their turnes stricke not to play the Bée Scorne not for gaine in age to holde the doore They once were yong that were your bandes before 101 And now my larges giuen farewel foule guile Farewel O world no wile shal make me rich My mynd abhorres welth won by falshoodes vyle To mount by fraud I loth such loftie pitch I can not scratch the harmelesse ere they itch If due desart proude Flatterie pyneth still I list not fawne play hypocrite that will. 102 Fare wel fare wel O world farewel againe Thou now God wot froÌ„ wonted course doest réele The clergie once in preaching tooke great paine Whose words in works bare witnes of their zeale Most now in words but few in workes reueale They teach with toung when thought on tything is O wicked world thy wealth is cause of this 103 O world accurst in court thou settest pryde Whose mynions are fraude flatterie and disdaine They pyne desart before his truth be tryde They forge offened well meaning mindes to staine They cast at al yet sildome lose amaine Wo worth the world thy brauerie works the wracke Of such in court as well deserue and lacke 104 The souldier stout foreséeing small reliefe For seruice doone if spoyled honre he comes As forst to play no souldier but the théefe When fortune fits to gather vp his crumbes For once at home poore store of pence he thumbes O world thy wealth with rulers worketh so As what they haue they hardly will forgo 105 The lawe first made to wéede out wrongs for right To yeald amends vnto the poore opprest â—s wrested nowe for fauour or for spight Nowe monie so corrupts the Lawyers breast That daying is for poore mens suits the best Yea such effects in worldly muche doth lurke As iudges harme where helpe they ought to worke 106 Fine fare and slouth discases strange do bréede And grieued wights will spare no cost for ease But golden fées so doth Physicians féede As séelde or nere they rich mens paines appease With drinks and drugs they still do them displease O wicked world thy welth first wrought their grief Thy wealth againe doth hinder their reliefe 107 Desire of gaine make offices so heape As solde they be not giuen who best deserues Who buyeth deare séelde thriues by selling cheape Who wrongeth yet from honest getting swerues No force for that fewe nowe such course obserues Thus pelfe O world first makes the Doner foule To leauie mendes the Done néedes must poule 108 Each pleasant paine each swéete inticing sowre O world thou workst our wanton yeres to witch And not content we should our selues deuour But churles thou sett'st to clawe vs ere we itch Thou burnst the byrde and bastes the bacon stitch O spiteful world thou hap frank harts dost grutch And grieuest churles by giuing of too much 109 The merchant once bent all his care to seas In forreine soyle he sought desired gaine Then was his toyle to common wealth an ease And he deseru'd his wish in lye of paine But nowe at home he findes a swéeter vaine Sance venter nowe he will in wealth abound Foule fall the wight this second trade that found 110 The reachlesse héede youthes haue in large expence To flaunt it out their cost no care to thriue Inticeth churles with shewe of good pretence In prime of pride their maintnance to depriue For lymed once small bootes the wrong'd to striue Right Cousners haue such helps friends at néede As struange it is to sée how â—leare they spéede 111 Thy pryde O world doth bréede such wanton thought As most men nowe receiue dame Venus hyre To stoupe faire dames such sharp assaults are sought Such proffers large such wiles to winne desire As wonder t' is what fortes are set on fire Who sinneth not is such a gnawing bone To raise this siege that fewe will throwe a stone 112 Fye on the world fye on thy soule deceites Fye on thy fraude thy flatterie and thy pryde Fye on thy shifts thy subtilties and sleites Fye on thy cloakes thy filthy crimes to hyde Adieu adieu I can thée not abyde And thee O God for euermore I laude For kéeping me vntainted so with fraude 113 For though I haue consumd my dayes in thral Now death drawes néere my couÌ„t is quickly made And well I wot death doth all sorts appall The prince the poore yea men of euery trade Who lewdly liues with recknings huge is lade Thus worldlings griefe where mine doth eb doth flowe A sorrie swéete to end with sowre woe 114 Through conscience I féele no thought of hell I conquer'd haue of dreadful death the feare Where is thy sting where doth thy furie dwell Where is thy force O Death wher is thy speare Assault say I that with my Christe I were I ready am both euening noone and morne The diuell the world and all their works I scorne Lenuoy 115 YOu worldlings chiefe to you this tale I tell God graunt my words be to your woundes a leache The fruites of fraude vntold you knowe too well Yea better then my naked Muse can teach But to this end this dririe plaintes I preach That hencefoorth you to getting haue such eye As you may liue as though you dayly dye 116 And least the lewde should wrest my worde amis I do exempt the good of euery trade The which I trust will not repine at this To shew thy praise this checking verse was made The Clergie first at whome a glaunce I had Of them there be great store of preachers good To shewe the truth that will not spare their blood 117 There are in court that liue in worthy fame And well deserue renoune and credite both Some officers will take no bribes for shame Some laweyers are to sowe dissention loth And citizens with whome I séemde so wroth I néedes must graunt how so my Muse did square Of euery trade a number honest are 118 The souldier now whom I do honour much How so I toucht their faults that do offend I graunt we haue of noble souldiers such As maimes to fame that will those vices shend I blame none such the rest I wish amend Physicians good as many sure there be Will not repine the lewde reprou'd to sée 119 How so I toucht some scriueners faults at quicke There are of those I knowe of honest fame Such haue no cause against my Muse to kicke Nor yet the lewde that wisely weyes the same I blase abuse yet touch no creatures name Yea to be shore â—â—ypt no foot of men That truly can wâ—th malice charge my pen. Veritas non querit angulos G.W. opinion of trades as touching gaine written to his especiall friend maister R.C. MIne owne good friend â–ª since thou so faine wouldst know What kynde of trade doth yeald the surest gaine My iudgement now of some I meane to showe And after toyle which quiteth best thy paine The merchant he which cuts the mounting seas With
by this time the open ayre hath purged it but if before this time I my selfe am infected it smally helpes to throwe away this poore braunch and so your counsel is out of season and yet for the same I courteously thancke you Well quoth Frizaldo snuffinge at this aunsweare you were best to perfecte your delighte to weare a Rose with your Rosemarie meaninge the first letters of those two flowers aunsweared her louers name Roberto Rinaldo These woordes stroake poore Giletta dead and yet shée pretily dissemblinge her knowledge of Frizaldoes minde found out meanes to cutte off those crosse speaches with argumente that méetely well contented him But poore wench so soone as shée was bestowed alone in her Chamber solitarinesse wroughte a freshe remembraunce of Frizaldoes doubtfull woordes but yet after shee had a space bewayled her Fortunes shée wisely entered into the consideration of her owne estate and waying howe greatly that Frizaldo was fauoured of her friendes and on the contrarie parte Rinaldo of small accompte shée concluded to please all her friendes and contente both her louers to vse this policie Frizaldo whom shee smally esteemed shée mente to féede with courteous delayes Rinaldo whom in déede shée honoured shée determined in heart to loue and in showe to hate thinking by this meanes that she should extinguish quench Frizaldos ielous suspicion which in very déede contraried her imagination For although he liked Gilettas intertaynment yet hee continually feared her affection towardes Rinaldo yea hée eyed her with such mistrust as that shée could hardly finde occasion to acquainte her Rinaldo with this deuise notwithstanding hopinge of fauourable time to execute her purpose shée continued her fained good will towards Frizaldo but Rinaldo shée would neither sée send nor write vnto Who wonderinge at this insolencie and straungenes althoughe hée had hardly recouered his empayred health yet hée aduentured abroade to learne the cause of this soudaine alteration But his ouermuch temeritie and makinge hast herein had wroughte wofull waste of his life had not God wonderfully saued him For repayringe vnto the place of his wonted ioy and accustomed comforte hée found his mystresse dallying with a fresh gallant On him shée would not vouchsafe to looke Yea if on occasion hée saluted her by the name of his mystresse very disdainfulâ—y and scornefully or not at all shée aunsweared him On him shée frowned with a curst countenaunce On his enimie shée fleared with a delightsome fauour with him shee would not speake with his enimie shée continually talked Which vnfriendly welcome was far worse God wot to Rinaldo then his late sicknes But worst of al he digested the report of the Courtiers who inferring on their familiaritie gaue out for certainty that Segnior Frizaldo should marie with mystres Giletta These newes poore Rinaldo was like ynough to credite himselfe seing such apparaunte proofe thereof yea hée credited them so farre as hée could not away with any thought of hope In so much that scorning both Courte and companie as one forsaken of himselfe hée forthwith went vnto his chamber wheras passionately discoursinge on his harde Fortunes which plaint hée powdred with a thousand sighes by chaunce hée fastned his eye on the Iewel which Giletta had bestowed on him and with litle lust reading the posie thereof supposinge she had falsified her vowe toucht with the proofe of his wretchednes hée forthwith wrote these vnder written Uerses For faithfull loue the hate I finde in lue My vowe performde the false of her behest The small reward I reape for seruice true Her ioy to sée mée plunged in vnrest Doth force mée say to finde an ende of paine O fancie die thou féedest hope in vaine I sue for grace shée smyles to sée my smart I pleade for peace shée séekes to sowe debate My sowre her swéete my griefe doth glad her hart I fawne shée frownes I loue and shée doth hate Sith soe I say to finde an ende of paine O fancie die thou féedest hope in vaine Starue thou desire which kéepeth life in loue And so my thought from showring woe shall cease But loue aliue while fancie hope may moue A lyuing death my sorrowes will increase Wherefore I say to finde an ende of paine O fancie die thou féedest hope in vaine My fancies dead I end of woes should finde My eyes nay seas God wot of brackish teares Would leaue to loue whom loue hath made so blinde My thorned thoughtes no more should foster feares But oh aye mée for to proroge my paine My fancies liue and féedeth hope in vaine Doe what I can I pray on plighted troth A simple thinke shée will not breake this bonde I vowe to loue I will not false my othe But ah I finde her false and I too fonde Wherefore good death at once delay my paine My fancies liue and féedeth hope in vaine Roberto Rinaldo Unto these Uerses Rinaldo set a very sollem note and the nighte following hée bestowed himselfe vnder Gilettas chamber windowe where playing on his lute hée very mournefully sounge this passionate inuentioÌ„ of purpose like vnto the Swanne that sings before her death to bid his mystresse adieu for euer Good Giletta hearing this sorrowfull farewell much lamented her seruants estate yet durst shée not at that instant any wayes comfort him The cause was Segnior Frizaldo was then in her chamber who knew very well that it was Rinaldo that with his sollem musicke saluted mystresse Giletta yea hée knew by the ouer often chaunging of her couler how notwithstanding her dissimulation she greatly sorrowed Rinaldos distresse and therefore he thought best during his discomforture by some slye policie at once to ouerthrow him with distrust and vntil the execution of this treachery he thought best to giue him this bone to gnaw vppon First to shew his credite to be admitted into her chamber at that time of the night Next to proue his authoritie hée called Giletta by the name of his subiect Who duetifully aunswered him with the title of her souereigne which done quoch hée looking out of the window it is for you sake faire Lady wée are presented with this swéete musicke although your vnknowen welwiller maketh show of the sorrowes hée suffers not yet courtesie wills you to intercept his paines with thankes Poore Rinaldo hearing Frizaldos tongue made no stay for Gilettas thankes but returning to his chamber as one that had foregone his senses a while in sighes he vttered his plainte And after his sorrowe was somewhat eased quoth hée alas good Giletta thy exchaunge is very hard to leaue to be Rinaldos mystresse to become Frizaldos subiect But Rinaldo worse is thy hap that thou must serue her that is subiect to thy mortal enimie thy thraldome is intollerable thy tornients without end with violent death dispatch both thy seruitude and sorrowes so shalt thou force them to pittie that now triumphe at thy miseries In this sort Rinaldo continually raged at his fortunes Well how euer Rinaldo fared
And yet this woe doth wrong me most I mourne without a mate For if one drop of hope were séene though dride with scorne in sight I might with pyning Tantale ioyne who sterues in swéete delight Or if I could but halfe the hill roule vp the tumbling stone I had a mate of Sisyphus to match with mée in mone But oh O not my hap more harde they haue a scambling ioy But I no thought of swéete remorse my souereigne is so coy My ioy in was my woe in is and so is like to bée My fancies turne to firie sightes aliue my death to sée The court the court where pleasure liues with paine increast my care Eche blisie séemde bale eche gleame of grace did mist my ioyes with scare Eche show of sport my sorrowes moude eche pleasure made mée plaine Yet there I preast to féede on sight digesting dire disdaine Were loue not blinde this life were straunge for one to loue his foe More straunge to haunt a place of harme but most to ioy in wee But Oh who féeles his aukeward fittes and suckes the swéete in soure Shall bide a yeare of dole with ease to féele one lightning houre Such life I lykt til sogge of scorne did rise to dampe my ioyes Till secrete sighes wrought open scoffes till flontes did quite my ioye Untill the colours which I wore my secrete mourning wrayde Till dauntes of friendes till frumpes of foes my feeble hope dismayde And till her blondie hate was séene of euery béetell sight Till then I neuer shronke but sought with zeale to quenche her spight But then quoth I Dom Diego wretch bid Court not care adue Some vnkouth haunt thy fortune séemes thy harmes alone to rue Thou gau'st thy woord to die her loue let word in worke agrée Her checking chaunge her scorne for faith is no excuse for thée A Hermits life beseemes thy lucke go haunt the Pyren hills To touch the foode wée may not taste increaseth hungry wills Therwith I vow'de in desart houltes alone to rue my harme Where fretting sighes doth serue for fire my frosen flesh to warme My foode is aples hawes and héepes such fruites as féede a beast Wilde monsters are companions mine in hollow caues I rest A crabtrée staffe my surest stéede my sterued legges to ease My thoughts new wounds increaseth stil whē cares I would appease The watchfull clocke the warning bell the harmonie I heare Is dreadfull noyes of dreadlesse beastes of whom I liue in feare My studie is to way and waile that fortune thus doth lowre Wher wealth by wāt once loue by scorne my swéete by present sowre Where fethers flue about my helme a willowe wreath to weare My wéedes of worth by cote of leaues sharpe flowes for deintie fare My stately home by hard exile delight by wythred woe Doth force god wott my wasted teares through griefe a fresh to flow My lute that sometime lent mée ease hath neither frett nor stringe My sugred voice with howling hoarst forbids mée now to singe My penns are worne my incke is done my paper all is writ Yet halfe my passions and my paine vnpainted are as yet So that for onely exercise in trées and Marble stone My griefe to case I forced now do graue my wretched mone Liue longe in blisse thou loftie Béeche wherein this vow is writt No luring friend nor lowring foe Geneuras faith shall flitt To witnes now her foule vntruth Dom Diego writes belowe Her vowed faith from knowen friend is reft by sawning foe But chiefe of all thou sacred stone remaine thou sound and safe Continue thou these letters fresh which are my Epitaphe Hard by this rough and ragged stone Dom Diego wretched ▪ lyes Geneuras hate exiled him yet louing her hee dies This homely tumbe is all my helpe to bring my death to light This must record my faithfull loue and show my Ladies spight In time I trust some forrest Pan or wandring pilgrime may Peruse my woes and to my swéete this sowre message wray To saue my faithfull boone vnbroke to show my seruice iust My souereignes scorne with face of faith her treason cloakt with trus◠Me wretched Dom Diego forst before my time to die My bones vnburied by this tumbe makes proofe it is no lie And now good death with spéede diuorce my soule from lothed life My ioyes are worne my pleasures past my peace is chaung'd to strife I sée no meane of quiet rest but onely death by thée Then spare them death whom pleasure hauntes vse thy force on me ▪ Dom Diego hauing for the space of 22. monethes thus liued an exiles life onely accōpanied with sorrow wretchednes and miserie which comfortlesse cōpanions no one houre forsooke him it chaunced that Dom Roderico a speciall friend of his had occasion to trauel into Gascoine and as hée iourneyed in the desart forrest whereof this wretched louer was made frée citizen he mist of his way in the end finding out Dom Diegos homely caben of whom he demaunded the way to Barcelone hauing his aunswere as he departed hée espied in a corner of his cotage two faire saddles vppon the one of them was ingrauen this Poesse in Spanish Que brantare la fe es causamuy fea To violate faith is a thing detestable Dom Roderico reading this poesse called to remembraunce how that his frend Dom Diego in al his deuises vsed the same to be short he so handled the matter as the hermite whō hée knewe not so was hée ouergrowne with haire and worne with woe confessed himselfe to be Dom Diego his friend taking him a side hée deliuered the whole cause of his exile Dom Roderico séeing this foster louers miserable estate vowed with what possible speede hée could to worke his remedie who for more haste forsooke his iourney and returned home vnto his owne castle At his comming home making no semblaunce of his knowledg hée roade to the place where fayre Geneuora with her mother soiourned of purpose to learne what new gallant had wooed her and finting him to bée a yonge gentleman of Biskaye who shortly after by her owne consent was minded to steale her away Dom Roderico so cunningly coyned with Geneuoras Page who wholy knew his mystresse secretes that he certainly learned the night of these louers departure The same night accompanied with ix or x. Gentlemen his cōpanions and friends he laye in waite for this Biskayne louer his Lady who about x. or a xi of the clocke only accompanied with two or thrée gentlemen his companions came merely on their way Roderico so soone as he saw the instrument of Dom Diegos miserie set spurres vnto his horse with speare in Rest so rudely welcomed this Biskayne that for all his coate of plate hée pearst through both his sides The souldiers of this amorous captaine séeing their maister thus infortunately slaine and waying their vnable force to incounter with Dom Rodericos cōpany saued thēselues by flight left woofull
long through pyning woe Whose constant truth long hath den tryde Though long his suit hath ben denyde By batteriâ— long the brasen wall The cannon shot doth cleane deface The longest trées in time doe fall Which long before had Boreas base The little brooke in running long Doth turne into a riuer strong Then may it be I louing long My pyning corps by long delay Can long abide the furie strong Of ghastly death which long doth stay His lingring stroke to haue it so That louing long should worke my woe A Sonet wherin is showne the straunge effectes of loue IN care I ioy my mirth is mou'd by moâ—re With flouds of want I weare to ebbe my wo Appayd I rest in restlesse griefe to grone By fainting hope my friendly hap doth growe In waues of bale I bathe in wished blisse My wealth in woe in paine my pleasure is But how these hang if so she search my harme These fewe suffice the same to shew my swéete To rayse her ioy my selfe I wholy arme To fréese or fâ—y as she shal déeme it méete I bound am frée and frée I yeald her slaue That 's my delight that she desires to haue And sith my sport doth make my souereigne â—oy And mirth she finds to thwart my faith with frâ—ps I sad am glad my noy may force her ioy My sowre her swéete my dole may cleare her dumpes Yea life I wish this were to do her good Each day to waste a drop of guitlesse blood The louer wearied with a number of delayes sues vnto his Ladie for pitie or otherwise her speedie denyall by death to worke a speedie dispatch of his languishing dayes IF pitie may preuaile to pearse your hart with ruth Swéete maistres lend your listning eare to heare your seruants truth Whose faith hath chose you iudge and iurie if you please If not desart shal trye this cause your deintie mynd to ease The whole record is writ for rafing with my teares My witnesse is my withered corps ny famished with feares A thousand sighes besides in open court will sweare You are the Saint which with my heart I honour loue and feare Disdaine that workes delayes mistrust that moues my mone No witnesse hath to hinder right but false suspect alone Yet boulstred vp by scorne they scoffe my loyall loue And kept me play with forreine frumpes til prickt by méede to proue If pitie could procure your heart my harme to rue I found remorse was preast to heare the plaint before your view And now good Lady note my witnesse and my woe If I deserue your loue for loue giue verdite yea or no For daunted with delayes for hap or harme I iumpe And knowe you once if sullen will my faythful loue doth frumpe I will not languish long in cursed Cupides flame Death in despight shall rid me dole and you shall beare the blame But if with souereigne grace you may your seruants state Yeald recompence of loue betimes least liking come too late To coole his flaming harte by Cupide set on fire Through heate whereof a Whetstone colde consumes with hote desire The thought of wonted ioyes doubleth the miserable mans griefe I That whose youth was lul'd in pleasures lap Whose wanton yeres were neuer chargd with care Who made no flight but reacht the pitch of hap And now besieg'd with griefe at vnawares How can my hart but bléede to thinke on this My ioy with was my woe is ioynd with is With is Oh yea and euer wil be so Such hell is thought to muse on ioyes forgone For though content would faine appease my woe This myrthlesse note continues fresh my mone O deare delight with whome I dwelt in ioy Thy sowrest swéete my sorrowes would destroy â–ª Destroy it would but Oh those dayes are past When to my wil I found dame fortune wrought My fancies cleare with cares are ouer cast Yet bootelesse hope will not forsake my thought But still proroges my griefe that else would dye To vaine effect when I my toyling spye The hap and hard fortune of a carelesse louer MY hart on hayh with carelesse mind I rauÌ„ging fréedomes fieldâ— Blind Cupide by arest vnwares to beautie bad me yeald What yeald quoth I at beauties becke as Venus slaue to serue May he whome fréedome alwayes 〈◊〉 by bondage stoupe to sterue No Cupide no with me go tell dame beautie beares no sway Nor pleasure with her painted sheath can make me Cupide pray This answere made with winged féete he tooke his flight away And did impart to beautie straight his rest I would not bay â–ª With anger fraught who foorth with wild an armie should be had And captaines hauing charge them selues in armour should be clad Her selfe she plaste in formost front with Pleasure in her hand And Lady Loue elected was hygh Marshall of her band â–ª Faire Venus in the rereward went her sonne in ambush lay Thus Beautie and her warlike crue did mearch in battel ray But I poore I which feard no force in fréedomes lease at large Pursude my sport with carelesse mynd of Loue I tooke no charge But all too soone I heard a sound of dub dub in my eare And therewithall I sawe in sight tenne aunchents to appeare Which poudred were with pyned hartes in bloudy colours set Which forst me flée to wisdomes wood to scape Dan Cupids net But craftie he in scoute there lay who first gaue charge on me And brought me bound to Beauties barre her prisoner for to be Then stinging loue enforst me pray Dame Pleasure plead my case But Beautie sayd in vaine I sude in hope of future grace For martiall law foorthwith quoth she thy hart in bale shall bounce Therwith she chargd her Marshal high this sentence to pronounce To bate thy pride which wouldst not stoupe when beautie bent her lure Thy casting shall be clods of care Saunce hope of happie cure With flouds of teares thy dazeld eyes thy sickly chéekes shall staine And Fancie with his sleating toyes shall harbour in thy braine Thy heart shall poudred be with paine thy guts with griefe to boyle Thy séething sighes shall scalde thy lippes to taste of inwarde toyle Thy intrales all shall parched be with flames of fond desire The heauie perse of bodyes griefe thy pyned legges shall tire Despaire then was the hangman made which doome did Beautie please And I to bondage was bequeath'd to liue in little case Wherewith the Gem of Venus band vnprayd of her bon gre Did beg me â–ª wretch at Beauties hand her prisoner for to be And after vowe of loyaltie did let me goe at large Yea further payd my farewell fée my bondage to discharge In lâ—e whereof at her commaund my seruice loe is prest As homage due for saued life yea more her slaue I rest The absent louer in pawne of his constancie sendeth his heart to his Ladie REceiue deare dame as gage of worthy loue This pyned hart bepoudred all with teares Whose poesie is No
too and fro Beares witnesse of their paine Their sowre sitting in secrete nookes When others laugh their lowring lookes Declares them caught in Cupides hookes And fare as men forlorne Their often making of their mone Their solemne sitting all alone In places secrete and vnknowne Still cursing they were borne Are tokens true the Peet sayth To whome these Turtles vowe their faith If fayning we may trust Certes these torments all men gréeue And therefore sure I do beléeue Their sayings to be iust Wherfore to guerdon loyall loue My deare such fancies from you moue As Enuie late did faine For truly I protest to you The heauens shall fall ere I vntrue My loyaltie will staine And time I trust will so prouide When eluish Enuie shall her hide From bale to blisse truth shall vs hide To top of Fortunes whéele Where we to banishe fell annoy Stil liue repleate with blissefull ioy Still lauding of the blinded boy Whose force we oft did féele Till time obtaines that happy day Let no conceite your mynd affray In iudging me vntrue Which blessed houre shall hap with spéede Or else my will shall want his méede And thus swéete wench adue The infortunate louer determineth rather desperately to end his sorrowes then to proroge them with bootelesse hope THe trayterous mate by law adiudg'd to dye If feare of death should worke this foule effect In hope Saunce hap his secrete to escrye Or slaunder forge to peach the vnsuspect Proroging thus his life by dallying death Besides his gilt with shame shuld stop his breath In desperate frayes where raunsome is denyde Base were the minde in hope of grace to yeald Whose courage else might daūt his enimies pride And so by force with fame to win the field For where our wrong doth worke our ouerthrow In vaine we hope to weare away our woe And why shuld I with hope persuade my thought To bath in blisse past bondes of my desart For my base hap my loue to high is sought Whom fauour none but frownings ouerthwart Alas can reape at my swéete maistresse hands I loue she hates and thus my fortune stands With withered woe my life I weare away Where often I heare thundring in my thought Through loue of her my friendes and foes to say Upon my selfe I wilfull murther wrought Then sith my death this strange report shal shape In vaine for grace till later gaspe I gape Nay wretche diuorce delayes from wished death Cut through the thred which care cōsumes to slowe Thy mounting mind despiseth seruile breath And canst thou yeald to fortunes ouerthrowe Thy dome is death by Ladies scorne decréed Néeds most thou dye then best to dye with spéede Some friend wil write on my vntimely tumbe With faithfull zeale I so my Goddesse seru'd My life my loue my liuing all and some I reaft and left before my fancie sweru'd And when my suit her mou'd to angry moode To worke amends I sacrifisde my bloud Verses of complaint deuised for a well meaning louer to moue his maistresse to pitie NOw cease good Lady cease to weaue my further woe Where scorne hath worne my ioyes to eb let pitie force them flowe To you I sue and serue to you I waile and wéepe For you my restlesse eyes doth watch when other men do sléepe To you my sighes I send which makes my heart to bléede For you my teares like Tiber streames from dazeled eyes procéede No wealth I do enioy but that I wish you part No griefe doth gaule your daintie minde but I do ease your smart To rowle in bagges of golde in choise I would detest In faith for to inioy your loue and harbour where you rest If you I might inioy I now forworne with woe To former ioyes would be restorde in spite of him sayes noe No torment then should vexe or nippe my heauie hart All gulfes of griefe shall soone be damde which drownes my ioyes in smart Of age I should triumphe and death I would defie And fortunes force I could withstand for all her crueltie In you to saue or spill in you to make or marre In you it restes to end my woes or cause my further care Twixt life and death I stand twixt hope and déepe despaire Till louing lines for pyning woe returnes a luckie share The complaint of a gentlewoman being with child falsely forsaken WHat gulfes of griefe may well receiue The teares which I in vaine do spend What faithlesse wight durst once deceiue By falsehoode foule so firme a friend With lose who wrayes how well shée lou'de When choise for chaunge his fancie moude Though reason would I should refraine His blame my shame for to bewray Good Ladies yet my pinching paine Inioynes mée here the truth to say Whose wretched plight and pensiue state Surmounteth farre Quéene Didoes fate What meanst thou wretch from ioy exilde To yeald vnto his fained teares With carelesse vowes why wert begilde And fearelesse othes the traytor sweares Ere nuptial rites whie didst thou trust His faith and yéelde vnto his lust Thou Iason false by periurde flight Thou Theseus thefte decypherest plaine I Dido wretch thou Troyan knight Here equall griefes in breast sustaine I iustly say which wordes I rue All men be false and none be true The fruites ysprong by our desire My wealth thou waste might moue thy hart To graunt the rightes which loue require And search a salue to cure my smart But sith thy faith thou doest forgoe Come death and end my wretched woe Yet Ladies all beware by mée To rue swéete woordes of fickle trust My heaped harmes let warning bée How filed talke doth proue vniust And rule your loue by reasons lore Least future plagues you do deplore Against one which wrote a slaunderous libell in dishonour of a Ladie YHacht thou wert in enuies nest Whose murthering tongue might not suffice To woorke a Ladies great vnrest But that with penne thou didst deuise Uile vice to paint in vertues place Her spotlesse life for to disgrace Whose sacred head with wisedome fraught Is guided by Dame Pallas skill Her deintie minde Minerua taught The good to loue to leaue the ill Then may it bée shée doth deserue Report from reasons lore to swerue Noe no thou wretch and Uiper vile From natures lawe which dost rebell The world doth know thy giltie gile In dungeon darcke hence forth now dwell For all men doth thy sight repine From manly actes which doest decline The heauens do frowne with earthly foode Thy carren corpes should nourisht bée Thou onely byrde of Uipers broode And bitter braunch of rankors trée A Harpie for thy filthie factes For God and man abhorres thy actes Unséene henceforth thou caitife couche Thou murtherer vile of others fame How durst thou once presume to touche The honour due vnto her name And make report that Dian chaste Faire Venus knightes in bedde imbraste Allotting to her harmelesse tongue All rusticke speach with Stentors voice Disdayning them whom loue hath stonge For that with
chaunge shée makes her choice Not carefull of her curious charge But gladly rowes in euerie barge How may it hée such fertile soyle Well tilde and sowne with happie séede Can chuse in recompence of toyle But yéeld thée fruites of Venus méede Why worke I her so great abuse For giltlesse fact to frame excuse My paines herein deserues no praise For all men knowes more then I write But thou that didst this rumour raise If that thou darst so show thy might As truth maintaine thy slaundrous wordes Committing triall to our swordes Who readie am her to defend Till wounded corpes with bloud begord Of worldly woes do make an end By froward force of slaundrous sword Or recant to make will I And for offence her mercie crie The vnfortunate louer is persuaded his misshap to grow by destinie YEt was not Hellens faâ—e ne Parris faire Untimely which did weaue the Troyans woe For former faultes the Gods agréede in ire With future panges their vengeance downe to throwe And making choyse as instrument withall That Parris loue should king Priames thrall Such heaped harmes within the Heauens béene For one mans case to cause anothers care Unfriendly so the fates mens happes do spin In partiall wise to yéelde eche wight his share Then loue why should I cursse or skorne lawe Or blame the dame one whom I stande in awe Her vertues rare her pearelesse beautie bright Her Pallas witt I ioynde with Sabas skill My restlesse eyes which couets so her sight Are not the fates which forceth mée this ill For hier sprites deuised long agoe My youthfull yeares should passe in pyning woe ¶ The discommodities of forst marriages by the example of Venus and Vulcan supposed for the more plaine explayning of the inconueniences to be written to a couetous carle hauing but one onely daughter refused the offers of diuerse gentlemen some beeing of good worship and married her vnto an old croked coffing crust for his great wealthes sake IN prime of pride when Venus minde to Iunos rites aspirde A wealthie cruste to catch her vp her father then desirde Perusing well his subiectes states who best might be her feare At length hée chus'de a Croydon chuffe to wooe his daughter deare Whose wealth I do confesse was great y gott by endlesse toyle At smithes forge with daily heate his apish face did broyle This gallant squire a wooing rid his face bée grimde with dust And comming to her fathers house this daintie Dame hée bust Who at the first this Lady bright some monster thought to bée Retyring backe affright shée was his vglye shape to sée But in the ende her fathers threates and Vulcans giftes full braue Did force her daintie minde to yéelde this crabtrée péece to haue The marriage rites in hast were wrought in presence of them all Then hee this pearelesse dame conuayde vnto his rusticke hall Whereas the rest solemnised her friends they did depart The which once done then streight begunne the summe of all her smart For hée fell to his former toyle before the dawning day Where bounsing blowes on stythie smit the sturdie stéele to fame Debard of rest did force her wish to tast of wedlockes game And as it is no newes to tell at all nor séeming straunge How louers they do neuer lacke whose mindes bée bent to chaunge Here mightie Mars y cleaped God of warre and battell ray Enforste to yéeld as Cupids thrall and eke his hestes obey Determined to giue attempt to fraught his heart with blis Though conquest hard yet glorie great quoth hée the guerdonis Before her eyes his siege hée plantes like Phoebus rayes that shan Assault hée gaue shée did resist hée made no batterie than But one repulse his valiaunt heart in no respect amasde Hée shot againe the bulwarkes fell and all the walles were raisde The fort thus wonne as hée did wish hée trode on pricking thornes To gaine the spoile of Vulcans toile and arme his head with hornes The which without resistaunce great hée ioyed at his will But Ielousie the gulfe did force to feare and dread that ill Which in the end when true hée found hée framed by his arte A chaine to tie these louers fast so that they might not starte And then for all the Gods hée sent to sée this laughing game Where they in méede of pleasures past receiued open shame Loe here the bitter fruites wherewith such mariages be fraught Where wealth doth winne the womans will and vertue set at naught Such chaunce may hap to the old snudge inforst by gréedie gaine Where pence possesse the daughters loue the man shée doth disdaine And so fare well at this my verse mée thinkes I heare thee snuffe But doggrell rime were farre to good to gréete a dunghill chuffe The forsaken louer sheweth to what intent he weareth Tawnie bewraying the bondage that wanton Dames bring their thralles vnto MY fancie once in fayre carnation stoode And trueth to say I liued in delight But loe such is the fruites of wanton moode Both Dye and dayes are chaunged with despight In Tawnie now I forced am to goe Forsaken wretch my mystresse storne to shoe And would to God who notes my wretched wéedes Would wisely shunne the baites that beautie lay Her swéete receites an ill digestion bréedes Once bound ynough her thralles must néedes obey Yea worse then that though loue séeme nere so hott When all is done forsaken is their lott This is the badge that Cressids heyres do giue They lure with grace and loose with deadly hate Beware of them you that in freedome liue If not behold a patterne of your fate Euen I my selfe do weare this Tawnie hue To shewe I seru'd a Cressid most vntrue The reiected louer determineth either to purchase his Ladies speedie reconcilement or els desperatly to die OF thée déere dame faine would I learne the trueth If hée that bringes the innocent in band Or so betrayde who slayeth him faunce ruth Is thought herein to haue the bloudiest hand â–ª If hée that doth the faultlesse first betray Then cruell note the wordes that I shall say I am the man that longe can hardly liue You with your scorne betrayde mée to despaire Then though my hand the deadly wound do giue The murtherer it wil be said you are But if you shame such fowle report to proue Now yéeld swéete wench or neuer graunt to loue Behold the blade that shall confirme my faith My woes consent in wanton yeares to die I liue to heare but what your aunsweare saith Once lapt therein my life or death doth lie For trust mée now I wretched haue decréede To winne your loue or else to die with spéede The louer being wounded at the Bathe sues vnto his Lady for pittie I Bathing late in Bathes of souereigne ease Not in those bathes where beauties blisse doth flowâ— But euen at Bathe which many a guest doth please But loe mishap those waues hath wrought my woe There loue I sawe her séemely selfe to laue
now with soaking sighes to one I sue for grace Whose presence when I do approch she stâ—aight doth shunne the place My sight my sighes my teares nor truth Her stoanie heart can moue to ruth Yet loue that liues by hope a fresh enforsed mée to proue With pen to pleade what bashfull tongue dismayed was to moue But loe in vaine to her I write For loue my guerdon is despight I serue a froward saint a Tigers whelpe I â—roe Shée smiles to sée mée wade in smart her wish my wretched woe And yet in truth shée blamelesse is My onely fault inforceth this She is but instrument my selfe the very cause Why I consume with cureles griefe for scorning Cupids lawes Wherefore sith loue is sworne my foe Diuorce mée death from lingring woe And then for others héede this sillie boune I craue That I vppon my timelesse tombe this Epitaphe may haue The thing that causde mee here to lie Was scorning loue at libertie Epilogus FOr wantons héede héere wrayed is the thrall Of louing wormes how both they fréese and frie How swéetest thoughtes are sawst with bitter gall How care them cloyes that liue in ielousie What yll successe stolne marriages ensue How forst consentes â—ield beare a louing hart How sugred woordes to late faire Ladies rue How vaine they striue that louers séeke to part How enuious tongues are apt to sowe debate How fancie bringes the stoutest mindes in awe How louers wrongde from loue do fall to hate How ramping rigges regard no modest lawe How lingring loue doth oft mislyking moue How gallants giftes fond women oft allure How pride ease preferre mens thoughtes to loue How lawlesse lust all mischiefe puts in vre How scorneful dames the set mens sutes at nought Of such as seru'd are glad to séeke reliefe How louing thralles from setters frée are taught To shunne the snares that snarled them in griefe And to conclude in euery Page is wrayde A lightning ioy a life of lacke is loue Who loueth least which proues is best appaide For womens mindes as wether cockes will moue Wherefore these toyes who liste to read aright Shall finde Loues woes not how to loue I write FINIS The Arbour of Vertue A VVORKE CONTEIning the chaste and honourable life of a Bohemian Ladie to the which is adioyned the complaint of two Hungarian Barons that wagerd the spoile of her Chastitie ¶ VVherein are the seuerall prayses of certaine English Ladies and Gentlewomen being the translation collection and inuention of George Whetstons Gent. Formae nulla fides To the right Honourable and vertuous Lady Iana Sibilla Greye now of Wilton George Whetstons wisheth a longe and happie life RIght honourable and vertuous Ladie I find that our chiefest and greatest incouragement vnto vertue is to heare the memorie of the vertuous continued with the carefull reportes of worthy writers for that such testimonie is both a president for our liues and also foreshewes after death our fames Likewise it as necessarie to register the liues of the leaude that the terror of their punishments and infamie may feare vs to offend So that moued with these consideraetions among a number my leasurable labours I haue faithfully though not curiously translated the modest and noble life of a Boemian Lady with the fall of two Hungarian barons which vnaduisedly wagered the spoyle of her chastitie Which simple toyle of mine as a testimonie of the reuerent dutie I owe vnto you vnder the title of the Arbor of Vertue I humbly present to your Ladiship to the intent that when you are wearied with the dispatch of necessarie cares and causes you may recreate your honourable minde with the mylde report of this Ladies good behauiours Wholy assured that as you liuely present her vertues you wil likewise both defend her fame and my honest indeuour with the countenaunce of your regarded name From my lodging in Holborne the .15 of October 1576. Your honours during life to dispose George Whâ—tstors The Argument of the following discourse of Lady Barbaraes vertuous behauiours A Boemian knight named Vlrico married a vertuous Lady called Barbara Vlrico being a little nipt with pouertie woulde faine haue supplyed his want by seruice in the warres which aduenture he long delayed through the iâ—alous suspicion of his wiues behauiour notwithstanding his imaginations quieted by the direction of a cunning Negromancer named Pollacco hee craued intertainment of the king of Hungarie the king vouchsafing his request imployed him in the warres against the Turke the warres ended Vlrico laden with honour returned vnto the kings court where one day the Lord Alberto the Lord Vdislao and he reasoned of womens behauiours The Hungarian barons helde opinion there was no woman so chaste but might be won to wantonnesse Vlrico in his Ladies behalfe reasoned to the contrarie In the end they grewe into this heate of argument that both the Lordes wagered their landes to his that if he durst abyde the triall that the one of them within two monethes woulde obtaine bodily delight with his wife Vlrico accepted of their lay the wager beeing set downe in writing the King and Queene were both witnesses of the match Alberto gaue the first aduenture in these louing affaires to winne her to wantonnesse The Lady finding his humour by policies as a theefe that sought to rob her honour caused him to be imprisoned where to bridle his wanton affections she made him to spin for his victuals Alberto in hope of libertie discouered to the Lady the whole wager and how that the Lord Vdislao would come about that enterprise who in very deede shortly visited her castle whome she likewise made foorth comming and in penaunce of his offence hee reelde the thread Alberto spon the King and Queene hearing of their successe had the Lady in high estimation awarded Vlrico the lande and banished the barons for their slaunderous opinion The Arbour of Vertue AS supreme head of Hungarie a king there whilcome reign'd Coruinus hight whose worthy force a worlde of praises gain'd What law iustice once had made throgh rule he neuer broke He cherisht friendes he chast his foes with many a sturdy stroke Ymou'd through zeale with clattering armes he stoupt S. Mahomes pride The Turkish crue from Christian boundes he chast on euery side This noble prince vnto his spouse a gallant Lady chusde A matrone in her mayden yeres such modestie she vsde By whom she had thrée valliant sonnes thrée vertuous daughters eake Which worthy ympes in wisdomes lore did liue without their like Besides with haps to heape his ioyes his subiectes gréede so well That foes could finde no hollowe hearts against him to rebell As vassell to which noble king there was a Boeme knight A valiant and a ventrous Lord Vlrico was he hight In prime of force he plyde the warres his parents purse to ease His parents dead he home returnd his tenants pence to fease But small was left to pray
succour should haue sought But well I sée thou youth hast spared nought Yet all thy life thou moyldst and toylâ—st for gaine Hard was thy hap that losse still aunsweard paine 35 No fortune yet but follie in thy selfe That losse thou reapst in recompence of paine Thy course was wrounge a pace to prowle vp pelfe For falsehoode must or flattery compasse gaine Or else in faith thy moyling is in vaine Deserte is dasde with dyrefull enuies driftes And honest mindes are put vnto their shiftes 36 But listen well and I will shortly showe How that thy want in drowping dayes shall die The way I know how euery state doth growe From base degrée to wealth and honour hie Thy conscience yet must beare with briberie With falsehoode fraude feare not to vse deceites To fishe for wealth those are the sweetest baites 37 If thou doest loue a faithlesse priest to bée If Courtiers life in thée hath lyking wrought In merchauntes fraude if thou wouldst deepely sée If Lawyers gaine doth tempt thy gréedie thought If through the warres aloft thou wouldst bée brought In countrie cares if thou wouldst beate thy braine If Cheters craft thou weanst is full of gaine 38 If by these trades reléefe thou meanst to reape Doe thus and thus and thou with wealth shalt swell With that hée wrayed of huge deceiptes a heape The least whereof would send a man to hell At which amasde quoth I good frend farewell I like theée not thy counsell is full euill I liued well I will not die a deuill 39 At which adue my mate to sigh I sawe Who sorrie was hée had bestowde such talke On mée whose tale to no deceite could drawe And in this chafe away the man did walke And waking then I vp and downe did stalke Who in my selfe did finde a hell of thought To sée what wyles to compasse wealth are wrought 40 Desire of wealth forthwith my heart did wound My honest minde did blame my gréedie venye Thus in my selfe a heape of harmes I found Afraide of fraude yet glad to compasse gaine Thus both I blamde and thankt the cousiners paine But as by chaunce I looking in my glasse Mée thought I saw how death by mée did passe 41 With that quoth I away with golden glée Auaunt desire of gréedie gathering gaine Wouldst thou him binde which whilome liued frée Away goe trudge thy toyling is in vaine The world I scorne with my swéete Christ to raine No subiect I of sathans Emiyre came Christ is my leage to serue the deuill I shame ¶ A Larges to the world 42 My knowledge yet vnto the world y knowne May haply warne my friends to shunne this baite Amonge the lewde this séede is hugely sowne They daily take this bitter swéete receite For why their foode is rapine and deceite My larges yet to all I franckly giue Within this world that haue desire to liue 43 The Cleargie they no worldly creatures are They cost contemne their wéedes but homely bée Heauen féedes their soules their paunche hath pouer fare They goodes despise but what with Scriptures grée To helpe the poore whose want they daily sée Well these I sée estéemeth not my gift To get their thankes and haue I neare a shifte 44 Yes yes forsooth wel fare the fruits of fraud They wedded are a néedefull helpe gainst sinne Their sonnes full oft desireth more a gaude Then at their bookes their fathers fame to winne Their daughters scorne to knit to card or spinne They Gentles are as braue as is the best They royst in silkes and gad to euery feast 45 With smal expence this pride is not maintaind And when you die your lyuing bids adue If naught you spare their brauerie then is staind They must forsake their wonted Courtly crue Or make some shift though shame thereof insue Which to preuent this counsel Craft doth giue To proule for them whilst you in wealth do liue 46 Scorne you the Pope scorne not to clawe his coine His titles leaue lease not the selfe same gaine You colours haue how so you pence purloine Decayed schooles you may erect againe You may relieue the néedie mysers paine With many moe whom penurie doth pearce For lacke of skill which scapes my worthlesse vearse 47 The Courtier hée will thanke mée for my gift Hée spendeth much yet little hath to spend Some say this course doth séeldome compasse thrift Yet fréely here his state for to amend To bragge it out in brauery to the end The Courtier younge a lesson loe I tell The elder sort doth knowe the forme full well 48 For credite sake you néedes must brauely serue And credite wonne is quickly worne away Get vp your crumbes therfore ere grace doth swerue Fawne still on them that beare the greatest sway Attendaunce daunce when others plie their play The mightiest please how so their mindes are ledde For wisest wittes with some conceites are fedde 49 With lawyer soone sée thou thy selfe acquaint UUhich knowes what giftes are in the Princes hands UUhat lyes conceald by reason of attaint UUhat fée what farme amonge his leages landes Drawes to an end that clarkly vnderstandes UUhat office yéeldes a gaine aboue the rest UUhat penall lawe to begge for thée is best 50 UUho finely drawes a pattent for a néede And Pattents sée you alwayes haue in store A time may serue when haply you may spéede UUhich fitted not so well a yeare before And by the way this care haue euermore UUell to foresée to whom you wray your minde Least in your sutes you slender fauour finde 51 Your charge is great shift therefore for your selfe For facion sake yet flatter to their face But vse no course in prowling vp of pelfe And if mishappe doth throw one out of grace Bée readie preast to prease into his place For why your ioy comes by your neighbours thrall Then be not nyce to rise where hée doth fall 52 The souldier stoute whom fortune still doth tosse To shadowe fraude forsothe hath fynest shoe His swéetest gaynes are sawste with sower losse Yea life full oft to reach reléefe must goe Her faintes his friend there fightes his mortall foe Here bulletes towze at vnawares him méete There hawlberds hewe here bilmen doth him gréete 53 If in this dole hée chaunce to reach a rap In faith at home hée findes a could reléefe Best therefore then whilst fortune fittes for hap Hée shift for one for feare of future gréefe The souldier once is neuer tearmde a théefe How so hée wronges how so hée spoyles and spends And reason good his life oft makes amends 54 The poorer sort yet séeldome compasse thrift To helpe whose want Mast Craft doth vse this way A pettie helpe for such as loue to shift To watch and ward to filche his fellowes pray To sacke the wight that gladly would obey To spoile his friend as one hée doth not knowe If ought be said hée toke him for his foe 55
him vnto contempt will tourne Where haply else to try his wit them selues will him request To shewe his reasons and his mynde which side he liketh best For ofte the best the baser choose and leaues the high estate But knowes againe when to be strange lest he shuld proue checke mate In honest myrth is wisedome séene as time thereto doth fit For grauest heads must haue a meane for to refresh their wit Fewe wordes they say in order plaste the wise mans tale doth wray And silence is an answere fit the noddies toung to stay But ouer halte in séeking praise some myndes persuade the still Their knowledge silence will conceale what then auailes their skill When as betwéene the both extreames a modest meane doth lye For to direct the wise mans tong as néedes the vse shall try Against ingratitude PEriander of Corinth sometime prince A lawe ordainde ingratefull chuffes to paine Which was on proofe who could a churle conuince To reape rewardes vnrecompenst againe To leuie mendes he should no longer liue For why quoth he suche men deserues no grace As gladly take and grudge againe to giue A needefull lawe this shamelesse sect to chace For what may be a viler fault then this To be vnkinde to father or to friend Or how may men amend their foule amisse Which scornes the wights which dayly them defend A Farmer once a frozen snake did finde With pitie mou'd who layd her by the fire The snake reuiu'd did shewe her selfe vnkinde But what ensu'd he slue her for her hire A morall rule ingratefull wights to warne How thanklesse they do quite a friendly turne But out alas those varlets be so stearne That viper like they lawe and dutie spurne We dayly sée the parents painfull toyle Their restlesse care their children well to traine We likewise sée how thanklesse children spoyle Their parents goods or wish them dead for gaine The good man oft the friendlesse childe doth kéepe And fosters him with many a friendly grote who séekes his spoyle when he is sound asléepe Or giues consent to cut his maisters throte We sée some men aduaunst to honours hye By helpe of such which once did beare a sway Which quite forget what feathers forst them flye If founders theirs by froward chaunce decay The traitrous mate whose prince doth cal to grace Is subiect straight to sowe seditious strife No maruell then to root out such a race If Corinth king ordained losse of life But if in vre we nowe should put his doome Ingratefull gnufes each gallowes so would cloy That scarcely théeues to hang shuld haue a roome To ease the iust whom dayly they annoy Yet doubt I not some meanes would be preparde To cut them off for both may well be sparde The euill fortune of a couetous person and what profite ariseth by the death of a churle A Desperate wight his fortunes foule to frée By wilfull death to rid his cares did choose But as he trudgd to totter on a trée Untimely there his loathed life to loose A rare good hap a pot of golde he found The gold hée rapt his rope hée left behind Anon a carle came sheaking through the ground In stéede of gold a rope who there did finde Which haplesse sight so nipt him at the hart That loe for woe hée pissed where hée stoode At length quoth hée this cord shall cure my smart And so hée hung himselfe in fullen moode The sight were fayre if euery bough did beare Such kinde of fruites till caren churles were choakt Whose deathes inforce a thousand well to fare Their liues the poore as many wayes hath yoakt The wormes reioyce vppon a churle to gnawe The poore man then whom hée did pinch of yore Hath pennie dole and meate to fil his mawe Where scarcitie was forthwith appeareth store Pray for his soule the common people crie As for his life the world full well may spare His hordes of gold about the house then flie Catch who catch may his goods a hundred share His heapes of corne to euery market sailes Which close hée kept in hope of some deare yeare And where hée sparde the parings of his nailes His sonne may spend and make his friends good cheare If such increase comes by a carrens death Who would not wish a cord to stop his breath A briefe description of death DEath is a piller to the Prince true iustice to vphold A terrour to the trayterous mate his secretes to vnfould A stedfast stay to common weales a webbe of worldlings woe A father to the harmelesse wight vnto his friend a foe ¶ An Epitaphe vppon the death of Henrie Cantrell of Lincolnes Inne Gent. by his friend R. C. SIth vertuous life death neuer may depriue But liueth ay amidde the glorious crew Lament not then our Cantrell is aliue In heauen on highe with chaunged life a new Then death no dole sith life therein remaines But glad hee gone to blisse from worldly paines From wreake of woe from cutt of cares anoye From fainting frends froÌ„ dole of doubtful dome From vaine delights the counterfet of ioy From sobbing sighes whence sorrowes séedes do come From dread to die sith death doth cleare vs quit Lament not then good Henrie Cantrells hit The dalying dayes that here wée lead alonge On earthlie mould fills vp the sacke with sinnes Here mirth with mone is alwayes mixt amonge To sowre our swéete here fortune neuer linnes Hence pleasure parkes no ioy can here remaine No swalowed swéete not purgde with pills of paine Then laude the Lord lament no whit at all Though it hath pleasd his will and heauenly â—est From wretched vs this happie youth to call For sure I say his soule him liked best Thus best hée calls and leaues the worst alone His mercie such our heaped sinnes to mone Howe great a vice it is either for the vertuous or valiaunt man to accompanie himselfe with men of base condition when as acknowledging his dutie hee may aduenture into the companie of the best WHere vertue may or vallor one aduaunce To base his hap a loute to liue belowe Or credite seeke with men of meanest chaunce A fearefull hart a dunghill minde doe showe On thornes no grapes but sower flowes doth growe Euen so by sottes no fame but shame doth rise A faire catch for such to count thée wise The forward minde doth couet this at least To prease where hée is poorest of the traine And not to liue with those himselfe the best For sure hée shall a lowsie kingdome gaine Where vnder him do none but beggers raine By learninges lore who doth the idiot schoole In fine wil proue himselfe a passing soole The highest trées doth kéepe the vnder spray From Phoebus gleames from sugred dewes that fall So mounting mindes aloft doth beare the sway When meaner wittes doth liue belowe in thrall They sucke the swéete when sottes do gnawe the gall They wrong by might their will makes right a mome Who prickes at such but séeldome
sâ—ooteth home Such is their force where credite beareth sway A perfect tale although the wronged tell Their thwarting speach what they mislike will stay The wronged wight with wrath may haply swell And pleades a fresh though not so passing well Then sausie knaue how maâ—lapeart hée is Away go packe your purpose you shall mis. But if the sot which in their fauour stand Do slammer forth a patched tale of lyes Their helping speach will force him vnderstand The way and meanes afresh for to deuise To frame his talke from shew of trueth to rise A vertue straunge their wordes can bring to passe That fooles séeme wise the wise in shew an Asse UUhat fréer life then others to commaund UUhat happier state then for to liue in rest What greater wealth then what a man demaund UUhat credite like the countnaunce of the best For thralles it were a heauen to reach the left But they aloft whom vertue doth aduaunce If more may bée inioy more happie chaunce UUho will not then both séeke and double séeke To reach this hap with hazard at the first The foreward wight though fortune giue the gléeke A fresh will toyle till that his harâ— doth burst â–ª If still shée frowne in faith the man is curst A fall saith he who recketh such a losse An asse shall ride and no hie sturring horsse For proofe againe the huge and mightie oke UUhose withered roote from falling cannot stay But downe hee comes by sturdie Boreas stroke His fall god wot doth crush the vnder spray Euen so it fares with those that beareth sway If by mishap they wrapped be in thrall The poore doth beare the burthen of their fall For where as mindes by mischiefe raisâ—e too hie Sedition sowe their natiue soilâ— to wring UUhen Princes might doth make such rebels flie The leaders chiefe well horst away do fling UUhen pesaunts stay and Sursum corde sing They sue for grace safe in anothers land When toyling thralles are trussed out of hand If in abuse of both their states be best Although the best in faith is very bad Deseruing well they are farre better blest They roist in silkes wheÌ„ clownes in raggs are clad They haue their will and what can more be had Who will not then how so sly hap saith nay Séeke out this chaunce if vertue sayes hée may ¶ An Epitaphe on the death of the right worshipful maister Robert Wingfield of Vpton in the countie of Northampton Esquier TO shewe their cause of dole whom Wingfields death doth pearse Good muse take thou a little paine his vertues to rehearse Hée wel was knowne to spring from house of auncient name Yea leaue his Armes and blase his actes and you shall sée the same His zeale to serue his God his care to saue his soule His stoute contempt of Romish ragges their taxe their tyth and toule The Gospell that hée lou'd his life that showde no lesse Bare witnesse that in words and workes the trueth he did professe Beléeue his blessings else which hée receyu'd from hie The first long life in happie health till age inforst him die And then this comfort swéete to frée his age from feares Hée sawe his children liue and like in credite many yeares Sufficient wealth hée had ynough hée thought a feast Hée had ynough hée spent ynough and with ynough deceast His credite with his Prince continued from his youth A sight most rare in office plast hée trust returnde with trueth Full fiftie yeares and twoe a Iustice place hee vsde For common peace and profite both hée séeldome paynes refusde Hée wéeded wronges from right by law and not by ame Hee kept this course to helpe the poore the lewd againe to blame His life vpright and iust hée ioyde in no mans thrall His dealings were both lou'd and likt among his neighbours all His bountie at his bord his store for euery sort The hie the lowe the riche the poâ—re wrought him a rare report And thus long time hée liu'de in credite and in loue Till death to worke his ioy our griefe his force began to proue But yet hée sicknes sent for to forewarne him first Whose honest minde whose conscience cleare straight bade him doe his worst And so with hope of heauen vnto the graue hee vailde Of which hée glad his friendes as sad if sorrowe ought preuailde Viuit post funera virtus ¶ An Epitaphe on the death of the right worshipfull maister Iohn Ayleworth Esquier IF men may waile their losse that death hath ridde from woe Then giue mée leaue to wéepe my fill my sorrowes so to showe And though to bathe in teares small botes now hée is gone Yet none can leaue so firme a friend and showe no signe of mone When brainesicke I a bruse with ouer brauery caught Hée first did cure my néede with coyne then soundly thus mée taught Bée stayde for rowling stones do sildome gather mosse I tryde his ayde I likt his wordes and still shall rue his losse His losse not I alone but thousands more lament His children friends seruaunts poore with brackish teares are sprent But Oh you fillie poore whom néede doth nip and pearce With hart with hand with might maine your heapes of woe rehearse Crye out of cruell death for reauing your reliefe You are the wightes that haue God wott the greatest cause of griefe When hunger faintes your heartes when you with cold shall frease The lacke of Ayleworths foode and fire your starued limms to ease When might would marre your right his counsell sound and sure His open purse to pleade your cause the paines hée but in vre When you poore soules shall misse with him that was your stay Then shall your griefes appeare as gréene as hée had dyde to day These were his fruites of faith these almes hée did of zeale Hee wayde no showe his woordes in workes the Gospell did reueale EXHORTATIO O life of much auaile O worldlings it insue So shall you not be ledde by gold but gold be rulde by you So shall you kéepe him bright that mouldeth in your chest So shall the world speake well of you your conscience so in rest The swéetest ioyes of all though death your farewell giue So so your soules with his in heauen your fames on earth shal liue ¶ An Epitaphe in the order of an admonition written on the death of his verie friend Iohn Note of Grayes Inne Gent. Vntimely flaine the 2. of Nouember 1575. WIth teares in thought imprint both frem and knowen frende Thrée speciall notes of much auaile by Notes vntimely ende 1. Note first his honest life of euery sort was lou'd Learned hée was and vertuous both his manhoode throughly prou'd A gallant witte hee had the which hée gouernde so As did content all sortes of men when cause the vse did show Hée had both health and wealth his fortune was to hard And yet in spite of froward chaunce Fame shall his vertues gard 2. His life would followed bée
Our worldly mindes from loue of worldlie ioyes But if wée still will wallowe in our sinne The plagues are sharpe with which he vs destroyes To stay whose wrath I hould the next way is While wée haue space to sorrowe our amis Death comes God wot euen like a myching théefe With conscience cleare some wardes his wily blowe And some againe hee gawls with soudaine gréefe Whose thoughtes of sinne doth worke their double woe Had I but wayde the halfe that now I wray My coemates endes had made mée fitt for death But that is past this is my onely stay Gods mercie salues at latter gaspe of breath And yet thereof let no man hope to farre Presumptious sinnes of all the greatest are The reporter It séemeth by the deposition in Caphos complaint that the direction from time to time as concerning the afore reported cousenage came from some subtile head But whose deuise or direction soeuer it were there is yet an other a lawyer it séemeth by the order of his complaint that findes his conscience infected with Lyros Frenos and Caphos fellowship who likewise attached with death you may suppose with a troubled minde to wreast out this following complaint Pimos complaint at the houre of his death AYe mée quoth hée the case is altered quite My wylie skill that chaungde the sense of lawe My cunning Pleas that made a wronge seeme right Are nowe the bones whereon my conscience gnawe They force mée graunt the good from euill I knewe The good I left the euill too late I rue The common lawe the which I studied longe I finde condemnes mée wretch of many a crime The lawe it selfe how so we wreast it wronge Of God his lawe was founded in the prime Then since in one they both agrée in troth Abuse of one must be abuse of both And sure the one I turned as I list If I were wrong'd the lawe amends could make If I did wronge â–ª the lawe such power mist The case was chang'de the wronged might go packe Such helpes I had such quillets of delay That all séemde true that subtile I did say But now I am attached to appeare Afore a Iudge at no mannes faultes that winkes The diuell declares how I haue liued here My conscience guilt giues euidence me thinkes To learne the lawe sith studie I did vowe For breach of lawe I am indited nowe Before my God mée séemes I charged am For ayding those with credite coyne and skill Whose lewde deceites deserued whippes of shame And that to make me guiltie of their ill Consentientes your lawe sayth Ioâ—e doth say Et agentes plectentur pari pena My guiltie minde confesseth streight the act False Frenos fraud was boulstered vp by mée Condemnde of this streight comes an other fact I wronged men against all equitie When lawe doth say Hoc facias alteri In right and wronge quod vis tibi sieri This bitter doome giuen by the doome of lawe Mae sinnefull wretch as guiltie striketh mute The men I wrong'd within my conscience gnawe â–ª I spared none through pittie nor through sute What lawe did giue since I for vauntage tooke In breach of lawe should I for fauour looke O noe I must in proper person pleade Plaine not guiltie or guiltie of the crime No forreine Plea may now delayaunce bréede Untrauerst goes the Venu and the time No aduocate or letters here may serue The Iudge is bent to iudge as I deserue I guiltie am I must of force confesse By ignoraunce these faultes yet would I scuse But I vile I that had men in distresse And did their Pleas of ignoraunce refuse Mee thinkes that God doth rule mée ore with this Non excusat ignorantia iuris And thus I lye with deadly sicknes pinde Yea more my soule beseng'd with sinnefull gréefe The more I séeke to pacifie my minde The further off I wretched finde reléefe My dealinges great or rather great deceite Fall out so lewde as I no count can streight Do what I can the cause that causde my ioy When fleshe and bloud was fedde with worldly gaine Is nowe the cause that causeth my annoye Now feare of hell in place of fleshe doth raigne The soule and fleshe impugnes the other so As what likes one doth worke the others wâ—e What meane wée then sith th' one wée must displease To serue the flesh that beares no lasting sway And leaue the soule that couets still our ease Who foyling flesh in heauen doth liue for aye What worser match can any creature make Incerta then pro certis thus to take O sinfull wreth had I this ende foreséene I had not nowe come short vpon account I would haue lik't and lou'd the merrie meane Which euer doth to reckoning best amount For violents do sildome long indure They alwayes come from fortune most vnsure O wicked man had I séene heauen in thought Had I seru'd God like as in shewe of zeale I had not thus for poore mens liuings sought Nor purchast hell for lande for others weale Had I well wayde how tickle was my life I had ere this appeasd my conscience strife Or had I thought O most vnhappie wight Looke what I gaue that measure should I reape I sure had giuen to euery man his right This wicked world had not luld me asleape I had not then bene carelesse of my end My soule had watcht deathes furie to defend But oh in me the contrarie was plaste I was intyste on baytes of sinne to feede Which charm'd receits séemde suger swéete in taste But oh they say sweete meate sowre sauce doth néede Néede or not néede I proue the prouerbe true My brittle ioyes my endlesse woes do brue My conscience loathes what liked well my life My conscience rues the gaine I got by guile My conscience féeles the woes of wrangling strife My conscience wéepes at that my life did smile My conscience bléedes through that life thought a blisse My conscience wailes what life thought not amisse Well sith my life this wretched woe hath wrought Would God my life nay death through foule abuse Were noted so as all men might be taught By scriptures rule their talents here to vse And specially about their studies wall For lawyers héed would God were writ my fall Through sight whereof no doubt they would refuse To fish for gaine with nets of foule deceit To worke delayes they would no pleadings vse They sure would thinke they had account to straight My vexed mynde at death still in their eye Would will them liue as they did dayly dye If to such good my souden fall would proue Would life would last to tell a larger tale But how it proue in vaine for life I moue Death nowe assaults and wretched I must vale My breath doth fade the bell doth sound away From whence I came I néedes must turne to clay The reporters conclusion as touching the report of Paulus Plasmos aduentures and Lyros Frenos Caphos