soyle wherein they were planted which had it byn better their vertue would haue proued to be greater Though al the flowers herein contayned carie one name yet eche of thé differs from other both in colour and sauour the better to satisfie the diuersitie of eyes that shall view them and variety of noses that shall smell them Nowe if the spider shall happen to sucke any poyson out of them let not the flowers be the worse thought of but consider that it is his propertie to doe the like out of the most pure and delectable flowers that euer were And God in geuing vnto her and other such like creatures this nature doeth no lesse manifest his omnipotent power herein then in his other wonderful works For reason telleth experience teacheth that in this vale of misery there is nothing so beautifull but that it hath some blemish nor so pure but that it sauours of some imperfection so that as long as the world is a world corruption must continue amongst vs. Which filthy dregs poysoned humors if they were not in parte drawen drayned away by the venomous beastes and wormes of the earth they woulde a great deale more annoy vs then now they doe And it is to be doubted whether life could any long time be conserued a mogst vs. I might here take occasion to liken the crew of curious carpers which more of malice then good meaning accustomed to cauel at other mens doings playing the ydle drones themselues to the venomous beastes wormes before spoken of Whom for their congruity in condition and affinity in disposition I might bring them within the compas of one cōparison conclude that both the one the other are necessary euils But leste that the old prouerb be obiected agaynst me Ne sutor vltra crepitam let the Gardiner meddle no farther thē his spade I wil leaue thē to theyr predecessor Zoilus whose apes they are in imitating his conditions returne agayne to my Gillowflowers eft foones beseeching your worship to accept those that I present you with no lesse thākfulnes then the Gardiner doth offer them willingly wherof he doubtes not calling to minde your accustomed curtesie In one thing I haue vsed suche circumspection as my simple skill would permit me which is that the beauty of my flowers be not blemished with the weedes of wantonnesse that cōmonly grow in such gardens I hope therfore ye shal finde them rooted out in such sort that if there remayne any my trust is they shall not fall out to be many The onely thing that I doubt of this in my dedication is that your worshipp shall haue cause to account mee a deepe dissembler and one that hath byn more lauish in promise then he is able to pay with performance For whereas by my former speeches yee might peraduenture looke for some delicate Gillowflowers it will fall out to be but a coppy of my countenance hauing done nothing els but as the fashion of the worlde is now adayes set a good face on a bad matter For to deale plainly with you I was neuer Gardiner in all my life And the thing that I here present you with is but a collection of such verses and odde deuises as haue at such idle howres as I founde in my maister his seruice vpon sundry occasions by me byn cōposed The one I confesse farre vnworthy your view and yet such as when ye shal returne home weeried from your fielde sportes may yeelde you some recreation The chiefe marke that I leuel at is the continuance of your woorships curtesie and good minde towardes me which as they haue already surmounted the reach of my deserts so if I might enioy the fruition of them hereafter in that fulnesse which I hope for I shall account all the duetifull endeuour that I can possibly shew you insufficient for the satisfaction of the least part of them Thus for feare of being tedious I ende wishing your worship with my good mistres your wife all yours many yeeres of prosperitie with dayly increase of worship heauen for your hauen to rest in when the daungerous sea of this life shalbe ouer sailed Yours in all dutifulnesse HG D     DOe guide my pathes O Lorde my God    T  that I walke not astray O    O who can mount thy holy hill    E  Except thou leade the way R    Renew me with such grace that I    M  May learne thy lawes aright O    Order my steppes so shal I be    P  Preserued day and night T    The wicked Serpent euery houre    E  Endeuours me to spil H    Haste to my helpe so shall I Lorde    R  Right well eschew the il Y    In thee I put mine onely trust    A  Assist me then at neede S    Stand on my side but thee alone    N  None els my sute can speede A    Amidst the sea of sinne and death    C  Continually we ride M    Making still shipwracke of our soules    E  except thou be our guide V    Vnto the Lorde with humble sute    I  I lift my heart and handes E    Encline thine eares to my request    V  Vnlose my sinfull bandes L    Let not vile Satans crafty traynes    S  So sore our soules assayle D    Doe thou protect vs with thy shield    T  Then shal he not preuayle A    As to a Rocke of safe refuge    I  I stil to thee doe fly N    None els there is I know that can    C  Cause al my sinnes to die I    I doe confesse my force is weake    E  Encrease my fayth O Lorde E    Expel from meal heresies    P  Protect me with thy worde L    Let not the fiende that seekes my foyle    R  Reioyce at my decay D    Doe make mee strong in liuely fayth    V  Vnto thee still I pray A    All trueth al good and godly deedes    D  Doe still proceede from thee N    No man can thinke one holy thought    E  Except their guide thou bee V    Vnlesse thou Lord doe giue increase    N  No fruite our deedes bring forth E    Esteemd we are as rotten weedes    C  Corrupt and nothing worth R    Remember not my sinnes forepast    E  Eluminate my wayes S    So shall I still with heart and voyce    G  Giue thee all laud and prayes H    Happy are they that doe thee serue    I  In thought and eke in deede V    Vnturned neuer is thy face    F  From them in time of neede M    Make Lord in mee a stedfast fayth    F  For euer to abyde F    Frame still my lyfe to keepe thy lawes    A  And I shall neuer slide R    Remoue from me all errors blockes    R  Right so shall I remaine I    In perfect footesteppes of thy paths    D  Deuoyde of worldly paine To his approued friend SErue God SErue God thy Lord delight to kéepe his lawes alwaies Alwayes haue care to doe his holy hest Commit Commit not that which may his anger cause no euil No euill then déere friend can thée molest Still feare Still feare and minde the dreadfull iudgement day to sinne To sinne bréedes
it a thousande times yet would I not bée so shamelesse and impudent to demaund it For I haue not directed my operations to that end that I should craue guerdon for them besides that it is not conuenient for a Gentleman so to doe What farther that it is a thing cleane repugnaunt to my nature and disposition and in the crauing thereof I should bée so colde and timerous that as the Prouerbe saieth I should teach others to denie mée For I being vnable to demaund any thing without spéech of some desart of mine how shall this be done without arrogancie when as I knowe none to bee in me And if there were any could I speake of it my selfe without blushing To conclud I think it neither good profitable nor honest for me Thus I pray you iudge of me that although I haue no great substance of sound vertue yet want I not some little shadow of decent modestie Neither would I haue you wish me to become a new Satibarsanes with Araxzrxes or Turinus with Alexander And of this resolue your selfe that it for these twentie and fiue yeares I haue with a bold courage knowne how to tollerate many strokes of Fortune I hope also with like fortitude to ouerpasse the rest of the time that God hath appoynted mée to liue in this world and shall perhappes tast greater tranquillitie in this my poore and meane calling then a number of others doe with their riches and honour To conclude I know this your aduice to procéede of an incredible affection that yée beare mée but yet I purpose not to put it in practise nor followe it but as Marius when that certaine vaines in his legges should bée cut made answere that the health of his legges was not such as that it should deserue to bée bought with such terrible anguish and torment so séemeth it vnto mée that the smoake which procéedeth from these honours and promotions are not so benificial as that they should merit to be bought with so great trouble and affliction both of body and minde I would not wish you to take in hand to answere euery part of my letter nor that desire should so farre transport you aâ— to make you to taste new annoyes by the same put an end thereunto I beséech you And if you will néeds write againe send it to Laconica either reprouing mée or confirming mée in that I haue written Whatsoeuer it shall be I will take it in good parte from you whome I loue entirely and recken of amongst the number of my best and chiefest friendes A translation out of french of a Supplication presented by Iohn Meschinot Esquire vnto the Duke of Brittane his Lorde and Maister wherein he nameth himselfe the Banished from Ioyfulnesse by H. G. MOst humbly complayneth vnto your honour your poore vassayle loyall subiect and obedient seruant The banished from ioyfulnesse remayning in the diocesse of misfortune the parishâ—oner of affliction and néere neighbour of dispaire giuing you to vnderstand howe from his young yeares hée hath continually serued my Lords your predecessours whose soules God hath receiued And whome it hath pleased you for which I yéelde you humble thankes to entertaine amongst the number of them which are of your speciall sauegarde and protection Neuerthelesse a théefe the common enemie of humaine creatures named Mishappe remaining alwayes with Fortune accompanied with an olde leane woman called Pouertie haue vncessantly warred and almost in euery place pursued your said supplyant tending to his totall destruction whose rage and furie hath vntill this present béene resisted by the good ayde and support that it hath pleased you and your honourable auncestors to make for him And it is so Souereigne sir that although in times past the Banished from ioyfulnesse hath béene cruelly handled and sharpely assayled by the forenamed Mishappe and Pouertie yet at this present they haue taken and bound him in such lamentable sorte that without your spéedie ayde and succour hée cannot long indure to resist their malice And for the better bringing of their purpose to passe they haue first dispoyled your sayde supplyant of fiftie yeares and more which he had receiued of God and nature being depriued of all hope of euer recouering any of them againe And in this sorte as a slaue or bondman doe they detaine him against his wil. And for his farther punishment they haue giuen expresse commandement and deliuered it strictly in charge to Furie Sorow thought vexatioÌ„ being their armorers to forge for y â— said banished froÌ„ ioyfulnes a stroÌ„g weightie armor of proof double sodored the stuffe thereof being of the stéele or melancholy The smythy or hearth wheron they heate it is Langor which is kindled w t the fire of fretting from whence yssues so great flame and smoke of anger furie occasioned through the wind procéeding from the bellowes of sighinges and gronings as it is a thing most horrible to expresse And God thou knowest how sowre most vgly and hideous olde women that is to say Impatience Lamentation Iniurie and Miserie continually strike and beate on it on the anuill of anguish with the hammers of Rygour Afterwardes they temper the said armour with the water of bitternesse néere the which leapes forth a salte riuer of trickling teares taking his course through the vallie of shame ouernéere the sorowfull aboade of your said supplyant so that oftentimes through the superabundaunce of raine and showers of sorowe the waters of disquiet and controuersie growe and flowe so hye that the village of his heart is as it were all drowned It resteth to tell you how they scowre and make bright this harnesse They haue a great grinding stone of torment turnde about by féeblenesse and slaunder on the one side and ruine and confusion on the other side The maisters of this worke are Daunger Debate and displeasure which often besprinckle the said harnesse with the powder or sparkdust of rage making therewith a blacke vernish With this armour of proofe haue they determined to arme your foresaid suppliant vppon a doublet of dolor tyed on by trauell with the poyntes of discomfort and their purpose is to make him carie it on foote through the darke kingdome of solytarinesse to warre against felicitie And I verily think y â— in the end they will take from him the power to doe you any longer seruice which I beséech your honor most souereine Lord not to permit for neither they nor any other whatsoeuer shall neuer bée able to take from him the desire that hée hath still to serue you Now it is so that a notable and reuerent Ladie called old Age séeing into what miserie and captiuitie the foresayde Mishappe and Pouertie haue brought your saide supplyant hath promysed and determined shortly to deliuer him out of their handes and in the meane season will keepe him good and comfortable company vntill the ende of his daies so that hée may obtaine your good fauour and assistaunce For otherwise wanting wherwith to supply
death but mercie doe require defie Defie such thinges as worke thy soules decay the diuell The diuel so shall léese his chiefe desire If thou If thou wilt spend thy dayes in great content praise God Praise God ech houre serue him in feare and dread with hearte With heart contrite thy former sinnes lament and minde And minde hence forth a better life to lead Great ioyes Great ioyes the Lord as his pure word doth say in heauen In heauen aboue for good men hath preparde thy soule Thy soule when that this life shall passe away shall finde Shall finde such blisse as cannot bée declarde The life of man metaphorically compared to a shippe sayling on the seaes in a tempest HAste homewardes man draw néerer to the shore The skies doe scowle the windes doe blow amaine The raged rockes with rumbling noyse doe rore The foggie clowdes doe threaten stormes of raine Ech thing foreshewes a tempest is at hand Hoyst vp thy sayles and haste to happy land In worldly seaes thy silly ship is tost With waues of woe besette on euery side Blowne héere and there in daunger to bée lost Darke clowdes of sinne doe cause thée wander wide Vnlesse thy God pitie some on thée take On rockes of rueth thou néedes must shipwrack make Cut downe the mast of rancour and debate Vnfraight the shippe of all vnlawfull wares Cast ouer boorde the packes of hoorded hate Pumpe out fowle vice the cause of many cares If that some léeke it make thée stand in doubt Repentaunce serues to stoppe the water out Let Gods pure word thy line and compasse bée And stedfast fayth vse thou in anckors stéede Lament thy sinnes then shalt thou shortly sée That power diuine will helpe thée forth at néede Fell Sathan is chiefe rular of these seas Hée séekes our wracke hée doth these tempestes rayse In what wée may let vs alwayes represse The furious waues of lust and fond desire A quiet calme our conscience shall possesse if wée doe that which dutie doeth require By godly life in fine obtaine wée shall the porte of blisse to which God send vs all A dolefull Dumpe WHo so doth mone and lackes a mate to bée partaker of his woe And will discourse of his estate Let him and I together goe And I will make him graunt in fine his griefe to bée farre lesse then mine Perhappes hée wil to win the best paint forth what pangs oppresse his minde How that hée féeles no quiet rest how fortune is to him vnkind And how hée pines in secréet griefe and findes no meanes for his reliefe These and such like a number will alleadge to witnes their distresse Some rolle vp stones against the hill with Sisiphus some eke expresse That like to Tantalus they fare and some with Yxion doe compare But I not onely féele the smart of al those euilles rehearsed before But tast the forment in my heart of thousand times as many more So that the worst of their annoyes Is best and chiefest of my ioyes I neuer fed on costly meate Since that this griefe opprest mée first Dole is the dainties that I eate And trickling teares doe coole my thirst Care is my caruing knife God wot Which dayly séekes to cut my throte Muse not that héere I secret kéepe The cause that first procurde my griefe What doeth it boote a man to wéepe When that his teares finde no reliefe Contentes mée onely this repose That death ere long will end my woes In praise of the contented minde IF all the ioyes that worldly wightes possesse Were throughly scand and pondred in their kindes No man of wit but iustly must confesse That they ioy most that haue contented mindes And other ioyes which beare the name of ioyes Are not right ioyes but sunneshines of anoyes In outward view wée sée a number glad Which make a shew as if mirth did abound Whē pinching grief within doth make them sad And many a one in these dayes may bée had Which faintly smile to shroud their sorowes so When oftentimes they pine in secréet woe But euery man that holdes himselfe content And yéeldes God thankes as dutie doth require For all his giftes that hée to vs hath sent And is not vext with ouer great desire And such I say most quietly doe sléepe When fretting cares doth others waking kéepe What doth auaile huge heapes of shining golde Or gay attyre or stately buildinges braue If worldly pelfe thy heart in bondage holde Not thou thy goodes thy goodes make thée their slaue For gréedie men like Tantalus doe fare In midst of wealth they néedie are and bare A warie héede that thinges go not to losse Doth not amisse so that it kéepe the meane But still to toyle and moyle for worldly drosse And tast no ioy nor pleasure for our paine In carke and care both day and night to dwell Is nothing els but euen a very hell Wherefore I say as erst I did beginne Contented men enioy the greaetst blisse Let vs content our selues to flye from sinne And still abide what Gods good pleasure is If ioy or paine if wealth or want befall Let vs bée pleasde and giue God thankes for all In the praise of Friendship REueale O tongue the secretes of my thought Tel forth the game that perfect friendship brings Expresse what ioyes by her to man are brought Vnfolde her prayse which glads all earthly things If one might say in earth a heauen to bée It is no doubt where faythfull friendes agrée To all estates true friendship is a stay To euery wight a good and welcome guest Our life were death were shée once tane away Consuming cares would harbour in our brest Fowle malice eke would banish al delight And puffe vs vp with poyson of despight If that the séedes of enuie and debate Might yéelde no fruite but wither and decay No canckred mindes would hoorde vp heapes of hate No hollow hearts dissembling partes should play No clawback then would fawne in hope of méede Such life to lead were perfect life in déede But nowadayes desire of worldly pelfe With all estates makes friendship very colde Few for their friendes ech shifteth for himselfe If in thy purse thou hast good store of golde Full many a one thy friendship will imbrace Thy wealth once spent they turne away their face Let vs still pray vnto the Lord aboue For to relent our hearts as hard as stone That through the world one knot of loyall loue In perfect trueth might linke vs all in one Then should wée passe this life without annoyes And after death possesse eternall ioyes A commendation of Peace WHen boyling wrath perturbs mās troubled brest Outraging will bids reasons lore adue Turmoyling cares bereaue all quiet rest And hastie yre makes harmefull happes ensue Great stormes of strife are raisd through dire debate But golden peace preserues the quiet state A gift diuine than precious pearle more worth Is blessed peace to discord deadly foe Most plenteous fruits this
vice doe to thy lot befall From thée they came doe take them to thee all To thée O earth agayne I do restore My carrion corpes which from thée did procéede Because it did neglect all godly lore Let gréedy wormes vpon it alwayes féede Let it in filth consume and rot away And so remaine vntil the iudgement day But my poore soule whō Christ most déerly bought Which hated sinne and loathed to offend Together with ech good and godly thought Into thy handes swéete Iesu I commend O sauiour Christ doe guide my steppes so well That after death she stil with thée may dwell A Complaynt of a Louer IF euer wofull wight had cause to pipe in bitter smart I which am thrall to Cupids lawes with him may beare a part Whose ioyful dayes alas are gone whom daily cares doe tosse But wote yée why I thus take on my lucke is turnde to losse Erecruell loue my heart possest no cares did vexe my head But since he harboured in my brest my golden dayes are fled Time was when fortune did allow great gladnesse to my share But ah for that time is not now doth grow my cause of care Time was when I liude in delight and reapt of ioyes my fill But now time is workes me despite would waste had tarried still No hap so hard no griefe so great whereof I féele not part Now shiuering colde now flaming heate anoyes my wofull heart So that hope is the onely stay on which my life dependes Which if it once be tane away my date of liuing ends God graunt my hope such hap may sée that good successe ensue Which if it long prolonged be through griefe I die adiew For his friende I That in fréedome liued of late And neuer stoupt to Cupids lure Haue now made change of my estate And thousand torments doe endure As late abrode I cast my lookes In fancies lune I fast was cought And beauty with her bayted hookes Hath me alas in bondage brought I loue but lacke the thing I craue I liue but want my chiefest good I hope but hap I cannot haue I serue but starue for want of foode Then so to loue what state more yll Such life affoordes small time of ioy Such wauering hope doth often kill To serue and starue what worse anoy Yet wil I loue whiles life doth last And liue whiles any hope remaines And hope when dismal dayes are past To haue reward for all my paynes Loe thus I liue by hope sustaynd Yet through dispayre die euery houre In sorow glad in pleasure painde Now fed with swéete now choakt with sowre Deare Dame in humble sort I sew Since mine estate to you is known Voutsafe my dolefull case to rew And saue his life who is your owne Somewhat made of nothing at a Gentlewomans request YE gladly would haue me to make you some toy And yet will not tel me wherof I should write The strangenes of this doth bréed me anoy And makes me to séeke what things to endite If I should write rashly what comes in my braine It might be such matter as likes you not best And rather I would great sorow sustayne Then not to fulfill your lawfull request Two dangers most doubtful oppresse me alike Ne am I resolued to which I might yéelde Wherfore by perforce I am foretd to séeke This slender deuice to serue for my shield Since nothing yée geue me to busie my brayne Nothing but your nothing of me can yée craue Wherfore now receiue your nothing agayne Of nothing but nothing what els would yée haue Of the instability of Fortune WHo wisely waies false fortunes fickle change Which in short space turnes loue to mortal hate Shall find smal cause to déem it wondrous strange To fléete from happie life to worse estate For whie her swéete is alwaies mixt with sowre If now shée fawne she frownes within an houre Her smiles are wyles to cause men hope for hap Her traynes bréede paynes though pleasant be the show Him whom shée now doth dandle in her lap Straightway sustaines a wretched ouer throw And whom thou séest at foote of whéele downe cast Within short space shée hoyseth vp as fast The raging Seas which dayly ebbes and flowes The wauering winds which blow now here now there More constant are then fortunes flattering vowes Who in one hoode a double face doth beare To trust her lookes when shée doth fleere or laugh Is nothing els but trust a broken staffe Pollicrates as auncient writers tell On Fortunes whéele most highly was aduaunste And many a yéere shée fauourd him so well That no ill hap long time vnto him chaunst Yet in the end to shew her double wayes With hemping roape shée causde him end his dayes If thou wilt shun all sorow and distresse By fortunes threates doe set but litle store If thine affayres haue euer good successe Yéeld hearty thankes to God thy Lorde therefore If great annoyes doe fall vpon thée fast Thinke them due plagues for some offences past By prayer then make leuell with the Lorde Repentant hearts haue mercie when they call Loue him with feare delight to reade his worde So great good haps vnto thée will befall So shalt thou leade thy life without annoyes And after death possesse eternal ioyes Of the vanitie of this life I Reade in Poets faigned bookes That wise Vlysses wandring came Where Circes through her fawning lookes Did worke his men a spightfull shame She causde them quaffe great bowles of wine And presently they turnde to swine But hée which followed vertue still Refusde to taste this proffered charme And would not worke her beastly will As one that doubted farther harme Her witchcraftes and enchantmentes straunge Were not of force this man to chaunge The world with his alluring toyes Is Circes witch of whome they write Which temptes vs with her sugred ioyes And makes vs swimme in such delight That wée so play with pleasures ball As if there were no God at all If man would way what enemies Are alwayes prest him to deuoure Mée thinkes from sinne hée should arise And make defence with all his power For why the world the flesh and deuill Doe neuer cease to worke vs euill These so bewitch our foolish braines That nought wée force eternall paine And euery one in sinne remaines As if hell were a fable vaine Alas wée are seduced so That all true heartes do bléede for woe The shéepe doth yéerely yéelde his fléese The plodding Oxe the plow doth draw And euery thing in willing wise Kéepes and obayes dame Natures law But man in witte which should excell Against his Lord doth still rebell Ech doth deferre from day to day And thinkes the morow to amend But death arestes vs by the way And sodainly some makes their end O wretched case that they bée in Which die and not lament their sinne Thou silly man still feare the Lord Thy former sinnes with spéede forsake The iudgement day in minde record In which ech
soule account must make Confesse thy faultes to God therefore Repent amend and sinne no more Of the vanitie of the world AS I lay musing in my bed A heape of fancies came in head Which greatly did molest mée Such sundry thoughtes of ioy and paine Did méete within my pondring braine That nothing could I rest mée Sometimes I felt excèeding ioy Sometimes the torment of annoy Euen now I laugh euen now I wéepe Euen now a slumber made mee sléepe Thus did I with thoughtes of straunge deuice Lye musing alone in pensiue wise I knew not what meanes might health procure Nor finish the toyle I did indure And still I lay and found no way That best could make my cares decay Reuoluing these thinges in my minde Of wretched world the fancies blinde Alone a while I ponder Which when I had perused well And saw no vertue there to dwell It made mée greatly wonder Is this that goodly thing thought I That all men loue so earnestly Is this the fruit that it doth yéelde Whereby wée all are so beguilde Ah Iesus how then my heart did rue Because I had folowed them as true Alas wée haue lost the heauenly ioyes And haue béene deceaued with worldly toyes Whose fancies vaine will bréede vs paine If Christ doe not restore againe O wretched man leaue off therefore In worldly thinges put trust no more Which yéeldes no thing but sorow To God thy Lord with spéede conuert Because thou most vncertain art If thou shalt liue too morow Leaue of to quaffe to daunce and play Remember still the iudgement day Repent relent and call for grace For pardon aske whilst thou hast space Who doeth from his heart repentaunce craue Forgiuenes saieth Christ of mée shall haue Hée will not the death of a sinner giue But rather hée should repent and liue Stil laud the Lord peruse his word And let thy déedes with it accord A Lesson for all estates HAst thou desire thy golden dayes to spend In blisfull state exempt from all annoyes So liue as if death how thy life should end Still treade the pathes that leade to perfect ioy Bee slow to sinne but spéedie to aske grace How are they blest that thus runne out their race Ech night ere sléepe shut vp thy drowsie eyes Thinke thou how much in day thou hast transgrest And pardon craue of God in any wise To doe that's good and to forsake the rest Sinne thus shake of the â—â—end for enuie wéepes Sound are our ioyes most quiet are our sléepes Haue not thy head so cloyd with worldly cares As to neglect that thou shouldst chiefly minde But beare an eye to Sathans wilâ— snares Who to beguile a thousand shiftes will finde Vaine are the ioyes that wretched world allowes Who trust them most doe trust but rotten bowes Shunne filthy vice persist in doing well For doing well doth godly life procure And godly life makes vs with Christ to dwell In endlesse â—lisse that euer shall endure Wée pray thée Lord our follyes to redresse That wée thus doe thus liue this blisse possesse A Dreame IN pleasaunt moneth of gladsome May I walkt abroad to view The fieldes which nature had bedeckt With flowers of sundry hew The sight whereof did recreate My senses in such sort As passeth far beyond my power Thereof to make reporte Then sat I néere a pleasaunt wood And listened with desire Vnto the small birdes chirping charme Which set my heart on fire Of Goldefinch and of Nightingale I there might heare the voyce The Wren the Robin and the thrush Did make a heauenly noyse Whose swéete melodious harmonie My senses so bereâ—t That I in this delightfull plot A pray to sléepe was left In slumber mine an auncient dame Before my face appeares Whose hollow chéekes and wrinckled face Did argue many yéeres Her vesture was as white as snow Her countenaunce very sad It semed by her watry eine Some inward griefe shée had For why great streames of trickling teares Distilled downe her chéekes And thus to mée with trembling voyce This aged beldam speakes My friende quoth shée bée not dismayde At this my sodaine sight Ne let the spéeches I shall vse Thy fearefull minde afright I am not of the furies broode Ne damned sprites of hell But hée through whome my being is Aboue the skies doth dwell And Lady Concord I am calde From forraine Realmes exilde Once mutual Loue my husband was And plentie was our childe But ah quod shée a hagge of hell That long hath sought their spoyle Hath slaine them both vnlesse they dwell Within your english soyle Héerewith there yssued from her eine Of teares abundant store And sighes so stopt her féeble voyce That shée could speake no more The sight wherof mée thought did rayse Great dolours in my breast Yet praying her for to procéede She thus her minde exprest Vile Couetousnesse that furie fell Hath wrought vs all this woe To Concord and to Mutuall Loue Shée is a deadly foe Time was when wée were well estéemde And calde ech countries stay But Couetousnesse now rules the roast And beareth all the sway And were it not that in this land I finde some small reliefe I had béene dead long ere this time Through greatnesse of my gréefe Debate and rancour night and day On this vile Dame attend Whom shée to worke her beastly will About the world doth send These two haue raysde such warre and strife In partes beyond the Seas That now few nations in the earth Enioy their woonted peace Now gold is reuerenced as a God Eche hunts for priuat gayne Men care not how their soules shall spéede So wealth they may attaine Of conscience now few make account Him men estéeme most wise Which to beguile his neighbour poore Can craftiest meanes deuise This sayd mée thought the auncient dame Did vanish straight away And I awaking héere withall Went home without delay Where taking paper penne and inke With spéede I there enrolde The circumstaunce of all the tale That Concord to mée tolde Which makes me wish that euery one Would mutuall loue imbrace And that no spots of couetousnesse With sinne their déedes deface A Dreame LAyd in my quiet bed to rest When sléepe my senses all had drownd Such dreames arose within my breast As did with feare my minde confound Mée thought I wandred in a wood Which was as darke as pitte of hell In midst whereof such waters stoode That where to passe I could not tell The Lion Tiger Woolfe and Beare There thundered forth such hideous cries As made huge Eccoes in the ayre And séemed almost to pearce the skies Long vext with care I there aboad And to get forth I wanted power At euery footesteppe that I troad I feard some beast would mée deuoure Abyding thus perplext with paine This case within my selfe I scand That humaine helpe was all in vaine Vnlesse the Lord with vs doe stand Then falling flatte vpon my face In humble sorte to God I prayde That in this
his necessities hée cannot bée restored to his fréedome Might it stand therefore with your good pleasure most souereigne Lord to commaund Honour the procurer generall of your enterprises to stand with your sayde supplyant and take such order in this behalf that his forenamed enimies may bée expulsed and that hée no longer remaine beséeged with such iminent distruction Consider that this ryot hath béene made whiles I remained vnder your sauegard and in your seruice Lastly therefore these are most humbly to pray and beséech you so to ordaine for the estate of the banished from ioyfulnesse that hee may with ioy and contentment finish and accomplishe the shorte time that hee hath to lyue in this worlde In so doing yée shall reforme him both in chaunging his name and the place of his aboad so will hée more and more enforce himselfe to dwell néerer your pallace to doe you loial seruice to his power during life making continuall intercession to god y â— he may graunt you peace and repose of spirit ease and health of bodie honour good and long life with all that your noble heart wisheth and heauen for your finall inheritaunce Translated out of Italian Twoo sworne Brothers being souldiers maried twoo sisters the one of them made much of his wife entreating her with all lenitie that might be yet would shee not obey his will and pleasure The other threatned his wife and kept her in obedience and she alwayes did what he commaunded her The one requesteth the other to teach him â—ow to make her obediente which he did wherevppon hee threatning and vsing her as the other did shee laught him to scorne THere dwelt in times past in a garison néere adioyning to Rome two sworn brothers who no lesse loued one the other then if they had yssued out of one womb of which the one had to name Siluerius the other was called Pisardus and both of them by profession were souldiers although their amitie was great yet they dwelt not in one house Siluerius the younger wanting a gouernesse for his house tooke to wife the daughter of a taylour being named Spinella a gallant and bewtifull mayden but of a high and lofty disposition The marriage being ended the wife being brought home to his house he was so ferueÌ„tly inamoured on her beauty that he thought there was not any woman in the world able to goe beyond her and in this his doting moode suffered her to say and doe what she listed gaue her euery thing that shée demanded through which Spine Ila became so bolde and heddy that shée litle or nothing estéemed her husband the ignorant fot was now come to such a passe that when he willed her to doe one thing shée would go about another thing bidding her to come hither she would goe a cleane contrary way and laugh him to scorne And her husband being none of the wisest dared neither to remedy it nor to reprehend her but suffered her in euery thing to doe what best pleased her fancie Within a yéere after Pisardus was married to another daughter of the foresaide Taylour who was called Fiorella béeing full out as beautifull as her sister but inferiour to her in brauery suttlety of wit The nuptials being finished and the wife brought home to his house Pisardus tooke a paire of bréeches and two cudgels saying vnto her Fiorella these are the bréeches of a man take you one of these staues and I wil haue the other and wee will try by combate which of vs shal carry away the bréeches on this condition that he which shalbe conquerer shal haue them he that shalbe ouercome shall alwayes remayne obedient to the Conquerour Fiorella hearing these words of her husband without any delay readily aunsweared with great humility Alas my husband what meane yée by these spéeches that yée vtter are not you the husband and I the wife Ought not the wife alwaies to be obedient to her husband How shoulde I euer then commit such a folly Now carry you the bréeches and weare them for they belong more vnto you and will better become you then me I wil then answered Pisardus still weare the bréeches be the husband and thou as my beloued wife stand obedient vnto me But take héede that yée alter not your determination in séeking to make your selfe the husband and me the wife for that after it shall repent you Fiorella who was wise confirmed that he had spoken and at the same instant her husband gaue her the gouernment of al his house then said he wife I will bring thée to my stable and shew thée my horses for that thou maist know what order to take for them if I shall chaunce to be absent And being come thither said Fiorella how like ye these my geldings are they not fayre are they not gallant and in good plight To whom shée answered they are in déede Sir but behold sayd Pisardus how ready and obedient they are and taking a wande touched now the one and nowe the other saying Holla hoyst come aloft and they shewed themselues most obedient to theyr maister Amongst the rest Pisardus had one horse fayre enough to the eye but very dogged of disposition which was the cause that he litle estéemed him comming vnto him with the rod in his hand he said come here come there and strake him but the horse being by nature knauish suffered his maister to lay on him not doing any thing of that hée bad him but that he kickt and spurnde at him now with one foot now with both Pisardus séeing his crabbednesse with a great and tough cudgel beate him a good but all preuayled not Which his maister séeyng being kindled in choler set haÌ„d to his sword that he had by his side in the presence of Fiorella ran him through killed him wherat shée being moued with compassion said alas my husband why haue yée killed this horse He was very faire and it is great pitie so to kill him Pisardus with a troubled countenance answeared I let you vnderstand that al they which eate that is mine and doe not what I bid them shalbe payde with the same money Fiorella hearing this answeare was very pensiue and sayd within her selfe Alas sorowful creature wretch that I am in ill time came I hither I thought that I had a wise man too my husband but now I see I haue happened on a beast Sée how for litle or nothing he hath killed a gallaÌ„t horse Thus remained shée very pensiue in her selfe not knowing to what ende her husband spake it Through which Fiorella was so exceedingly afrighted and stoode in such awe of him euer after that when shée heard him but stirre shée would treÌ„ble for feare whatsoeuer he willed her to doe it was accomplished preseÌ„tly and scantly could her husband open his mouth to speake before she vnderstood him there was neuer any contention or brawling heard betwixt theÌ„ Siluerius who loued his friend