University of Virginia Library

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463

Davids salutacions to Berzabe wherein are three sonets in sequence, written uppon this occation.

The deviser hereof amongst other friendes had named a gentlewoman his Berzabe, and she was content to call him hir David. The man presented his Lady with a booke of the Golden Asse, written by Lucius Apuleius, and in the beginning of the booke wrote this sequence. You must conferre it with the Historye of Apuleius, for else it wyll have small grace.

This Apuleius was in Affricke borne,
And tooke delight to travaile Thessaly,
As one that helde his native soyle in skorne,
In foraine coastes to feede his fantasie.
And such againe as wandring wits find out,
This yonker wonne by wyll and weary toyle,
A youth mispent, a doting age in doubt,
A body brusd with many a beastly broyle,
A presaunt pleasure passing on a pace,
And paynting plaine the path of penitence,
A frollicke favour foyld with fowle disgrace,
When hoary heares should claime their reverence.
Such is the fruite that growes on gadding trees,
Such kynd of mell most moveth busie Bees.
For Lucius he,
Esteeming more one ounce of present sport,
Than elders doe a pound of perfect wit:
First to the bowre of beautie doth resorte,
And there in pleasure passed many a fitte,
His worthie race he (recklesse) doth forget,
With small regarde in great affaires he reeles,
No counsell grave, nor good advise can set
His braynes in brake that whirled still on wheeles.
For if Byrhena coulde have helde him backe,
From Venus court where he nowe nusled was,
His lustie limmes had never founde the lacke
Of manlie shape: the figure of an Asse,
Had not bene blazed on his bloud and bones,
To wound his will with torments all attones.
But Fotis she,
Who sawe this Lording whitled with the cup
Of vaine delight, wherof he gan to tast:

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Pourde out apace, and fillde the Mazor up,
With drunken dole: yea after that in hast,
She greazde this guest with sause of Sorcerie,
And fedde his minde with knacks both queint and strange:
Lo here the treazon and the trecherie
Of gadding girles, when they delight to range.
For Lucius thinking to become a foule,
Became a foole, yea more than that, an Asse,
A bobbing blocke, a beating stocke, an owle,
Well woondred at in place where he did passe:
And spent his time, his travaile and his cost,
To purchase payne and all his labor lost.
Yet I pore I,
Who make of thee my Fotys and my frende,
In like delight my youthfull yeares to spend:
Do hope thou wilt from such soure sause defend,
David thy King.