whom shee detests shall lead thy hoste to feeld And I my selfe will wend with thee to make her for to yéeld Yea all my mates and faithfull frends I hope will bee content Perdy my Lorde quoth euery one wee yeeld to this intent Then Mars began to smilâ— and then the Gods did rise together And euery one in cumly sorte did welcome Venus thyther Then Mercury did sound the trumpe that all the 〈◊〉 did ringeâ— The noyse therof great feare no doubt to all the earth did bring Then Pelion gan to shake for feare and Ossa trembled sore Olimpus with the mighty Alpes did neuer sâ—before But mighty Mars did shake his â—â—d hée 〈◊〉 and ran for ioy And kissing Venus oft hée sayd thy foes I will distroy By this the Gods he furnished and armed â—t all neede And Ioue himselfe rides first in ranke vpon a barbed â—eede The Goâ—te suffiseth for his badge whose milke hée loued well When milde Melissâ— gaue him sucke which then in Crete did dwell Then Mercury doth sound agayne and all the Gods assemble And as before so Heauen aâ—d earth beginneth againe to tremble Amonge the gods which present were olde Priasus did resort Who wiâ—h Dianas Champions did thinke to make some sporte A garden spade this God did bring euen as his custome was Bedeckt with crownes of smelling flowreâ— hée rid vpon an asse The Gods rid on before apace for Venus made great haste And Pryasus was left behinde hee could not ride so fast His Asse did trot so harde alas and put him to such paine Hée thought the iorney was to longe and turned backe agayne Then Morpheus turnd himselfe and sayd it is no time to stay To follow them vnto the Campe let vs no more delay Wherfore I thankte him much that time for longe I wisht to sée The royall tentes of Cupids Court with all their dignitie A description of Cupid GOd Morpheus was more swift theÌ„ those which with Dame Venus came Or els by right he should not seeme for to inioy his nameÌ„ Wherfore by his assent wée past Dame Venus and her trayne With speedy paâ—â— vnto the tentes where Cupid did remayne Who deygned I my poore request to ease mee of my charge And with his plâ—â—sant tales of truth described the God at large Whom when 〈◊〉 vewde I was amazde and all abasht with feare Wherat my guide began to smile and thus hee did declare Within that tente and cumly couch whose couering seemeth red A grisly ghost beholde by whom the mighty Gods bee led Whose power exceedeth Mars his might whose strength the rest dotâ— tamâ— Yea none in heauen in earth nor hell that can resist the same Alas my Lorde quoth I againe this seemes most strang and rare Should all the Gods which rule in skyes of one boy stand in feare In deede quoth hee this withered wight doth so mollest their braine That those which bee of féebled age hee turnes to boyes agayne For why in trickes of childish yéeres hee causeth them to stay Neglecting duties of great waight delighting nought but play My God quoth I to know all things I greatly doo desire What is the cause that Venus sonne is naked without attire Quoth Morpheus hee that liueth in loue in folly passe his dayes And has that hath but halfe an eye may set his wauering wayes Ah silly wight ah shaddow poore for flesh in him is skant And as hee seemeth to bee blinde 〈◊〉 brow so doth hée want Hée is a type quoth Morpheus then you know well what I meane And too much lust and lechery hath made him very leane Not lust alone but care and thought which doth perplex his minde For to much lust may bée a cause why Cupid seemeth blinde For those which liue in louers lawes regarde not what they doo And ofte they thinke to bathe in blisse but sinke in wretched woe A brow hee wants for by the same his souldiers 〈◊〉 deuine Wherto the motions of the harte doo purpose to declyne And as the brow doth beare the badge that bringeth death or life So they that badge doth hate and shun which séeme to tel some strife But oh my God why hath hée wings adioyned to eche side Because that Cupid changeth ofte and neuer long abide A bowe is bent within his hand two quiuers at his backe Well may hee shoote and wide enough that doth his eye sight lacke It is not so among the Gods as men suppose to bée Hee shootteth ofte but nere in vaine so stedfast holdeth hee That leane and naked boy with force his mighty foes doo quell That blinde and winged Champion doth shoote excéeding well And though hee browlesse seeme to bée yet doth hee pearce the brain Through skin and bone hee hits the hart wheras his Dart remain Then maruell not though all the Gods doo yéeld for want of might Sith none haue force for to resist the strength of such a knight Both man and beast both sish and foule and all that life doth beare Are subiecte vnto Cupids bowe which all the Gods doth feare The quiuers which thou doost behold which stand this God in stead The one is full of golden shaftes the other full of lead The golden strike the seruent wights which pas their daies in louâ— The leade doth wound the brasen harts whâ— no complaint can mouâ— Poliphemus with Stenobia young Phedra felt the golde Galatea Belerophon with the lead were stricken colde This while wee talked at leysure loe wée heard the trumpet sound Wherby we knew the Gods were come from skyes vnto the ground And as they had pretended erst did set themselues in ranckes To march with Venus to the Campe who yeelded them great thanks And sounding out God Mars his trumpe to set them in aray They marched forth vnto the féeld wheras their foes did stay But fréendly Morpheus had mée first for to discribe at large The order of God cupids campe the which I will discharge And if it please my Angell then to call mee to that sight I will discribe Dianas hay which did befall in fight A description of Cupid his host THe Gods béeing met Venus sonne béeing garnished in this wise By whole consent to vanquish her which did his lawes dispise Mars is assended vp the Couch to guide the horses right And Cupid stands with bow in hand to send forth euery knight Then Venus layd her heauenly head vpon God Mars his lap And sayd my Lorde wee trust on you to gouerne well our hap The cheefest Captaine of the rout Audacity was named Whose safe conduct of all the host deserues not to be blamed With him hée led forth Pollicy Cupid his only stay These vndertooke by Mars his will to guide the host that day The second Captaine curtesy a valiant host did leade Who had Delight adioynde to him to helpe him at his néede The Captayne graund did bid them both the right wing to pâ—ssessâ— And alwayes to attend the same to driue a way
A poore Knight his Pallace of priuate pleasures Gallantly garnished with goodly Galleries of strang inuentioÌ„s and prudently polished with sundry pleasant Posies other fine fancies of dainty deuices and rare delightes Written by a student in CaÌ„bridge And published by I. C. Gent. Imprinted at London by Richarde Jones and are to bee solde at his shoppe ouer agaynst Sainct Sepulchers Churche 1579. I. C. To the Reader of the poore Knight his Posies GEntle Reader the feare of Ignomynie shamefull reproch hath caused the Author of these Posies to withholde his name from the same whom for this time I haue thought not much amisse to collour set forth in the name of the poore Knight I do duly protest vnto thee that without my great intreaty these fewe Posies had not as yet come vnto thy hand â–ª VVherfore if that any thing in the same be acceptable and worthy of commendacion attribute the same vnto the poore Knight which shal be both ioyfull vnto mee and no small incouragement to him But if on the contrary any thinge demerit blame I submit my selfe to beare the reproch which was the publisher of the same desiring to quite him and set him free which is the Author least by his discouragement we should lose that which hereafter wee looke for But by the way gentle Reader I doo admonish thee that in the first three Posies thou take Iudgement to thy reading least with the Spyder thou finde poyson where the painfull Bee may gather Honny For although the name seeme somewhat vayne yet the outwarde apperance doth not iudge the matter according to the Prouerbe Cuculus non facit monachum The matter is delectable and requireth to bee red with Iudgement Thus I ende desiring thee to accept my freend the poore Knight his Posies in good worth From my Chamber in Grayes Inne I. C. The letter of the Author to J. C. concerning these Posies IN Sommer tide and gallant prime when troes doo bud and blow And when as Ver with ha weâ—e hue in euery feelde doth show When as eche groue bedect with clothes â—â—st meete for his degree Did make a shade to all the Nimphes in sileâ—â—t woods that bee When as Don Phoebus schorchinge beames with scalding heate did burne And when as hoary VVinters head his hue did change and turne When Neptune graunted fauour free to Aâ—â—ion his loue As well roughe Boreas boysterous blastes â–ª as Tritons hart to moue Beeing voide of all solace and mirth I layd mee downe to sleepe In weary woods betaking mee vnto the Fawnes to keâ—pe Where neither Philomelas noaâ—e nor fragrant smell did want To set mee in that pleasant pathe or finish my intente And as I walkte that pleasant way the tedious time t' expell Beholde I saw I know not where a thing thaâ— liked mee well And they to whom I did commit my body to defend Did shew mee this at whose request this vision I haue pende And vnto you gentle I. C. beeing pend I send the same To reade to race to blot to burne the faulâ—s that merit blame For why sith first you did commaund him whose deny was gone Yea him I say whom to this taske â–ª you should command alone Accept this Posie which I send vnperfite though it bee And call to minde those gentle wordâ—s which once you spake to mee And spurd mee forth which erst was bent no such attempt to gin But answered thus t is good to sleepe beeing wrapt in a whole skin But then hard by the Temple Bar you sayd you did expect The somme of that which now in somme is brought into effect And for your owne sweet selfe I writ the sequell that I send And wish you well to shew the same to foe 〈◊〉 yet to freend And least perchance ere you beware some chance to spie the same I thought it good by good aduise for to detaiâ—e my name Thus fare you well my freend I. C. commend mee to your brother For whom before three Monthes be ronne I will prepare an other From his Study yours as his owne The vale of Venus with all the wayes and footpathes vnto her Forte beeing scituate in the same The Argument The Autor penneth wherof he hath no proofe But as in dreame so doth his knowledge come Hee warnes all those whose case it doth behooue To flie these panges or els to taste of some VVhich hee displayeth as proper vnto Loue The wofull state of those which run that race By others fate which hertofore did prooue VVhom hee by heapes hath brought into this place But if that loue do bring no pinching payne The Autor sayth hee will recant agayne WHen as my dazled eyes by Sopor were opprest God Morpheus with his fethered limmes would let mée take no rest But with his wonted guise did féede my minde with dreames And shewed to mée faire Helicon with all the siluer streames The mansion of the dames with euery Laurell trée With Herbers Brookes and pleasant flowres that on Parnassus bée From firy Phoebus throne to Pluto his pudled Denne Yea all that lay in Neptunes gulfes and in Leerna Fenne Nothing was then concealed each God in his degree From Iupiter and Iunoâ— right vnto the Furies thrée My Angell then was bent to visite euery place For why hée sayd that it was long since hée did run that race And though that weary way were tedious steppes to mée Yet thought I not my labour lost such strange delights to sée Within a valley low there stoode a Castle hye Which by the might of Phoebus beames did glister in mine eye No man could passe therto to foe nor yet to fréend But that hee should assure himselfe some hill for to assend For why before the walles which were exceeding good By Natures free munition foure hugy hilles there stood Which seemed a great defence to feare the foming foe Menacinge feare to faynting hartes and to the dastard woe And yet about the hilles great beaten pathes there were Which did the store of passengers vnto that place declare Wherwith I was amazde this strange deuise to sée Yet durst I not demaund my God what building it should bee But when hee did perceiue how trembling I did stand Feare not quoth hée and therwithall hee tooke mee by the hande For lo that shining place beeing situate in the vale The Castle and the fortresse strong of Venus men doo call The Valley where it stands hath Smyrdo vnto name By whole consent of heauenly Gods allotted to this dame The Father of the Gods with Iuory staffe in hand Hath giuen vnto his Daughter déere this swéete and fertill lande And euery forrain coast doo yéeld her homage due Some sacrifice vnto her shrine her wrath foâ— to eschue Beholde the hilles quoth hée which compasse in thesame And beare in minde if that thou canst in order euery name The first vnto the North is called Change of Ioy For hee that entreth on the same is entred to annoy The second
army came Desire doth séeke to bee reuengde of his appointed foe And wandring in the Laurell woods vnto Eurota goe Wheras Fidelity was prest his force for 〈◊〉 withstand And in defence of Dians right did fight longe hand to hand But what could Thisbe then resâ—st when Pyram came in sight Or when as worthy Troylus came how could Dame Cressid fight Phedra shee was content to yéelde Desire did force her so And from Dianas faithfull freend to Cupids campe to go What shall I say Dianas host which in the wood did stay Was sore abasht Fidelity was chased quite away And many yéelded recreant not able to deny Desire perforce did force them so eyther to yeeld or dye But rather then Dame Cressid would so quickly séeme as dead Shee vowed her selfe from Troylus true to slattering Diomede So that the periured Grecian or els the Troyan knight Should haue Dame Cressid vnto loue yea both if so it might Thus while Desire do cleare the coast and make the passage free The host marcht on into the féeld with thundring harmony The noise wherof do beate the skies and eke from thence reboundes And Mars his musicke in the seeld aloft Tantara soundes The souldiers set them selues in rankes the winges to succor go Audacity by Mars his will hee had commaunded so But Dian and her worthy traine when as her fréend was fled And for the losse of all those freends with fury was much led And oft repeating worthily my harts take chéere quoth shée My life for yours continue still so shall you victors bée The souldiers fought so valyantly the Captaines did so well That cupid gan to Crouch for feare and Dian did excell Audacity then shooke for feare when chastity withstood And Constancy shee followed fast to see the forrain blood And if God Cupids pollicy a reskue had not found Both Venus and her darlings deare had â—â—â—lyng fell to ground But Pollicy came rushing in and sent forth mighty Ioue Who then discended from the skyes to serue the God of loue Who vanquished Dame Dians host and made them for to tremble And sundry kindes of vgly shapes hee 〈◊〉 not to dissemble Aurora loued the snowy Bull and Lâ—dâ— word the Swan And Io lickt her fathers face which then was pale and wan For as the Woolfe among the lambes so Ioue among the host I meane among Dame Dians flocke of whom shée vaunt and boâ—â—â— But when as Fame had sounded forth and Brute had blased his wil That Ioue did vanquish worthily with Pollicy and Skill Then Danae fled her way for feare vnto Acrisius Towre Till Iupiter through Pollicy discended in a showre Achilles then began to rage before that Troy was sackte And craued of Pollicy his guide the armur that hee lackte Who armed him corragiously in Maydens feate aray Till Derdanna swelling wombe his pollicy did bewâ—ay And Licomedes was deceiude the father of the May And therfore could not stop the stepâ— of young Achilles way Then Clodius rushed in in haste Pompeya for to quell Bedect like to the vestall Dames wheras his loue did dwell Thus Cupid was incorraged with all his warlike trayne Diana which was erst aloft is now beat downe agayne And all the Gods and Souldiers the did play their parts so well That Cupid is extolde to heauen and Dian fell to Hell. Medusa Gorgon hearing this to Pallas alter fled Hoping by her assisting hand in time to bee releeued Whom mighty Neptune through deceit intangled in such sort That shée forsook Dianas campe and fled to Venus Court. Then Phedrâ— whom desire had brought from Dian and her traine Ceased not in Cupids cause to fight till Hyppolite was slayne With Pollicy came Gluttony and Idlenesse his mate And Drowsinesse hee followed fast for feare hee came to late Antonius resisted long Queene Cleopatras host But yet at last through Gluttony did yeeâ—â— to her request When Constancy had seene the force and hauocke of their foes Shee vowed both life and lands and fame in Dians cause to lose Rather then Cupid should preuaile vnto their vtter shame And all Dame Dians valianâ—wights accorded in the same And ioyning harts and hands in one that battered Cupid so That hee was neare constraind againe out of the feeld to go There Temperance stood stifly too and Labor laid on lode Sobriety did helpe at neede when they in danger stoode But yet alas this wished ioy was soone brought to an ende For Curtesy came rushing forth and brought Delight his freend For to reuenge this fresh assalt of Dian and her traine And to renew the wonted state of Cupid once againe With him came Duke Protesilaus with him came Alcyde stout Hee sought for Laedomia this found Dianeira out Hector vanquished Andrqmache that worthy wight of Troy And Pryamus with Hecuba did liue in perfit ioy Thus when Dianas Souldiers began to slip away Through Curtesy a thousand fled to Cupid in one day And few there were which would remain with Dian to abide But yeeld them selfe vnto Delight betide what might betide Who pardned euery one of those which came with free consent And did remit eche ones offence before hee did repent Then Pluto posted out for rage which did this while abide And kept the winge with Cruelty which lay on the left side Who sent forth tryple Cerberus that deuillish dogge of Hel To fetch away Proserpina which then 〈◊〉 Greece did dwell Then Appius swelled with rage Virginia to deflowre Achilles spryte did rage from Hell Polixina to deuowre Lucrecia was tooke in trip Rage was her forrain foe Apollo cursed Cassandra faire for Rage bid will him so Thus cruell Rage with Curtesy and with his freend Delight With fond Desire and Pollicy which weare God Cupids might Haue chased away Dianas force that shee her selfe must flye Or yeeld to those whose bloody harts would cause her for to dye And to a pleasant vally hard by her trayne beeing very small Shee did conuay herselfe by flight as wofull of her fall Quoth Morpheus marke this well my freend and note her trayne I pray Which when I purposed for to doo their backes were turnd away So was I much vnable left their names for to rescite Which taried with Diana faire when shée was put to flight And so my guide himselfe could not their names vnto mee shew But this hee had mée publish forth the Souldiers were not few Whom Cupid with his louely rout perswade with might amayne But yet Diana fled so fast her foes returnd agayne And vnto Cupid his curious tent they went for to returne With bibbing Baccus and his mate a while for to soiorne But as they gan for to returne to their appointed 〈…〉 Beholde they saw a virgin pure which gallantly did come Although to late to ayd her deare which then had lost the day But Theseus stepped from the rout and stepped in her way Oh then quoth I vnto my guide whom keepes hée in the tent T is Hellena which too to late
brought vnto decay Of auncient Volscian kinges hee came as writers did bewray Did claime and challenge rightfully that which long time was lost And hope did make the hartes reioyce within Arpinum coste In youth as well beseemeth youth in schoole hee spent his daies Who wan renowme vnto the same and to it purchast praise And happy might that Maister bee which such a scholler taught Who to the seede that hee did sow such great increase hath brought And one thing doth reuiue my hart and fill my minde with ioyes In gallant youth with Poets arte hee publisht many toyes Wherby I iudge that Poets skill in youth is not condemned Nor practise of such painfull workes in it should bee contemned For what can more reuiue the hart or sharpen dulled wit Or els to recreate the minde few studies bee so fit As Poetry wherin I finde that Plato did delight While youth did last as erst did hée of whom my Muse doth wright When ryper yeeres gan run their race and tender times wer spent With humain artes beeing furnished and not therwith content To ciuill law hee lent a time where hee long time did stay And while hee liued through Roman rout did beare the price away And ioyned true Philosophy vnto the law an aide A helpe to those vndoubtedly which in that trade are staide Wherof how much hee pend with skill your witnesse I implore If all his workes had come to light which haue his workes in store At last when courage gan to pricke and strength his minde did moue And martiall feates did put him forth the force of Mars to proue With shining sword and battering blowes his golden spurs did win By dint of blade in Scillas séege by chance hée entered in Whose péerelesse prowesse of youthfull yéeres delighted Scilla so That hee by graunt permitted him in peace to Rome to goe And line among his faithfull fréends to couch himselfe in rest Eche thing was free for him to vse euen what hée fancied best â–ª Where while hée vsed his former vse which erst did seeme him good And for his freend in open plea his frettinâ— foes withstood Lo Sextus Boscius is accused by Scilla and his traine And Tully must come tell his tale to set him frée againe Wherwith the Tyrant gan to swell but him for to preuent Hee doth abstaine from royall Rome and vnto Athens went. And practised the Roman â—â—ing annexed with the Greeke That Athens neuer since that time in her containd the like For at that time though Rome did rule yet Athens did excell In knowledge of the Sciences where all the Artes did dwell Till Tully tryed and found the truth which hée in time reuealed And found out arte in natiue speeche which long had bin concealed Which Apollonius tolde before that then the crowne did beare And purchast praise in Orators which then in Athens were Alas saith hee I rue your case you Grecians and decay Foâ— that which once was left to you Tully shall take away Now Scilla draweth to his ende and death hath paid his due And Tully did returne to Rome which crst hée did eschue From thence to Cicilye hee went beeing Questor of the same And did the duty meete for him which in that office came So well hée ruled that fréend and foe his is wisdome did content His perfit time beeing brought to end againe to Rome hee went. In tracte of time the consulship was giuen vnto his lot Which hee discharged worthely true iustice not forgot His counsaile and his grauity his duty did discharge His wisdome and authority did shew exceeding large Hee caused Caâ—elyne to trudge whose flight his maâ—â—â— did wound And by his pollicy hee kept the Cittie safe and found And they which threatned fire and sword with slaughter to their soils Doo groueling grone vpon the ground wheras they haue the soile And hee triumphing of his hap as did beseeme his might Is called Pater Patriae by Iustice law and right The first also which wan that name beeing neuer heard before The good estate to natiue soyle hee sought for to restore His wife was named Terentia in whom hee was beguilde Of whom hee had young Cicero and Tullia the milde A freend hee was to verity no fayned wordes to vtter Ne would hee speake dissemblingly nor glose in any matter As well appeard in Clodius fact for then in Rome there were The sacred Dames which vowed theÌ„selues the vestall weeds to bere A law there was and well obserued that none but women should Doo rites and homage in that place for so Dame Vesta would Within that place Pompeia kept which was then Caesar his wife Whom Clodius with vnlawfull lust did loue with all his life And when no way hee could attaine his pleasure to possesse To offer wrong to Caesars bed his hart was in distresse But yet hee did attempt this feate bedeâ—t in maydes aray And with the vestalles offered rites and duties all that day In hope Pompeia to imbrace and vanquish in the night But after when this famous fact was publisht in the light The Vestals thinke they had great wrong and strait an action draw AccuuÌ„ng Clodius they doo craue the rigor of the law Then Clodius to award this blow and to driue back this dome Protest that â—ee that present day was not in roiall Rome And for his witnesse brings out him of whom my Muse doth wright But Tully sticking to the truth layeth out the cause aright That Clodius that present day which Clodius did denye Met him in Rome which many more affirmed stedfastly Thus Clodius all inwrapt in care of golde did make a fréend Who set him free from Iudgment bar and did the Iudges blinde Whose flattering face and priuy bribes did soone corrupt the law And fauour of all noble men from Tully did withdraw Who persecuted Tully so as well with wâ—rdes as might That hee perforce constrayneth him to fly from Rome by night And as an exixe sixteene monethes in exile did remayne Till hée by Pompyes good successe was called home againe Whom Clodius ceast not to assaile and sharply to inuade Till Milo stopt his liuely breath by force of glittering blade When Clodius had his true desert and Tullies foes where gone Then fortune fauoured his successe which erst had cause to moue And Crassus is become his fréend which erst did him inuye And Caesar did maintaine his case which long did looke awry And who so good a freend to him as Pompye through whose plea His goods which Clodius did consume to him restored bee And when as death with dauncing Dart did end by Crassus race Cecylia ceast was giuen to him the Parthians for to chase Who ruled the prouince in such sort that Parthia cease to fight And Tully was ordained at Rome to triumph by his right But discorde mooued betwéene the péeres hée did refuse the same And gladly did prefer the weale before his praise of fame But wo is mee with battering blowes the