University of Virginia Library

The Louer writeth once more to his friend,

as doeth followe after.

The paines that you haue taken sir,
an answere to indite,
Unto my letter that I sent
with thankes I here requite.
Not able any other way by gifts
to recompence the same.
But with my pen a few lines
in paper here to frame.
Whereas you say I should refraine,
and keepe my selfe from loue,
That were too hard, sith loue it selfe
hath forst the Gods aboue.
What moued Iupiter to turne
himselfe to take the shape
And forme of Bull, but only loue,
for dame Europas rape?
And for because (my frend) you say
loue is not of great strength,
As farre as knowledge geueth you,
it shall appeare at length
Did not loues law enforce that Ioue
to turne in Eagle strange,
When that Asterion he could
accept into his grange,
He tooke on him the forme of swanne,
as Leda when he had,
Under his feathred wings and brest,
in safetie for to shade.
A Satyre strange, he forst him selfe,
that Iupiter by name
Saturnus sonne, to the intent
he might Necteis clame,
In forme of golden showre when that
to Danae he could clyme
In towre strong, for pleasure then
with hir to ioy a time.
Thus lose did he his former face,
as loue did oft compell,
Besides him other gods also,
which all I can not tell.
But if that Poets tales seeme true,
then did Neptunus turne,
And had the face of other beasts,
a Ramme sometime to forme,
Sometime a lustie horse to be,
sometime a fish to play,
As of a Dolphin take the hue
as loue did beare the sway.
And did not earst Apollo take
the shape of Rauen blacke
Sometime a shepheard in the fielde
to bring his lust to sacke?
No god was free, sith all the shape
of chaunged formes gan take,
Of beastes or birdes, and oftentimes
of foule of fish of lake.
Then say not that loue hath no force,
the prouerbe thus doeth say,
Amor vincit mundum, and then
nothing so strong doth stay.
And where as you do giue aduice
me to withdrawe my minde,
And fixe my heart some elsewhere, that
I may some fauour finde.
Alas can I withdrawe my thought,
or els auert my heart
From hir whose picture still I fynde
within my brest impart:
No no, or else and shall I graunt
to wander in exile,
And drudge about as one vnknowne,
thus desolate the while:
I can not aye endure that trade,
and where agayne you say,
I should me trie in feats of armes,
and so driue loue away,
For once from sight cleane out of mynde,
prouerbially you speake,
That is most true of such as would
there vowed promise breake,
My heart, aye giues me power inough
in foraine lands to wende,
And ouer surging seas to glyde
t'arriue at the other ende.
Yea if I had a thousand liues,
I would them venter all
For hir, if that at my returne
reward for payne might fall.
Or where to serue in princely court
your hest doth me aduise,
He that aduentures such affaires
had neede be verie wise
In court though that great dignitie
be to be gotten aye,
I haue no minde to such attempts
for things that I shall say.
In court at times to dice and carde,
a man must venture oft,
His winnings one time will be small,
his losings come aloft,
A man must not denie to play
an hundred pound or twaine,
If that he mynde to beare a name,
though nothing else he gaine:
And other exercises store,
which when a man doth meete
With such as stand more than his match
his winning goes to fleete.
The Court a fit place is in deede
for such as know no ende
Of wealth, and such as heape vp more
than they may yerely spende.
Such lustie laddes neede take no dread
how that they lose or win,
Their tenants toyle, they know not how
their worldly wealth comes in.
And some by parents wise haue nowe
such order in their land
And Bounds well set, that they ne neede
about it fyle their hand.
And where you thinke in court there is
such store of damsels fayre,
Though they were like the Muses nine,
that stere aboue the ayre:
Yet if that Enthinimias
in court did aye remaine
More beautie she should showe by sight,
than any other twayne
Though that she be a countrey prill,
no weight thereof doth stand,
Thinke you that some those Courtly dames
are not of countrey land?
Yea though that they haue changed place,
and eke their wonted guise,
Yet countrey Ladie they are still,
as farre as I deuise.
If that you knowe the contrary,
suppose that if this dame,
(Though stubborne she) were set in court,
should she not beare the name
To be a Courtier eke most fit?
small is the difference
Nowe put off you, if that ye lift
to giue intelligence.
And also of your other choyce,
I like much as the rest,
The studie of the common lawes
I ne account as best:
To bend my mynde vnto that side,
I thinke it follie playne,
The way is long and tedious,
so much more is his paine
That trieth it, and if such store
of gold be got thereby,
I wish some frend that hath no welth
his minde thereto apply:
But as for me, I thanke the Gods
that blessed me such wise,
I greatly ne (as Prouerbes say)
do neede to rub mine eyes.
And this I know for certaintie,
that he which linkes in loue,
To earnest studie any tome
his minde can neuer moue.
None of your choices three I like
but pensiue do remaine.
My sorow groweth more and more
I feele the worser paine.
And where you raise request to kno
how that I do entend
The copy of my letter aye,
and hers before I send.
Therby you may perceiue and see
how small she doth esteeme,
The cankred care wherby I crie,
and stand at very brimme,
Of Stigian lake, yet do I mind,
ere many daies be past,
T'assay againe, for many men
say Loue comes not in hast.
Yet will I pause a while,
and think on evrie poynt,
At length when I perceiue my time
Ile venter out a ioynt.
And then renue my painful sute,
which now doth stand begun
It wil be long ere that I ende
the feeble fooles are wun,
With litle care as I haue learnd
thus fare you wel from T.
Where oft to giue me councel good
I wish you for to be.