A Crovvne-Garland of Govlden Roses Gathered out of Englands royall garden. Being the liues and strange fortunes of many great personages of this Land. Set forth in many pleasant new songs and sonetts neuer before imprinted. By Richard Iohnson |
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A Song of a Beggar and a King.
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 | A Crovvne-Garland of Govlden Roses |  |
A Song of a Beggar and a King.
I read
that once in Affrica,
a Prince that there did raine:
Who had to name Cophetua,
as Poets they did faine.
From Natures workes he did incline,
For sure he was not of my minde,
He cared not for women kinde,
but did them all disdaine.
But marke what happened by the way,
As he out of his window lay,
He saw a beggar all in gray,
which did increase his paine.
a Prince that there did raine:
Who had to name Cophetua,
as Poets they did faine.
From Natures workes he did incline,
For sure he was not of my minde,
He cared not for women kinde,
but did them all disdaine.
But marke what happened by the way,
As he out of his window lay,
He saw a beggar all in gray,
which did increase his paine.
The blinded bay that shootes so trim,
from heauen downe so high:
He drew a Dart and shot at him,
in place where he did lye.
Which soone did pierse him to the quick,
For when he felt the arrow prick,
Which in his tender heart did stick,
he looketh as he would dye.
What sudden chance is this quoth he,
That I to loue must subiect be,
Which neuer thereto would agree,
but still did it defie.
from heauen downe so high:
He drew a Dart and shot at him,
in place where he did lye.
Which soone did pierse him to the quick,
For when he felt the arrow prick,
Which in his tender heart did stick,
he looketh as he would dye.
What sudden chance is this quoth he,
That I to loue must subiect be,
Which neuer thereto would agree,
but still did it defie.
Then from his window he did come,
and laid him on his bed:
A thousand heapes of care did runne,
within his troubled head.
For now he meanes to craue her loue,
And now he seekes which way to prooue:
How he his fancie might remooue,
and not this beggar wed.
But Cupid had him so in snare,
That this poore begger must prepare:
A salue to cure him of his care,
or els he would be dead:
and laid him on his bed:
A thousand heapes of care did runne,
within his troubled head.
For now he meanes to craue her loue,
And now he seekes which way to prooue:
How he his fancie might remooue,
and not this beggar wed.
But Cupid had him so in snare,
That this poore begger must prepare:
A salue to cure him of his care,
or els he would be dead:
And as he musing thus did lye,
he thought for to deuise:
How he might haue her company,
that so did mase his eyes:
In thee quoth he, doth rest my life,
For surely thou shalt be my wife:
Or else this hand with bloody knife,
the Gods shall sure suffice.
Then from his bed he arose,
And to his Pallace gate he goes,
Full little then this begger knowes,
when she the King espied.
he thought for to deuise:
How he might haue her company,
that so did mase his eyes:
In thee quoth he, doth rest my life,
For surely thou shalt be my wife:
Or else this hand with bloody knife,
the Gods shall sure suffice.
Then from his bed he arose,
And to his Pallace gate he goes,
Full little then this begger knowes,
when she the King espied.
The Gods preserue your Maiesty,
the beggars all gan cry:
Uouchsafe to giue your charity,
our childrens food to buy.
The King to them his pursse did cast,
And they to part it made great hast:
The silly woman was the last,
that after them did hye.
The King he cald her back againe,
And vnto her he gaue his chaine:
And said with vs you shall remaine,
till such time as we dye.
the beggars all gan cry:
Uouchsafe to giue your charity,
our childrens food to buy.
The King to them his pursse did cast,
And they to part it made great hast:
The silly woman was the last,
that after them did hye.
The King he cald her back againe,
And vnto her he gaue his chaine:
And said with vs you shall remaine,
till such time as we dye.
For thou shalt be my wife quoth he,
and honoured like the Queene:
With thee I meane to lead my life,
as shortly shall be seene.
Our wedding day shall appointed be,
And euery thing in their degree:
Come on quoth he and follow me,
thou shalt go shift thee cleane.
What is thy name, say on quoth he,
Phenelophon O King quoth she,
With that she made a lowe courtsey,
a trim one as I weene.
and honoured like the Queene:
With thee I meane to lead my life,
as shortly shall be seene.
Our wedding day shall appointed be,
And euery thing in their degree:
Come on quoth he and follow me,
thou shalt go shift thee cleane.
What is thy name, say on quoth he,
Phenelophon O King quoth she,
With that she made a lowe courtsey,
a trim one as I weene.
Thus hand in hand along they walke,
vnto the Kings Pallace:
The King with courteous comly talke,
this begger doth imbrace.
The begger blusheth Scarlet read,
And straight againe as pale as lead,
But not a word at all she said,
she was in such a mase:
At last she spake with trembling voyce,
And said O King I do reioyce:
That you will take me for your choice,
and my degree so base.
vnto the Kings Pallace:
The King with courteous comly talke,
this begger doth imbrace.
The begger blusheth Scarlet read,
And straight againe as pale as lead,
But not a word at all she said,
she was in such a mase:
At last she spake with trembling voyce,
And said O King I do reioyce:
That you will take me for your choice,
and my degree so base.
And when the wedding day was come,
the King commanded straight:
The noble men both all and some,
vpon the Queene to waight.
And she behaued her selfe that day,
As if she had neuer walkt the way,
She had forgot her gowne of gray,
that she did weare of late.
The Prouerbe old is come to passe,
The Priest when he began his masse,
Forgets that euer Clarke he was,
he knoweth not his estate.
the King commanded straight:
The noble men both all and some,
vpon the Queene to waight.
And she behaued her selfe that day,
As if she had neuer walkt the way,
She had forgot her gowne of gray,
that she did weare of late.
The Prouerbe old is come to passe,
The Priest when he began his masse,
Forgets that euer Clarke he was,
he knoweth not his estate.
Here may you read Copherua,
through fancie long time fed:
Compelled by the blinded boy,
the beggar for to wed.
He that did louers lookes disdaine,
To do the same, was glad and faine,
Or else he would himselfe haue slaine,
in stories as we read:
Disdaine no whit O Lady deere,
But pitty now thy seruant heere,
Least that it hap to thee this yeare,
as to that King it did.
through fancie long time fed:
Compelled by the blinded boy,
the beggar for to wed.
He that did louers lookes disdaine,
To do the same, was glad and faine,
Or else he would himselfe haue slaine,
in stories as we read:
Disdaine no whit O Lady deere,
But pitty now thy seruant heere,
Least that it hap to thee this yeare,
as to that King it did.
And thus they lead a quiet life,
During their princely raine.
And in a tombe were buried both,
as writers she weth plaine.
The Lords they tooke it grieuously,
The Ladies tooke it heauily,
The Commons cryed pitiously,
their death to them was paine.
Their fame did sound so passingly,
That it did pierce the Starry sky,
And thorow out the world did flye,
to euery Princes realme.
During their princely raine.
And in a tombe were buried both,
as writers she weth plaine.
The Lords they tooke it grieuously,
The Ladies tooke it heauily,
The Commons cryed pitiously,
their death to them was paine.
Their fame did sound so passingly,
That it did pierce the Starry sky,
And thorow out the world did flye,
to euery Princes realme.
FINIS.
| A Crovvne-Garland of Govlden Roses | |