University of Virginia Library

The letter of a friend of a wounded Louer,

wherein hee goeth about to disswade him from this louelie follie.

My frend your parched letters are
late hapned to my hand
And them with eye I haue perusde,
and euery sentence scande.
Wherby I doe perceiue that you
doe languish still in paine,
And now according to request,
I write to you againe.
That I with dreary plaint accuse
and wayle the haples hap
Wherin blind Cupid Venus sonne
did lately you entrap.
But yet small remedie I find,
if she so froward be
As in your letters you report,
and shewe the same to me.
But that ye doe refraine from loue
me thinketh that the wight
That lerning hath might wel preuēt
and stop such peeuish spight.
Loue is not of such force & strength,
as farre as I can showe,
But if it be by learning you
better then I doe know.
Then fixe your mind some elswhere aye,
where you may reape the fruite
For which you haue so toyled long
by painfull suite.
But if you cannot soone withdraw,
from her your yelded hart
And thereby to exile your selfe,
from this your snared smart.
Then wander hence away into
some Countrey farther off,
If you can aye forbeare a while
this soyle to dwell aloofe,
And there with troupe of chiualrie
to exercise your selfe
In feates of armes, thereby to shun,
of loytring loue the elfe.
Such facts wil cleane exile, & driue
from out your mazed minde
These pranks, insomuch yt they shal
no place hereafter finde.
The Adage old doth shew vs plaine,
and as I haue heard say,
Long out of sight, clean out of mind,
and I beleeue it aye.
Then if that you attempt some way,
and worke some wittie wile,
By fauor of your frends to fare
a litle in exile,
And cut the calmed seas, the land
to treade at th' other side
You soon then wold leue of your loue
which now in hart you hide.
And if your heart doth not assent,
in forrain fields to trace,
Thē in some town within this realm
you must finde out some place,
For you that haue the store of welth,
may leade your life as best
To court it out with other braue,
and royst among the rest.
In Court great knowledge is,
to which you may aspire,
If that you list with zelous paine
to applie your whole desire,
And in the Court also you shall
perceiue some condigne dame,
That may extinguish clean the print
and sparke of the other flame.
In time to come perhaps also,
I say you shall reioyce,
And laugh to see this link, the which
you left haue by my voyce.
Perchāce ye gods haue you preseru'd
vntil some better end,
Then may you ioy by right with me
that standeth for your frend.
But if you mind not aye to passe,
into some other land:
Nether to serue in princely Court,
in Courtly roome to stand.
Then fixe your earnest minde
to aspire to knowledge hie
By studie of the common lawes,
a Councelor to supplie.
And leaue such fondly toyes
wherin you now doe frame
And trace your steps, ye more to tred
your present woe and paine.
And giue the common law the fame,
when each trade doth decay,
The prouerb old as you know wel
doth likewisy to vs say:
No fishing to the sea there is,
nor seruice to a king.
No such game as the trade of lawe
doeth to our coffers bring,
The trade of Lawe doth fill to brinke
from bottome boysterous bags
They royst in silke, when other range
the streete in rented rags.
Now iudge your selfe which of the twaine
doeth giue shewe best to be.
With one of them I would that you
in heart could aye agree.
If that you like not aye the change
of dames within the court:
For Countrey prilles your youthfull life
with them to lead in sport.
Or if you more esteeme the sight
of her that wayes not you:
More then the gilt that Law doth get
by learning to ensue.
I know not what thing I shall say,
but wayle the froward fate,
Which vnto you the Gods haue graunt,
to purchase peeuish hate.
Thus now adue my frend, marke well
these lines which I doe send,
And sometime let me heare from you,
how that you doe entend.