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 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 AT LOS ANGELES 
 
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 Tudor &^ Stuart Uihrary 
 Kol. I : Howell's Devises
 
 Henry Frowde, M.A. ' 
 
 Publisher to the University of Oxford , 
 
 London, Edinburgh, New York j 
 and Toronto
 
 Ho^welTs 
 Devises 
 
 With an Introduction 
 by Walter Raleigh ' 
 
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 Printed at the Clarendon Press 
 
 By Horace Hart, M.A. 
 
 Primer to the University
 
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 PR. 
 
 Introduction. 
 
 Thomas Howell, the author of this volume of verse, belonged to that 
 
 scattered company of amateurs — gentlemen adventurers, soldiers of fortune, 
 
 and students of the Inns of Court — who maintained the traditions of 
 
 English poetry in the barren years between the death of Surrey and the 
 
 rise of Spenser. It was a time of preparation rather than achievement. 
 
 v{ The mind of the nation was preoccupied with religious controversy and 
 
 \^ rumours of war. A multitude of translators were labouring to bring 
 
 ?\^ English readers acquainted with the masterpieces of ancient and modern 
 
 literature. The drama was alive with experiment, every year contriving 
 
 some new thing for the approval of the learned or the delight of the 
 
 populace. At the Court and the Universities imitations of Seneca and 
 
 ^ Plautus were presented by young gentlemen of parts. In the open spaces 
 
 ^ around London, in the town-halls or inn-yards of the provinces, and in 
 
 the country-houses of the nobility, wandering companies of gentlemen's 
 
 servants exercised, in interludes and farces, the unchanging comic art of 
 
 the mimic and the buffoon. Poetry, aiming at a like popularity, appealed 
 
 to the people in the hobbling narratives of the ballad-singers, the 
 
 agricultural ditties of Thomas Tusser, and the sacred psalmody of Sternhold 
 
 O and Hopkins. Yet the refined and gallant school of Surrey, whose 
 
 ^ amorous songs, used in the Court of Henry VIII, had scandalized Thomas 
 
 Sternhold, was not without loyal disciples. It was in the school of Surrey 
 
 that the great poets of the Elizabethan age learned the elements of their 
 
 craft. Sackville and Gascoigne, Churchyard and Turberville, Edwardes 
 
 and Hunnis, Phaer and Golding, the Lord Vaux and the Earl of Oxford, 
 
 although none of their works ascends the highest heaven of invention, 
 
 showed the way to greater poets than themselves. If Thomas Howell 
 
 deserves 
 
 08668
 
 Introduction. 
 
 deserves to be rescued from oblivion, it is because he too belonged to this 
 company of heralds, and his imperfect work is full of presages of the great 
 things that were to come. 
 
 The building of regular theatres in London, and their capture by the 
 University wits and poets, opened a new career to men of letters. By 
 supplying the booksellers with novelettes, and the theatre with plays, 
 a poet might hope to support himself when patronage failed him. Greene, 
 and Shakespeare, and not a few of their contemporaries, gained the best 
 part of their living by their pens. Howell belongs to an earlier time, 
 when the writing of verse was a strictly honorary employment, and 
 patronage was its justification and reward. We know nothing of his life 
 save what we can gather from the tributes he pays to those in whose 
 service it was passed. Like Keats, whom he does not much resemble in 
 other respects, he had not the slightest feeling of humility towards the 
 public. His verses were written * for his own exercise and his friends' 
 pleasure.* He commemorates many of his private friends in the verses 
 which he exchanged with them, but, as few of them were notable or 
 famous persons, their names help us but little. R. Hussie and T. Hooper, 
 Henry Lassels, M. Staplee, and J. Nedham must rest content with such 
 fame as may accrue to them from the mention of their names in one or 
 other of the three small volumes of poetry which Howell produced during 
 his life-time. Francis Flower, who is mentioned in The uflrbor of ^m hie, 
 Howell's first collection of poems, is perhaps the Francis Flower who was 
 elected Demy of Magdalen College, Oxford, in ij^o, and Fellow in Ij5y. 
 A. M., who contributes to the Devises, is perhaps Anthony Munday. 
 John Keper, with whom Howell exchanged many poems, has been 
 identified with a gentleman of Somerset who was entered at Hart Hall, 
 Oxford, in i J^4, *aged seventeen or thereabouts,' and subsequently lived 
 in the Close at Wells. A poem included in The ^rbor of ^mitie, under 
 the title 'The Opinion he hath of his Friend absent,' is perhaps addressed 
 to Keper, and gives us our only clue to Howell's place of birth : 
 
 Loe 
 vi
 
 Introduction. 
 
 Loe what mishap hath maymed me so sore, 
 
 Like one of thine that there I may not dwell : 
 
 Esteeme me not the less of Dunster store, 
 
 Since hart is there where care doth corps expell. 
 
 These obscure lines have been interpreted by Dr. Grosart to mean that 
 Howell and his friend were both natives of Dunster, a conjecture which 
 receives some support from the occurrence in T\n ^rbor of ^m'nk of 
 a poem in the West-country dialect. A further vague allusion, occurring 
 in another poem of the same volume, may possibly refer to Oxford. In 
 * A farewell to his Friend T. Hooper,' Howell writes — 
 
 If will were now in force. 
 
 To thee my flight should be : 
 Where are the Muses nine that sing 
 
 In heavenly harmonie. 
 
 Born, it may be, in Somerset, and educated, it seems likely, in Oxford, 
 Thomas Howell comes into clearer light as a retainer of the noble family 
 of Herbert. In iJiJa the Lady Anne Herbert, daughter of William Earl 
 of Pembroke, was married to Francis, Lord Talbot, the eldest son of 
 George, sixth Earl of Shrewsbury, who acted for fifteen arduous years as 
 custodian of Mary Queen of Scots. Not long after the marriage Howell 
 is found in the Lady Anne's retinue. In the dedication of his first book 
 to her he says : ^ But now (right honourable Ladie) I have by experience 
 proved of myselfe, being in your daylie presence, the fame of your 
 worthiness and virtues to be certain true, which eftsoons before I had 
 heard reported by others.' In \<)66 Gertrude, Countess of Shrewsbury, 
 died, and was mourned by Howell in an epitaph which is printed \\\ The 
 Arbor of ^mitie (i5<?8). About the time that Howell was revising his 
 epitaph for the press, the bereaved Earl fell a victim to the charms of Bess 
 of Hardwick, daughter and co-heir of John Hardwick of Hardwick. This 
 celebrated and single-minded woman was now in her third widowhood, 
 having been married successively to Robert Barlow of Derbyshire; 
 
 Sir 
 
 vii
 
 Introduction, 
 
 Sir William Cavendish of Chatsworth ; and Sir William St. Loe, Captain 
 of the Guard to Queen Elizabeth. All the later part of her life was 
 devoted to the aggrandizement of the children whom she had borne to 
 Sir William Cavendish. When one of the wealthiest and most powerful 
 of English earls proffered her marriage she was not slow to recognize 
 that the chance of her life had come. Before yielding to his suit she 
 drove a hard bargain, stipulating for a double marriage of their children. 
 In February 1^(^7-8 Henry, the eldest son of Sir William Cavendish, took 
 to wife the Lady Grace Talbot, and Gilbert, the second son of the Earl of 
 Shrewsbury, married the youngest of Sir William's daughters. Last of all 
 Bess was married also, and entered with zeal into the administration of the 
 Talbot estates. 
 
 In the service of this family the gentleman-retainer of the Lady Anne 
 must have passed many years of his life. The Earl of Shrewsbury had 
 three daughters, all of whom their poet celebrates in the poem called 
 'A New Yeares Gyfte ' (^Devisesj pp. 77—^). The eldest, the Lady 
 Katherine Talbot, was married to Henry Herbert, Earl of Pembroke ; so 
 that the Herbert family, like the fomily of Cavendish, was coruiected with 
 the Talbots by more than one marriage. The second daughter, the Lady 
 Mary Talbot, was married to Sir George Savile, of Thornhill, Yorkshire. 
 The third, the Lady Grace, as already narrated, was married to the heir 
 of Sir William Cavendish. When the Lady Katherine died, Howell be- 
 moaned her in verse (^Devisesj pp. 3(^—8), and he seems thereafter to 
 have renewed his service to his original patrons of the house of Pembroke. 
 In his poem called * Helpe best welcome, when most needcful ' (^Deviset, 
 p. 51) he tells how his own kin had failed him : 
 
 And he that hath and should by nature ayde 
 Withdrawes his hande, and sayth he may no more. 
 
 The Devhesy his volume of i j8r, is dedicated to the Lady Mary, Countess 
 of Pembroke, and contains, in the lines ' Written to a most excellent 
 Booke, full of rare invention,' the earliest extant notice of Sir Philip Sidney's 
 
 Arcadia 
 viii
 
 Introduction. 
 
 Arcadia. The ^/fircadia was not printed till i^^o, but Howell had doubtless 
 seen it in manuscript at Wilton. His allusions to its ' filed phrase ' and 
 * choice conceits/ to its lovers and shepherds, to the wisdom of its author, 
 
 Whose prime of youth grave deeds of age displaies, 
 and to its very title — The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia — make the 
 reference unmistakable. In a short poem {Devises, p. 30) he celebrates 
 the motto of the Pembroke family — Ung je seri'irej. Under the protection 
 of that family Howell ended, as he had begun, his career of authorship. 
 When and where he died we do not know. 
 
 The titles of his books are as follows : — 
 
 The ^rbor of ^mitie, rvherein is comprised pleasant Poems and pretie Poesies, 
 set foorth by Thomas Morvell Gentleman. London, Henry Denham, 1568. 
 
 Nerve Sonets, and pretie Pamphlets, JVritten by Thomas Howell, Gentelman. 
 Newly augmented, corrected and amended. London, Thomas Colwell. Undated, 
 but licensed 15^7-8. 
 
 fl. His Demises, for his orvne exercise and his Friends pleasure. London, 
 H. Jackson, i 581. 
 
 There is only a single copy known of each of these volumes : the Newe 
 Sonets and pretie Pamphlets is in the Capell Collection, Cambridge ; the 
 other two are in the Bodleian, All three were reprinted in his Occasional 
 Issues by Dr. Grosart (1879). 
 
 The De-vises, here reprinted, is the latest, and, on the whole, the best, 
 of Howell's books of verse. He included in it a certain number of pieces 
 from his two earher volumes, with numerous alterations and amendments, 
 bearing witness to the care and pains which he spent upon his work. 
 
 Howell's masters and guides in poetry were Surrey and Wyatt, and the 
 group of courtly makers who acknowledged them for leaders. The book 
 of Songes and Sonettes, printed by Richard Tottel in the year I5J7) was 
 his handbook of English verse. From this book he borrowed many of 
 
 his 
 ix b
 
 Introduction. 
 
 his themes and the better part of his metrical effects. Here, for instance, 
 in Tottel's Songes and Sonettes^ thought and phrase are interwoven in a 
 melody which is re-echoed through all the lyrical collections of the 
 sixteenth century : 
 
 Come, gentle death, the cbbe of care, 
 
 The ebbe of care, the flood of lyfe, 
 
 The flood of lyfej, the joyfull fare, 
 
 The joyfull fare, the end of strife : 
 
 The end of strife, that thing wishe I : 
 Wherefore come death, and let me dye. 
 
 Howell practises the same device of iteration in such pieces as 'No 
 
 greater contrariety, then in the passions of Love ' (^Devisesj p. i6), or 
 
 ' Ever sought, never fbunde ' (^Dcvises^ p. 48) : 
 
 The more I strive, the stronger is my thrall. 
 The stronger thrall, the weaker still mine ayde : 
 The weaker ayde, the greater griefe doth fall. 
 The greater griefe, the more with doubt dismayde. 
 
 Certain of his poems, like some of those in Tottel's Miscellany, irresis- 
 tibly suggest the accompaniment of a stringed instrument. So ' To his 
 Lady of her doubtflill aunswere ' (^Devisesj p. 50) : 
 
 'Twixt death and doubtflilnesse, 
 'Twixt paine and pensivenesse, 
 'Twixt Hell and heavyncsse. 
 Rests all my carefulnesse. 
 
 And he abounds in the stock conceits and antitheses which Petrarch 
 
 taught to a multitude of French and English pupils : 
 
 Still pynde in coldc, I parched am with heate. 
 As fyrc I flye, upon the flame I runne : 
 In swelting gleamcs, my chylly corps I beate, 
 Congealde to Ice, where shynes the clearest sunne, 
 Loe thus I lyve, and lyving thus I dye, 
 Drownde in dispayrc, with hope advaunced hye. 
 
 (^Devisesj p. 48.) 
 
 There
 
 Introduction, 
 
 There is none of the pleasure of surprise in these time-honoured 
 paradoxes ; no man could possibly imagine that he had found them for 
 himself Hot and cold, lost and found, rich and poor, hard and soft, 
 heavy and light, kind and cruel, false and true, living and dead, up and 
 down, to and fro — these are the simple contrasts presented by Petrarch 
 to his followers, and used by them to express the bewilderment of love 
 and the sorrows of unstable Fortune. It was no part of the poet's 
 business to seek for new comparisons ; his art was sufficiently approved by 
 the deftness with which he handled the old, and wove them into gracious 
 patterns. 
 
 It is one of the great merits of Surrey and Wyatt that they led 
 the way back to those authentic fires whence their own light was 
 borrowed. Chaucer and Petrarch, largely by their means, became the 
 great masters of the English poets of the sixteenth century. George 
 Gascoigne acknowledges no other. ' I venture my good will,' he says, 
 
 ' In barren verse to do the best I can. 
 Like Chaucer's boy, and Petrarch's journeyman.* 
 
 The poems of Petrarch were issued in innumerable editions, and studied 
 by many English poets. Sir John Harington, writing news of the 
 Court to his lady, in 1^02, asks her for the book that was his daily 
 reading : ' Send me up, by my man Combe, my Petrarch. Adieu, sweet 
 Mall.' Reminiscences of Petrarch are to be found on every other page 
 of Howell's poems, and the famous Sonnet 88 — S'amor non e, — translated 
 by Chaucer in Troilus and Cressida, is translated again by Howell in the 
 Devises ('Of Love,' p. 36). Howell's last published verses, to be found 
 in J. Swan's translation of the tract De ^ntkhrlsto (1589), are three 
 renderings of Petrarch's invectives against the Court of Rome. 
 
 As for Chaucer, his was the paramount influence in all the versifying 
 and story-telling of Shakespeare's predecessors. Howell borrows phrase 
 after phrase from him. For instance — 
 
 •Tis 
 xi
 
 Introduction. 
 
 'Tis light t'outranne, but not to outread the wise, 
 says Howell (^Devhes, p. 88). 
 
 Men may the wyse at-ienne, and not at-rede, 
 
 says Chaucer (^Trotli4s, iv. I4J(^). Again — 
 
 My taste of love is lost, as you may gesse, 
 That know how sick men savour bitternesse, 
 
 says Howell (Devises, p. 89). 
 
 For thou of love hast lost thy taste, I gesse. 
 As sick man hath of swete and bitternesse, 
 
 says Chaucer (^Parlement of Fou/es, 1, 160"). The reading of Chaucer's 
 works, set forth in a new and complete edition by William Thynne in 
 the year 1J32, caught the imagination of the poets at the Court of 
 Queen Anne Boleyn, and furnished them with half their lore. It was 
 in this volume that Howell read the story of Cressida, with its moral 
 sequel, written by Robert Henryson and long attributed to Chaucer. 
 Howell's poem 'Ruine the rewarde of Vice' (^Devises, p. 18) points the 
 moral of the story once again, in the stanza made famous by Chaucer. 
 His conclusion is modelled, not on Henryson's poem, which ends with 
 a grim epitaph, but on the half-passionate, half-humorous rhetoric where- 
 with Chaucer rounds his tale of love and perjury. It is a testimony 
 to the greatness of Chaucer that he is loved by many who never tasted 
 the delicacy of his irony. Howell echoes his cadences, but makes them 
 the vehicle of flat sermonizing : 
 
 Loc here the end of foule defyled lyfe, 
 Loe here the fruite that sinnc both sowes and reapes : 
 Loe here of Vice the right rewarde and knyfe, 
 That cuttcs of cleane and tumbleth downe in heapes 
 All such as tread Dame Cressid's cursed steppes : 
 
 Take heed therefore how you your pryme do spende, 
 For Vice brings plagues, and Vertue happy ende. 
 
 With 
 xii
 
 Introduction. 
 
 With Chaucer and Petrarch, Surrey and Wyatt, to study and imitate, 
 Howell is well furnished as a tolerable minor poet. But he was touched 
 also by later influences, and his verses bear witness to his interest in the 
 literature of his own time. In one of his poems (Devises, p. 33), 
 anticipating Shakespeare, he likens the b'fe of man to a stage-play. In 
 another (Devises, p. 92) he borrows from Gascoigne (The ^r-raignment of a 
 Lover) an elaborate parable of a Law-court and the trial of a prisoner. 
 His poem ' Discorde makes weake, what Concorde left stronge ' (Devises, 
 p. 91) is probably a reminiscence of one of the dumb-shows interpolated 
 in the fashionable tragedy of Gorboduc. He is never very happy with his 
 borrowings, and it would be vain to attempt to claim for him a place 
 among notable English poets. He is an average and typical Elizabethan 
 rhymer, of fair accomplishments, one of a great multitude of pleasant 
 sonneteering young gentlemen who practised poetry as an added social 
 grace. Like a true Elizabethan, he uses a high-wrought and conceited 
 style to express the every-day conclusions of sound sense and homely 
 wisdom. ' I scorn and spue out,' says E. K., in his introductory epistle 
 to The Shepheards Calendar, 'the rakehelly rout of our ragged rymers 
 (for so themselves use to hunt the letter) which without learning boste, 
 without judgement jangle, without reason rage and fome, as if some 
 instinct of poeticall spirite had newly ravished them above the meannesse 
 of common capacitie.' In his enthusiasm for Spenser, E. K. would no 
 doubt have scorned and spued out Howell (who is much given to 
 alliteration) along with the rest of the rout. But we who live in a later 
 time, when the country is no longer 'pestered with infinite fardles of 
 printed pamphlets tending in some respect to poetry,' can afford to pass 
 a milder judgement. For us the value of Howell's faded finery is that 
 it reminds us of that many-coloured world of music and idleness, and 
 gallantry and romance, where the great Elizabethan poets had their 
 nurture. Howell is one of the choristers of the days of Shakespeare's youth, 
 when ' wild music burdened every bough,' when lutes and gitterns hung 
 
 in 
 
 xiii
 
 Introduction. 
 
 in every barber's shop for the use of the customers, and when every 
 gentleman could bear his part in a glee or madrigal. The ordinaries 
 of London and the aisles of St. Paul's were frequented by young gallants 
 who wore their fortunes on their backs, and stuffed their heads with 
 legends and fantasies. Guiscard and Gismunda, Luna and Endymion, 
 Troilus and Cressida, were the saints of their idolatry. Every noble 
 family maintained its journeyman versifier. If Howell deserves to be 
 remembered as a poet, it is because there were hundreds like him, 
 and because Shakespeare gained the better part of his education not 
 on the benches of an academy, but at the court, and in the tavern, and 
 on the street. 
 
 The poetry that dressed itself in these new Italianate trappings of far- 
 fetched form and phrase was old-fashioned and rustic at heart. The 
 squire's or farmer's son might make himself glorious in courtly apparel, 
 but his wisdom of life was the wisdom of the ancient homestead ; and 
 his speech was 'full of wise saws and modern instances.' The Euphuism 
 of Lyly is a compound of all that is extravagant in expression with all 
 that is homely and commonplace in thought. Howell's work, like Lyly's, 
 is a mine of popular proverbs, which he utters not without a certain air 
 of pride, as if they were the gains of his own experience. His message 
 to his age is the message of Polonius : 
 
 That lyfe is lyke a Bubble blowne, or smoke that soone doth passe, 
 That all our pleasures are but paynes, our glorie brittle glasse. 
 That Fortune's fiuites are variable, no holde in Princely mace. 
 That women's myndes are mutable, that death drawes on apace ; 
 That worldly pompc is vanity, that youth unwares decayes. 
 That high estate is slipperic, that onely vertue stayes. [Devises, p. 1 1.) 
 
 His adages are scattered over his pages with a lavish hand. He offers 
 to his patrons and friends wholesome advice, fresh from the country, where 
 it is held in high esteem. 
 
 Count not the birds that undisclosed be, 
 
 he 
 xiv
 
 Introduction, 
 
 he says, translating the common lore of the country-side into the mag- 
 niloquence of scholarly diction. From him we learn that — 
 
 Not all that glistereth bright may bear the name of gold ; 
 that — 
 
 Wante makes the olde wyfe trot, the yong to mn outright ; 
 that — 
 
 Neede hath no lawe, some say ; extremes, extremes doe urge j 
 that — 
 
 The Cat would faine eat fishe, yet loth her foot to wet ; 
 
 and he takes to himself credit for promulgating these humble truths, which 
 might have perished from the neglect of the great : 
 
 Feare not (quoth Hope) to shewe thy wylling will, 
 (Smale seedes sometyme may light on gratefull grounde :) 
 If none had wrote but Clarks of TuLLiES skill, 
 Sweete sawes had suncke, which now aflote are founde ; 
 Then cast of dread, dispayre no whyt at all. 
 Diseases great are cured with medicins small. 
 
 For all the triteness of his matter, Howell has some command over 
 diverse forms of verse. In these pages are to be found the popular 
 Chaucerian stanza, which Shakespeare used in The ^ape of Lucrece, the six- 
 lined stanza of f^enus and ^donis^ and a large variety of lyrical measures, 
 including {Devises, p. 23) a song set to the refrain ' All of green Willow ' 
 which was made immortal by Shakespeare. The poem called ^ Dreame 
 {Devises, p. 80) is written in a Quatoi-zain stanza the invention of which 
 has commonly been attributed to Alexander Montgomerie, who used it in 
 his poem of The Cherrie and the S/ae. The Devises were pubhshed some 
 sixteen years earlier than Montgomerie's poem, but the clumsiness and 
 imperfection of Howell's handling of the metre show that he was not the 
 inventor of the stanza. Perhaps it came to him from Scotland in the 
 
 retinue 
 
 XV
 
 Introduction. 
 
 retinue of Queen Mary; perhaps both Montgomerie and Howell are copy- 
 ing, with very diiferent degrees of metrical skill, from some unknown 
 original. In any case, here is the first appearance in print of a metre 
 which gave Montgomerie a great part of his fame, and which was used by 
 Burns in the Jolly Beggars. Further, the Sonnet, as Howell practises it, has 
 the arrangement of rhymes and the cadences which are found in the 
 Sonnets of Shakespeare, and in hardly any of the Sonnets of his con- 
 temporaries. 
 
 Without any claim, then, to be an artist in verse, Howell shows himself 
 alert in the business of noting and imitating new-found measures. If his 
 thoughts are not equally novel, that is not always a fault in poetry. 
 Most of the great poetry of the world contains no original or surprising 
 turns of thought, but gives perfect expression to ideas that are the common 
 property of mankind. In this matter of expression Howell was earnest 
 enough, continually amending and altering his epithets and phrases. But, 
 after all, he is an apprentice, and no master ; his merits are derivative, 
 and he has set no stamp of his own on the plastic language that he 
 handled. He who walks in the sun (to apply to him one of the proverbs 
 that he loved) must needs be sun-burnt ; and he who has the music of 
 ancient poets ringing in his ears, must needs, in singing, hit upon some of 
 their tunes. There is store enough, in these ' Delightful Discourses,' of 
 good poetic material, some of which was put to nobler uses by later and 
 better artificers. In ' Bewtie the bayte of Vanitie ' Howell discourses on 
 the text of not a few of Shakespeare's Sonnets, and anticipates Shakespeare's 
 sentiments : 
 
 Yet Time on face so faire shall furrows plow, 
 And writhed wrinkles peer on blemisht brow. 
 
 So two of the lines run in The ^rbor oj ^mitie. Howell was not satisfied 
 with them, and in the Devises he substitutes ' polisht forme ' for ' face so 
 faire.' And then the same idea fell to be expressed by a great poet : 
 
 Time 
 xvi
 
 Introduction. 
 
 Time doth transfix the flourish set on youth, 
 And delves the parallels on beauty's brow. 
 
 (Shakespeare, Sonmt Ix.) 
 
 Amend and polish as he might, Howell could not write like this. To 
 treat him to another of his proverbs, it was his to beat about the bush, while 
 others caught the birds. In the dramatic soliloquy of the betrayed and 
 deserted girl (^Devises, p. ^4) there is an anticipation of some of the finest 
 things in The affliction of Afargarct. The sense of friendlessness, and the 
 fear of natural sights and sounds, to which Wordsworth has given high 
 imaginative expression, is conceived with less energy by Howell, and is 
 expressed, not without a certain grace of fancy, in the terms of a con- 
 ventional mythology. 
 
 At strife to whom I might 
 
 Commit my secret tears. 
 My heart the mountains' sight 
 
 And hollow Echo fears. 
 
 I doubt the Dryades 
 
 Amidst the forest chace, 
 And thinking on the Seas, 
 
 I dread the Mermaids* grace. 
 
 What shall I trust the Skies ? 
 
 Then me the Winds bewray ; 
 Poor soul, whom Jove denies 
 
 Each captive doth betray. 
 
 There is some gift of imagination in this ; and those students of poetry 
 who can take pleasure even in undistinguished verse when it bears an 
 accidental likeness to some of the great poetry of the world, will not be 
 intolerant of Thomas Howell. If he is not loved for himself, he will be 
 entertained in the name of his family, the poets of the age of Elizabeth. 
 A modest apology for him might be entered in the words of one of those 
 
 extemporary 
 
 xvii c
 
 Introduction. 
 
 extemporary rhymes wherewith Richard Tarlton, the father of low come- 
 dianSj was wont to delight his audience in the earliest London theatres : 
 
 This one, perchance, you might know 
 
 By his dress and his shape, 
 
 (^Sqiieak^ng, gibbering^ of every degree ;) 
 Is a poet : or, if he 's not so. 
 
 He 's a poet's ape : 
 
 (//e comes of a rare witty family.^ 
 
 This edition is an exact reprint of the Bodleian copy of the Devises. 
 About a dozen obvious and trivial misprints (such as the printing of a 
 full stop between the subject and the predicate of a short sentence) have | 
 
 been corrected. Others, to avoid the intrusion of anything like conjectural | 
 
 emendation, have been left standing. j 
 
 WALTER RALEIGH. 
 
 Oxford, 190(5. 
 
 xvin
 
 C-<0 
 
 ^^ His Deuifes^ for his owne 
 
 exercife^andhis 
 
 Friends pkafure. 
 --^DT><^ (...) 
 
 m 
 
 _XiJ 
 
 ^' 
 
 ..g 
 
 '^^■ 
 
 T^tnc'it qui patitur. 
 
 ^^ Imprinted at London^ in 
 
 Fleeteftreate, beneath the Conduite, 
 
 at the figne of the Saint lohn 
 
 Euangeliffc, by H. 
 
 lackfon. 
 
 ANNO. I ^8 I. 
 
 
 I? 
 
 
 
 f.'Tv 
 
 
 

 
 ^To the Right Honorable^ and mofl; 
 vertuous Lady^ the Lady Marye 
 
 Countefle of Pembrooke. 
 
 THE LITTLE POET ACCIVS NOT 
 knowing which way to couer the fmalenelle of hys 
 perfon, which was fomewhat lefTe then the meane, 
 thought beft to haue a great picture drawne for hys 
 Counterfeyte : This Poet no doubt had fome mea- 
 ning in this deuife, for pitflures often go there, where 
 the perfon(s) whom they reprefent are not admitted : And it might be 
 that ftrangers feeing the great fliape, would imagine Accius to be a 
 tall man. Tewcer a cunning Archer, but a faynte harted Souldiour, 
 then wanted no courage when he was clofe couered with the Target 
 of his brother Aiax. VlilTes, whofe rype wyt made full amends for 
 his weake body, thought no aduenturc dangerous, though neuer fo 
 perillous, if he were proteded with the fjiield of Pallas. So I right 
 Noble Ladye knowing my abilitie to wryte, to bee farre lefle 
 then the perlon of Accius, and fo more lykely to incurre more 
 rebukes : my courage therfore more faynte then eyther Tesvcers, or 
 VlifTes, and fo more needing fome If rong defence, haae aduentured 
 to place in the forefrunt of this little treatife, the tytle of your name, 
 as a great portrature to a little body, as a lure fliield to a wcakc V/ai- 
 riour, as a fafe defence againft any danger. For as they which fliould 
 fee the pi6ture of Accius, would imagine it to aunfwere his perfon: 
 fo if the Reader hereof, behold your name in the fyrll: leafe, he will 
 deeme the whole Booke the more fruitfull, and the framer therof the 
 more skilfull : but if he (hall once perccyue your Honor to be Pa- 
 tronefTe to this labour, he will eyther loue it, bicaufe he doth honor 
 you, or wil not dare to reproch it, bicaufe he perceyueth you are as 
 ready, and knoweth you are as able to defend it, as eyther Aiax was 
 to garde Tewcer, or Pallas to guyde Vliffes. I cannot right vertu- 
 ous Ladye, imagine there was anye greater caufe that might induce 
 Accius to frame fo bigge a pidiure : or caufe Aiax to fliielde Tew- 
 cer : or mooue Pallas to regarde the fafety of VlilTes : then my felfe 
 J A.iij. now
 
 The Epiftk. 
 
 now haue to vie your Honors defence. Accius his pidure might 
 with a ftranger couer the fliortneffe of his perfon : your name flull 
 to the Reader be recompence for the greatnelTe of my ignorance. 
 Tewcer fled to Aiax bicaufe he was his owne brother : I prcfume to 
 feeke aydc of your Honor, bicaufe I am your poore feruant. Pallas 
 did dcfende VlifTcs bicaufe fliee knewe he followed and loued her : 
 Your Ladifliip (I truft) wyll be my protcd:ion, bicaufe I honor 
 and ferue you, which I haue done in tymes paft, now doe, and euer 
 hereafter wil do, in fuch forte, that the worlde fliould be wytnefTc, if 
 my abiUtie to fliew it, were as great as my wil is ready to performc 
 it, I would be found equal in dutiful zeale towards your Honor, to 
 Vlifles in harty affedion towards Pallas. Therfore right Noble 
 Lady, let me be bold to remember you in behalfe of my felf, of that 
 which Demolthenes is reported to haue fpoken to Alexander, in 
 defence of the Athenians. You haue (fayd he) moft worthy Em- 
 pcrour, by fortune no greater good then that you maye : by nature 
 no better gifte then that you wiflie to doe good to many. The cre- 
 dite and eliimation your vertuous lyfe, and rare wifdome hath pro- 
 cured you : the honorable curtefie and fweete behauiour wherewith 
 Nature hath plentifully endued you, flial not be eyther vniitly or 
 vnfruitfa'Iy^ vfcd, if you flial vouchfafe to imploy the one in de- 
 fence, and fliew.the other in good acceptance of this (lender worke 
 of:you.r. rcrnant,.which as I did wryte at ydle times in your houfe, to 
 auoyde greater ydlenefTe or worfe bufmefle : fo I prefent it humbly 
 vnto you, as a teftimony of my boundcn dutie, euer crauing your 
 Honor to pardon my boldc prcfumption : and Ityl befccching 
 the Almightyc to blcllc you in earth with much 
 honour, and in heauen to crowne 
 you with eternall 
 felicitie. 
 
 ^ Tour Honors humble andfaythfull 
 
 Scruant. Tho: Houell.
 
 ^The Table of the Contents 
 
 of this Booke. 
 
 ''Ik "y O aflurance, but in Vertue. 
 
 [^^ ^Profpeiity ought not caufe prefumption, nor aduerfity 
 
 I ^» force difpayre. 
 -^ ^ ^Once warnde, twice armde. 
 HFIattery the Vayle of Frawde. 
 
 •^No greater contrariety, then in the pafsions of Loue. 
 ^In vttering of forrow, fome folace. 
 ^Miferie the ende of Letchcry. 
 ^The paines of Louers great, but mine grieuous. 
 ^Ruine the rewarde of Vice. 
 II The beft Natures fooneft abufed. 
 f He lykeneth his lotte to Virgils. 
 HAll of greene Willow, Willow, Willow, Willow, 
 
 Sith all of greene Willow fhall be my Garland. 
 liAIl of greene Lawrel. 
 ^No new fancies (hall alter olde lyking. 
 ^A Dreame. 
 
 HThe lamentable ende of lulia Pompeis Wyfe. 
 H Secrecy, for fome forrows, a needefull remedy. 
 The ende of lyfe, the begynning of bliffe. 
 They fooneft yelde remedy, that haue felt lyke extremitie. 
 A Pofie. 
 
 Vnthankfulneffe of minde, a monfter in Nature. 
 Noble minds eyther comper or couer. 
 Vng ie feruirey. 
 Doe or be ftill. 
 
 He denies quickly, that giues flowly. 
 Women are words, men are deeds. 
 Enuy euer depraueth defert. 
 A Winters morning mufe. 
 Mans lyfe lykened to a ftage play. 
 To his Miftreffe. 
 
 Reward doth not alwayes aunfwere deferte. 
 Who hurt, muft heale. 
 Of Loue. 
 Of Bayes and Willow.
 
 The Table. 
 
 HAn Epitaph vpon the death of the Ladye Katheiine, late Coun- 
 
 teflc of Pembrooke. 
 Vltimum vale. 
 
 Uln aduerfitie is be ft feene Vertues excellency. 
 ^SoiTOwe difclofedj fomewhat eafed. 
 
 ^Omnis fbrtuna fuperanda ferendo eft. Of fufferance comes eafe. 
 1IH. his Reply to his friend. A. M. 
 HH. tohimfclfe. 
 
 ^Written to a moft excellent Booke, full of rare inuention. 
 lIThe complainte of a foriowfull wight, founde languyfhing in a 
 
 Forreft. 
 ^OfFancie. 
 HAunfwere. 
 
 ^Eucr fought, neuer founde. 
 fA Poelie. 
 ^Aunfwere. 
 
 ^Eucry thing is as it is taken. 
 To his Lady of her doubtfull aunfwere. 
 Helpe bed welcome, when moft needefull. 
 Of the Golden worlde. 
 OfGolde. 
 A.W. 
 
 Aunfwere. H. 
 Of Friends. 
 Anfwere. E, L. 
 Reply to the fame. 
 Another waye. 
 To his Friend M. S. 
 In mcdiocritie moft fafety. 
 To the fame. 
 
 That valiant hartes are defyrous to afpyre. 
 ^Aunfwere. 
 Another waye. 
 
 To his Friend E. R. of the Bee. 
 Sure counfcll, founde fricndfhip. 
 They performe not beft, that promife moft. 
 
 Bewtie 
 
 8
 
 The Tahle. 
 
 Bewtie the bayte Vanitie. 
 
 Of Fortune. 
 
 A Sonet, 
 
 To her Louer, that made a conquefl of her, & fled, leauing her with 
 
 childe. 
 Beyng burdened to fayne his good will, he aunfwereth thus. 
 Chaunge of Country, fliall not chaunge fancie. 
 Where abilitie fayleth, wyll fufliceth. 
 Mans impietie, fayns falfe Deitie. 
 In loue fmale iarres, fometime breede beft content. 
 What Nature feuereth. Arte hardly ioyneth. 
 He wyfheth well to the Crabbe and Maple Tree in Milfeelde, for 
 
 the Ladies fake that met there vnder them. 
 Being charged with finenefle he aunfwereth thus. 
 Such Saintes, fuch feruice. 
 I follow what flyeth from me. 
 No griefe to wante of due regarde 
 Of Anger. 
 A New yeares gifte. 
 Another. 
 Another. 
 Another. 
 An Epitaph. 
 A Dreame. 
 Loue asketh loue. 
 The variable thoughts of a Louer. 
 R.T. 
 
 Aunfwere. 
 Another waye. 
 GodlynefTe palTeth ryches. 
 His aunfwere to one that wrote, faynte hartes that feare to fynne, 
 
 fayre Ladyes fyldome wynne. 
 To L N. 
 
 H. To his mifhap. 
 
 Falfyfying of fayth, breeds many complaints. 
 To his Songj fent to his Milhefie.
 
 The Tdhle. 
 
 A Poefie. 
 
 Aunfwcre. 
 
 The vanitie of rytches, 
 
 Difcord makes weake, what concord left ftiong. 
 
 Of one that came to borrowe money. 
 
 Aunfwere. 
 
 Truth feareth no tryall. 
 
 He complayneth his mifhap, with promife to keepe her honor. 
 
 G. To his Ladye. 
 
 For fmale offence, fmale punifhment. 
 
 liLoues myghtinelfe growes by Louers weakneffe. 
 
 51 A comparifon of his troubles. 
 
 HI. K. to H. being ficke. 
 
 HAunfwcre H. 
 
 •^Oi FriendHnip. 
 
 ■1 Aunfwere. G. H. 
 
 ^H.ToM. 
 
 ^Admonition to his Friend. 
 
 ^ Who feekes this Worlds felicitie, 
 Fyndes nothing elfe but vanitie. 
 
 To a Flatterer. 
 
 Aunfwcre. 
 
 Reafon and Fanfie doe often varie. 
 
 A Poefie. 
 
 Certaine Verfes tranflated outof Petrark concerning Rome, writ- 
 ten by hym many yeares fince. 
 
 F I NTS. 
 
 mmmm% 
 
 lO
 
 ^ To the Reader. 
 
 WHere none but Nature is the guyde, Minerva hath no parte, 
 Then you her Nurcelings beare with him^, yt knows no aide of arte. 
 I wake my wyts to pleafe my felfe, nought reaking praife or blame, 
 I force my pen to purge my brayne, though matter fmall I frame. 
 In which attempt, if lack of skill, haue led my Mufe awry. 
 Let my well meaning minde the mifle, in eche refpeft fupply. 
 If patterns wrought by Arte, of curious workman here thou feeke, 
 Thy trauayle then thou fhalt but lofe, to looke and neuer leeke. 
 But if good-will may thee fuffife, perufe, and take thy pleafure, 
 In Natures fchoole my little skill : I learned all by leafure. 
 Here nothing placed is, that may the vertuous forte ofFende, 
 Though enuious Carpers barke and fnarle, at things they fcarce can mende. 
 Whofe chiefeft grace is wife to feeme, by blotting others deedes, 
 Whofe paynted flowers in proofe full oft, fall out but ftincking weedes. 
 The chafte defyre with honefl: ryme, millykes no whitt in minde. 
 But venomde Spyders poyfon take, where Bee doth honey finde. 
 With greater eafe a fault is founde, then well to welde the refte : 
 It differs much to tell the tale, and words mifplafte to wrefte. 
 By patterns here difplayed to thee, thou mayft perhaps preuente 
 The poyfoning bayts of bitter fweete, whofe bliffe brings (harp euente. 
 Difloyall loue and filthie luft, thou here art taught to flee : 
 With other Sawes to fundry endes, though hewed rough they bee. 
 That lyfe is lyke a Bubble blowne, or fmoke that foone doth pafle, 
 That all our pleafures are but paynes, our glorie brittle glafl^. 
 That Fortunes fraites are variable, no holde in Princely mace : 
 That womens myndes are mutable, that death drawes on apace. 
 That worldly pompe is vanity, that youth vnwares decayes : 
 That high eftate is flipperie, that onely vertue ftayes. 
 Here leame thou mayft : with diuers notes, gaynft fraude and flattery, 
 That may fuffife to warne the wife, to voyde fuch battery. 
 And eke thou here mayft viewe and fee, howe Bewtie cruell hafte : 
 Doth make, to fhun the gallant face, where fhe but late was plafte. 
 That fhe is Natures priueledge, and fo is fayd to bee 
 Becaufe fhe feldom giues that gyfte, but where Qie caufe doth fee. 
 
 That 
 II
 
 To the Reader. 
 
 That bcawtie is a dumbe difceite, not hauing worde or arte : 
 And yet with filente crafte fhe can, perfwade the hardeft harte. 
 She conquercs where fhe corns by kindc : for Creatures faire procure, 
 By naked lookes, fuch yeelding harts, as they wifhe to allure. 
 Whofe vayne delyghts if thou defier, thy thryfte goes to the grounde, 
 (And yet by honeft loue we fee, the greateft wealth is founde.) 
 Apollos troope my faults will paffe, and waye my want herein, 
 Whofe freindly fauor if I gaine, I prife not Pan a pin. 
 The trauell mync, the pleafure thine, if ought thou here doe leeke, 
 Thy good reportc, for paynes ymployed is fole rewarde I feeke. 
 
 Virttis honoy^em parit. 
 
 ^Faults efcaped in the printing, (t) 
 In the Sonet entiteled ^uine the reward of V key the feconde line, for 
 ioy, reade ioyes. And in the fyft ftafte of the f;ime Sonet,the laft line, 
 for foding, reade falling. 
 
 In the anfwere to the poefie written of Fanfie, the lafte lyne, for you 
 reade your. 
 
 In the Golden wor/d, the xvij. vearfe and fyrft word, for Gor, read For. 
 In the Sonet entiteled hir louer that made a conqueft of hir, the viii. 
 ftafFe, the laft line, for fhamefull, read fhameleffe. 
 In mans impetie^faines falfe deitie, the firft verfe, for faine, read faynde. 
 In Sorrowe difclofed fomewhat eafed^ for fetlcd forrows, read forrowe. 
 In fuch faints, fuch feruke^ toward the ende of the Sonet, for when, read 
 whence. 
 
 In rvhat Nature feuereth, arte hardly ioy neth, the lafte line of the firft ftaffe, 
 for foone, read fame. 
 
 In the vanity of ritches, after the fixt line read, For who hath moft of 
 fuch a ftore, the more he feares as thrall. Which is there lacking. 
 In Difcorde mak^s weakly jvW, &c, the laft lyne faue one, for guyde, 
 reade guyle. 
 In lieafon and fancie do often -vary, the firft word, for there, read where. 
 
 Ct) [These faults are corrected in this reprint, Oxford, 1906.] 
 
 12
 
 ^^SDelightfull Dtfcourfes 
 
 to fundry purpofes. 
 
 ^Ni? ajj'ura?ice but In Vertue. 
 
 WHo wifely skans, the weake and brittle ftayes, 
 That Natures Imps, within thys vale poflefTe, 
 The dyuers haps, the ftraunge vncertayne wayes, 
 That headlong forth we runne beyonde all gefle. 
 Shall foone perceyue, that euery worldly ioye. 
 Short pleafures yeelds, imixte with long anoye. 
 
 Though whorde of heaped ftore, for more delight. 
 
 Our Gofers keepe, to pleafe our greedie lufte : 
 
 Yea, though our time we pafTe in ioyfuU plight. 
 
 And in thys lyfe repofe our chiefeft truft. 
 
 Yet worldly pompe, when all is fayde and done. 
 Doth vade away, lyke Snowe againll the Sonne. 
 
 A tyme of byrth Dame Nature doth vs giue, 
 A tyme to dye fliee lykewife doth prouyde : 
 No fooner doe we fyrft beginne to Hue, 
 But ftraight to death vnwares away we flyde. 
 
 And yet alas, our fancies are fo frayle. 
 
 That all our ioye is here to hoyfe vp Sayle. 
 
 But fuch as fet their Heauen of lingering lyfe. 
 In pleafures lap, whofe froward tickle wheele 
 (Sayth wifdoms sonne) with frowning turne is ryfe. 
 To drowne their bUlTe, that blyndly fo doe reele. 
 By fearche Ihall fynde,eche fleeting pleafure vaine. 
 When Vertues Impes, with Vertue highe fliall raigne. 
 
 Then who fo fees, the Sugar ftrawde on Gall, 
 And fhunnes the fame, by facred Vertues skill : 
 
 B.j. Shall 
 
 o 
 
 \s-
 
 T>eligldtfullT>ifcourfes \ 
 
 Shall fafely ftande, when Follyes children fall, i 
 That heedleffe holde. Dame pleafures wanton will. 
 
 Thus Vertue ftaycth, when Vices fteps doe ilyde, j 
 
 So are they bleft, that doe in Vertue byde. j 
 
 fi 
 
 \Profperitie ought not caufe frefumpt'ion^ nor \ 
 
 aduerjitie force dijpayre. \ 
 
 WHere Fortune fauoreth not, what labor may preuaile ? ! 
 
 Who frowning fate wil needs thruft down, what flial he win j 
 
 With pacient mind to yeeld, is fure the foundell: way, (towaile? ' 
 And caft our cares and griefe on him, that fatall force doth fway. 
 
 For Death with equal I pace, doth pafTe to Princes gate, , 
 
 And there as at the Cottage poore, doth knock in one like ftate. ' 
 
 The tyme or mancr how, the highil no more can tell, ' 
 
 Then pooreft Peyfant placed here, in bafe eflate to dwell. , 
 
 Sithe then fuch feeble ftay, in mortall might we finde, j 
 
 Why fliould the wante of worldly drofle, in dole once daunt our minde. ' 
 
 The Tylman pore in toyle, that fpends the weary day, ; 
 Whofe welth will fcarce fupply his wante, when fome whoorde heaps 
 Fals not to flat difpaire, ne yet his labor leaues, (y play. 
 
 Though fcarce y^ ftubble prooues his (liare, when others fhock the ; 
 
 But Hues with mind content, more free fro care & ftrife, (flieaues j 
 
 Then thofc y* hunger highcfi: hap, where dangers dwel moft rife. ' 
 Though prowde ambition blinde, puft vp with glory vaine, 
 
 Deteft their ftate that riches wante, with hawty high difdaine. ^ 
 
 The Seas oft troubled are, by winds that whyrling flye, ( 
 
 When fliallow ftreams yeeld water cleere, in valleis low y* lye. j 
 
 High Mountayncs fet on fyre, by lightning eke we fee, ( 
 
 When Pafturcs placed vnderneath, in nothing altered bee. i 
 
 The formoft fronte in fight, are neereft deadly wounde, | 
 The lofty tree is foonft blowne down, & Icueld with the grounde. 
 So fuch as thirft to clymbe, to daunger moft are thrall, 
 Whofe flyding glory fawccd is, with honey mixt with Gall. 
 For who fo gript with griefe, if Fortune lifte to lowrc. 
 As thofe that carft did feede at full, vpon her fayreft flowre ? 
 
 Which 
 
 ! 
 \
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 Which change full oft hath falne, through her vnconftantnefle. 
 
 And whome flie lately laught vpon, throwne downe remedilefle. 
 
 Was Alexander great, that many daungers pall, 
 
 For all his mightie conqueft wonne, not llayne himfelfe at laft ? 
 
 A kings fonne eke I findc, for Fathers tyranny, 
 
 Conftraynde to worke a Smith in Forge, by harde necellity . 
 
 Such is the fading force, of Fortunes fickle powre, 
 
 Whofe fruitfulft fruite both rypes and rottes, in lefle fpace then an 
 
 Such is her tickle trult, fuch are her flipper fteps, (howre. 
 
 That what ftie feemes to fowe in ioy, with forrow oft flie reaps. 
 
 Attribute all to him, that fate doth guyde therefore. 
 
 With wylling mind embrace thy lot, where rich thou be or pore. 
 
 *^Ovce luarnde^ tixiice armde. 
 
 WHylfte flye deceyte, by fleight of fmyling cheare, 
 Yeeldes tickling hope, to dandle on our dayes : 
 We dread no guyle, no doubling drift we feare, 
 Our founde beliefe fuch fetled truft doth rayfe. 
 But when in fyne, we finde our felues mifled. 
 We blame the frawde that fo our fancies fed. 
 
 And gripte with griefe, our former truft we wayle, 
 Exclayming lowde that falfliood fo can fayne. 
 When glofmg fliewes clokt vnder friendfliips vayle, 
 Fals out but fleyght, to fofber hope in vayne. 
 
 Loe thus full oft, what deemde hath bene the funne. 
 
 Proofe Cynthea findes, whofe courfe more lowe doth runne. 
 
 As fome haue tryde through time and trauell fpente, 
 
 Who traynde by truft, haue deemde good hap there plait. 
 
 Had fwayed the foyle, where ruine all to rente. 
 
 Hath due defart, with rigour downe defaft. 
 Whofe fhorte regarde, for long imployed toyle. 
 May warne the wife of frawde to feare the foyle. 
 
 B.u. •i^lattery
 
 Delightfull Difcourfes 
 
 ^Flattery the Vayle of Fratode. 
 
 FAyre words foule deeds, pretended and forethought. 
 Who can but hate, that holds the feare of God : 
 Fayne you that lyft, fuch praftife prooues but nought, 
 Vyle diucliflie driftes, prouoke Ioves wrathfull rod. 
 Which fure will fall, if we in fynne perfeuer. 
 Shame is the fruite, of frawde and foule endeuor. 
 
 Wherein beholde, fome maske in Nettes at Noone, 
 Yet deeme they walke in clowdes of clofe difguife : 
 Hoyfte vp in thought, to reache beyonde the Moone, 
 When all the worlde, their couert cunning fpyes. 
 But thefe to name, my pen and fpeeche fliall fpare. 
 Who medleth leaft, leaft cumbred is with care. 
 
 It me fuffizen may to note their driftes, 
 That weene by wyles, the worlde to weald at will : 
 Their glofing fliewes, their flye and guylefull fhiftes. 
 To trayne fuch on, as fynde not out their skyll. 
 
 Whofe turnes to ferue, though fooles a tyme be dandled. 
 The wyfer wincke, that fee how things are handled. 
 
 ^No greater contrariety^ then in the pafsions of Loue. 
 
 IN wyll to ftrong, in worke to wcake is loue, 
 In hope to bolde, in feare more faynte then needes : 
 In tliought a thoufand guyles it ftryues to proue. 
 In guylc, fufpition painefuU paflions breedes. 
 Sufpition eafely yeelds to light beleefe. 
 And light beleefe to iealoufie is thrall. 
 The iealous mynde dcuoures it felfe with griefe. 
 Thus loue at once doth frye, freefe, ryfe and fall. 
 On pleafurcs parte to thinke, it takes delighte, 
 Whyles prefent blifle, by fonde conceyte it balkes. 
 
 Although 
 i6
 
 to fundry purpqfes. 
 
 Although the fruite it fynde, be penfiue plight. 
 For better chaunce, yet carelefTe on it walkes, 
 Thefe are the feedes that Venvs Baby fowes. 
 As tafle they fliall, the bitter crop that mowes. 
 
 ^In vttering offorrowe^fomefolace. 
 
 MY careful! cafe, and penfiue pyning plight, 
 Confbraynth my Pen, againil my will to wright : 
 The plunged ftate, wherein I lyue and dwell. 
 Doth force me forth, my doleful! tale to tell. 
 
 My heaped woes, all folace fets afyde, 
 Whofe fecret fmarte (alas) 1 faine would hyde. 
 But as the fubieft Oxe, to yoke mull yeelde, 
 So vanquifht wightes, are forfle forfake the feelde. 
 
 My lucklefTe lotte, denies me all releife, 
 I feeke for helpe, but finde increafe of griefe. 
 I languiflie fti!!, in long and deepe difpaire. 
 Yet fhunne to fliewe the caufe of this my care. 
 
 I couet nought, that reafon might denye, 
 Ne doe I feeke by meanes to mounte on hye : 
 But what I feeke, if I the fame might finde, 
 Then eafde fhould be, mine vncontented mynde. 
 
 ^Miferie the ende of Letchery. 
 
 OFylthy Letchery, Whofe fmoke is infamy, 
 
 Fyre of foule fraylty, Whofe fparkes are vanity, 
 
 NurlTe to ympietie, Whofe flame obfcurity, 
 
 Warre, pryde and ieloufie, Whofe coles impurity, 
 
 Whofe fubflance is gluttony. And afhes myfery. 
 
 B.iij. H The 
 
 17
 
 T>elightfiiU T>ifcourfes 
 
 \The pahies ofLouers great^ but mine gr'ieuous. 
 
 THc Froft in flame that Louers finde, 
 And fwelting heat in chilly colde. 
 So quite contrary are by kinde, 
 As ilrange it feemeth to beholde. 
 Strange is the feare that makes them fainte. 
 And ftrange the care that chokes their ioy, 
 Yet flranger paflions me attaynte, 
 The onely NurfTe of mine annoy. 
 
 ^'Ruine the rewarde of Vice. 
 
 TO you fayre Dames whose bewties braue do floorifh. 
 To you whole daintie dayes in ioyes are fpent : 
 To you whofe prayfe Dame Nature feekes to poolifli. 
 To you whole fancie Venvs doth frequent. 
 To you I wryte with harte and good intent, 
 That you may note by viewe of what I fay. 
 How Natures giftes foone vade and flyde away. 
 
 Your loftie lookes, time downe full lowe fliall raze. 
 Your ftately flcps age eke will alter quite ; 
 Your fraile defyre that kindleth Cvpids blafe, 
 Whofe heate is prone to follow foule delight. 
 The whip flialbe, that fliall you fliarply fmite ; 
 When euery vice that fproong of Fancies fittes. 
 Repentance brings, to thofe the fame committes. 
 
 Is not the pride of Helens prayfe bereft ? 
 And Cresside ftaynde, that Troian Knight imbrafed : 
 Whofe bewties bright but darke defame hath left, 
 Vnto them both through wanton deedcs preferred. 
 As they by dynte of Death their dayes haue ended. 
 So fliall your youth, your pompe, and bewties grace. 
 When nothing elfe but vcrtue may take place. 
 
 i8 
 
 Then
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 Then fluke of Vice ye Nymphes of Cressids Crue, 
 And Vertue feeke, whofe praife fliall neuer die : 
 With fylthie lufb your bodies not imbrue. 
 As did this Ilion Dame moil wickedly, 
 Whofe blifle by bale was plagude fo greeuoufly, 
 That loe her lyfe in Lazars lodge flie ended. 
 Who erft in Courte moft curiouflye was tended. 
 
 Her Corps that did King Priams fonne delight, 
 Confumde with cares, fent forth fad fighes full colde : 
 Her azurde vaynes, her face and skinne fo white, 
 With purple fpottes, feemde vgly to beholde. 
 Eche lymme alas corruption gan vnfolde. 
 In which diftrefTe, and bitter fbraine of ruth. 
 She begges her bread, for falfmg fayth and truth. 
 
 No forrow then might falue her lewde offence. 
 Nor raze the blotte that bred her black defame : 
 Her doleful! dales alas founde no defence : 
 Twas now to late to fhunne the flieete of fliame, 
 Which had bewrapt her wrackfull blemiflit name. 
 So brode was blowne her crime and curfed cafe, 
 That worlds bewrayed her frowning fates difgrafe. 
 
 Loe here the ende of foule defyled lyfe, 
 
 Loe here the fruite that fmne both fowes and reapes : 
 
 Loe here of Vice the right reward and knyfe. 
 
 That cuttes of cleane and tumbleth downe in heapes. 
 
 All fuch as tread Dame Cressids curfed fteppes. 
 
 Take heede therfore how you your pryme do fpende. 
 For Vice brings plagues, and Vertue happy ende. 
 
 ^The
 
 "Delightfull T>ifcourfes 
 
 \The befi Natures jfoonejl abufed. 
 
 BEtwixte my hope and dreade, grcwe fuch debate. 
 When fyril: I fought thefe naked lynes to frame, 
 That long I pawfde, as doubtfull to dilate, 
 Whether bell: proceede, or elfe leaue of the fame. 
 Tyll hope at laft, difpayre doth baniflie quight. 
 And wylles my Pen aflay in verfe to wright. 
 
 Feare not (quoth hope) to fliewe thy wylling will, 
 (Smale fecdes fometyme may light on grateful! grounde :) 
 if none had wrote but Clarks of Tvllies skill, 
 Sweete fawes had funck, which now aflote are founde. 
 Then caft of dread, difpayre no whyt at all, 
 Difcafes great are cuerd with Medicins fmall. 
 
 Thefe cheerefuU wordes, no fooner gan reuiue 
 My Muse, but ftraight in mynde I me bethought. 
 How Gnatos fe6te through flattery doe contriue, 
 Eche guileful! glofe, ty!l they their wyles haue wrought, 
 Whofe great abufe, though briefely here I touch, 
 I fpare to fpeake, what might be fayde of fuch. 
 
 Of friendfliip founde, though fundry yeelde a fhowe, 
 Yet fewe there be, in whome is tryed truft : 
 Such frawde in friendly lookes doth dayly growe. 
 That who moil fawnes, ofte proues the moft vniufl : 
 
 Who fooner flial! well meaning mindes b)etray. 
 
 Then fuch as beft can Sinons pagent play. 
 
 As Saylers earft, by Sirens fongs alurde, 
 
 Deuoured were that lackt Vlisses skill. 
 
 So Noble minds by fuch haue bene procurde, 
 
 To credite toyes, that turnde to greater ill. 
 
 The Serpent wife, to flop hir eares deemes meete. 
 When Charmer feemes to charme with voyce moft fweete. 
 
 For 
 
 20
 
 tofundry purpojes. 
 
 For lyke as fliadowe plafte before the eyes. 
 
 Is not the thing that it doth reprefent : 
 
 Nor al prooues Gold that fliines when touchftone tries. 
 
 Though fayre it feeme vnto fome foule intent : 
 
 No more doe words that pafle from flattering foite, 
 
 Yeelde fuch effed: as they doe oft report. 
 
 Some friendfliip faine to giue the greater gleeke, 
 Difpleafures doubt another fort conftraines : 
 To foothe vp things, which they perhaps miflike. 
 By meanes whereof vnfeene, great mifchiefe raignes. 
 Some fawne to ferue their turne, where fortune fmiles, 
 But if fhe frowne, they flee with all their wiles. 
 
 I'Such fliewes right well, comparde may be to fliade. 
 
 That feelde is feene, but where the Sunne doth fliine : 
 
 For as thofe fliapes with euery clowde doe vade. 
 
 So Flatterers faile if Fortune once decline. 
 Vfe Serpents skill againft this fubtill kinde, 
 Floodes drowne no Fields, before fome brack they finde. 
 
 As fyre doth fine, and feperate Golde from droile. 
 And fliews the pure and perfite from the vyie : 
 So tryed is when wrackfull flormes doe tofle. 
 The faythfull friend from fuch as meane but guyle. 
 
 For like as Doues delight in buyldings newe. 
 
 To Cressvs Court, fo flocks Corebvs crewe. 
 
 Let wifedome therfore weld your wayes and deedes, 
 
 Whofe prudent poife brings darkeft doubts to light : 
 
 To quick miftruft in truftieft, treafon breedes. 
 
 The haftie credite oft deemes wrong for right. 
 
 Accounte of thofe, whome Vertues raigne doth guyde. 
 For fuch will ilande, when glofing Gnatos flyde, 
 
 C.j. 1[H^
 
 Delight full Difcourfes 
 
 ^^He lykeneth his lotte to Vtrgtls. 
 
 T Hough ViRGiLs Vearfe, for loftie ftyle were rare. 
 Surmounting farre my feeble Mufes might : 
 Yet in this poynte my cafe I may compare 
 With his, what tymc another claymde his right, 
 And fay with him, though I the feede did fowe. 
 Another feekes the fruite therof to mowe. 
 
 Like as the toyling Oxe the Plow doth pull. 
 And hath but ftalkes, when others fliare the eares : 
 Or as the flieepe that Nature clothes with wool!. 
 Brings forth the Fleece, the fliearer from him flieares, 
 Euen much alike it fareth now with me. 
 That forll the ground, where others reape the Fee. 
 
 1 bred the Bees, thou wouldfh the Honey haue, 
 I tylde the foyle, thou fcekfte by guyle the gaine : 
 I owe the Tree, thou doeft the branches craue. 
 Thou prickft for prayfe, where none but I tookc paine. 
 What deedes denie, fome wynne by naked wordes, 
 I hatchte the broode, though thou poflelTe the byrdes. 
 
 Who fo doth holde the light, whilft others Maske, 
 No Masker is perdie, you know right well : 
 Nor all whofe flicwcs would claymc the greateft taskc, 
 Deferues the fame, when truth her tale doth tell. 
 
 Though mine the wrong, yet fecmes the lolle fo light. 
 As fliame forbids mc more therof to write. 
 
 ^All 
 
 •XI
 
 tofundry purpqfes. 
 
 \All ofgreene Wil/oWy WilloiVy WtlloiVy WilloiVj 
 Sit he all ofgreene Willov) poall be my Garland. 
 
 IMbrace your Baycs fwcetely, that fmile in ]oue[s fight,] 
 And deck you with Lawrelf, that dwell in delight : 
 To me mofl: vnhappy, ftill fpurnde by difpiglit. 
 Is giuen writhed Willows to expreiTe my ftate right. 
 
 Purfijing the Panther whofe fweete doth abound, 
 A mofl cruel! Viper my hard fate hath found : 
 Whofe nature to Spyders I well may compare. 
 That mercylefTe murders, whats caught in her fnare. 
 
 The Lyon doth tender the beaft that doth yeelde. 
 The Tyger feemes conftant, once conquerd in fielde : 
 Bellona fliewes fauour to Captiues that fue. 
 But Venvs refufeth my dolors to rue. 
 
 How fiiall I to eafe me vnburden my breft. 
 Of thefe penfiue paflions that breeds my vnreft : 
 When fpeech wanteth powre, when voyce is vnpreft. 
 And wyt wanteth cunning to compafle loues heft. 
 
 Yet what auayles words, where eares words doe flee. 
 Though words to the minde, true mefTengers bee ? 
 Or what vayleth wyt, where wyll is vntowarde ? 
 The facrifice loft, where Saints be fo frowarde. 
 
 ^All ofgreene LavjrelL 
 
 TO fing of forrowe ftill. 
 Attending Venvs will. 
 Were now but lack of skill, 
 Pittie lyes deade : 
 
 C.ij. Then 
 
 Z3
 
 Deli^dtfull "Difcoiivfes 
 
 Then caft: of mourning cheare, 
 Let ioyfull plight appeare, 
 Where clowds doe neuer cleare, 
 
 Comfort is fledde. 
 Looke vp to the Lawrell, and let Willow goe, 
 And truft to the true friend, imbrace not thy foe. 
 
 Sing all of greene Lawrell : 
 By trauaile who flryueth, to winne thankleffe wight. 
 Is lyke one that waflieth a black a Moore white. 
 
 Let all of greene Lawrell bedeck thy Garland. 
 Though fome diftill their teares. 
 That wrythed Willow weares. 
 Yet fainte not at their feares, 
 
 Seeme not to dread : 
 The wifeft haue done fo. 
 The VaUant wrapt in wo, 
 Haue taken ouerthrow. 
 
 By Fancie led. 
 Where wyt is conftrayned by will to giue place. 
 Their fongs are of forrow, that ioyes would embrace. 
 
 Sing all of greene Lawrell. 
 Let no deceytfuU fliewes of Venvs bright (liine, 
 Haue power once to pierce the founde harte of thine, 
 
 So fliall the greene Lawrell fet forth thy garland. 
 Waygh not the wauering minde. 
 That flcetes with euery winde, 
 Tyll thou fome ftay doe finde, 
 
 Truft not to farre. 
 Vnto Dame Conftancy, 
 Bende ftill thy battery, 
 Flye faft from flattery. 
 
 With bewtie make warre. 
 So fliall thy well lyking not harme thee at all. 
 For fayth fixed firmely, fuch fauour will fall, 
 
 That all of greene Lawrell, &c. 
 
 When
 
 tofundry purpq/es. 
 
 When others in dolor their wrack fliall bewaylc, 
 Thy fliyp on the founde feas in fafetie may fayle, 
 
 Where crownde with greene Lawrel, in ioy thou flialt fing. 
 
 *^No nevje fancies yfhall alter olde lyk'ing. 
 
 T Hough Paris prayfe, Apollos Impe gan ftayne. 
 When change of choyce his fickle humor fedde. 
 And Carthage cryes, with ftrayned voyce complayne. 
 On periurde Prince, by night that faithlefTe fledde. 
 Though Iasons hefte Medea founde vntrue, 
 And others mo there be whofe fancye paft : 
 That skorne the olde ftill haunting after newe, 
 Wythin whofe hartes no leeking long may laft. 
 Yet tyll syr Phebvs beames fhall lofe their light, 
 And Ocean Seas doe ceafe to ebbe and flowe : 
 Vntill the day fliall turne to perfite night, 
 And Natures courfe againlt her kinde fliall goe. 
 My fixed fayth vnfpotted fliall remayne. 
 What would you more, I vowe I doe not fayne. 
 
 ^A Dreame, 
 
 WHen Phebvs bright was fetled in the Weft, 
 And darknefle dimme, the earth had ouerfpread : 
 When fylent night, that moues eche thing to reft, 
 With quyet pawfe, had plafte me in my bed. 
 
 In flombring Dreame, me thought I heard a wyght. 
 His woes bewayle, that grewe through loues defpyght. 
 
 Whofe wearing weede and veftures all were greene, 
 
 Saue that his loynes with black were girded rounde : 
 
 And on his breil a badge of blewe was feene. 
 
 In figne his fayth and truth remayned founde. 
 He fighed oft and said, O blifful hier, 
 When hope with hap, may ioye in his defier. 
 
 C.iij. But
 
 Delightfidl T>ifcoiirfes 
 
 But ftill to hope, and finde therein no fruite. 
 
 To be in bed, and rcftlefTe there remayne : i 
 
 To feeke to feme, and daylie make purfute, * 
 
 To fuch as fct but light of weary paync, 
 
 Doth breedc fuch baleful! dole within the brcft. 
 
 As quyte bereaues all ioye and quyet reft. j 
 
 '.I 
 
 Though tafte of fower, deferue the fweete to gayne, \ 
 
 Yet crucll Fate I fee the fame denyes : j 
 
 So that defyre and wifdome prooues but vayne, \ 
 
 Without accorde and fauour of the Skyes. I 
 But ftedfaft hope, feeme not (quoth he) to quayle. 
 The heauens in ty me, may turne to thine auayle, 
 
 Scarfe had he thus his wofuU fpeechc concluded, : 
 
 When wake I did, and fawe my felfe deluded. ! 
 
 \rhe lamentable ende of lull a 
 Pampers Wyfe. 
 
 SOre plungde in greeuous paynes and wofull fmartc. 
 Bedewed with trickling teares on Death like face : I 
 
 Downe trylles the drops on cheekes & fighs from hart, ! 
 
 To heare and fee her husbands dolefull cafe. I 
 
 Thus goes thys fpoufe, the wofull Ivlia, 
 Befprent with bloud, when Pompeis Cote (lie faw. 
 
 Downe dead (lie falles in lamentable founde. 
 
 Of fence bereft (fo great was forrowes ftraync) i 
 
 The chylde conceyude within by deadly wounde, i 
 
 Vntymcly fruite came forth with pinching payne. j 
 
 When all was done, for loue her lyfe flie loft, .i 
 
 For Pompeis fake, fliee yeelded vp her Ghoft. ] 
 
 So dead flie laye, bewaylde with many teares, 
 A Matrone wife, a famous Ornament : 
 
 O 
 
 x6
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 O C^SAR file had feene full cheerefuU yeares. 
 If thou with PoMPEY couldft haue bene content, 
 
 But ciuill warres hath wrought this fatall ftryfe. 
 
 To PoMPEY death, to Ivlia lofTe of lyfe. 
 
 ^Secrecy ^ for fome for roweSy a needefull remedy. 
 
 Like as the captiue Wight, in chayned lincks doth lye, 
 And hopes at Sife to be releaft, is the condemde to dye. 
 Euen fo alas my lot, by frowning fate doth fall. 
 That fought to feede on fweete delight, but found moft bitter 
 My reftltfle labor loil, I iuftl y may compare, (Gall. 
 
 To SisrPHVs that neuer fleepes, and griefe to Titivs care. 
 For after fundry ftormes, when calme I thinke to finde. 
 More rougher rage a new doth rife, to ftraine my daunted minde. 
 And when my quelling cares, I feeke by meanes to cure, 
 Moft deepefl dynte of inwarde woe, alas I doe endure. 
 Promethevs pincht with payne, nor Ixion whyrlde on wheele. 
 More grypes by griefe doe not fuftaine, then I vnhappy feele. 
 The fomme of my vnrefl, yet couert will I keepe. 
 And fecretly my forrowes fup, when others founde doe fleepc. 
 To eafe my penfyue breft, a Vearfe though here I frame. 
 The burfbing forth of forrows mine, fhal breed no further blame. 
 My fydes fliall fliryne this fmart, my hart fliall waft with woe. 
 Ere I the fecrete of my caufe, bewray to friend or foe. 
 Saue onely to the Saint, that fwayes my lyfe at wyll, 
 Whofe pittie may prolong the fame, or cruel tie may kyll. 
 
 ^ The ende of lyfe ^ the be^nmng ofblyffe. 
 
 WHy fhoulde we feare to dye ? 
 Or feeke from Death to flye. 
 When Death the way doth make, 
 Eche worldly woe to flake. 
 By whome we pafTe to ioye. 
 Where neuer comes annoye. 
 
 Our 
 
 *7
 
 Delightfull "Difcourfes 
 
 Our tryflying tryumphs heere. 
 Though we efteeme them deere. 
 Arc like to vapours vaync. 
 That wafte with little rayne, 
 Deluding Dreames in deede. 
 Whereon our fancies feede. 
 
 What yeelde our pleafures all. 
 But fwcetenefTe mixt with Gall, 
 Their pryme of chiefcft pride, 
 Vnwares away doth Aide, 
 Whofe fliewe of fweete delight. 
 Oft dymmes our perfyte fight. 
 
 Though lovE in loftie feate, 
 Haue placed Princes great, 
 With Regall rule to raignc. 
 His glory to explaine. 
 Yet vades their pompe and powre, 
 As doth the wythred Flowre. 
 
 Loe here the fureft Ilaye, 
 
 The worlde doth yeelde vs aye. 
 
 Thy deareft friend to daye. 
 
 To morrow falles away, 
 
 Whofe wante thou doeft bcwayle. 
 
 When teares may nought preuayle. 
 
 Sithe lyfe is myferie, 
 Voyde of fclicitie, 
 Fullof anxietie, 
 Giucn to impictie. 
 The death I happy call. 
 That doth bereaue fuch thrall. 
 
 \rhey 
 
 28
 
 tofundry purpofes, 
 
 \rhey foonefl yeelde remedy^ that hauefelt 
 lyke extremet'te. 
 
 THe flames of fyre and clowds of cold, repugnant in my breft. 
 Hath quite exiled me from ioy, and reft all quiet reft. 
 Yet oft (alas) in fliewe I fmile, to fliade my inwarde fmarte. 
 When in my laughter waues of woe, well nie do burft my harte. 
 Whofe driery thoughts I would to God, were feene fo ful to thee, 
 As mine afflidted minde in payne, doth powre them out on mee. 
 So fhould perhaps thy frozen hart, now harde as Flintie ftone. 
 Within thy breft w*'^ melting teares, take ruth on this my mone. 
 But as he well cannot difcerne, what tempeft Saylers trye. 
 That neuer croft the checking tydes, y* furge with waues on hye. 
 No more canft thou my cares defcry, for wante of ryper skill, 
 Although in deede the fhewes thereof, doe pleade for pittie ftill. 
 In vayne therfore my pensiue plaintes, by Pen I doe exprelTe, 
 When both thy will and want of skill, denies to yeelde redrefle. 
 The cruell fates (1 feare) forbids, that I such bliiTe (hould finde, 
 Or facred Iove fome other hap, hath to my fliare affignde. 
 
 ^A Toefie. 
 
 SIthe follye tis to wiflie, what may not be enioyed. 
 And wifdom to efchew the harmes, wherwith we are anoyed. 
 Let reafon guyde thy thoughts, when fancie moft doth fight. 
 And count him victor of the Field, that conquers bewties might. 
 
 ^Vnthankfulnejfe ofminde^ a monjier 
 in Nature^ 
 
 ON thanklefle Friend, whofe trauayle is imployde. 
 With AfTes Damme iliall reape ingratefull meede : 
 Whofe wanton Fole by her sweete myDce acloyde, 
 Oft kicks the Nurfe, that doth it choycely feede. 
 
 D.j. As 
 
 25>
 
 'Deli^tfull T>ifcourfes 
 
 As doc the Vipers broodc, whofe yongling long, 
 When mothers care with tender loue hath cheriilit : 
 Requite the fame with fuch vngratefuU wrong. 
 That in rewarde, her lyfe by them is periflit. 
 Whofe Nature is vnkindly to deuoure. 
 The wombe whence fyrft they tooke their lyuing powre. 
 To whom we may the vngratefuU forte compare, 
 That Viper lyke feeke fpoyle, where they fliould fpare. 
 
 *^Nohle minds eyther conquer ^ or couer. 
 
 AS Scipio fmylde to cloke his couert fmarte. 
 What tyme he fawe his happy ftate declyne : 
 So fome alike doe fliadowe griefe of harte, 
 With outwarde myrth, when inwardly they pyne. 
 And to the worlde yeelde forth fuch fliewes of ioye. 
 As fewe would deeme, they once did taft annoye. 
 When they in deede, with SciPios griefe complayne, 
 Their fhort regarde, for long employed payne. 
 
 ^Vng ieferuirey. 
 
 TO ferue but one, a conftant courage fliowes. 
 Who ferueth more, he rightly ferueth none: 
 Bafe is the minde that bends to many Bowes, 
 Next God, a Prince we ought obey but one. 
 
 One God, one Prince, he ferues, defends and feares, 
 Vng ie feruirey, for his worde that beares. 
 
 ^Doe^ or hefi'ill. 
 
 THe (liallow ftrcames, doe murmour more then deepc. 
 And Cowards bragge,that dares no weapons prooue: 
 Thofe Dogs byte leaft, that greatcft barkings keepe, 
 Some do but faync, whofe fliewes feeme farre in loue. 
 
 Sounde is the Tree, whence friendfliips fruite doth fpring. 
 Doe or be (iilL let none but Syrens fing. 
 
 30
 
 tofundry purpo/es, 
 
 ^ He denies quickly ^ that giuesfloivly. 
 
 LIngring delayes, flacke payments doe forefliowe. 
 Better no promife , then no performance : 
 Sleight are the forrowes, flakte with comforts flowe, 
 Eyther fende, or ende, yeelde fome afllirance. 
 Shyfting delaye, miflyking oft doth breede, 
 They foone denye, whofe Suters flowly fpeede. 
 
 ^Women are ivordes^ Men are deedet. 
 
 IF nought but wordes in women to be founde. 
 Then what are they, men, women, or Monfters, 
 That yeelde lyke fruite? or elfe a hollowe founde. 
 Which fubftance none, but ayre forth vtters. 
 
 By deedes and not by words, men praife obtayne, 
 Monfters, no men, whofe deedes their words doe ftayne, 
 
 \Enuye euer depraueth deferte. 
 
 THou fnarling Curre, that crept in Maunger lyes. 
 And lets the Courfer there to reache his right : 
 Thy malice great, and fwelling falfe furmife. 
 Thou out fliouldft barke, before thou fecrete bite. 
 But fythe thy cankered nature (needes I see,) 
 Muft byte or burft, I open warre denownce, 
 Againft thy kinde, what euer fo thou bee. 
 Which fecKS by guile our buyldings downe to bownce. 
 With Syrens voyce thy tune thou feekft to fayne. 
 As though in deede our braynes fo barren were : 
 We could not compafTe tryflyng toyes moft playne. 
 Vnlefle our light we fought fome other where. 
 Thou barkft abrode of Bookes, from whence it came. 
 But can thy head (in fayth) no better gefTe; 
 
 D.ij, The 
 
 3»
 
 T>elightfull T>ifcourfes 
 
 The toyes themfelues doe bid thee ceafe for fliame. 
 Left more thou fpurne, more folly thou exprefTe. 
 Well MoMvs mate, and fonne of Zoylvs fedie. 
 That fo canft carpc at euery wylling minde : 
 Raze nothing downe, till fomething thou eredte. 
 Spare others fpoyle, fythe nought in thee we finde. 
 Let them enioye the fruites of their defyre, 
 That feekes good will, and craues no other hyre. 
 
 ^A Winters Morning mufe. 
 
 AS by occafion late, towards Brvtvs Citie olde. 
 With quiet pace alone I rode, in winter fharp & colde. 
 In my delating brains, a thoufand thoughts were fed, 
 And battailewife a warre they made, in my perplexed hed. 
 I thought on tymely change, and mufde on yerely wafte, 
 How winter aye deuours the welth, that pleafant fommer plaft. 
 I fawe the naked Fields vnclothde on euery fide, 
 The beaten bullies ftand al bare, that late were deckt with pride. 
 Whofe fainting fap was fled, and falne from top to roote, 
 Eche tree had newe caft of his Cote, and laid turn at his foote. 
 The fmale and fyilie Byrds, fat houering in the hedge. 
 And water Fowles by Wynter forft, forfooke the Fenny fedge. 
 Thus Nature altering quite, her earthly childrens cheere. 
 Doth fliewe what brittle ftay of ftate, and feeble holde is heerc. 
 Who as in flender things, (lie fliewes her yerely might. 
 So doth file like attempt her force, in all degrees aright. 
 For as 1 mufing rode, I plainely might perceaue, (bereaue. 
 
 That like both change and chance there was, mans ftate that did 
 I fawe the mounting minde, that clymbdc to reach the Skyes, 
 Aduanced vp by Fortunes wheele, on tickle ftay that lyes. 
 Fall foonc to flat decay, and headlong downe doth reele, 
 As fickle Fortune lift to whyrle, her rounde vnftable wheele. 
 Was neuer Prince of power, fo fafe in his degree. 
 But dcemde fometime the meaner fort, to fyt more fure then hee. 
 
 Then 
 
 3*
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 Then to my felfe I fayde, if Fortune ilande vnfure. 
 
 And higheft type of worldly hap, vncertaine doe endure. 
 
 Why tWrft we fo to raigne ? why hunger we for heape ? 
 
 Why prefle we forth for worldly pompe, w*'^ brech of quiet fleape? 
 
 Which lyke a Mothe eates out, the gaine of godly lyfe. 
 
 With all that ftretch their vaine defyre, to wreft thys worlde in ftryfe. 
 
 Whofe fruite of toyling paine, by fweate and forrow fought, 
 
 Is loft in twinckling of an eye, our name confumde to nought. 
 
 Yea though by worldly wyles, we thoufande driftes deuife, 
 
 A God there is that laugh es to fcorne, the wifedome of the wife. 
 
 When thus along my waye, I diuerfly had mufde, 
 
 I found whome Fortune high did heaue, on fodaine flie refufde. 
 
 Then he by Vertue ftayde, me thought the reft did pafle, 
 
 So farre as doth the pureft Golde, the vile and bafeft bralle. 
 
 Euen he I deemed bleft, that wearing Vertues Crowne, 
 
 Doth Hue contet, not caring ought, how Fortune fmile or frowne. 
 
 ^Mans lyfe likened to a Stage play. 
 
 SIthe earth is Stage whereon we play our partes. 
 And deedes are deemde according to defartes. 
 Be warie how thou walkft vpon the fame. 
 In playing thy parte, thy courfe vprightly frame. 
 
 Remember when thy tale is tolde, ftraight way 
 Another fteps on ftage his part to playe. 
 To whome thou muft refigne thy former ftate. 
 As one that hath already playde his mate. 
 
 All welth, pompe, powre, high hap and princely Mace, 
 Muft yeelden be to fuch as fliall take place. 
 As things but lente, to play our parts withall. 
 Our meede no more, then our defarts doe fall. 
 
 Not he that playeth the ftatelieft parte moft praife. 
 Nor he that weares the ryches robe alwaies, 
 
 D.iij. But 
 
 33
 
 Deltghtfull Dlfcourfes 
 
 But he whofe Vertues fliall exceede the reaft, 
 How fo his feate be with the great or leaft. 
 
 Take heede therfore, and kepe eche Cve fo right. 
 That Heauen for hyre vnto thy lotte may light. 
 With greedie minde fo wreft not worldly gayne, 
 That foule doe fpill, for flyding pleafures vayne. 
 
 Suffifed be with that fuflScient is, 
 And feeke the things that bring eternal! blifTe, 
 So flialt thou here not onely purchafe prayfe, 
 But after eke enioy moft happie dayes. 
 
 XTo his MijlrejJ'e. 
 
 MAye name of feruaunt,to familier feeme. 
 For fuch whofe feruice neuer fwarude away ? 
 Can Noble mindes fo bafe of thofe efteeme. 
 That freely yeelde for them to Hue or dye ? 
 No, no, fome further fetche conceyued is. 
 Which hath withdrawne from me that wonted name : 
 How fo it be, if I be more amifle. 
 Then founde good will hath once defamed blame. 
 The wrekfull Gods powre downe vpon my hed, 
 Such fliarpe reuenge as neuer man did feele : 
 And let my Ghoft in Lymbo lowe be led, 
 To Tantals thyrft, or prowde Ixions wheele. 
 
 What wouldft thou more? if I not wiflic thee well. 
 In Plvtos Den, then let me lyue and dwell. 
 
 ^ Reivarde 
 ?4
 
 tofundry purpojes. 
 
 ^Reivarde doth not aliuayes aunpwere deferte. 
 
 SIth my defyre is preft to pleafe. 
 Though not with glofing fliowe : 
 And eke my deeds if proofe were made. 
 Should tell what fayth I owe. 
 Whereto fliall I impute my hap. 
 To Fate or want'^ of fkill : 
 When nought I finde but tickle truft, 
 Where moft I meane good will. 
 
 \Who hurte^ mufi keale. 
 
 THe fparkes of loue within my breft, doe daylie fo increafe, 
 That euery vain on fyre is fet, which none but thou mayft ceafe. 
 So that in thee confifts my woe, in thee likewife my wealth. 
 In thee with fpeede to haft my death, in thee to giue me health, 
 O pittie then his reftlefTe ftate, that yeeldes him to thy will, 
 Sithe loe in thee it wholy lyes, my life to faue or fpill. 
 That neyther doe I glofe or faine, I Iove to witnefle call. 
 Who knows the heat of fired harts, when they to loue are thrall. 
 And fhall I thus a wofuU Wight, in rigor ftill remayne ? 
 Shal fuch as fmale good wil me beare, thy grace fro me reftrayne (?) 
 Shall falfe perfwation fo preuaile, to let our wifhed ioye ? 
 Shall fayth and troth for their rewarde,reape naught but fliarpe annoy ? 
 Or elfe flial want of pyning welth, retract my iuft defier. 
 Do not the Gods at pleafure theirs, the lowe eftate raife higher ? 
 Is not the worlde and all therein, at their difpofmg ftill ? 
 Doth it not reft in them to giue, and take from whom they will. 
 No recklefTe race then fhalt thou runne, ne follow vaine delight. 
 In yeelding help to cure his harme, that holds thee dearft in fight. 
 Ne yet from tip of Fortunes wheele, thou ftialt ne Aide nor fwarue. 
 Such hope I haue of better hap, the Fates do yet refarue. 
 Thy perfon, not thy pelfe, is all I wiflie and craue. 
 Which more I vowe I do efteeme, then heaps of coyne to haue. 
 
 D.iiij. The 
 
 3y
 
 Delight full T)tfcourfes 
 
 The greateft Princes aye by proofc, lead not the pleafantfl: lyfc, 
 Nor eucry maide that marycth welth, becoms the happieft wyfe. 
 
 '^OfL.oue. 
 
 ANd if Loue be Lorde, who or what is he ? 
 If Loue be not, who then bereaues my reft ? 
 If no fuche thing, alas what ayleth me ? 
 
 What breedes fuche broyle, what woundes my yeelding breft ? 
 To tell what tis, doth pafle my knowledge farre, 
 But who fo loues I fee doth liue in warre. 
 
 s 
 
 ^OfBayes andWilloiij. < 
 
 ! 
 
 Hewe forth your Bayes that boafte of fweete delightes, I 
 
 For I ne may fuch bliffull hap attayne : 
 
 The Willow branche moft fit for wofuU wightes, 
 Beholde I beare, a badge of fecret payne. 
 
 Which loe my fides enfliryne, and fliall doe ftill. 
 Till cruell Fate hath wrought on me her will. 
 
 ^An 'Epitaph vpon the death of the Lady Katherine^ 
 late Countejfe ofPembrooke, 
 
 IF fuche doe mourne, whofe folace is bereft. 
 And fighs feeme fliarpe to thofe whom forrowes fting 
 If cares incrcafe where comforte none is left. 
 And griefs do grow, where penfiuc thoughts do fpring 
 Then be we fure, our Lorde in fadde annoy. 
 Doth wayle her death, whofe lyfe was all his ioy. 
 
 If he (alas) with fobs her lofle bemones. 
 
 May feruaunts fpare tlieir fighcs abroade to fende ? 
 
 Shall
 
 tofundry purpqfes. 
 
 Shall they in fecret flirowde their gryping grones, 
 When mayfters playnts may haue no power to ende ? 
 
 No, no, deepe dole our penfiue fides would pearce. 
 
 If we in teares our forrowes not rehearce. 
 
 Then mourne with me my wofuU fellows all. 
 And tryll your teares your drooping cheekes adowne : 
 Guflie forth a gulfe of griefes, let floodes downe fall. 
 To wayle her wante,that fprang of high renowne. 
 Who whyles flie liude, did fundry feeke to ayde. 
 But Death, O Death, thou halt them all difmayde. 
 
 The cheerefull fpring that doth eche foyle adourne. 
 With pleafant fliowes, whereby delight is taken : 
 Doth moue our mindes, alas the more to mourne. 
 Our Ladie loft in fource of forrowes fliaken. 
 
 Which loe in Ver to heauen hath tane the waye, 
 
 To her great gayne, but oh to our decaye. 
 
 If Princes loue, if husbands care or Coyne, 
 
 If Noble friends, if proofe of Phificks lore : 
 
 By long attempt could ficknefle vndermoyne, 
 
 Or fearch of forrein foyle might health reftore. 
 We Ihould not yet haue feene the fonne to vade, 
 Whofe clipfed light, hath turnde our Hiyne to fliade. 
 
 But when the twyfte of this our tyme is wownde. 
 No meanes by man may ferae the fame to ftretch : 
 Our lottes are layde, our bodyes haue their bownde, 
 Tyme fwiftly runnes with fliort and cureleffe breatch. 
 Though world we weld in feate of Princely fway. 
 Yet fwarues our ftate, as fhade that flydes away. 
 
 The glittering lliewes of higheft glory heere, 
 Confumes to nought, like clowds difperft with winde : 
 
 E.j. And 
 
 37 
 
 208668
 
 "Deltghtfull T>ifcourfes 
 
 And all that Nature from the earth doth reare, 
 Returnes againe, whence firft it came by kinde : 
 But Vertues webbe, which loe this Lady fponne, 
 Shall laft for aye, now thefe her dayes be done. 
 
 Her praife on earth lyke Palme fhal floriflie ftill. 
 Her Noble deedes fhall Hue and neuer dye : 
 Her facred fleps that fought eche vice to kill. 
 Shall mounte aloft, though lowe in earth flie lye. 
 Who euen when latter pangues oppreft her moft. 
 Did mercy craue in yeelding vp the Ghoft. 
 
 What would you more, her lyfe and death was fuch, 
 As deeper head could not commend to much. 
 
 Vltimum vale. 
 
 TT^Areiuell thou Vearle that Tr'inces fauour fomide^ 
 X^ Farewell the Saint thatJJyielded our annoy : 
 Farewell the Hauen luhofe harbor luas full founde^ 
 Fareiuell the Barke that brought her Chiefetaineioy. 
 
 Farewell thou Spoiufe to him that held thee deare^ 
 Farewell the L,ampe that gaue fuch gladfome light : 
 Farewell ofmodefl Dames a Mirrour cleare^ 
 Farewell thefhryne where vertue fhyned bright. 
 
 Farewell thou minde that mente to no ivight ill^ 
 Farewell the harte that lodged honor aye : 
 Farewell the hande that helpt the needie flill ; 
 Farewell the Jlajfe that fought the weake to flay. 
 
 Loe here in teares my lajl farewell I take^ 
 
 What Heauens will haue^ the earth muji needes for fake. 
 
 38
 
 tofundry purpqfes. 
 
 ^In aduerfitiey is befl feene Vertues 
 excellency, 
 
 WHen Boreas rough, had JeauelefTe left eche tree, 
 And horie Hiems gan his raigne to holde : 
 In walking forth, I might difcerne and fee, 
 A ftately Palme, her branches greene vnfblde. 
 At fight whereof, when I a tyme had mufed. 
 By malice meanes, I fawe the tree abufed. 
 
 I fawe howe fwelling Enuye in the top. 
 Sat flirowded clofe, embrafmg flaunders cup : 
 ^y whome ftoode Hate, aye ready preft to crop, 
 Ech fpringing fpray, fo foone as they fhot vp. 
 And Flattery eke, did fiske from place to place. 
 By Synons arte, to feeke the Palmes difgrace. 
 
 As Tennys Ball, yet make(s) the higheft bownde. 
 When greateft powre is plafte to prefle the fame : 
 Or as a Bell fends forth the brimmeft fownde. 
 When deepeft downe the Ringer plucks the frame. 
 Euen fo in fort, this Tree did rife and fpring. 
 That Enuye fought by burden low to bring. 
 
 Which to your vertues may alude right well. 
 Though Malice fainte, to matche you with her might : 
 Yet fewe fo fure in thefe our dayes doe dwell. 
 That Enuye neuer fpurnes with deepe difpight. 
 If fuch then be, or if hereafter fhall. 
 The Gods graunt you, as to the Palme doth fall. 
 
 ^Sorroioe
 
 Delightfull T>ifcourfes J 
 
 \Sorro'we difclofed^fomeivhat eafed. I 
 
 SIthe kindled coales clofe kept, continue longcft quick, (prick. .. 
 
 And fecret fmarte with greater power, the penfiue mind doth ' 
 
 Why fliould I cloke the gricfe, from whence fuch padions grow, 1 
 
 VnlefTe my braine by Pen I purge, my breft they ouerflow. \ 
 
 When night with quyet paufe, eche creature cals to reft, | 
 
 Through quelling cares & pinching thoughts, I lye (o fore opreft, \ 
 
 That from my fetling downe, vntill the tyme I rife, 
 Sleepe hardly wins the force to clofe, my watchful drooping eies. 
 The Skrich Owle me befides,her dolefull tunes doth fhreeke, ] 
 
 Whofe cryes my cares may reprefent, that reft in vaine do feeke. 
 To thinke on the mifhaps, which daylie me betyde, i 
 
 When fureft hope of fweete redrefTc, I fee away doth flyde. i 
 
 The hardeft harte by proofe, doth yeeldc an inwarde pante. 
 When good defyres are deprcft, by wrack of Irvs wante. j 
 
 Wante makes bcft natures fall, that elfe would vpright ftand : j 
 
 Want makes the valiant faynt in feares, though ftrong be harte 
 Want drowns in dollor deepe,the pleafants(t) wits y* bee, (& hand. ! 
 
 Want daunts the finfte conceited head, and makes it dull we fee. I 
 
 Wante makes the olde wyfe trot, the yong to run outright, 
 Wante makes the nobleft hart & mind, to feeme but bafe in fight. j 
 
 Wante makes the Lyon ftowte, a flender pray to leeke, i 
 
 Want plucks the Pecocks plume adown, want makes y^ mighty meeke j 
 
 Want is the fowrce whence forrows fpring, y* hafts y^ lifes decay, ! 
 
 Want loads the hart with heaped cares, that crufli al ioys away. I 
 
 Neede hath no lawe fome fay, extremes, extremes doe vrge, ' 
 
 The paflions that by want do pain, what phifick wel may purge ? 
 Vnhappy is the hower, that fuch fliarp fickncfle brings. 
 And thrife vnhappy is the wretch, whom want fo deadly ftings. 
 Aye me that fuch fowre fa wee, falfe Fortune fliould procure. 
 When flylie forth flie feemes to throw, her traine on golden lure. 
 By Height whereof flie doth, a pierfing poyfon place, 
 
 Ful clofely coucht on pleafant bayte, to worke our more difgrafc. , 
 
 As ; 
 
 40 '
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 As I but lately tryed, who doe her guyle fo tafte, 
 
 That fecretly I fup the fmarte, that my good dayes defafte. 
 
 The time that I began to enter fyrft to lyfe. 
 
 Would God the fifters three had cut, the threed with fatall knyfe. 
 
 Would God that Death had bene, with bowe and arrows bente. 
 
 To pierce the woful hart of mine, which now with care is fpent. 
 
 Whofe hard and crooked fate, increafmg euery hower. 
 
 Doth force me wake when others fleepe, where Fortune doth not lower. 
 
 And when the dawning daye, I doe perceyue and fee. 
 
 And how fyr Tytan vaunts himfelfe, full braue in fyrft degree, 
 
 Whofe gladfome golden beames, doe moue eche thing to ioye, 
 
 Saue onely me, whofe wrackfuU woes, haue wrought my fadde annoy. 
 
 Then from my couch I creepe, al clad with cloke of care, 
 
 And forth to walke in defarte woodes, my felfe I doe prepare. 
 
 Where none but wofull wights, do wandring waile their griefe(,) 
 
 Where violence doth vengeance take, where neuer comes relief. 
 
 Where pleafure playes no parte, nor wanton lyfe is ledde. 
 
 Where daintie lookes no danger makes, nor nice defyre is fedde. 
 
 Where former ioyes do vade, and turne to paflions ftrange. 
 
 Where al delights condemde are fhut, in fliarp repentace grange (.) 
 
 Where fetled forrowe fits, with head hangde on her breft. 
 
 And wrings her hands for follies paft, her prefent paines y* preft. 
 
 Where Dolor ruthfull Dame, with fad Difpaire doth dwell. 
 
 Where Furies fierce doe fwarme & flock, not diftant farre from Hell, 
 
 Euen there in dolefull Den, driue forth I doe the day. 
 
 Whereas my painefull piercing woes, at no time finde delay. • 
 
 Within whofe troubled head, fuch throng of thoughts do rife. 
 
 That nowe on this, and then on that, in minde I ftill deuife. 
 
 Among great thoughts throwne vp, I downe will fet the leaft. 
 
 How fyllie birde in prifon pente, tane from the Nurfe in neaft. 
 
 Doth ioye in that her lyfe, fo much as though flie might. 
 
 From wood to wood, or fielde to fielde,at pleafure take her flight. 
 
 By whome I learne how man, from Cradle aye brought vp. 
 
 In bafe eftate that neuer felt the tafte of pleafures Cup, 
 
 Doth holde himfelfe fo well, content with his degree. 
 
 That he in lyfe doth feldome feeke, his ftate more high to fee. 
 
 ^i E.iij. But
 
 "Delightfull T>ifcourfes 
 
 But I as Byrde vnlyke, that flewe in prime her flight, 
 
 Through gallant groues & fertyle fields, in ioys & fweete delight. 
 
 Which fliall no fooner feele her itX^^ to be reftraynde. 
 
 From her fuch wonted libertie as fometime flie retaynde, 
 
 But forthwithall flie doth, fuch inwarde woe conceyue. 
 
 That yeelding vp her pleasures paft, her life therwith doth leaue. 
 
 When as the byrde in Cage, doth fporting fing and playe. 
 
 Who neuer found the place wherein, flie felt more happy dayc. 
 
 Loe thus the greater oft, are taught by things but fmall. 
 
 To knowe what reftlefle griefe it breedes, from fortunes grace to fall. 
 
 I therfore wiflie my lyfe, which all to long doth lafle. 
 
 In fympleft fort had euer bene, from tyme to tyme ypafte. 
 
 So I by cuftome fliould, haue likt my prefent paye. 
 
 Which now by taft of wrackfull change, in woe do waft awaye. 
 
 Omni s fort una fuper anda fere ndo eft. 
 
 Offujferance comes eafe. 
 
 WHo wayles at paine of forrowes deadly fmartc. 
 By wayling much encreafeth forrowes might: 
 In greatefl: griefes who fliewes the quiets(t) harte. 
 By pacience driues fliarpft griefe to fpeedy flight. 
 
 Repine, griefe growes, be flill, griefe foone decayes : 
 Suffrance the salue for griefe at all aflayes. 
 
 As Ballcs if throwne gainft flones do foone rebounde. 
 But faft they ftick, if cafl they be at durte : 
 So griefs nought harme where yeelding none is found : 
 Once fainte, and then they caufe fome mortall hurte. 
 
 By proofe and tryall, this moft true we finde, 
 
 Leaft hurte by griefe is done to flowteft minde. 
 
 Pacience and ftowtnefle lodged in thy breft. 
 Shall voyde from thence, griefe forrow and vnreft. 
 
 A.M. Vt animojfc amico. 
 
 fH. His 
 4Z
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 If H. His Reply to his frieyid. A.M. 
 
 THe helthfull wight, with pleafure well may fing, 
 And courage hie to cheare the ficke may fhewe : 
 But if difeafe his happy ftate fhould fting, 
 Thofe loftie tunes would fainte and fall more lowe. 
 For Turrets tops that feemes to reach the Skyes, 
 By thundring ftormes to fhieuers fmale are fhaken. 
 The ftrongefl holde where fbowteft Souldiours lyes, 
 Mauger their might, more greater force hath taken. 
 The foundeft (hyp long toft with tempeft, leakes. 
 In wraftling windes, the hugie Cables fayle : 
 The brafen peece furchargde with powder breakes. 
 And valiant hartes orewhelmde in woe, do quayle. 
 The craggy Clyftes by floodes are fret at length. 
 The hardened fteele obeyes the hammers ftroke, 
 The ftiiFeft bow ftill bente, doth lofe his ftrength, 
 Bafe Fortunes blowes, all ioy likewife doth choke. 
 How maye he then pofTelTe a quiet minde, 
 That caufe of reft doth feelde or neuer finde. 
 
 f H. to himfelfe. 
 
 WHom defteny fhall denye. What gaine by mourning got, 
 
 A happy lyfe to finde : What loft by Httle care : 
 
 Why fliould he wayling lye. When needs muft light to lot. 
 
 With penfiue hart and minde. What defteny doth prepare. 
 
 E.iiij. 
 
 *^lVritte?t 
 
 43
 
 'Delightfull Difcourfes 
 
 ^Written to a ?nofi excelle7it Booke^full of i 
 
 rare innent'ion. * 
 
 GOe learned booke, and vnto Pallas Ting, | 
 
 Thy pleafant tunes that fweetely fownde to hie \ 
 
 For Pan to reache, though Zoylvs thee doth fting, j 
 
 And lowre at thy lawde, fet nought thereby. j 
 
 Thy makers Mufe in fpight of enuies chinne, \ 
 For wife deuife, deferued praife fhall winne. 
 
 Who views thee well, and notes thy courfe aright. 
 And fyftes eche fence that couched is in thee : 
 Muft needes extoll the minde that did thee dight. 
 And wiflie the Mufe may neuer weary bee. 
 
 From whence doth flowe fuch pithe in filed phrafe. 
 
 As worthieft witte may ioy on thee to gafe. 
 
 How much they erre, thy rare euent bewrayes, \ 
 
 That ftrctch their skill the Fates to ouerthrow : 
 
 And how mans wifedome here in vaine feekes wayes, ' 
 
 To fliun high powers that fway our ftates below. 
 
 Againft whofe rule, although we ftriuc to runne. 
 
 What lovE forefets, no humaine force may fliunne. 
 
 But all to long, thou hidfte fo perfite worke, 
 Seeft not defyre, how faine (lie feekes to finde : 
 Thy light but loft, if thou in darkneffc lurke ? 
 Then fliewe thy felfe and feeme no more vnkinde. 
 
 Vnfolde thy fruite, and fpread thy mayfters praife, 
 
 Whofe prime of youth, graue deeds of age difplaies. 
 
 Go choyce conceits. Miner vas Mirrour bright, 
 
 With Rubies ritch yfret, wrought by the wife : I 
 
 Purfled I 
 
 44 i
 
 tofundry purpqfes. 
 
 Purfled with Pearle, and decked with delight. 
 Where pleafure with profite, both in their guife. 
 Difcourfe of Louers, and fuch as folde flieepe, 
 Whofe fawes well mixed, flirowds mifteries deepe. 
 
 Goe yet I fay with fpeede thy charge delyuer. 
 Thou needft not bluflie, nor feare the foyle of blame : 
 The worthy Countefle fee thou follow euer, 
 Tyll Fates doe fayle, maintaine her Noble name. 
 Attend her wyll, if flie vouchfafe to call, 
 Stoope to her ftate, downe flat before her fall. 
 
 And euer thanke thou him, that fyrft fuch fruite did frame. 
 By whome thy prayfe fhall Hue, to thy immortall fame. 
 
 ^ Where Sorroiue is fetled^ delyght is baniJJied. 
 
 THe Sable fadde bewrapped hath my lymmes, 
 (A fute moft fyt for one repleat with griefe.) 
 Whofe ftrayned hart in fowrce of forrowe fwymmes. 
 Where wrackfull woes at no tyme finde reliefe. 
 Whofe foode is feare, whofe drinke is dolor deepe, 
 Whofe fawce is fighes, whofe taft lliarpe paflions are : 
 Whofe refl is ruthe, where forrowes neuer fleepe, 
 Whofe comfort clipfed is with clowds of care. 
 Whofe helpe is frozen, whofe hap hath hard euente, 
 Whofe hope is queld with clogge of colde difpayre : 
 Whofe truft is tyerd, whofe toyle in vaine is fpente, 
 Whofe penfiue plaintes but beate the barreyn ayre. 
 Where nought I finde, but drugges of bitter tafte, 
 Whofe dolefull dayes in darke annoye do wafte. 
 
 ^The
 
 T>elightfull T>ifcourfes 
 
 \rhe compla'mte of a forroivfull ivtght^founde 
 langwjh'mg in a Forrejl, 
 
 WHen fpring in lyuely greene, eche fielde hath deckt anewe. 
 And ftrowde the foyle with flowers fweete of fundry kinds of 
 What time the cheerefuU buds, & bloflbms braue in fight, (hewe. 
 
 Inuites the weary dulled minde, abroad to take delight. 
 Then I by fancie led, a tyme to fporte and play. 
 To Forreft fayre of pleafant ayre, began to take the way. 
 And as I paft through out a Valley fayre and greene. 
 Where fundrye fweete & rare delights, I earft had heard & feene. 
 All whufte I found it tho, fuch filence was there kept, 
 As if it midnight then had beene, and all thing founde had flept. 
 Whereat amazde I ftoode, and liftning long, might heare, 
 At lafi: a dolefull founding voyce, with lowe lamenting cheare. 
 In flirubs hard Ihrowded by, a wofull wight there lay, 
 Whofe corps through care & lingering griefe, was wel ny worne away. 
 Where powring out his plainte he curft the tyme, and when 
 That fyrft on earth he placed was, to lead his lyfe with men. 
 Whofe felfeloue feemth fo fweete, that friendfliip yeeldes no taft, 
 And double dealing gaines fuch price, that plaineneffe is difplaft. 
 Alas, quoth he the Babes, one wombe brought forth and bare. 
 Will nowe obiedt, what are we bounde, the one to others care. 
 Whereas good nature bids, go meete thy friends diftrefle. 
 And beare fome parte of his mifliap, that he may beare the lefTe. 
 If friend to friend thus doe, who fafter friend fliould bee. 
 Then he (alas) in thy diftrcfle, that nought will doe for thee. 
 Ah wofull man he fayth, thy lotte hath falne thee fo, 
 That fowrce of forrowes thee befets, with waucs of wailful wo. 
 When he where fauour molt, thou Ihouldft by nature finde. 
 Doth caufeleffe fliake thee of in care, «Sc lliewes himfelfe vnkinde. I 
 
 O wretch in dolor drencht, O minde with mone oppreft, \ 
 
 O guife of griefe, O fea of fighes, that ftraine the penfiue breft. 
 If wel by Pen thou couldft, thy prefent paiTions fliowe. 
 The hart that hardned nowe remaiues, woulde foone relente I knowe. 
 
 But
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 But fith my hap is fuch, as reape may no redrefle. 
 
 Come forth you Forreft Driads all, your mournefuU Tunes expreffe. 
 
 Drawe neere you Satyrs fewer, and ftraine your dolefull cryes. 
 
 To wayle the woes of him (alas) in languor deepe that lyes. 
 
 Be witnefle woodes and Fields, ye Trees recorde my bale, 
 
 You Naides eke that haunt the Springs, repeate my wofull tale. 
 
 And fay vnto the wight, that bydes vnfriendly bente. 
 
 How death would be fo fweete to me, as ioy to his contente. 
 
 For better twere of bothe, then reftlefTe ftill remayne, 
 
 By ending quyte my lothed lyfe, to ende my lingering payne. 
 
 Here fparing further fpeeche, afide he caft his eye. 
 
 And fynding me, as one difmayde, away he fought to flye. 
 
 Whofe will when I perceaude,to fliunne my fight full bente, 
 
 I to him ftept, and askte the caufe, that moude him to lamente. 
 
 Wherto no worde he gaue, but ftands like one amazde, 
 
 And with a ftrange and gaftly looke, long tyme on me he gazde. 
 
 His face was thinne and leane, his collour dim as leade. 
 
 His cheeks were wanne, his body weake, his eyes deepe funck in head. 
 
 His hart ftraynde, his minde toft, his wyt with woe nere worne, 
 
 A rufull thing it was (alas) to viewe him fo forlorne. 
 
 With deepe fet fighe from breft, fent forth byinwarde payne. 
 
 His feeble voice and foltring tongue, he gan at laft to llrayne. 
 
 And thus to me he fayde : O what art thou in wo : 
 
 Me Myfer wretche that here doft finde, with griefe perplexed fo? 
 
 Whofe prefent ftate to learne, why doft thou thus require ? 
 
 Smale gayne to thee, great paine to me, to yeelde to thy defire. 
 
 Yet fithe againft my will, thine eares haue heard the plainte, 
 
 Which in this defarte place I pafte, to eafe my breft attainte. 
 
 Thus much at thy requeft, I further will reueale. 
 
 As for the reft this corps of mine, for euer fliall conceale. 
 
 Whom earft a friend I found e, me cauflefte hath fbrfaken, 
 
 What wouldft thou more this is the fumme, that I with fighes am 
 
 But cruel fate I feare, doth force it fo to be, (fhaken. 
 
 Adue farewell, let this fuffice, inquier no more of me. 
 
 Which faide away he goes, God knoweth a wofull wight. 
 
 And leaues me there with forrow fraight, y* fought to take delight(.) 
 
 4-7 F-^J- ^/
 
 'Delightfull Difcourfes 
 
 
 *^OfFa72cie. 
 
 THe kindled fparkes of fyre, that Fancies motions moue. 
 Do force me feele, though I ne fee, nor know not what is loue. 
 Defyre on ruth doth runne, imbracing griefe for game, 
 Whofe ioye is like the Flies delight, that fries amid the flame. 
 It yeelds and mercy craues, yet wots not who makes warres, 
 The only thing it fees or knowes,is one that loue prcferres. 
 
 YOu loue belike to freefe amid the flame. 
 To weepe in ioye, to ioy in great diftreile : 
 To laugh in teares, to leape and yet be lame, 
 Midft greeuous myrth & gladfome heauinefte. 
 To fmck in dread, and not to feeke redrelTe, 
 You TiTivs lyke doe play this wofull parte. 
 Your loue the Grype that tyers vpon your harte, 
 
 %Euer fought J neuer founde. 
 
 THe more I ftriue, the ftronger is my thrall. 
 The ftronger thrall, the weaker ftill mine ayde : 
 The weaker ayde, the greater griefe doth fall. 
 The greater griefe, the more with doubt difmayde. 
 
 Where lyfe I reach e, there doUor biddes me die. 
 In fweeteft foyle, I ftraine the greateft Snake : 
 My cares increafe, when comfort drawes moft nic. 
 From dainty pray, I pearfmg poyfon take. 
 
 Still pynde in colde, I parched am with heate, 
 As fyre I flye, vpon the flame I runne : 
 
 la 
 48
 
 tofundry purpqfes. 
 
 In fwelting gleames, my chylly corps I beate, 
 Congealde to Ice, where fhynes the cleerefl: funne. 
 Loe thus I lyue, and lyuing thus I dye, 
 Drownde in difpayre, with hope aduaunced hye. 
 
 T 
 B 
 
 ^A Foefie. 
 
 He valiant minde, by venture gaines the Goale, 
 Whyles fearefuU wightes in doubt doe blow the coale. 
 
 ^Aunfwere. 
 
 Ut wary wightes, by wifedome fhunne the fnare. 
 When venterous minds through haft, are wrapt in care. 
 
 ^Euery thmg is as it is taken. 
 
 SOme onely for difporte, a kinde of myrth doth rayfe. 
 For which of fome they finde diflyke, of fome they purchafe prayfe. 
 The Tale that fome clowte vp, with rude vnciuill fence. 
 Doth more delight the eares of fome, then fweeteft eloquence. 
 The Foole fometimes doth pleafe, when wife afide are lliake. 
 Then true it is that euery thing, is as men lifte it take. 
 
 Who hath by knowledge skyll, of euery foote the length. 
 Or can he always hit the marke, y* drawes the greateft ftrength ? 
 Some carpe at others fades, that nought themfelues will vewe. 
 And fome by high difdaine doe feeke, to mende Apelles fliue. 
 What fome in others fpurne, themfelues would not forfake. 
 But wylie Foxe from lofty Vine, doth vow no grapes to take. 
 
 A worde pafte forth in fporte, to earneft oft doth turne. 
 So where there was no fire before, great flames on fodain burne(.) 
 
 F.iij. Not 
 
 49
 
 Delightfull Discourfes 
 
 Not one mans children all, eche Nature is not leeke. 
 But who hath mean to meafure wil, flial giue the greater gleeke. 
 Firft looke then leape, the blind doth run in many a brake, 
 And eche thing flill by proofe we fee is as men lift it take. 
 
 Who fo doth rule his rage, by wifdoms facred skill. 
 No doubt dial fliunne ful great annoy, that follows raflines ftill. 
 
 And who his tongue can ftay, till place and time doe ferue, ^ 
 
 His mind at large may better fpeake and greater praife deferue. t 
 
 Though friends like friends would fliade, the funbeams for thy j 
 
 Yet al things are afluredly, as men them lift to take. (fake, | 
 
 But al not friends in deede, of friendfliips bounds that boftes, \ 
 
 Take heede, no houfe may long indure, propt vp w**^ rotten poftes. \ 
 
 Some rotten are at harte, yet beares a friendly face, \ 
 
 And vnder cloke of fawning fliews, a Serpents fting thim brace. { 
 
 Tis hard to know of whom we certaine counte may make, | 
 
 For though they fmile, yet thee they deeme, as they thee lift to take. \ 
 
 As they thee lift to take, fuche flialbe their reporte, j 
 
 Malicious minds are euer preft againft the vertuous forte. ; 
 
 Be chary in thy choice, leaft frawde thy faith abufe. 
 
 Of fundrie fed:es embrace the beft, the flattering flock refufe. \ 
 
 Thus warely runne thy race, efchew the lurcking Snake, 
 Imbrace the good, as for the reft, no force how they thee take. 
 
 \ro his I^ady of her doubtfull aunjviere. j 
 
 TWixt death and doubtfulnefTe, i 
 
 Twixt paine and penfiuenefTe, I 
 
 Twixt Hell and heauyncfle, i 
 
 Refts all my carefulnefTe. 
 
 O vaine fecuritie, i 
 
 That will not libertie, « 
 Fye on that fantafie. 
 
 That brings captiuitie. j 
 
 My ' 
 
 JO
 
 tofundyy purpqfes. 
 
 My lyfe is lothfomnefTe, 
 My pleafure pailimelelle. 
 My ende your doubtfuInefTe, 
 If you be mercylefle. 
 
 In doubt is iealofie, 
 Hope helpeth milerie, 
 Moft women commonly, 
 Haue aunfwers readily. 
 
 ^Helpe befi 'welcome^ ivheji moji needefull. 
 
 THe bitter fmarte that ftraines my mated minde. 
 Through quelling cares that threate my woful wrack : 
 Doth prick me on againft my wyll I finde. 
 To pleade for grace, or elfe to pine in lack. 
 As fainting foule fokt vp with fickly paine, 
 Prayeth Phificks aide in hope of helth againe. 
 
 Whilfte Sea roomes femes, the fhipman feares no foyle. 
 In quiet Porte there needes no PiJotes Arte : 
 But when through wearie winters tyring toyle, 
 Cleere Sommers calmes to carefull clowds conuarte. 
 And ftreaming ftormes at hand do danger threate. 
 Then Mailers ayde is fought in perrill great. 
 
 So I right Noble Peere and Lodeftarre mine, 
 Whofe Pynnis fmale an vpright courfe hath ronne : 
 In feruice yours, am forced nowe in fine. 
 Mine ancors worne, my fayles and tackling donne. 
 In humbleft wife your honors help to craue. 
 My foredriuen fhip from fwal lowing vp to faue. 
 
 F.iiij. You
 
 T>elightfull T)ifcourfes 
 
 i 
 You are the Hauen whereon my hope depends, j' 
 
 And I the Barck vpon the drie fliore dryuen : ( 
 
 You eke the laiide that cheerefull Pilotte lends, ' 
 
 And I the wight, whom Seas to wrack hath giuen. t 
 
 What refbeth then, if Harbour you denye, i 
 
 But that my Ihyp mull: periflie, iinck and dye ? ] 
 
 j 
 
 For now to late to fownde fome other fliore, i 
 
 And he that hath and fliould by nature ayde : i 
 
 Withdrawes his hande, and fayth he may no more, 
 Loe thus alas, I Hue lyke one difmayde. 
 
 Twixte death and doubt, ftill furgde vpon the fande, 
 
 Stayde vp by hope to light on fyrmer lande. j 
 
 But oh, O me, where Avtvmne fruitelefle flydes, 
 A barren hope to Hiems falles by kinde : 
 In Harueft tyme, whofe trauaile nought prouydes, 
 A nypping Winter fliall be fure to finde. 
 
 So carelefTe youth that waftes his yeares in vaine. 
 
 In age repents bereft of hope or gaine. 
 
 As yeares increafe, vncertaine hope feemes harde. 
 
 When fickneffe ftiarpe hath gathered greateft force : ' 
 
 Then Phificks cure doth feeme a fweete rewarde. 
 
 Which you may yeelde, if pleafe you take remorfe. 
 
 My ftepdame ftrange, I Fortune yet doe finde, 
 
 Which makes me more to dread fome wrack behind. 
 
 For where I fecke the depth of hope to founde, < 
 
 To hclpe my felfe, and fbay my credite Hill : 
 
 To fronte my courfe, doth crooked hap rebounde. 
 
 Through fuch I feare^ as euer mente me ill. 
 
 Or elfe in ftate 1 fbande the moft accurft, 
 
 (If feruice long mc ftirowde not from the wurft.) 
 
 Though 
 
 52.
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 Though fome be flowe to reache reliefe at neede. 
 And with delayes the matter will delate : 
 Yet Noble minde then fheweth it felfe in deede. 
 By gyuing ftrength vnto the weakned ftate, 
 
 ] ieeke no ftore to lyue and lye at reft, 
 
 I wiflie but ayde in that I am oppreft. 
 
 Which if you graunt, you fliall great honor gayne, 
 And eke encourage thofe of yonger dayes : 
 With cheerefull hope themfelues & friends to ftrayne, 
 To ferue a wyght that fo his feruaunt ftayes. 
 And I releaft from wrackfull woes vnreft. 
 Will blafe your praife tyll lyfe fliall faile my breft. 
 
 T 
 
 ^Ofthe Golden ijorlde. 
 He golden worlde is paft fayth fome. 
 
 But nowe fay I that worlde is come : 
 Now all things may for Golde be had. 
 For gayne of Golde, both good and bad. 
 Now honour hie for Golde is bought, 
 That earft of greater price was thought. 
 For Golde the Foole alofte doth rife, 
 And ofte is plafte aboue the wife. 
 For Golde the fubtile fhewe their skill. 
 For Golde the wicked winne their will. 
 For Golde who fliunnes to wreft a wrong, 
 And make it feeme as right and ftrong ? 
 Who fpares to pleade as pleafeth thee, 
 If bring thou doe a golden fee ? 
 The Fatherlefle is quyte forgot, 
 Where golden giftes doe fall to lot. 
 For Golde the Wyddow is oppreft, 
 And rightfull heyres are difpofleft. 
 Poore Irvs caufe at dore doth ftande. 
 If Crcesvs come with Golde in hande. 
 
 G.j. What
 
 T>elightfull T)ifcourfes 
 
 What mifchiefe may almoft be thought, 
 That now for Golde not daylie wrought? 
 A heape of ylles for Golde are clokte, 
 Yea vice for Golde hath vertue chokte. 
 For gayne of Golde the Flatterer fmyles. 
 And on thee fawnes with fundry wyles. 
 1 will not here through golden traps. 
 Say Louers light in Ladies laps. 
 But briefe to bee, what can you craue. 
 That now for Golde you may not haue ? 
 Then truth to tell, and not to fayne. 
 Right now the golden worlde doth raygne. 
 
 %0f Golde. 
 
 O Gracious Golde, 
 Whofe glittering hie : 
 Doth cheere and holde, 
 £che gazing eie. 
 The fweete delight. 
 That dwelles in thee : 
 Doth fpoyle eche fpight, 
 And pouertee. 
 Thou liftes aloft. 
 Who late was lowe : 
 By thee Fooles oft. 
 The wife orethrow. 
 What ioy, what gaine. 
 What worldly thing : 
 Doth want to them, 
 That Golde doe bring ? 
 
 Golde buyldeth townes, 
 Golde maketh ioy : 
 Gold cheereth clownes, 
 Golde quelth anoy. 
 Golde all can doe, 
 Golde raignes alone : 
 Alas what woe, 
 Where Golde is none. 
 As I poore wight. 
 By proofe doe fee : 
 Which gladly feeke. 
 That will not bee. 
 But well I were. 
 If I might catch, 
 Whyte fyluer cleere, 
 Which all men fnatch. 
 
 t^. 
 
 T4
 
 tojundrypurpqfes. 
 
 THe wante of Coyne fo grypes my breft. 
 That what to doe I know not beft, 
 1 trudge, I toyle, I feeke, I fue, 
 But aye good hap bids me adue. 
 
 ^Aunpwere. H. 
 
 IF nipping neede Legittimvs conftraynde, 
 in hande to grype the heauie Hammer great : 
 With which through wante his Princely corps he paynde, 
 
 on ftythie hard, in Vvlcans trade to beat. 
 If he (I fay) of crowned king the fonne, 
 
 by fate was forfte fuch bitter blaftes to bide : 
 Difpaire not thou thy wrackfull race to runne. 
 
 for welth as (liade from eche eftate doth Aide. 
 Pluck vp thy harte, thy hap not yet fo harde, 
 
 fince Princes great haue felt a fall more deepe ; 
 King DioNisE from regall rule debarde, 
 
 for his reliefe a Grammer fchoole did keepe. 
 
 By which thou mayfte thy wandring minde fuffife, 
 That Fortunes wheele now vp, now down doth rife. 
 
 %0f Friends. 
 
 AS fyre doth fine and feperate Golde from drofle. 
 And fhews the pure and perfite from the vyle: 
 Right fo is tryde, when nipping ftormes doe tofle, 
 A faythfull friend, from fuch as meane but guyle. 
 Whylfte Fortune fmyles, and thou no wante dolt feele, 
 Of friends no doubt thou flialt haue heaped ftore. 
 But if (he once doe whyrle afide hir wheele, 
 They flinke away, as though vnknowne before. 
 
 G. ij. Like 
 
 55
 
 Delightfull Difcourfes \ 
 
 Lyke Doues that leaue the olde and ruynous towre, I 
 
 And flocking flye to buyldings braue and new : 
 
 So fayned friends, when fortune feemes to lowre. 
 
 Their flight do take, and bids thee ftraight adew, I 
 
 Thus he which earft had friends on euery fide, ,'; 
 
 Not hauing one, alone doth now abide. *; 
 
 ^Anfwere. E.L. 
 
 IF perfite tryall might as foone be had, , 
 
 Of perfite men, as of the pure Golde : '^ 
 
 It were not hard to know the good from bad, r 
 
 Their diflPerence foone might eafilye then bee tolde. E 
 
 For Fyre lefle than in an houres fpace, ' 
 
 Will hnde the fault of Golde, and make it plaine, ^ 
 
 But men haue meanes to counterfeyt fuch grace, -J 
 That they will aske at leafb a yeare or twaine. 
 
 And yet at laft will not be tryde at all, i 
 
 For fome perchance will byde a toutch or two, | 
 
 And will not feeme to flye when you fliall fall : * 
 But offer you what they and theirs can doe. 
 Yet not fo founde as they fhould be in deede, 
 
 But make a meanes to make you ferue their neede. : 
 
 I 
 
 ^Reply to the fame. \ 
 
 THat longer tyme the Friend than Golde fliould trye, 
 I neuer yet denide nor would defende : 
 How fayned friends do fayle, if fate doe wrye, 
 Is totall fumme wherto my tale doth tende. 
 For euery thing hath certaine tyme I knowe. 
 
 The full efFedt to worke of Natures charge, | 
 
 The tender twig in tyme a tree doth growe, iS 
 
 And little Babes in tyme doe proue more large. ) 
 
 Some fruite fcarce rype, when fome doe drop away, t 
 
 Some bloume, fome beare according to their kinde, | 
 
 Some '.
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 Some foone flioote vp, fome longer fpace doe flay, 
 Eche taketh the time that Nature hath affignde. 
 The Marble ftone in time by watery drops 
 Is pierced deepe, and eke in time doth fall. 
 The flately towres with fine and curious tops, 
 For time in time, no doubt tryes all in all. 
 Which triall firfte, occafion feekes to make, 
 As fyre by heate the Golde doth fine and pure, 
 In neede likewife occafion men fliall take, 
 A friend to try, from fuch as ftande vnfure. 
 But fome a time will feeme to Hay fay you. 
 And after fayle, perceyuing further neede : 
 No doubt you here haue aymde the marke to true. 
 For fuche is fure the fruite of fubtile feede. 
 Thefe friends are like to one that vndertakes. 
 To runne the race, whereby to gayne the prayfe : 
 Who running well, at firft, on fodaine flakes. 
 And in the midft his race leaues off and fl:ayes. 
 Not aye doth proue the glorious morning (howe 
 The fayreft day, ne all that fliines is golde : 
 And therefore friends in deede are harde to knowe. 
 For fome a ftorme or two, like friendfliip holde. 
 The flowres yet in tyme from weedes appeare, 
 Whofe difference firft in fpring we fcarce difcerne. 
 The funne orecaft with clowde in time doth cleere. 
 And eke in time our friends from fuch we learne. 
 For as one tutch or two no perfite proofe 
 Doth make of friends, no more doth Golde one heate. 
 Yet tyme vs tels who links, who lyes aloofe. 
 Who byrds doth yeelde, and who the buflie doth beate. 
 Wherfore I ende, as Golde by fyre is tryde, 
 So friends by proofe at needeflill tymes are fpyde. 
 
 ^An
 
 Delightfull Difcourfes 
 
 ^Another way. 
 
 WHen once you haue falfe fortunes fickle wheele, 
 perceyude with paine, and tryde with troubled toyle 
 The found to fee, and forged friend to feele, 
 
 it is not harde, for falshed hath the foyle. 
 If then you finde that Fortune ftands your foe, 
 
 ]et wifedome welde your wit, and all your wayes : 
 So fayned friends their fayth that doe forgoe, 
 
 fliall be afliamde, and you attaine to prayfe. 
 For though the wheele with care do call: you downe, 
 Yet Pallas playes, when Fortune falfe doth frowne. 
 
 ^Tc his Friend M. S. 
 
 IF friendfliip true be tryde when welth doth fayle, 
 from fuch as fayne, and flee if fortune lowre : 
 If he a friend that feemes not then to quayle, 
 but feekes to heipe and ayde his friend to powre. 
 My Staplee then a friend thou art in deede, 
 That helps thy friend in time of nipping neede. 
 
 ^In mediocritie^ mojlfafetie. 
 
 AS meane in Muficke foundeth befte, 
 So meane eftate liues moft in refte. 
 The higher clymde, the fall more deepe. 
 The deeper fall, the doublcr paine, 
 Declyning paine doth careful! keepe, 
 In man eche liuely limme and vaine. 
 
 Which prooues what change or chaunce doe fall, 
 Contented meane exceedeth all. 
 
 58
 
 tofundry purpqfes. 
 
 ^To the fame. 
 
 THe high eftate is daungerous, 
 The poore degree is burdenous. 
 The welthie forte are couetous. 
 The needie foule is dolorous. 
 The youthfull Imps are prodigall. 
 The aged be to riches thrall. 
 The bolder men fbolehard ye call, 
 And fearefull wightes are daftards all. 
 
 Then yll efchew, embrace things cleane. 
 
 Well 4re the fweete and golden meane. 
 
 ^That valiant hartes are defyrous to afpyre. 
 
 EChe valiaunt harte and Noble minde, 
 with loftie courage hye : 
 The mightie Mountayne feekes to fcale, 
 and lets the Molehill lye. 
 
 ^Aunfwere. 
 
 THe mounting minde that hafts to climbe, 
 when Fortune whirles her wheele ; 
 With double dolour is depreft, 
 if downe he chaunce to reele. 
 
 ^Another -vjaye. 
 
 TO climbe to high muft needes be nought, 
 the feare to fall doth breede difeafe : 
 To fmke to lowe brings carefuU thought, 
 
 difpayring payne can neuer pleafe. 
 The golden meane giues quiet reft. 
 Who liues betwene extremes doth beft. 
 
 G. iiij. ^To 
 
 19
 
 'Delightfull T>ifcourJes 
 
 XTo his Friend E. R. of the Bee. 
 
 WHcre as thy minde I fee doth mounte, 
 to buylde thy neft on hye : 
 I thinke it good in meaner forte, 
 
 thy wings thou guydc to flye. 
 For Joftie trees on Mountayne toppes, 
 
 with euery bluftering blafte 
 Are fliaken fore, when trees belowe 
 
 doe ftande both fir me and fafte. 
 The Bee whofe force but feeble is, 
 
 to Beaftes of bigger powre : 
 Hir felfe doth feede with Hony fwccte, 
 
 when greater tafte things fowre. 
 Which prooues the meane with minde content, 
 
 more happy lyfe we fee : 
 Than is to tafte the fowre, and fitte 
 
 in feate of highe degree. 
 From thorny flirubs and barren foyle, 
 
 fwcte fap the Bee doth fucke : 
 When bigger beaftes in fertyle Fields, 
 
 with nipping ftormes are ftucke. 
 And he within his fymple Cell, 
 
 doth dwell in fafety founde : 
 When fuch as feeke to fayle aloft, 
 
 in dole are oft times drounde. 
 Sceke not therefore with troubled minde, 
 
 at ftately porte to riue : 
 But Hue content as doth the Bee, 
 
 within his homely Hiue. 
 So fliall thy foode be Honie fweete, 
 
 though Fortune fmile or frowne : 
 
 And eke in fafetie flialt thou fit, 
 
 when higher tumble downe. 
 
 ^Sure 
 
 60
 
 tofundry purpqfes. 
 
 ^Sure counfell jfounde friejidjhtp . 
 
 OF Louers reftles lyues I lyfte not wryte, 
 Let learned heads defcribe their painefull plight. 
 But playne in termes, I wilhe thee euen fo well, 
 As thofe that can fine Tales for Louers tell. 
 
 Whofe friendly meaning if thou wilt receaue, 
 Deteft difloyall loue, to Vertue cleaue, 
 And feeke by honeft meanes thy ftate to ftay. 
 The vertuous lyfe doth fyldome bring decay. 
 
 Counte not the byrds that vndifclofed bee, 
 Waygh words as winde that yeelds no certaintie. 
 For polifht words that deedes doe neuer yeelde. 
 May likened be vnto the barreyn Feelde. 
 
 Prouyde in youth, thy aged yeares to keepe, 
 And let fayre fpeeche go lulle the fonde a (leepe. 
 Sir Machiavell fuch cunning nowe hath tought. 
 That wordes feeme fweete when bitter is the thought. 
 
 Whilfl: youth, ftrength, skyll, welth, friends & coyne wil ftretch, 
 Thou fayre art borne, by many a guilfull fetch. 
 But if thefe helpes but once beginne tofainte. 
 Adieu farewell, colde comfort findes complainte. 
 
 Take heede therefore, retyre in time from thofe. 
 To ferue their turnes, that teach their tongues to glofe. 
 Whofe golden fhews, although do promife much. 
 In proofe fall out but Copper in the touch. 
 
 *iThey
 
 Delight full T>ifcourfes 
 
 \They performe not beji^ that promife moji. 
 
 WHat holde in hope, or truft to fayre allure, 
 Shee that my fweeteft yeares beguylde can tell : 
 By whome 1 learne there is no way fo fure, 
 Ne fpeedier meane to guyde a man to hell. 
 Loe, he that lifte fuch fayned hope to prooue, 
 Shall fubied: liue, and nere raigne ouer loue. 
 
 The pleafure of her piercing eyes methought. 
 Should be the lightes that leade to happinelTe : 
 Alas I was to bolde, but flie more nought. 
 To falfe fuche fayth, and meaning nothing lefTe, 
 
 What heauen is hid in loue, who feekes to fee, 
 
 Muft fue and ferue a better Saint than fhee. 
 
 Though tyme hath flayed the rage of my defyre. 
 Yet doth her fight renewe my feftred wounde: 
 I curfTe the arte that caufde me to afpire. 
 In hope of truthe, where no truft could be founde. 
 
 But tyll my foule fliall breake this carefull gayle, 
 
 Loue may not mayftred be, nor I preuayle. 
 
 ^Beijotte the bayte ofVanitie. 
 
 A Flattering forme hath fliowes that foone doe pafTe, 
 And vade away as doth the wythered grafTe. 
 The more it haftes to reache the rypeft yeares. 
 The more it faylth, and worle the forme apeares. 
 Of pleafant Flowers, the Rofe that hath no Peere, 
 The Violets freflie, and Lyllies whyte and cleere. 
 Doe not alwayes retaine their hewe and fente. 
 And flooriflie ftill with fmell moft redolente. 
 So though thou feeme of feature paffing all. 
 And bearst the forme and fame as principal], 
 
 Whofe 
 
 ^2
 
 to fundry purpofes. 
 
 W hofe bewtie fliewes, hath blafde thy fliape in fight, 
 Which thou in Glaffe to view, takeft great delight. 
 Yet tyme on poollilht forme fliall furrows plowe, 
 And wrythed wrinckles peere on blemiflit browe. 
 That lothe thou flialte, to note thy changed hewe, 
 And hate thy forme in Mirror bright to viewe. 
 Loe Ladie fayre, that bewtie is but vaine, 
 Experience fliewes, when Vertue voyde of ftaine. 
 Doth floriflie freflie, whome if thou doe embrace, 
 The more flie growes, the greater is her grace. 
 
 ^Of Fortune. 
 
 O Fortune falfe how double are thy deedes, 
 Thy painted Flowres are nought in proofe but weedes. 
 Who are brought downe, by thy moft frowarde frownes, 
 Still fubie6t Hue, and trouble them redownes. 
 To flipper happes annexed are their dayes, 
 To Lyons force, their bodyes are but prayes. 
 What fo they winne by meritte or deferte. 
 Is from them reft, by power that doth fubuerte. 
 Now welthy men doe tell the wifefl: tales. 
 And muck is made an equall weyghing fchales. 
 No reafon yet, but right fliould be of force, 
 And vertue would that wante fliould finde remorfe. 
 But as the tofled Barke bydes better blyfle, 
 And fliarpefl: thrall in tyme releafed is. 
 And as the feeble Reedes are rente by Seas, 
 Yet fpring againe, when fwelling waues appeafe. 
 
 So hope I will, though now the ebbe be lowe. 
 
 A fpring in time with former courfe may flowe. 
 
 <^3 
 
 H.ij. 
 
 H^
 
 Delightfull Difcourfei 
 
 ^ A Sonet. 
 
 IFwayghtie burthens may be light, 
 Or fayre deniall det requite : 
 If Juftice can be termed error, 
 Or drofTe for good and perfite treafor. 
 If Maye may be without delyte, 
 Or Snowe of other hewe than whyte, 
 If Cunning can be without skill. 
 Or women without hcadftrong will. 
 If Pardon where there is no fynne. 
 Or Lofle where euery man doth winne. 
 If Paradife In Hell you fee. 
 Or fylent whereas women bee. 
 Then fliall not Loue be termed hate, 
 Nor lowe degree the happieft fbate. 
 But all this mufb prooue contrarie, 
 And therfore Loue is Loyaltie. 
 
 Flee it, and it will flee thee. 
 Follow it, and it will follow thee. 
 
 ^To her Louer^ that made a conquejl of her ^ 
 andfled^ leaning her ivith ch'ilde. 
 
 AT ftryfe to whome I might, 
 commit my fecret teares : 
 My heart the Mountaynes flght, 
 and hollow Eccho teares. 
 
 I doubt the Dryades, 
 
 am ids the For reft chafe. 
 And thinking on the Seas, 
 
 I dread the Marmayds grace. 
 
 What 
 6^
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 What fhall I truft the Skyes ? 
 
 then me the windes bewray : 
 Poore foule whom Iove denyes, 
 
 eche caytife doth betray. 
 
 Ha heauy hart, thy meede, 
 
 O tell, tell out thy minde : 
 Ponder his fylthie deede, 
 
 that left his fliame behinde. 
 
 And lyke a Cowarde fledde, 
 fearing the chylde vnborne : 
 
 V/hofe mother hee fliould wedde, 
 that hath the Babe forfwome. 
 
 Was euer Mayde fo madde, 
 that might her fayth forgo ? 
 
 Was euer boy fo badde, 
 to vfe a mayden fo ? 
 
 His teares did me beguyle, 
 and cleane opprefb my powre, 
 
 As doth the Crocodile, 
 in feeking to deuoure. 
 
 Howe could I well denie, 
 when needes it muft be fo : 
 
 Although a fhamefull I, 
 
 fhould haue a fliamelefle no. 
 
 O faythlefle friend my guylte, 
 that firft with guyle began ; 
 
 O foolilhe friend that fpylte, 
 her mirror on the man. 
 
 H.iij. 
 
 What 
 
 ^5
 
 "Delightfidl T>ifcourfes 
 
 What hath thy Country done, ! 
 
 or natiue foylc anoyde : j 
 
 To force thee it to flionne, 
 
 wherein thy Louer ioyde. 
 
 No forrcin Hauen can hide, 
 
 ne colour thine intent : 
 If lyfe in Babe abide, 
 
 that doth thy fault prefent. 
 
 And when thy fame hath worne, 
 
 within th'lTALiAN cofte : 
 Thou shalt be laught to fcorne, 
 
 of them that loude thee mofte. 
 
 The Gods will haue a fliare, 
 
 in gyuing him his hier : 
 That faythleffc falfly fware, 
 
 and prooude himfelfe a lier. 
 
 And I thy mortall foe, 
 
 by fylthie luft beguylde : 
 To wreake me of my woe, 
 
 will flay thy filly childe. 
 
 In ftead of quiet graue, 
 
 wherein his corfe fliould reft: : 
 Thy Impe his hearfe fliall haue, 
 
 in bowels of a beail. 
 
 My daintie tamed wombe, 
 
 that to thy fliare befell : 
 
 Shal finde no doubt a tombe, 
 
 amids the mayds in hell, 
 
 %Being 
 
 66
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 ^Betng burdened tofayne his good luillj 
 he aunfiueretb thus. 
 
 IF mine thy little care, 
 if thine my reftleffe ftate, 
 If thine the brunts in breft I beare, 
 
 of mine to loue or hate. 
 Then trie thou fliouldft to true, 
 
 that falffhood naught did frame : 
 Though now my fmarts thou lift not rue, 
 
 but makes my griefe thy game. 
 But out alas I die, 
 
 this change is nothing fo : 
 For I in languifhe ftill doe lye, 
 
 and fawne on thee my foe. 
 Who fmiles to fee my fmarte, 
 
 and laughes when I doe weepe : 
 Regarding naught my faythfull harte, 
 
 yet from me doft it keepe. 
 Thus harte to faine vnskilde, 
 
 in being whole is broke : 
 In health is hurte, aliue is kilde, 
 
 by dinte of dolors ftroke. 
 And being mine, is ftolne, 
 
 and led by lyking luft : 
 Doth leaue the waye of certaine ftay, 
 
 and leane to tickle truft. 
 Thou fayft I doe not loue, 
 
 would God thou didft not lye : 
 Such fond afFedts may nothing moue, 
 
 fuch one thou fayft as I. 
 The Sages fure were wife, 
 
 yet forced now and then : 
 By flafliing flames of Cvpids fyre, 
 
 to fhewe themfelues like men. 
 
 H.iiij. Dame 
 
 ^1
 
 "Delightfull Difcourfes j 
 
 Dame Natures force will fliewe, ! 
 
 what fo therfore befall : | 
 
 Tis fure my fimple ftate fo lowe, i 
 
 thou doft miflike with all. ■; 
 
 My thoughts doe mounte on hie, \ 
 
 though Fortune feeme but bafe : - 
 
 Whofe yeelding walles before thee lye, I 
 
 to reare or downe to rafe. ; 
 
 ^Chaunge of Country ^ Jhall not 
 
 chaungefancie. \ 
 
 TO fyfte my fate in forrein foyle, \ 
 
 a time though I depart : i 
 
 Yet diftaunce none, ne tyme, nor toyle 
 
 fhall pluck from thee my hart. 
 But as I earft vnfaynedly, 
 
 haue vowde me wholy thyne : i 
 
 So will I ftande afTuredly, ; 
 
 howe ere the worlde enclyne. \ 
 
 ' I 
 
 ^IVhere abilitiefayleth^ luyll 
 
 fuffyceth. \ 
 
 IF knowledge mine could compafTe wylling will. 
 To founde her fame, fo well as deedes deferue : 
 Or if in Verfe by prayfc of Poets skill, 
 
 I able were to wryte what I referue. | 
 
 Then (liould my pen put forth what now I holde, j 
 
 And to the worlde her vertues rare vnfolde. i 
 
 But fithe in me fuch facred lore doth fayle, \ 
 
 1 leaue the fame to Sophos learned brayne : | 
 
 As I 
 
 <^8 i
 
 tofundry purpqfes. 
 
 As one whofe bare and naked Mufe doth quayle, 
 
 To vndertake her glory to explayne. 
 
 Leaft lack of skill that might in me appeere, 
 
 Should clipfe the light which now doth fhine fo cleere. 
 
 A perfite Pearle it felfe doth fhewe fo well. 
 That naught it needes a foyle to blafe the fame : 
 Her prayfe lykewife, the reft doth fo excell. 
 That finer wittes will fpred her Noble name. 
 What fliould I then vpon her feature ftande. 
 Which fliewes it felfe lyke funne againft the fande ? 
 
 Her curious fhape, who views and doth not prayfe. 
 In Noble minde flie fecond is to none : 
 Not Fortune, but deferts, her fame doth rayfe. 
 For Fortune bowes to Vertues loftie throne. 
 Where loe ftie fetled fits, in feate fo bright, 
 As Hesper cleere with gleames of glittering light. 
 
 ^Mans Impiette^faynes falfe Deit'ie, 
 
 LUft long is faynde a God of loue to bee, 
 Whofe peeuiHie power fome deeme is dangerous. 
 A cunning Archer that could neuer fee, 
 Set forth he is, with fliaftes right perillous. 
 A wanton winged boy forfooth he is. 
 And Venvs fonne, whom flie doth clip and kifle. 
 
 Down from the Heauens he flioots the flaming dartes. 
 That Fancie quickly burnes with quenchlefle ^re : 
 Bereauing Reafon quite in all her partes. 
 Preferring wyll with doting fond defyre. 
 
 Is this a God? no, no, a Diuell fure. 
 
 To fylthie luft that doth the weake allure. 
 
 I.j. For
 
 T)elightfull Difcourfes 
 
 For Gods to Vertue, not to vices winne. 
 Their powers prouoke to good and not to yll : 
 Tis gainft their kinde to fofter fylthie finne, 
 Eche heauenly grace, doth heauenly giftes fulfyll. 
 Then you that fayne Dan Cvpide is a God, 
 Recante in tyme, lead Iove reach forth his rod. 
 
 ^In hue fmale larres ^fomettme breede 
 bejl content. 
 
 WHat ftate more fweete, more pleafant or more hie. 
 Then loues delight, where hartes doe ioyntly ioye ? 
 If vyle fufped, feare and ielofie, 
 With gawling grudge did not the fame annoy. 
 
 Yet where this fowre, with fweete fomedeale doth blende, 
 Loues perfe(5tion oft it doth amende. 
 
 For thirft the water fauourie makes to feeme. 
 
 And after falling, meate is had in price : 
 
 He knowes not peace, nor can thereof efteeme. 
 
 That in the warres hath neuer broke the Ice. 
 Hope is reuiude, and fhakes of forrowes pail. 
 When feruice long doth reape rewarde at lail. 
 
 Diflaunce of Friends maye fufFred be with eafe. 
 When fafe returne exiles eche former feare : 
 The farther of, the more doth meeting pleafe. 
 Things hardly had, obtaynde, are holden deere. 
 Defpayre not then, though eyes debarred bee. 
 From that fayre fight, the hart doth howerly fee. 
 
 ^What 
 
 70
 
 tofundry purpqfes. 
 
 ^What Nature feuerethy Arte hardly ioyneth. 
 
 IN fayth doth frozen Ianvs double face. 
 Such fauour finde, to match with pleafant Maye : 
 May Horie Hiems now fweete bliile imbrace, 
 Where fertyle lune by flatte repulfe had nay. 
 No furely no, though iealous heades mifdeeme, 
 A falfe vntroth to me the fame doth feeme. 
 
 For Froft with Fyre may neuer long agree. 
 And Maye by courfe ought mayntaine Venvs right : 
 When fliyuering Ianvs doth denie we fee. 
 The pleafing fporte that May would moft delight. 
 Then iealous flaunder fliut thy chaps for fhame, 
 Depraue them not, whofe deedes are voyde of blame. 
 
 Since fprinkling fliowres of fweete Avroraes fludde. 
 
 In Hiems raigne are dryed vp with colde : 
 
 Whofe Syluer drops bedewes the blowming budde. 
 
 And makes the fertyle foyle her fruite vnfolde. 
 Who can beleeue ? not I, I vowe in deede. 
 That Ianvs olde fliould gaine fuch youthfull meede. 
 
 *^He ivyjijeth inell to the Crabbe and Maple Tree in 
 MilfeeldCy for the Ladies fake that met 
 there vnder them. 
 
 THe cheerefull byrde that skips from tree to tree. 
 By skilfull choyfe doth roouft and reft at night : 
 Although by wing and will he may go free. 
 Yet there he pearkes, where moft he takes delight. 
 As Thrufh in thorne, and golden Finch in Fearne, 
 Great byrds in groues, the fmale in buftiie hedge : 
 The Larke alowe, in loftie tree the Hearne, 
 And fome in Fenne, doe llirowde themfelues in fedge. 
 
 I.ij. So 
 
 71
 
 'DelightfuU T>'ifcourfes 
 
 So fome men boft in Bayes, whofe branch they beare, 
 Some Hawthorne holde, as chiefe of their delight : 
 Some wofull wights, the wrethed Willows weare. 
 Some Rofes reach, and fome the Lyllies white. 
 Some Plane tree praife, as great Darivs fonne, 
 Whofe oft recourfe thereto, doth wel exprefle, 
 That vertues rife therin this Prince had wonne. 
 To lyke the fame aboue the reft I gefTe. 
 The Oliander eke, whofe Rofelike floure, 
 Fayre Polixene fo pafling well did pleafe : 
 Some lift aloft, and fome the Pien pure, 
 Yet trees I know that farre furmounteth thefe. 
 Not for their daintie fniites, or odoures fweete, 
 Ne yet for fumptuous fliewe that others yeelde : 
 But for the Ladies fakes, which there did meete, 
 I giue them prayfe as chiefeft in the fielde. 
 O happy trees, O happy boughes, whofe fliade 
 Ifhrouded hath fuch Noble vertuous wightes : 
 By whom you were, and are a Mirror made, 
 Who of your felues doe yeelde no great delightes. 
 O fertyle ground, in yeelding wife that lends. 
 Such caufes great of Ladies perfite ioyes, 
 O blifTefull place fo fit for faithfull friends. 
 In pleafures ryfe, to rid them from anoyes. 
 What wonder may it be, to thofe fliall heare, 
 In Maple hard, or crooked Crabbe tree fowre : 
 Such fugred talke, fuch lefts, fuch ioyfull cheare. 
 Such mylde afFed:s, as if t'were Cvpids bowre ? 
 Nowe fith thefe Noble Nimphes ybreathed haue, 
 Vpon thefe plants, in vttering forth their minde ; 
 If any fecke their fccrecie to craue. 
 High lovE I pray thefe trees may fliewe their kinde. 
 Help Satyrs eke, you Gods that keepe the wood. 
 The poyfoning breath of Boreas rough refift : 
 And thou whofe fyluer drops bcdewes cche bud, 
 Refrefhe thefe trees with fweete Avroraes mill. 
 
 And
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 And lovE if thou in Milfeelde fhew thy might, 
 Conuert them foone, to fruites of more delight. 
 
 That Maple may be Mulberie, 
 
 And Crabbe tree eke a Medler be. 
 
 ^ Being charged ijjithjinenejfe ^ he anfinereth thus. 
 
 Not fine good Lady mine, 
 but playne as playne may be : 
 Your curious hed may finenelle frame, 
 
 it longeth not to me. 
 My fymple meaning plaine, 
 
 not carued with mincing ftile : 
 Vnfayned friendlliip feekes to {hew, 
 
 deuoyde of frawde or guile. 
 No Gnatos parte I play, 
 ne like Corebvs crue : 
 By glofmg words to feeke to painte, 
 
 or publillie more than true. 
 My cheefe delight to pleafe, 
 
 is all which 1 defire : 
 With nifing Nimphes I lift not deale, 
 
 whof e lookes aloft afpire. 
 Plaine truthe aye yeelds fuch truft, 
 
 as needes no fined phrafe : 
 And my delight hath lefTe defire. 
 
 Dame bewties beames to blafe. 
 Whofe heafi:s in harte I holde, 
 
 and will till time I die : 
 Yet truth might truely match delight, 
 with things that feeme more hie. 
 But needelejfe here to tell. 
 What all men fees right well. 
 Where nicenejfejijie isfled^ 
 Doth vertuefpring and ff red. 
 Letfinenejfe then heplajle^ 
 Where fineneffe is embrafte. 
 73 ^ I.iij. \S^ch
 
 T>eligfdtfullT>ifcourfes \ 
 
 ^Such SainteSyfuchferuice. i 
 
 THy countnance changde, though clokt in couert fort, | 
 
 Not all things well, long fince did make report. ! 
 
 Though thou vnkinde, and twife vnkinde againe | 
 
 To me thy friend, wouldft not imparte thy paine. | 
 
 See yet at laft, how tyme the truth hath tolde, '- 
 
 What thou wouldft not, loe time doth here vnfolde. \ 
 
 No doubtfull drift whereon demurre dependes. j 
 
 So clofe is kept, that time not tries and endes. 
 
 And art thou changde ? doth fanfie fo perfwade ? \ 
 
 To heape thy harme, doe fecrete flames inuade ? , 
 
 Wilt thou from me fo hide thy caufe of pine ? I 
 
 Haft thou forgot, I refl ftill wholy thine ? 
 Where is become thy manly minde, which late 
 Could fo dehort thy friend, in fraile eftate ? 
 May one fo well approou'd in Pallas feelde, 
 
 By view of fymple peece, feeme thus to yeelde. j 
 
 Shall BufTard blinde, thy conftant dealing daunt ? \ 
 
 Arte thou fo fonde, with carren Kyte to haunt ? ; 
 
 Or wilt thou floupe, and bend thy felfe to ferue, ( 
 
 A thankleffe Trull, whofe deeds right naught deferue ? ! 
 
 Whofe peeuiflie pride, defcries the Pecocks grace. 
 Though file God wot, be farre more vile and bafe. 
 Naught elfe but wante of wyt, makes pride prefume. 
 The fcete well viewd, downe fals the Pecocks plume. 
 Whofe owne conccyte, fo dimmcs her dazeled fight. 
 
 That deeme flie doth for day, the duskiflie night. , 
 
 To bafe flie is for thee to lure and call. 
 Though file by lofty lookes would conquer all. 
 Thy foode to fine her fylthy gorge to fill. 
 
 Of daintie pray to iudgc, fhe hath no skill. ; 
 
 By courfe of kindc, flie doth for carren craue. 
 
 Be rulde by me, her diet let her haue. j 
 
 Doe ] 
 
 7ff.
 
 tofundry purpqfes. 
 
 Doe way the Kyte, that fo doth fcratch and fcowle. 
 My Keeper kepe henceforth fome finer fowle. 
 For looke as vefTel aye, yeelds certaine tafte 
 Of licoure, fuch as fyrft therein was plafte. 
 So dunghill byrdes, on dunghill ftill we finde. 
 To fhewe the branch whence fyrft they came by kinde. 
 Caft of therfore thy care and changed cheare. 
 Call home thy hart, let woonted plight appeare. 
 
 Hoyfe vp thy fayles, and launch from wrackful fliore, 
 Who runnes on rockes, oft brufed is full fore. 
 
 ^1 follow what fiyeth from me. 
 
 IViewe the fertile tree, 
 but fruite I none may get : 
 Moft daintie foode I fee, 
 
 yet ftarue for wante of meate. 
 
 Where drinke ftands me before, 
 there greateft drougth I take ; 
 
 My thirft encreaft the more, 
 when moft I would it flake. 
 
 So hunger ftryues to feede, 
 when hap withholds repaft. 
 
 So thirft craues drinke with fpeede, 
 when thrall fayth ftay a caft. 
 
 Thus Tantals toyle I trie, 
 againft the ftreame that rowe : 
 
 As hope would heaue me hie, 
 difpaire doth finke me lowe. 
 
 %No
 
 T>eltghtfull T>ifcourfes 
 
 *|[N(!7 gr'iefe to luante of due regarde. 
 
 WHere forrow funck in breaft, hath fokt vp euery ioye, 
 What comfort there but cruel care, the fource of fliarpe anoy ? 
 Adieu delightfull dayes that wretch right well may fay, 
 Whofe good endeuour made him dreame,till wakt w*'' cold decay. 
 Adieu deluding hope, that lulde thee fo on fleepe, 
 As fleepe thy fences fo bereaude, that waking yet doll fleepe. 
 Sith all the fruite thou findft, for long imployed paine, (refraine. 
 
 Falles out but brakes & brambles fliarpe, how mayfl: thou teares 
 When ruth is made rewarde, for fayth that fauour fought. 
 What hart can choofe but pine away, in plaint & penfiue thought? 
 And curfle eche pradtife flill, through drift of glofing guiles. 
 That dandled on true meaning minds, by frawde & hellifli wiles. 
 To ferue their turnes tyll they, vnto the bones are worne. 
 And then on fodaine fhake them oflF, in greatefl: neede fbrlorne. 
 Mofl: like the wormes that feede vpon the kernels fweete, 
 Forfaking huske when foode is fpente, to periflie vnder feete. 
 So they the hartes of men, doe gnawe in peeces fmale. 
 When youth and coine are both confumde, then leaues them to their 
 As fome by to much proofe, haue tryed all to true, (thrale. 
 
 Enforft to bid their golden time, fo fruitlefle fpent adiewe. 
 
 ^Of Anger. 
 
 APoyfon piercing to the death, 
 A Traytor to the lyfe : 
 A Foe to friendfliips confl:ancie, 
 
 a friend to deadly fliryfe. 
 Armed agaynft good counfels force, j 
 
 weake in aduerfitie : 
 A fpoyler of fuchguiltlcfTe blood, \ 
 
 as is condemde by thee. 
 A troubled wyt, a reaklelle hande, 
 
 a wrathfull hart to fpill : | 
 
 A ' 
 
 1^ \
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 A partiall ludge, a iealous wyfe, 
 
 where anger hath her will. 
 A waftefull purfle, a greedie Foe, 
 
 a falfe fufpedting thing : 
 A tickle ftay, a prowde difgrace, 
 
 a cruel! Serpents fting. 
 A whip to eafe, a rack to rule, 
 
 a furie to good reft. 
 A black infeding Spring they faye, 
 
 that poyfons man and beaft. 
 A haftie heate, a burning flame, 
 
 a wylde deuouring whelpe : 
 A forcelefTe winde, a furie fhort, 
 
 and laft a filly helpe. 
 
 ^A Nevjyeares gyfte. 
 
 L T Ong may you lyue, and happy yeares enioye, 
 
 A I A Among your friends, to ftaye in bliffull ftate 
 
 D Deuoyde of Foes, fafe flirowded from annoye. 
 
 I In all your workes : God graunt you happy fate, 
 
 K Kindle your care to compafTe heauenly things ; 
 
 P PrefTe downe the worlde, let not his power preuayle. 
 
 E Efteeme him not, a Syrens fong he fmgs. 
 
 M Moft happy they, where moft his flatteries fayle. 
 
 B Beginne no a6te, but fyrft forefee the ende : 
 
 R Reache forth your hande to helpe the needie ftill, 
 
 O Obferue fuch rules as may your ftate defende. 
 
 O Offence fbrbeare : feare euer to doe ill. 
 
 K Knowe God and feeke his holy hefts to holde, 
 
 E Example giue, to make the good more bolde. 
 
 K.j. f-^» 
 
 77
 
 T>elightfuUT)ifcourfes \ 
 
 ^Another. \ 
 
 L "P Et wifedome welde your witte and all your wayes, 
 
 A J I Among the beft your credite twill enhaunce : 
 
 D Deteft eche Vice, by Vertue purchafe prayfe, 
 
 I In Noble moulde, a Noble minde aduaunce. 
 
 M March on with thofe gainft frayle defyres that fight, , 
 
 A And gayne the Gole where glorye great doth dwell : . 
 
 R Refift eche wrong, endeuour to doe right, ' 
 
 I Imbrace good will of fuch as wiflie you well. \ 
 
 S Sufpend to deeme the worft, what euer breede, 
 
 A And poyfe eche poynte before you verdit giue, 
 
 V Vntill you fyft the depth of doubts in deede, 
 
 I It skill fliall fliewe to let the matter Hue. . i 
 
 L Laft beare in minde as courfe doth chaunge the yeare, j 
 
 E Euen fo all Natures workes in time doe weare. ' 
 
 \ Another. \ 
 
 ( 
 
 L T Ay downe your Pens, that pen vnworthy prayfe, j 
 
 A I A Aduaunfmg Dames which naught may claime by right : ^ 
 
 D Dire(5t your courfe a Ladies fame to raife, \ 
 
 I In eche refped: that well deferues your light. 
 
 G Grace is a gifte deuyne giuen from aboue, ] 
 
 C Cancell the fcrowles that others praife pretende : \ 
 
 A All writs are voyde that fubftance none doe proue, | 
 
 V Vertue and blood, this Lady both commende. | 
 E Eche perfite good in her doth fyrmely reft, ] 
 N Noble by byrth, by Nature affable, j 
 D Difpofed well, all ill llie doth deteft, . j 
 I In cuery adtion modeft and ftable. ' 
 
 S Set fhape afide, where Vertue hath no place, f 
 
 H Here Ihape and Vertue both are ioynde in Grace. j 
 
 \
 
 tofundry purpqfes. 
 
 ^Another. 
 
 T 'T^Yme and truft doth trie both weake and fure, 
 
 X O bliffiil hap that truft in time maye reache : 
 T The patients paine which ficknefTe doth procure, 
 H Hath health or ende, at laft to be his leache. 
 
 E EfFedrs (alas) I fee doe fall out harde, 
 
 L Loft labor reapes the crop of lyngering griefe, 
 
 A And friendlliips force, through falflioode is debarde. 
 
 D Defpite denies deferte to reache reliefe, 
 
 1 I fee fome fmyle as they were gyrte with gladnefife, 
 
 S Stayde vp by hope, though drencht in deepe difpayre : 
 
 P Preferring fporte, but daunted downe with fadnefle. 
 
 E Enioying nought, yet faine to flye in th'ayre. 
 K Kept farre from you (God graunt) all fuch annoye, 
 
 E Embrafte to be with them that lyue in ioye. 
 
 *^An Epitaph. 
 
 WHat hydes this hearfe but quiet filente refte. 
 The fureft ende of his vncertayne time : 
 Whome neyther fworde, nor fyre, nor age oppreft, 
 But to his Ghoft gaue way, in hafte to clime 
 Aloft, loe here the iuftice of fuch fatal! breath. 
 To haue a God the author of his death ? 
 Fayth and good nature, honor death and lyfe, 
 The Noble harte procureth fauour mofte, 
 Thefe markes, thefe flowres of his age are ryfe. 
 Wherein both foule and flirine may iuftly bofte. 
 Where his defyres lodge, the Gods can tell. 
 Here lyeth the corfe that liued and died fo well. 
 
 K.ij. •\A 
 
 19
 
 7)elightfull T)ifcourfes 
 
 *^A Dreame, 
 
 TO clime the high and hauty hyll, 
 Where Poets preace for praife by skyll, 
 I lift no labour wafte : ; 
 
 The water Nimphes I neuer vewde, 
 
 Nor Ladies of the Lake perfewde, | 
 
 That poore Acteon chafte : I 
 
 King Arthvrs Knights long fince are fled, 
 
 in force that did excell. 
 And all thofe Ladies nowe lye dead, 
 Whofe lyues olde Poets tell. 
 Reuealing, their dealing, 
 
 I purpofe not to wryte : \ 
 
 But dreaming, a ftraunge thing " 
 
 Loe heere I doe recyte. 
 
 A fayre Pauillion finely pight. 
 In fleepe appeared in my fight, 
 Amidft whereof in greene and white. 
 
 The Goddefle fate of all delight, 
 Befet about with Ladies true, ! 
 
 Which did to her fuch feruice due. 
 As fewe I deeme, the like hath feene, 
 Idone to any earthly Queene. 
 
 Her Nimphes all they were. 
 
 Of fuch comely cheere, 
 
 Helens face, may giue place, , 
 
 Where they appeere. j 
 
 I 
 
 THefe Ladies on this Goddefle bright. 
 Attendance gaue both daye and night, 
 To worke what flie would will : 
 Some fitting heere, fome Handing there. 
 
 As for the tyme they placed were. 
 
 According 
 
 80
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 According to their skill : 
 For Venvs then in Maieftie, 
 
 Me thought at Banket fate. 
 Attended on moft curioufly, 
 As beft befeemde her ftate. 
 
 Some feruing, 
 
 Some earning. 
 
 In Office as they ftoode, 
 
 Some playinga 
 
 Some finging. 
 
 With glad and cheerefull moode. 
 
 That fure me thought in Heauen I was, 
 To fee this fight it fo did pafle. 
 But at the laft, this Banket paft. 
 Of Suters then a Noble route 
 There did appeare, with drooping cheare, 
 Befeeching Venvs them to heare. 
 Who ftraight enclynde, with wylling mynde 
 To peife the playntes that eche put out. 
 
 Wherewithal! kneelde downe, 
 
 A wight of renown e. 
 
 Who cryde thus, O Venvs, 
 
 Let fate ceafe to frowne. 
 
 HAue pyttie on her painefull plight, 
 Whofe lyfe is led without dellight. 
 In fighes and forrows ftill: 
 My youth faide fhe with age I wafte. 
 For wealth my Parents me fo plafte, 
 
 God knoweth againft my will. 
 With that another ftept in place, 
 
 And craude with wayling voyce, 
 O Noble GoddelTe of thy grace, 
 Graunt me my wiflied choyce. 
 Thus feeking. Dame liking, 
 
 K.iij. They 
 
 8i
 
 T>elightfull T>ifcourf(is 
 
 They call on Venvs hie : \ 
 
 Still fuing, renewing. 
 
 Their plaintes with watry eie. \ 
 
 Some out doe crie on ieloufie. 
 
 And fome of great vncourtefie, \ 
 
 With teares complaine, that finde difdaine \ 
 
 Where they haue loued faythflilly. j 
 
 Another forte, doe eke reforte, 
 
 Exclayming lowde on falfe reporte, I 
 
 Whereby their fame, and Noble name 
 Without defert, oft brute doth blame. 
 
 And fome Ladies fay. 
 
 Their Lords runne aftray, ] 
 
 Whofe wanting, and fcanting ' 
 
 Oft works their decay. 
 
 AS thus in courfe eche made his plainte, I 
 I wofull wretch through loue attainte. 
 In preafe my felfe did vaunte : 
 
 And vnto Venvs as I thought, : 
 I hailed fall, and her befought. 
 My Ladies loue to graunte. 
 
 But out alas, euen therewithall \ 
 
 A fodaine thundring noife : 1 
 
 As heauen and earth fliould faile and fall, \ 
 
 My fprites from fleepe did raife. \ 
 
 Then waking, hart aking, j 
 
 I languillit lay in wo, ( 
 
 Bewayling, the fayling, | 
 
 Of wyflied purpofe fo. . 
 
 And to my felfe loe thus I faide. 
 What ftraunged fight hath me difmaide. 
 
 May Vifions rare, or dreames declare. ! 
 
 Such fodaine change from ioy to care.   
 
 From 
 
 8i
 
 tojtmdry purpofes. 
 
 From great delight, fuch moning cheare. 
 May GoddefTes abide to heare ? 
 No, no, naught elfe but fanfie fure. 
 My yeelding harte doth lead and lure. 
 
 Aye the wight to minde. 
 
 Where loue doth me binde, 
 
 Whofe feruaunt, attendant 
 
 The Gods me aflignde. 
 
 ^Loue asketh loue. 
 
 ISawe of late a wofull wight, 
 That wyllow twigges did winde to weare : 
 Whofe face declarde the penfife plight. 
 Which he through loue did prefent beare. 
 He lookte aloft as though he would 
 Haue clymed to the ftarry skies. 
 But ftill he ftood as though he could 
 Not once lift vp his heauie thies. 
 His feathered hands he forced forth, 
 And thyther fayne he would haue fledde. 
 But wofull man it was no worth. 
 For all his limmes were lade with ledde. 
 
 Tou are the bright andjlarrie skye^ 
 
 I am the man In painefull plight : 
 
 My limmes are lade I cannot flye^ 
 
 My "Wings may not fuflaine my iveight. 
 
 I reade howe loue did Gismond wounde. 
 
 The childe of Tancred Salerne king ; 
 
 Her fauour Gvistarde conftante found e. 
 
 She fancied elfe no other thing. 
 
 For riches nought, nor for his wealth. 
 
 Whereof he had but little ftore. 
 
 His vertue was her onely health. 
 
 She likte that well, Ihe fought no more, 
 
 K.iiij. They 
 
 83
 
 Delightfull T>ifcourfes 
 
 They had their hoped hap and ioye. 
 If Tancred could contente him fo. 
 But he by working their annoye, 
 Vnto himfelfe brought greateft wo. 
 Tou are that Gifmond fayre and l^r'tght ; 
 Would I had Gu'ijlards vertuous life^ 
 And Tancred chaji cleane out of fight ^ 
 Then would Iivyjheforfuch a 'wife. 
 
 Some faye howe Lvna loued one. 
 Of lowe eftate and little fame, 
 By name yclipt Endimion, 
 Whofe loue was quite deuoyde of blame. 
 In Laemi hill it thus befell. 
 She fawe him fit all fadde alone, 
 Tis I (quoth flie) I knowe full well. 
 For whom he mournes and makes his mone. 
 She fliamed not of Laemi hill. 
 Nor yet of Louers fimple ftate. 
 But foone confentes vnto his will. 
 And him did choofe to be her mate. 
 O LiUna looke vpon thy Loue^ 
 Endimion makes his mone to thee : 
 Be not ahaflot^ letpittie moue^ 
 That loue for loue may yeelden hee, 
 
 ^The varialfle thoughts of a Louer. 
 
 ILiue in hope and yet defpayre, 
 Reioyfing moft when griefe doth growe : 
 I mounte aloft aboue the ayre. 
 Yet lead my life in Limbo lowe. 
 
 I neuer feeke, though much I finde. 
 Yet finde I nought and ftill doe feeke : 
 
 84.
 
 tofundry purpq/es. 
 
 I fee what beft contents my minde, 
 When moft in minde I doe mifleeke. 
 
 One holdes me in captiuitie, 
 
 So fure that I ne once may fwerue : 
 
 Albeit 1 Hue at libertie. 
 
 As free from bands that I deferue. 
 
 R. T. 
 
 THe fhyp that late I fawe beare loftie fayle, 
 Deepe Janched in the waues of waters wilde : 
 Whofe courage ftowte I deemde no ftorme might quayle, 
 When I her viewde fo faft and fyrmely fielde. 
 With tempeft toft, is forft now fayle to ftreeke. 
 And in her prime doth houering harbour feeke. 
 
 T Hough ftr earning ftormes, force fliip to harbor hafte, 
 To whom the Seas with rigor great threates wrack : 
 
 Whofe cables cut, and ankers worne to wafte. 
 
 Is forfte ftreeke fayle in her fo great a lack. 
 
 When Neptvne yet with Septer plafte in hande. 
 
 Shall calme the furious rigour of the Flood : 
 
 This Shyp repayrde, may fafely fayle to lande. 
 
 Nought dreading Eolvs breth, that her withftood. 
 So H. doth hope his Howlke fuch porte fliall finde. 
 When ftormes be paft, as will content his minde. 
 
 ^Another inaye, 
 
 IEt none miflike a man for his miftiap, 
 ^But thinke how chance doth check the greateft might : 
 Aeneas he, Vlisses worthy wight. 
 By lande and feas,did danger great entrap. 
 None for deferts are lulde in Fortunes lap. 
 Chaunce roules vs rounde, and reaks ne wrong nor right, 
 Ne lewde is he on whom lewde luck doth light. 
 
 L.j. Was 
 
 8y
 
 'Delt^tfull T>lfcourfes 
 
 Was not loBE iuft, though fokte in forrowes fap. i 
 
 They erre that deeme all goes as men deferue, i 
 
 At length Aeneas ranne his weary race : i 
 
 Vlisses eke and Iobe, God did preferue, \ 
 
 So I poore wretch whom Fortune doth difgrace, \ 
 
 Do hope thylke God will guyde my crafed barge, ' 
 
 Which beates the feas, whilft none of her takes charge. 
 
 I 
 
 ^Godlynejfe pajfeth ryches. ) 
 
 Ti 
 
 He flender ftore that verteous wights polTefTe, ] 
 
 More worth then is the wickeds great excefle. ; 
 
 Yet ftrange to fee what toyle fome worldlings take, ! 
 
 For ryches vaine, that foone will them forfake. \ 
 
 Whofe greedie guttes, no reafon may fuflSce, j 
 
 The muck on moulde fo blinded hath their eyes. ' 
 
 ^His aunfwere to one that lurote^fayytte hartes ; 
 
 that feare to fynne^fayre Ladyes \ 
 
 fyldome luinne. 
 
 HE much more valiaunt is, 
 whofe fteps are flow to iinn'e : 
 Then who fo feekes vnlawfuU meanes, 
 
 his Ladies loue to winne. 
 And greater prayfe deferues, 
 
 his will that can fubdue : 
 Than thou which boldly brags, to gaine 
 
 the thing thou well mayft rue. 
 A pleafure fliort thou feekft, 
 
 procuring lading paine : 
 A poyfon fweete thou doft imbrace, 
 
 that fundry wightes haue flaine. 
 A dore that lets in Death, 
 
 a fcourge that whips the foule : 
 
 U
 
 tofundry purpofes, 
 
 A vice that Vertue ouerthrowcs, 
 
 who doth it not controule. 
 A flame of burning fyre, 
 
 that reaues all reafons rules : 
 A gulfeof foule defire, 
 
 that oft makes wife men fooles. 
 
 ^To I. N. 
 
 GOod wyll put forth my Pen in hafte, 
 and made me bolde to craue : 
 And Lone lay on me fore to feeke, 
 
 that I fuppofe you haue. 
 Pleafure drew forth my doubtfull care, 
 
 and helde my hande aright : 
 And Vfe tranfported like a guyde, 
 
 the vaine defyre I wright. 
 Hope flattered fo thefe troubled thoughtes, 
 
 that comforte of the paine : 
 Would force me to appofe thy pen, 
 
 with fanfies of the braine. 
 Slowe of it felfe my little skill, 
 
 but that thy truth profeft : 
 Will pardon bothe my light oflTence, 
 
 and graunt this poore requeft. 
 To tell if ayre maye alter greefe, 
 
 or where like luck betide : 
 Thy felfe, that vnder Country Hauens, 
 
 dofte feeke thy felfe to hide. 
 And if loue bee, what thing it is, 
 
 if not, what moues my paine : 
 Good Nedham wryte, or come in hafte, 
 
 and I fhall wryte againe. 
 
 fH. To
 
 "Delt^tfull Difcourfes 
 
 ^H. To his miJJiap. 
 
 THe Gallic (laue that ftirres the fleeting Ore, 
 In foming Seas, to cut the mounting waue : 
 With heauie cheere doth wifli the gladfome fliore. 
 In hope that ende his thraldom e then fliall haue. 
 Or t\{^ doth hope amidfl his pyning wo, 
 That fliip will finke, and ende his trauell fo. 
 
 The fickly wight whom Feuers pinche full fore. 
 With gafping breath, and panting hart in bed : 
 And yeelds himfelfe content with Natures lore, 
 Reuoltes againe, who was by hope mifled, 
 
 If vitall breath yet chaunce to fayle him than. 
 
 Now paft his paine, becomes a happy man. 
 
 An ende of woes thefe feelie folks obtayne, 
 
 An ende of thrals at length by meanes they finde : 
 
 Deuoyde of cares, and I as wretch remayne. 
 
 To whom aliue the Gods aboue affignde. 
 
 That lyuing yet, a thoufande times fliould dye. 
 And long time dead, vnburied yet fliould lye. 
 
 ^Falfyfy'mg ofFayth^ breedes 
 many complaynts. 
 
 MY idle head retaynes the bufie hope, 
 My gafing eye giues ouer her defyre : 
 My reaching hand would after fauor grope. 
 My legs yeelde vp and leaue me in the my re. 
 
 Tis light t'outrunne, but not to outread the wife, 
 Thus hnde I ftrife to hinder my deuife. 
 
 The time too fliorte, to weare fo fpeedie greefe, 
 I ftill purfue, that fliunnes my wylling holde ; 
 
 Skill 
 88
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 Skill is to weake to yeelde my woe releefe. 
 My cares lyke clowds, infed: my hart with colde. 
 So that if heat fliould melt fo cruell froft, 
 My heart were drownde, and all the loue were loft. 
 
 Betweene two Adamants of equall weyght, 
 
 I am the peece of yron to beholde : 
 
 Wythout defert, !oe I am made the baight, 
 
 Denide the icy that my defyres wolde. 
 My tafte of loue, is loft as you may gefle, 
 That know how Sickmen fauour bitternefte. 
 
 Who would his will, muft beare the bitter lot. 
 The Faucons foote diftraynth the Princes hande : 
 When loue was made, his eyes were quite forgot. 
 The high eft towers in greateft danger ftande. 
 
 O flipper holde, that for a filly eye. 
 
 Can finde no peace, but euer feekes to die. 
 
 Die, and doe all the wretched traine of loue. 
 To know the torment of my boyling fmarte : 
 Her might on me pore man flie ment to prooue. 
 Whom I had thought, fliouId heale my wounded harte. 
 
 O cruell penance to my pore defyre. 
 
 In fuch great heat to bring me to the fyre. 
 
 %To kis Song^fent to his Mijlrejfe. 
 
 SOng in the fweete place. 
 Where as my Ladie was 
 walking. 
 Thinke if thou fliouldft ftande. 
 She would reach out her hande, 
 
 wylling. 
 Touch not her tendernefle, 
 Stoupe to her ftatelinefle, 
 hie thee. 
 
 L.iij. Spirite 
 
 8p
 
 Delightfull 'Difcourfes 
 
 Spirite without carkcfTe, \ 
 Mercvrie bodilefTe, 
 
 ply thee. j 
 
 Tell her I will come, ; 
 
 Knowing not howe foone, 1 
 
 fpeede well. j 
 
 Loue may no let haue, | 
 This is all I craue, 
 
 farewell. \ 
 
 THe ftreaming ftormes, that faft on me doe flowe, ! 
 
 The fecrete fighes that wafte my wofuU breaft : \ 
 
 The Ifie colde I feele like flakes of Snowe, j 
 
 The hidden harmes that breede my great vnreaft. ] 
 
 By Fancies force doe caufe fuch troublous tyde, j 
 
 That fliyp nowe fliakes, which late in roade did ryde. \ 
 
 %Aunfwere. 
 
 WHere reafon rules, afFedtions fonde doe flye. 
 
 And bewties beames fmale bittirneffe may breede : ^ 
 
 Where wifdome will, by vertues skill doth tye, > 
 
 CvpiDos flames are quenched forth with fpeede. j 
 
 Let reafon then thy will by wifedome guyde, ' 
 
 So flialt thou fafely fliunne this ftormie tyde. | 
 
 ^The vanhie ofrytches. \ 
 
 THe ftately Pallace Princely plafte, 
 the hoorde of glyttering Golde : 
 The Patrimony large of landes, 
 cannot from ficknefle holde. 
 Nor can they cure the crafed corps, 
 
 or deck the minde at all : 
 For who hath mofl of fuch a flore, 
 the more he feares as thrall. 
 
 Golde 
 j)0
 
 tofundry purpqfes, 
 
 Golde is the Father to the Flock, 
 
 of Flatterers by lotte : 
 It is the fumme of griefe or woe, 
 
 who hath, or hath it not. 
 For who it hath, he quakth in feare, 
 
 leaft Fortune robbe his thrifte : 
 Who hath it not, laments becaufe, 
 
 he knowes not how to fliifte. 
 Wherfore of ritch or poore I iudge, 
 
 as wifedome fmale I hente : 
 In beft eftate is he, with his 
 
 that Hues with minde contente. 
 
 *^Difcorde makes lueake, luhat concorde 
 leftfirong. 
 
 THe quyet pawfe that filente night. 
 Doth bring from trauayles paft : 
 Of daye no fooner had by Height, 
 A flumber on me caft. 
 
 But in my fleepe there did appeare, 
 Sixe fauadge men in mofle and haire. 
 
 A Fagot bounde the foremoft wight. 
 Me thought in hande did beare : 
 Which ioyntly and alone through might. 
 All fought to breake and teare. 
 
 Yet ftill in vaine their ftrength they tryde, 
 
 Eche parte to other was fo tyde. 
 
 Till wrefting long, a ftick at laft. 
 One forth by Height doth wring. 
 Whereby the Bundell knitte fo fail, 
 A funder foone they fling. 
 
 Then eche a feuerde peece doth fpoyle. 
 
 Which late conioynde, no force could foyle. 
 
 L.iiij. This 
 
 91
 
 T>eli^otfull T>ifcourfes 
 
 This done me feemde they vaniflite quite, : 
 
 And there my Dreame did ende : 
 
 Yet fo amazed with the fight. 
 
 That out a fighe I fende. 
 
 1 curft the frawde that friends dcfaft, \ 
 
 Whofe broken bande eche harme doth haft. ' 
 
 The wrack of Realmes hereby is wrought, ] 
 
 The force of Foes increaft : j 
 
 The fpoyle of famous Princes fought. 
 
 And right by wrong fuppreft. l 
 
 Foule fall therefore the guyle of thofe, | 
 
 That friendfliips bande doe feeke to lofe. a 
 
 And happy they that doe rejira'me^ ! 
 
 Their eares to heare ivhen Syrens fame. 
 
 ^Of one that came to horrow money. 
 
 IN loane what lofle, I want and would, 
 Two Gods I bring to entreate for Golde, 
 Perfwafion may procure the thing, 
 That force would vndertake to bring. 
 
 ^Aunfiuere. 
 
 THe lofTe of Friends by bringing home againe. 
 Such Intereft I feeke not fo to gleane. 
 Two Goddefles to match your Gods there be, 
 Inopie and ImpofTibilitie. 
 
 ^Truthf caret h no try all. 
 
 THe Mufes calde a Courte of late, 
 Wherein they deemde of fundry decdes : 
 To fcan eche caufe in feate they fate. 
 The fummond peere and law proceedes. 
 The truth they fought of all mens harts. 
 And deemde of eche by his defarts. 
 
 So 
 
 5>*
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 So fome were faude, and fome I fawe, 
 Condemde to dye by luftice might ; 
 Among the which by courfe of Jawe 
 Approcht to barre a worthy wight, 
 
 Whome feftred Enuy fought to fpoyle, 
 
 By forged lyes liis fayth to foyle. 
 
 Vpon whofe talke he was araynde, 
 Holde vp thy hande quoth Doubt by name. 
 Thou art accufed to haue ftaynde 
 Thy credite, and thy fayth with fliame. 
 
 And briefe to be, by verdite iufte, 
 
 Condemde thou art for thine vntrufte. 
 
 To whom the Captiue gan reply, 
 I graunt if this be prooued true : 
 That I well worthy am to dye. 
 And here I craue no more of you. 
 
 But perfite triall of my cafe, 
 
 (The guiltie onely pleads for grace.) 
 
 A Quelle was then impanelde newe, 
 And his accufers calde in fight : 
 Sufpition did the fute purfue. 
 He was indited by Defpite. 
 
 The Mufes nowe with all the reft. 
 
 Made Confcience foreman of the queft. 
 
 Wherewith Sufpition fled for feare, 
 Defpite durft not maintaine his fute. 
 The caufe was calde, the captiue cleare. 
 Thus did the laft, the fyrft confute. 
 
 And he that earft fliould needes haue dide. 
 
 No trefpafle made, when truth was tride. 
 
 Loe thus beholde, the guyltlelTe wight. 
 Had Confcience not bene prefent tho : 
 
 M.j. Through 
 
 91
 
 'Dell^tfull T>ifcourfes 
 
 Through falfe report and deepe defpight, 
 Condemde had beene to death to go. 
 
 By which you well may learne and fee. 
 
 The faultlelTe ofte condemned bee. 
 
 Let pittie therfore moue your minde. 
 To ftay your doome till truth be tryde : 
 So you by fearch fliall eafily finde, 
 That I from truth did neuer flyde. 
 
 As tyme by trial! fhall declare, 
 
 I aske no more, fo fpoyle or fpare. 
 
 \He complayneth his mijhap^ 'with promij'e 
 
 to keepe her honor. \ 
 
 THe wandring Outlaw borne to woe, 
 and bred a baniflit man : \ 
 
 Vntaught the futtle fleights of loue, 
 
 of loue this tale began. 
 When fyrft my fences dranke the fweete, 
 
 that gaue my body blood : h 
 
 I felt no Foe to let my loue, > 
 
 nor God againft my good. 
 Tyll lufte mifreckned my delightes, S 
 
 my wandring ioyes to ende : ' 
 
 And founde her out to ftay fuch toyes, i 
 
 to ftande my truftie friende. j 
 
 I boaft thegraunt if all weregiuen, ! 
 
 it may, would God it might : | 
 
 O happie man, more happie mayde, \ 
 
 if all had hit aright. j 
 
 Milliap withholdcs no meane to hope, j 
 
 to purchafe my pretence : 
 Beautie me rauiflit firft, and now 
 
 reuength without offence. I 
 
 Thus 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 r
 
 tofundry purpofes. 
 
 Thus like a childe agayne, vntaught 
 
 the fleightes of dayntie mindes : 
 Such nurture take I of my Nurfe, 
 
 as Nature iuftly bindes. 
 Thefe fides enflirine her ftately loue, 
 
 if other thoughts flie haue : 
 She fliall poflefle that I profefTe, 
 
 and yet her honor faue. 
 
 ^G.To his Ladye. 
 
 I See in loue fome farther fetch there is. 
 Than reafon can reueale to me that would : 
 Accufe the caufe that makes me think amis, 
 And finde the fault of fuch vntempred mould. 
 Of fundry workes doe diuers wonders growe, 
 Yet skill fliewes why, and how they fliould be fo. 
 
 I fee the Sunne both moue, and melt, and chaunge. 
 
 At once both dry and dew the duftie fande : 
 
 Yet are the raging ftormes of loue fo ftraunge. 
 
 As I forbeare the caufe to vnderflande. 
 Except I fliould impute it to the wurft. 
 And curfe the kinde that neuer Louer durft. 
 
 I fee the ftarre that guydes my ftirring loue. 
 
 The goodly Saint that facrifice deferues : 
 
 Sometime I fayle, and finke for feare to prooue. 
 
 And oft my folemne obfequies referue. 
 Yet but for loue her paflGng giftes deuine. 
 Nature had neuer made them halfe fo fine. 
 
 I fee the fecrets of my wofuU eyes, 
 
 Muft feeke to reft on no fuch perfitnefle : 
 
 Would they had kept her ftill aboue the skyes. 
 
 Where firfb flie tooke alluring comlynefle. 
 But fith her fhape no mortall man may craue, 
 Yeelde honor fuch as fittes her beft to haue. 
 
 M.ij. ^For 
 
 9S
 
 T>eltghtfull Difcourfes 
 
 \Forfmale offence ^fmale pun'iJJoment. 
 
 MY Lady giues the reyne to her defpite. 
 And lightly flie belecues what others fayne : 
 With death flie vowes my feruice to requite. 
 And payes me not with like good will againe. 
 So that file feekes to truffe vp my good will. 
 With trufting thofe that euer ment me ill. 
 
 The murdring Knyfe for my ofFencelefiTe crime, 
 I fee preparde to gore my guyltlefle blood : 
 The cruell voyce of rough condemning rime. 
 Hath fcapte her mouth, and maye not be withftood. 
 Yet let her date my death with this one line. 
 Here lyeth my Seruant bury ed hi his Shrine. 
 
 If mercie fa yle, there is no other charme. 
 If that preuayle, vngracious luck farewell : 
 My guiltlefle trefpalTe fliall efcape the harme. 
 That enuye wiflit on me to haue befell. 
 Of my eftate, let her fay yea, or nay, 
 I moft regarde her doome for to obay. 
 
 From heauen the grace of gentle minds defcends. 
 And like the maker fliould the matter bee : 
 Then let my Miftres when flic wrath pretends, 
 AfFedts of mercie in the Gods forefce, 
 
 And when flie graunts to follow them in that. 
 Let her recure and pardon flie knowcs what. 
 
 5,(f 
 
 '^L.oues
 
 tofundry purpqfes. 
 
 ^Loues myghttnefj'e grovjes by 
 Louers iveaknejfe. 
 
 IF power of warre had yeelded to renowne, 
 Of curteous hartes, the Gods had then agreede : 
 Difgraded Satvrne had not tumbled downe. 
 Nor loue had durft in Goldlike Artes proceede. 
 O cowardly Gods againft your kinde to fee, 
 Your felueSj your fonnes, the flaues of loue to bee. 
 
 Could loue take league with Iove against his will. 
 Or flaine the ilreame of Neptvnes water Springs : 
 And could not Plvto keepe his honor ftill. 
 But giue the Heauens and Hilles to other kings ? 
 In faith the face amongft fweete foules fliould dwell. 
 That conquered thefe, in fpite of powers in Hell. 
 
 ^A comparifon of his troubles. 
 
 GReat fwelling floodes are foone dried vp, 
 with meaner calmes I fee : 
 And mightie Froftes, with gentle heate 
 
 are woont diflolude to bee. 
 The darkeft clowdes in th'ayre toft, 
 
 depart with no great winde : 
 Yet can the tempeft of my care, 
 no quyet harbor finde. 
 
 ^1. K. to H. being jicke. 
 
 THe fickly ftate, thou griped art withall. 
 When brute had blowne and founded to mine earc : 
 From eare to heart, the fodaine noyfe did fall. 
 And there begins to change my choife of my chcare. 
 
 M.iij. For 
 
 97
 
 Deli^tfuU'Difcourfes \ 
 
 For choyce is paft, needes muft I match with mone, \ 
 
 When hope is crackt, what comfort may endure ? j 
 
 The beft parte eke of me, to grcefe is gone. ' 
 
 Scant then the partes befidc, may well be fure. 
 
 Yet feare not H. quayle not, be of good cheare, i 
 
 Thy Keeper bids thee haue a hardy harte : 
 
 Be lyke a man, the weather will be cleare. 
 
 If not for thee, yet caufe not me to fmarte. j 
 
 So being bolde in thine extremitie, 
 
 Thou flialt faue two, that is both thee and me. 
 
 ^Aunfivere H. 
 
 THe plunged ftate wherein I reftlefTe lay. 
 When thefe thy lynes were brought before my view : 
 A certaine tyme began to ceafe and ftay : 
 And ftill mee thought my pinching paine withdrew. 
 To heare from thee, fuch comfort did enfue. 
 But when at laft, I learned had thygreefe. 
 My comfort fledde, bereft was all releefe. 
 
 And then anewe my crafed corps in paine. 
 
 Lay languiflit long, not knowing what were beft, 
 
 A thoufand thoughts within my troubled braine 
 
 So mooude my minde, that vnneth could I reft, • 
 
 The flypping ioycs that worldly wights polleft. | 
 
 Loe then I fa we, full foone awaye did Aide, * 
 
 And nothing was, that ftill might ftande or bide. 
 
 No Forte fo ftrong, no Bulwarke rayfde fo fure. 
 But tyme confumes and tumbleth downe at laft : 
 Mannes force is frayle, and lyke the feeble flowre. 
 That bendes and breaks with cucry little blaft. 
 His dangers great, his pleafures foone furpaft. 
 As now by me appeares, whofe ioyes doe vade, 
 Whofe griefe doth grow, whofe comfort glides to glade. 
 
 Whofe 
 5,8
 
 tojundry purpofes. 
 
 Whofe lyfe lyke fmoke, doth flylie flynck awaye, 
 Whofe Rock is reelde, whofe fatall threed is fpunne, 
 Whofe dreame doth ende, whofe flumbring fleepe doth flaye, 
 Whofe web is wouen, whofe Glafle is welnie runne, 
 Whofe parte is playde, whofe tale is tolde and done, 
 Whofe will doth yeelde to leaue this wretched vale. 
 Where naught is fure, but driry Death moft pale. 
 
 •^OfFriendJJyip. 
 
 WHo holds himfelfe moft deare, and hath his wante. 
 Although he would, he may not ftore his friend : 
 But he that feekes his fecrets there to plante. 
 Where wealth is free, fliall finde a quyet ende. 
 Glue me the pooreft man to triumph on. 
 Or welthiefl friend, or let me Hue alone. 
 
 ^Aunfwere. G. H. 
 
 Glue me the equall friend, for greater ftate 
 Will euer grudge the wante of lowe degree. 
 And eke the meane repine at welthier mate. 
 Thus enuy breakes what friendfliip did decree. 
 By iufte agreeing porte no iarre doth grow. 
 Where wealth ne wante denies the friendly fliow. 
 
 ^H.ToM. 
 
 THe crafed Barke full oft is faued by Pylots care. 
 The greateft griefes by pleafant ioyes affwaged are. 
 The day lie toyles by fome quiet reft are alwayes eafed. 
 The vering fpirites by Mufike fweete, feeme fomewhat pleafcd. 
 My onely ioy regarde you this my wofuU cafe, 
 Sith none but your difdaine, my forrow can delace. 
 
 ^Admo7iltion to his Friend. 
 
 IF thou wilte be rightfull, 
 Alwayes ftande thou faythfuU. 
 To doe well be carefull. 
 Note friends and be thankfull. 
 
 p^ Vaine
 
 T>elightfull T>lfcourfes 
 
 Vaine talke flye and learne wit, 
 Marke wife fpeeche and loue it. 
 Alwayes prayc, and boaft not, 
 Efcliue pride, and vaunte not. 
 Hate no man, difdaine not. 
 Take time and ileepe not. 
 Eche vertue trayne iuftly, 
 Regarde betters wifely. 
 Offend no wight wrongly. 
 And declare alwayes truely. 
 So God fure will loue thee. 
 And good men will praife thee. 
 When Vertue fliall grace thee. 
 All fame lliall embrace thee. 
 
 \Whofeekes this Worlds feltc'ttie^ 
 Fyndes nothing elfe but vanitie. 
 
 WHo feekes on earth to finde, his Manfion fure to dwell, 
 Forfakes his God, forgets his heauen, 6c hies him fall to hell. 
 For why no flefli hath force, eternitie to finde. 
 But as of Clay it came, to Clay it muft conuert by kinde. 
 If Bewtie blynde thine eyes, or Coyne it be thou craue. 
 Be fure therof they clogge thy foule, whe carcafle comes to graue. 
 Not ftrength, not honors ftage, nor Empire helde alone, 
 But confcience cleere muft only feruc, before the heauenly throne(.) 
 Suppofe before thy Prince, thy onely tale furmounts, 
 Tryumph not thou, for th'angels trumpe, calles thee to more acounts. 
 More pleafure here thou takes, in toyes on earth below. 
 More feeble thou, more force is theirs, to yeclde thine ouerthrow. 
 No comfort doe conccaue, in vaine and tryflyng toyes. 
 No minutes myrth can countcruayle, aye during deepe annoyes. 
 On earth the force of flood, and flame thou docft defyre 
 To fliun, then chicfely feeke to auoydc, the force of endlelTe fyre. 
 On earth thou doeft defyre, delights that be but vayne, 
 In heauen the whylft thou doft neglcdte, the ioy y* iliall remayne. 
 Then dye on earth to liue, and Hue on earth to dye, 
 Repofe thy truft in heauenly things, and ioy eternallye. 
 
 G. loo ^To
 
 '   ' » J > V , ' 
 
 tofundry purpqfes. 
 
 *^Toa Flatterer. 
 
 AS foundes from hollow things, 
 doe nought but ayre implie : 
 So words from faythlefle friends, 
 fhewe nought but flatterie. 
 ^Aunfiuere. 
 
 CAlme Seas leail feared bee, 
 more daunger when they fwell : 
 Yet in all Tydes we fee, 
 
 they vfe to founde them well. 
 
 ^Reafon and Fanfie doe often varle. 
 
 WHere Fanfie bids vs runne, and Reafon ftaye, 
 And prefle our powres, that frayltie nought prcuayle : 
 
 Affecftion blinde doth beare fo great a fwaye. 
 
 That we in greatefb danger hoyfe vp fayle. 
 
 We burne our felues, and yet doe blowe the fyer. 
 And truft the ayde that leaues vs in the myer. 
 
 Defyre aflayes with Fanfies winges to flye, 
 
 When hap withholdes, to yeelde our will fucceffe ; 
 
 Hope would aduaunce it felfe vnto the skye, 
 
 Defpayre finkes downe, and fits in fad diilrefle. 
 Defyre, difpayre, hope, hap, by fanfie preft, 
 Thus ioyne their battayle in affections breft. 
 
 Reafon refiftes, vayne hope, hopes Lead will fwymme, 
 
 Wyt would preuayle, affed;ion will not yeelde : 
 
 Defyre with Frayltie ventures lyfe and lymme, 
 
 Inforcing Reafon to forfake the fielde. 
 
 And thus with Fancies lore our reafon ledde, 
 In Follies brake, we oft bring fboles to bedde. 
 
 Looke ere you leape, beware leaft footing fayle. 
 
 Example take by poore Acteons fall : 
 
 We thinke that pretie fanfie may preuayle. 
 
 And therfore liften to his luring call. 
 
 But when moft greedie Dogs doe vs deuour, 
 Fancie ftands aloofe, not able to fuccour. 
 
 10 1 M.iij. A
 
 Delight full T>tfcourfes 
 
 A little bewhing Curre doth oft procure, 
 AfTault of greater Dogs, as doth appeare. 
 So while we raQiely yeelde to Fanfies lure, 
 More tgcr Civrres are readie vs to teare. 
 Our owne dtfyre, affe<5tion, luft, and will, 
 , Arc thoTfc r^n-^c Dogs which doe their mayfters kill. 
 
 Yet neyther counfayle, wifedome, fence, nor arte. 
 Can brydle youth from his defyred ioye : 
 Graue precepts haue no power to ftaye his harte. 
 From working of his owne extreme annoye : 
 
 And though our felues doe know fuch things are vayne. 
 Yet doe we feeke the felfe fame things to gayne. 
 
 What madnelTe thus to ftryue againft all fence ? 
 To fue, where Reafon would we fliould refrayne : 
 Againft all counfayle thus to make pretence. 
 And voyde of wifedome fo to beate our brayne. 
 To buye repentance with fo deepe defyre, 
 And with fuch heate to fet our thrift on fyre. 
 
 And yet no helpe, when Fanfie freightes our boate. 
 But Follyes force, perforce will hoyfe vp fayle : 
 Till midft the waues of had I wift we floate, 
 We thinke our pleafant courfe fliould neuer fayle. 
 VnlefiTe Gods fpcciall grace doe make a ftay. 
 Our nature weake thus works her owne decay. 
 
 SIth nothing ftayes in good or happy ftate. 
 Where Vice aboundes and Vertue doth abate : 
 Why doe we not our lyues with fpeede reformc ? 
 That Confcience cleere may feele no gnawing worme. 
 
 ^Certahie 
 loa
 
 tofundry purpqfes. 
 
 ^Certame Verfes tranjlated out ofPetrark^ concerning 
 Rome^ 'written by him many yeares jince. 
 
 A Flame from Heauen ftreame downe vpon thy head 
 Thou wicked one, that from the water colde. 
 And Acornes wilde, (that whilom was thy bread) 
 Arte mightie made, enrichte by others Golde. 
 Since thy delight is fetled all on ill. 
 Shame thee deftroy, and forrow foone thee fpill. 
 
 Thou Neft in whome the treafons hatched are. 
 That through the worlde abroad are fpred this hower : 
 Slaue to Wine, chambring and delicious fare. 
 Where Luft doth trye the strength of all her power. 
 In Clofets thine, yong gyrlcs and aged Siers, 
 With Belzabvb doe daunce in foule defiers. 
 
 He Bellowes, Fyre, and looking Glalle doth beare, 
 
 Amidlt them all, but why I bluflie to tell : 
 
 Naked to wyndes, and bare foote late thou were. 
 
 No beddes of Downe vnto thy fhare befell. 
 
 Courfe clothes did ferue thy corps from colde to flirowde. 
 Scarce God thy peere, thou now art growne fo prowde. 
 
 Thou Babilon that buyldes thy Neaft fo hye, 
 By courtous frawde thy fack to brimme doit fill. 
 With Gods great wrath and vices out that flye : 
 Whofe poyfning fmell a worlde of foules doe kill. 
 
 Gods to thy felfe thou makft, not Iove nor Pallas, 
 
 In Venvs and Bacchvs is all thy folace. 
 
 In fearching long, what fhould of thee enfue. 
 My felfe with toyle I feeble brought and lowe : 
 But at the length mee feemde a Soldan newe, 
 I fawe preparde to worke thy ouerthrowe. 
 That will eredt Baldacco feat for thofe. 
 Which (though not when I would) fliall thee depofe. 
 
 M.iiij. Thy 
 
 103
 
 T>eli^otfull Difcourfes 
 
 Thy Idols on the grounde lliall fcattered lye. 
 Thy Towers prowde to heauen that enimies bee : 
 And Turrets all by fyre downc fliall flye, 
 Then fliall iuft foules the friends of vertue, fee 
 The golden worlde anewe beginne to raigne, 
 And auncient works fliew forth themfelues againc. 
 
 Thou forrowes fource,the finke of many a one, 
 Thou Schole and Temple whence all errors growe : 
 Once Rome, but nowe that cruell Babilon, 
 For whom the worlde in teares doth ouerflowe, 
 
 Exclayming on thy curfed wickednelTe, 
 
 Bewrapped in the vayle of holynefle. 
 
 O Forge of falfe deceyte, prifon to yre. 
 Where goodnefle dyeth, and cuils all are bredde : 
 To thofe that Hue, thou art a hellifli fyre. 
 The ruine eke of many wretches deade. 
 
 A wonder fbraunge though fpared thou be yet. 
 If Chrift in fine not treade thee vnder feete. 
 
 Thy ground was fyrft on humble pouertie. 
 But nowe thy pride doth prefTe thy Founders downe : 
 Thou fliamelefle ftrumpet feeking fuffraintie. 
 Where refts thy hope ? what in thy triple crowne ? 
 In thy adulteries or bafe borne rytches 
 Begotte in guile ? vaine are all fuch wytches. 
 
 Since Constantine may nowe returne no more. 
 The mournefuU worlde that fighcs thy ftate to fee : 
 Confume and cut thee quick vnto the core. 
 That all to long is forft to bearc with thee. 
 Of Rome thefall^ here Vetrark doth vnfolde^ 
 As vieiu they may^ that I'tfl the fame beholde. 
 
 In patmtt'ia vi^or'ia. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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