sawse Lo what it is a louer to be false This is he the famouse worthy knyght That betwyxt two systers standeth vpryghte The tone by hym was cruelly slayne The tother his loue in ioye dyd remayne He that goeth with hym in the route It is Hercules the stronge fierce and stoute That loue caused to folowe hyr daunce The tother whiche in louynge had hard chaunce It is Achylles the Greke so bolde That for Polexemes loue dyed as it is tolde There mayst thou see also Demophone And Phylys hys loue that sore dyd mone Hys absence wherby that she dyed Lo those that stande vpon the tother syde Is Iason and Medea that for his loue Deceaued hyr father his trueth to proue The more vngentle is Iason in dede That gaue hyr suche rewarde for hyr mede Hysyphyle foloweth and she doth wayle also For the barbarouse loue was taken hyr fro Next in ordre there commeth by and by He that hath the name moost excellently Of bewtye and with hym commeth she that ouersone behelde his beutye Wherby ensued innumerable of harmes Thoroughe out the world by Mars charmes Beholde I praye the among the companye Enone complaynynge full heauely For Parys that dyd hyr falsly betraye And toke in hyr stede fayre Helen awape Se also Menelaus the Grekysse kynge For his wyfe Helene in greate mournynge And Hermon the fayre Horestes for to call And Laodome that standeth all apall Crye for hyr loue the good Protheossolaus And Irgia the faythfull for Pollynisus Here I pray the the greuous lamentynges The syghes the sorowes and the bewaylynges Of the myserable louers in this place That are brought into so dolorous case That there spyrytes they are about to rendre Unto the false God that is so sclendre I can not nowe tell the all the names That the false God of loue thus tames Not onely men that borne be mortall But also the hyghe greate Goddes supernall Are here in this greate and darke presse What shulde I any more nowe rehearse Se where Uenus doth stande with Mars Whose heade and legges the yron doth enbrase And Pluto and Preserpyne on the other syde And Iuno the ielyous for all hyr pryde And Apollo with his gaye golden lockes That gaue vnto Uenus scornes and mockes yet in Thessalia with this boyes fyrye darte This great God was pearsed to the harte And for conclusion the Goddes and Goddesses al Of whome Uarro doth make rehearsall Beholde how afore loues'chayre they goo Fast fettred and chayned from toppe to too And Iupiter hym selfe the great myghty kynge Amonge the other whiche is a maruelous thing ¶ The second Chapter of the Tryumphe of Loue. ALl musynge wyth greate admiration As one astonnyed to see the fasshyon Nowe here nowe there I loked all aboute To se the order of this greate huge route And as my harte from thought to thought past I sawe twayne together at a caste Hande in hand they went in the prease Reasonynge together they dyd not sease Theyr straunge habyte and theyr araye And theyr language more straunge I saye Was vnto me so darke and obscure That what they ment I knowe not be ye sure Tyll my felowe by his interpretation Of that whiche they talked made declaration And then when I knewe what they were Into theyr presence I drewe me nere And perceaued that the one spirite was Frende to the Romaynes that there dyd passe The to ther contrary a perpetuall foo I lefte hyr then and to the tother dyd goo and sayde O Masinissa I the praye For Scypyons sake which thou dydst loue alway And for Sophonysba that standeth the by That I am so bolde be thou not angrye To demaunde the what thou doest here Masinissa aunswered with a sad chere I do desyre to knowe what thou shulde be For it is I tel the a great wonder vnto me That thou doest spye my great affection whiche that I be are with suche dilection To this my loue and to my tother frende That desyre of me and I wyll condescende To all that thynge that thou wylt haue me do I aunswered gently O hyghe prynce not so My poore estate desyreth no suche mede A small lytle fyer farre of in dede Bryngeth forth but a small lyght But thy royall fame O noble knyght Is euery where blowen and spredde This duke afore whome thou arte ledde I praye the gently kynge expresse Whether he doth lede you both in peace You and Sophonysba for I suppose That twayne suche louers as together goese In all the worlde were harde to fynde He aunswered and sayde thy wordes are so kind That although thou knowe hole the case Of all my loue howe greuous that it was Yet wyll I tell the thy fancy to appease And thy mynde to set at rest and ease That noble Duke that onlye had my harte So true and sure and fast in euery parte That I in frendshyp with Lelins may compare Whersoeuer his worthy baner dyd fare There was I wyth that moste worthy knyght But not so fortunate as he deserued by ryght For full of goodnes and grace was he Aswell wyth soule as in the fayre bodye Nowe after the Romaynes by singler honoure Had sprede theyr armes by myght and power To the extreme partes of the occident Thither wyth this valeaunt Scipion I went There was I in loue fyrst taken than Wyth this Sophonisba this swete woman And she with me in such a feruent guyse That I affirme and with so true aduyse That neuer two louers loued better Nor two true louing hartes nor sweter Agreade in one nor yet neuer shall But the tyme of duryng alas it was but small For sone vanished away our louely chere As I tell the yf that thou wilt me here For albeit I toke her to my wyfe And thought with her to haue led my lyffe The bond was broken forthwith in twayne By his holy wordes that more myght certayne Then all the worlde in such faruente case The knot he losed and I my selfe gaue place And nowe wonder for I in hym dyd see So highe vertue in all kynde of degree That as I may say by good comparison He is all blynde that cannot see the sonne And albeit that iustice was offence To oure true loue yet his high prudence And his deare frendshyppe dyd me compell For to folo we his sage worthy councell In honour a very father was he And in loue a chylde in yche degree A brother in yeres which me constrayned Wyth heuy harte with sighes depe payned Scipio to obeye whereby my wyfe Was constrayned for to lose her lyfe And that wyllingly rather then she Into vyle seruitude brought should be And I my selfe the mynister was To my great doloure to execute this case So ardently she desired the death That I my selfe as the trueth sayeth To her prayer dyd then condiscend To my great heuynes this was the ende I sent her venyme for to drynke Wyth such a sorowe as thou mayest thynke Y feuer thou feltes of
lyke fyre thus dyd I loue in woo The fyre was kyndled in that most fayrest face Euen as a sycke man that an appetyte hase And desyreth that to hym semeth swete Yet to this helth it is nothynge mete Euen so was I vnto all other pleasure Deaf and blynde out of all measure Folowynge hyr by so doubtfull wayes That it to remember those tymes and dayes I tremble and quake when therof I do thynke More then I can wryte with pen paper and ynke So that from the tyme that this befell Myne eyes for moysture semed a well My harte was pensyfe my lodginge was in dede Brokes sprynges and ryuers so dyd I lede My lyfe in busshes in grouets and in woodes Amonge the stones I sought none other goodes And to this so many papers whyte As in hyr prayse I payned to endyte When after I tore them into peces smal I was compelled agayne to wryte them all And all in loues cloystre what is done I know it well it cannot be vndone That there is feare and there is hope also Who wyll it rede and take hede thereto In my forehead there maye ye se it playne All my sorowe my doloure and my payne And for all this that wylde ioly dame That is the causer of all this same Goeth afore me and careth not at all Whether that I flete I synke or fall So is she proude in vertue set so hye That in hyr selfe she taketh glorye To haue me so fast hyr seruaunt bounde That I knowe not howe to heale my wounde And to this it is a maruelouse thynge The God of loue this great myghtye kynge It seemeth of hyr he is soore afearde When that she lyst to loke hymin the bearde So that hope doth me so ofte forsake That loue hym selfe no remedy can make For when he wyll any thynge with this mayde She doth not as other do that are afrayde But as one that is free she goeth in the race Not bounde but at lydertie with hyr fayre face And no wondre for she doth appeare Emonge the starres as the Sonne cleare Hyr porte is synguler hyr wordes are maruelous Hyr heare spred as the golde moost beutiouse The eyen kyndled with a celestiall lyght That well content to burne is my delyght Who can compare with hyr angelyke demure It passeth my connyng ye maye be sure As muche as the Sea passeth a lytle broke For who on good maners doth prye and looke A newe thynge it is and not afore seene Nor after shall not so dulse and sheene So that all tounges hyr beutye to expresse Are and shalbe muete doubtelesse With suche a one am I taken and with hyr tyde And she free from all loue on euery syde O wycked starre that my destanye doth leade Howe is it that I haue no better speade Day and nyght vpon hyr I do call But she nothyng bouse to pytie at all Nor scant will tary to heare what I saye Alas for pytye well mourne I maye A harde lawe it is thus to loue be kynde The waye not ryght but crooked for to fynde But yet to folowe it why shulde I saye naye When that not onely men doth goe that waye But the Goddes also that be celestiall Are not free from this payne at all He that is a louer ful well knowes this How that the hart from the bodye departed is How nowe he is in warre and forthwith in peace Howe when his loue doth shewe vngentlenes He wyll not be aknowen but his malady hyde Thoughe that it prycke hym both backe and syde This euell feele I and yet more there to When with my loue I haue to do The bloude for feare renneth to my harte And streyght abroade in my vaynes doth starte I knowe also howe hydde vnder the floure The serpent lyeth the louer to deuoure How alwayes the louer lyeth in dread and doute In great suspecte for to be put oute By another and so no rest I take Neyther when I slepe nor when I wake I knowe also howe to seke the place Where my loue is ay wont to passe And yet I stand in feare hyr to fynde Althoughe hyr selfe is prynted in my mynde I knowe also my selfe howe to beguyle With louynge and mornynge a great whyle Folowynge the damesell it is euen so That wyll burne me folowyng yet after I go I knowe moreouer how loue cryes and calles And wyll not be shytte out with dores nor walles But puttes by reason and wyll not go awaye Tyll he pearce the harte and all I saye I knowe also how sâ—â—â— a gentle harte Is tyed with a small lace and cannot â–ª start When the sences haue the better hande And reason put by and wyll not withstande I knowe to this how that loue doth shote How he flyes and strykes without geuyng boote How he threateth and robbeth with forse might And thus wronges his seruauÌ„tes against alright and I am not ignorauÌ„t how vnstable is his whele The hope doubtfull alwayes for to fele The doloure sute his promyse vntrue Ay desyrous to chaunge for thynges newe And how to this in the bones doth rest The hyd fyre that lyeth so opprest In the louers vaynes and that with such a wouÌ„d That at the last it bryngeth hym to the ground In conclusion I know loue so to be Inconstaunt waueryng and fearefull trust me Hauyng in it a lytle small swetenes Mengled with extreme payne and bytternes When he woulde speake cannot though he would Sodeyne scilence when his tale should be tolde A shorte laughynge with complaynt styll longe Gall tempred with hony this is the louers songe ¶ The fourth Chapter of the Tryumphe of Loue. AFter that my fortune thus hade me broughte And loue soo sore in my hart wroughte That cut were al my weake sely vaynes My lybertie gone and I in wofull paynes I that afore was wylde as any harte Was made then tame for my parte As well as all the other that were there And well knew theyr trauayle and theyr fere And wyth what wyte crafte and chaunce I and they were brought to loues daunce And then as that I loked all aboute If I myght spye among that hudge route Any person of cleare and high name That by wryting haue eternall fame I sawe hym that Erudyce dyd call Apon Pluto the great god infernall And folowed her as these hystories tell Downe vnto the depe dongeon of hell And dying dyd his loue clepe and call I sawe also euyn among them all Alceo Macreon and the wyse Pyndarus That in loue were all thre studiouse Uyrgyll was there I say in lyke case Wyth other excellent poetes in that place The tone was Ouyde the tother Catullo Propercius also and eke Tubullo That of loue wrote many a verse and songe And with this excellent Poetes amonge Was a Grecian that with her swete style Of loue full many a songe dyd fyle Ay lokyng thus about me here and there I sawe in a grene fielde with sadde
the tother with pale face and colde Pygmalion was there among the reste With his wyfe Alyf that he loued best And amonge these I harde a thousande synge In Castallia where these Poetes brynge These louers with them more then I reherse In prose in ryme in metre and in verse And at the last Cydippe dyd I see Scorned with an apple there was she ¶ The thyrde chapter of the tryumphe of Loue. SO muche was my hearte a marueld of this syght That I stode styll as one that had no myght To speake or looke but to holde hys peace As desyreous to haue some councell doubtles When that my frende gentylly to me sayde Why doest thou muse Why arte thou dismayde Shewe forth a better chere and porte And se how that I am one of the sorte That wyll I nyll I must folowe the rest Brother sayde I and thou knowest best Myne entention and the hote loue I feale Whiche is so whote that it cannot keale So that suche busynes doth trauayle my mynde That what I wolde saye I leaue behynde He aunswered and sayde I do heare it all And well vnderstande by thy memoriall Thou wouldest knowe yet what these other be And I shall shewe thee yf thou wylte heare me Seest thou yondre great man of honoure That is Pompeus so great of power That hath with hym Cornelia the chaste Complaining of the vyle Tholome the vnstedfast That betrayed so noble and worthy a man The tother is the great and myghtie grecian Alexander the lorde of lordes all Egystus and Clytemistra see where they stall And howe by them one may soone fynde Loue vnconstant waueryng and blynde More faste loue founde she that standeth by Ipermistra it is that fayre swete ladye See also where Piramus doth goo And with hym Thisbe that he loued soo That in the derke mette oft together Leander in the see and Ero at the fenester And hym that thou doest se so pensyle and sadde It is Ulixes that so chaste a wyfe hadde That dyd longe abyde hys returne from Troy Nowe on Cyres he hath all his ioye And yonder man that thou doest aduerte That made all ytaly sore for to smerte It is Amilcar sonne in very deade That made all the Romaynes to feare and dread And althoughe he made yche man to quake A vyle wench prysoner doth hym take And yonder woman with the short heare Loke howe she foloweth here and there All though she were quene of Ponto Her husbande whersoeuer he doth goo As a seruaunte and not as a wyfe She ledde wyth hym a full harde lyfe The tother thou seest is Porcia the true The chastiste wyfe that euer man knewe Because that yron men dyd her forbyde The fyre she swallowed tyll she were dede Beholde where is Iulia that soore complayned That she best loued her husband vnfayned And yet he louide hys second wyfe better There could to her be no payne greater Turne thyne eyes on the other syde And see the olde holy father begylde And dysdayne not for to take the payne To serue seuen yeares to haue Rachell agayne O lyuely loue that with labour doth encrease See the father of this Iacob neuerthelesse And the graundefather of Sara take delyght Thus doth loue wyth his power and myght After loke howe loue cruell and euyll Ouercame Dauide and made hym to kyll His faythfull seruaunt which he repented sore In a derke place he dyd repentaunce therefore A lyke mysty cloude pyte to thynke vpon So â—erkyd the great wysedome of Salomon That well neare it quenched hys hygh fame Se also I praye the among the same He that louyde and hatyd in a whyle And it is he that Thamar dyd beguyle Wherefore she complayned to Absolone Of hyr mysfortune she made wondre mone And lytle afore hym see there he went The stronge Sampson that sore dyd repent For putting his heade in his loues lappe Tellyng her hys secretes he hadde hard happe After beholde amonge swordes and speares Iudeth that hent hym by the heares The proude Holiferne vanquished by loue Whereby she sauyde her citie from reproue There was no moo but she and hee mayde That dyd thys wonders acte at that abrayde Doest thou not see Sychen afore thine eyes Emonge the circumcysed people howe he dyes Scorned in lyke maner as the tother was Thys was loue that brought hym to that case Lo where thou mayest see the greate Assuerus That for to heale hys malady amarouse Left the tone and toke hym to a sweter There is no remedy agaynst loue better Then one nayle to knocke out with a nother A stronge example this is among the other But nowe wylt thou see in one tyrantes hart Loue and crueltie which is a diuers parte Beholde Herodes howe he doth complayne Thys myscheuouse tyrante inhumayne To late repentyd soo doth dyuers mo The deade ones done it cannot be vndoo Maryamne hys loue he calleth and clepeth And all in vayne wherefore he wepeth And lo there one may beholde and see Three fayre swete Dameselles where they be Pocry and the good gentle Arthemesia And in there companye there standeth Deidamin These were not soo good but the other be as yll That foloweth this loues tryumphe styll Semiramis and Biblia and Mirra the gent That of theyr vyle loue do soore repente I am not aduysed theyr offences to name Therefore I leue it for very pure shame Nowe foloweth then that fyll bokes wyth lyes Launslote and Trystram that for Ysode dyes And Quene Queynor with other louers moo But specially the fayre gentle Darmino That made for his loue great complaynte And she for hym wexed pale and faynte Thus spake my frende I which herkened well All these hystories that he to me dyd tell Stode astonied as in dreade and feare Of hurt to come that hastyth nere and nere Pale and wane as he that is so taken Oute of his tombe newe rysen and awaken When that all sodenly by me there stode The fayrest yonge mayden of face and mode That euer I sawe whyter then a doue Which vnprouided toke me soore in loue And although that I dyd pretende By strength agaynst her me to defende And that I would resyst in the place A man of armes in such a soden case Yet for hyr wordes and with her smyling there She bounde me fast and toke me prysoner And euyn then for trueth in that degree My frende drue nere and smyling sayde to me In my nere wysperyng nowe speake thou may What loue is and all her nyce playe Nowe mayest thou knowe it as well as I Both we be spottyd wyth one maladye I than was one of this great arraye That more dyd lament the trueth I saye Of other mens loue that prosperde well Then of myne owne doloure of which I tell And as he that repenteth all to late Of hurte taken vnwysely allgate So of my loues beautie dyd I make Myne owne death which wyllyngly I take By loue by ielozy by enuye also Burnynge
great soyle Awaye from the handes of them that were Louers in that companye there and there The sodeyne throwe that fierse Hannibal Had of Scipion the captayne generall Of the Romaynes when he had obteyned So many victories so many mayned Nor the great Golyas was not more abashed When with the stone his heade was dashed By Dauid yonge and tendre of age Nor Cirus more astonied in that rage When that the wydow the vengeaunce did make For the death of Hermon and for hyr loues sake As was loue whiche stode in the place Muche lyke after the fashion and case As he that thynkes hymselfe safe and sounde And with a pange doth fall to the grounde Euen so there dyd loue poorely stande Unto hys eyes puttynge vp his hande As he that both with angre and feare Euen with a moment appeared there And he so chaufed with his aduenture That the ragyouse Sea ye may be well sure Nor Mongebello nor yet Enchelydo Neuer more chaufed then he dyd tho Thus passed this great company gloryouse That I dyd se tryumphynge thus But theyr excellency for to declare My counynge and my wytte is all to bare I therfore wyll tourne to my fayre Ladye And to the rest of hyr chast company She had this excellent dame victoriouse A whyte vesture gaye and gloryouse The shielde in hande of pure Iasper cleane That euyll sawe Medusa that Quene With a pyller in the myddes fynely set A chayne with a Dyamount therto was fret And a Thopasion a preciouse stone Used sometyme and nowe cleane gone I sawe hyr there euen afore myne eyes So bynde loue in suche a wonderouse wyse That it semed vengeaunce I say ynowe To make hym stoupe to make hym for to bowe And I therefore dyd nothynge then repent What my loue dyd I was therwith content What more shulde I nowe saye or wryte It passeth my connyng it passeth my myght The sacred and holy virgins to tell Caliope and Clio I knowe it well With the rest of the muses nyne Shulde lacke eloquence that to defyne But parte of them of moost hygh honeste I wyll declare what persons they shulde be Lucrecia on the ryght hande there she stode And swete Penolope so mylde of mode These twayne had broken in pecis small Loues bowe his dartes arrowes and all And pulled his wynges quyte from hys backe Thus this greate God dyd go to wracke Uirginea with hir fierce father was there With swearde in hande and armed clere That chaunged the state of Rome towne And raysed vp libertie that was put downe And after that one myght beholde and se Of the Germaynes maydens a huge company That for to saue them from vyllany Were all contented with good wyll to dye Iudith the Ebrewe the wyse and the stronge With the Grekes Lady she was amonge That leped into the great perylious See To kepe hyr body from all vyllanye With these swete sorte I sawe diuers moo That in this tryumphe forth dyd goo Tryumphynge of Loue that tryumphed before Yet amonge other there sawe I more The meke vyrgyn of Uesca there she was That proued hyr chastitie by suche a case She bare fayre water in a large Seue Wherby she voyded all and yll repreue Hersilia also passed with that route Wyth all hir Sabyns that stode there aboute And emong these other fayre Ladyes free I sawe hyr of muche hyghe state and degree That for hyr husbande was content to dye And not for Eneas so affyrme I Let the vulgar people then holde theyr peace It is that Dydo that I do here rehearse That honest loue broughte vnto an ende And not vayne wanton loue that dyd her offende At the last I dyd se one of that lande Where as the large ryuer of Arno doth stande Closed hyr selfe vp in a secrete place To kepe hyr vyrgynitie but woo alas alas Hyr fayre thought by force it was lette There emonge other I sawe her sette This excellent tryumphe whereof I wryte Went with great glory euen forth ryght To Baia the seasone all softe and fayre To the place sometyme that Sibilla dyd repayre Callyd Cumana by her surname And from thens passyng by the same Streyght to Linterna that castell they went In that smale citie where it is bent Dwellyd that vallyaunt Romayne than That was surnamed Scipion the Affrican There the tone salutyd gently the tother And euermore among the one and the other Not she that was fayrest but chastyst and beste Was most honored among all the rest It pleased then this Romayne for to goo Among the other there in ordre also Unto the temple that Sulpicia made Where all the hole flame that loue hade They quenched it out and from thense all went Unto that fayre temple wyth good entent Of honorable chastitie so is the ryght name Because there appertayneth vnto the same To kyndle good wyll in a gentle harte Speciaily to noblenes that thereto doth aduert In that holy temple there offered this Lady The gloriouse spoyle of her high victorye And leues of the Laurell tre there dyd she spred Of hyr freshe garlande aboute her fayre hed There the younge louer the Toscan left asyde The wounde that was both large and syde That loue had geuen hym and all because To fle the suspect to folowe loues lawes Where as was with hym dyuerse other mo The gentle and faythfull true Ypolito And Iosephe the Ebrue honest and iuste That vanquisshed loue and all his foule luste ¶ The Tryumphe of the excellente Poete Fraunces Petrarcha of fearful death mooste elegantlye wrytten ye that reade it remember it THis most noble and mooste gloryouse Ladye That nowe is a spi rite in the earth doth lye And somtyme was the hygh pyller of valour Turned from hyr warre with laude and honour Gladde to haue ouer comen an enemy so great That with his wyt turneth all men vnder feet With none other armour she dyd this deade But with a chast hart at the tyme of nede With a swete face and with a clene thoughte And with an honest speche this hath she wrought It was a newe wondre for to beholde and se Loue to be ouercome in suche wyse and degre Hys bowe broken his arrowes cast asyde That slayne had so many men of pryde And taken prysoners infinite of men This noble Lady with hyr company then Turned as sayde is from that hygh victory All together going vnder a fayre canapye There was but fewe no meruayl at all Uertuous glory is rath and euer shall But those that were present in that place Eche one by them selues it is a playne case Semed well worthy of laude to reherse Of Poete or Oratour in prose or verse Hyr vyctoriouse standerde was this In a greene felde a whyte armyne is With a chayne of golde about his necke A fayre Topazion therto dyd it decke Nothynge after mortall mens rate Was nether theyr speche nor yet theyr gate But all deuyne for to beholde and se Happy are
queynte arraye Not vsyd amonge vs at this present daye Which made me wonder what persoÌ„s theishuld be As one glad to learne and some new thinges to se There sawe I a boye on a firye chayre on hyghte Drawen with foure coursers all mylke whight Wyth bowe in hande and arrowes sharpe keene Against whome no shylde nor helme so sheene Myght in no wyse the mortale stroke wythstand When he shote wyth his most dreadfull hande To this also a straunge sight to se Two wynges vpon his shoulders had he wyth coloures more then I can wryte or tell A thousande dyuers this I noted well And all the rest were nakyd to the skynne Aboute the chayre where that this boye was in Some laye there deade gapynge on the grounde Some with his dartes had taken meny a wound Some were prysoners and could not scape away But folowed styll the chayre nyght and day I that sawe this wonderfull straunge sight To know what it mente dyd that I myght Tyll at the last I dyd perceaue and se My selfe to be amonge that company So had loue led me on that dawnce That as it lyked her so must I take the chawnce I then among that great number in that place Lokyng here and there in eche mannes face Yf any of myne Acquayntaunce I coulde se But none was there except perchaunce that he By age or death or payne was chaunged quyte As that I neuer had hym knowen by syght Wyth folowing that great kyng in that houre That is the grounde and cause of all dolowre Thus all astonied as I loked here and there All sodenly afore me then dyd there appeare A shadowe much more sadde for to regarde Than all the reste that I had sene or harde This sayd shadowe called me by name And sayd by loue is gotten all this fame Whereat I marueyled and sayde to hym agayne How knowest thou me to learne I wold be faine For who thou arte I doo not knowe at all So wonderous derke is here this ayre and all That I can nether perceaue nor yet well se What man thou art nor whence y t thou should be To that anone this shadowe to me sayde I am thy frende thou nedest not be dismayde And borne in Toscane where y u was borne perdye Thyne auncient frende if that thou lyst to se His wordes whiche that I knewe by dayes paste By his speche I knewe hym at the last All though his face I coulde not then well se And thus in talkyng together went we And he beganne and thus to me dyd saye It is right longe and thereto many a day That I haue loked the my frynde to se Amonge vs here in this our companye For thy face was to me a token playne That ones thou shouldest know loues payne To whome I made aunswere and sayde These wordes by me they cannot be denayde But the sorowe the daunger and the dreade That louers haue at the ende for theyr meade So put me in feare that I left all asyde Leste that my seruyce should be cleane denyde Thus sayd I and when he well perceyued Myne entention and my wordes conceyued Smylynge he sayde what flame of fyre Hath loue kyndled in thy hartys desyre I vnderstode then lytle what he ment For his wordes vnto my heade then went As fyrme and fast sure set anone As they had bene prynted in a marbell stone And thus for the newe game that I begane I prayde hym tell me of verie gentlenes than What people these were that afore me went He aunswered bryfely to myne intente That I should knowe what they should be And be shortly one of theyr companye And that it was my destany and lotte That loue shoulde tye for me such a knotte That I shoulde fyrst chaunge my heade to graye Or that I coulde vnclose that knot away But to fulfyll thy yonge desyre sayth he I shall declare what kynde of men they be And fyrst of the capteynes of them all His maner playne declare the I shall This is he that loue the worlde doth name Bytter as thou shalt well conceyue the same And much the more when the tyme shall be That thou shalt be amonge this companie A meke chylde in his lustye yonge age And in elde one all full of rage Well knoweth he that thys hath prouyd When thou by hym art heaued and shoued Thy selfe shall well see and vnderstand What a maister thou hast then in hande This god hath his fyrst byrth of ydelnes Noryshed with mankyndes foly and wantones And of vayne thoughtes plesaunt and swete To a sage wyse man nothynge mete Callyd a god of the people most vayne All be it he geueth for theyr rewarde and payne Some the death forthwyth out of hande Some alonge tyme in miserye to stand To loue I say them that loues not hym Fast tyed and fetred both cheke and chynne Nowe haue I declared to the this goddes feste Nowe wyl I tell the in order of the reste Hym that thou seest that so lordely doth go And leadeth wyth hym his loue also It is the valeaunte Cesar Iulius Wyth hym is quene Cleopatra the beutiouse She tryumphes of hym and that is good ryghte That he that ouercame the worlde by myght Should hymselfe ouer commen be By his loue euen as thou mayest se The next vnto hym is his sonne deare The great Augustus that neuer had peare That louyde more iustly then Cesar playne By request hys Lynya he dyd obtayne The thyrde is the dyspytefull tyraunte Nero That furyously as thou seest doth go And yet a woman hym ouercame Wyth her regardes Lo she made hym tame Beholde the same is the good Marcus Worthy to haue prayse for his lyfe vertuouse Full of phylosophy both the tounge and breste Yet for Fausteyn he standeth as arreste The tother two that stand hym by That loke both twayne so fearefullye The tone is Denyse the tother Alexander That well was rewarded for his sâ—â—aunder The tother was he that soore complayned Under Autander wyth teares vnfayned The death of Crensa and toke awaye The loue from hym as the poete doth saye That toke from Enander his sone deare Among the rest thou mayest se hym here Hast thou harde euer reason heretofore Of one that neuer would consent more To hys stepmothers foull and shamefull desires But flye from her syght and her attyres But wo alas that same chast honest mynde Was his death as thou mayst playnely fynde Because she chaunged hyr loue vnto hate Phedra she hyght that caused the debate And yet was it hyr owne Death also A sore punyshment vnto both them two To the sens that deceyued Adryan Wherefore it is full often founde than That one that blameth another parde He hym selfe is more to blame then he And who so he be wythouten any doubte That by fraude or crafte doth go aboute Another that trusteth hym for to beguyle Yt is good reason that wyth that selfe wyle He be seruyd wyth that same
loues woo and payne That it semeth my harte wolde brest in twayne She knoweth this and so well knowe I Be thou the Iudge and thynk I do not lye Thus loste I my dere hope and luste To kepe my fayth and not to be vniuste Unto my Scipio nowe seke yf thou may Yf thou caust se in all this great arraye Or ells perceaue in all this louers daunce So wonderfull and so straunge a chaunce Wyth these wordes that he declared to me Calling to minde as I myght playnely se The hoote fyery loue betwixt them twayne My harte euen there so relentyde playne As doth the snowe agaynst the feruent sonne When that his beames to sprede he hath begonne And this as these twayne passed by I harde her say and that right hastely This felowe pleased me nothing at all I am determined ye and euer shall To hate hym and all his nacion When that I harde her speake of this facion I sayd Sophonisba I praye the be in peace For bryfelye the truth to the to reherse Two times the Romaynes thy cartage oppressed That as theyr subiectes to be they all confessed The thirde tyme they destroyde it cleane That nowe vnneth thereof is nothyng sene Sophonisba answered to me agayne With short wordes and in great disdaine Yf Aufrike wept Italie had no nede For to make bost of theyr lucky spede Aske those that your hystoryes do wryte For they the trueth of both perties do endite Thus they went both together in fere Among the great prease here and there Smiling and talkyng that I ne might No more of them haue after that a sight Then as one that at aduenture doth ride To knowe the right way on euery syde Nowe standeth nowe goeth nowe hyeth a pase Euen so my fancye at that time it was Doubtefull and desyring to knowe by proue Howe faruently these twayne dyd loue Tyll at the last as I cast myne eye Upon the lyft hande I sawe me by One that had this straunge effecte To seme angry because he dyd abiecte His wyffe which he loued aboue all other By pytie to geue her to a nother And reioysed much so for to doo And all together as louers they dyd goo Talkynge of this merueylouse case And of Syrya that countre where it was I drue me nere to these spirites thre That were aboute as farre as I can see To haue gone from thense another way And to the first of them thus dyd I say I pray you sayde I a whyle for to abyde A none the fyrste he dyd cast his heade asyde When that he harde me speake Italyan And wyth a ryght angrye countenaunce than He stode styll and streyght began to tell That which I thought to be a great maruell Thou desyrest my frende to knowe sayeth he What I am and what that I should be I am Selencus brifely to discus And this afore the is my sonne Antiocus Which had great warre with y e Romaines nation But right agaynste fierce hath no dominion This woman that thou sest was fyrst my wyfe And after was his for to saue hys lyfe It was then â—efull for vs so to doe Her name is Stratonica she was called so And oure chaunce by loue was thus deuyded And vnder this facyon the matter was guyded My sonne was contented to release to my hande His great kyngdome and all his large lande I vnto hym my loue and lady deare When that I sawe hym for to chaung his chere And day by daye to drawe vnto the death So that vnneth he myght not drawe his breath I maruayled muche what the cause shoulde be Secretely my wyfe for trueth loued he That not disclosinge his wofull payne My dere sonne by loue was well nere slayne And had ben deade but that the wyse phisician Disclosed to me the very cause than Of all his sycknes whiche he kept close Surely this came of a vertuouse purpose And of a wonderous fatherly pytie of me Sayinge these wordes awaye went he So that I coulde vnneth bydde hym farewell And this was all that then he dyd me tell After that the shadowe thus was gone Syghynge and sadde I made great mone Because I myght not to hym disclose my hart But styll as I stode thus musynge aparte I knowe that Zerzes the great kynge of Perce Whiche ledde an Army as hystories reherce Of men innumerable had neuer such a sort As there was of louers barrayne of comforte So that myne eyes coulde not well suffyse To se theyr straunge fashyons and theyr guyse Uaryable of tounges and of so dyuers landes That amonge a thousand one that there standes I knewe not theyr person nor theyr name Nor yet in hystorye coulde descryue the same Parseus was one and fayne I woulde desyre Howe Andromeda dyd hyr selfe so attyre That although she blacke were pardie Borne in Ethiope that whote countrie yet her fayre eyne and her cryspe heare This Parseus harte in loue so dyd steare That as his loue the virgyn dyd he take And neuer after dyd that mayde forsake There was also the folysh louer playne That loued his owne pycter vayne That therby vnwysely he was brought to death And after as the hystorye playnly sayth He was conuerted by the diuine power Unto a fayre goodly pleasaunt flower Without for to brynge any frute at all And by hym emong these louers thrall Was she that was turned vnto a stone And now aloude doth aunswer euery one When she is called with voyce clere Next vnto this Ecco that dyd appeare Was yphys that had her selfe in hate Wyth other dyuers in a full pyteouse state Whiche were to longe theyr names for to reherse Eyther in prose or elles in ryme or verse But yet of some I wyll declare and tell Of Alcione and Ceice that loued so well That loue they had so ioyned for euer That nothynge could make them to disseuer Nowe clepyng now kyssynge as they dyd flye Serchynge the kyngedome of Esperye Now restynge together on a salte stone And by the Sea theyr nestes to make alone And I sawe also amonge that great route As here and there I loked me about The cruell doughter of kynge Nysus With flyght she fledde which is maruelouse Allauta was amonge them in the presse With theyr gay golden apples doubtles She was vanquyshed yea and ouercome By Hyppomone lo this is all and some Glad he semed to haue had the vyctory And amonge the other of this companye I sawe Atys and Galathea in his lappe And Poliphemon with greate noyse and clappe And Glanco shouynge amonge the sorte Crying for his loue without comforte Carmenite and Pico of Italy sometyme kynge Turne to a byrde which was a meruelouse thing There sawe I also Egeria complayne Because Syllayn was turned certayne Into a greate harde rocke of stone Whiche in the sea maketh many to mone Amonge the other that I haue rehearsed Was Cauase by hyr father oppressed In the tone hande a penne dyd she holde A sworde in
chere People that of loue reasonyng went Dant with beatryce fayre and gent Lo on the tother syde I might also se Cino of Piscoia wyth hym trust me Guydo of Rezzo and in that place Two other Guydos in lyke manner and case The tone of them was borne in boleyne The tother was a very ryght Cicelien Senicio and Francisco so gentle-of condicion And Arnolde and Daniell in lyke facion A great maker and dyuyser of loue And dyd great honour to his Citie aboue There was Peter also the Clerke famouse And Rambaldo with his stile curiouse That wrote for his beatryce in mont ferrato The olde Peter and with hym Geraldo Filile to that in Marsill bare the name And the prayse from Geneway by the same Geffray Rudell that sought his death Alasse vpon the water as he hymselfe dyd passe There was also Wilbon at that houre That in wryting to his Peramoure Passyd many other in his dayes Among these other that of loue sayes Was Amerego Barnardo Hugo and Anselme That in stede of speare shilde and helme Was theyr tounge and theyr fayre speach The loue of theyr Ladyes to besech I turned myne eyes from that companye And streight wyse I dyd there espye The good Thomaso that gate great prayse In Boleyne that citie in hys dayse O fleyng swetenes O paynefull wery lyfe What chaunce hath taken wyth woo and strife These my deare fryndes away from me Why am I not styll in theyr company Well may I perceaue howe feble and frayle Is mans lyfe all full of trauayle Well may I say it is none other thing But as a dreame or a shadowe passyng Or as a fable that when it is tolde The wynde and whether doth it holde Unneth was a lytle past the rule Of the commen lernars in scole When fyrste I dyd Socrates workes se And Lelius howe fayre they dyd agree Wyth these men I entende styll to goo Which I haue named hether vnto As those whose laude no man can well rehearse Neyther in ryme in prose nor yet in verse Wyth these two and dyuerse other in my dayes Haue I searched many dyuers wayes And from these noo man can me deuyde But for alwayes I wyll wyth them abyde Untyll the houre come â–ª that I shall dye For wyth these two gotten yet haue I The gloriouse Laurell wherewith my heade As a garlande all aboute is spredde In memory of her of which I wryte Uerses of prayses as I can endyte But of her which I so much commend For all my seruyce that I do pretend I cannot get neyther boughe nor lefe But payne heauines doloure and grefe And or I wryte the cause why she doth so I wyll wryte of the pensyfe woo That these vnwyse louers haue to loue The thyng is so farre my wytte aboue That for great Omer or for wyse Orpheus It were well mete they shoulde it dyscusse Then in folowing of my golden penne I wyll declare howe I and all these men Folowing this god by Dykes and by Dales With peynes and busines and with many tales This chylde vnto his kyngdome came Where Uenus hys mother was resydent than But so ouerwhart thyder was the wayes By busshes and woodes and other brayes That not one amonge all wyste where he was Nor howe it was wyth hym nor in what case There lyeth beyonde Egeo that grete see A delectable yle to beholde and se Because the sonne softly doth it warme The byrdes there full swetely charme In the myddes of this yle now expressed Is there a mountayne fayre ydressed With fayre flowres and fayre cleare water That it taketh awaye all sadde matter From the hartes of suche as be there This is the lande to Uenus moost dere Wherein the olde auncient men Made to this Uenus a temple then And yet of vertue it is so barrayne I saye That as it was so it is at this daye In that selfe same place tryumpheth this Lorde Of vs and other that he doth bynde in corde Of all nations from Tyle vnto Inde Innumerable of all men one maye fynde This Prynce in token of his great victory That he hath obteyned of louers so gloriouslye Caryeth with hym of poore louers the spoyle To gyue to hys wanton mother in that soyle Fyrst of all the louers thoughtes in his lappe He hath with hym fast closed in a trappe Uanytie embraseth hym and with hym doth go Fugytyue pleasure doth folowe hym also In wynter Roses he caryeth about In Somer yse this great God so stoute Doutefull hope before and behynde Shorte Ioye wauerynge and blynde Penaunce and sorow doth folowe the rest As in Rome and in Troy when it was opprest Thus with a noyse and a huge shoute Redounded the valleye there all aboute With a consent of byrdes fayre and swete And the ryuers that ranne by the strete Were of coloure breifly to endyte Greene blewe redde yalowe and whyte And euer the Ryuars rynnyng in that place When that the tyme of greate heate was Apon the freshe fayre greene flowres To comforte the herbers and the bowres Shadowes softe to kepe the sonne away The wether temperate by nyght and daye The Sonne nether to hoote nor to colde Plenty of deynties eate who woulde And pleasures dyuers to make a symple wytte Haue an olde feble harte for to vse it It was about the Equinoctiall lyne than When the fayre bryght Phebus began To chase the longe wynter nyghtes awaye And prougne laughes early afore daye In that tyme and in that selfe howre This great God of so hyghe powre Woulde tryumphe then and there worshipped be O our vnstable fortune for to se We ne coulde but as this God vs leade Hym to worshyppe se howe we speade What death what sorow woo and payne Hath the louer his purpose to attayne Nowe for to declare this matter by and by This Goddes chayre where that they sat on hye There was about it errour and dreames And glosynge ymages of all nations and realmes False opynion was entrynge the gate And slypper hope stode by theyr ate Wery rest and rest with wo and payne The more hygher he clam the lesse he dyd obtayn Damnable lucre was not wantynge there Nor profitable hurte alwayes in fere Cleare dishonoure and glory obscure and darke False lealtie lefte not there to warke Nor beguyldynge fayth nor furious busynes Nor slowe reason lacked not in the presse A pryson open entre who woulde When he was in gotten oute he ne coulde Within trouble confusion and mysery A sure sorowe a myrth vncertaynly Lyppary nor Ischa nor Uolcan boyls not so Strongile and Mongebell put therto As boyled the place where the castell was And briefly whosoeuer thyther dyd pas Is there bounde in hote and in colde In darkenesse euerlastynge in that holde Holden and tyed and kept by forse Crying for mercy tyll that he be horse In this castell syghynge for Sorga and Arno Was I prysoner many a longe daye so That by my wytte I coulde no meanes fynde
Oute for to gette there I was so blynde One remedye at the leaste there I founde Whyles that I was in loue thus bounde My wytte on hyghe thynges was euermore set To knowe what loue is whiche was so great That I therby coulde well discerne What was to be done in suche harme And thus hauynge great compassion Of suche that were in loues pryson My harte relented euen as doth the snowe Agaynst the hoote Sonne ye may me trowe Merueylynge to se so many noble men To be in so darke a pryson there and then None otherwyse but as one that doth se A pycture well made in conformyte Goeth the foote forwarde it for to espye And yet loketh backwarde with his eye So at that tyme I loked all aboute To consydre this greate companye and route ¶ The ende of the Tryumphe of Loue. ¶ The excellent Tryumphe of Chastitie WHen that I sawe euyn afore my face In one tyme and in one Selfe place The hyghe god that reigneth aboue And men mortall subdewede also by loue By theyr example and by there great â—all Some profyte to my selfe then dyd I call And some comeforte it was also to me Euen as other were I for to be When Phebus a god was taken in that lure And the yonge Leader a man pure Both twayne strycken wyth loues darte And Iuno and Dydo lasyd with that parte Not that Dydo that men doth wryte That for Eneas wyth death was dyte But that noble Lady true and iuste For Sychen her ioye and hartes luste I ought not to morne thoughe that vnware I were taken in loues craftie snare Being but a very yonge man of age For to be vanquished wyth such a rage And yf that my Lady that I loue best Wyll not with loue in no wyse be opprest But be mine enemies in such a thyng I haue no cause of great mournyng For as muche as I do call to mynde What hurt by that that she should fynde I knowe also that by her reason She doth so guyde her in eche season That loue by her is so abatyd That it doth seme this god is hatyd Which when that loue dyd playnely se He was so chafed trust ye well me That the lyghtnyng that falles from the skye And beryth downe all euen by and by Nor the lyon soo woode in his rage So assayde not that tyme for to assuage Wyth all his argumentes that he coulde make This Lady I reason of prysoner to take Nor she agayne I say for her parte When that she well and wisely dyd aduert What Cupyde was aboute wyth her to do The whurling wind flieth not so faste so As she agaynst hym wyth vertue went Tolet this great god of his intent What should I say Etna that hyll That boyleth and burneth euermore still Maketh not a more terrible soune When that Enchelado would shake it downe Nor Sylla nor Carrybdys when angry they be Then loue assayde you may trust me To wyne my Lady in suche wyse When that he sawe hyr loue dyspyse Eche man there drue hymselfe aparte The great horrible stryfe for to aduert Up to a place that were meruelously hye To loke to what ende this should applye Thys god that the vanquer as is tolde Of mortall men both of yonge and olde Toke in his ryght hand Arrowe sharpe and kene And in the tother a bowe bryght and shene And drewe it vp this Lady to feare In great hast and anger vp to his eare And this dyd he in such great violence That a Leoparde that maketh pretence The fugytyfe hart for to cache and take Coulde not more hasty haste make Then loue dyd wyth his fyery face This fayre Lady with craft to compase I that sawe the maner and the guyse Was soore moued in double wyse Pyte ferde me lest that I shoulde se So swete a Creature vanquished for to be Desyre agayne would haue be gladde That I my purpose myght then haue hadde But vertue that with the good is euer Shewed at that tyme that he dyd neuer Forsake hym that hym doth truste This fayre Lady my hartes luste When she dyd se the stroke at hande Was neuer mayster that doth withstand In the shyppe on the parlouse Rocke to fall Then she that then and forth with all Dyd awaye from loues stroke glyde Wyth such a honestie one euery parte and syde Which then apperyd in her swete face That loues fyery darte had there no place I that stode styll with wonderouse sadde entent To se wher vnto this matter went Hopyng the vyctorie to me should fall And that I shulde he hyrse hole and all As one that hath or he would speake Wrytten in hys heade and harte eke What he wolde say euen so do I Thynke to say euen by and by My lorde yf that you wynne the fyelde Bynde me with her for I doo yelde And let me neuer from her depart Whyles that the lyfe is in my harte And yf that vnworthy that I be To be with this Lady in company All though for euer in loue I dure Here styll wyth you do tye me sure Whyles that I mynded thus for to saye She loked on me that moste swete may Wyth such a graue and a wyse sadde chere That for to speake it I dreade and feare For I not onely that haue smale wytte But that man also for to declare it That had the moste excellent wytte and reason Should haue marueyled at that tyme season For this loues golden and fyery shafte Euen by it selfe there it fell aparte Seyng the honestie as I haue here tolde In my loues breste that then was colde So that Camilla that fayre ladye gent That with the lyfte brest to battell went Nor Cesar in Tessalia agaynst Pompeus Was nothyng to speake of so Ualerouse As she was agaynst loue there and than That euery stronge shielde breake it can Armed was she with all her route With vertues compassed all about O what a gloryouse bande there was That agaynst loue with hyr dyd passe Twayne and twayne and hande in hande This noble army together dyd stande Honestie and shamefastnesse they went before A great gyfte of God for euermore That made this Lady for to shewe and shyne Not lyke no mortall but lyke deuyne Wyt and sobernes folowed the trace Well set in hyr harte without arrace And perseueraunce came with the reste Whiche kept her honour not to be opprest Fayre entreatynge was not behynde Nor clemesse nor curtesy that is so kynde Purytie of heart and feare of shame Was there in presence loue to tame Olde wyse thoughtes in a yonge tender age And gratiouse concorde all fury to asswage And beuty lacked not with a chast clene thoughte All these agaynst loue my Lady broughte With the fauoure of heauen that halpe therto And the blessed holy saynetes ayde also That vnneth my syght coulde well susteyne To se suche a company in that playne There sawe I this felowshyp take the spoyle A thousande palmes in that
light Had you euer pitie in your harte Of my greate sorowes and paynes smarte Not leauynge aparte your hygh chast wayes Whiche that you vsed with me alwayes Nowe shewynge to me a swete dysdayne Nowe a swete angre to double my payne Nowe shewynge a peax wrytten in your eyes That hylde me so tyed and in suche wyse That doubtfull I was in what case I stoode Many yeares thus I in loue abode Scant had I these wordes to hyr sayde When that I sawe euen at a brayde That swete smylyng and fayre countenaunce That somtyme was my ioye and plesaunce My comforte my lust and my reioysinge In this wise to me moste graciouse speking From the my hart was neuer deuyded Nor neuer shall but that I prouided Dyuers tymes with my wyse regard I tempered thy loue y t well neer thou had marde Because there was as than none other way Oure feruent loue with honest for to stay Therefore in lyke case as thou sest a mother Correcte her deare chylde for no nother But all to brynge her to good frame Euen so dyd I then vse the same And sayde to my selfe full many a season This man not louys but burnes out of reason Wherefore it behoueth me for to prouyde In this hard daungerouse case on euery syde And surely full euyll prouydeth he That loketh outwarde and doth not se What is inwarde in such a peryllous case This in my pitefull harte toke then place And thys to the as a brydell was than As thou seest by a horse reuled by a man Wherefore somtime I shewed me wonders glade Somtyme agayne to be as sober and sadde And yet I loued as hoote and true as you Allwayes sauing the chosen honest dowe Which soo my will than and euer opprest That reason reulde my desyre at the lest And when that agayne I dyd beholde and se Thy sorowe to greuouse and paynefull for to be Swetely and gently on the myne eyes I sett Thy helth and welfayre agayne for to gett Thys was euer my wise honest wayes That I honestly vsed with the in those dayes And when I sawe the teres droppyng auayle Downe thy pale chekes lyke vnto the hayle Then I dyd pray and softly then I sayde Here it is necessarye I geue anone an ayde And when that thou were forthwith agayne Into to much hope my loue for to attayne Anone vnto my selfe euen thus sayde I Here of necessitie must be had a remedye A harde and strayt byt I muste nowe put to Thus with dyuers colours many mo Myth hoote with grene with golde with white I kepte the alwayes styll in honest plyte Thou knowest this well and hast it tolde And in many a swete sonet it encolde When she had sayde these wordes to me playne With tremblyng voyce I sayd to her agayne Your wordes to me should be passyng were For the greate loue and most fetuant here That I haue euer borne my ioy to you If I beleuyde them faythfully to be true O vnfaythfull man then answered she Why shoulde I say these wordes vnto the If that my wordes were not true and iuste Nowe then I tell the disclose my hart I muste If in this world lyuing to my sight I toke in the luste pleasure and delight I kept it secret where thou I say agayne Thy loue to all men dydest make it playne There was no dyfference in our loue at all But that my true loue was ioyned all In moost honest wyse so for to be But nowe one thynge I wyll demaunde of the When that thy swete balettes I dyd synge Dyddest thou then doubte of me in any thynge I thynke playnly nay and therfore thus Though for a tyme I was contrarius By louynge straunge and semyng so to be A thousande tymes thou mayst trust me With my thoughte alwayes so I farde Thou haddest of me an inwarde swete regarde And more thy mynde at that tyme to appease I wyl tell the that thynge that shal the please It greueth me sore that I was not borne By thy fayre citie I saye to the therforne Althoughe my countre full pleasaunt be I woulde my nest had ben nere to the Lest that percase thy mynde shulde chaunge And loue some other amonge so great a raunge To these wordes no worde then I sayd The thyrde celestial speare had so arrayde And lyfte in loue so sore my louynge thought That aunswer hyr at that tyme coulde I nought Then she to me with a benigne loue and chere I haue in this world by the great honour here And shal haue alwaye marke wel what I shal say The nyght is past now commeth the bryght daye Yf that to me thou wylt more saye swete hart Be short I byd the for I must hence departe O sayde I myne owne swete Lady dere For al the sorowe and payne I haue had here In louinge you these wordes so fayre and swete Doth recompence my loue and makes all mete But from you thus for to be seperate playne Is vnto me a deadly mortall payne But one thynge nowe to me you must declare Or that ye from my wofull presence fare Shall I lyue longe tell me after you Or shortly as I woulde O Lady you ensue She aunswered gently as farre as she coulde tell Longe after hyr on earth here should I dwell ¶ The ende of the Tryumphe of Death ⧠The excellent Tryumphe of Fame AFter that deathe had triumphed in that face Which often of me had tryumphed in lyke case And that the sonne of our world was dead and past This ougly and di spytefull beaste at the last Pale and horrible and proude for to se With hyr blacke baner awaye goeth she When that she had extincte our quyte Of perfyt beutye the very clere lyght Then as I dyd loke about on euery part Commyng towardes me there I dyd aduert Hyr that mans lyfe for euer doth saue And pulleth hym out alyue from his graue This gloryous fayre Lady muche lyke was she Unto that bryght starre that goeth trust me In the orient or the cleare day appeare Euen in lyke maner was this Ladyes chere So that there is no mayster in no Scole Can take vpon them to descrybt that Sole That I go aboute with symple wordes to tell So muche great in glory ths Lady dyd excell That all the element about her dyd shyne Not as a mortall but lyke a thyng deuyne Grauen in theyr foreheades were the names Of the honorable people whose hyghe fames By valure and vertue can neuer dye Folowynge this noble fame there sawe I Many of those of whyche I tofore haue rehersed That by loue as sayd is were sore oppressed On her ryght hand there fyrst in my syght Was Cesar and Scipion that honorable knyghte But which of them twayne next to fame was I do not remember but there they both dyd pas The tone in vertue the tother in loue Was taken though he semed somewhat aboue And then forthwith was shewed vnto me After these twayne
blame That haue not or nowe remembred the same The faulte is in me that longe I say or this Shuld haue considered my great foly I wys And so opened myne eyes not fallen to slothe To haue perceyued and knowen the troughe In differing my lyfe vnto the last combrous age Which by course of tyme continually do asswage But slowe was neuer the deuyne grace To call me to goodnes and vertue apase In hym I put my trust that yet in me shall be High operacion from all euell to flye Thus with my selfe disputing to and froo I thought euen very thus yf that it be soo These thinges that in this wise turne about y e ski And guides gouernes it in ordre so merueloussi After so much turnyng and reuoluing to and froo What ende shall I haue I would fayne knowe soo And as that I was solitarie in this meditacione It semed to me I sawe a wonderfull facion I newe fayre worlde stable and eterne And this olde world that semeth so ferme The sonne and the stares and the heauen rounde And the great se also with the earth and ground To vanyshe clene awaye in theyr rome place A newe merier world made by godes grace What great trowe ye then admiracion had I When I sawe the sonne firmament and the skye Stand fyrme on one fote sure stable and faste That with his swyft course runnyng at the laste Changed all thinges mortall and then restrained His thre partes brought to one part vnfayned And then no distinction no difference of them at al But the herbe and grasse and flowers with all All bareyne and bare before and behynde Which variacion doth naturally behynde Much bitter sorowe to our nature frayle All at ones together then and there to fayle Then the thought passeth as the sonne the glasse And much more for nothing the powre hase It for to holde or elles for to restrayne O what grace shall that be for man to attayne To se in that place the euerlasting god And none euell at all which of the tyme woode Onely commeth and goeth here and there To be out of doubte of all dread and feare The sonne than shall haue no more his place Neyther in the hornyd bull nor in lyke case In the fyshe in which two variable sygnes Uarieth the yerbes the season and the tymes Nowe we do sowe and after we do reape Nowe creasynge nowe discresing so is our heape But happye and blessed be those spirites certenly That be found in that holy state eternally Sure and very certayne in honor to encrease Without terme or tyme neuer to sease O howe happye is he that fyndeth that way To passe this Rabidus and dul passage I say That is called in this vnstable world a lyfe And is so troublouse and so ful of stryfe Blynd and wretched I say are the mortal That hoopeth in thynges that sone doth fall Which tyme taketh away with a thought And turneth al our fancis and foly to nought Surely they are both vnwise deffe and frayle Poore of iudgment and of Counsayle Yea worse then like in dead wretched therto That doth not as our deutie is regard hym so That with his becke may trouble and appease The clementes al as it doth hym please Whome to honour we are not bound onlye But the Aungels that sit in the heauen hye Are contented of the thousand partes as one With y e sight of his godhed in his gloriouse trone And so stand stedfast with a feruent Intention Are not our myndes then worthy of reprehenciō To loke on that which in the very ende Commeth to no profite therevnto to pretende For that which we so fast gather together With much paine in mani years hether thether With great and troubles cumbrance of mynd To day and to morowe at the last we fynde As the shadowe doth passe away and glyde Euen at the poynt so shall all our pryde Then remember ye well I truly counsell this That after goddes great dreadfull iudgement is Was and shalbe shall haue no more time and place But one eternitie together in one selfe space Nor further there shalbe none obiecte at all To hurte by our sight our weake memoriall Which is the occacion and the very cause Many an vnprudent person in vanitie to pause That the lyfe present semeth but a playe Thinking they are to morowe as to day But then all otherwyse shalbe no diuision at all But litle and litle the hole vniuersall Shalbe together and wynter and somer paste And tyme quiete gone and no lenger laste Nor these yeares y t we do nowe presently name Shall haue nomore the domynion of fame But ones theyr famouse that shall neuer disseuer But in eternitie to endure famouse foreuer O happie are those soules that are in that way Of which so much I nowe speake of and say In ioy glory and rest styll to Endure That are and shalbe perpetually so sure And amonge the other that so gracious be Most blessed of all other playnly is she That cruell death kylled or she came to age There shalbe seene in that angelyke vysage The honest wordes the thought cleane and chast That nature had set in her in olde tymes past And forbecause that euery thought and thynge Is playne and manyfest to the eternall kynge When the blessed elect soules turned be Unto the moost happy state of theyr fyrst degre With the poyntinge of the fynger euen then Shalbe sayde how where and also when Lo this is he whiche that loue deteyned And longe and many a day lamēted complained And yet was most fortunate for to se the cheare Aboue al other ioyes in the world of his lady dere And she also of whome that wepyng I synge Shall of her selfe haue greate maruelyng To beholde and fele in euery wyse and degre Her selfe aboue all other in Ioy and felicitie When this shalbe God wote I cannot tell But she that is nygh of the great goddes councel This hygh preuy secrete in parte doth know And for to declare and tel that I trowe It is as I do ymagin very nygh at hande And when that commeth men shal vnderstande How euyl they theyr wanton tyme haue spent In gettyng worldly goodes landes and rent Wenyng for euer them to holde and possesse And yet for the final conclusion it is doubtles They shal se them selues in very dede Mockt and scorned to trust vnto suche mede No secrete nor hyd thing shalbe then and there But all secretes vnshote open playne and cleare All our conscience whether it be bright or darke Before al the world shall appeare our werke And then y e myghtie and gloriouse king celestiall That in his fearefull Iudgment is not percial As reason is and as it ought to be His wise Iudgment therto shall agre And when that sentence is both gone and past Eche man his viage with great dread and hast As the wylde beastes that hast them fast to flye Afore the