Lady then strain forth the strings whose tune may mée reuiue And with strauÌ„g tongue do not prolong my ioyes thus to depriue Within your brest my hart is hid your will and it is one Regard my smart the cure is yours and losse when I am gone Thus all your owne I recommend mee wholly to your grace As seemeth you best for to reward my plight and wofull case Which plight if you do counterpaise with ioyes as doth belonge My hart for ioy would tune accorde to singe some pleasant songe FINIS ¶ The Louers fata farewell at his death AL wealth I must forsake and pleasures eke forgo My life to ende in wo and greefe my desteny is so For where I had perfixt with sute to win my ioy I found I had right spéedy death al welth for to distroy Whose Image lo I am though lyuing I appeare Both body and soule be seperate my heauen it is not here My harte I haue bestowed wheras it is not found Thou
ten dayes space I tooke no rest by day nor yet by night But like to Baccus beldame Nonne I sent and rangde apace To sée if that I mought thée finde in some frequented place Now here now there now vp now down my fancy so was fed Untill at length I knew of troth that thou from mee wert fled Then was I fully bent with blade to stab my vexed harte Yet hope that thou wouldst come agayn my purpose did conuart And so ere since I liu'd in hope bemixt with dreadful feare My smeared face through endles teares vnpleasant doth appeare My slepes vnsound with vgly dreams my meats are vayn of taste My gorgious rayment is dispisde my tresses rudly plaste And to bee breefe I bouldly speake there doth remayne no care But that therof in amplest wise I doo possesse a share Lyke as the tender sprig doth bend with euery blast of winde Or as the guidelesse Ship on Seas no certaine Porte may finde So I now subiecte vnto hope now thrall to carefull dread Amids the Rocks tween hope and feare as fancy mooues am led Alas returne my deare returne returne and take thy rest God graunt my wordes may haue the force to penytrat thy brest What doost thou thinke in Italy some great exployt to win No no it is not Italy as sometimes it hath bin Or doost thou loue to gad abroad the forrain costes to vew If so thou hadst not doone amisse to bid mée first a dew But what hath bin the cause I néede not descant longe For sure I am meane while poore wench I only suffer wrong Wel thus I leaue yet more could say but least thou shouldst refuse Through tediousnesse to réede my lines the rest I will excuse Untill such time as mighty Ioue doth send such luckye grace As wée therof in fréendly wise may reason face to face Till then farwell and hée thee kéepe who only knowes my smart And with this bill I send to thee a trusty Louers harte By mee to thee not mine but thine Since Loue doth moue the same Thy mate though late doth wright her â—light Thou well canst tell her name ¶ A Letter sent from beyond the Seaes to his Louer perswading her to continew her loue towardes him TO thée I write whose life and death thy faith may saue or spil Which fayth obserue I liue in ioy if not your freend you kill Suspecte not that I doo misdoubt your loyalty at all But pender how that louers are vnto suspicion thrall Which thraldome bréedeth furth thrall if woonted fayth doo fayle Agaynst the Louer thus forlorne do thousand Cares preuayle It litle helpes to haue begun and there to set a stay They win more fame that fight it out then those that run away Like as the willing hound that doth pursue the Deare in Chace Will not omit vnto the ende his paynfull weary race So Loue if loue it bee indeed will stedfast still remayne What so betide good hap or yll and not reuoult agayne Such fayth of you swéet hart I aske such fayth why sayd I so What néede I to demaund the thing I haue had long ago Your fayth you gaue the case is playn you may not seeme to start And I in earnest of the match did leaue with you my hart But now perhaps you may alleage long distance may procure A cause wherby our former loue no longer may endure If so you Iudge to far amisse although that sayle and winde Conuay my corps to cuntry strange my hart remaynes behinde Examples many could I shew but néedles is that payne Mine owne example shalâ— suffise when I returne agayne Meane while although to swim I want Leanders cunning art In all things els except the same I le play Leanders part In hope that thou wilt shew thy selfe to mée an Hero true And so although loth to depart I say swéete hart adue A Ringe I sende wherin is pende a Posie if you reede Wherby you may perceaue alway of what I most haue neede By mee your frende vnto the ende if you therto agree Although not so your louing foe I still perforce must bee FINIS An other louing Letter BEcause my hart is not mine owne but resteth now with thée I greet thee well of hartinesse thy selfe mayst Caruer bée Muse not hereat but like hereof first read and then excuse I wish to you a plyant hart when you these lines peruse Hope bids me speak fear stayes my tongue but Cupid makes mée boulde And Fancy harps of good successe when that my playnt is tould Thus Hope doth prick feare doth kicke fancy féeds my brayn In you alone doth now consist the salue to ease my payne You are my Paradice of ioy the heauen of my delight And therwithall which thing is strang the worker of my spight Which spight I seeke not to reuenge but meekely to subdue Not as a foe but as a fréend I do your loue pursue I yeeld my selfe vnto your power and will not you relente In humble wise I mercy craue and is your mercy spente No sure as nature outwardly hath shewde in you her skill I doubt not but that inwardly the like shee doth fulfill So good a face so trim a grace as doth in you remayne A Cressids cruell stony harte I know may not retayne Wherfore to ratefie my wordes let déedes apparant bée Then may you vaunt and proue it true you fréedom gaue to mée Consider of my restles care and way blinde Cupids ire Then shal you finde my paynful loue doth claym but earned hire Requite not this my curtesy and fréendship with disdaine But as I loue vnfainedly so yeeld like loue againe Allow hereof as for the rest that doth belong to loue My selfe therof will take the care as time in time shall proue Meane while I wish a Thisbies hart in you there may endure Then doubt not but a Pyramus of mée you shall procure Yours at your will To saue or spill FINIS Proctors Precepts LEaue vading plumes no more vaunt gallant youth Thy masking weeds forsake take collours sage Shun vicious steps consider what ensueth Time lewdly spent when on coms crooked age When beauty braue shall vade as doth the flower When manly might shall yeeld to auncient time When yonge delightes shall dye and ages bower Shall lodge thy corps bemoning idle prime Learne of the Ant for stormy blastes to get Prouision least vntimely want do cum And mooues thee mone such time so lewd neglect From vertues lore where worthy honors wun Thinke how vncertayne here thou liust a guest Amid such vice that 's irksome to beholde Thinke whence thou camst and where thy corps shall rest When breathing breath shall leaue thy carkasse colde When dreadfull death shall daunt thy hauty minde When fearfull flesh shall shrowd in clammy clay When pamperd plumes shall vade and dreads shall finde Deseruings due for erring lewd astray Run not to rash least triall make the mone In auncient yeres thy greene
honor to aspire Whose greatest pompe doth but a while endure For proofe the flower bedect with gorgious hew As soone with heate of scorching sun doth fade As doth the weede the which vnséemly grew And showes it selfe vncouerd with the shade The stately ship which floates on fâ—ming fluds With waue is tost as soone to surging Seas Doth yéeld his pompe though fraught with store of goods As vessell weake whose force the streame assayes Our selues may show the state of eche degrée As Sampson stout whose force Philistians felt For wealth let Diues glut with golde our Mirror bée Marke Nemrods fall whose hart with pride was swelt And diuers mo whose preter pathes may learne Our future steps our vayn vnsteady stay Whose elder lyues already past may warne Us shun such snares which leades vs to decay FINIS T. P. The fall of folly exampled by needy Age. BEhold mée here whose youth to withered yeres Doth bow and bend compeld by crooked age Sée here my lyms whose strength benumbde weres Whose pleasure spent gray heares bids to bee sage But loe to late I lothe my life lewd spent And wish in vayne I had foreséene in youth These drowsie dayes which mooues mee to lament My idle youth prou'd what therof ensueth Unstorde olde yeres must serue for lusty prime These féebled ioynts must séeke to serue their want With tedious toyle because I vsde not time Loe thus I liue suffisde perforce to scant In flaunting yeres I flaunting florisht forth Amid delight puft vp with puffing pryde Meane garments then I déemed nothing worth Nay scace the best might serue my flesh to hide I thought them foes which tolde mée of my fault And iudgd them speake of rigor not good will Who toulde of gayne mée thought for hire did hault Then loe I lothde what now I wish by skill Experience mooues mée mone the more my gréefe In lyuely yeres because I did not shun Such idle steps least voyd of such reléefe As might haue helpt my age now youth is dun But what preuayles to wish I would I had Sith time delayd may not bee calde agayne A guerdon iust for such as youth too bad Consumes it is in time therfore take payne Seeke how in youth to serue contented age Learne how to lead your life in vertues lore Beholde you mee attacht with death his page Constraynd through want my lewdnes to deplore What greefe more great vnto a hauty hart Then is distresse by folly forste to fall What care more cruell or lothsom to depart From wealth to want it greeues vs to the gall But what auayles to boast or vaunt of vayne What profit i st to prayse a passed pryde Sith it consum'd is but a pinching payne A heape of harmes whose hurt I wretch haue tryde A direfull dreed a surge of sorowing sobs A carking care a mount of mestiue mone A sacke of sin coucht full of cankered knobs A wauering weed whose force is soone orethrone For proofe behold the boast of breathing breath See see how soone his valiaunst vaunt doth vade Our pleasant prime is subiect vnto death By vices vrgde in waues of wo to wade I know the state and trust of euery tyme I see the shame wherto eche vice doth cum Therfore by mee learne how to leaue such crime Foeâ—ix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Let mee your Mirror learne you leaue what 's lewd My fall forepassed let teach you to beware My auncient yeres with tryall tript haue vewd The vaunt of vice to be but carking care FINIS T.P. ¶ A proper Sonet how time consumeth all earthly thinges AY mee ay mee I sighe to see the Sythe a fielde Downe goeth the Grasse soone wrought to withered Hay Ay mee alas ay mee alas that beauty needes must yeeld And Princes passe as Grasse doth fade away Ay mee ay mee that life cannot haue lasting leaue Nor Golde take holde of euerlasting ioy Ay mee alas ay mee alas that time hath talents to receyue And yet no time can make a suer stay Ay mee ay mee that wit can not haue wished choyce Nor wish can win that will desires to see Ay mee alas ay mee alas that mirth can promis no reioyce Nor study tell what afterward shal bee Ay mee ay mee that no sure staffe is giuen to age Nor age can giue sure wit that youth will take Ay mee alas ay mee alas that no counsell wise and sage Will shun the show that all doth marre and make Ay mee ay mee come time sheare on and shake thy Hay It is no boote to baulke thy bitter blowes Ay mee alas ay mee alas come time take euery thing away For all is thine bee it good or bad that growes FINIS A Mirror of Mortallity SSall clammy clay shrowd such a gallant gloze â—ust beauty braue be shrinde in dankish earth Shall crawling wormes deuoure such liuely showes of yong delights When valyant corps shall yéeld the latter breath Shall pleasure vade must puffing pride decay Shall flesh consume must thought resigne to clay Shall haughty hart haue hire to his desart Must deepe desire die drenchd in direfull dread Shall déeds lewd dun in fine reape bitter smart Must each vade when life shall leaue vs dead Shall Lands remayne must wealth be left behinde Is sence depriu'd when flesh in earth is shrinde Séeke then to shun the snares of vayne delight Which moues the minde in youth from vertues lore Leaue of the vaunt of pride and manly might Sith all must yeeld when death the flesh shall gore And way these wordes as soone for to be solde To Market cums the yonge shéepe as the olde No trust in time our dayes vncertayne bee Like as the flower bedect with splendant hue Whose gallant show soone dride with heat wee see Of scorching beames though late it brauely grew Wée all must yeeld the best shall not denye Unsure is death yet certayn wee shall dye Although a while we vaunt in youthful yeares In yonge delightes wee see me to liue at rest Wee subiect bee to griefe eche horror feares The valiaunst harts when death doth daunt the brest Then vse thy talent here vnto thee lent That thou mayst well account how it is spent FINIS T.P. A briefe dialogue between sicknesse and worldly desire ¶ Sicknesse TO darkesome caue where crawling wormes remayn Thou worldly wretch resigne thy boasting breath Yéeld vp thy pompe thy corps must passe agayn From whence it came compeld by dreadfull death ¶ Worldly desire Oh sicknesse sore thy paines doo pearce my hart Thou messenger of death whose goryng gripes mee greue Permit a while mee loth yet to depart From fréends and goods which I behinde must leaue ¶ Sicknesse Ah silly soule entis'de with worldly vayne As well as thou thy fréends must yéeld to death Though after thee a while they doo remayne They shall not still continue on the earth ¶ Worldly desire What must I then néede shrine in gastly graue And leaue what long I
this true and ouer true alas My greefeful eyes that sight hath almost lost And brest through darted with thy golden Mace. Full well declare though all that mee beholde Are iudges and wonders of my deadly wo But thou alone mayst helpe therfore vnfolde Els helples Lady streight will knap in two The feeble thread yet stayes my lingering life Wherfore if loue thy sacred Goddes brest Did euer presse or if most dreadly griefe And causeles not thy inward soule opprest When crooked Vulcane to your common shame Bewrayed of stolen ioyes thy sweet delight If then I say the feare of further blame Caus'd you refrayne your Louers wished sight And forst restraynt did equall then impart And cause you taste what payne in loue may bée When absence driues assured hartes to part Thy pitty then O Quéene now not denye To mee poore wretch who feeles no lesse a payne If humayne brests so much as heauenly may Haue ruthe on him who doth to thée complayne And onely helpe of thée doth lowly pray Graunt Goddesse mine thou mayst it vndertake At least wise Lady ere this life decay Graunt I beseeche so happy mée to make That yet by worde I may to her bewray My wonderous woes and then if yee so please Looke when you lust let death my body ease THus praying fast ful fraught with cares I leaue this wofull man And turne I will to greater gréefe then minde immagin can But who now shall them writ since wit denayeth the some to thinke Confusedly in Thisbies brest that flow aboue the brinke Not I for though of mine owne store I want no woes to write Yet lacke I termes and cunning both them aptly to recite For CuÌ„nings clyffe I neuer clombe nor dranke of Science spring Ne slept vpon the happy hill froÌ„ whence Dame Rhetorique rings And therfore all I doo omit and wholy them resigne To iudgment of such wofull Dames as in like case hath bin This will I tel how Thisbie thus opprest with dollors all Doth finde none ease but day and night her Pyramus to call For lost is slepe and banisht is all gladsome lightes delight In short of case and euery helpe eche meane shée hath in spight In langor long this life shée led till hap as fortune pleased To further fates that fast ensue with her own thought her eased For this shée thinkes what distance may or mansions bée betwéen Or where now stands so cruell wall to part them as is seene O feeble wit forduld with woe awake thy wandering thought Seeke out thou shalt assured finde shall bring thy cares to nought With this some hope nay as it were a new reuiued minde Did promis straight her pensiue hart immediate helpe to finde And forth she steres with swifted pace ech place she seeks throughout No stay may let her hasty foote till all be vewed about Wherby at length from all the rest a wall aloofe that lyes And corner wise did buyldings part with ioyful eye shée spyes And scarcely then her pearcing looke one blinke therof had got But that firme hope of good successe within her fancy shot Then fast her eye shée roules about and fast shée seekes to see If any meane may there bee found her comfort for to bee And as her carefull looke shee cast and euery part aright Had vewed wel a litle rifte appeared to her sight Which as it seemed through the wall the course the issue had Wherwith shee sayd O happy wall mayst thou so blist be made That yet sometimes within thy bandes my dere hart Pyramus Thou doost possesse if hap so worke I will assay thee thus And from about the heauenly shape her midle did present Shee did vnlose heer girdle riche and pendent therof hent And with her fingers long and small on tipto so shee wrought That through the wall to open sight she hath the pendant brought That doone shee stayes and to the wall she closely layes her eare To vnderstand if any wight on th' other side yet were And whiles to harken thus shee stands a wonderous thing behold Poore Pyramus in Venus Church that all his minde had tolde Performed his vowes and prayers eke now ended all and dun Doth to his Chamber fast returne with hart right wo begun Euen to the same where Thisbie stayd to see if fortune please To smooth her browes and her distresse with any helpe to ease Hee as his woonted vsage was the Chamber once within Lockes fast the doore with fresh complaynts new sorrow to begin But euen lo as his backe hee turned vnto the closed dore Aglimpse of light the pendant gaue his visage iust before Let in his face with speedy pace and as hee nearer drew With wel contented minde forthwith his Thisbies signe he knew And when his trembling hand for ioy the same receyued had And hee ten hundreth times it kist then thus to it hee sayd THough many tokens ioyful newes haue set And blisse redust to carefull pyned ghost Yet mayst thou sweare that neuer lyued hee yet Who halfe such ease receiued in pleasure most As thou sweete pendant now in wofull brest Impersid hast O happy Pyramus Nay béeing a Lady in whom such râ—the can rest Most blisfull Lady most mighty Venus And mighty Thisbie yea Venus not displeased My Goddesse chéefe my loue my life and all For who but Thisbie would nay could haue eased A hart remedyles abandon thrall Wherfore since thus ye please to show your might Make mée whole happy with gladnesse of your sight WHiles Pyramus all clad in ioy thus talkes within the wall No lesse content doth Thisbie stand without and heareth al And with those gladsom lightes where loue doth sightly ioy to play And vanquish harts her loue shée vewes in minde somwhat to say But maydeÌ„ly feare plucks backe the word dread stops her trimbling tongue A rossy hew inflames her face with staine of red among Yet lo at length her minde thée stayes her sences doo awake And with a swéet soft sounding voyce this answer doth she make Loue Pyramus more deare to mée then lyfe Euen as I first this way for spéech haue found Of present death so let the dreadfull knyfe At this instant for euer mee consound If ioyfull thought my passing pensiue harte Did euer pearse since parents cruell dome Pronounst the sentence of our common smart No deare hart mine for how alasse may blome The fading trée whose sap deuided is Ye further sweet I dare with you presume Your passed woes but pastimes ware I wis In their respect that did mée whole consume But now sharpe sighes so stop my willing spéeche Such streames of teares doo dim my troubled sight And inward feare of parents wrath is such Least longer talke should giue them any light Of our repayre that further to recyte My heaped yls I neuer dare ne may Yet oftenly wee wisely heare may meete At chosen times which shall vs not bewray And this for short thy Thisbie shalt thou see With
write Mineruaes mate I doo not boast to bée Parnassus Mount I speake it for no spite Can cure my cursed cares I playnly see For why my hart contaynes as many woes As euer Hector did amongst his foes Eche man doth mone when faythfull 〈…〉 And paynt them out as well as wits doo serue â–ª But I a Mayde am forst to vse my head To wayle my fréend whose fayth did prayse deserue Wit wants to will alas no skill I haue Yet must I néedes deplore my Gruffithes graue For William white for Gruffith gréene I wore And red longe since did serue to please my minde Now blacke I weare of mee not vs'd before In liew of loue alas this losse I finde Now must I leaue both White and Gréene and Red And wayle my fréend who is but lately dead Yet hurtfull eyes doo bid mée cast away In open show this carefull blacke attyre Because it would my secret loue bewray And pay my pate with hatred for my hyre Though outwardly I dare not weare thesame Yet in my hart a web of blacke I frame You Ladyes all that passe not for no payne But haue your louers lodged in your laps I craue your aydes to helpe mee mourne amayne Perhaps your selues shall feele such carefull claps Which God forbid that any Lady taste Who shall by mee but only learne to waste My wits be weake an Epitaphe to write Because it doth require a grauer stile My phrase doth serue but rudely to recite How Louers losse doth pinch mee all this while Who was as prest to dye for Gruffithes sake As Damon did for Pithias vndertake But William had a worldly freend in store Who writ his end to small effect God knowes But I. and H. his name did show no more Rime Ruffe it is the common sentence goes It hangs at Pawles as euery man goes by One ryme too low an other rampes too hye Hée prays'd him out 〈…〉 doo vse And vttered all the 〈◊〉 that God had sent But I am shée that neueâ— will refuse But as I am so will I still bee bent No blastes shall blow my lincked loue awry Oh? would the Gods with Gruffith I might dye Then had it been that I poore silly Dame Had had no neede to blot this scratched scroule Then Virgins fist had not set forth the fame How God hath gripte my Gruffithes sacred soule But wee is mée I liue in pinching payne No wight doth know what sorowes I sustayne Unhappy may that drowsie day bée nam'd Wherin I first possest my vitall breath And eke I wish that day that I was fram'd In stead of life I had receiued death Then with these woes I needed not to waste Which now alas in euery vayne I taste Some Zoylus sot will thinke it lightly doone Because I mone my mate and louer so Some Momus match this scroule will ouerronne But loue is lawlesse euery wight doth know Sith loue doth lend mee such a freendly scope Disdaynfull dogs I may despise I hope Wherfore I doo attempt so much the more By this good hope to shew my slender arte And mourne I must who neuer marckt before What fretting force doo holde eche heauy hart But now I see that Gruffithes greedy graue Doth make mee feele the fits which louers haue My mournfull Muse good Ladyes take in worth And spare to speake the worst but iudge the best For this is all that I dare publish forth The rest recorded is within my brest And there is lodg'd for euer to remayne Till God doth graunt by death to ease my payne And when that death is 〈…〉 With all the paynes that 〈…〉 Yet to my Gruffith will I 〈…〉 Hap death holde life my 〈…〉 Before I will our secret loue 〈…〉 To Tantals paynes my body I 〈◊〉 So liue I shall when death hath spit heâ— spâ—ght And Lady Fame will spread my prayse I know And Cupids Knights will neuer cease to write And cause my name through Europe for to flow And they that know what Cupid can preuayle Will blesse the ship that floates with such a sayle If I had part of Pallas learned skill Or if Caliope would lend her ayde By tracte of time great volumes I would fill My Gruffithes prayse in wayling verse to spread But I poore I as I haue sayd before Doo wayle to want Mineruaes learned lore By helpe I hope these ragged rymes shall goe Entituled as louers lyues should bee And scape the chyding chaps of euery foe To prayse that man who was best likte of mee Though death hath shapte his most vntimely end Yet for his prayse my tristiue tunes I send In hope the Gods who guide the heauens aboue His buryed corps aliue agayne will make And haue remorce of Ladyes lincked loue As once they did for good Admetus sake Or change him els into some flower to weare As erst they did transforme Narscissus fayre So should I then possesse my former freend Restor'd to lyfe as Alcest was from Hell Or els the Gods some flagrant flower would send Which for his sake I might both weare and smell Which flower out of my hand shall neuer passe But in my harte shall haue a sticking place But wo is mee 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 Adue delight come 〈…〉 To bluntish blockes I see I doo 〈◊〉 playne And reape but onely sorrow for â—y share For wel I know that Gods noâ— sprites can cure The paynes that I for Gruffith doo endure Since wayling no way can remedy mee To make an ende I therfore iudge it best And drinke vp all my sorrow secretly And as I can I will abide the rest And sith I dare not mourne to open showe With secret sighes and teares my hart shall flow Some busie brayne perhaps will aske my name Disposed much some tidings for to marke That dare I not for feare of flying fame And eke I feare least byting bugs will barke Therfore farewell and aske no more of mee For as I am a Louer will I dye FINIS
minde be worne Or if my absence long to thy disgrace hath wrought mée Or hindering tales of my back fréends vnto such state hath brought mée I can and will accurse the cause of my ill spéede But well I hope my feare is more then is the thing indéede Yet blame mée not though I doo stand somewhat in feare The cause is great of my exile which hardly I do beare Who hath a sternles ship amidst the trustles Seaes Full gréedely desires the porte where hée may ride at ease Thy bewty bids mee trust vnto thy promise past My absence longe and not to speake doth make mee doubt as fast For as the sommers sonne doth make eche thing to spring Euen so the frosen winters blast as deadly doth them wring Unsuer thus I liue in dreade I wot not why Yet was there neuer day so bright but there be cloudes in sky Who hath of puer Golde a running streame or flud And is restraind for comming nigh this treasure great and good Hee must abide a time till Fortune graunt him grace That hee haue power by force to win his riche desired place I neede not thus to doo nor yet so much mistrust I know no time can change thy minde or make thée bée vniust No more then water soft can stir a stedfast rocke Or seely flyes vpon their backes can beare away a blocke Eche beast on earth wée sée that liuing breath doth draw Bée faythfull found vnto their mates and keepes of loue the law My wretched life to ease when I doo seke to turne Thy bewty bright doth kindle mee in greater flame to burne No day no night nor time that geues mee mirth or rest Awake asleape and at my meales thou doost torment my brest Though weary lothsome lyfe in care and wo haue clad mee Remembrance of thy heauenly face giues cause again to glad mée Thus Ioyfull thoughtes a while doth lessen much my payne But after calme and â—ayer tides the stormes do come agayne And I in cares doo flame to thinke of my exile That I am barred from thy sight I curse and ban the while Would God I had the craft a Laborinth to frame And also had a Mynotaure inclosed in thesame And that our enemies all might therin take some paine Till Dedales line I did them bringe to helpe them out againe Then should my sorowes seace and drowne my deepe dispaire Then should my life be blest with Ioyes and raisde aboue the ayre â–ª But as the mazed birde for feare dare skantly fly When hee hath scapte the Falcons foote euen so I know should I Scarse able be to speake or any word to say Least Argus wayting ielous eyes might haply mée bewray But oh Elrisa mine why doo I stir such war Within my selfe to thinke of this and yet thy loue so far Why rather should not I giue vp the life I haue And yeeld my weary wretched corps vnto the gaping grau If I hopte not that thou with faith didst binde thy life This hand of mine with bloody sworde should stint my cruel strife â–ª No length of lingring time no distance can remooue The fayth that I haue haue vowed to thée nor alter once my loue Beleeue this to bee true that streames shall soner turne Or frosen Ice to fier coales on blasing flame to burne Then I will seke to change or alter once my minde All plagues I pray may fall on me if I be found vnkinde Or if I meane to swarue while I haue liuing breath God graunt my end then may be such as Agamemnons death I wish thy life no harme but yet I woulde thou knew The wofull ende that Cressed made because shee was vntrue These angry gods or men asonder that doo set vs Shal neuer pearce our mindes in twaine nor eke to loue can let vs As well they may deuide the fier from the flame And euery beast that now is wilde as soone shal be made tame Let not this pistle long my sute with thee deface Who pleadeth for his life thou knowest at large must tel his case And all these wordes I write to one effect do tende I am all thine and not mine owne and herewithal to ende I pray thee to regarde thy health and my request And that my loue doo neuer fleet out of thy secret brest FINIS ¶ NARSETVS a wofull youth in his exile writeth to Rosana his beloued mistresse to assure her of his faithfull constancie requiring the like of her TO stay thy musinge minde hee did this pistle frame That holds the deere loues thee most Narsetus is his name Would God thy frend had brought the health that here he sendes I should haue seene my lacking ioy and heale that hart that rendes And redy is eche hower to sunder still in twaine Saue now this pistle that I write doth lessen wel my paine And helpes mee to vpholde a lingring lothsome life Awaiting still the blisfull hower when death shall stinte the strife What dooth it mee preuaile to haue king Cresus wealth Or who doth ioy in golden Giues imprisoned with his health I sweare by Ioue to thee whose godhead is aye iust These wordes I write are not vntrue then do mee not mist rust Thy selfe shal be the iudge and if thou list to vewe The bared bones the hollow lookes the pale and ledy hew The stealing strides I draw the wo and dreadfull feares The boyling brest with bitter brine the eyes be sprent with teares The skant and hungry meales the seldome slepe I take The dainty dames that others ioy â—o iest to mee do make These hated hatefull harmes when I them feele to greeue mee Remembrance of thy beuty bright doth straight again releeue mee And then I cal to minde thy shape and cumly grace Thy heauenly hew thy sugred words thy sweet entising face The pleasant passed sportes that spent the day to ende The lothsom lookes that liked not to leue so soone thy freend Sith froward fortune hath my Mystresse thus bereâ—t mee Perforce I yéeld and am content to like the lot is left mée If Pyramus were sad when hée found Thisby slayne If Cresseds craft and falsing fayth did Troylus turne to payne Eneas traytor false oh treason that hée did With bloody woundes and murdering sword Quéene Didos lyfe hath riâ— If these haue won by death and end of pyning payne And I aliue with torments great in dying deathes remaine The sound of instruments or musicke 's pleasant noyce Or riches rule or proude estate doth cause mée to reioyce Or Venus damsels deere do please mée euen as well As dying bodies ioy to here for them a passing bell The greefes that gripe my hart and dayly do mée slay It lessen would much of the smart if thou vouchsafe to say God graunt his weary life and sorrowes to asswage God yeeld him health and happy dayes with honor in his age These wordes would win my life dispaired now to death Thou should but saue that is thine
own while I haue liuing breath What heapes of haples hopes on me shall chance to fall So thou doo liue in blisfull state no force for mée at all Amid my greatest greefe the greatest care I haue Is how to wish and will thée good and most thy honor saue Bee faythfull found therfore bée constant true and iust If thou betray thy louing fréend whom hensforth shall I trust When shal I speake with thee when shal I thee imbrace When will the gods appease their wrath when shal I haue sutch grace Hath Ioue forgotten dame Lede for loue and how hee prayed her Transformed like a swan at length the séely soule hee trayde her When faire fresh Danae was closed vp in tower Did hee not raine himselfe a drop amidst the golden shower And fell into her lap from top of chimney hiâ— The great delight of his long loue hee did attaine thereby What cruell gods be these what trespasse haue I doone That I am banisht thus from thee what conquest haue they woon I know their power deuine can for a while remooue mee But whilsâ—e I liue and after death my soule shall likewise loue thée Not Alcumena shee for whom the treble night Was shaped first can well compare with thee for bewty bright Not Troylus sister too whom cruell Pirrhus slew Nor shee the price of ten yeres wars whom yet the Grekes do rew Nor shee Penelope whose chastnes wan her fame Can match with thee Rosina chaste I see her blush for shame The childe of mighty Ioue that bred within his braine Shall yeeld the palme of filed speche to thee that doth her staine And euery wight on earth that liuing breath do draw Lo here your queene sent from aboue to kepe you all in awe But nowe I fine my talke I finde my wits to dull There liueth none that can set forth thy vertues at the ful Yet this I dare well say and dare it to auowe The Gods do feare Rosinas shape and bewty doth alowe In Tantalus toyle I liue and want that most I would With wishing vowes I speake I pray yet lacke the thing I should I sée that I do want I reach it runnes mée fro I haue and lacke that I loue most and lothest to forgo But oh Rosanna dere since time of my exile How hast thou done and doost thou liue how hast thou spent the while How standeth health with thée and art thou glad of chere God graunt those happy restful dayes increase may still each yere If any gréefe or care do vex thy wofull hart Then God I pray to giue thée ease and swagement of thy smart Yet this I doo desire that thou be found to abide A freend euen such as shal mislike with sodaine change to slide If pleasure now thou hast to spend the dreiry day Read then this pistle of my hande to driue the time away If all thy freendes aliue would from thy frendship swarue A thousand deathes I do desire in wretched state to starue If I amongst the rest should alter so my minde Or thou shouldest charge I promise brake or els am found vnkinde Though Argus ielus eyes that daily on vs tend Forbid vs meat and speech also or message for to send A time will come to passe and thinke it not to long That thou and I shall ioyne in ioy and wreake vs of our wrong Which time I would abide though time too long doth try mee In hope againe when time shal serue thou wilt not then deny mee Thus hope doth mee vpholde for hope of after blisse And lose therby my present ioy in hoping still for this I doo commend to thee my life and all I haue Commaund them both as thee best likes to lose or els to saue I am no more mine owne but thine to vse at will Thesame is thine without desert if thou mee seke to kill Bee glad thou litle quere my mystresse shall thee see Fall flat to ground before her face and at her feet doo lie Waste not to rise againe nor doo her not withstand If of her bounty shee vouchsafe to rayse thee with her hand Say thy maister sent thee and humbly for mée greete her Thou knowest my selfe doth wish full ofte to be in place to meete her If any worde in this hath scapte and doo her greeue A pardon craue vpon thy knee and pray her to forgeue A giltles hand it wrote thou mayst be bolde to tell No minde of malice did mee moue her self doth know it well Thou canst and I deserue make glad my wofull sprite I craue no answer to thy payne nor force thee for to write It should suffise if thou voutchsafe to reade the same This pistle then if thou mislyke condemne it to the flame But now there néedes no more I will this pistle ende Estéeme Narsetus alwayes well that is thy faythfull fréend FINIS The Louer forsaken writeth to his Lady a desperate Farwell EUen hée that whilome was thy faithful fréend most iust That thrise thrée yéeres hath spent past reposing all his trust In thy bewayling words that séemed sugar swéet The selfsame man vnwillingly doth with these lines thée greet I can not speake with thee and speaking is but paine To speake and pray and not to speede too fruitles were the gayne Inforste therfore I write and now vnfolde my minde I loue and like as earst I did I am not yet declinde Though time that trieth all hath turnde the loue you ought No changing time could alter mee or wrest awry my thought And sure I doo mislyke that wemen choose to change Ungratefull folkes I do detest as monsters foule and strange Sith first I did you know I neuer spake the thing That did intend you to beguile or might repentance bring Thrise hath my pen falne downe vpon this paper pale And scantly can my hart consent to write to thee this tale Least hasty Iudgmentes might misdeeme my giltles minde To charge that malice moues my spéech or some new frend to finde The gods I vouch to ayd who knowes the troth I ment To swarue or fleet from that I vowed was neuer my intent But as the Courser fearce by pearcing spur doth run So thy desertes enforce mée now to see this worke begun Would God I had no cause to leaue that I did loue Or lothe the thing that likt mee so nor this mishap to proue But sith no thing in earth in one estate can bide Why striue I then against the streame or toyle against the tide And haue you now forgot how many yéeres I sought To get your grace with whot good will how dearly I it bought There is no one aliue that nature euer made That hath such giftes of vertues race and such vntroth doth shade If fayth might haue bin found within a womans brest I did beleeue within thy hart shee chose her place to rest Unskilful though I bee and cannot best deserne Where craft for troth doth preace in place yet am
body theÌ„ depart thou hence why pleasurest thou the ground And Death draw thou mée neare O Death my dearest fréend Then with thy dart shoot through my hart my sorrows so to ende â–ª And when that death did hears the thing that I did craue Hée weighed mée euen as I was a man fit for the graue Come follow mée sayth hée thou man bée not agast Hée that delighteth in earthly things shal feele these panges at last All yée then that list to loue this lesson learne by mée Or yée begin noate well the ende is payne and misery FINIS ¶ The Louer complayneth of his Ladies vnconstancy to the Tune of I lothe that I did loue YYou graues of grisly ghosts Your charge froÌ„ coffins send FroÌ„ roring rout in Plutoes costs You Furies vp ascend You trampling steades of Hell Come teare a wofull wight Whose haples hap no tonge can tell Ne pen can well endight I hate this lothsome life O Atropos draw nie Untwist the thred of mortall strife Send death and let mée die For Beauties taynted trope Hath made my cares assay And ficklenes with her did cope To fordge my whole decaye My fayth alas I gaue To wight of Cressids kinde For stedfast loue I loue did craue As curtesy doth binde Shée likewise troth doth plight To bée a constant loue And proue her self euen maugre spight A faythfull turtle Doue But lo a womans minde Cloakt hole with déepe deceyt And driuen with euery gale of winde To bite at fâ—esher bayt For when bewitch shée had My minde that erst was frée And that her cumly beauty bad My wounded hart agree And fixt on Fancyes lore As world can witnesse beare No other saynct I did adore Or Idole any whear Ne will no wo or smart Could minde from purpose fet But that I had a Iasons harte The golden fléese to get Ne for my part I swere By all the Gods aboue I neuer thought on other fere Or sought for other loue In her the like consente I saw ful oft appear If eyes be iudge of that it mente Or eares haue power to heare Yet woordes bée turnd to winde A new found gest hath got The Fort which once to vndermine And win I planted shot Her fréend that ment her well Out of conceyt is quite While other beares away the bell By hitting of the white In this our wauering age So light are womens mindes As Aspen leafe that stil doth rage Though aeole calme his windes No place hath due desart No place hath constancy In eueri mood their mindes back start As dayly wée may sée What paps did giue them food That weue sutch webs of wo What beast is of so cruell mood That countes his fréend for fo Yet women doo reward With cares the louing wight They constancy no whit regard In change is their delight You gallant youths therfore In time beware by mée Take héed of womeÌ„s subtil lore Let mée example bée FINIS ¶ The Louer hauing sustayned ouermuch wrong at his Ladyes hande wisheth speedy death TO féeble is the thread That holdeth mée in lyfe That if it bee not succoured Short end shal stint the stryfe For though the spindle ronne To draw the thread on length Alas therby what hold is wonne If it be weake of strength Or how can it haue ayde Since rigor is so rife In her whose handes to cut the thread Gaue cruelly the knife Whose edge of Enuy hard In Venus forge hath wrought Wherby his deth is thus preferd Whose life offended nought But sithe thy chéefe delite My cheefe delightfull fo Is with such wrong to work the spite With spéed come end this wo. And when my death hath done My duty at her will A greater gréefe be not begonne To last therafter still For after death if strife Should still my life pursue What theÌ„ doth death but breed a life Of mone mischéefe new Wherfore if néedes thou wilte Thy spindle spin no more But that this thred with spoyle bee spilt Which led my life before Prouide then for the nonâ—e Prouide for mée the best That I may dye at once From all thy mindes vnrest And let not presente death Prefer an after paine But let the paines pas with my breath And not reuiue againe For thus by this you shall Two thinges at once fulfill I shal be frée that haue bin thrall And you shall haue your will. FINIS ¶ The Louer exhorteth his Lady to bee constant To the Tune of Attend thee go play thee NOt light of loue lady Though fancy doo prick thée Let constancy possesse thy hart Well worthy of blamyng They bee and defaming From plighted troth which backe do start Deare dame Then ficklenesse bannish And folly extinguish Bee skilfull in guiding And stay thee from slidinge And stay thee c. The constant are praysed Their fame high is raysed Their worthynesse doth pearce the skye The fickle are blamed Their light loue shamed Theyr foolishnesse doth make them dye As well Can Cressid beare witnesse Fordge of her owne distresse Whom Leprosy paynted And penury taynted And penury c. Still Muses are busie To tell vs of Thisbe Whom stedfastnesse doth much commend And Camma is placed To blame the defaced That light of loue doo sende Phedra Is checked most duly Because that vntruly Forst therto by loue light Shée slayeth Hippolite Shée slayeth c. A spring of annoyance And well of disturbance New fanglenesse in loue hath bin It killeth the Master It poysons the taster No worldly wight by it doth win Therfore Good lady bée constant So shall you not bee shent But woorthely praysed As you haue deserued As you haue c. FINIS The Louer wounded with his Ladies beauty craueth mercy To the Tune of where is the liâ—e that late I led IF pitty once may mooue thy hart To rew a wofull wight If curtesy can force thy minde To vew my doulfull plight Sith I cannot deuise To quench this raging fier With trickling teares I craue of thee Attend to my dâ—sier Whom Venus fethered boy Hath crasde with deadly dart Sent from the rayes of those thy eyes Which bread my wo and smart In vewing thee I tooke sutch ioy As wofull wight in rest Untill the blinded boy I felte Assault my captiue brest And since that time alas Such pinching payne I taste That I am now remedilesse If mercy make not haste For hid in deepe dispayre My teares are all my ioy I burne I fréese I sinke I swim My wealth is mine annoy Lyke as the tender turtle Doue Doth wayle the losse of mate In mourning wéed so spend I tyme Lamentinge mine estate The night renewes my cares When weary limmes would rest And dreadfull dreames abandon slepe Which had my gréefes represt I drench my couch with teares Which flow from gushing eyes A thousand heapes of hidden thoughtes In minde I doo deuise Full often times it dooth mée good To haunt and vew the place Where I receiued my wound alas
By vewing of thy face Full oft it ioyes my hart To kisse â–ª that clot of clay From whence thou shot those louing lookes Which bred my whole decay O blessed place I cry Though woorker of my payne Render I craue most hartely To mee my loue agayne Not wofull Monsier dom Dieg Or Priams noble sonne Constrayned by loue did euer mone As I for thée haue donne Sir Romeus annoy But trifle seemes to mine Whose hap in winning of his loue Did clue of cares vntwine My sorrowes haue no ende My hap no ioy can spie The flowing Fountayne of my teares Beginneth to waxe drie Let pitty then requyte my payne O woorker of my woe Let mercy milde possesse thy harte Which art my freendly foe Receiue the hart which heare I yeeld into her hand Which made by force a breach in Fort Which I could not withstande Thou hast in Ballance paysd My life and eke my death Thy loyalty contaynes my ioy Disdayne will stop my breath If constant loue may reape his hire And fayth may haue his due Good hope I haue your gentill hart My grislie greefe will rue And that at length I shall My hartes delight imbrace When due desart by curtesie Shall purchace mee thy grace Untill which time my deare Shall still increase my payne In pensiue thoughtes and heauinesse Because I shall remayne FINIS ¶ A Caueat to yongmen to shun the snares of Cupids crafty sleightes IF euer wight had cause to mone or wayle with bitter teares His wretched life and wofull plight that still in languish weares Then haue I cause that late haue lodgde â–ª such loue within my hart With gréefe with payne with pyning panges â–ª my body boyles in smart O earth why doost not thou my wofull plight sustayne O surging Seas with swallowing gulfe release mee of this payne For languishing loue with dolefull doomes â–ª hath layd my hart in brine O wofull wretch O wicked wight That so for loue doth pine The Sonne that shines with golden beames and dries the dewie flowers Doth cause mée wretch with blubbering eyes to gush forth extreame showers The hermony of chirping birdes that ioyes with siluer songes Eche lyuing wight doth cause my cares to fill my hart with thronges Eche gladsome ioy of mundaine glée That glads the worldly minde Doth heape vp cares on carefull corps agaynst all course of kinde And so eche thing that ought delight and rid the minde from pause Contrariwise agaynst all right a thousand cares doth cause For when that I in sugred sleepe most swéetly should take rest Then doo I wring my wofull handes and beate my dolefull brest And if I chaunce on sleepe to fall a thousand dreames I haue And doo suppose I her embrace whose want will cause my graue And then with gladsome hart I ioy thus cleane depriued of wo But oh alas when that I wake I finde it nothing so And then my sighes from sobbing harte doth reaue my brest in twayne And teares that run from blubbered eyes doth more encrease my payne And when I should sustayne my lyfe and féeble corps with foode Unsauory séemes it vnto mee eache thing should doo mee good Amidst the nipping frostes I broyle in pearching heate I freese And thus agaynst all course of kinde for loue my lâ—fe I leese Wo woorth the time that first I lodgde thy sâ—oyling loue in harte You yonge men al bée warnd by mée And shun blinde Cupids Darte FINIS ¶ The aged Louers noate at length to learne to dye WHy askest thou the cause Wherfore I am so sad Thou knowst wheÌ„ age on draws No creature can bee glad And sith shée hath mée rested And threatned mee to die Therfore I am sequestred All mirth for to denie And now with feeble age The rest of all my dayes My couÌ„tenance must be ful sage Since that my life decayes Like as the harte of Oke By time doth rot at last Like time doth age prouoke With time my hart doth brast Lo thus by course of time My youth is gone and past And now the turne is mine Of bitter death to taste And noate that I haue sayd The cause wherof and why My youthfull partes be playde And I must learne to die FINIS ¶ The desperate Louer exclaymeth his Ladyes cruelty and threatneth to kill himselfe MY ioyful dayes bée past My plasant yeres be gone My life it may not last My graue and I am one My mirth and all is fled And I a man in woo Desireth to bee dead My mischâ—â—fe to forgoe I burne and am a colde I freese in middest of fire I sée shée dooth with hold That most I doo desire I sée that shée doth sée And yet shee wil be blinde I see in healpinge mee Shée seeketh and wil not finde I sée how shée doth wrye When I begin to mone I see when I come nye How fayn shée would be gone I see shee knoweth my harte And how I doo complayne I see shâ—â— knoweth my smarte Shee seeth I doo not fayne I see my helpe at hand I see my death also I see where shee doth stand I see my cruell fo I see what would you more Shee would mee gladly kill And shee shall see therfore That shee shall haue her will. I cannot liue by stones It is to harde a food I would be dead at once to doo my Lady good Shee shall haue her request And I will haue mine ende Lo heeâ—e my blouddy brest To please her most vnkinde FINIS ¶ The Louer beeing blinded with the faythlesse loue of his Lady is contented to remit her fault vpon promis of amendment SInce that thou diddest mee loue When lust did thee prouoke And that thou doost well proue That I cannot reuoke My fréendship fast my loue nor my good will Shew some reléefe least in dispayre I spill How well I was content â—lwayes to follow thée How well I did assent Thy thrall aye for to bee Thy selfe can iudge to whom I doo appeale By sentence lo to yeeld mee wo or weale But if thou mée forsake As Cressid that forgot True Troylus her make And that thy hart is whot On him whom shame did force thée once his fayth to flie I see no hope but that hee must yéeld forth himself to die And though thou thinke that I Am loth theâ— too forgoe Yet shall I rather die Then liue and please my foe But hindre him in loue all others doth refrayne Whose treasoÌ„ once did mée purchace thy due disdain FINIS ¶ A worthy comparison of Vertue agaynst all worldly pompe WHen that I way with wit and eke consider now The tickle stay of her that Fortunes whéele doth bow And turne euen at her will such luck loe as shee list No thread so surely spâ—nne but that shee may vntwist I can but aye lament and wayle the lacke of them That in her holde doo trust weighing they are but men For if I were a Lorde and come of high degree And had all thing at
Arthur Fletchar of Bangor Gent. YE grisly ghostes which walke below in black Cocistus Lakes Miâ—s Dâ—tis dennes Erebus Dames with heare of vgly Snakes Medusa with thy monstrous mates assist mée now a while In dyre wamenting verse to shew and drierie dolefull stile The fayre vntimely fatall ende of Fletcher now by death Unto the Ayre his soule with Ioue resignde his latest breath Whose life fuâ—l dâ—e wee must commend as it deserues the same And conuersation to eche one did seldome meryt blame A faythfull freend to eche hee was to none an oppen foe Unto his Prince a subiect true till fates had lodgd him loe His actes did tend to no mans harmes no Parasite to prayse For greedy gayne but still the troth mayntaynd at all assayes His time hée spent in Uertues lore as séemd his state full wel By serious study what hée could hée sought for to excel But what of al this same the fates no wight in time wyll spare WheÌ„ gastly death hath pearst in earth theÌ„ must our bodyes weare In age aswell in youthes in youthes aswell in age No certayne time wée haue to bide when death with vs wil wage No thing can still abide but comes to nought in ende The craggy Rocks the sturdiest okes starke rotten once is rend And so hath Fletcher now to death payd his due What hée is now wée must bée all his Funerall then vew FINIS ¶ A Lady writeth vnto her Louer wherin shee most earnestly chargeth him with Ingratitude O Wretched wight whom hensfoorth may I trust All men both falce and fell I will them painte If thou vnkinde bée cruell and vniust Whom I alwayes so faythfull held and quainte What cruelty what trustles treasons iust Was euer hard by tragicall complaint But lesse then this my merit if I may And thy desart in equall ballance lay Wherfore vnkinde since that on liue A worthier wight of prowes ne beauty Ne that by much to thee that doth ariue In cumly porte ne genorositie Why doost thou not twéene these thy vertues striue It may bee sayd thou hast serbillitie Then say that who of fayth is holden stable There may to him none els bée comparable For write ye not that vertues haue no grace Wheras this trust and stablenesse doth want As other things though much of cumly face Cannot be seene where gladsome light is skant A mayd to false for thée an easie case Whose Idol Lord God thou werst most puisant Whom with thy wordes it easly had bin donne To make beleue both colde and darke the sonne Cruell what offence hast thou for to bewayle The killing of thy loue if thou not repent If yee accompte so light of fayth to fayle What other sinne can make thy harte lament How treate you foes if mée ye doo assayle That loues thée so with such cruell torment The heauens iustles I will say to bée In case they shew the iust reuenge of mée If of offences all that monstrous vice Ingratitude do most a man offend And if for that an Angell of great price Was forced to Hell from heauen to dissend If great offence great chastisment entice When to reforme the hart doth not him bend Take héed sharp skourge that God on thée not send Thou art to mee vnkinde and doost not mend If these also besides some other spot I haue vnkinde wherof thée to accuse That thou my hart with holdst I meane it not I speake of thée that madest thée myne by lot And robbest mée since against reasoÌ„ which I must Restore vnkinde for well thou wottest it playne They shal be damned that others goods retaine Unkinde thou hast forsaken mée but I will Not will thee willingly for none assayes Yet this hard hap and trouble for to flie I can and will ende these my wofull dayes In onely way in thy disgrace to dye For if the Gods had graunted by their payes My death geuen then when I stoode in thy grace No wight had dyed in halfe so happy a case FINIS ¶ The Louer vnto his Lady beloued of her disdaynfulnesse toward him FOr beauties sake though loue doth dread thy might And Venus thinks by sute to proue thy dame Though Pallas striues by hope of equall right For Wisdoms watch as daughter thée to claime Though Mercury would entitled be thy Syre For thy sweet talke so sweetly blazed forth Though all the Gods do burne in like desire Thy graces rare in heauen so much worth Yet lo thy proofe I know the trusly waight Of Tygars milke thou fostred wert from molde And Cipres Well with dainful chaung of fraight Gaue thee to drinke infected poyson colde But yet beware least loue renew in thee The dreadfull flame Narcissus whylom felt With eger moode and sight to feede thine eye Of thine owne from others flame to swell For loue doth loue with hot reuenge to wreake The ruthles Iron hart that will not breake FINIS The Louer in the prayse of his beloued and comparison of her beauty NOt shée for whom prowde Troy did fall and burne The Greekes eke slaine that bluddy race did runne Nor shée for spight that did Acteon turne Into an Hart her beauty coye did shunne Nor shée whose blud vpon Achilles Tombe Whose face would tame a Tygars harte Nor shée that wan by wise of Paris dome Th'apple of Golde for Beauty to her parte Nor shee whose eyes did pearce true Troylus brest And made him yeeld that knew in loue no law Might bee compared to the fayrest and the best Whom Nature made to kéepe the rest in awe For Beauties sake sent downe from Ioue aboue Thrise happy is hée that can attayne her loue FINIS ¶ In the prayse of a beautifull and vertuous Virgin whose name begins with M. BEhold you Dames the raigne in fames whose lookes mens harts do leade And triumph in the spoyle of those vpoÌ„ whose brests you trede A myrt or make of M whose molde Dame Nature in disdayne To please her self spight her foes in beauty raysd to raigne Whose sunny beames starry eyes presents a heauenlyke face And shewes the world a wonderous worke sutch are her giftes of grace In forhed feature beareth brunt in face doth fauor guyde In lookes is life in shape is shame in cheekes doth coulor hyde In boddy seemelynesse doth shew in wordes doth wisdome shade All partes of her doth prayse deserue in temprance is her trade In humble porte is honor plaste in face is maydens smyles Her life is grafte with Golden giftes her deedes deuoyd of gyles And as the Star to Marriners is guyde vnto the Port So is this M a heauenly ioy to Louers that resort Who run and rome with inward wounds folded armes acrosse And hide their harms with clokes of care féed their hope with losse Her lookes doth lift aboue the skyes her frowns to Hel doth throw All sues to her shée séekes on none that daily proofe doth show Wherfore her saying late set forth shée burnt
beat well the bush Nor leaue not in stryking as long as they rush I try ere I trust nought wasting but winde Before I finde iust they know not my minde I iet not with Geminie nor tarry not with Tawre In bluttring who bleares mée I leaue them with Lawâ—â— For fier who fyndeth in burning to bight The wise man hée warneth to leape from the light For séeing the wéede and losing from bandes The plowing in Sea and sowing in Sandes FINIS Of patience A Soueraygne salue there is for eche disease The chéefe reuenge for cruell ire Is pacience the cheefe and present ease For to delay eche yll desire Of lawlesse lust AN euerlasting bondage doth hée choose That can not tell a litle how to vse Hée scant ynough for shame puruayes That all alone to lust obayes Of will and reason I Count this conquest great That can by reasons skill Subdue affectious heate And vanquish wanton will. Of three things to be shunned THrée thinges who seekes for prayse must flye â–ª To please the taste with wine â–ª Is one another for to lye Full softe on fethers fine The thirde and hardest for to shunne And chéefest to eschew Is lickerous lust which once begun Repentance doth ensue Of beauty and chastity CHastity a vertue rare Is seldome knowen to run her race Where cumly shape and beauty faire Are séene to haue a byding place Of wisdome WHo séeketh the renowne to haue And eke the prayse of Uertues name Of Wisdome rare hée ought to craue With gladsome will to worke the same Of a pure conscience A Conscience pure withouten spot That knoweth it selfe for to bée frée Of slaunders lothsome reketh not A brazen wall full well may bee Of frendship founde by chaunce THe frendship found by chaunce is such As often chaunce is séene to chaunge And therfore trust it not to much Ne make therof a gaine to straunge For proofe hath taught by hap is had Sometime as well the good as bad Of good will got by due desert BUt I suppose the same good will That once by good desart is got That fancy findes by reasons skill And time shall try withouten spot Is such as harde is to bée gayned And woorthy got to bée retayned Of flatterers and faythfull friendes THe finest tongue can tel the smoothest tale The hottest fiers haue ofte the highest smoke The hardiest knightes the soonâ—st will asâ—aâ—le The strongest armes can giue the sturdest stroke The wysest men be thought of greatest skill And poorest fréendes be found of most goodwill Of a vertuous life age and death GOd wot my fréend our life â—ull soone decayes And vertue voydes no wrinkels from the face Approching age by no entreatie stayes â–ª And death vntamed will graunt no man grace FINIS A proper Posie for a Handkercher Fancy is fearce Desire is bolde Will is wilfull but Reason is colde ¶ The Louer beeing ouermuch weryed with seruile lyfe compareth it to a Laborinth WIth spéedy winges my fethered woes pursues My wretched life made olde by weary dayes But as the fire of Ethna stil renues And bréedes as much by flame as it decayes My heauy cares that once I thought would ende mee Prolongs my life the more mishap to lende mée Oh haples will with such vnwary eyes About mishap that hast thy selfe bewrethed Thy trust of weale my wailfull proofe denyes To wofull state wherby I am bequethed â–ª And into such a Laborinth betake As Dedalus for Minotaure did make With helples search wheras it were assinde Without reuoke I tread these endles Mayes Where more I walke the more my selfe I winde Without a guyde in Torments tyring wayes In hope I dread where to and fro I rome By death ne life and findes no better home But sithe I sée that sorrow cannot ende These haples howres the liues of my mischance And that my hope can nought a whit amend My bitter dayes nor better hap aduance I shall shake of both doubtfull hope and dréede And so bee pleased as God is best agréede FINIS How to choose a faythfull freende THough that my yeares full far doo stande aloofâ— From counsell sage or Wisdomes good aduice What I doo know by soone repenting proofe I shall you tell and learne if you be wise From fined wits that telles the smoothest tale Beware their tongues doo flatter oft a wry A modest loke shall well set forth your sale Trust not to much before somewhat you try So guyde your selfe in worde and eke in deede As bad and good may prayse your sober name Assay your fréend before your greatest neede And to conclude when I may doo that same That may you please and best content your minde Assure your selfe a faythfull freend to finde FINIS The Louer beeing accused of suspicion of flattery pleadeth not gyltie and yet is wrongfully condemned TO séeme for to reuenge eche wrong in hastie wise By proofe wée sée of gyltlesse men it hath not bin the guise In slaunders lothsome brute when they condemned bee With rageles moodes they suffer wronge when truth shall try them frée These are the pacient panges that pas within the brest Of those that feele their case by mine where wrong hath right opprest I know how by suspect I haue been iudged away And graunted gyltie in the thing that clearly I denye My fayth may mee defende if I might leuid bee God iudge mee so as from that gylte I know mee to bee free I wrought but for my freend the greefe was all mine owne As if the troth were truely tryde by prooft it might be knowne Yet are there such that say they â—an my meaning deeme Without respect to this olde trothâ— things proue not as they seeme Wherby it may befall in iudgment to bee quicke To make them be suspecte therwith that néedeth not to kicke Yet in resisting wrong I would not haue it thought I doo accuse as though I knew by whom it may be wrought If any such there bée that here withall be vext It were their vertue to beware and deeme mee better nexte FINIS The Louer describeth the daungerous state of Ambition BEholde these high and mighty men Their chaunging state and tell mee then Where they or wee best dayes doo see Though wee seeme not and they to bee In wealth Their pleasant course straung traces hath On tops of trees that groundles path Full waueringly For bee it calme they tread not fast Blow roughe blow soft all helpe is past Appearingly With vs ye see it is not so That clime not vp but kepe below In calmes our course is faire and playne Huge hilles defendes from stormy rayne For why The raging winde and stormy shower On mountaynes high it hath most power Naturally But wee that in lowe valleis lye Beholde may such as wander hye So slydingly Then what is hee that will aspire To heape such woe to please desire That may in wealth by staying still Spend well his dayes and fly from yll To good By hauing
fayth and troth fixed approoued vniust Sing willow willow will Are you shée which constant for euer would stand And yet will you giue mée the willow Garland Willow willow willow singe all of gréene willow Sing all of gréene willow shall bée my Garland What motion hath moude you to maske in delight Sing all of gréene willow What toy haue you taken why séeme you to spight Sing willow willow willow Your loue which was ready for aye to indure Willow willow willow willow According to promise most constant and sure Willow willow willow willow What gallant you conquerd what youth mooude your minds Sing all of gréene willow To leaue your olde Louer and bée so vnkinde Singe willow willow willow To him which you plighted both fayth troth and hand For euer yet giues mee the willow Garland Willow willow willow singe all of greene willow Sing all of greene willow shall bee my Garland Hath wealth you allured the which I doo want Sing all of greene willow Hath pleasant deuises compeld you recant Sing willow willow willow Hath feature forste you your words to deny Willow willow willow willow Or is it your fashion to cog and to lye Willow willow willow willow What are your sweet smiles quite turnd into lowres Sing all of green willow Or is it your order to change them by howres Sing willow willow willow What haue you sufficient thinke you in your hand To pay for the making of my willow Garland Willow willow willow singe all of greene willow Sing all of greene willow shall bee my Garland Farewell then most fickle vntrue and vniust Sing all of greene willow Thy deedes are yll dealings in thee is no trust Willow willow willow willow Thy vowes are vncertayne thy wordes are but winde Willow willow willow willow God graunt thy new louer more trusty thee finde Willow willow willow willow Be warned then gallants by proofe I vnfolde Sing willow willow willow Mayds loue is vncertayne soone hot and soone colde Sing willow willow willow They turne as the reed not trusty they stand Which makes mee to weare the willow Garland Willow willow willow singe all of greene willow Sing all of greene willow shall bee my Garland FINIS A gloze of fawning freendship NOw cease to sing your Syren songes I leaue ech braue delight Attempt no more the wounded corps which late felt fortunes spight But rather helpe to rue with sorowing sobs come mone My lucklesse losse from wealth to woe by fickle fortune throwne I once had freends good store for loue no drosse I tryde For hauing lost my goods on Seas my freends would not abide Yet hauing neede I went to one of all I trusted moste To get releefe hee answerd thus go packe thou peuish poste His wordes did pearce my tender brest and I as mazde did stand Requesting him with pitteous plaints to giue his helping hand Content thy selfe quoth hee to serue my owne estate I haue not I yet am I greeu'd to see thy lucklesse fate Ah fie of fawning freends whose eyes attentiue bee To watch and warde for lukers sake with cap and bended knee Would God I had not knowne their sweet and sugered speach Then had my greefe the lesser bin experience mee doth teach FINIS A Maze of Maydens WHo goes to gaze of euery gallant girle And castes his eyes at euery glauncing gloze Whose masking minde with euery motion moou'd In fine shall finde his fancy fraught with woes For pleasure spent is but a wishing vayne By crooked chaunce depriude of braue delight Cut of by care a heape of hurtfull harmes Our gaze vngaynd which whilome pleasde our sight Our baunts doo vade our pleasures passe away Our sugerest swéetes reapes sorowing sobs in fine Our braggest boast of beauties brauest blaze To forowed browes doth at the length resigne Our foolish fancy filde with filthy vice Pursues his hurt vnto anothers harmes A houering hart with euery gloze enticed gaynes lothsome-loue whence nought but sorow swarmes Leaue then to gaze of euery glauncing gloze Contemne the sleights of beauties sugerest bate Whose outward sheath with colours braue imbost Shuns cruell craft and enuious hurtfull hate FINIS A short Epistle written in the behalfe of N.B. to M.H. DEare Lady deckt with cumlynesse To counteruayle my clemency Bee prest I pray in readynesse To yeeld your courteous curtesie Let mee you finde Penelope In minde and loyall hart So shall I your Vlisses bée Till breathing lyfe depart Yelde loue for loue to him who lykes To liue in lynckes of loyalty And graunt him grace who nothing séekes For his good will but curtesy Let mee your bondmen fauour â—nde To gratefie my willing harte Whom no attempt to please your minde Shall hynder mee to play my parte Permit mee not in lingring sorte To labour in a barrayn soyle Ne giue occasion to reporte How loytryng loue reapes troubled toyle But let mee say my hart obtaynd The gloze which pleasd my glauncing eyes And that I haue for guerdon gaynd The best that in my Lady lyes So shall I boast of that which best Doth please the prime of my desire And glory in a gayned rest Which through your fauour I aspire FINIS A vew of vayn glory WHat motion more may mooue a man to minde His owne estate then proofe whose dayes vnsure Accounted are vnto a puffe of winde A breathing blast whose force can not endure Whose lyuely showes consumes whose pompe decayes Whose glory dyes whose pleasures soone be spent Whose stoutest strength to weakenes subiect stayes Whose thoughts bee vaine and vade as though vnment What haue wée then to vaunt or glory in Sith all is vayne wherin wée take delight Why should wée boast or brag sith nought wée win In fine but death to whom yéeldes euery wight To equall state hée bringeth each degrée Hée feareth none all subiects yéeldes to death To dâ—nkish dust hée driueth all wée sée Which in the world enioyeth any breath Why vaunt wée then in that wée sée is vayne Or take delight in that wée proue but drosse Why glory wee or séeke for golden gayne Sith at the length wee reape therof but losse Wée lothe to leaue our hutches filde with golde Our annual rents it gréeues vs to forgo Our buildings braue which glads vs to beholde Our pleasant sport it gréeues vs to forgo Wée nothing brought ne ought shall carry hence Lyfe lost behinde goods mony land wée leaue And naked shall returne assured whence Before wée came when death doth life bereaue Line then to leaue thy life in euery howâ—r Learne how to lead thy minde from vayne desire Of filthy drosse whose sugerest sweet is sower When dreadfull death shall yéeld our earthly hire What is our world but vayne fraught full of vice Wherin wée liue allured by disceat Which vs in youth to error doth entice And sturs vs vp in flamed by follyes heat Our mindes are mooued with euery fond desire Wee gloze in that the which wée see vnsure Wée vsuall séeke great
got with tedious toyle Prolong mee yet and let mee licence haue Till elder yéeres to put your Brutes to foyle ¶ Sicknesse O foolish man allurde by lewd delight Thy labors lost these goods they are not thine But as thou hadst so others haue like right Of them when thou shalt vp thy breath resigne ¶ Worldly desire Then farewell world the Nurse of wicked vice Adue vile drosse which mooues mens mindes to ill â–ª Farewell delights which did my youth entice To serue as slaue vnto vnsatiate will. FINIS T.P. Aeger Diues habet Nummos sed non habet ipsum THe wealthy chuffe for all his wealth Cannot redeeme therby his health But must to Graue for all his store Death spareth neither riche nor poore Not Cressus wealth nor Mydas Golde The stroke of careles death may holde Hee feares no foe hee spares no freend Of euery thing hee is the ende Though Diues had great store of pealfe Yet still the wretch did want him selfe No Phisickes art or cunning cure May any man of life assure No highe estate or beauty braue May keepe vs from our carefull graue No hauty minde or valyant harte Agaynst pale Death may take our parte No curious speach or witty tale Our dyinge corps may counteruayle No force no gyle no powre or stength But death doth ouercome at length The riche man trusteth in his Gould And thinkes that life is bought and sould The sight therof so bleares his eye That hee remembreth not to dye Hee hath enough and liues in ioye Who dares thinkes hee worke mee annoy Thus is hee made to pleasure thrall And thinkes that death will neuer call Who vnawares with stealing pace Doth ende in payne his pleasant race The greedy Marchant will not sparâ— For lukers sake to lye and sware The simple sorte hee can by slight Make to beleeue the Crow is white No science now or arte is frée But that some gyle therin wee see Thus euery man for greedy gayne Unto himselfe encreaseth payne And thinkes the crime to bee but small When that they loose both soule and all Who lyueth here that is content With such estate as God hath sent The hungry Churle and wealthy Chusse Doth neuer thinke hee hath enough Fortune to many giues to much But few or none thee maketh riche Thus euery man doth scrape and catch And neuer more for death doo watch Who still is present at their side And cuts them of amids their pride Such is the world such is the time That eche man striues alofte to clyme But when they are in top of all In torments great they hedlong fall Where they do giue accompt at large How they their tallent did discharge There no man takes their golden fée To plead their case and set them free Then too too late they doo begin For to repent their former sinne Wherfore I wish that eche degree With lotted chaunce contented bee Let not thy treasure make thee prowde Nor pouerty bée disalowde Remember who doth giue and take One God both riche and poore doth make Wée nothing had or ought shall haue To beare with vs vnto our graue But vertuous life which here wée leade On our behalfe for grace to plead Therfore I say thy lust refrayne And séeke not after brickle gayne But séeke that wealth the which will last When that this mortall life is past In heauen is ioy and pleasure still This world is vayne and full of yll Use not so lewd thy worldly pelfe So that thou doost forget thy selfe Liue in this world as dead in sinne And dye in Christ true life to win FINIS Win fame and keepe it WHo sées the yll and séekes to shun the same Shall doutlesse win at length immortal fame For wisdome vice and vertue doth perceaue Shée vertue takes but vice shée séekes to leaue A wise man knowes the state of each degrée The good be praysde the euill dishonord bée Hée sées the good the euill hee doth espye Hee takes the good the euill hee doth denyâ— Hee folowes good the euill hee dooth eschue Hee leapes the lake when others stay to vew â–ª His honor stands his same doth euer last Upon the earth when breathing breath is past As Solomon whose wisdome recht vnto the lofty skye And Dauid King theyr prayses liue though bodies tâ—mbed lye They saw the good the euill they did eschue Their honor liues the proofe affirmes it true Then sithe examples playnly showes the same Their prayses liue who seekes to merit fame finis T.P. Respice finem LO here the state of euery mortall wight See here the fine of all their gallant ioyes Beholde their pompe their beauty and delight Wherof they vaunt as safe from all annoyes To earth the stout the prowd the ritch shall yeeld The weake the méeke the poore shall shrowded lye In dampish mould the stout with Speare and Shéeld Cannot defend himselfe when hee shal dye The prowdest wight for all his lyuely showes Shall leaue his pompe cut of by dreadfull death The ritch whose Hutch with golden Ruddocks flowes At lenght shall rest vncoynd in dampish earth By Natures law wee all are borne to dye But where or when the best vncertayne bée No time prefixt no goods our life shall buye Of dreadfull death no freends shall set vs free Wée subiect bée a thousand wayes to death Small sicknesse moues the valiaunts hart to feare A litle push bereaues your breathing breath Of braue delights wherto you subiect are Your world is vayne no trust in earth you finde Your valyaunst prime is but a brytle glasse Your pleasures vade your thoughts a puffe of winde Your auncient yeres are but a withered grasse Mors omnibus communis finis T.P. A briefe Caueat to shun fawning friends TRy ere thou trust vnto a fawning fréend Giue no regard vnto his sugered wordes Make your account to leese what you him lend For collourd craft the smoothest speech affordes My selfe haue tried the trust of tatling tungs Who paynt their prates as though they would performe The more my greefe for they which whilome clungs Like Bées goods lost sole left mee in the storme Where I was fayne in worldly woes to waue And seeke reléefe of former fréends no â—ie Perforce constraynd to séeke my selfe to saue Or els vnhelp'd sance succor still to lye I made my mone the greater was my gréefe To him which was as seruant to my state But what preuayld by proofe I found him chéefe Who not of mée but on my wealth did wate Donec eris foelix multos numerabis amicos Temporasi fuerint nubila solus eris FINIS T. P. Beauty is a pleasant pathe to distruction THrough beauties sugered baites Our mindes seduced are To filthy lustes to wicked vice Whence issueth nought but care For hauing tride the troth And seen the end of it What wayle we more with greater greefe Then want of better wit Because so lewd wee luld In that wee see is vayne And follow that the
morning light here present eft to bée To this full fayne would Pyramus replyed haue agayne But part as néede inforst they must as they did ordayne Ere mornings dawne they doo arise straight repayre they then Unto the fore appoynted place Pyrame thus began MYne entyer soule what prison dollours What hard distresse and rare deuysed woes Of mée thine owne thy captiue Pyramus Haue so sought this life from boddy to vnlose Hard were to tell the tenth that haue it strained With thought hereof great wonders mée amaze How my poore lyfe the halfe may haue sustayned O Thisbie mine owne whom it only stayes And at whose will the fates doo lend mée breath Yet may I not the fatall stroke eschew Ne scape the dinte of fast pursuing death Onles your bounty present mercy shew And this I trust there may no ielous thought Haue any place within my Thisbies brest To cause her déeme I am or may be caught With loue but hers wheron my life doth rest No bée assured for yours I onely taste Yours was the first and shall bée first and last Why my most swéet quoth Thisbie then agayne I doubt not I but know ye are all true Or how may cause of your vndoubted payne With her be hyd who hourely as it grew None other felt but euen what yée haue had Yet thinke not swéet I taste your gréefes alone Or make estéeme as yée of mée haue made But ten times more if that more wo begone Might euer bee a wretched maydens brest Where neuer yet one iot of ioy might rest Well then my ioy quoth Pyrame since yée please With so greater loue to guerdon my good will Safe am I now but great were mine ease If more at full I might my fancy fill With nearer sight of your most pleasant face Or if I might your dayntie fingers straine Or as I woont your body once embrace What say I ease nay heauen then were my gayne Howbeit in vayne in vayne ay mée I waste Both worde and winde woes mée alas therfore For neuer shall my hart O Thisbie taste So great an hap nor neuer shall wée more In folded armes as woont were to bewray Eche others state ne neuer get the grace Of any ioy vnlesse wée doo assay To finde some meane for other méeting place Beholde alas this wicked cruell wall Whose cursed scyte denayeth vs perfect sight Much more the hap of other ease at all What if I should by force as well one might And yet deserues it batter flat to ground And open so an issue large to make Yet feare I sore this sooner will redownde To our reproche if it I vndertake As glad I would then vs to helpe or ayde Swéet hart quoth shee wherwith shée stopt his tale This standes full yll to purpose to be made And time it askes too long for to preuayle Without suspect to flat or batter euen Naythlesse yée this or what ye can deuise For our repayre by thought that may be driuen Say but the meane I will none otherwise Yée Thisbie mine in sooth and say you so â–ª Quoth Pyramus well then I doo you know Where King Minus lyes buried long ago Whose auncient Tombe aboue doth ouergrow A Mulbery with braunches making shade Of pleasant show the place right large about There if yée please when slepe hath ouerlade And with his might the Cittie seas'de throughout At the same Well whose siluer streames then runne And softe as silke conserue the tender gréene With hue so fresh as springtied spent and dunne No winters wéede hath power to bée séene Without suspect or feare of foule report There goddesse mine wee salfely may resort TO this shee said what shée best thought and oft and oft agayne Was talke renued but yet at last for ease of euery payne And death to eschue by other meane who will them not forsake At Minus Tombe euen the same night they do their méeting make And so depart but fore God wot that day doth them offend And though but short his long abode the feare will neuer end And sooner doth not cloake of night alofte his shadow cast But Thisbie mindefull of her loue and promis lately past Of fresh new loue far fiercer flames that erst her hart opprest Shée féelth the force and this alas deuorced stil from rest Shée passeth forth in carefull watch till time haue shapen so That sâ—epe with sweet soft stealing steps his customd vsage do And when shée séeth both house and all drownd therin fast déepe With fearful pace trimbling hand shée forwards gins to creepe Shee gaines the doore out goeth she then neyther far ne neare Appeareth wyght saue Phebe fayre with gladsom seeming cheare Sole Thisbie ioyfull of this guyde doth ay I trust it bee Good lucke thy presence doth import and bring at last to mee More hardyer then before shee did prouoke her foote to hast No obiect giues her cause of let till shee the towne haue past And when shee seeth the pleasant fields in safetie to haue gayned Then ioy therof all dread deuoures which erst her only payned What wil ye more th' appointed place at length she doth attayne Till Fortune please her loue to send there minding to remayne And whiles shee doth the fouÌ„tayn cleare with thoughtful hope behold And euery let her loue may stay vnto her selfe vnfolde A dreadfull Lyon downe desendes from Mountaine huge therby With thundring pace whose sodain sight wheÌ„ Thisbie can espy No maruel was though terror then straungenes of the sight Within a simple maydens brest all counsayle put to flight Howbeit though counsayle fayld yet feare so did that place possesse That as the tender brest whose age no feare did yet oppresse Now seeth his foe with rauening Iaw him ready to receaue Sets winges vnto his littell legs himselfe poore foole to saue Euen so this Mayd her enemy flees vnto a hollow trée For succor flyes whose ruthful mone did succor not denye But close her keepes The Liones fearce that in the Mountayne wilde Deuoured had new slaughtred beastes empty belly filde With moossell all embrude with blood drawes to the cristal Well Hee dranke and in his backe returne this fatall hap befell Amid this way a kercheife white which frighted Thisbie had Let fall by chaunce as feare and haste vnto the tree her lad This Lion findes and with his mouth yet smoaking all in gore â–ª And armid pawes it staynes with blood and all in sunder tore That doone away hee windes as fier of Hell or Vulcans thunder Blew in his tayle or as his corps it seas â–ª d to teare a sunder Now Pyramus who could not earst the wrathfull house forgo Hath past the towne and as hee drew the Fountayn neare vnto The cloth hee spies which when alas all stained so hee saw In sunder tore the ground about full traste with Lyons paw The Siluer streames with strekes of blood besprent and troubled new And there again that cursed trace the woful