Albions England A Continued Historie of the same Kingdome, from the Originals of the first Inhabitants thereof: With most the chiefe Alterations and Accidents theare hapning, vnto, and in the happie Raigne of our now most gracious Soueraigne, Queene Elizabeth: Not barren in varietie of inuentiue and historicall Intermixtures: First penned and published by William Warner: and now reuised, and newly inlarged by the same Author: Whereunto is also newly added an Epitome of the whole Historie of England |
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| LXV. |
CHAP. LXV.
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CHAP. LXV.
Albions England |  |
CHAP. LXV.
Yee heard how she his Letter read, whilst Stafford was in place,
Which hauing read, she stoode as if astonished a space:
Her blushing and vn-blusshing made that Stafford doubted whether
It pleased, or displeased: which, the troth to say, did neither
Varietie of Men to court a Woman is her pride,
Than which their Vanitie of Men is nothing lesse espide:
What are to vs, but common hurts, those common hopes they giue,
If then their loue doth die to vs when ours to them doth liue:
They Nero-like sing Troy when Rome by them is set on fire,
Iest at our earnest. Let vs now to Elenor retier.
More modest she thā such (though most in mēs behalfe might better)
And comes, quoth she, from Mandeuill this il-come-welcome letter?
Beleeue me, Stafford, ill it comes that sayes a cause in me,
That from his Natiue home he should thus selfe-exiled be.
If amorous Hopes, or Hopes vnheld to him from me had past,
I had indeed bin guiltie, as too forward, or not fast:
But to the Cause, Effect, and all not-guiltie doe I pleade,
His loue is Newes, mine to despaire what was it him should leade?
Our Court (I will not wrong the Man, nor flatter him a whit)
Can hardly shew another-such for Person, Prowse, and Wit.
But as for me (setting a-part my Birth, to which, or any
So borne the State is interest) what am I more than Many?
If beautious now (here let me chide his Indiscretion, who
Farre from a Meane of it so meane doth make so much adoe,
And, least perhaps he should haue glib'd, a vertue doth not note,
Whēce loue shuld spring, which makes me gesse he doth not loue but dote)
If beautious, as I said, what els is Forme but vaiding aire?
Yea oft, because assaulted oft, it hurteth to be faire.
And were not my Descent, and I a Fauorite in Court,
My common Forme, vnheeded then, might passe without report.
But were my wishes mine, the Court by me should be the lesse:
So much it hath of Vanitie, and painfull Idlenesse.
Since such is he, and of my selfe my selfe but so esteeme,
Himselfe by silence me he wrong'd disdainfull me to deeme.
I could be angrie, were he here, with him for erring so,
Disdaine (the Vulgars Fault) is not in Gentrie found, I troe.
But feare he did, and wisely too (for God forbid that I,
Vnworthie that I am, should haue indanger'd him to dye)
The Kings displeasure: Or perhaps, vnpossible he thought
My loue should equall his, or I a trans-Marine be wrought.
But, if he intertain'd such thoughts, there also did he erre:
Loue is a lordly Feast, he writes, and I the same auerre:
For if (not rashly though, I hope) vpon my choice I stand,
My hand shall neuer giue my heart, my heart shall giue my hand:
Yea, so I liue with whom I loue, what care I in what land?
With women is too vsuall now Theirs and themselues to sell
For Ioynters by Indenture with imperious men to dwell,
And he doth her, and she doth him with his and hers vpbraide:
But that I chiefly match for loue shall, when I match, be saide.
Good Daies beget, bad Daies trie Friends, nor him a friend esteeme
Whom firme as to thy selfe thy selfe thou darest not to deeme,
Say some: But Mandeuill, I see, of you accompteth so,
As of his firme and choycest Friend, then, least I tedious groe,
I tell thee, Stafford, next to one is Mandeuill the Man
I could haue loued, but I loue whom not vn-loue I can.
Yeat if you aske me whom or where that one beloued is,
I cannot answer whom, or wheare, yeat am and will be his.
Which hauing read, she stoode as if astonished a space:
Her blushing and vn-blusshing made that Stafford doubted whether
It pleased, or displeased: which, the troth to say, did neither
Varietie of Men to court a Woman is her pride,
Than which their Vanitie of Men is nothing lesse espide:
What are to vs, but common hurts, those common hopes they giue,
279
They Nero-like sing Troy when Rome by them is set on fire,
Iest at our earnest. Let vs now to Elenor retier.
More modest she thā such (though most in mēs behalfe might better)
And comes, quoth she, from Mandeuill this il-come-welcome letter?
Beleeue me, Stafford, ill it comes that sayes a cause in me,
That from his Natiue home he should thus selfe-exiled be.
If amorous Hopes, or Hopes vnheld to him from me had past,
I had indeed bin guiltie, as too forward, or not fast:
But to the Cause, Effect, and all not-guiltie doe I pleade,
His loue is Newes, mine to despaire what was it him should leade?
Our Court (I will not wrong the Man, nor flatter him a whit)
Can hardly shew another-such for Person, Prowse, and Wit.
But as for me (setting a-part my Birth, to which, or any
So borne the State is interest) what am I more than Many?
If beautious now (here let me chide his Indiscretion, who
Farre from a Meane of it so meane doth make so much adoe,
And, least perhaps he should haue glib'd, a vertue doth not note,
Whēce loue shuld spring, which makes me gesse he doth not loue but dote)
If beautious, as I said, what els is Forme but vaiding aire?
Yea oft, because assaulted oft, it hurteth to be faire.
And were not my Descent, and I a Fauorite in Court,
My common Forme, vnheeded then, might passe without report.
But were my wishes mine, the Court by me should be the lesse:
So much it hath of Vanitie, and painfull Idlenesse.
Since such is he, and of my selfe my selfe but so esteeme,
Himselfe by silence me he wrong'd disdainfull me to deeme.
I could be angrie, were he here, with him for erring so,
Disdaine (the Vulgars Fault) is not in Gentrie found, I troe.
But feare he did, and wisely too (for God forbid that I,
Vnworthie that I am, should haue indanger'd him to dye)
The Kings displeasure: Or perhaps, vnpossible he thought
280
But, if he intertain'd such thoughts, there also did he erre:
Loue is a lordly Feast, he writes, and I the same auerre:
For if (not rashly though, I hope) vpon my choice I stand,
My hand shall neuer giue my heart, my heart shall giue my hand:
Yea, so I liue with whom I loue, what care I in what land?
With women is too vsuall now Theirs and themselues to sell
For Ioynters by Indenture with imperious men to dwell,
And he doth her, and she doth him with his and hers vpbraide:
But that I chiefly match for loue shall, when I match, be saide.
Good Daies beget, bad Daies trie Friends, nor him a friend esteeme
Whom firme as to thy selfe thy selfe thou darest not to deeme,
Say some: But Mandeuill, I see, of you accompteth so,
As of his firme and choycest Friend, then, least I tedious groe,
I tell thee, Stafford, next to one is Mandeuill the Man
I could haue loued, but I loue whom not vn-loue I can.
Yeat if you aske me whom or where that one beloued is,
I cannot answer whom, or wheare, yeat am and will be his.
Madame, quoth Stafford yet your speech hath head, nor foote, nor Middle,
Not naming him you end a Sphynx, and tie me to a Riddle.
Well, friend you are to Mandeuil, nor for (she said) to me
The greene-Knight, Victor at the Iusts a few yeares past, is he.
In sooth; (quoth Stafford,) if for him be resolute your Choyce,
Chuse not againe, with you for him consort I also Voyce.
Nor thinke, in that I him prefer, I Mandeuill reiect.
Friendship may brooke Triplicitie, and shall in this respect.
For your owne sake, and for his sake (than Maudeuil no lesse
My Friend) I shall (his Soules desire) you of that Knight possesse.
Not naming him you end a Sphynx, and tie me to a Riddle.
Well, friend you are to Mandeuil, nor for (she said) to me
The greene-Knight, Victor at the Iusts a few yeares past, is he.
In sooth; (quoth Stafford,) if for him be resolute your Choyce,
Chuse not againe, with you for him consort I also Voyce.
Nor thinke, in that I him prefer, I Mandeuill reiect.
Friendship may brooke Triplicitie, and shall in this respect.
For your owne sake, and for his sake (than Maudeuil no lesse
My Friend) I shall (his Soules desire) you of that Knight possesse.
Almost an Extasie of Ioy her from her selfe did seuer,
Hearing of him, for whom her heart did hunt, and els should euer:
And though she did obserue his soone Reuolt from friend to friend,
And him thereof had tacht, were not her priuate cause to end,
Yeat was she silent touching it, and modestly pursewes
In Quest of her beloued Knight. But tarrie yet that Newes,
First Burrough, Ienkinson and what by them was done peruse.
Hearing of him, for whom her heart did hunt, and els should euer:
And though she did obserue his soone Reuolt from friend to friend,
And him thereof had tacht, were not her priuate cause to end,
281
In Quest of her beloued Knight. But tarrie yet that Newes,
First Burrough, Ienkinson and what by them was done peruse.
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CHAP. LXV.
Albions England | |