why the one a Ruffyn olde in whome no drop of blood there euer was that did enforce or moue him vnto good The other was a famous man though young a worthy knight Such one as did the bloddy man for vertue sake dispight Oh lord with cruell strokes how ofte do they encounter heare how roundly doth the one lay on that doth the other beare How many doe with weping eyes as they may do full well Lament the churlish chaunce alas that theare that day befell And eke bewaile the harmfull hap of those that here did trie theire manhod and their mighty force wherof the one must dye How were the harts of some apalde how do some other quake to see the bluddy blowes were geuen which onely death must slake And those that loeud theire prince and realme had heare no power to chose But to bewaile the deathes of those the Realme was like to lose Alas when blood on either side had blynded so the face of those did fight as by theire piers they parted were a space And proyned were as is the guise buf to renew theire breth howe sharply doth the one again pursue the others death Oh cruel fight thus helde and sharpe whose stripes are dealt so sore as still the wished victory hanges doubtfull more and more Vnhappy thrusts that then were thrown and sore did hurt the knight But yet the traytours harme was suche as he no more could fight Then prostrate lying in the grounde thus to the knight he spake Not of desert but of despight at first this quarel brake Wherefore before this company I do the mercy crye and claime the cler and graunt my selfe most worthy for to dye Oh lorde the thundring noys that flewe with skriches shrill and hye From mouthes of men to him in heauen that guydes the starry skye And gaue him thankes that he had causde the truthe thus to be knowne and that the guylty man was by the guyltles ouerthrowne Wherewith the knight forgaue the falte yet payde to him his dewe and with his sworde he thrust him in and so the traytour slewe Amazd I am here to expresse the seconde crye and shute that ioy did make to passe the mouthes of all the famous rowte That looked on and praysed god that he was ridde from blame whose lust desert did claime by right to be the childe of fame Whose golden trump did sound ful farre how did the knight him trye and how he causde the traytour so by puissaunt arme to dy It cometh to the Ladyes eare what act her knight had done howe that in fight he slew his foe and kepte his honour wone Which wrought in her and all her frendes such perfect ioye and blesse as nowe they thought them selues cut of from care and heauines For fame not yet had spred abrode the knightes most cruell wounde nor how in chayre he was brought home nor how he ganne to swound Nor how that present night alas that famous man did dye Nor how his solgers and his frindes like children roare and crye Nor how he is brought to the church with mourning of the dromes Nor howe the knight is brought to graue with mightie shot of gonnes Nor howe his ensigne trayled is with sorrow on the grounde Nor how nothing but sobbes and teares in all the towne is founde This resteth dead they ioy a pace they shoot at other marke vntill the comming home alas of the vnhappy bark Then is this tidinges tolde at large to soone the lady heares Her heauy harte noulde let her speake nor could she shed her teares But streight she casted vp her sight vnto the clowdy skie She set a grone which rent her hart and therwithall did crye vnto that god from whome doth glyde the golden glistring sonne From sight of whome no wight at all hath power him selfe to shonne And said oh mighty king of gods oh thou that lieust for ay Impute it not to me for sinne that loue doth force me saye Didst thou not giue to me a man that nature did adorne with giftes of grace that did excell the rest that ere were borne The secrete substaunce of the soule in him did eke habounde And nothing but thy feare and grace within that man was founde And that I should the vertues touch which to the body long Didst thou not send him helth olorde and maedst his body strong And deckst him with eche honour that this worlde might to him yelde and sentst him worship which he woon by stretched arme in fielde How couldst thou then in fragrant youth amidst his honor got By traytours hand let him be slaine whome coulde no Treason spot Ah that I wretched wight haue cause with the thus to dispute whome all the worlde no sainct nor deuill is hable to confute What should I curse my fate oh lord or rather craue to dye Or should I piers the mighty heauens with hye and hugye crie Since that my cursed chaunce is such as neither can I haue my loue alyue nor yet my selfe be buried in his graue Well well oh lorde remyt my sinnes euen through thy mercy most wherwith she stretched fourth her armes and yelded vp the gost Much strogling was but none auayle her sences all were gone Her lymbes were stiffe her body straight as colde as marble stone Thamased mother sawe this chaunce and ruthfully she spake To this effect did I poore soule all this preparaunce make Then let the worlde and those that liue yf aught be left take all and for thy mercyes sake good lord send me my fattall fall Let me not liue and lead my life a barren wife in age Nor yet to ronn the rufull race of rigours that do rage But since thou hast in soddeine sorte bereft me of my sonne And of my daughter to whose lyues had yet long race to ronne And that I can nor may not aske theire liues againe to haue Graunt at the least that I may be a fellow in her graue And so our boddyes may againe in coffyn iointly lye That like as she by me did liue so I by her may dye Herewith her face did wax full pale her body gan to faint and easy was god knoweth to spye how death could her attaint She shriked out and said oh death I feele thy force begins Oh god for Christes sake do graunt forgeunes of my sinnes Wherwith she did geue vp the gost as did her child before her fatall threde was shride in twayne and she coulde liue no more For neither coulde their force nor might no bowing downe nor payne reuoke her traunce nor bring to her her lothed life againe The father sawe that he had lost his daughter sonne and wife Would faine haue dyed but yet doth last his heauy hated life The seruauntes and the neighbours all and many men vnknowne do tast the dolefull heauines that these theire deathes haue sowen In aunshent howshold tombe the dame and childe Sepulture haue and many conning Epitaphs is set vppon their graue And those that knewe them euery one and sees the siers vnrest Do iudge of both the wemens hap in sorrow was the lest God graunt him quyet life to lyue his cares away to pluck God send eche loue so true a harte yet lorde some better lucke Finis B. G. ¶ Imprinted at London in Fletestrete within Temple barre at the signe of the hande and starre by Richard Tottyll Anno. 1565.
lie A thousande couert meanes she saught The roote therof to spie Her skilfull tonge with smiling talke saide to her daughter than See here thie mother howe she cares To help the what she can That thou arte sicke to trew it is the cause therof discloase Tell me thie grefe my darling deare some trust in me repose Or if the roote of this thie care from the doth hidden lie The manners of thy painefull pangues to me with spede discrie The daughter viewde the mothers face whiche cloase by her did stande She threwe her arme out of the bedde and tooke her by the hand Oh you from whence this corps of myne saide shee did take releefe No lengre will I hide from you the manner of my greefe Soch ardent heate doth bourne my harte as it is parching drie And floodes of fylthie frosen Ice enrowndes it by and bye Thus hot thus colde thus drie thus drownd I lie heare in mye bedde Loo hear you knowe my greefe and yet I nere the better spedde But howe I came by this disease the lorde not I doth knowe Content you then your daughters mouth no more to you can showe With that the virgin tournd her selfe she sighed very sore Her wourdes did falter in her mouth her tongue colde talke no more What heapes of greefe the mother felt in hearing this discourse Deame you that Parentes are by kynde with pytte and remourse And yf that she poore hart alas was drownde in sorrowe than Note that it was a mothers parte who thearfore blame her can But she full warelie did witholde her secret hidden greefe Her inwarde care she couered still she saught her childes releefe And spake thus to the aged Nursh my true approued frende In whome I haue affied most and will vntill myne ende My daughter and your darling deare of trust to you I leaue Of trust agayne with all my harte good nursh do her receaue Nursh thou arte olde and I am not yonge what thinkest thou herâ— disease What best is for her appitite what will her fancy please Madame quod she yf age and wit weare equall in my braine This your demaunde could I disclose and ease your daughters payne But age to much to litle wit in women olde we finde But since it pleaseth you to aske I will disclose my mynde I feare least that the sparkes of loue are kindled in her brest And then swete hart the lord doth know how sore she is opprest Then must be learnd somewaies with whome she so bewrapped is And warely must you graunt or not Take good aduice in this For if she be in Cupids thrall as you and I wot neare Then is she in her golden pryme Of age full sixtene yeare And hauing choase her selfe a mate and doubting your good will The dolefull doubte within her brest may sone your daughter spill Therefore a meane there must be founde by some that shee loues well That may prouoke by circumstaunce her all her mynde to tell Whiche thing by her once vttered and to your wisedome knowne Then of the herbes to euer her the seedes are surely sowen Good Lady blame not myne aduyse loue causeth me to speake and onely loue and your request makes me my mynde to breake And one precept if I may tearme my folish sentence soe Take from my mouth and marke it well before you from me goe If you do like the choise that shee vnto her selfe hath made To graunt it then you nede the lesse to doubt or be a fraide But if the matche be so vnmete as she may chaunce repent Yet may you not in rigrous sorte denye her your consent For as the fallyng drops of rayne which from the gutters gone In length of tyme and fallyng ofte doth pearse the marble stone That els by sodeine seas or floods ne myghty streames at furst By rigour nor by force at all woulde yelde it selfe to burst So wise men haue long tyme of loue the lyke oppinion helde That loue in time may be represt but will not be expelde Lo here you heare my fond aduice my small approued skill Accept it as a womans tale proceading of good will And as you leaue with me your child so I the same receiue And that nothing shall want in me I trust you shall perceiue I geue the thankes good gentle Nursh for this thy sounde aduise Therby I trust my daughters health my ioye and all shall rise And vnto your discrecion to know my daughters mynd I leaue the ordre and the waies some parfect meanes to fynde Heare with the mother goeth awaie the nursh sites by the childe The nursh is growen an oratrice her tongue is smothelie field The maide lokes vp the nursh it spies Oh swetehart saieth she than That God ones sende you quyet helth that helpeth euery man Comaund euen what you may deuise Your hed or harte to please What nursh quod she do holde your tongue your talke doth me disease Lesse wourdes to her that is so sike and moch more quiet rest Me thinkes your age sholde teache you wyt that for my state were best The nursh thus nypped to the brayne shee had no wourde to saie A sobving sigh the mayden fette and tournde her hed awaye Nowe all the while the mayden thus with pangues lase sore distrest Her loue that seconde Troylus was neare the lesse opprest But all effebled was his strengthe his mirth was growen to moue His flesh was fallen his iointes wear weake he could scant ryse alone Yet euerye daie in ordre dewe by starry light he roase And ceased not to seake his chaunce till night the daie did cloase Who first had seen soo faire a face and nowe seen hym againe Had been his harte more hard then flynt must yet bewayle his payne For they that loue do knowe elles none the heat of Cupids fire And loue can see and none but loue this dolfull mans desire Who for to ease his heauie harte his lewte wolde ofte assaye Yet ere his fyngers spast the freates the knewe not what to playe Then wolde he proue by wonted voyce some sollemne songe to sing The notes whearin he wont reioyce doth nowe but sorrowe bring Then from his quyuer wolde he take and saie to bende his Bowe Whearof the string he colde not stire his strength was brought so lowe Then of eche thing he had delight he called to his minde But all his ioyes did tourne to greefe no comforte colde he fynde For that which earst in other cares did moue him some delight In this his greatest greefe of all did wourke him most dispight Thus when he sawe that euery hap whearin he wont to ioye Was nowe conuerted to mishap and Fortune lookt acoye And that his life was nigh fordoon and had no helth at all He thought to proue by medesins arte what might to him befall And to his frende a man experte a Doctour in that arte He gat him then in secrete wies and thus discloasde his harte A
my goodes and eke possessions before my lyfe doth ende Then to so ritch a gentleman to match so poore a wife Is but a meane to kendle cause of endles care and strife Except you may vouchsafe good Sir a poore mans childe to take And of my daughter farre vnmete your wife and fellow make Whiche if you do vndoubtedlye the argument doth proue Your comming is of perfect zeal and but for puer loue Which if your direct aunswere made I fynde you that way bent My wife hath so perswaded me you shall haue my consent And when my Ladyes lyfe and myne by death are once bereft you may accompt the same your owne if any thing he lefte The Doctour would haue aunswered whose talke the louer brake And did reiect all bashfulnes and to the father spake Right worshipfull my duetye is to tearme you so by right Because of long continuaunce you are a worthy knight To whome againe of right I owe a childly dewtye to As frendship and your daughters loue enforceth me to doe Yow know your daughter loueth me and I loue her againe And yet in doubt you stand to make the match betwine vs twaine Although you canne on my behalfe ympute none other lacke But that not many aged yeres depende vppon my backe Age is a gift of nature that she geues to many one Wit comming by the deytie is geuen by god alone As SalomoÌ„ was parfect wise a childe yet by his yeres And Daniell in iudgement seat and infant as appeares Do you not reade that Ioseph to in youth discresion had Refrainyng foule adultery him selfe but yet a lad A thousand more but that I will not trouble you a whit I could expres in youthfull yeres had sage and sober wit Againe an auncient prouerbe is with men that are ful sage that wit sometime in youth appeares and alwaies not in age I speake not herein bostingly or that I woulde haue thought that I my wisedome should commend or that my wit weare ought But that I woulde seme orderly to aunswere to your tale and that to myne her excuse myne aunswere might preuaile And to my parents wourthines and state of noble blood myne neuer were so worthy yet but youres were as good And where you say my frendes and youres in amytie were knit I seeke to tye a suerer knot and not to breake it yet And that my person and my selfe are pleasaunt in your sight you cause me thereby to reioyce and in my selfe delight My rents and my possession and all my landes and fee as equall are vnto your childe as they are vnto me To whome me thinkes you haue done wrong in such sorte to disgrace a wight with worthy qualities and eke so faire a face I did not seeke your heire god knoweth I sought this worthy dame whose iust desert already craues an euerlasting fame As for your riches and your welth I pray the lorde encrease And Nestors lyfe I wish to you tenioy them al in peace And me thinkes that a meter match you sawe not in your lyfe Then to so wilde a gentleman to geue so sad a wyfe and how can I by any meanes a greater Iuel take Then to receiue and kepe for aye a wise and sober make The which if you bestowe on me your dede it selfe doth proue that you resolue your sorrowes both and knit the knot of loue And do this aunswere absolute within your hed conceiue That either I must haue my hart or you my lyfe receiue Wherewith he set a decent pawse and therewith gan to smyle and craued licence of the dame towardes her to talke a while Who lyked so the former tale the woer had begonne as so much more to glad him bad saye on my louing sonne My father quod the gentleman I speake as I woulde haue with your consent I thank you both to me your daughter gaue You sitting by me thought your face your willing hart did show And with his wordes your ioynct consent on me you did bestowe The mayde whose good behauiour hath staide her wordes as yet by clasping of her fingers fast did seeme the knot to knit And I that seeke your childe alone and craue none other good Receiue her so vnto my wyfe with all my hart and blood And if that this construccion be parfecte saye you then vnto my hungry hart and mynd with free consent Amen With that the parents first began and then all at the borde and standers by said all amen there was none other worde Oh ioyfull sentence thus proclaymde oh thys obtained grace that hath with soch and so much care bene sought so long a space Now doth the faire and frendly beames splendiferous and bright Of smyling Fortune shewe themselues in this desyred night Nowe sorrow doth absent her selfe and ioy possesse her rome Within those hartes which not long since did thinke them nere theire dome Nowe euery man doth well commend the fresh and filed wit Of him whose chierfull comely talke doth fill theire eares as yet Nowe lacketh nothing think they all byt that the maiden faire shoulde frankly speake her inward thought and so her mynd declare Wherewith her countnaunce gan to change she lifted vp her eyes The ruddie collour in her chekes eftsones begon to ryse Quod she vnto her father then and so vnto the rest The daie of my natyuitie the howre to was blest Whearin my yonge and youthfull sight did pres and was so bolde This firme and faithfull louer true at first for to beholde Perchaunce some hear may think it is a rude and rashfull parte A mayden in soch wies and sorte thus to declare her harte Well next vnto this gentleman this bargaine doth me touch Whose loue to me is not so great but myne to him as much To whome againe I yelde myselfe obedient at demaunde And wedding ones solempnised his onelie to comaunde He hath discloasd his honest mynde againe I for my parte In recompence for his rewarde do gyue to hym my harte And yelde hym franckly with the same my free and true consent my faith and all vnfaynedlie vntill my lyfe be spent Heare might I name the humble thankes that he his ladie gaue Heare might I tell the sundrie thoughtes the gestes emonges them haue Heare might I shewe the parentes mirth their firme and fixed ioyes The householdes talke the neighbours wourdes and elles a thousand toyes But you haue heard the longe discourse helde all this supper space Then note the euening so is spent depe night drawes on apace The â—â—â—ers are ycopeled 〈◊〉 â—uery thing is well Thâ—â—â—â—her poyncteth in the morne 〈◊〉 â—edding daie to tell The banquetes are in ordre due by seruantes taken vp And euery gest doth take his leaue that then and thear did sup The newe betrothed sonn in lawe his reuerence don doth parte And takes with him his wifes good will and leaues with her his hart If that the parentes ioyed nowe who thearfore can them blame Or what sholde let
her piersed hart Thou art myne owne thou saiest myne owne and I am thyne againe Oh cruel sea how canst thou cut a boddy thus in twaine Great hast I had to heare of thee thy letters did me good Yet hast thou doon some wrong to me to write them with thy blood No dewty dost thou owe to me I am thy seruant prest should not my hart serue the because I fynde thou louest me best I sorrow that my sight did cause the to depart with teares and Neptune for his churlishnes a cankerd carle appeares And if I had the powr that hath the mighty Ioue aboue He should repent th offence he hath doon vnto the my loue For I do loue the passing well and will do during lyfe which promise may compare with hers that was Vlixes wife And if I breake the same Oh lord then let thy vengeans fall on me and euery plague that is bestow them on me all But yet how couldest thou when thou sawst the porte in warlike case possessed with a womans hart geue charge to such a place Thou didst me wrong to venture so yet may I not the blame For better is to venture lyfe then ende with Cowherd shame and I am bounde to thank the that no soner camst to rest but vnto me thyne owne thou didst discloase thy secret brest I am in helth and haue no cause now thou art well to morne Saue that I think thine absence long and craue thy quicke retourne Till then I pray the lorde defende thy most desyred lyfe and send thy happy presence once vnto thy louing wife Thus hath your owne more then her owne at large her mynde exprest and sendes you thankes from parents and from kindred and the rest Farewell my hart my strength my power my comfort and my trust whose louer whiles I liue I am and after death I must The messenger that brought the bill beares aunswer now againe and frankly is contented for his trauaile and his paine No sooner comes he to the place or peece where battell lyes But streight this worthy gentleman the messenger espies vppon the rampiers of the wall with pike in hand most stout and who that presseth to come in he and his men kepe out Now here he slaith a scaling man nowe theare he geues a stroke Nowe this mans necke now that mans legg is by his puysaunce broke And as in this extremitie he dealeth blow by blow whereby the stoutest enemy his force and puesaunce knowe So since he wrote the letter last so stout he was in fight as iust desert for vertues sake hath dubbed him a knight His ensign that of late was gaye the cullours fresh and newe nowe parte is torne and part is burnt it lookes of other hewe And he that tricke and trymly went they wot that know the trade his armour burst his coates are torne and he a warriour made Well nothing yet remaines so long but endeth at the last So night comes on they cannot see the battry endes in hast The trompets sounde on either side they looked for retreat Some wipe theire faces sprent with blood and other some with swete Here one dismembred of his legge for Surgens help doth crye Here one woulde haue his paunch sowde vp here dead some other lye Nowe dromes strike vp and gin to call eche solgers to his band Nowe both to know their losse and gaine eche captaine takes in hande Now though this champions seruice was right equall with the best His gaine is great yet was his losse as little as the least Whiles thus he stoode in Fortunes grace much more then other did He thought vppon his secrete frende which in his harte laye hid And wisht of all the gods of loue that he coulde think or name that they woulde by theire deities some Ingin for him frame Whereby he might when sonne went downe with his swete hart deuise and be againe vppon his charge ere Phebus list to rise Thus wauering thoughts possest his braine his passhons were at strife whiles that the long desyred man brought letters from his wife The sight whereof made him fourthwith more ioyfull and more gladde Then if he halfe the Regiment of faire Europa had He read his louers passions her constancy he spies The ioye whereof did cause his teares to trickle from his eyes What should I saye in blisfulnes he doth accompt him than much more and farre beyonde the state of any wedded man Now doth he please the messenger and then he doth resorte vnto the meriest company he fyndeth in the forte Now mournig wedes are cast away he ioyes in musikes songe which erst in heauy state of mynde had languished full long Of pleasant matters he doth geue his conning hand to wright Such as to her his learned hedde most gladly doth endyte He leaueth of his painted proase he wrighteth now in verse Suche as my skilles penne pretends verbatim to reherse Take from thy husbandes happy hande my true and louing wife The ioyfull tydinges which report the ende of absent strife And harken to thy lot whereby the marshall gods prefarre the worship and the worthy fame whiche I haue wonne by warre For neuer came there chaunce at all that brought me to vnrest but grewe from good to better still and ended with the best Oh heuenly happy fate and tyme wherin I first was made a man of warre a solgers guyde the princes foo to fade For neuer did I yet in armes encounter wight at all But eyther yelded to my grace or tooke his fatall fall Wherfore my darling deare and Iem some men do iudge by right That thou art made a Lady and that I am made a knight â—nd I my selfe will come to the and that ere many daies A parle hath concluded peace to god geue all the prayse And I shall once againe my selfe my louing wife possesse and thou thy spouse my lamp of life with equall ioy and bles And we that founde our selfes agreeud with parting paines of late with lucky lot ere long time pas shall mete with mery fate My hart till then take thou and hand my sences all and some and couch them where thou thinkes it mete vntill my selfe do come whereof there shal be no delay yf death my lyfe not tryp a lenger tyme or further space then with the formost ship Till then content thy carefull mynde till then think on me to as I of thee my lot alone haue done and still will do Fare well myne owne fare well oh swete my comfort and my ioye Myne ayde my helper and my hope my succour in anoye Take paines no more do holde thy hand enforce not the to wright for ere thy letters can reuert my selfe wil be in sight And let my letters to thy frindes my harty thankes allude But I to the do geue asmuch and so I do conclude With flying foote these tydings came vnto this Ladyes sight who neuer erst did feele like ioy like comfort nor delight For not