where-with my kinde and youth did staine it My body found a graue where to containe it A sheete could hide my face but not my sin For Fame findes neuer tombe t' inclose it in And which is worse my soule is now denied Her transport to the sweet Elisian rest The ioifull blisse for ghosts repurified The euer-springing Gardens of the blest Caron denies me waftage with the rest And saies my soule can neuer passe the Riuer Till Louers sighes on earth shall it deliuer So shall I neuer passe for how should I Procure this sacrifice amongst the liuing Time hath long since worne out the memorie Both of my life and liues vniust depriuing Sorrow for me is dead for aye reuiuing ROSAMOND hath little left her but her name And that disgrac'd for time hath wrong'd the same No muse suggests the pitty of my case Each pen doth ouerpasse my iust complaint Whilst others are preferd though far more base Shores wife is grac'd and passes for a Saint Her Legend iustifies her foule attaint Her wel-told tale did such compassion find That she is pass'd and I am left behind Which seene with griefe my miserable ghost Whilome inuested in so faire a vaile Which whilst it liu'd was honored of the most And being dead giues matter to bewaile Comes to sollicite thee since others faile To take this taske and in thy woful song To forme my case and register my wrong Although I know thy iust lamenting Muse Toild in th' affliction of thine owne distresse In others cares hath little time to vse And therefore maist esteeme of mine the lesse Yet as thy hopes attend happie redresse Thy ioies depending on a womans grace So moue thy mind a wofull womans case DELIA may hap to deigne to read our storie And offer vp her sigh among the rest Whose merit would suffice for both our glorie Whereby thou might'st be grac'd and I be blest That indulgence would profit me the best Such power she hath by whom thy youth is led To ioy the liuing and to blesse the dead So I through beautie made the wofull'st wight By beautie might haue comfort after death That dying fairest by the fairest might Find life aboue on earth and rest beneath She that can blesse vs with one happie breath Giue comfort to thy Muse to do her best That thereby thou maistioy and I might rest Thus said forth-with mou'd with a tender care And pittie which my selfe could neuer find What she desir'd my Muse deign'd to declare And therefore will'd her boldly tel her mind And I more willing tooke this charge assignd Because her griefes were worthy to be known And telling hers might hap forget mine own Then write quoth she the ruine of my youth Report the down-fall of my slippry state Of all my life reueale the simple truth To teach to others what I learnt too late Exemplifie my frailty tell how Fate Keepes in eternall darke our fortunes hidden And ere they come to know theÌ„ t is forbidden For whilst the sun-shine of my fortune lasted Iioy'd the happiest warmth the sweetest heate That euer yet imperious beauty tasted I had what glory euer flesh could get But this faire morning had a shamefull set Disgrace darkt honor sin did clowd my brow As note the sequel and I le tell thee how The bloud I staind was good and of the best My birth had honour and my beauty fame Nature and Fortune ioin'd to make me blest Had I had grace t' haue knowne to vse the same My education shew'd from whence I came And all concurd to make me happie first That so great hap might make me more accurst Happie liu'd I whilst parents eie did guide The indiscretion of my feeble waies And Country home kept me from being eide Wher best vnknown I spent my sweetestdaics Til that my friends mine honor sought to raise To higher place which greater credit yeelds Deeming such beauty was vnfit for feelds From Country then to Court I was preferr'd From calme to stormes from shore into the deepes There where I perish'd where my youth first err'd There where I lost the flowre which honor keepes There where the worser thriues the better weepes Ah me poore wench on this vnhappy shelfe I grounded me and â—â—st awaie my selfe For thither com'd when yeeres had arm'd my youth With rarest proofe of beautie euer seene When my reuiuing eie had 〈◊〉 the truth That it had power to make the winter greene And flowre affections whereas none had beene Soone could I teach my brow to tyrannize And make the world do homage to mine eies For age I saw though yeeres with cold conceit Congeald their thoughts against a warme desire Yet sigh their want and looke at such a baite I saw how youth was waxe before the fire I saw by stealth I fram'd my looke a lyre Yet wel perceiu'd how Fortune made me then The enuie of my sexe and wonder vnto men Looke how a Comet at the first appearing Drawes all mens eies with wonder to behold it Or as the faddest tale at suddaine hearing Makes silent listning vnto him that told it So did my speech when Rubies did vnfold it So did the blazing of my blush appeare T' amaze the world that holds such sights so deere Ah beauty Syren faire enchaunting good Sweet silent rhetorique of perswading'eies Dombe eloqueÌ„ce whose power doth moue the bloud More then the words or wisdome of the wife Still harmony whose diapason lies Within a brow the key which passions moue To rauish sence and play a world in loue What might I then not do whose power was such What cannot women do that know their power What women knowes it not I feare too much How blisse or bale lies in their laugh or lowre Whilst they enioy their happy blooming flowre Whilst nature decks them in their best attires Of youth and beautie which the world admires Such one was I my beautie was mine owne No borrowed blush which bank-rot beauties seeke That new-found shame a sinne to vs vnknowne Th' adulterate beauty of a falsed cheeke Vilde staine to honour and to women eeke Seeing that time our fading must detect Thus with defect to couer our defect Impietie of times chastities abator Falshood wherein thy selfe thy selfe deniest Treason to counterfeit the seale of nature The stampe of heauen impressed by the hiest Disgrace vnto the world to whom thou liest Idoll vnto thy selfe shame to the wise And all that honour thee idolatrise Far was that finne from vs whose age was pure When simple beauty was accounted best The time when women had no other lure But modestie pure cheeks a vertuous brest This was the pompe where with my youth was blest These were the weapons which mine honor wun In all the conflicts which my eies begun Which were not small I wrought on no meane obiect A Crowne was at my feet Scepters obeide me WhoÌ„ Fortune made my King Loue made my subiect Who did command the Land most humbly praid me
HENRIE the second that so highlie weigh'd me Found well by proofe the priuiledge of beautie That it had powre to counter-maund all dutie For after all his victories in FRAVNCE And all the triumphes of his honor wun Vnmatch'd by sword was vanquisht by a glaunce And hotter wars within his brest begun Wars whom whole Legions of desires drew on Against all which my chastitie contends With force of honour which my shame defends No armour might be found that could defend Transpearcing raies of Christal pointed eies No stratagem no reason could amend No not this age yet old men should be wise But shewes deceiue outward appearance lies Let none for seeming so thinke faints of others For all are men and all haue suckt their mothers Who would haue thought a Monarch would haue euer Obeyd his hand-maid of so meane estate Vultur ambition feeding on his liuer Age hauing worne his pleasures out of date But hap comes neuer or it comes too late For such a daintie which his youth found nor Vnto his feeble age did chaunce a-lot Ah Fortune neuer absolutelie good For that some crosse stil counter-checks our luck As heere behold th' incompatible blood Of age and youth was that whereon we stuck Whose lothing we from natures brests do suck As opposite to what our bloud requires For equall age doth equall like desires But mightie men in hiest honour sitting Nought but applause and pleasure can behold Sooth'd in their liking carelesse what is fitting May not be suffred once to thinke the ' are old Not trusting what they see but what is told Miserable fortune to forget so farre The state of flesh and what our frailties are Yet must I needes excuse so great defect For drinking of the Lethe of mine eies H 'is forc'd forget himselfe and all respect Of maiestie whereon his state relies And now of loues and pleasures must deuise For thus reuiu'd againe he serues and su'th And seekes al meanes to vndermine my youth Which neuer by assault he could recouer So well incamp'd in strength of chast desires My cleane-arm'd thoughts repell'd an vnchast louer The Crowne that could commaund what it requires I lesser priz'd then chastities attires Th'vnstained vaile which innocents adornes Th'vngathred Rose defended with the thornes And safe mine honour stood till that in truth One of my sexe of place and nature bad Was set in ambush to intrap my youth One in the habite of like frailty clad One who the liu'ry of like weakenes had A seeming Matron yet a sinfull monster As by her words the chaster sort may conster She set vpon me with the smoothest speech That court and age could cunningly deuise Th' one autentique made her fit to reach The other learnt her how to subtelise Both were enough to circumuent the wise A document that well might teach the sage That ther 's no trust in youth nor hope in age Daughter said she behold thy happie chaunce That hast the lot cast downe into thy lap Whereby thou maist thy honor great aduance Whilst thou vnhappie wilt not see thy hap Such fond respect thy youth doth so inwrap T' oppose thy selfe against thine own good fortune That points thee out seemes thee to importune Doost thou not see how that thy King thy Ioue Lightens forth glory on thy darke estate And showres down gold treasure from aboue Whilst thou doost shut thy lap against thy fate Fie fondling fie thou wilt repent too late The error of thy youth that canst not see What is the fortune that doth follow thee Thou must not thinke thy flowre can alwaies florish And that thy beauty will be still admired But that those raies which all these flames do nourish Canceld with Time will haue their date expired And men will scorne what now is so desired Our frailties doome is written in the flowers Which flourish now and fade ere many howers Reade in my face the ruines of my youth The wracke of yeeres vpon my aged brow I haue beene faire I must confesse the truth And stood vpon as nice respects as thou I lost my time and I repent it now But were I to begin my youth againe I would redeeme the time I spent in vaine But thou hast yeers and priuiledge to vse them Thy priuiledge doth beare Beauties great seale Besides the law of nature doth excuse them To whom thy youth may haue a iust appeale Esteeme not Fame more then thou doost thy weale Fame wherof the world seems to make such choice Is but an Eccho and an idle voice Then why should this respect of honor bound vs In th' imaginarie lifts of reputation Titles which cold seueritie hath found vs Breath of the vulgar foe to recreation Melancholies opinion Customes relation Pleasures plague beauties scourge hel to the faire To leaue the sweet for Castles in the aire Pleasure is felt opinion but conceau'd Honor a thing without vs not our owne Whereof we see how many are bereau'd Which should haue reap'd the glory they had sowne And manie haue it yet vnworthy knowne So breathes his blast this many-headed beast Whereof the wisest haue esteemed least The subtile Citty-women better learned Esteeme them chast enough that best seeme so Who though they sport it shal not be discerned Their face bewraies not what their bodies do T is warie walking that doth safeliest go With shew of vertue as the cunning knowes Babes are beguild with sweets men with showes Then vse thy tallent youth shall be thy warrant And let not honour from thy sports detract Thou must not fondly think thy selfe transparent That those who see thy face can iudge thy fact Let her haue shame that cannot closely act And seeme the chast which is the chiefest arte For what we seeme each see none knowes our hart The mightie who can with such sinnes dispence In steed of shame do honors great bestow A worthie author doth redeeme th' offence And makes the scarlet sinne as white as snow The maiestie that doth descend so low Is not defilde but pure remaines therein And being sacred sanctifies the sin What doost thou stand on this that he is old Thy beautie hath the more to worke vpon Thy pleasures want shall be suppli'd with gold Cold age dotes most when heat of youth is gone Enticing words preuaile with such a one Alluring shewes most deepe impression strikes For age is prone to credite what it likes Heere interrupt she leaues me in a doubt When loe began the combat in my blood Seeing my youth inuirond round about The ground vncertaine where my reasons stood Small my defence to make my partie good Against such powers which were so surelie laid To ouer-throw a poore vnskilfull Maid Treason was in my bones my selfe conspiring To sel my selfe to lust my soule to sin Pure blushing shame was euen in retiring Leauing the sacred hold it glori'd in Honor lay prostrate for my flesh to win Whē cleaner thoughts my weaknes gan vpbray Against my selfe and shame
the doing to performe her part And I haue known proud words and poore effects Of such indeed as do condemne this Arte But let them rest it euer hath beene knowne They others vertues skorn that doubt their owne And for the diuers disagreeing cordes Of interiangling ignorance that fill The dainty eares leaue no roome for words The worthier mindes neglect or pardon will Knowing the best he hath he frankly foords And skornes to be a niggard of his skill And that the rather since this short-liu'd race Being fatallie the sonnes but of one day That now with all their powre ply it apace To hold out with the greatest might they may Against confusion that hath all in chace To make of all a vniuersall pray For now great Nature hath laid down at last That mighty birth where with so long she went And ouerwent the times of ages past Here to lie in vpon our soft content Where fruitfull she hath multiplied so fast That all she hath on these times seem'd t' haue spent All that which might haue many ages grac'd Is borne in one to make one cloid with all Where plenty hath imprest a deepe distast Of best and worst and all ingenerall That goodness seems goodnes to haue defac't And virtue hath to virtue giuen the fall For emulation that proud nurse of wit Skorning to stay below or come behind Labors vpon that narrow top to sit Offole perfection in the highest kind Enuie and wonder looking after it Thrust likewise on the selfe same blisse to find And so long striuing till they can no more Do stuffe the place or others hopes shut out Who doubting to ouertake those gone before Giue vp their care and cast no more about And so in skorne leaue all as fore possest And will be none where they may not be best Euen like some empty Greek that long hath lain Left or neglected of the Riuer by Whose searching sides pleas'd with a wandring vaine Finding some little way that close did lie Steale in at first then other streames againe Second the first then more then all supplie Till all the mighty maine hath borne at last The glory of his chiefest powre that way Plying this new-found pleasant roome so fast Till all be full and all be at a staie And then about and backe againe doth cast Leauing that full to fall another way So feares this humorous world that euermore Rapt with the Current of a present course Runs into that which laie contemnd before Then glutted leaues the same and falst'a worse Now zeale holds all no life but to adore Then cold in spirit and faith is of no force Straight all that holie was vnhallowed lies The scattered carcasses of ruind vowes Then truth is false and now hath blindnes eies Then zeale trusts al now scarcely what it knows That euermore to foolish or to wise It fatall is to be seduc'd with showes Sacred Religion mother offorme and feare How gorgeously somtimes dost thou sit deckt What pompous vestures do we make thee weare What stately piles we prodigall erect How sweet perfum'd thou art how shining cleare How solemnly obseru'd with what respect Another time all plaine and quite threed bare Thou must haue all within and nought without Sit poorely without light disrob'd no care Of outward grace to amuze the poore deuout Powrelesse vnfollowed scarcely men can spare Thee necessary rites to set thee out Either truth goodnes vertue are not still The selfe same which they are and alwaies one But alter to the proiect of our will Or we our actions make them waite vpon Putting them in the liuery of our skill And cast them off againe when we haue done You mighty Lords that with respected grace Do at the sterne of faire example stand And all the body of this populace Guide with the onely turning of your hand Keepe a right course bear vp from al disgrace Obserue the point of glory to our land Hold vp disgraced knowledge from the ground Keepe vertue in request giue worth her due Let not neglect with barbarous means cōfound So faire a good to bring in night anew Be not ô be not accessary found Vnto her death that must giue life to you Where wil you haue your vertuous names safe laid In gorgeous tombes in sacred Cels secure Do you not see those prostrate heapes betraid Your fathers bones and could not keepe them sure And will you trust deceitfull stones faire laid And thinke they will be to your honor truer No no vnsparing time will proudly send A warrant vnto wrath that with one frown Wil al these mock'ries of vaine glory rend And make them as before vngrac'd vnknown Poore idle honors that can ill defend Your memories that cannot keepe their own And whereto serue that wondrous trophei now That on the godly plaine neare Wilton stands That huge domb heap that cannot tel vs how Nor what nor whence it is nor with whose hands Nor for whose glory it was set to shew How much our pride mockes that of other lands Where on when as the gazing passenger Hath greedy lookt with admiration And faine would know his birth and what he were How there erected and how long agone Enquires and askes his fellow trauailer What he hath heard and his opinion And he knowes nothing Then he turnes againe And looks and sighs and then admires afr esh And in himselfe with sorrow doth complaine The misery of darke for getfuln esse Angrie with time that nothing should remain Our greatest wonders wonder to expresse Then ignorance with fabulous discourse Robbing faire arte and cunning of their right Tels how those stones were by the diuels force From Affricke brought to Ireland in a night And thence to Britannie by Magicke course From giants hand redeem'd by Merlins sleight And then neare Ambri plac'd in memorie Of all those noble Britons murthred there By Hengist and his Saxon trecherie Comming to parle in peace at vnaware With this old Legend then credulitie Holdes her content and closes vp her care But is antiquitie so great a liar Or do her yonger sonnes her age abuse Seeing after commers still so apt t' admire The graue authoritie that she doth vse That reuerence and respect dares not require Proofe of her deeds or once her words refuse Yet wrong they did vs to presume so far Vpon our easie credit and delight For once found false they straight became to mar Our faith and their owne reputation quite That now her truths hardly beleeued are And though sh'auouch ȳ right she scarce hath right And as for thee thou huge and mightie frame That stands corrupted so with times despight And giu'st false euidence against their fame That set thee there to testifie their right And art become a traitor to their name That trusted thee with all the best they might Thou shalt stand still belide and slandered The onely gazing stocke of ignorance And by the guile the wife admonished Shal neuer more desire