deemed them vnperfect if they cast before your mind any shadow or sparke of beauty in me But I rather thinke because it hath beene an old saying that women are proude to heare themselues praised that you eyther speake this to driue away the time or to wring me from my too apparant imperfections But I humbly intreat pardon too long haue I foreflowed my busines and shewue my selfe oner bolde in your presence and therewith with a courtly grace bending her knees to the courteous Duke she went forward to the fieâ—â— and the Duke to the towne of Gloucester When he came thither he made his keeper great cheere intreating them they would giue him respite to be a while with old Gray for we twaine must haue a game or two quoth he and for my safe returne I gage to you my princely word that as I am a true Knight and a Gentleman I will returne safâ— to your charge againe The keepers being content the Duke departed and with old Gray goes to the field to peruse the workefolkes where while Gray found himselfe busie in many matters he tooke opportunity to talkewith Margaret She who by his letters before was priuy to his purpose gest before hand the cause of his comming to whom he spake to this effect Faire maide I did long since manifest my loue to theeby my letter tel me therefore were it not better to be a Dutches then a drudge a Lady of high reputation then a seruant of simple degree with me thou mightest liue in plasure where here thou drawest thy dayes foorth in paine by my loue thou shouldst be made Lady of great treasures where now thou art poore and beggerly all manner of delights should them attend on thee and whatsoeuer thy heart desired thou shouldst haue wherefore seeing it lies in thy owne choise make thy selfe happy by consenting to my suite Sir quoth she I confesse your loue deserues a Ladyes fauor your affection a faithfull friend such a one as should make but one heart and mind of two hearts and bodies but farre vnfit is it that y â— Turtle should match with the Eagle though her loue be neuer so pure her wings are vnfitte to mount so high While Thales gaz'd on the ftarres he stumbled in a pit And they that clime vnaduisedly catch a fall suddenly what auayleth high dignity in time of aduersity it neyther helpeth the sorrow of the heart nor remoues the bodies misery as for wealth treasure what are they but fortunes baits to bring men in danger good for nothing but to make people forget theÌ„ selues and whereas you alleâ—ge pouerty to be a henderer of the hearts comfort I find it in my selfe contraty knowing more surety to rest vnder a simple habite then a royall robe and verily there is none in the world poore but they that think themselues poore for such as are indued with content are rich hauing nothing els but he that is possessed with riches without content is most wretched and miserable Wherefore most noble Duke albeit I account my life vnworthy of your least fauour yet I would desire you to match your loue to your like and let me rest to my â—ake aâ—â— vse my Forke for my liuing Consider saue Margaret quoth he that it lies noâ— in mans power to place his loue where he â—sâ— being the worke of an high deity A bird was neuer séene in Pontus nor true loue in a fléeting mind neuer shall I remoue the affection of my heart which in nature resembleth the stoue Abiston whose fire can neuer be cooled wherefore sweet mayden giue not obstinate deniall where gentle acceptance ought to be receiued Faire sir quoth she consider what high displeasure may rise by a rash match what danger a Kings frowns may breed my worthlesse matching with your royalty may perhaps regaine your liberty and hazard my life then call to mind how little you should inioy your loue or I my wedded Lord. The Duke at these words made this reply that if she consented she should not dread any danger The thunder quoth he is driuen away by ringing of belles the Lions wrath qualified by a yeelding body how much more a brothers anger with a brothers intreaty By me he hath receiued many fauors and neuer yet did he requite any one of them and who is ignorant that the princely crowne which adorneth his head is my right all which I am content he shall still enioy so he requito my kindnesse But if he should not then would I be like those men that eating of the tree Lutes forget the country where they were borne and neuer more should this clime couer my head but with thee would I liue in a strange land being better content with an egge in thy company then with al the delicates in England The mayden hearing this who with many other words was long wooed at last consented where yeelding to him her heart with her hand he departed appointing to certifie her from Cardiffe Castle what determination he would-follow so taking his leaue of Gray he went to his brothers and with them posted to Cardiffe Now it is to be remembred that sir VVilliam Ferres within a day or two after came vnto Graies house as it was his ordinary custome but not so much I wis for Graies company as for the mind he had to Margaret his maide who although he were a marryed man and had a faire Lady to his wife yet he layd hard siege to the fort of this maydens chastity hauing w t many faire words sought to allure her and by the offer of sundry rich gifts to tempt her But wheÌ„ she saw that by a hundred denials she could not be rid of him she now chanced on a sudden to giue him such an answer aâ— droue him from a deceit into such a conceit as neuer after that time he troubled her Sir William Ferrers being very importunate to haue her graunt his desire and when after sundry assaults she gaue him stil the repulse he would néeds know the reason why she would not loue him quoth he If thou diddest consider who he is that séeketh thy fauor what pleasure he may doe thée by his purse and what credit by his countenance thou wouldst neuer stand on such nice points If I be thy friend who dareth be thy foe and what is he that will once call thy name in question for any thing therefore swéet gerle be better aduised and refuse not my offer being so large Truly uÌ„t William quoth she though there be many reasons to make me deny your suite yet is there one about the rest that causes me I cannot loue you Now I pray thée my wench let me know that quoth he and I wil amend it what soeuer it be Pardon me sir said Margaret if I should speak my mind it would possibly offend you and do me no pleasure because it is a defect in Nature which no phisicke may cure Sir VVilliam hearing her say so being
must lose your sight but happie should I count my selfe if it so please the King that I might redeeme thy eies to my selfe or else that being an equal offendor I might receiue equall punishment hadst thou sustained this smart for some â—u or Princesse of high bloud it might with the more ease be borne but to indure it for such a one as I it must néeds cause atreble griefe to be increased Content thée faire Margaret said the duke for honor ought to be giuen to vertue and not riches for glory honor nobility and riches without virtue are but clokes of maliciousnes And now let me take my leaue of thy beauty for neuer must I behold thy face notwithstanding I account my eies wel lost in that I do forgo them for so péerlesse a paragon Now faire heauens farewell the Sunne Moone and Starres shall I in this world neuer behold againe and farewel also the fruitfull earth wel may I féele thée but those poore windowes of my body are now denied to view thee any more and though the world hath neuer bin my foe yet wil I bid it farewell too and farewell all my friends whiles I liue here in this world I must suppose to sléep wake when I come in heauen where I hope to sée you all againe Yet had it pleased the King I had rather haue lost my life than my eies Life why what is it but a floure a bubble in the water a spanne long and full of miserie of such small account is life that euery souldier will sell it for six pence And trust me I doe now detest life worse than a goate doth hate basill With that the Doctor prepared his instrument and being ready to set to the Dukes eies he said O stay master doctor till I haue conueyed my loues countenance downe into my heart Come hither my swéete and let me giue thée my last kisse while my eies may direct me to thy cherry lippes Then imbracing her in his armes he said O that I might giue thée a kisse of xx yeares long and to satisfie my gréedie eies with thy faire sight yet it doth somwhat content me because thou art present at my punishment that I may hold thee by the hand the comfort my heart at the sodaine pricke of my eie This being said the Doctor performed his duetie and so put out the cristall sight at what time D. Robert started vp and with a most manly courage said I must thanke his Maiesty that though he depriueth me of my sight yet he leaueth me eies to weep for my sinnes But so soone as Margaret beheld the deede she fell downe in a swowne and much adoe her dame had to recouer hir life which when the duke vnderstood he was wondrous woe groaping for her with his bleeding eies saying O where is my loue for Gods sake haue regard to her And I pray you most heartily good goodwife Gray let her haue this fauour for my sake that she may be vsed kindly And with that the Kéepers led him into the castle and Margaret was caried away wondrous sicke and ill but her dame was most tender ouer her and would suffer her to lacke nothing When she was somewhat well recouered her dame â—ray set her on horse backe and at her comming to Gloucester there was no small ioy How Tom Doue being fallen to decay was forsaken of his friends and despised of his seruants and how in the end he was raised againe through the liberatity of the Clothiers Chap. 14. SUch as seeke the pleasure of this world follow a shaddow wherein is no substance and as the adder Aspis tickleth a man to death so doth vaine pleasure flatter vs till it makes vs forget God and consume our substance as by Tom Doue it is apparant who had through a free heart and a liberall mind wasted his wealth and looke how his goods consumed so his friends fled from him And albeit he had béene of great ability and thereby doue good vnto many yet no man regarded him in his pouerty but casting a scornefull countenance vpon him they passed by him with slender salutation neither would any of his old acquaintance do him good or pleasure him the value of a farthing his former friendship done to them was quite forgot and he made of as much account as Iob when he sate on the dunghill Now when his wicked seruants sawe him in this disgrace with the world they on thother side beganne to disdaine him Notwithstanding that hee to his great cost had long time brought them vp yet did they nothing regard it but behinde his backe in most scornfull sort derided him and both in their words and actions greatly abuse him reuerence they would do none vnto him but when they spake it was in such malapert sort as would grieue an honest mind to heare it At last it came to passe that breaking out into meere contempt they said they would stay no longer with him and that it was a great discredit to them to serue a person so beggarly whereupon they thought it conuenient to séeke for their benefits elsewhere When the distressed man found the matter so plaine being in great griefe he spake thus vnto them Now doe I find to my sorrow the small trust that is in this false world Why my masters quoth he haue you so much forgotten my former prosperitie that you nothing regarde my present necessity in your wants I forsooke you not in your sicknes I left you not nor despised you in your great pouerty it is not vnknowne though you doe not consider it that I tooke some of you vp in the high way other some from your needy parents and brought the rest from meere beggery to a house of bounty where from paltry boyes I brought you vp to mans estate and haue to my great cost taught you a trade whereby you may liue like men And in requitall of all my â—urteste cost and good will will you now on a sodaine forsake me is this the best recompence that you can find in your hearts to yeeld me This is farre from the minds of honest seruants The fierce Lion is kind to those that do him good plucke but one thorne out of his foote and for the same he will shew manifold fauors The wilde Bull will not ouerthrow his Dam and the very Dragons are dutifull to their nourishers Bee better aduised and call to mind I beseech you that I haue not pluckt a thorne out of your feete but drawne your whole bodies out of perils and when you had no meanes to help your selues I only was your support and he that when all other forsooke you did comfort you in all your extemities And what of all this quoth one of them because you tooke vs vp poore doth it therefore follow that wee must bee your slaues We are youngmen and for our partes we are no further to regard your profit then it may stand with our preferment Why
too blame my parents they would neuer put me forth to know any thing Why what can you do quoth the maidens can you brew and bake make butter and cheese and reape corne well No verily said Margaret but I would be right glad to learne to do any thing whatsoeuer it be If you could spin or card said another you might do excellent well with a clothier for they are the best seruices that I know there you shall be sure to fare well and to liue merily Then Margaret wept saying alas what shall I do I was neuer brought vp to these things What can you doe nothing quoth they No truly quoth she that is good for any thing but I can reade and write and sowe some skill I haue in my néedle and a little on my Lute but this I see will profit me nothing Good Lord quoth they are you bookish we did neuer heare of a mayde before that could read and write And although you can do no other thing yet possibly you may get a seruice if you can behaue your selfe mannerly I pray you qd another seing you are bookish will you do so much as to read a loue letter that is sent me for I was at a friends of mine with it and he was not at home and so I know not what is in it I pray you let me see it quoth Margaret and I will shew you Whereupon she readeth as followeth O Ienny my ioy I die for thy loue And now I heare say that thou dost remoue And therefore Ienney I pray thee recite VVhere I shall meete thee soone at night For why with my master no more will I stay But for thy loue I will runne away O Ienny Ienny thou puttst mee to payne That thou no longer wi lt here remayne I will weareout my shoes of Neats Leather But thou and I will meete together And in spite of Fortune Rat or Mouse VVe will dwell in one house For who doth not esteeme of thee Shall haue no seruice done of me Therefore good Ienny haue a care To meete poore Fragment at the fayre Now alas good soule quoth Ienny I thinke he be the kindest young man in the world The rest answered that he semed no lesse and surely it appeareth that he is a pretty witty fellow quoth one of them how finely he hath written his letter in time trust me I will giue you a good thing and let me haue a copy of it to send to my sweet hart that you shall w t all my heart so coÌ„ming to the faire they took vp their standing Within a while after goodwife Gray of Gloucester came â—hither to store her selfe of diuers commodities and when shee had boght what she would she told her neighbor she had great néed of a maid seruant or twaine therefore qd she good neighbor go with me and let me haue your opinion With a good wil said her neighbor and together they went and looking and viewing the maidens ouer she tooke speciall notice of Margaret Beléeue me quoth she there stands a very proper mayden and one of a modest and comely countenaunce Uerily said her neighbor so she is as euer I looked vpon The mayden séeing them to view her so well was so abashed that a scarlet colour ouerspred her lilly chéeks which the woman perceiuing came vnto her and asked if she were willing to serue The mayd with a low curtesie and a most gentle speach aunswered it was the onely cause of her comming Can you spinne or card said goodwife Gray Truely Dame said she though my cunning therein be but small my goodwil to learne is great and I trust my diligence shall content you What wages will you take quoth good wife Gray I will referre that said Margaret to your conscience and curtesie desiring no more than what I shall deserue Then asking what country woman she was the maiden wept saying Ah good Dame I was vntimely borne in Shropshire of poore parents and yet not so néedy as vnfortunate but death hauing ended their sorrowes hath left me to the cruelty of these enuions times to finish my parents tragedy with my troubles What maiden qd her Dame haue you a care to do your busines and to liue in Gods feare and you shall haue no care to regard Fortunes frownes and so they went home together Now so soone as the goodman sawe her he asked his wife where she had that maiden She said at the faire Why then quoth he thou hast brought all the fâ—â—re away and I doubt it were better for vs to send the faire to another towne than to keep the faire here Why man quoth she what meane you by that Woman I meane this that she will proue a Loadstone to draw the harts of al my men after her and so we shal haue wise seruice done of all sides Then said his wife I hope husband Margaret will haue a better care both to her owne credit and our commodity then so and let me alone to looks to such matters Is thy name Margaret quoth her master proper is thy name to thy person for thou art a pearle indeed orient and rich in beauty His wife hearing him say so began to change her opinion What husband quoth she is the wind at that doore Begin you to like your maid so well I doubt I had most need to look to your selfe before God I had rather then an angell I had chosen some other but heare you mayd you shall pack hence I will not nourish a snake in my bosome and therefore get you gone I will none of you prouide a seruice where you may The mayden hearing her say so fell downe on her knees besought her saying O sweet dame be not so cruell to mee to turne me out of doores now alas I know not where to go or what to do if you forsake me O let not the fading beauty of my face dispoyle me of your fauor for rather then that shall hinder my seruice this my knife shall soone dissigure my face and I will banish beauty as my greatest enemy And with that her abundant teares stopped her spéech that she could not utter one word more The woman seeing this could not harbour anger longer nor could her master stay in the roonie for weeping Well Margaret sayd her dame little knowing that a Lady knéeled before her vsing thy selfe well I will keepe thee and thou shalt haue my good will if thou gouerne thy selfe with wisdom and so she sent her about her businesse Her husband comming to supper sayd â—ow now wife art thou so doubtfull of me that thou hast put away thy mayden I wis qd she you are a wise man to stand praysing of a maydes beauty before her face you a wise woman qd he to grow iealoâ—s without a cause So to supper they went and because Margaret shewed her selfe of finest behauiour aboue the rest she was appointed to waite on the table And it is to be