fayth and troth fixed approoued vniust Sing willow willow will Are you shée which constant for euer would stand And yet will you giue mée the willow Garland Willow willow willow singe all of gréene willow Sing all of gréene willow shall bée my Garland What motion hath moude you to maske in delight Sing all of gréene willow What toy haue you taken why séeme you to spight Sing willow willow willow Your loue which was ready for aye to indure Willow willow willow willow According to promise most constant and sure Willow willow willow willow What gallant you conquerd what youth mooude your minds Sing all of gréene willow To leaue your olde Louer and bée so vnkinde Singe willow willow willow To him which you plighted both fayth troth and hand For euer yet giues mee the willow Garland Willow willow willow singe all of greene willow Sing all of greene willow shall bee my Garland Hath wealth you allured the which I doo want Sing all of greene willow Hath pleasant deuises compeld you recant Sing willow willow willow Hath feature forste you your words to deny Willow willow willow willow Or is it your fashion to cog and to lye Willow willow willow willow What are your sweet smiles quite turnd into lowres Sing all of green willow Or is it your order to change them by howres Sing willow willow willow What haue you sufficient thinke you in your hand To pay for the making of my willow Garland Willow willow willow singe all of greene willow Sing all of greene willow shall bee my Garland Farewell then most fickle vntrue and vniust Sing all of greene willow Thy deedes are yll dealings in thee is no trust Willow willow willow willow Thy vowes are vncertayne thy wordes are but winde Willow willow willow willow God graunt thy new louer more trusty thee finde Willow willow willow willow Be warned then gallants by proofe I vnfolde Sing willow willow willow Mayds loue is vncertayne soone hot and soone colde Sing willow willow willow They turne as the reed not trusty they stand Which makes mee to weare the willow Garland Willow willow willow singe all of greene willow Sing all of greene willow shall bee my Garland FINIS A gloze of fawning freendship NOw cease to sing your Syren songes I leaue ech braue delight Attempt no more the wounded corps which late felt fortunes spight But rather helpe to rue with sorowing sobs come mone My lucklesse losse from wealth to woe by fickle fortune throwne I once had freends good store for loue no drosse I tryde For hauing lost my goods on Seas my freends would not abide Yet hauing neede I went to one of all I trusted moste To get releefe hee answerd thus go packe thou peuish poste His wordes did pearce my tender brest and I as mazde did stand Requesting him with pitteous plaints to giue his helping hand Content thy selfe quoth hee to serue my owne estate I haue not I yet am I greeu'd to see thy lucklesse fate Ah fie of fawning freends whose eyes attentiue bee To watch and warde for lukers sake with cap and bended knee Would God I had not knowne their sweet and sugered speach Then had my greefe the lesser bin experience mee doth teach FINIS A Maze of Maydens WHo goes to gaze of euery gallant girle And castes his eyes at euery glauncing gloze Whose masking minde with euery motion moou'd In fine shall finde his fancy fraught with woes For pleasure spent is but a wishing vayne By crooked chaunce depriude of braue delight Cut of by care a heape of hurtfull harmes Our gaze vngaynd which whilome pleasde our sight Our baunts doo vade our pleasures passe away Our sugerest swéetes reapes sorowing sobs in fine Our braggest boast of beauties brauest blaze To forowed browes doth at the length resigne Our foolish fancy filde with filthy vice Pursues his hurt vnto anothers harmes A houering hart with euery gloze enticed gaynes lothsome-loue whence nought but sorow swarmes Leaue then to gaze of euery glauncing gloze Contemne the sleights of beauties sugerest bate Whose outward sheath with colours braue imbost Shuns cruell craft and enuious hurtfull hate FINIS A short Epistle written in the behalfe of N.B. to M.H. DEare Lady deckt with cumlynesse To counteruayle my clemency Bee prest I pray in readynesse To yeeld your courteous curtesie Let mee you finde Penelope In minde and loyall hart So shall I your Vlisses bée Till breathing lyfe depart Yelde loue for loue to him who lykes To liue in lynckes of loyalty And graunt him grace who nothing séekes For his good will but curtesy Let mee your bondmen fauour â—nde To gratefie my willing harte Whom no attempt to please your minde Shall hynder mee to play my parte Permit mee not in lingring sorte To labour in a barrayn soyle Ne giue occasion to reporte How loytryng loue reapes troubled toyle But let mee say my hart obtaynd The gloze which pleasd my glauncing eyes And that I haue for guerdon gaynd The best that in my Lady lyes So shall I boast of that which best Doth please the prime of my desire And glory in a gayned rest Which through your fauour I aspire FINIS A vew of vayn glory WHat motion more may mooue a man to minde His owne estate then proofe whose dayes vnsure Accounted are vnto a puffe of winde A breathing blast whose force can not endure Whose lyuely showes consumes whose pompe decayes Whose glory dyes whose pleasures soone be spent Whose stoutest strength to weakenes subiect stayes Whose thoughts bee vaine and vade as though vnment What haue wée then to vaunt or glory in Sith all is vayne wherin wée take delight Why should wée boast or brag sith nought wée win In fine but death to whom yéeldes euery wight To equall state hée bringeth each degrée Hée feareth none all subiects yéeldes to death To dâ—nkish dust hée driueth all wée sée Which in the world enioyeth any breath Why vaunt wée then in that wée sée is vayne Or take delight in that wée proue but drosse Why glory wee or séeke for golden gayne Sith at the length wee reape therof but losse Wée lothe to leaue our hutches filde with golde Our annual rents it gréeues vs to forgo Our buildings braue which glads vs to beholde Our pleasant sport it gréeues vs to forgo Wée nothing brought ne ought shall carry hence Lyfe lost behinde goods mony land wée leaue And naked shall returne assured whence Before wée came when death doth life bereaue Line then to leaue thy life in euery howâ—r Learne how to lead thy minde from vayne desire Of filthy drosse whose sugerest sweet is sower When dreadfull death shall yéeld our earthly hire What is our world but vayne fraught full of vice Wherin wée liue allured by disceat Which vs in youth to error doth entice And sturs vs vp in flamed by follyes heat Our mindes are mooued with euery fond desire Wee gloze in that the which wée see vnsure Wée vsuall séeke great
vnbridled time Olde Age is lothd with folly ouer grown Yonge yeres dispisde cut of in sprowting prime Experience learne let elder lyues thee lead In lyuely yeres thy fickle steps to guide Least vnawares such vncoth paths thou tread Which filthy be thought pleasant to be eyde In calmest Seas the deepest Whorepooles bee In greenest Grasse the lurking Adder lyes With eger sting the sugerest sap wee see Smooth wordes deceiue learne therfore to bee wise FINIS Inuidus alterius rebus macrescit opimis THe greedy man whose hart with hate doth swell Because hee sees his neyghbors good estate Liues vncontent with what might serue him well And eftsoones seemes to blame sufficient fate This grudging gluton glut with goulden gayne To serue his vse although hee hath enough Repines at that which others get with payne So that himselfe therby hee doth abuse Hee thinkes that much which passeth by his claw And findes a fault for it through luckles hap Although the matter valueth scarce a straw Hee deemes it small of gaine that giues no sap Hee thinkes his store shall serue his senâ—lesse corse Or that no death at all hee deemes there bee Els would hee to his conscience haue remorse And seeke to liue content with his degree For what auayles to horde vp heapes of drosse Or seeke to please vnsaciate fond desire Considering that t is subiect vnto losse And wee therby yll got deserues Hell fire From which O Lord conduct vs with thy hand And giue vs grace to liue vnto thy prayse Preserue our Queene his subiects and her land And graunt in peace shee raigne here Nestors dayes FINIS The reward of Whoredome by the fall of Helen FRom Limbo Lake where dismall féendes do lye Where Pluto raignes perpend Helenas cry Where firy flames where pittious howlings bee Where bodyes burne from thence giue eare to mee I am Helena shée for whose vilde filthy fact The stately Towers of Troy the hauty Grecians sacte High Troy whose pompe throughout the world did sound In Cinders low through mee was layd on ground Kinge Priamus through mée did end his life And Troians all almost I was the cause of strife I am that Dame whose beauty passing braue Dame Venus praysde the golden Pome to haue Whose feature forste Sir Paris boyling brest To leaue his land and seeke to be my guest That trull which tost the surging Seas a maine From Grecian shoare to Troy vnto my paine That flurt whose gallant sproutinge prime Through vilde abuse â–ª was scorcht ere auncient time I vertue shund I lothd a modest mynde I wayd not fame my beauty made mee blinde Each braue delight my masking minde allurde My fancy déemed my beauties gloze assurde Such worthy fame did sound of Helens hue Although my déedes reapt shame and guerdon due In gorgious plumes I maskt puft vp with pride In braue delights I liu'd my fancy was my guide But fie of filth your world is all but vayne Your pomp consumes your deeds shall guerdon gaine See here by mee whose beauty might haue boast For splendant hue throughout each forrain coast But what preuayles to vaunt of beauties glose Or brag of pride wheron dishonor growes If I had vsde my gifts in vertues lore And modest liud my prayse had bin the more Where now too late I lothe my life lewd spent And wish I had with vertue bin content FINIS T. P. A Louers lyfe THe tedious toyle the cares which Louers taste The troubled thoughts which moues their mindes to feare The pinching pangs the dole which seemes to waste Their lothsome life déepe plungd in gulfes of care Would mooue ech shun such snares of vayne delight Which irksome be though pleasant to the sight The minde full fraught with care enioyes no ease A boyling brest desires vnlawfull lust The hart would haue what best the minde doth please And fancy craues the thing which is vniust Beside eche frown which eftsoones moues them déeme They abiect are if sad their Louers séeme Or if occasion shun their vsuall sight Not seene they thinke themselues vnminded bée And then in dumps as mazd they leaue delight And yéeld to greefe till one eche others see So that with feare their mindes are alwayes fraught That liue in loue experience some hath taught Eche lowring frown from mirth doth moue the minde One iesting worde procures a thousand woes So that lyke gréefe or more through sight they finde Then absence sure such cares fro fancy flowes Such goring gripes such heapes of hideous harmes Such sorowing sobs from daunted louers swarmes Rosamond a spowsed Dame her husbands death procurde For speaking but a worde in iest Itrascus too full thyrty yeares indurde The panges of loue within his boyling brest So that in gréefe they harbor still their mindes are cloyd with care They diue in dole they plunge in payne liue in cruell feare And diuers moe as Axeres whose beauty passing faire So Iphis hart and boyling brest allurde That for her sake hée liude in extreame care And cruell gréefe while breathing breath indurde But at the length disdayne vpon a trée Hée honge himselfe where shâ—e his corps might sée FINIS ¶ A Louer approuing his Lady vnkinde Is forsed vnwilling to vtter his minde Willow willow willow singe all of gréene willow Sing all of gréene willow shall bée my Garland MY loue what mislyking in mée do you finde Sing all of gréene willow That on such a soddayn you alter your minde Sing willow willow willow What cause doth compell you so fickle to bée Willow willow willow willow In hart which you plighted most loyall to mée Willow willow willow willow I faythfully fixed my fayth to remayne Sing all of gréene willow In hope I as constant should finde you agayne Sing willow willow willow But periurde as Iason you faythlesse I finde Which makes mee vnwilling to vtter my minde Willow willow willow singe all of gréene willow Sing all of greene willow shall bee my Garland Your beauty braue decked with showes gallant gay Sing all of greene willow Allured my fancy I could not say nay Sing willow willow willow Your phrases fine philed did force mée agrée Willow willow willow willow In hope as you promis'd you loyall would bée Willow willow willow willow But now you be frisking you list not abide Sing all of greene willow Your vow most vnconstant and faythlesse is tride Sing willow willow willow Your wordes are vncertayne not trusty you stand Which makes mée to weare the willow Garland Willow willow willow sing all of greene willow Sing all of gréene willow shall bée my Garland Hath Light of loue luld you so softe in her lap Sing all of gréene willow Hath fancy prouokte you did loue you intrap Sing willow willow willow That now you be flurting and will not abide Willow willow willow willow To mée which most trusty in time should haue tride Willow willow willow willow Is modest demeanure thus turnd to vntrust Sing all of greene willow Are
own while I haue liuing breath What heapes of haples hopes on me shall chance to fall So thou doo liue in blisfull state no force for mée at all Amid my greatest greefe the greatest care I haue Is how to wish and will thée good and most thy honor saue Bee faythfull found therfore bée constant true and iust If thou betray thy louing fréend whom hensforth shall I trust When shal I speake with thee when shal I thee imbrace When will the gods appease their wrath when shal I haue sutch grace Hath Ioue forgotten dame Lede for loue and how hee prayed her Transformed like a swan at length the séely soule hee trayde her When faire fresh Danae was closed vp in tower Did hee not raine himselfe a drop amidst the golden shower And fell into her lap from top of chimney hiâ— The great delight of his long loue hee did attaine thereby What cruell gods be these what trespasse haue I doone That I am banisht thus from thee what conquest haue they woon I know their power deuine can for a while remooue mee But whilsâ—e I liue and after death my soule shall likewise loue thée Not Alcumena shee for whom the treble night Was shaped first can well compare with thee for bewty bright Not Troylus sister too whom cruell Pirrhus slew Nor shee the price of ten yeres wars whom yet the Grekes do rew Nor shee Penelope whose chastnes wan her fame Can match with thee Rosina chaste I see her blush for shame The childe of mighty Ioue that bred within his braine Shall yeeld the palme of filed speche to thee that doth her staine And euery wight on earth that liuing breath do draw Lo here your queene sent from aboue to kepe you all in awe But nowe I fine my talke I finde my wits to dull There liueth none that can set forth thy vertues at the ful Yet this I dare well say and dare it to auowe The Gods do feare Rosinas shape and bewty doth alowe In Tantalus toyle I liue and want that most I would With wishing vowes I speake I pray yet lacke the thing I should I sée that I do want I reach it runnes mée fro I haue and lacke that I loue most and lothest to forgo But oh Rosanna dere since time of my exile How hast thou done and doost thou liue how hast thou spent the while How standeth health with thée and art thou glad of chere God graunt those happy restful dayes increase may still each yere If any gréefe or care do vex thy wofull hart Then God I pray to giue thée ease and swagement of thy smart Yet this I doo desire that thou be found to abide A freend euen such as shal mislike with sodaine change to slide If pleasure now thou hast to spend the dreiry day Read then this pistle of my hande to driue the time away If all thy freendes aliue would from thy frendship swarue A thousand deathes I do desire in wretched state to starue If I amongst the rest should alter so my minde Or thou shouldest charge I promise brake or els am found vnkinde Though Argus ielus eyes that daily on vs tend Forbid vs meat and speech also or message for to send A time will come to passe and thinke it not to long That thou and I shall ioyne in ioy and wreake vs of our wrong Which time I would abide though time too long doth try mee In hope againe when time shal serue thou wilt not then deny mee Thus hope doth mee vpholde for hope of after blisse And lose therby my present ioy in hoping still for this I doo commend to thee my life and all I haue Commaund them both as thee best likes to lose or els to saue I am no more mine owne but thine to vse at will Thesame is thine without desert if thou mee seke to kill Bee glad thou litle quere my mystresse shall thee see Fall flat to ground before her face and at her feet doo lie Waste not to rise againe nor doo her not withstand If of her bounty shee vouchsafe to rayse thee with her hand Say thy maister sent thee and humbly for mée greete her Thou knowest my selfe doth wish full ofte to be in place to meete her If any worde in this hath scapte and doo her greeue A pardon craue vpon thy knee and pray her to forgeue A giltles hand it wrote thou mayst be bolde to tell No minde of malice did mee moue her self doth know it well Thou canst and I deserue make glad my wofull sprite I craue no answer to thy payne nor force thee for to write It should suffise if thou voutchsafe to reade the same This pistle then if thou mislyke condemne it to the flame But now there néedes no more I will this pistle ende Estéeme Narsetus alwayes well that is thy faythfull fréend FINIS The Louer forsaken writeth to his Lady a desperate Farwell EUen hée that whilome was thy faithful fréend most iust That thrise thrée yéeres hath spent past reposing all his trust In thy bewayling words that séemed sugar swéet The selfsame man vnwillingly doth with these lines thée greet I can not speake with thee and speaking is but paine To speake and pray and not to speede too fruitles were the gayne Inforste therfore I write and now vnfolde my minde I loue and like as earst I did I am not yet declinde Though time that trieth all hath turnde the loue you ought No changing time could alter mee or wrest awry my thought And sure I doo mislyke that wemen choose to change Ungratefull folkes I do detest as monsters foule and strange Sith first I did you know I neuer spake the thing That did intend you to beguile or might repentance bring Thrise hath my pen falne downe vpon this paper pale And scantly can my hart consent to write to thee this tale Least hasty Iudgmentes might misdeeme my giltles minde To charge that malice moues my spéech or some new frend to finde The gods I vouch to ayd who knowes the troth I ment To swarue or fleet from that I vowed was neuer my intent But as the Courser fearce by pearcing spur doth run So thy desertes enforce mée now to see this worke begun Would God I had no cause to leaue that I did loue Or lothe the thing that likt mee so nor this mishap to proue But sith no thing in earth in one estate can bide Why striue I then against the streame or toyle against the tide And haue you now forgot how many yéeres I sought To get your grace with whot good will how dearly I it bought There is no one aliue that nature euer made That hath such giftes of vertues race and such vntroth doth shade If fayth might haue bin found within a womans brest I did beleeue within thy hart shee chose her place to rest Unskilful though I bee and cannot best deserne Where craft for troth doth preace in place yet am
body theÌ„ depart thou hence why pleasurest thou the ground And Death draw thou mée neare O Death my dearest fréend Then with thy dart shoot through my hart my sorrows so to ende â–ª And when that death did hears the thing that I did craue Hée weighed mée euen as I was a man fit for the graue Come follow mée sayth hée thou man bée not agast Hée that delighteth in earthly things shal feele these panges at last All yée then that list to loue this lesson learne by mée Or yée begin noate well the ende is payne and misery FINIS ¶ The Louer complayneth of his Ladies vnconstancy to the Tune of I lothe that I did loue YYou graues of grisly ghosts Your charge froÌ„ coffins send FroÌ„ roring rout in Plutoes costs You Furies vp ascend You trampling steades of Hell Come teare a wofull wight Whose haples hap no tonge can tell Ne pen can well endight I hate this lothsome life O Atropos draw nie Untwist the thred of mortall strife Send death and let mée die For Beauties taynted trope Hath made my cares assay And ficklenes with her did cope To fordge my whole decaye My fayth alas I gaue To wight of Cressids kinde For stedfast loue I loue did craue As curtesy doth binde Shée likewise troth doth plight To bée a constant loue And proue her self euen maugre spight A faythfull turtle Doue But lo a womans minde Cloakt hole with déepe deceyt And driuen with euery gale of winde To bite at fâ—esher bayt For when bewitch shée had My minde that erst was frée And that her cumly beauty bad My wounded hart agree And fixt on Fancyes lore As world can witnesse beare No other saynct I did adore Or Idole any whear Ne will no wo or smart Could minde from purpose fet But that I had a Iasons harte The golden fléese to get Ne for my part I swere By all the Gods aboue I neuer thought on other fere Or sought for other loue In her the like consente I saw ful oft appear If eyes be iudge of that it mente Or eares haue power to heare Yet woordes bée turnd to winde A new found gest hath got The Fort which once to vndermine And win I planted shot Her fréend that ment her well Out of conceyt is quite While other beares away the bell By hitting of the white In this our wauering age So light are womens mindes As Aspen leafe that stil doth rage Though aeole calme his windes No place hath due desart No place hath constancy In eueri mood their mindes back start As dayly wée may sée What paps did giue them food That weue sutch webs of wo What beast is of so cruell mood That countes his fréend for fo Yet women doo reward With cares the louing wight They constancy no whit regard In change is their delight You gallant youths therfore In time beware by mée Take héed of womeÌ„s subtil lore Let mée example bée FINIS ¶ The Louer hauing sustayned ouermuch wrong at his Ladyes hande wisheth speedy death TO féeble is the thread That holdeth mée in lyfe That if it bee not succoured Short end shal stint the stryfe For though the spindle ronne To draw the thread on length Alas therby what hold is wonne If it be weake of strength Or how can it haue ayde Since rigor is so rife In her whose handes to cut the thread Gaue cruelly the knife Whose edge of Enuy hard In Venus forge hath wrought Wherby his deth is thus preferd Whose life offended nought But sithe thy chéefe delite My cheefe delightfull fo Is with such wrong to work the spite With spéed come end this wo. And when my death hath done My duty at her will A greater gréefe be not begonne To last therafter still For after death if strife Should still my life pursue What theÌ„ doth death but breed a life Of mone mischéefe new Wherfore if néedes thou wilte Thy spindle spin no more But that this thred with spoyle bee spilt Which led my life before Prouide then for the nonâ—e Prouide for mée the best That I may dye at once From all thy mindes vnrest And let not presente death Prefer an after paine But let the paines pas with my breath And not reuiue againe For thus by this you shall Two thinges at once fulfill I shal be frée that haue bin thrall And you shall haue your will. FINIS ¶ The Louer exhorteth his Lady to bee constant To the Tune of Attend thee go play thee NOt light of loue lady Though fancy doo prick thée Let constancy possesse thy hart Well worthy of blamyng They bee and defaming From plighted troth which backe do start Deare dame Then ficklenesse bannish And folly extinguish Bee skilfull in guiding And stay thee from slidinge And stay thee c. The constant are praysed Their fame high is raysed Their worthynesse doth pearce the skye The fickle are blamed Their light loue shamed Theyr foolishnesse doth make them dye As well Can Cressid beare witnesse Fordge of her owne distresse Whom Leprosy paynted And penury taynted And penury c. Still Muses are busie To tell vs of Thisbe Whom stedfastnesse doth much commend And Camma is placed To blame the defaced That light of loue doo sende Phedra Is checked most duly Because that vntruly Forst therto by loue light Shée slayeth Hippolite Shée slayeth c. A spring of annoyance And well of disturbance New fanglenesse in loue hath bin It killeth the Master It poysons the taster No worldly wight by it doth win Therfore Good lady bée constant So shall you not bee shent But woorthely praysed As you haue deserued As you haue c. FINIS The Louer wounded with his Ladies beauty craueth mercy To the Tune of where is the liâ—e that late I led IF pitty once may mooue thy hart To rew a wofull wight If curtesy can force thy minde To vew my doulfull plight Sith I cannot deuise To quench this raging fier With trickling teares I craue of thee Attend to my dâ—sier Whom Venus fethered boy Hath crasde with deadly dart Sent from the rayes of those thy eyes Which bread my wo and smart In vewing thee I tooke sutch ioy As wofull wight in rest Untill the blinded boy I felte Assault my captiue brest And since that time alas Such pinching payne I taste That I am now remedilesse If mercy make not haste For hid in deepe dispayre My teares are all my ioy I burne I fréese I sinke I swim My wealth is mine annoy Lyke as the tender turtle Doue Doth wayle the losse of mate In mourning wéed so spend I tyme Lamentinge mine estate The night renewes my cares When weary limmes would rest And dreadfull dreames abandon slepe Which had my gréefes represt I drench my couch with teares Which flow from gushing eyes A thousand heapes of hidden thoughtes In minde I doo deuise Full often times it dooth mée good To haunt and vew the place Where I receiued my wound alas
By vewing of thy face Full oft it ioyes my hart To kisse â–ª that clot of clay From whence thou shot those louing lookes Which bred my whole decay O blessed place I cry Though woorker of my payne Render I craue most hartely To mee my loue agayne Not wofull Monsier dom Dieg Or Priams noble sonne Constrayned by loue did euer mone As I for thée haue donne Sir Romeus annoy But trifle seemes to mine Whose hap in winning of his loue Did clue of cares vntwine My sorrowes haue no ende My hap no ioy can spie The flowing Fountayne of my teares Beginneth to waxe drie Let pitty then requyte my payne O woorker of my woe Let mercy milde possesse thy harte Which art my freendly foe Receiue the hart which heare I yeeld into her hand Which made by force a breach in Fort Which I could not withstande Thou hast in Ballance paysd My life and eke my death Thy loyalty contaynes my ioy Disdayne will stop my breath If constant loue may reape his hire And fayth may haue his due Good hope I haue your gentill hart My grislie greefe will rue And that at length I shall My hartes delight imbrace When due desart by curtesie Shall purchace mee thy grace Untill which time my deare Shall still increase my payne In pensiue thoughtes and heauinesse Because I shall remayne FINIS ¶ A Caueat to yongmen to shun the snares of Cupids crafty sleightes IF euer wight had cause to mone or wayle with bitter teares His wretched life and wofull plight that still in languish weares Then haue I cause that late haue lodgde â–ª such loue within my hart With gréefe with payne with pyning panges â–ª my body boyles in smart O earth why doost not thou my wofull plight sustayne O surging Seas with swallowing gulfe release mee of this payne For languishing loue with dolefull doomes â–ª hath layd my hart in brine O wofull wretch O wicked wight That so for loue doth pine The Sonne that shines with golden beames and dries the dewie flowers Doth cause mée wretch with blubbering eyes to gush forth extreame showers The hermony of chirping birdes that ioyes with siluer songes Eche lyuing wight doth cause my cares to fill my hart with thronges Eche gladsome ioy of mundaine glée That glads the worldly minde Doth heape vp cares on carefull corps agaynst all course of kinde And so eche thing that ought delight and rid the minde from pause Contrariwise agaynst all right a thousand cares doth cause For when that I in sugred sleepe most swéetly should take rest Then doo I wring my wofull handes and beate my dolefull brest And if I chaunce on sleepe to fall a thousand dreames I haue And doo suppose I her embrace whose want will cause my graue And then with gladsome hart I ioy thus cleane depriued of wo But oh alas when that I wake I finde it nothing so And then my sighes from sobbing harte doth reaue my brest in twayne And teares that run from blubbered eyes doth more encrease my payne And when I should sustayne my lyfe and féeble corps with foode Unsauory séemes it vnto mee eache thing should doo mee good Amidst the nipping frostes I broyle in pearching heate I freese And thus agaynst all course of kinde for loue my lâ—fe I leese Wo woorth the time that first I lodgde thy sâ—oyling loue in harte You yonge men al bée warnd by mée And shun blinde Cupids Darte FINIS ¶ The aged Louers noate at length to learne to dye WHy askest thou the cause Wherfore I am so sad Thou knowst wheÌ„ age on draws No creature can bee glad And sith shée hath mée rested And threatned mee to die Therfore I am sequestred All mirth for to denie And now with feeble age The rest of all my dayes My couÌ„tenance must be ful sage Since that my life decayes Like as the harte of Oke By time doth rot at last Like time doth age prouoke With time my hart doth brast Lo thus by course of time My youth is gone and past And now the turne is mine Of bitter death to taste And noate that I haue sayd The cause wherof and why My youthfull partes be playde And I must learne to die FINIS ¶ The desperate Louer exclaymeth his Ladyes cruelty and threatneth to kill himselfe MY ioyful dayes bée past My plasant yeres be gone My life it may not last My graue and I am one My mirth and all is fled And I a man in woo Desireth to bee dead My mischâ—â—fe to forgoe I burne and am a colde I freese in middest of fire I sée shée dooth with hold That most I doo desire I sée that shée doth sée And yet shee wil be blinde I see in healpinge mee Shée seeketh and wil not finde I sée how shée doth wrye When I begin to mone I see when I come nye How fayn shée would be gone I see shee knoweth my harte And how I doo complayne I see shâ—â— knoweth my smarte Shee seeth I doo not fayne I see my helpe at hand I see my death also I see where shee doth stand I see my cruell fo I see what would you more Shee would mee gladly kill And shee shall see therfore That shee shall haue her will. I cannot liue by stones It is to harde a food I would be dead at once to doo my Lady good Shee shall haue her request And I will haue mine ende Lo heeâ—e my blouddy brest To please her most vnkinde FINIS ¶ The Louer beeing blinded with the faythlesse loue of his Lady is contented to remit her fault vpon promis of amendment SInce that thou diddest mee loue When lust did thee prouoke And that thou doost well proue That I cannot reuoke My fréendship fast my loue nor my good will Shew some reléefe least in dispayre I spill How well I was content â—lwayes to follow thée How well I did assent Thy thrall aye for to bee Thy selfe can iudge to whom I doo appeale By sentence lo to yeeld mee wo or weale But if thou mée forsake As Cressid that forgot True Troylus her make And that thy hart is whot On him whom shame did force thée once his fayth to flie I see no hope but that hee must yéeld forth himself to die And though thou thinke that I Am loth theâ— too forgoe Yet shall I rather die Then liue and please my foe But hindre him in loue all others doth refrayne Whose treasoÌ„ once did mée purchace thy due disdain FINIS ¶ A worthy comparison of Vertue agaynst all worldly pompe WHen that I way with wit and eke consider now The tickle stay of her that Fortunes whéele doth bow And turne euen at her will such luck loe as shee list No thread so surely spâ—nne but that shee may vntwist I can but aye lament and wayle the lacke of them That in her holde doo trust weighing they are but men For if I were a Lorde and come of high degree And had all thing at
At least yet graunt mee this it is a small request O happy wythered pyned corps God send thy soule good rest FINIS ¶ The Lady beloued assureth her Louer to bee his owne and not to change while life doth last DEare hart as earst I was so will I stil remayne Till I am dead and more if more may bee Howsoeuer loue do yeeld mee ioy or payne Or Fortune lyst to smyle or frowne on mee No chaunging chaunce my fast fayth may constrayne No more then Waues or beating of the Sea May stir the stedfast rocke that will not ply For fayre nor fowle one inche no more will I. A file or knife of lead shall sooner carue The Diamant vnto what forme you will Ere Fortunes dynte compell mee for to swarue Or the ire of Loue to breake my constant will Yée sooner shall the law of nature starue When Ryuers take their course agaynst the hill Ere sodayne hap for better or for worse Disturâ—e my thoughts to take a better course With hartes consent my loue you doo possesse A surer holde may chaunce then many wéene The fayth by othe that subiectes doo confesse To their new prince is seldome stronger séene No fyrmer state than that which loue doth sure expresse Of Kinge ne Keyser hitherto hath béen So that you néede not fortifie your hould With Towre or Ditch least others win it should For though you set no Souldiers for defence For all assaults this one may yet suffise It is not goods can alter my pretence No gentle hart yéeldes to so vile a prise Though crowne and septier few would dispise Not beauty méete to moue a wauering minde Yet more then yours I wot not where to finde And feare you not what forme my hart once tooke Least any new print shall the same deface So deepe therin ingraued is your looke As neuer may bée wyped from that place My hart like Waxe so lightly did not brooke More then one stroke ere Cupid brought to passe One splint of skale therof to take away The best reserued your Image to pourtray That like as what stone it selfe best desendeth And hardiest is with toole to bee graue Doth sooner breake in péeces then it bendeth To looze the stampe afore my hand it gaue Euen so the nature of my hart contendeth As hard is this as any stone you haue Though forse do breake it vnto péeces small Those péeces somewhat you resemble shall FINIS ¶ In the prayse of the rare beauty and manifolde vertues of Mistres D. as followeth IF Chawcer yet did lyue whose English tongue did passe Who sucked dry Pernassus spring and raste the Iuice there was If Surrey had not scalde the height of Ioue his Throne Unto whose head a pillow softe became Mount Helycon They with their Muses could not haue pronounst the fame Of D. faire Dame lo a staming stock the chéefe of natures frame They would but haue eclipsed her beauties golden blast Nor Ouid yet of Poets Prince whose wits all others past Olde Nestor with his tongue and flowing dew so sweete Would rather haue berefte her right then pend her praises méete In Helens heauenly face whose grace the Greekes bought deare For whose defence prowd Troy did fal such forme did not appeare In Hectors sister loe who Pirhus Father rapte Did not abound sutch beauty bright as now to D hath hapt For D doth passe as far Dame Venus with her prise As Venus did the other two by doome of Paris wise If shée had present béen within the walles of Ide They would not had such discord then nor Paris iudgd that side In minde all voyd of doubt they straight agréed would That D should of good right the Aple haue of Golde Whom as I must beleeue that nature did create To rob the hartes of noble Kings and courage stoute to mate Her forhead seemely spaste wherin doo shine her eyes No whit vnlike to starres by night or beame when Phebus ryse Her haire that shines like golde her shoulders couer whight To which no snow on Mountayne highe may be compared right Her mouth well compast small in smylings vtters forth A treasure riche of Orient Pearle therto no Golde more worth I feare much Promethius fall dare no further wade Whom loue embraced with the shape that hee so finely made Yet this I dare presume one thought of her may draw A harte of Iron and it subdue vnto blinde Cupids law I sorrow to recite the bitter teares that flow Within the eyes of other Dames that beauty know I weepe to wayle in minde the burning slights that flame In troubled hartes of Natures case in spreading of her fame They all doo curse themselues of Nature makes complaynt That shee on them had smal regard that did her thus depaynt Of her doth nobles spring and sutors sue for grace And Fountaines eke of sugred speech where voice can take no place Here Pallas should haue lost her prayse for wisdome great Who gendred was of Ioue his braines wher wisdom toke his seat Here wise Vlisses wyfe whose chastnesse brued her fame Should matched bee ye mated eke in ventring of thesame Prowde Tarquin with his force which Lucresse did defile Could not haue spoyled faire D. so with neither sound nor gyle This Dame I thinke bee such that heauen can vndermine And lifte the earth vnto the skyes eche stone a star to shine If passed time alas might now returne agayne And all the wittes that euer was would herein take the payne They could not at the ful no due giftes expresse A wight vnfit to bée in earth in heauen no such goddesse Whose name shall floorish still though Atropos with spight In running from her deuelish Den bereaue vs of this light Though Thesiphon do cut her time of life a way Her cankred Swoord cannot assayle her fame for to decay For wee in these our dayes our selues may better quight To geue to her the cheefest prayse then Paris which did right Lesse hatred cannot want though power for to reuenge Our stately house as they did Troy their force doth faile to senge Their might if it were like these verses wee should rew With no lesse payne then Ouid did whose greefe by Muses grew FINIS Prety parables and Prouerbes of Loue. I Spake when I ment not in spéeding to gayne I sought when I sped not but trauaild in vayne I found where I feard not would writh with the wind I loste where I lou'd not nor forâ—â—d to finde Nothing in which truth is not trustie But double is such and beauty but rustie I coole with the colde I leue that I like not I know not the olde that rotteth and ripes not I sauor no such that fondly doth fauor I care not to much for such sory sauor I taste or I try in parte or in all I care not a flye the losse is but small I labor at leasure I pricke without payne In vsing for pleasure beates in my brayne I spare not in byrding to