DOLARNYS PRIMROSE.  
	Or The first part of the passionate Hermit: wherein is expressed the lively passions of Zeal and Love	 with an alluding discourse to Valour's ghost. Both pleasant and profitable	 if judiciously read	 and rightly understood.  
	Non est Beatus esse qui se nescit.  
	WRITTEN BY A PRACTITIONER in Poesy	 and a stranger amongst Poets	 which causeth him dread this sentence: Nihil ad Parmenonis suem.  
	AT LONDON Printed by G. Elder	 and are to be sold by Robert Boulton	 at his shop in Smithfield	 near long lane end. 1606.   
	
	To the right Honourable	 Esme Stewart	 Lord of Aubignuy	 and one of the Gentlemen of his majesties bedchamber; ennobled with the rarest gifts that honour may afford	 or virtue challenge: john Raynolds	 wisheth happy increase of all noble and renowned resolutions.  
	SVmmoning my senses together (Right honourable) and weighing your Lordship's worth	 and my imperfections: Despair had almost checked my too too presumptuous forwardness	 only for intending to present this simple work into the hands of so noble a person: But Hope (chief mistress of Desire	 and enemy to Fear) began to animate my trembling thoughts with these persuasions.  
	Virgil	 whose curious inventions have made his name immortal	 (though not for imitation	 yet for pleasure) read Ennius' rough Poesies: the Delphian Oracle gave Socrates as good a sentence for his well meaning mite	 as to the proudest Athenians	 for their heaps of treasure. All that was pleaded before the Roman Senators	 was not uttered by Tully	 yet was it heard and allowed with plausible censures. Xerxes' accepted as well of the poor man's handful of water	 as of the rich man's Goblet of gold.  
	Thus beholding right Honourable (as in a mirror) the estates or proceedings of passed times	 and having in homely manner penned these few unpolished lines	 I presumed to present them into your Lo●…dships hands: which although they are not stretched to the delicate treble key of such refined Poems	 as Maro 〈◊〉 the ●…ares of 〈◊〉	 yet they may be 〈◊〉 called	 the fr●…its of as well intended thoughts. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with his (self conceited sharp) 〈◊〉▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ ●…ith his ●…pproued skill. Every painter can●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉	 with Parrh●…sius	 nor proportion the 〈◊〉	 with 〈◊〉. maia's son refused not to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉	 fair I●…e was content with philemon's 〈◊〉. Although for'rs For●…una gave Ulysses	 the sentenc●… for his curious smothenesse	 yet Ajax had an applawdi●… for his rough plainness: & as no counsel could revoke. Fabius ●…ut Terenti●… 〈◊〉	 nor no surgeon cure Hipolite but E●…ulapius	 so no sun can beautify these deformed lines	 but the glimpses of your Lordship's favour	 nor no salve be able to set these mangled strains a foot	 unless it be ministered by your noble protecting hand. I seek not Ascanius rich cloak for bravery	 but covet with Damidas Parrot	 to be sheltered from the vulture's tyranny.  
	Then Right honourable	 if it will please your Lordship to harbour this handful of harsh sounding syllables under the safe conduct of your honours fair protection	 I shall not only think them sufficiently guarded from envious tongues: but also esteem myself happy	 to have them shadowed under the wings of so worthy a Maecenas. Thus hoping (though not for the worth of the present	 yet for the true heart of the giver of) your honours gentle patronage	 & resting in that hope I wish your honour the happy enjoying of your honourable wishes.  
	Your Lordships in all duty to be commanded. I. R.   
	
	To the Right Honourable Lord	 Aubignuy	 health eternal.  
	
	WHat near seen gem	 shall I devise to set	  
	Upon your helm	 your temples to ingert▪  
	What trophy rare	 what wreath or Coronet	  
	Can guerdonize	 your meriting deseit?   
	
	O let me polish	 some near written line	  
	To fit your worth	 for worldlings to peruse:  
	And place it in	 that lofty crest of thine	  
	Whose silver showers	 nourisheth my muse.   
	
	Making them spring	 as flowers from frosty earth	  
	With April dews	 the world's broad eye to view:  
	Which else had died	 and near obtained birth	  
	Had they not gained	 encouragement of you.   
	
	Base are the thoughts	 that longs to write and dare not▪  
	Then if you smile	 let others frown	 (I care not.)   
	Your Lordships ever humbly devoted: john Raynolds.   
	
	To the Gentle Readers whatsoever.  
	
	WHat should I scrape	 or beg	 at pardons gate	  
	With prostrate terms	 to help my stranger rhymes:  
	When as I know	 that in this wavering state	  
	None well can please	 these fickle envious times.   
	
	Therefore I crave	 no other boon but this	  
	Upon my lines	 let every fancy deem.  
	What please them best: well	 mean	 or flat amiss	  
	No whit the worse	 I will of them esteem.   
	
	For envious curs	 will bawl at strangers true	  
	When neighbour thieves	 unseen may filch & steal:  
	But trusty mastiffs	 or by scent or view	  
	The privy drifts	 of both will soon reveal.   
	
	Then if the learned	 seek not to despite me	  
	Let Envy bark	 I know he cannot bite me.   
	Yours	 I. R.   
	
	In laudem Authoris.  
	
	T●…ough carping spite	 should sit in Momus chair▪  
	And Zoilus fume	 gnashing his venom laws:  
	Though Crittick Satyrs	 rave and rend their hair	  
	And ●…nuy threat me	 with his 〈◊〉 paws.   
	
	Yet this my pen	 for Raynolds sake shall write	  
	Whose novel lines	 unfolds a fer●…ill spring:  
	Re●…eales at large	 sound love in zealous plight	  
	Enchased with woe	 and warl●…ke sonneting.   
	
	Delighfull Poems	 joined with pleasant good	  
	And harmless pleasure	 mixed w●…th lofty strains:  
	Then ●…oule Thersites	 cease thy railing mood	  
	And give at least	 good words for so much pains.   
	
	But i●… abroad	 thy envy needs ●…ust fly	  
	Despite not him	 who seeks to pleasure thee.   
	Abraham Savere Gentleman.   
	
	DOLARNYS Primrose.  
	
	WHen flowering May	 had with her morning dews	  
	Watered the meadows	 and the valleys green	  
	The tender Lambs	 with nimble-footed Ewes	  
	Came forth to meet	 the wanton summers Queen:  
	The lively Kids	 came with the little Fawns	  
	Tripping with speed	 over the pleasant lawns.   
	
	To hear how that	 dame Nature's newcome broods	  
	Began to set	 their sweet melodious notes	  
	With sugared tunes	 amidst the levy woods	  
	Enchanting music	 through their pretty throats:  
	By whose sweet strains	 right well it might appear	  
	The pride of Summer	 to be drawing near.   
	
	Then bright Apollo	 threw his radiant smiles	  
	Into the laps	 of each delicious spring.  
	Where l'hilomele	 the weary time beguiles	  
	In grovie shades	 fountains environing:  
	The late bare trees	 there sportively did grow	  
	With levy sprigs on every branch and bow.   
	
	In garments g●…een	 the m●…dows fair did rank it	  
	The valleys low of garments green were glad	  
	In garments green	 the pastures proud did prank it  
	The dally grounds in garments green were clad▪  
	Each hill and dale	 each bush and brie●… were seen	  
	Then for to flourish	 in their garments green.   
	
	Thus as the meadows	 forests and the fields	  
	In sumptuous tires	 had decked their dainty slades  
	The flourishing trees	 wanton pleasure yields	  
	Keeping the sun	 from out their shady shades:  
	On whose green leaves	 upon each calmy day	  
	The gentle wind	 with dallying breath did play.   
	
	The Oak	 the Elm	 the Alder and the Ash	  
	Were richly clad	 in garments gay and green	  
	The Aspen trees	 that oft the waters wash	  
	In like arraiment	 then were neatly seen:  
	The lou'ly Laurel	 precious	 rich and fair	  
	With Odours sweet	 did fill the wholesome air.   
	
	Their spreading arms	 their branches and their boughs  
	Were made a bower	 for the pretty birds	  
	Where Philomele	 did come to pay her vows	  
	With sugared tunes	 in steed of woeful words:  
	Their lofty tops	 of towering branches fair	  
	Dampt with the music	 of delicious air.   
	
	Whose haughty pride	 regarded mirth nor moans	  
	But with ambition	 viewed the summer flowers	  
	Their labels hanged	 with quivering dew-pearld stones	  
	Did represent	 spangles on amorous bowers:  
	There grovy shade	 such pleasing air did lend	  
	As doth on groves	 and grovy shades attend.   
	
	Unwieldy trees	 gorgeous to behold	  
	Stood hand in hand	 with branches all combining	  
	Their Gentle arms	 each other did enfold	  
	With ivy sprigs	 upon their bodies climbing:  
	The more to break	 the hot reflexing rays	  
	Of bright Apollo	 in the summer days.   
	
	Drawn by the pleasure	 of delightful air	  
	Those chequered borders	 oft I did frequent	  
	And underneath	 those shadows fresh and fair	  
	The weary time	 oft wearily I spent:  
	Where at the length	 it was my chance to meet	  
	An aged man	 whom I did kindly greet.   
	
	He mirror like	 for nurture	 discipline	  
	Repaid my words	 with courteous kind regreeting	  
	Then drew we near	 a fayre-spread-shady pi●…e	  
	Under whose boughs	 we solemnized our meeting:  
	Whereas long time	 the time did not pursue	  
	But that familiar	 in discourse we grew.   
	
	His aged wit	 so pregnant made me muse	  
	With courtly terms	 and eloquence all flowing	  
	And such they were	 that caused me t'accuse	  
	Mine own so dull	 that spent my time nought knowing:  
	His tongue-sweet notes	 tied mine ears in chains	  
	So that my senses	 were ravished with his strains.   
	
	The sweetest music	 tuched with curious hand	  
	Whose tones harmonious	 bath's a listening ear	  
	Forcing fierce Tigers	 all amazed stand	  
	Unto his voice compared	 did harshly jar:  
	Which caused me	 with earnest suit to crave	  
	Some story from	 his pleasing self to have.   
	
	Who neither granted	 nor denied the motion	  
	With pleasant sadness	 stood as in a muse;  
	Whilst I ensnared	 with his so sweet devotion	  
	Fixed mine eyes	 his muteness to peruse:  
	But then his tongue	 broke off his contemplation	  
	And thus began	 discourse with invocation.   
	
	O thou great guider	 of the guideless nine	  
	With sacred dew	 my witless wit inspire	  
	Water my senses	 with thy Nectar fine	  
	Ravish my breast	 with thy all hallowed fire:  
	So that my tongue	 stray not in fond delight	  
	But in his course	 wonder thy mighty might.   
	
	When lively blood	 did run within my veins	  
	I took delight	 to travel here and there	  
	So much as then	 my parents gave my reins	  
	Unto myself	 to see how I could bear:  
	The fickle slights	 of Fortune's tu●…ning wheel	  
	Which like Silenus	 drunkenly doth reel.   
	
	The spring drew on	 and youth did fill my pores	  
	Earnest desire	 bred a straying motion	  
	Within my breast	 to see the Cambrian shores	  
	That bounds upon	 the all untamed Ocean:  
	Where huge steep rocks	 shadeth each covert plain	  
	Beaten with waves	 from the Hiberian main.   
	
	And in a morn	 when Phoebus' fair did rise	  
	Out off his bed	 the mountains to discover	  
	Climbing the lofty	 gresses of the skies	  
	With longing steps	 to overtake his lover:  
	My greedy eyes	 desired to feed their sight	  
	Upon the sweetest	 of Camb●…iaes delight.   
	
	Then did I walk	 toward those rising hills	  
	Where careful pastors	 of their Kids were keeping	  
	Whilst lazy swains	 their fore-duld senses kills	  
	By entertaining	 too much time with sleeping:  
	There did pastora's	 with their roundelays	  
	Pass with delight	 the summer of their days.   
	
	There might I see	 the lofty Cedar trees	  
	F●…om branch to bough	 where pretty birds were skipping	  
	Their honey leaves	 did feed the busy Bees	  
	Under whose shade	 the milk white Does were tripping:  
	Their spreading arms	 wore ivy all combining	  
	Where might be seen	 the nimble Squirrel climbing.   
	
	There did I see	 the valleys where the flocks	  
	Of fearful Ewes	 and tender Lambs were feeding	  
	The little springs	 that do run by the rocks	  
	The levy shrubs	 where pretty birds were breeding:  
	There Philomele	 with sweet recording fills	  
	The plains with music	 echoing from the hills	   
	
	I walked along	 that fair adorned field	  
	Till that I came	 to a delicious spring	  
	Whose smiling current	 did such pleasure yield	  
	As sweet content	 unto content could bring:  
	There did I rest	 and stay myself a while	  
	Some tedious hours	 thinking to beguile.   
	
	For why that fount	 as pleasantly was placed	  
	As if delight	 should lodge between two paps	  
	Freed with content	 from Boreas' northern blast	  
	Or as a Carpet	 twixt two ladies laps:  
	Environed round	 with their displaying tresses	  
	Whose amber shade	 that golden Carpet blesses.   
	
	Fair quivering myrtle	 did engird the spring	  
	With jesamins' sweet	 and ffowring Eglantine	  
	Under whose shade	 the pretty birds did sing	  
	Melodious strains	 celestial and divine:  
	With Delphian tunes	 such as the muse's plays	  
	Filling the thickets	 with their sweet delays.   
	
	The rolling pebbles	 and the flinty stones	  
	Were foftly by	 a shallow curent turned	  
	The murmuring water	 played with silver ton's	  
	Loath to depart	 and staying	 running mourned:  
	Whose trickling-christall	 musicke-sounding voice	  
	Into mine ears	 did yield a pleasing noise.   
	
	Such were the mirth	 and pleasant harmony	  
	The Organ air	 did gently seem to make	  
	With dulcean strains	 of heavenly melody	  
	As once Mercury whispered by the Lake:  
	Whose trembling breath	 new descants did devise	  
	Till juno's Argus	 closed his hundred eyes.   
	
	The pretty birds	 did bear a sweet record	  
	The bubbling streams	 the under-song did keep	  
	The dallying wind	 such music did afford	  
	That almost rocked	 my senses fast a sleep:  
	And well near caused me	 for to take a nap	  
	As I lay musing	 in young Tellus' lap.   
	
	But then I heard	 a sad lamenting voice	  
	The which did cut	 a passage through the air	  
	And filled the woods	 with such a doleful noise	  
	That all the groves	 seemed cloyed up with care:  
	Which forced me	 from that place for to arise	  
	And closed again	 my well near slumbering eyes.   
	
	Then drew I near	 a little rising rock	  
	Where as the waves	 did dash their high curled brows	  
	The birds and beasts	 together they did flock	  
	Cooling themselves	 under those shady boughs:  
	Which dangling hung	 like to a golden fleece	  
	Over the head	 of fair Amphrisus' niece.   
	
	And underneath	 a pleasant Hawthorne tree	  
	The which did grow	 near to that rocky hill	  
	There did I stand	 to listen and to see	  
	The doleful noise	 the which the air did fill:  
	I stayed not long	 but well I might descry	  
	Whence did proceed	 that woeful harmony.   
	
	For near that place	 a stately pine did grow	  
	Angrily shaking	 of his levy crown	  
	At whose stern feet	 the humble shrubs did bow	  
	Fearing the terror	 of his rugged frown:  
	Under whose arms	 a woeful man did dwell	  
	The which did hold	 that bower for his cell.   
	
	Where he did often	 with lamenting cries	  
	Bewray the cause	 of all his woeful cares	  
	The which did seem	 to pierce the vaulty skies	  
	And to dissolve	 hard flints to brinish tears:  
	To fill the woods	 with noise as loud as thunder	  
	To splitt hard rocks	 and rend great trees a sunder.   
	
	Whom when I did	 with full aspect behold	  
	I musing stood	 his grievous groans to hear	  
	His prayers were plaints	 his sobs his solace told	  
	His mirth was moan	 his cries were full of care:  
	With broken sighs	 a thousand times and more	  
	Thus he began	 his sorrows to deplore.   
	
	Why did I breathe? why did I take the air?  
	Why did I suck? why was I fed with milk?  
	Why was I young? why was I counted fair?  
	Why was I nursed? why was I clad in silk:  
	Why did I live? why died I not being young?  
	Why was I lulled? why was I sweetly sung.   
	
	What cruel planet	 governed at my birth?  
	What dismal star	 that day or night did shine?  
	What loathsome vapour	 overspread the earth	  
	Upon that sad	 natiu●…ty of mine?  
	Or did the hags	 with all their hellish power	  
	Enchant	 bewitch	 or curse that fatal hour?   
	
	O had the Midwife	 when she first received me	  
	With nimble hand	 my vital powers stopped	  
	Or had my nurse	 of living breath bereaved me	  
	These fields of sorrow	 I had never cropped:  
	But both I summon	 with impartial eye	  
	As Actors in	 my woeful Tragedy.   
	
	Yet did I live	 full twenty summers long	  
	In springs of joy	 one running over other	  
	How then poor souls	 could they enact my wrong?  
	No 'twas not they	 it was my foster mother:  
	Fortune 'twas thee	 that blyssefful men dost spite	  
	Thou only stolst from me	 my heart's delight.   
	
	Thou tottering elf	 with ever turning wheel	  
	That first did set	 me soft upon thy knee	  
	And gav'st me all	 thy blessings for to feel	  
	What caused thee thus	 unkind to louvre on me?  
	No 'twas not Fortune	 she was always kind  
	Filling my sail	 still with a prosperous wind.   
	
	Could any wretch	 be then s'infortunate	  
	As I poor soul	 whom Fortune seemed to guide	  
	No	 fortune no	 it was thy cruel hate	  
	The which for me	 these sorrows didst provide:  
	Thou art the wretch	 thou art the beldame vile	  
	Thou didst my heaven	 my heart	 and hope exile.   
	
	For when my years	 had furnished forth my youth	  
	And twenty times	 the sun had changed his light	  
	Thou most perfidious	 wavering still in truth	  
	My silly soul didst cross	 with cruel spite:  
	And only thou	 by falsehood didst deceive me	  
	Of joy and bliss	 thou didst at once bereave me.   
	
	Thy circled wheel	 thou didst to me forth bring	  
	More richly decked	 then ere it was before	  
	Thou setst me gently	 on that fickle ring	  
	And gav'st me pleasure	 in abundant store?  
	With many favours	 still thou didst belay me	  
	But with thy falsehood	 still thou didst betray me.   
	
	Thou drewest me on	 with loves enticing bait	  
	To walk the paths	 where thou a net hadst laid	  
	With thousand snares	 thou didst upon me wait	  
	Until I was	 of all my joys betrayed:  
	To desperate dangers	 thou didst easily wile me	  
	Whilst from my life	 and love thou didst exile me	   
	
	Then did this heavy	 hermit seeming man	  
	Srand mutely still	 but still he seemed to moan	  
	His aged visage	 looked both pale and wan	  
	His sadness he	 redoubled with a groan:  
	He seemed a while	 unto himself to mutter	  
	But yet no word	 at all	 I heard him utter.   
	
	Until at length	 him did I plainly see	  
	A stately picture	 in his hand to take	  
	The which I guessed	 a holy saint to be	  
	For that so much	 of it he seemed to make:  
	He kissed it oft	 and hugged it as he lay	  
	And thus at length	 to it began to say.   
	
	Fair but unkind	 no kind: fie too too cruel	  
	Thirty long years	 with me I have thee borne	  
	Thrice ten years told	 loves fire hath been my fuel	  
	So long my heart	 thy fair imprint hath worn:  
	If Nestor's years	 thrice three times told I live	  
	My love alone	 to thee I freely give.   
	
	Tell me my love	 tell me	 why didst thou leave me?  
	Why to thy Love	 didst thou prove so unkind?  
	Pardon my dear	 was death that did deceive me	  
	Yet art thou toombed	 for ever in my mind:  
	Then did he weep	 bewailing of his harms	  
	And with these words	 he ●…uld it in his arms.   
	
	O had these arms	 thy living corpse embraced	  
	But half so oft	 as now they have done thee	  
	These paths of sorrow	 I had never traced	  
	Nor died in thrall	 but lived and died free:  
	But sith thou living	 wer●… not in my power	  
	I'll hug thy shadow	 till my latest hour.   
	
	With which sad words	 his grovelling corpse did fall	  
	With ghastly colour	 sighs abound-Lamenting	  
	Which forced me rue	 his sad and woeful thrall	  
	wi●…h rueful pity	 and with tears relenting:  
	I moved to aid him	 yet as loath to fear him	  
	I pau●…d a while	 before that I came near him.   
	
	For that he then	 began to move his eyes	  
	His earth-like hands	 his heavy trunk did raise	  
	His sighs did vault	 into the dimmed skies	  
	His tongue forgot	 not how his love to praise:  
	But fearing least	 his secrets should be spied	  
	From out his bower	 fullsecretly he pried.   
	
	Then with deep sighs	 he did again repeat	  
	The rare perfections	 of his long dead love	  
	Her comely graces	 and her gesture neat	  
	The which did seem the senseless stones to move:  
	Which lovesick plaints	 my tongus too weak to tell	  
	His pensive passions	 did so much excel	.   
	
	No●… could a volume	 copy his loves descriptions	  
	That were dislodged	 from his wo-swolne hea●…t	  
	For he recited	 with true loves affections	  
	A thousand times	 each limb and lineal part:  
	All which by him	 so oft pronounced were	  
	That almost dulled	 my shallow sense to hear.   
	
	Yet did his sweet	 sophistick sorrows tie	  
	My Leaden powers	 in chains of list'n●…ng steel	  
	With greedy ears	 to suck atentively	  
	His sugared jobs	 the which I seemed to feel:  
	For each sad strain	 that from his lips did pass	  
	Bewrayed the birthright	 of his gentle race.   
	
	Then did he take	 a fair delicious lute	  
	Whose well tuned string	 she touched with curious skill	  
	Forcing his fingers	 with a swift pursuit	  
	To strike the frets	 of musics ground at will:  
	His nimble hand	 guided by supple veins	  
	With heavenly pawsons	 closed hisdol e●…ull streynes.   
	
	Not great Apollo's viol-sounding lays	  
	That forced huge Tmolus	 dance with buskey hair	  
	When silly Midas	 robbed him of his praise	  
	Might with the descants	 of his Lute compare:  
	And with a tune	 would move a stone to pity	  
	He sadly sighed	 and song this mournful ditty.   
	
	The hermits song.  
	
	YE hills and dales	  
	Ye rocks and vales	  
	Bear witness of my moan:  
	Ye water nymphs	  
	And pretty Imphes	  
	Come sigh with me and groan.  
	Come ye satires	 and ye Fawns	  
	Come ye from the pleasant Lawns:  
	From the groves	 and shady trees	  
	On whose Green leaves	 the humming bees	  
	Their thighs do fill	  
	At their own will	  
	And whereon still	  
	With flittering wings	 poor Progne flees.   
	
	Ye Fairy clues	  
	Come ye yourselves	  
	From out each hollow cave:  
	And Coridon	  
	Come thou alone	  
	Thy presence I do crave:  
	For thy pipe comfortingly	  
	Equalleth my harmony.  
	Mournful Amyntas	 now and thee  
	Are best to bear me company:  
	For with consort	  
	We may report	  
	Our Loves extort	  
	With woeful strains of melody.   
	
	Ye Siluans all	  
	Both great and small	  
	come Listen to my grief:  
	Ye kids and Lambs	  
	Come with your dams	  
	And bring me some relief:  
	Thou maid of Comes	 come to me	  
	With aid in this my misery	  
	And lead me once Aeneas-like	  
	Unto that ugly Stygian dike.  
	That I may mix	  
	And yet perfixe	  
	Mine eye on Styx	  
	Where Cerberus liveth	 that fowl tike	   
	
	If that weary	  
	Charon's ferry	  
	Will no ways take me in:  
	Vndoubting harms	  
	With these mine arms	  
	I'll venture for to swim:  
	For sometimes his coalblack boat	  
	Rides not in that road a float	  
	If so	 I will in no wise stay	  
	Although unto mine own decay  
	In unfearing poars	  
	With arming oars	  
	From off the shores	  
	I'll quickly post from thence away.   
	
	For if that I	  
	Should chance to die	  
	And in that Lake to wander:  
	Yet should I gain	  
	On Lofty strain	  
	Above-love drowned ●…eander.  
	But if that well I should pass	  
	Ugly Charon's muddy place	  
	And happily to land me there	  
	Within that fair celestiallsphere	  
	Then with small pain	  
	I should attain	  
	Elizianplaine:  
	Where my love sits crowned in a chair	   
	FINIS.   
	
	When he had finished	 up his mournful song	  
	He laid his lute	 down by his weary side	  
	Himself he stretched	 upon the grass along	  
	And with sad wailings	 thus again he cried:  
	How much avayles	 it that my travels far	  
	Hath not worn out	 the print of Cupid's skarr?   
	
	What Christian land	 is it that hath not borne me?  
	What Island was	 not subject to my sight?  
	How many woods	 and deserts still do scorn me?  
	But nothing yields	 to me my heart's delight:  
	From place to place	 Desire my corpse doth carry	  
	Which same desire	 there will not let me tarry.   
	
	Then did he sigh	 then wept	 then sighed amain	  
	Then wrung his hands	 than cried	 then crossed his arms	  
	Then tore his hair	 than groaned	 then wept again	  
	Then with sad tears	 he thus bewailed his harms:  
	Padua farewell	 my love in thee doth lie	  
	Within thy walls	 I lost my liberty.   
	
	And Albion now	 to thee my native home	  
	Where first I did	 rec●…e my vital breath	  
	After all pains	 pain to thee I come	  
	Within thy bounds	 to give myself to death:  
	For sith my love	 my 〈◊〉 hath me ●…o saken	  
	My last farewell	 of Padua I have taken.   
	
	But when alas	 when shall my sorrows end?  
	When shall I cease	 of Pad●…a for to cry?  
	When shall I see	 stern 〈◊〉 unbend	  
	My woeful thread	 of sad calamity?  
	When shall I leave	 in zealous cloak to stand	  
	With lovesick cries	 to curse both sea and land?   
	
	O let me never	 cease with hidecus cries	  
	With doleful tunes	 and horied exclamations	  
	To send my ' sighs	 into the lofty skies	  
	And pierce the Chaos	 with my invocations	  
	Until these eyes	 that fed their rauiued sight:  
	Upon Aegesta	 be deprived of light.   
	
	Thou sullen earth	 with Anger sounding woe	  
	Ye bleating 〈◊〉 shaded with sheltering twigs	  
	Ye murmuring waters	 that with ●…ates o●… c●…owe	  
	Ye chirping birds	 that chant the dancing sprigs:  
	Come all at once	 your sadd●…●…nts bring	  
	My fair aegesta's	 〈◊〉 to sing.   
	
	Dead is my love	 dead are my hopes and joys	  
	accursed Fates	 that of my love bereft me	  
	Cursed be all hopes	 let hopes be hapless toys	  
	For love	 and joy	 hope	 hap	 and all hath left me:  
	And I remain	 uncessantly to cry	  
	Still living	 still	 ten thousand deaths to die.   
	
	O Let me curse	 that day	 the time and hour	  
	When first I left	 fair Padua and my love	  
	O let me curse	 all gold and golden power	  
	By whose fowl force	 these ugly storms I prove:  
	O let me curse	 that time that I did gain	  
	The name of Knight	 to live in hermits pain.   
	
	But O my Love	 my Love	 and only joy	  
	My fair Aegessa	 Aegessa I'll come to thee	  
	More fair than Helen	 sack of stately Troy	  
	Once more I'll come	 to sew to court to woe thee:  
	Now I will come	 to thine immortal shrine	  
	Where thou dost live	 triumphant and divine.   
	
	Then why do I	 thus linger here and there	  
	And seek not out	 the wait ' avernus cave?  
	Wretch that I am	 how can I thus forbear	  
	Pining for want	 of that which I would have?  
	I Glaucus-like	 do travel day and night	  
	While she by Circe	 is transformed quite.   
	
	Wherefore I'll go	 like to that Thracian bold	  
	With this my lute	 my journey will I take	  
	Whose frets and strings	 I'll frame of glitring gold	  
	Then Orphe-like	 I'll cross that muddy lake:  
	And thou fair Pallas	 and ye muses nine	  
	My hand and tongue	 guide with your powers divine.   
	
	Venus I crave	 a helping hand of thee	  
	Safe to conduct me	 through the Lethean fens	  
	And thy ripe wit	 lend me sweet Mercury	  
	That I with ease	 may pass that mierie Themmes:  
	So that black Charon	 with his swartieoares	  
	May set me safe	 on Demogorgon's shoar's   
	
	Where Orphe-like	 to Tenarus I'll go	  
	Which ugly gate	 doth open towards the North	  
	There Cerberus fowl	 doth make his triple show	  
	There takes he in	 but none he will put forth:  
	Ye fates unreele	 my love's sad destiny	  
	Or I will seek	 her with Persephone	   
	
	With that he closed	 his hollow wo-swolne eyes	  
	And stretched his limbs	 along the senseless ground	  
	His ghastly visage	 pierced the vaulties skies	  
	Sometimes his eyballs	 seemed for to turn round:  
	With tortured groan's	 than would he sadly gasp	  
	With empty palms	 than did he weakly grasp.   
	
	Then did he lie	 with quivering legs and arms	  
	Then groveling crawls	 then feebly fall again	  
	Then as one struck	 with magic spells and charms	  
	There would he seem	 quite breathless to remain:  
	Thus did helie	 thus did he sometimes welter	  
	But than stone still	 the shadows did him shelter.   
	
	At which prospect	 I could no longer stand	  
	But soon did ●…ne	 to help him in that case	  
	And water cold	 I brought within my hand	  
	Wherewith I rubbed	 his pale and ghastly face:  
	I raised him up	 then set him down again	  
	Then pulled him here	 then thrust him thence amay fie.   
	
	At length a sigh	 mixed with a grievous groan	  
	He sent to tell	 some life in him was left	  
	The which did move	 my very heart to moan	  
	For that so much	 of sense he was bereft:  
	Yet labouring still	 I moved him here and there	  
	Until at length	 he asked who it were.   
	
	That so did wake him	 from his quiet sleep	  
	Which was so much	 unto his hearts content	  
	With that he wept	 but seeming not to weep	  
	For fear that I	 should relish what it meant:  
	He wiped his eyes	 that were o'erflowed with tears	  
	And seemed to banish	 all his former cares.   
	
	Then unto me	 these speeches he addressed	  
	How could you find	 my silly Hermit's bower?  
	You did not well	 to wake me from my rest	  
	For in two days	 I scarce do sleep one hour:  
	But that I am	 a Hermit as you see	  
	With good cause I	 might with you angry be.   
	
	Alas (quoth I) good gentle father hear me	  
	And let not anger	 harbour in your breast	  
	Although you chide not	 well your looks may fear me	  
	For ages frowns	 may breed a youths unrest:  
	Then if you please	 to hear what I shall say	  
	I will reveal	 how I did chance this way.   
	
	And seeing you la●…'d; as I you lying found	  
	Seeming quite breathless	 in my judgements eye	  
	With arms and legs	 stretched forth upon the ground	  
	Pity did force	 my harmless hand to try:  
	As half amazed	 the un-approved doubt	  
	If Nature's taper	 were quite wasted out.   
	
	For surely sir	 if accident should call me	  
	Unto a chance	 such as this chance hath been	  
	I tell you plain	 what hap so ere befall me	  
	The like effect	 in me should sure be seen:  
	For why I durst	 have pawned my neighbour's head	  
	Your body had	 from out this world been dead.   
	
	These words I uttered	 something smilingly	  
	With humorous gesture	 and a pleasing vain	  
	Because I would not	 have him willingly	  
	Think that I knew	 aught of his woe and pain:  
	And truth to tell	 I could no better make them	  
	Because that he	 could no ways better take them.   
	
	For than he calmly	 did desire of me	  
	To show what pastimes	 I did most embrace	  
	What country man	 and what my name might be	  
	And eke what chance	 had brought me to that place:  
	This did he ask	 with words so fair and cool	  
	As he his time	 had spent in Nurture's school.   
	
	I not denying	 of his kind request	  
	With sad discourse	 my name and country told	  
	And some light toy	 that harboured in my breast	  
	I did not let	 to him for to unfold:  
	But for the chance	 that brought me to that place	  
	Thus did I gloze it	 with a brazen face.   
	
	Aurora's spring	 that ripes the golden morns	  
	No sooner pried	 o'er the mountains tops	  
	But that the Huntsmen	 wound out their horns	  
	Calling the Dogs	 into a grovie cops:  
	I followed on	 at length there did appear	  
	Roused from the wood	 a lusty fallow Dear.   
	
	The hounds pursued	 the huntsmen's echoing noise	  
	Did seem throughout	 the shady groves to ring	  
	Unskilled of horn	 scarce with a huntsman's voice	  
	I followed still	 to see that novel thing:  
	'Twere foll'in me	 Thersites like to vaunt it	  
	But the huntsmen	 and the bounds did chant it.   
	
	The grieved heart	 with tears bewails his case	  
	The eg●…t dog●…	 did lightly pass the grounds	  
	A Pa●…an b●…ach	 was foremost in the chase	  
	For sh●… did lead	 the other cry of hounds:  
	Which caused the heart	 to s●…ud with n●…mble heels	  
	o'er hills and dales	 o'er craggy bracks and fields.   
	
	Then did he fall	 into a heard of dear	  
	Then to the soil	 then to the heard again	  
	Then in the woods	 he faintly did appear	  
	Then o●…e the mountains	 thence into a plain:  
	And all this while	 the hounds had no●… a check	  
	But still did seem	 to take him by the neck.   
	
	And foremost still	 that fair Italian hound	  
	The which was thought	 to be of Spartan kind	  
	Of all the rest	 she seemed to gather ground	  
	For she did run	 as swift as any wind:  
	Which caused the dear	 i●…'s neck to lay his horns	  
	And so to post	 through brambles	 briars and thorns.   
	
	The huntsmen glad	 to see their sport so good	  
	Did wind their h●…nes	 to courage up their hounds	  
	The silly dear	 did hasten to the wood	  
	The dogs full cry	 did keep a ●…arrowe bounds:  
	So hat sometimes	 they seemed his haunch to nipp	  
	which caused him feebly	 from there gripes to slip.   
	
	o'er bush and brier	 the dogs did seem to make him	  
	Bounce	 lean	 and skipp●…	 when he could scarcely go.  
	I follow still	 but could not overtake him	  
	Yet d●…d I cross	 and meet him to and fro:  
	Then in the groves	 the ●…oundes did ring apace	  
	with yelping voices	 in that solemn chase	   
	
	Then here	 then there	 the echoing wood resounded	  
	Of those shrill notes	 displayed with horns and hounds	  
	The noise whereof	 into the skies rebounded	  
	Throughout the hills	 and all the dally grounds:  
	Which pastime rare	 my tongue denies to tell	  
	The hunting music	 did so much excel.   
	
	Then for to meet	 the game a nearer way	  
	I walked along	 a dale hard by a fountain	  
	Whereas a while	 to drink I there did s●…ay	  
	Then did I climb	 the top of yonder mountain:  
	Where I might view	 at large the valley grounds	  
	But could not hear	 the huntsmen nor the hounds.   
	
	Then looking towered	 this little shady plain	  
	Like a young huntsman	 I began to call	  
	Whereas me thought	 one answered me again	  
	That seemed my voice	 in his for to install:  
	I something angry	 came along the ground	  
	But then I knew	 it was an echoes sound	   
	
	Thus having lost	 the sport I came to see	  
	And knowing not where	 to seek the same again	  
	My mind did with	 my weary legs agree	  
	Homeward to go	 through this covert plain:  
	Thus lea●…ing off	 the lusty red Deeres chase	  
	It was my chance	 to find you in this place.   
	
	Then howsoe'er	 I pray you pardon me	  
	Were you asleep	 or were you in a sound	  
	Or in a trance	 as so you well might be	  
	But surely dead	 you seemed when I you found:  
	Chance is but chance	 then for this chance excuse me	  
	Sith in my thoughts	 I did no whit abuse ye.   
	
	Thus have I told you	 all you did demand	  
	And more will tell you	 if you do request it	  
	there's nothing lieth	 within my powerless hand	  
	But age shall have it	 else I will detest it:  
	Then ask and have	 there's nought consists in me	  
	But you free owner	 of the same shallbe.   
	
	Then did he seem	 to cloak both wrath and love	  
	The heat of one	 did quench the others fire	  
	Where two extremes	 in one doth seem to move	  
	It qualifieth	 the hotness of desire:  
	For neither moved	 with love nor fretful spleen	  
	Clad in these words	 his speech was neatly seen.   
	
	Your courtesies	 excel far my desert	  
	My merits no way	 can them countervail	  
	But if my love	 or aught within my heart	  
	Can equal them	 I will in no ways fail:  
	But what you have	 in kindness show'd to me	  
	By me shall no ways	 unrequited Bee.   
	
	For look what nurture	 doth by nature owe	  
	Unto a stranger	 you have showed to me	  
	Then if that I	 a stranger should not show	  
	Such courteous deeds	 as might with yours agree:  
	Well might I gain	 myself a scandal crime	  
	And show misspent	 the travels of my time.   
	
	But sith that now	 the sun hath well near passed	  
	His half days course	 climbing the lofty sphere	  
	And that long travel	 in your limbs hath placed	  
	Hunger and thirst	 with hunting of the Dear:  
	Let me entreat you	 with these ca●…es of mine	  
	In this my bower	 this once with me to dine.   
	
	I gave him thanks	 and seemed right well content	  
	At which my words	 the Hermit turned him round	  
	Unto his scrip	 he then directly went	  
	Taking a cloth	 and spread it on the ground:  
	And as his cloth	 and cates he neatly laid	  
	With smile terms	 these words to ●…ee he said.   
	
	Sir think not now	 yourself in town or court	  
	For to be pampe●…d	 with delicious fare	  
	For here remains	 no pomp nor stately port	  
	But think you here	 inuiorned round with care:  
	Here use we not	 our bellies for to fill	  
	But feed at need	 stern hunger for to kill.   
	
	With that he went	 to fetch some water in	  
	While I stood musing	 for to see his fare	  
	For he had set	 a skull for to begin	  
	Which would have moved; a prodigal to care:  
	And right against it	 stood an ho●…re glass	  
	Where one might see	 how swistly time did pass.   
	
	Then did he set	 an earthen pot of flowers	  
	Whose colour clear	 was withered quite away	  
	Then did he set	 two other	 whose fai●…e powers	  
	Seemed to contain	 the pleasures of the day:  
	And then a book	 and then a little bell	  
	But what that meant	 my senses could not t●…ll.   
	
	No bit of meat	 upon the table stood	  
	But some few roots	 the which alone did lie	  
	Alas thought	 I	 this is but simple food	  
	Yet for this once	 I will not him deny.  
	But I will sit	 and think I have good meat	  
	That I may see	 how he these-cates will eat.   
	
	Th●… with his ●…itcher	 he came in again	  
	Filled with fair water	 from a fountain clear	  
	And purer far	 than silver drops of rain	  
	That falleth in	 the April of the year:  
	Then with these words	 he took me by the hand	  
	You see your fare	 then do not musing stand.   
	
	But sit you down	 upon these flowers by me	  
	Although course fare	 to dinner you shall have	  
	Yet si●… I pray	 and bear me company	  
	For near good fare	 was in a heremites cave:  
	Yet if that want	 thereof your sense doth dull	  
	Our table talk	 shall surely fill you full.   
	
	Then sat I down	 upon the carpet grass	  
	Where after thanks	 to God for that our meat	  
	He did begin	 the dinner time to pass	  
	With sad discourse	 but not a bit did eat:  
	For in his hand	 he took the dead man's skull	  
	The which did seem	 to fill his stomach full.   
	
	He held it still	 in 〈◊〉 sinister hand	  
	And turned it soft	 and stroked it with the other	  
	He smiled on it	 and oft demurely saund	  
	As it had been	 the head of his own brother:  
	Oft would h'haue spoke	 but something bred delay	  
	At length half weeping	 these words did he say.   
	
	This barren skull	 that here you do behold	  
	Why might it not	 have been an emperors head?  
	Whose storehouse rich	 was heaped with massy gold	  
	If it were so	 all that to him is dead:  
	His Empire crown	 his dignities and all	  
	When death took him	 all them from him did fall.   
	
	Why might not this	 an empress head have been	  
	Although now bare	 with earth and crooked age?  
	Perhaps it was	 the head of some great Queen	  
	Virtuous in youth	 though now spoiled with earth's rage:  
	Well if it were	 so rich a treasure once	  
	Now 'tis no more but rattling ghastly bones.   
	
	Say that it were	 the head of some great man	  
	That wisely searched	 and pried out every cause	  
	And that invented	 every day to skanne	  
	The deep d●…stinctions	 of all sorts of laws:  
	And sometimes so	 cut off his neighbour's head	  
	Why if it were	 himself is now but dead.   
	
	And might it not	 a Lady sometimes joy	  
	Thave decked	 and trimmed	 this now rain beaten face	  
	With many a trick	 and new found pleasing toy?  
	Which if that now	 she did behold her case:  
	Although on earth	 she were for to remain	  
	She would not paint	 nor trim it up again.   
	
	Why might not this	 have been some lawyers pate	  
	The which sometimes	 bribed	 brawled	 and took a fee	  
	And law exacted	 to the highest rate?  
	Why might not this	 be such a one as he?  
	Your quirks	 and quillets	 now sir where be they	  
	Now he is mute	 and not a word can say.   
	
	Why might not this	 have garnished forth some dame	  
	Whose sole delight	 was in her dog and fan	  
	Her gloves	 and mask	 to keep her from the aim	  
	Of Phoebus' heat	 her hands or face to tan:  
	Perhaps this might	 in every sort agree	  
	To be the head	 of such a one as she.   
	
	Or why not thus	 some filthy pander slave	  
	That broker like	 his soul doth set and sell	  
	Might not have died	 and in an honest grave	  
	After his death	 gone thither for to dwell:  
	And I come there	 long after he were dead	  
	And purchase so	 his filthy panders head.   
	
	Or say't were thus	 some three chinned foggy dame	  
	The which was so	 but then a bawd was turned	  
	And kept a house	 of wanton Venus' game	  
	Until such time	 her chimneys all were burned:  
	And there some one	 with Gallian spice well sped	  
	May die of that	 and this might be her head	   
	
	But O I run	 I run too far astray	  
	And prate and talk	 my wits quite out of door	  
	Say't were a King	 Queen	 Lord	 or Lady gay	  
	A Lawyer	 Minion	 Pander	 or a whore:  
	If it were noble	 'twere not for me to creak on.  
	If it were base	 it were too vile to speak on.   
	
	But what so ere it was	 now 'tis but this	  
	A dead man's skull	 usurped from his grave	  
	Yet do I make it	 still my foremost dish	  
	For why? 'tis all the comfort that I have:  
	In that I may	 when any dine with me	  
	Show what they were	 and eke what they shall be.   
	
	Then on the cloth	 he set it down again	  
	And with a sigh	 hart-deepe with half a groan	  
	Which drew salt tears	 from out his eyes amain	  
	Although he cloaked them	 with a pretty moan:  
	Well sir quoth he	 although your chear's not great	  
	This is the sauce	 you shall have to your meat.   
	
	Which I no niggard	 wish you not to spare	  
	Although it be an ill digesting meat	  
	Yet such it is	 that we must know and hear	  
	Though we not that	 yet that our lives will eat:  
	And who soe'er	 with in my bower shall dine	  
	Shall taste this sauce	 ere any cates of mine.   
	
	Then did he give	 me of his rootie food	  
	And bade me eat	 and he took of the same	  
	He eat thereof	 affirming it were good	  
	But I to taste it	 knew not how to frame.  
	And yet because	 that I was hunger-beaten	  
	I chawed a bit	 and seemed as though I had eaten.   
	
	Then did he take	 his pitcher in his hand	  
	And courteously	 did proffer drink to me	  
	I wiled him drink	 and I at his command	  
	next taster of	 that same his drink would be:  
	He drunk thereof	 and after so did I	  
	And set the pot	 upon the ground us by.   
	
	Then in his hand	 he took the hour glass	  
	And these like words	 to me he did bewray	  
	Behold saith he	 how here the time doth pass	  
	Tread you upright	 or go you quite a stray:  
	Here may you see	 how swi●… your time doth run	  
	And ceaseth not	 until your ●…fe be done.   
	
	This glass even now	 was full of slippery sand	  
	This glass even now	 was like the prime of youth	  
	This glass even now	 was filled with plenty's hand	  
	Only in this	 you may behold Time's truth:  
	Here you may see	 that time is always sliding	  
	This is a mirror	 of fickle tims abiding.   
	
	See how it g●…ides	 see	 see	 how fast it run	  
	S●…y a good life	 upon this time did dwell	  
	〈◊〉 not to●… soon	 his hour should be come	  
	〈◊〉 in virtue	 others did excel:  
	N●…	 we●…e he Moses	 David or Solomon	  
	His ti●…e thus come	 his life must needs be gone.   
	
	No●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…t	 the lamp hath burned the oil	  
	Th●…s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉	 ●…ithin this glass is set	  
	Were this 〈◊〉▪ 〈◊〉 now were freed from toil	  
	A●…l ear●…ly 〈◊〉▪ now he would forget:  
	And as this 〈◊〉	 within this glass lie still	  
	So should the e●…th	 his breathless body hill.   
	
	Without more words	 the gla●…e he did set down	  
	And took two pot●…s	 of flowers in his hands	  
	He knit his brows	 and seemed for to frown	  
	Yet of the virtues	 thus at length he ●…kans.  
	These withered flowers	 were as fair as these	  
	And these fair flowers	 willbe as foul as these.   
	
	This pot of flowers	 that dead and withered be	  
	In prime of show	 but yesterday were growing	  
	Their blasted looks	 thus faded as you see	  
	Were yesterday	 both pleasant fresh and flowing:  
	What we are all	 by these we may divine	  
	When death shall cut	 our thread and fatal line.   
	
	And these fair flowers	 that now so fair do seem	  
	Whose powers were fostered	 with this morning's dew	  
	Their gaudy time	 as I do justly deem	  
	Is nigh half spent	 as trial shall prove true:  
	For ere their looks	 the morrow light shall see	  
	Their pleasant hew	 full withered off shallbe.   
	
	These faded flowers	 are like unto the man	  
	The which cold dead	 upon the ground doth lie	  
	With ghastly colour	 visage pale and wan	  
	And many mourners	 him attending by:  
	His life thus gone	 his body nothing crave	  
	But to be hid	 within an earthly grave.   
	
	The withered flowers	 than he did set down	  
	And took the flowers	 equal to the other	  
	Which when they were	 each one by other shown	  
	Scarce could I deem	 the on's hue from the other:  
	But that the last	 in's right hand he did hold	  
	The first of them	 his left hand did enfold.   
	
	Then with sad looks	 he sigh't and thus bespoke	  
	Behold these flowers	 a paradox in years	  
	With such remorse	 these speeches from him broke	  
	That he did partly	 smother them with tears▪  
	Behold (quoth he) the man that lives in pain	  
	And eke the man	 that doth in joy remain.   
	
	These flowers (quoth he) his right hand flowers meaning	  
	Doth represent	 the life	 of happy men	  
	The which with virtue	 in their bound●… containing	  
	Do lead their liue●…	 that none may look age●…▪  
	Whose human course	 no ma●… hath ever seen	  
	To be corrupt	 with fretfullire or spleen.   
	
	These flowers are like	 the man who from his youth	  
	Hath led his life	 in paths of upright ways	  
	theyare like to him	 that strayth not from the truth	  
	But lives in goodness	 all his youthful days▪  
	theyare like to him	 whose years do not decay	  
	But liveth young	 until his la●…est day.   
	
	These flowers (quoth he	) were cropped two days ago	  
	But yet do keep	 their perfect colour still	  
	The water is	 the cause why they do so	  
	For why? brimful	 this small pot I did fill:  
	So look where virtue's	 filled with sweet content	  
	There life or colour	 will not soon be spent.   
	
	Yet even as beauty	 from these pretty flowers	  
	Though moistly kept	 at length will quite consume	  
	So shall that man	 who hath with all his powers	  
	Decked himself	 in virtues sweet perfume:  
	For though he feeds	 long on moist virtues breath	  
	Yet at the length	 he yields himself to death.   
	
	Then did he look	 upon his left hand flowers	  
	Alas (quoth he	) me thinks I see you fade	  
	The drought of woe	 consumeth all your powers	  
	YE are burnt with heat	 though always kept in shade:  
	For even as care	 like fire consumes a man	  
	So drought in shade	 your beauteous colours tan.   
	
	These flowers are like	 the wilful prodigal	  
	That unthrift-like	 spendeth his youthful days	  
	Mounting up still	 even suddenly to fall	  
	By in directing	 of his wilful ways:  
	His riotous life	 his toys and lavish tongue	  
	Makes him look old	 when that he is but young.   
	
	theyare like to him	 that wantoness it abroad	  
	With midnight revills	 kept in Venus' court	  
	Spar●…ng no cost	 but la●…'th on golden load	  
	And in a brothel	 keeps Lordly port:	  
	But when his purse	 and veins are all drawn dry	  
	Though he's but young	 he looks as he would die.   
	
	theyare not unlike	 a virtuous nurtured child	  
	The which did flourish	 in his tender years	  
	But got the reins	 grows head strong proud and wild	  
	Till all his grain	 is turned to frutlesse tars:  
	Then full of care	 he leaves his foolish joy	  
	And looks like age	 when he is but a boy.   
	
	Good sir (quoth he	) thus have I to you shown	  
	The vertu●…s of	 these several sorts of dishes	  
	My glass and flowers	 you the ●…ast have known	  
	Although not filled	 with flesh nor dainty fishes:  
	And with those words	 he did set down the flowers	  
	Feeding again	 for to revive his powers.   
	
	Not past two bits	 the silly man did eat	  
	When in his hand	 he took the book and bell	  
	And thus of them	 began for to entreat	  
	Whilst drooping tears	 from his sad eyes befell:  
	This book (quoth he) a man's shape seems to have	  
	And this the bell	 that calls him to his grave.   
	
	This Little book	 presents the life of man	  
	Wherein is wrapped	 the substance of his soul	  
	Which be it fresh	 or be it pale or wan	  
	IT must separate	 when as this bell doth toll:  
	How virtuous	 bad	 or pure soe'er it be	  
	When death doth call	 soul must from body flee.   
	
	Within this book	 doth spring the well of life	  
	Which fountain clear	 gives drink to all that craves it	  
	Hear lieth the sword	 that ends all Kinds of strife	  
	Denied to none	 but all that seeks it have it:  
	And they that use	 this sword	 or water clear	  
	This bells alarm	 need not for to fear.   
	
	Within this book	 good men renew their sight	  
	When as they bathe	 their liquid veins therein:  
	To hear this bell	 it doth their soul's delight	  
	They fear not death	 they force him not a pin.  
	For when stern death	 thinks most their soul's t'anoy	  
	This is their shield	 they think him but a toy.   
	
	This book (quoth he) should usurers behold	  
	And foul usurpers	 of their neighbour's land	  
	That robs the poor	 and heaps up hoards of gold	  
	To note it well	 they would amazed stand:  
	And from those lands	 and bags of money fall	  
	For fear this Bell	 to Limbo should them call.   
	
	If drunkards	 gluttons	 or lascivious men	  
	Would deeply dive	 into this small books lines	  
	Their own black leaves	 they would turneo●…e a gen	  
	And soon bewail	 their monster like spent times:  
	Arming themselves	 with this	 the scourge of hell	  
	Lest they should fear	 the tolling of the Bell.   
	
	Or if that they	 who swell with haughty pride	  
	Within this book	 should make their looking-glass	  
	Or if false thieves	 should here their shares divide	  
	And view it well	 before they hence did pass:  
	Pride and Celeno	 they would both go pray	  
	For fear this Bell	 to hell should them convey.   
	
	But if a good	 and virtuous living man	  
	Should chance to pry	 within this little book	  
	He need not fear	 for he already can	  
	Their calmy lines with fair digest●…re brook:  
	If death him call	 he doth him strait defy	  
	Only he knows	 from this world he must die.   
	
	This Bell presents	 the Crier of a Court	  
	The which in time	 doth call both good and bad	  
	Each man thereto	 must duly make resort	  
	For when he calls	 an answer must be had:  
	And when pale death	 shall shut up all our powers	  
	The doleful bell	 doth strike our latest hours.   
	
	With which sad words	 he set them on the cloth	  
	Now sir (quoth he) y'have tasted all my fare	  
	The which to show	 to some I would be loath	  
	But speak I pray	 how do ye like this cheer:  
	Well: but me thinks	 'tis ill digesting food	  
	No sir quoth he	 'tis pleasant sweet and good.   
	
	For if a Prince	 should chance to come this way	  
	And in mine Arbour	 sit as now you do	  
	These cates and cheer	 to him I would forth lay	  
	And pray him look	 and taste upon it too:  
	And would not let	 his pardon for to crave	  
	To tell him this	 doth represent his grave.   
	
	Or if a Queen	 with all her courtly train	  
	Of states and peers	 of Lords and Ladies gay	  
	Should come within	 this little shady plain	  
	And in the Cell of poor Maluchus stay.  
	What should detain	 my tongue it might not tell	  
	They must not aye	 in earthly pleasures dwell?   
	
	Let all the Lawyers	 lodged within new Troy	  
	And all the dames	 that mincing minions are	  
	The pandar slaves	 and strumpets seeming coy	  
	Come here to me	 and none of them I'll spare:  
	But tell them all	 and that with small offence	  
	Their time will come	 and that they must pack hence.   
	
	If mistress Maudlin	 with her golden locks	  
	Whose leman knows	 his well-grift-forked brows	  
	Or mistress Maukin	 who sat twice i'th' stocks	  
	Should undermine	 these Hermit-shading bows:  
	I would not let	 their person thus to greet	  
	Amend	 your end	 is but a winding sheet.   
	
	Let them that spend	 the flower of their time	  
	The Venus wanton	 and the prodigal	  
	Who do not take	 the sun while it doth shine	  
	But let it pass	 and think not of their fall:  
	Let them come here	 but once and dine with me	  
	And here I'll tell them	 what their end shall be.   
	
	Let those that hoard	 up gold and silver store	  
	And never thinks	 to part from it again	  
	But starve poor Orphans	 at their wretched door	  
	And silly souls	 for want thereof are slain:  
	Let them look here	 here shall they plainly see	  
	At their last hour	 what their best end shall b●…e.   
	
	Let pride	 and theft	 and glutton-drunkennesse	  
	And all the tribe	 of miscreant demeanour	  
	With all lascivious	 folly and excess	  
	Repair to this	 my little shady bower:  
	And taste this fare	 as you have done with me	  
	Then shall they know	 what their best end shall be.   
	
	Yet sir	 quoth he	 far be it from your heart	  
	That you should take	 a bad conceit herein	  
	But of my words	 and cheer receive a part	  
	And think you welcome	 to this homely Inn:  
	Nor do I speak it	 but that you should gain	  
	Some pleasure by	 your long spent time and pain.   
	
	But now I see	 an hour is fully spent	  
	Since we sat down	 within this homely place	  
	Wherefore if you	 be therewithal content	  
	we'll end our dinner	 with a thankful grace:  
	Which being done	 if that you please to stay	  
	We will discourse	 to spend this Summer's day.   
	
	I was content	 the duty was effected	  
	The board was drawn	 and all was laid aside	  
	Each on his seat	 in shadow sweet elected	  
	And then the Hermit	 thus his speech did ' guide:  
	Good sir (quoth he) now do I call to mind	  
	The Paduan brach	 that was of Spartan kind.   
	
	I pray you tell me	 do you know her master	  
	I ask not that	 a Huntsman I would be	  
	But that I heard	 you say she did run faster	  
	Then all the hounds	 in that wood sounding cry:  
	Fame would I know	 him that in Padua ought her	  
	And eke the man	 that into Albion brought her.   
	
	I blushed to hear	 him name the dog again	  
	That I had named	 but neither seen	 nor found	  
	For why? the hunting was a moral plain	  
	Himself the Hart	 his love the Paduan hound:  
	Yet that I might	 protect myself from shame	  
	Thus unto him	 an answer I did frame.   
	
	Sir	 that fair brach	 a courteous Knight doth keep	  
	Who in his arms	 will hug the tattling else	  
	And in his bosom	 suffers her to creep	  
	So that the Ape	 grows cursed	 and bites himself:  
	And were't not that	 I should be thought to glory	  
	Of them I could	 discourse a pretty story.   
	
	No sir	 quoth he	 if that you please to tell	  
	That fair discourse	 de●…iu'd from Italy	  
	I cannot think	 that glory vain doth dwell	  
	Within that breast	 where virtue seems to lie:  
	Nor will I suffer	 you to take the pain	  
	Unless by lot	 you do the place attain.   
	
	For that from Padua	 I did late return	  
	And with these eyes	 I sadly did behold	  
	A sight the which	 doth cause me yet to mourn	  
	The which my tongue	 did never yet unfold.  
	Wherefore by lot	 we may discern right well	  
	Which of us two	 the first discourse shall tell.   
	
	The lots were cast	 the Hermits was the charge	  
	He must prepare	 to tell the first discourse	  
	When I did think	 that I should hear at large	  
	His lovesick passions	 sighed with remorse:  
	But he as one	 that r●…ueld in despair	  
	Began this Roman story to declare.   
	
	The hermits discourse.  
	
	WHere grisly cares	 floweth untamed tides	  
	Within the Ocean of a pensive breast	  
	There sorrows ship	 still at an anchor rides	  
	Beaten with waves	 of boiling thoughts unrest:  
	Whole storms of sighs	 against that ship is sent	  
	Until her heart-worne	 tackle all are rend.   
	
	For when my heart	 began to harbour grief	  
	And that my thoughts	 had entertained woe	  
	In deserts wild	 I sought to find relief	  
	And pathless paths	 my uncouth steps did know:  
	Until at length	 I did behold and see	  
	Each senseless creature	 boisterous storms did flee.   
	
	The storms did force	 the Lion leave his prey	  
	The wily Fox	 to hasten to his hole	  
	The storms did force	 the Wolf to howl and bray	  
	The hind to steal	 to covert with her foal.  
	The storms did force	 th' Antelope for to hide her	  
	In shelters safe	 conducted by the Tiger.   
	
	The ugly Bear	 unto her whelps did run	  
	The bristled Boar	 retired from his food	  
	The bouncing Doa	 unto the brakes did come	  
	The fearful hare	 did hasten to the wood:  
	And all the beasts	 that nature's art did mould	  
	Some harbour sought	 to keep them from the cold.   
	
	Then did I likewise	 to my Chamber go	  
	Whose walls were painted	 with over flowing tears	  
	Mixed with the colour	 of distress and woe	  
	Drawn out with knots	 of hopeless grief and fears:  
	My bed of sorrow	 I had lately bought	  
	My sheets with sighs	 most sumptously were wrought.   
	
	My bolster filled	 with sad lamenting groans	  
	My pillow all	 embroidered ore with care	  
	My blanckets framed	 full of w●…yling moans	  
	My covering	 embossed with despair:  
	Thus was my Chamber	 decked on every side	  
	With woe and grief	 wherein I did abide.   
	
	Where I had time	 and place enough to mourn	  
	With fainting tears	 there might I feast my fill	  
	There might my sighs	 redoubled well return	  
	From hollow vaults	 and every little hill:  
	There to myself	 myself was left alone	  
	None left to hear	 the tenure of my moan.   
	
	For if there had	 perhaps they would but smile	  
	And laugh	 and scoff	 at my sad souls lament	  
	Where	 with the sighs	 that I did time beguile	  
	Would shake great hills	 or stony rocks have rend:  
	But such they were	 as to myself were easing	  
	Content my mind	 and to myself were pleasing.   
	
	Ten thousand sighs	 I sent to fill the air	  
	When from the air	 I sucked them up again	  
	A thousand times	 I did repeat my care	  
	When still my care	 did with myself remain:  
	I sighed	 I sobbed	 and weeping	 hands did wring	  
	And sometimes song	 my woes with sonnetting.   
	
	But after that	 I had myself tormented	  
	With horrid groans	 whereon I daily fed	  
	So that the rugged	 breathless stone; lamented	  
	I wrapped myself	 in that care covered bed:  
	Where thus my thoughts	 did meditate on grief	  
	Not knowing how	 nor where to find relief.   
	
	The malcontent	 is waited on with woe	  
	The lovers life	 is care ore-guilt with joys	  
	The penitent	 his breast with sobs doth flow	  
	Shedding out tears	 his pensive soul avoids:  
	Sighs at a beck	 to each of them do fall	  
	Sorrow doth sit	 attending on them all.   
	
	The male content	 he neither eats nor sleeps	  
	But meditates	 upon he knows not what	  
	His daring eyes	 upon the earth still peeps	  
	But what he seeks	 his senses quite forgot:  
	His sullen thoughts	 doth seed on bitter gall	  
	Most is his mirth	 when greatest is his thrall.   
	
	far more he labours	 in his troubled mind	  
	Then all the Ploughmen	 in a thousand fields	  
	His harvest reaped	 when seasons are most kind	  
	Less is his gain	 than least of all theirs yields:  
	He thinks his state	 is happier than many	  
	Yet loves	 nor hates	 nor fears	 nor cares for any.   
	
	His life he loves	 as men loves summers snow	  
	For life and death	 are both to him all one	  
	A life to death	 he's sure that he doth owe	  
	He death embraceth	 ere that his life is gone:  
	With this his vain	 he thinks the Gods have blest (him)  
	And in this vain	 he goeth a while to rest him.   
	
	The Lover sad	 I moan with kind remorse	  
	For why? I know no surgeon can him cure	  
	His unseen wounds	 are of so strange a force	  
	That living long	 no wight can them endure:  
	He's srizing hot	 and living always dead	  
	Despairing hopes	 and losing thinks him sped	   
	
	He's well yet sick	 and knows not where's his grief	  
	He's burning cold	 he hath and yet he skants	  
	He's seeking still	 though never finds relief	  
	His heart seems pleased	 yet that he wish he wants	  
	Twixt two extremes	 his ship is always sailing	  
	[He thinks him sped	 when all his baits are failing.   
	
	He mourning sings	 he smiles in sorrow sad	  
	He dying lives	 and lives by always dying	  
	He nought enjoys	 yet with his nothing glad	  
	He still pursewes	 where he sees nothing flying:  
	His restless pangs	 would make a world to wonder	  
	Yet drowsy sleep	 doth force him to a slumber.   
	
	The penitent	 that doth in anguish pain	  
	He sinking swims	 in gulfs of deep despair	  
	In shade he si●…ts	 his sun doth seldom shine	  
	His drink is woe	 his meat is clogged care:  
	He hopes	 he fears	 and thus in hoping joys	  
	Hope makes him glad	 but fearing him annoys.   
	
	To uncouth places	 he doth always haunt	  
	His pensine conscience	 wills him there to wander	  
	His tortured body	 seems to feel more want	  
	Then for his Hero	 did love-drown'd Leander:  
	No desert dark	 nor pleasant lawn long holds him	  
	But weary still	 his ivy arms enfolds him.   
	
	He sighing peeps	 from earth unto the skies	  
	Then woeful looks	 from sky to earth again	  
	From earth he came	 in heaven his comfort lies	  
	Thus on he walks	 twixt mutual joy and pain:  
	In dark●… night	 nor yet in pleasing day	  
	His life 〈◊〉 stands	 at one contented stay.   
	
	Well do I know	 the tears and bitter moan	  
	The penitent	 doth utter with his wailing	  
	For in that grief	 I feel myself as one	  
	That have a ship	 within that Ocean sailing:  
	And hope at length	 with others that have store	  
	To bring my ship	 unto a happy shore.   
	
	Thus did I lie	 with sundry meditations	  
	Thus were my thoughts	 with divers changes led	  
	Which muse were	 my chiefest consolations	  
	Till drowsy sleep	 was hanging in my head:  
	Which then began	 my senses to surprise	  
	Binding the dewy	 closures of mine eyes.   
	
	But slumber soft	 no sooner had enclosed	  
	The watery windows	 of my woeful eyes	  
	When as me thought	 a champion bold opposed	  
	My sleeping senses	 with sad miseries:  
	Whose warlike limbs	 in iron rough were girt	  
	The which descried	 the courage of his heart.   
	
	His burgonet	 his vaunbrace and his shield	  
	Were framed all	 of fire tempered steel	  
	With golden stars	 amid a sable field	  
	Whose massy substance	 I did seem to feel▪  
	Fixed was his beaver	 void of plumy fan	  
	Or quaint devise	 upon his helm to stand.   
	
	At which dread sight	 my senses were amazed	  
	Though drowsy winks	 did rock them still asleep	  
	Mine eyes did seem	 to wake	 and waking gazed	  
	Yet heavy slumbers	 closely did them keep:  
	But then his voice	 that seemed my heart to shake	  
	Unbound his tongue	 which then these words bespoke.   
	
	Awake	 awake	 ye winged wits of Rome	  
	Your flying fancies	 wrapped in fiery air	  
	Sing julius worth	 Agricola entomb	  
	Your spirits high	 closed in mansions fair	  
	Too long have slept	 in loves delicious awe	  
	Forgetting still	 your kind Agricola.   
	
	But where am I? or where do I declare	  
	My woeful name	 with prostrate invocations?  
	What shall my sorrows	 pierce an Albion's ear?  
	And fright poor Padua with my exclamations?  
	No: let me first	 from fair Elizea fall	  
	And choke the deep'st	 infernal with my thrall.   
	
	O no: let Rome	 let Rome suck up mine anguish	  
	Let Rome the mother	 of my infant's years	  
	Swell with my sighs	 in which my soul still languish	  
	Let Rome dissolve	 herself with doleful tears:  
	Let Roman Poets	 sing great julius name	  
	With blazing trophies	 of eternal fame.   
	
	But they are gone	 from Rome's terrestial verges	  
	whose muse admired	 were crowned with quivering bay	  
	O they are dead	 that should have sung my dirges	  
	With doleful langours	 and distressful lays:  
	He liu's in bliss	 that sung the wars of Troy	  
	Dead is the swayn's	 that told of Phillis joy.   
	
	Yet doth he live	 eternised with glory	  
	That sweetly sung renowned Scipio's wars	  
	He lives that told aemilla's lasting story	  
	Mixed with Antonius	 and Octavius jars:  
	A thousand more	 do live	 whose fames do ring	  
	Yet none of dead	 Agriola will sing.   
	
	Wherefore sith I	 of force am summoned here	  
	The story of my	 woeful days to tell	  
	And Rome denies	 to lend her listening ear	  
	Attend Maluchus	 and with sorrows swell.  
	That Albion fair	 may wail my tragedy	  
	Which sleeping waking	 thou shalt hear of me.   
	
	When great Vespasian	 wore the diadem	  
	Of Rome's large Empire	 and with conquering hand	  
	Had won the walls	 of fair jerusalem	  
	Whose stately towers	 were at his command▪  
	Then Rome's sweet air	 my youngling days did nuroish	  
	Her nectar paps	 my infancy did cherish.   
	
	Where	 whilst my years	 were tender	 soft and young	  
	In learning's cradle	 I was laid to sleep	  
	My careful tutor	 o'er me sweetly sung	  
	And I some strains	 of his did note and keep:  
	Esteeming them	 so highly in my power	  
	That I did hug them	 till my latest hour.   
	
	Then did I frame	 my tongue to courtly charms	  
	And how to tread	 the distance of a dance	  
	And then I practsed	 how to manage arms	  
	To toss a pike	 and how to wield a lance:  
	Then with sound rackets	 close within a wall	  
	I nimbly learned	 to toss a tennisse ball.   
	
	To hunt a dear I sometime took delight	  
	And sometime see	 the lightfote hare to play	  
	And sometime with	 an eager fawlcons flight	  
	I would consume	 the weary long some day:  
	A foamng steed	 then would I learn to pace	  
	And swallow-swift	 run him a double race.   
	
	Then in a ring	 I would him gently troth	  
	A full career	 than did I learn to make	  
	Then to curvet	 then for to gallop hot	  
	Then stopped him quick	 that he new breath might take:  
	Then on his crest	 my flattering palm would slide	  
	The more to cheer	 his hot courageous pride.   
	
	At Tilt and Tourney	 than did I learn to ride	  
	With clattering shocks	 to break a sturdy lance	  
	After the combat	 then with portly pride	  
	My foaming courser	 would himself advance:  
	Whose sumptuous carriage	 did so much excel	  
	That in each Tourney	 I did bear the bell.   
	
	For so I managed	 that courageous beast	  
	That he would vault	 leap	 curvet	 plunge	 and prance	  
	With startling fury	 fold his doubled crest	  
	With lofty capers	 stoop	 stop	 and lightly dance:  
	With fiery rage	 strike	 stare	 and trample proudly	  
	Beating the stones	 stamping and neighing loudly.   
	
	Each ten days once	 Olympus feast we held	  
	Meeting in tilt	 with complete armour bright	  
	So that I knew	 right well my spear to wield	  
	And how t'encounter	 with the hardiest Knight:  
	And sometime hit	 with counterbuff so sound	  
	That he lay weltering on the sullen ground.   
	
	Whilst the spectators	 voices high did laud me	  
	With hou'ring hats	 and loud tumultuous cries	  
	The trumpet shrill	 did seem for to applaud me	  
	Piercing the highest Zenith of the skies	  
	Where might be heard	 vnpa●…tiall voices say	  
	Young julius won	 the honour of the day.   
	
	Then was I brought	 to live in stately Court	  
	Whereas I fed	 of daintiest painted looks	  
	For gallant dames	 there daily did resort	  
	To have their faces	 read in steed of books	  
	And soon I learned	 with an amorous tongue	  
	To read the lines	 that were their books among.   
	
	Fortune did so	 advance my blooming days	  
	That in the court	 I gained a courtly place	  
	And happy he	 that most my name could raise	  
	I sat so high	 in great Vespasians grace:  
	Each one unlearned	 thought their learned skill	  
	If not employed	 my fantasy to fill.   
	
	Agricola	 was bruited through the land	  
	No tong●… did move	 but spoke of julius name	  
	Each Ma●…list	 that did control a band	  
	Mutely admired	 to hear of julius fame:  
	For sweet discourse	 revels	 and chivalry	  
	Who was renow'nd? Agricola even I.   
	
	Walked I in Court	 there Lamprils eyes descried me	  
	If in the town	 the Cit●…izens would know me	  
	If mountains bore me	 shepherd swains espied me	  
	In country towns	 each unto each would show me:  
	And all would bend	 with courtesies to me	  
	Whilst I to them	 would give like courtesy.   
	
	What should I say? but that I should not say?  
	All honour still	 in Court attended on me	  
	I still in great	 Vespasians bosom lay	  
	So graciously	 did fortune smile upon me:  
	And as I grew	 each day to riper years	  
	Each day renown	 did place me with great peers.   
	
	But then Bellona	 with her hot alarms	  
	Did summon me	 unto the dint of war	  
	Where I with troops	 of worthy men at arms	  
	Refuse no toil	 to meet that bloody jar:  
	Although great Neptunes	 boiling empire lay	  
	Between our land	 and that rich golden bay.   
	
	But strait we rigged	 our huge sea rending ships	  
	Whose spreading sails	 with gentle Eurus aid	  
	In Thetis fields	 through glassy billows slips	  
	No cross of Fortune	 once our Navy staid:  
	Until we came at that gold-shining town	  
	That was the spring	 of julius renown.   
	
	Where unawares	 we thrust with speed to land	  
	And orderly	 our valiant forces placed	  
	With squadrons fair	 upon that foreign stran●…	  
	With glittering armour	 all the plains defaced	  
	But then our foes	 like champions stout and bold	  
	Came with their power	 for to defend their hold.   
	
	With hot bravadoes	 and undaunted spirits	  
	They marched along	 from out their City gates	  
	Ambitious all	 advancement sought by merits	  
	Committing life	 and land	 to froward fates:  
	Nor we	 nor they	 no parley seemed to crave	  
	Combat	 and battle	 each one desired to have.   
	
	For raging fury	 brooketh no delay	  
	Army beards army	 in the bloody field	  
	Their trampling Gennets	 fiery breathe neigh	  
	Our lances bravely	 their strong coursers wield:  
	Ensigns displayed	 loud drums and trumpets sound	  
	Whose threatening terror	 f●…om the clouds rebound.   
	
	Now warlike Mars	 some of thy valour send me	  
	Tipto my weak tongue	 with gads of tempered steel	  
	Or thou brave Pallas	 some of thy power lend me	  
	That I may seem	 to make the hea●…ers feel:  
	What buffets	 blows	 limb parting-stroakes and scars	  
	Are by stern champions	 given in thy bloody jars.   
	
	My tongue's too feeble	 to decipher out	  
	The raging fury	 acted in martial trains	  
	Yet will I show	 the prowess of this rout	  
	Which thus encountered	 on the Southern plains:  
	The valiant horsemen	 first with swift carriers	  
	In sundry splinters	 shiverd their piercing spears.   
	
	Then to their Carbins	 then unto handy blows	  
	Then violent shot	 like to the Ocean's rage	  
	With pell-mell-shocks	 out off each army goes	  
	Each man to win	 his courage did engage:  
	And storms of Bullets	 like to winter's hail	  
	Out off each squadron	 did their foes assail.   
	
	Then armours clattered	 swords gave blow for blow	  
	A hand	 a hand	 a foot	 a foot did crave	  
	Life	 life desired	 blood upon blood did flow	  
	Each Curtleax digged	 himself a gory grave:  
	There did Bellona	 like a Lion tear	  
	Rough ireful gallants	 on her tossing spear.   
	
	The radiant sky	 was darkened with the smoke	  
	That issued from	 the pattering Musket shot	  
	Which slumbering fume	 our soldiers seemed to choke	  
	The day and battle	 were so moultring hot:  
	The thundering Canons	 played on either side	  
	Whose dreadful fury	 legions did divide.   
	
	And as the waves	 driven with outrageous storms	  
	Beateth the rampires of unmooving rocks	  
	So did our Captains	 labour with hot alarms	  
	Them to repulse	 with shiu'ring lances shocks:  
	Here lies some dead	 there other freshly bleeds	  
	Trampling upon them	 with unruly steeds.   
	
	Abounding terror	 tumbled in the field	  
	Death stood appalled	 at his own invention	  
	Envy bedecked	 herself in Rigours shield	  
	Ruin and Horror	 revelled with Dissension:  
	Raging Revenge	 sported in sanguine blood	  
	The rauined earth	 orecloyed belching stood.   
	
	Harsh-dying tunes	 sighing and grievous groan's	  
	Wide gaping wounds	 forced lamenting cries	  
	Heart-goaring stabs	 bursting of legs and bones	  
	Life gushing tears	 forced from bloody eyes:  
	Men killed	 unkilled	 as dreadful war desired	  
	Living and dying	 while Parca's breath retired.   
	
	Yet was the battle	 in a balance found	  
	Till I undaunted	 cheered each feeble wing	  
	Which done our valiant	 forces gathered ground	  
	Then courage follow	 all the field did ring:  
	Then did our foes	 fear	 faint	 and flatly fly	  
	Whilst we as victors	 victory did cry.   
	
	Then did our soldiers	 tryplevalour take	  
	The small calivers	 than did discharge apace	  
	The pikes and halberds	 living limbs did shake	  
	With fears pursuit	 the targueters did chase:  
	The horsemen swiftly	 did their lances bend	  
	The cannons swiftly	 did their bullets send.   
	
	Then in our plumes	 Fortune did seem to play	  
	For that our foes	 lay weltering in their blood	  
	Yielding to us	 the honour of the day	  
	The fair green field	 all sanguined over stood:  
	Here lie stout champions	 pierced with deadly lances	  
	There lay brave Captains	 leading fatal dances.   
	
	Here fell a body	 there tumbles off a head	  
	Here lay one maimed	 there lay one slain out right	  
	Here lay a soldier	 groveling scarcely dead	  
	There lay a leader	 here lay a warlike knight:  
	There a colonel	 here a Gallant slain	  
	Thus were they scattered	 o'er the purple plain.   
	
	And thus at length	 we forced them to retire	  
	Closing themselves	 within their City walls	  
	Which we inuiorned	 round with sword and fire	  
	Pelting their frontiers	 with hot poud'red balls:  
	Whence we might hear	 clamorous shrieks & cries	  
	Nipped with wailings	 in the troubled skies.   
	
	Then we began	 their towering walls to scale	  
	Taking the time	 by his rough hairy top	  
	While fickle Fortune	 slily brewed their bale	  
	That we the flower	 of their delight might crop:  
	Short tale to make	 valour and high renown	  
	Our conquering powers	 placed in that warlike town.   
	
	Whence many fled	 to save their wretched lives	  
	Many did humbly	 kneel to kiss our feet	  
	Virgins	 and maids	 infants and trembling wives	  
	With prostrate tears	 did all our forces greet:  
	Where I proclaimed	 with a trumpet meek	  
	That all should live	 that then their lives did seek.   
	
	Who much did muse	 to see so mild a foe	  
	Thinking themselves	 conquered not at all	  
	Their sad applauses	 gave us leave to know	  
	The joy they took	 in that their rising fall:  
	And where before	 w'had only won the town	  
	Then of their hearts	 we seemed to wear the crown.   
	
	For they did bring	 almost with free consent	  
	Their wealthy store	 into our hands to give	  
	Their gold	 and jewels	 than they did present	  
	Their loss of goods	 they seemed not to grieve:  
	For why? they knew	 that we to them before	  
	Had given a gem	 worth all the wide world's st●…re.   
	
	Two days we staid	 within that City fair	  
	Triumphing still	 in victory and gain	  
	With precious stones	 and pearls beyond compare	  
	We did enrich	 our warlike troops and train:  
	Our dancing ships	 doubled their swelling prides	  
	Such wealthy fraught	 stuffed their bended sides.   
	
	Whose lusty moulds	 we rig'd and trimmed anew	  
	With masts of silver	 than they did adorn them	  
	The old attire	 ambitiously they threw	  
	Amidst the slouds	 as they had never worn them:  
	Our yards were all	 of Iu'ry	 white as milk	  
	Our tackle framed	 of purest twisted silk.   
	
	Our maine-sailes all	 of glassy Satin saire	  
	Our topsails were	 most sumptuous to behold	  
	Our spred-top gallants	 trembling in the air	  
	Were framed all	 of glittering cloth of gold:  
	Our dallying ensigns	 wavering in the sky	  
	Were all imb●…st	 with rich imbrodery.   
	
	While that our ships	 thus in the port were trimming	  
	I called our troops	 into their Senate hall	  
	Whereas I made	 no dross nor pure skimming	  
	But with content	 I did content them all:  
	None parted with	 a discontented heart	  
	For why I gave	 each man his full desert.   
	
	All which complete	 a pleasant gale of wind	  
	Did gently whisper	 o'er our Navies Poop	  
	As though 't'had known	 w'had finished up our mind	  
	So sweet a breath	 made our top gallant stoop:  
	Which caused us	 lest that the wind should fails	  
	Our Anchors weigh	 and hoist our silken sails.   
	
	Then of the town	 our last farewell we took	  
	With thundering noise	 that seemed t'affright the air	  
	Whilst Ladies from	 the shores on us did look	  
	With wo-swolne eyes	 that we had left them there:  
	They shook their hands	 and shed tears for our sake	  
	In hope for them	 our ships we would turn back.   
	
	Their sighs they sent	 over the billows rough	  
	Brought to our ships	 with Zephyrus gentle hisses	  
	And when they saw	 we knew it well enough	  
	With balmy breath	 they blew to us their kisses:  
	Their gloves they took	 and in the water fling them	  
	Hoping the tide	 unto our ships would bring them.   
	
	But Aeolus which	 our friend did still remain	  
	Hasted our ships	 from off that foreign coast	  
	Fearing lest that	 we should turn back again	  
	And so our pains	 were altogether lost:  
	For why? he knew	 their Syren-tempting-songs	  
	Might well pretend	 unto our further wrongs.   
	
	Wherefore no leave	 he gave us to dispense	  
	But lively gales	 he whisled in our shrouds	  
	So that he soon	 conveyed our Navy thence	  
	Rolling amidst	 the all untamed floods:  
	And by the power	 of his great swaying hand	  
	weare driven from ken	 of that delightful land.   
	
	Then were we tossed	 in Neptune's tenniss court	  
	Whereas the waves	 did rackets seem to take	  
	To beat and bandy	 was their only sport	  
	Until a set game	 they agreed to make:  
	Yet like young boys	 they did dallying play	  
	Which toss new bales	 for that they are so gay.   
	
	For our fair ships	 swollen the seas with pride	  
	When they began	 to dance in Tethis lap	  
	But having reins	 within her verge to ride	  
	The surges seemed	 their boisterous hands to clap:  
	Triton did sound	 in most harmonious wise	  
	Whilst Neptune gazed	 on our wealthy prize.   
	
	Who seemed to call	 Apollo from his chair	  
	Nephew (saith he) know you this portly fleet	  
	Which seems to come	 from out the Phrygian air	  
	Where we with store	 and treasure once did meet	  
	The firm foundation	 of fair Troy to lay:  
	The which had flourished	 till this present day	   
	
	Had these Grecians	 which as I suppose	  
	Falsely betrayed	 that unremoving town	  
	Since which time they	 themselves right well might lose	  
	In watery deserts	 under my spacious crown:  
	But if I knew	 that these were surely they	  
	I would o'erwhelm them	 in the brinish sea.   
	
	At whose stern words	 Apollo seemed to speak:  
	No gentle Nephew	 mitigate your ire	  
	These are our friends	 the which no peace will break	  
	These men have been	 to fetch Promethean fire:  
	These men are they	 that travels for our good	  
	Who are descended	 from the Trojan blood.   
	
	Then use them gently	 as our chiefest friends	  
	And through your kingdoms safety them conduct	  
	See all the gulfs	 that you to them do cleanse	  
	So that their fleet	 to Scylla be not sucked:  
	For if their land	 they safely do attain	  
	They shall have fame	 but we shall have the gain.   
	
	Then Neptune seemed	 to calm his rugged brow	  
	Commanding Triton	 all his powers to call	  
	(While that our Themes	 the frothy brine did plow)  
	He held a parley	 in his spacious hall:  
	All stormy winds	 he chaste from out his land	  
	Only fair Zephyr	 at his beck did stand.   
	
	Who sent fresh gales	 as we on billows sailed	  
	Neptune himself	 did wait upon our fleet	  
	And when the wind	 feared displeasure quailed	  
	Then would he help us	 with a tide most sweet:  
	And when proud Zephyr	 roughly seemed to blow	  
	He would command him	 he should be more slow.   
	
	Thus did the great	 commander of the Sea	  
	Conduct our Navy	 through his empire wide	  
	Until at length	 upon a calmy day	  
	Our native land	 we joyfully espied:  
	Whose lovely banks	 seemed with sugared charms	  
	To call our fleet	 into her folding arms.   
	
	Then did we hasten	 to those happy shores	  
	Mounted upon	 the wings of swift desire	  
	Our sails did serve	 for labouring arms and oars	  
	To gain the port	 to which we did aspire:  
	And Aeolus	 no breath did us deny	  
	But caused our ships	 like Pegasus to fly.   
	
	Until we came	 near to the long wished strand	  
	On whose fair banks	 a thousand did attend	  
	To welcome us	 unto that happy Land	  
	For of their joys	 there seemed to be no end:  
	With music loud	 with drums & trumpets sound	  
	They drew our ships	 unto that pleasant ground.   
	
	Each soldier weak	 the which the waves did check	  
	And half dead filled	 the body of each ship	  
	Did then revive	 and walk upon their deck.  
	Clapping their hands	 and seemed for joy to skip:  
	In that great Neptune	 lead us all that while	  
	And set us safe	 upon our native Isle.   
	
	Who then did seem	 with all his frothy train	  
	On Dolphin's backs	 to mount their watery limbs	  
	And smile The●…is	 left us on the plain	  
	And with that Monarch	 thence together swims:  
	Commanding Triton	 for to sound a call	  
	To hold a counsel	 in Charibdies' hall.   
	
	While we did leave	 our huge sea-cutting fleet	  
	Landing our troops	 Olimpikly on shore	  
	Whereas whole legions	 kindly did us meet	  
	We being armed	 with gold and silver store:  
	For joy whereof	 the hills and dales did sound	  
	The rocks and rivers	 did with noise rebound.   
	
	Our well fraught navy	 than began to fet	  
	Their thundering music	 to report their treasure	  
	And with high strains	 their instruments to set	  
	With heart's delight	 whilst we did dance with pleasure:  
	Which roaring consort	 such recording plies	  
	That their thick breath	 dimmed the crystal skies.   
	
	There were we brought	 to that seabeaten town	  
	Inuiorned	 with warlike harmony	  
	And all their voices	 seemed at once to crown	  
	Agricola	 with fame and chivalry:  
	The rattling music	 quaverd amids the throng	  
	Th'hot calivers	 warbled the undersong.   
	
	Whilst I in stead	 of pattering bullets threw	  
	Silver and gold	 to pierce my country men	  
	To which hot skirmish	 there so many drew	  
	That I would pause	 and then begin again:  
	Till night drew on	 thus did I gild their streets	  
	With gain of war	 silver and foreign sweets.   
	
	But Phlegon	 Pyrous	 Aeous and Aethon proud	  
	Amids the air	 hastened with fiery wings	  
	To bea e Apollo	 toward the Ocean flood	  
	And as a present	 him to Iber brings:  
	Where he with banquets	 reveled out the night	  
	V●… Aurora	 brought the morning light.   
	
	When night was come	 we took our quiet rest	  
	Sleeping secure	 void of suspect or wrong	  
	Such harmless thoughts	 harboured in each breast	  
	That we were fast	 until the Leverucke song:  
	Who in the air	 with chirpings seemed to say	  
	Awake	 behold	 see the delightsome day.   
	
	For Menmons' mother	 then to world had brought	  
	So fair a show	 of crimson speckled light	  
	All spangled ore	 as if with Rubies wrought	  
	The which did banish	 black Cimmerian night:  
	And glittering Phoebus	 then began to rise	  
	Gracing the earth	 from out the azure skies.   
	
	Thus having safely	 taken sweet repose	  
	And that Apollo	 to the lists was come	  
	From out our shee●…s	 with speed we then arose	  
	Leaving the port	 with sound of trump and drum:  
	And then we took	 our journey toward the court	  
	Whereas our welcome	 was in princely sort.   
	
	For all the peers flocking about me came	  
	With seeming gladness of my safe return	  
	Applaudng still	 my then too happy name	  
	As though with joy	 their inward hearts did burn:  
	Then great Vespatiun	 to account did call me	  
	To know what chance	 in Mars school did befall me.   
	
	Where I discoursed	 how I had spent my time	  
	How I took ship	 and how I passed the floods	  
	How I did land	 under that foreign clime	  
	And how with force	 our enemy's withstood's:  
	How with great pain	 their troops we did beat down  
	And how at length	 we won that maiden town.   
	
	How many fled	 to save their loathed lives	  
	How many at	 our weapons points did fall	  
	How I did pity	 infants	 maids and wives	  
	And how I gave	 mercy unto them all:  
	How they themselves	 their jewels to us brought	  
	And how with store	 our lusty ships we fraught.   
	
	Short tale to make	 I nothing did delay	  
	But told him all	 how that we went and came	  
	Even from the first	 until that present day	  
	Till he himself	 did give me triple fame:  
	And honours high	 upon my head he set	  
	But some repined	 at those my titles great.   
	
	But then he took	 me by this iron hand	  
	julius (quoth he) mount	 mount in wars desire	  
	For now I'll send	 thee with a puissant band	  
	Where like a prince	 thou shalt by fame aspire:  
	To be enrolled	 within a warlike story	  
	With trophies of	 eternal praise and glory.   
	
	I'll make thee	 Gen'ral of as great a train	  
	As ere was copt	 under the boundless sky	  
	Who as they march	 shall hide each hill and plain	  
	And drink at once	 the foaming Ocean dry:  
	No ships shall need	 to waft them o'er the sea	  
	For they shall land it	 in one summers day.   
	
	Not Xerxes' army	 shall with them compare	  
	So many legions	 under thee shall go	  
	The sight whereof	 shall make thy adverse fear	  
	When thou dost come	 t'encounter with thy fo:  
	I'll rain down gold	 still for thy soldiers pay	  
	Then gentle julius	 stay not	 hast away.   
	
	This promise urged me	 once again to go	  
	To try my fortune	 in Bellona's school	  
	Soon was prepared	 a gallant glittering show	  
	Whereas did want	 no kind of warlike tool:  
	There were they placed	 each man in his degree	  
	And I proclaimed	 their General to be.   
	
	Then trumpets shrill	 sounded aloud for joy	  
	And thundering drums	 filled the ai●…e with noise	  
	The soldi●…rs all	 each man and st●…rdy boy	  
	Hovered their hearts	 with an appla●…sing voice:  
	Ta●…ing our leave	 than did we ma●…ch a●…ong	  
	Arriving safe	 in (g●…eat) Brittany st●…ong.   
	
	In which fair soil	 the Britain's bold did rain	  
	Th'undaunted Scotch men	 and the Scythians wild	  
	The Cornish crew	 and Caledonian train	  
	The naked Silures	 and the Pictians wild:  
	Who all at once	 provided skilless powers	  
	To drive our forces	 from their mean built towers.   
	
	For men like Satir's	 clad in rustic tire	  
	Half weapon less	 with braying cries and calls	  
	To meet our daring	 army did aspire	  
	Praying upon us	 like fierce Cannibals:  
	There might be heard	 the hideous lumbring swasher	  
	Unequally	 consorting with the clasher.   
	
	There might be heard	 the hollow wind baged droan's.  
	With direful roaring. and the puffing piper	  
	There might be heard	 harsh tunes with clattering bones	  
	The loud shrill drummer	 and the jarring fifer.  
	Which musics discord	 seemed a consort right	  
	To courage up	 our foes unmanaged might.   
	
	Whose habits mean	 did harbour haulty hardness	  
	Their stomachs stout	 though skilless made them fearless  
	Their prowess doubtless	 bred their own vntow'rdnesse  
	Their desperate venturs	 show'd their hearts were peerless:  
	Their valours swordlesse	 made them still regardless	  
	Their blows were harmless	 & their bodies wardlesse.   
	
	Their weapons were of	 I beam	 witch	 and thorn	  
	Some had a skein	 and some a dart and durke	  
	Some few had bows	 and arrows piled with horn	  
	And privy poniard	 in some sleeves did lurk:  
	Some handle targes	 some pikes with points new burned	  
	Some still threw stones	 & some poor chariots turned.   
	
	Some weelded spears	 and shields of Elm full tough	  
	Some hare brained roisters rid on garish steeds	  
	Some two hand swords	 did use of iron rough	  
	Whose awkward powers	 acted most worthy deeds:  
	For why they thought	 a man was never dead.  
	Till by some means	 they had cut off his head.   
	
	Yet dav by day	 on bogs and brays we met	  
	One while they us	 then strait we them would chase	  
	They upon us	 we upon them would set	  
	Such was the rest	 we took within that place:  
	Thus did we feed	 upon the bread of war	  
	Painting our lines	 with many bloody scar.   
	
	Full thrice three years	 in Britain I remained	  
	From whence my fame	 to stately Room did fly	  
	But than Vespasian	 was by death detained	  
	And mighty Titus	 in that time did die:  
	Then grew my woes	 than did my sorrows spring	  
	Then	 then did bloom	 my fatal ruining.   
	
	For then Domitian	 tyrantlike did sway	  
	The royal mace	 and diadem of Rome	  
	Who undescried	 plots did slily lay	  
	To bring poor julius	 to his final doom.  
	And wrest my life	 from me by fowl deceit	  
	For that my name	 did daily grow so great.   
	
	All means he sought	 t'augment my worth and fame.  
	When rusty envy	 gnawed his can kered heart	  
	His cunning lips	 did seem to raise my name	  
	But still he sought	 my death with slight and art:  
	Even so Vl●…sses	 flattered in the court	  
	While luckless Ajax	 toiled with warlike port.   
	
	Yet I was worse	 than Telamon's poor son	  
	For he was present	 with his wily foe	  
	He knew his slights	 long ere the spite was done	  
	But julius I	 did neither see nor know:  
	His causeless envy	 I did never taste	  
	How he chased me	 as I the Britain's chased.   
	
	He me pursued	 and I my foreign foes	  
	Hi●… strokes were slight	 but I rough payment gave	  
	He fought with wiles	 I fought with rugged blows	  
	He sought my wrack	 I sought his life to save:  
	He wrought my bane	 I wrought	 to raise his fame	  
	He won the prize	 I lost the set and game.   
	
	But all so fitted	 to my seeming good	  
	That no misdeeming	 in my heart did rest	  
	Although he daily	 thirsted for my blood	  
	No such opinion	 lodged in my breast:  
	For then from Britain	 he did send for me	  
	And I of Syria	 should Lieutenant be.   
	
	His juggling letters	 had such lofty strains	  
	That I was all	 enchanted with his charms	  
	I must to Rome	 and leave my wont trains	  
	To cope with greater	 dignities at arms:  
	Wherefore I took	 my leave and last adieu	  
	Of all my troops	 great Syria to view.   
	
	But when I came	 unto the Roman Court	  
	Whose glorious name	 did ring throughout the world	  
	W●…nder did seem	 about me to resort	  
	F●… black indite ●…ents	 on my head were hurled:  
	A●… I poor I	 as many tongues could tell	  
	●…relong was sent	 unto the citadel.   
	
	And thrice accursed	 by destiny and fate	  
	Was then proclaimed	 a traitor for to be	  
	Against the Prince	 the Counsel and the state	  
	The which did not	 with my deserts agree:  
	Yet did Ulysses	 Palamede so hate	  
	That with smooth words	 he did cut off his pate.   
	
	Alas	 alas	 the time doth swiftly run	  
	For now I hear	 night's trumpeters shrill noises	  
	Who hastens me	 my story to have done	  
	O stay a while	 and I'll obey your voices:  
	For being closed	 within that towering wall	  
	I heard no talk	 but of my death and fall.   
	
	And on a day	 before Aurora sprung	  
	To tell the world	 that Phoebus' fair was coming	  
	I was invited	 with a mour●…ing tongue	  
	Unto a feast	 provided with great cunning:  
	Where I should feed	 on such delicious cates	  
	As was prepared	 for me and such like states.   
	
	I could not choose	 but needs I must consent	  
	To go and see	 that sweet and dainty fare	  
	Although I knew	 that feast with full intent	  
	Was so ordained	 to end my worldly care:  
	Yet I as willing	 as their hearts could wish	  
	Did view	 and that	 is banquets chiefest dish.   
	
	And when I came	 unto that spacious hall	  
	There did I see	 my diet and my cheer	  
	My Carver then	 unto me I did call	  
	Saying these words	 carve	 friend	 and do not fear:  
	Then did he cut	 and I did eat such store	  
	That after then	 I never did eat more.   
	
	Then this memorial	 of my endless soul	  
	Which had been locked	 within my body long	  
	Was registered	 in a celestial roll	  
	And placed in joy	 whilst Angels sweetly sung:  
	Where troops divine	 eternally shall reign	  
	Keeping their Court	 upon Elysian plain.   
	
	But worldling know	 to thee I do not come	  
	To tell thee how	 I lived in my life	  
	Nor for to tell	 this story all and some	  
	Which was my end	 my death	 and fatal strife:  
	A thousand heads	 more of my state hath known	  
	Then in this story	 I to thee have shown.   
	
	It were a pride	 for me to tell thee this	  
	O●… tell thee how	 I dwell in Paradise	  
	No	 no	 I come	 to lead thee unto bliss	  
	Then hear my words	 note them	 and be precise:  
	First honour God	 then with a loving heart	  
	Honour thy Prince	 for so it is thy part.   
	
	Defraud no man	 hurt not the innocent	  
	Hate pride	 live chaste	 backbite not with thy tongue	  
	Swear not in vain	 to vengeance be not bend	  
	Murder no man	 nor do no poor man wrong:  
	Bear no false witness	 hoard no gold in store	  
	While Orphans weak	 starve at thy cursed door.   
	
	The Saboth keep	 honour thy parents dear	  
	Steal no man's wealth	 thy enemies forgive	  
	Shun sloth as sin	 and drunkenness forbear	  
	Glut no thyself	 st●…ll poverty relieve:  
	Favour thy friend	 love thy true servant well	  
	This done	 thy fame	 for ever shall excel.   
	
	And if that long	 thou dost desire to live	  
	Beware of such	 as brought me to my end	  
	For they are men	 that cunning words will give	  
	Although thy foe	 they will profess thy friends:  
	And will not let	 to swear	 and forswear too	  
	Thy wealth to gain	 though it doth thee undo.   
	
	But stay: me thinks I see the Eurian lights	  
	Budding like Roses	 in the morning's brows	  
	The drowsy vapours	 takes their sable flyghts	  
	And bright Aurora	 doth herself unhouse:  
	The glow-worm di●…feares the'approaching sun	  
	Wherefore farewell	 for I to speak have done.    
	
	Thus did he leave	 and thus the Hermit left	  
	with tears distilling	 and with sighs abounding	  
	His silent muteness	 show'd his joys bereft	  
	Yet night did force me	 leave him plaints resounding:  
	And thus I rest	 his story to descry	  
	For that black night	 hath now enclosed the sky.   
	
	Yet when Apollo	 shall rechase again	  
	The Vesper vaile●…	 the earth hath clouded over	  
	If that your steps	 do guide you to this plain	  
	The accident	 to you I will discover:  
	Until which time	 yourself I do commend	  
	To be prescrived	 by Alls all guiding friend.   
	
	The radiant torch	 long since had burning left	  
	And Cynthia pale	 keeping a wanton vain	  
	Trimmed herself	 like to a lover deft	  
	Casting her glimpses	 towared fair Latmos plain:  
	Which lovely object	 caused her dazzling eyes	  
	With triple brightness	 to enrich the skies.   
	
	Wherefore I left	 the lovely aged man	  
	Taking my leave	 my bed I made my bliss	  
	But in the morn	 I did return again	  
	Whereas I heard	 the Hermit's life and his	  
	Which now my pen	 grown dull denies t●…dite	  
	Taking fresh breath	 in fresher lines to write.   
	FINIS.