Amorvm Emblemata :: :: University of Virginia Library

Orpheus doth not still his harp high tuned strayn,
To play the Gyants warre when hill on hill they broght,
Nor how their prowd attempt was labor spent in vain,
By force of powerfull Ioue that turned all to noght.

Somtyme hee changeth tune to layes of mylder grace,
And playes how Venus fell in her own Cupids snare,
And did Adonis woo, and kisse, and kynd embrace,
And how sweet loue is seen encumbred oft with care.

So Venius for repose from learned labors donne,
In Horace woorthie theames and sage philosophie,
In subiect of delight another praise hath wonne,
By shewing heer of loue each perfect propertie.

And in this and the rest his manie woorthie partes,
Himself sufficiently hath to the world approoued,
Which yeilds more cause of loue to all those goodly artes,
And makes himself for them the more to be beloued.

R. V.

Cupids epistle to the yonger sorte.

When oght with ardent heat I kindle and inflame,
Then is accomplished & broght in orders frame,
That forcefull woord of yore, wherein stil force dothly,
That wild each thing at first, encreasse and multiply,
What after nature liues, liues subiect vnto mee,
All yeilding to my law must all my vassalles bee.
Obedience vnto mee importes not anie blame,
Since all-comaunding will ordayneth so the same.
My vnrestrayned force to all that moue & liue,
A lust to procreate, moste liberally doth giue.
In elements all fowre, all what appeers to bee,
By inclination shew accordance vnto mee.
Yea eu'n aswell the things that reasonlesse are found,
As that same race wherin reason doth most abound,
The fish amiddes the deep & fowles that fly aboue,
Do all well know & fynd what thing it is to loue.
The Salamander doth not leaue deer loues desyre,
Since I it do conserue with him admiddes the fyre.
Behold the Sun & Moon, resembling man and wyf,
How they remayn in heau'n in loue and lasting lyf.
By whose coniunction all vvhat men on earth do fynd,
Are both produc'd & kept in novvriture and kynd.
Their springing & encrease & food they freely giue,
Vnto the trees and plants vvhich by them grovv & liue.

For trees haue liuing spirits, althogh they sencelesse bee,
Obseruing my comaund, as by the Palme ye see,
When as some riuer doth female & male diseuer,
Each to the other bends, as fayn to bee together.
Iust nature did at first deuise and well ordayn,
The woman and the man deuyded into twayn.
But by vniting both, by either sweetned is,
The kynd & loving vse of this deuisions blisse.
The well establisht law of nature and of kynd,
To do oght reasonlesse may neuer anie fynd,
For nothing is vnfitt by nature put in trayn,
But all is well, and well in order doth remayn,
What man then may hee seem which liueth still alone;
Vnioyn'd vnto a wyf which maketh two in one?
Hee is but half a man, for man without a wyf,
I do esteem no more if hee so end his lyf.
A lustlesse lyuing thing, bereft of his delight,
A fostrer of sad thoghts, a solitarie wight.
One whome vnpleasantnes best seemeth for to please,
Borne to his onlie care, and ignorant of ease.
Depryu'd of lyf and ioy, vndonne and vnbeloued,
For louelesse must he liue, that not to loue is moued.
Where hee that to sweet loue loues to affoord his fauor,
The sweetnes of his lyf more sweetly makes to fauor.

Hee doth diminish much his sorrow and his wo,
Or maketh that his cares do seem not to bee so.
His beeing borne anew, hee in his children sees,
And their encreasse agayn in more and more degrees.
Thus loue to mortall man so great a fauor giues,
That him immortall makes, so that hee euer liues.
The man that liues alone I may vnhappie call,
For who will help him vp if hee doo chance to fall?
Who will partake his payn, who will his wo bemone?
All burthens heauier bee when they bee borne alone.
Two twisted cordes in one, in dooble strenght do last,
When no one single string can dure or hold so fast.
And hee that yeilds no frute whereby the world must liue
The honor also wants which children parents giue.
And thow of female sex, who can thy woorth approue?
That from thy inward thoghts sequestreth kyndest loue.
More wofull then the man, voyd of supporte and stay,
What will thee benefit thy euer saying nay?
When tyme thy froward will, in swiftnes shal outrunne,
And cause thy rofie red and lillie whyte bee donne,
And make thy faire plum cheeks & corall lippes look than.
Abated and full thin, vnseemly pale and wan.
When thy faire frisled heare set vp & pleated braue,
To greynesse shalbe turn'd, or that thow baldnesse haue.

When furrowes ouerspred the fore-head of thy face,
Then mayst thow rue thy yeares lost in sweet loues disgrace
And beeing but alone, deuoyd of comforte left,
To think thow haest thy self eu'n of thy self bereft.
No husband nor no chyld, thow haest to hope vpon,
Thy fortune, youth, and ioy, is altogether gon.
And beeing gon and past are not to bee regayned,
Where loue had honor broght that longer had remayned.
Then shall thy beautie past haue serued thee no more,
Then gold the miser doth that hoords it still in store.
Or some ritche diamond deep hid vvithin the grownd,
Which turnes to nomannes good because it lyes vnfound.
To bee of Man belou'd, thow in the vvorld arte borne,
Wilt thow thy sweetest good so fondly hold in scorne.
What can there bee more sweet, then deerly lou'd to bee,
Of such an one as hath moste deer esteem of thee.
That to thee day and night will shew himself so kynd,
That vvill to thee disclose the secrets of his mynd.
That will with thee imparte his dolor and his ioy;
And beare his parte with thee of solace and annoy,
His passions louingly to read vpon his face,
His anger to conuert to fauor and to grace.
Him oft-tymes in himself forlorne for to see,
But ioyfully agayn, to fynd himself in thee.

Thus rightwell mayst thow heer the ioyes of heauen proue,
Vnlesse thow fondly passe thy youthfull tyme to loue.
Therefore you that are youg liue in the cours of kynd,
And louingly ensue what nature hath assygn'd.
My reasons alwayes will associate your desyres,
Who nature not ensues, fortune from him retyres.
Read and regard this book which I to thee imparte,
My force heer shalt thow fynd, my custome and my arte:
And vvhoso shall this vvoork in good esteem retayn,
Shall yeild the onlie meed that vvil reward the payn.

Eu'n as wee do the yeare in seasons fowre deuyde,
So is the age of Man accordingly contryued.
When chyldhead, youth, mid-age, & old age is arryued.
Ruled in each degree by cours of tyme and tyde.
This book for childrens view hath not intended been,
Nor yet for aged men who rather do deuyse,
On honor, virtue, welth, or to bee demed wyse.
All thease for such as they are heer not to bee seen.
Loues fassion and his trade how hee with youth proceeds,
What meanes hee vseth moste in acting louers deeds.
His passions and his paynes, his bitter and his sweet,
His constancie and troth his virtues most esteemed.
His power, his warre & peace, & els what may bee deemed,
The yonger sorte may see, in all occasions meet.

EMBLEMATA AMORVM.

Loue is euerlasting.

No tyme can ruin loue, true loue wee must intend,
Because not lasting still it hath not that esteem,
The endlesse serpent-ring vnending tyme doth seem,
Wherein loue still remaines from euer hauing end.

Only one.

No number els but one in Cupids right is claymed,
All numbers els besydes he sets his foot vpon,
Because a louer ought to loue but only one.
A streame disperst in partes the force thereof is maymed.

Two vnited.

The graffe that in the tree by arte is fixed fast,
Kynd nature doth conioyn to grow in one together,
So two loues ioynd in one one root doth nowrish either,
In one hart and desyre they both do liue and last.

Cleer and pure.

Euen as the perfect glasse doth rightly shew the face,
The louer must appeer right as hee is in deed,
For in the law of loue hath loyaltie decreed,
That falshood with true loue must haue no byding place.

A wished warre.

The woundes that louers giue are willingly receaued,
When with two dartes of loue each hits each others harte,
Th'ones hurt the others cures and takes away the smarte,
So as no one of both is of his wish bereaued.

Contending encreaseth loue.

Cupid and Anteros do stryue the palme to haue,
Louing and beeing lou'd together do contend,
The victorie doth moste on louing best depend,
Which either rightly deemes his truest loue may craue.

Lyke fortune to both.

Fortune one cup doth fill equall to louers twayn,
And how-so-ere the taste bee either sowre or sweet,
To one and vnto both it equally is meet,
That either haue his parte in pleasure or in payn.

As the one hand washeth the other.

Loue aydfull vnto loue kynd actions do descry,
The louer beeing lame directs him that is blynd,
The blynd that beares the lame declares his louing mynd,
Thus the defects of th'one the other doth supply.

Vnion is loues wish.

The louers long desyre his hope doth keep contented,
That lastly with his loue vnited hee agree.
One mynd in bodyes twayn may well conioyned bee,
But yet with payn to both when bodyes are absented.

Nothing hindreth loue.

None els but Cupid can put back the terme of loue,
To which all must giue place, yea Ioue himself and all,
Each beeing by his power broght in subiectyue thralle.
Saue only loue it self which force may not remoue.

Loue subdueth all.

When Cupid drew his bow bright Phebus brest to wound,
Althogh quoth hee to him, thow Python down haest broght
As beasts farre lesse then Gods in all esteem are thoght,
So thy force lesse then myne know that it shal bee found.

Nothing resisteth loue.

No iron nor no steel the force of loue can sheeld,
The little archers darte doth pierce where-so hee list,
And makes the force of Mars vnable to resist,
Thus by him all the world is vanquisht and must yeild.

Hee that catcheth at much takes bold of litle.

Hee that two hares doth chase gets sildome anie one,
So lykwyse doth hee speed that doth two loues embrace,
For true loue still by kynde flyes from a double face,
Deuyded loue deserues the loyall loue of none.

By litle and litle.

The ox will not at first endure to beare the yoke,
But trayned is in tyme to bee therewith enured,
So hee lykwyse that will to loue not bee alured,
Must bee content in tyme that loue shall beare the stroke.

To late to fly.

Tis now in vayn to fly fond louer as thow arte,
It bootes thee not at all to run thow wotst not where,
For that which makes thee fly thy self in thee doest beare.
But to fly from thy self surpasseth all thy arte.

Loue is not to bee measured.

The measure and the rayn Cupid reiecteth quyte,
For loue is measurelesse and doth no rule contayn
To stryue to brydle loue is labor spent in vayn.
For each thing measure keeps saue only Cupids might.

Loue is the cause of virtue.

Moste great and woorthie deeds had neuer bin atchyued,
If in respect of loue they had not bin begunne,
Loues victorie hath made more victories bee wonne,
From loue-bred virtue then thus were they first deryued.

All depends vpon loue.

The litle God of loue transpearseth with his dartes
The heauens, and eke the earth in musicall accord,
For without loue it were a chaos of discord,
Thats fastned now in one of well conioyned partes.

More strong then Atlas.

Atlas the heauens bore as poets haue vs told,
Whome Hercules did help, for which both are admyred,
But more is Cupids power, where no ayd is requyred,
Which by mayn force of loue doth heauen and earth vphold.

The north-starre of loue.

From supreame power and might almost to euerie one,
Ordayned is a mate of it self proper kynde,
Which as the Adamant atrackts the louers mynde,
What heau'n and loue once doth can bee vndonne by none.

Beginings are dificill.

When loue first makes approche accesse to loue to gayn,
Seeking by sute to get his ladies loue and grace,
Feares pulles him back behynd, and shame doth mash his face,
And so twixt hope and feare perplext hee doth remayn.

Fly in the middest.

See that thy cours bee right with Dedalus addrest,
For if thow fly to high disdayn may thee disgrace,
Or if to low thow fly thow doest thy self debase,
For lyke to loue his lyke befitteth euer best.

Loues triall.

As gold is by the fyre and by the fournace tryde,
And thereby rightly known if it bee bad or good,
Hard fortune and destresse do make it vnderstood,
Where true loue doth remayn and fayned loue resyde.

Demonstration more effectuall then speech.

Loue rather is in deed by demonstration shewn,
Then told with sugred woords whose value is but wynd,
For speech may please the eare, and not disclose the mynd.
But fraudlesse is the loue whereas the harte is known.

No loue without warre.

Loue hath his formed camp, his soldiers louers are,
They keep watch day and night within their court of gard,
The harme of heat or cold they litle do regard,
Gainst enuy they are set to make defensyue warre.

Enuy is loues shadow.

The more the Sunne shynes cleer the darker shadows bee,
The more loue doth appeer the more is enuy seen,
For enuy hath of loue the shadow euer been,
And loue securest lyes within dark secresie.

Virtue the guyd of loue.

Hercules leadeth loue and loue thereby doth gayn,
Great cowrage to performe what-so loues dutie byndes,
For loue by virtue led no difficultie fyndes,
To vndergo for loue attempts of anie paynes.

Loue requyres sinceritie.

Loue in what ere hee doth, doth not disguise his face,
His harte lyes on his toung, vnseen hee neuer goes,
Hee weares no Giges ring, hee is not one of those,
Hee doth vnclose his thoghts, to gayn vnfayned grace

Loue is wroght with tyme.

The beare her yong-ones doth to shape by licking bring,
Which at the verie first but lumps of flesh are thoght,
So by kynd louing artes loue is to fassion broght,
How so at first it seem a strange vnformed thing.

Hope feedeth.

Hope is the nurs of loue, and yeildeth sweet relief,
Hope ouercomes delayes and easeth lingring smarte,
Hope in the louers brest maintaynes a constant harte,
For hopelesly to loue is but a cureles grief.

Loue blyndeth.

Loue by his fancies led doth lightly go a syde,
And thogh starck blynd hee bee hee stumbling forward goes,
Because his wysest way hee neither sees nor knowes,
Wisdome to bee in loue is eu'n to Goddes denyde.

As loue will.

As the camelion is, so must the louer bee,
And oft his colour change, lyke that whereon hee standes,
His louers will his will, her bidding his comaunds,
And altred from himself right altred as is shee.

Loue excelleth all.

With Cupid is no birth esteem or welth preferd,
A King a shepheards lasse to loue hee maketh seen,
And that a shepheards loue may light vpon a Queen,
Equalitie of state loue litle doth regard.

Loue often deaf.

What euer fame brutes foorth which tendeth to disgrace,
Of loues deer prysed loue; hee not endures to heare,
But makes himself bee deaf by stopping either eare,
To shew hee will not giue to ill opinion place.

The mouth is the discouerer of the mynd.

There where the smarte is felt the hand is lightly layd,
And what the harte contaynes that doth the mouth discouer,
Much for to speak of loue doth manifest the louer,
By often speech of loue loue often is betrayd.

Loues secresie is in silence.

Both by the peach and goos is silence signifyed,
The louer must in loue to silence bee enclynd,
For speaking of his loue bewrayes the louers mynd,
But silence vs'd in loue doth make it vnespyed.

For freedome seruitude.

The cap of libertie loue vnder foot doth tread,
And holdeth fast the yoke of thraldome seeming sweet,
The name of beeing free is to no louer meet,
For loue him freely doth to willing bondage lead.

Loues shyning Sunne.

As the flowre heliotrope doth to the Sunnes cours bend,
Right so the louer doth vnto his loue enclyne,
On her is fixt his thoghts, on her hee casts his eyen,
Shee is the shyning Sunne wherto his hart doth wend.

Not swaruing from right.

Euen as the plomet doth depend directly down,
The louer must not sway to th'one or th'other syde,
But euer to his loue direct and rightly byde,
For swaying once awry hee loseth his renown.

Loue growes by fauour.

The yong and tender sproutes wee often watred see,
And thereby to grow vp and fragrantly to flowrish,
So fauour donne to loue kynd loue the more doth nowrish
Whereby the frutes of loue at last enioyed bee.

Loue is author of eloquence.

Loue doth the louers toung to eloquence dispose,
With sweet conceats of loue his ladies eares to please,
And thereby moue her harte his restlesse care to ease,
For loues inuentions oft great science do disclose.

Loue is the schoolmaster of artes.

Cupid doth teach by note the louer well to sing,
As somtyme Hercules hee learned for to spinne,
All artes almoste that bee did first from loue beginne,
Loue makes the louer apt to euerie kynd of thing.

Occasion causeth theft.

The hungrie having meat can hardly it refrayn,
The thirstie at the well can il forbeare to drink,
The louer with his loue tyme seruing one would think,
For to enioy her loue as litle can abstayn.

Good earnest hapneth in sporte.

The subtil snares of loue in sporte and vnaware,
As if t'were but in iest do catche the louer fast,
Vnwittingly hee is loues prisner at the last,
Sporte not therefore with loue if thow wilt shun his snare.

Loue parforce.

Cupid doth oft constrayn those of contrarie will,
To bring them vnto loue that to no loue wil bend,
By brydling hee them tames and makes them condescend
Gainst those of greatest force, hee sets his force and skill.

The slow louer speeds not.

The tortes by the which is signifyed sloth,
Cupid doth from him beat for slothfullnes hee hates,
On watchfull speedynes hee diligently waites,
To vse delay in loue the louer must bee loth.

Loue fyndeth meanes.

Behold how Cupid heer to crosse the sea doth prooue,
His quiuer is his bote, his bow hee makes his ore,
His winges serue for his sayles, and so loue euermore
Leaues nothing to bee donne to come vnto his loue.

Loue hath no rest.

Loue cannot bee in rest in anie seat or place,
Hee neuer takes repose but daylie doth deuyse,
By pleasing to obtayn grace in his mistris eyes,
Which neuer watchfull loue omitts in anie case.

Loue inwardly consumeth.

The licor in a pot thogh clos'd away it flyes,
Consuming through the fyre that is without it plac'd,
So doth the louers harte within him wear and waste,
By those bright radiant beames of his faire mistris eyes.

Perseuerance winneth.

The hare and tortes layd a wager of their speed,
Who first of both should come vnto a place they ment,
The hare ran oft & rested, the tortes alwayes went,
The tortes wan, and so the louer must proceed.

100

Loue hath no feare.

The hare denoting feare, loue treadeth down wee see,
For his cowragious mynd may not thereby bee moued,
Hee shewes vnto his loue how well shee is beloued,
And lets his fearlesse mynd thereof the vvitnesse bee.

102

For one pleasure a thowsand paynes.

Euen as the moth vvith ioy about the candle flyes,
But by the flame is burnt if hee therein do light,
So at the fyre of loue the louer takes delight,
But buyes his pleasure deer vvhen in the flame hee dyes,

104

Loue is resisted at first or neuer.

Whoso vvill shun to loue and liue at freedomes rate,
Must shut loue out of dores in anie manner vvise,
For if hee once get in then canst thovv not deuise,
To get him to be gon because it is to late.

106

Fortune aydeth the audatious.

Fortune the louer aydes in combat hee is in,
When valiantly he fights with enuy and with shame,
And shewes hee not deserues a coward louers name,
Faint louers merit not faire ladies for to winne.

108

VVhere the end is good all is good.

The ship toste by the waues doth to no purpose saile,
Vnlesse the porte shee gayn whereto her cours doth tend,
Right so th'euent of loue appeereth in the end,
For losse it is to loue and neuer to preuaile.

110

Bold and redie.

A swift and redie hand belongeth to a louer,
To take hold where hee sees aduantage to bee sought,
That no occasion chance to slip away vncaught,
Because if hee it lose, hee can it not recouer.

112

Loue lyketh darknes.

To vse loue in the light that Cupid lyketh not,
But in some secret place, or where no light is left,
That there vnseen hee may comitt dame venus theft,
As if bread sauor'd best that were by stealing got.

114

Loue altreth nature.

Thear's not so dul an asse but Cupid hath the power,
Through loue to whet his wittes, and mend his doltish mynd,
The slow hee maketh quick, hee often altreth kynd,
Hee giueth manie gifts, but mixeth sweet with sowre.

116

Strengthened by trauaile.

Eu'n as the stately oke whome forcefull wyndes do moue,
Doth fasten more his root the more the tempest blowes,
Against disastres loue in firmnes greater growes,
And makes each aduers chance a witnes of his loue.

118

Mouing maketh vniting.

The milk beeing moued long his nature seemes to leaue,
And in another kynd is vnto vnion broght,
Right so two louers myndes may not in one bee wroght,
Before the louer first repulses do receaue.

120

Loue refuseth help.

Loue lying sick in bed reiecteth phisiks skill,
The cause of all his grief it grieues him to remoue,
Hee knowes loue woorks his grief, yet will not leaue to loue,
No reason nor no herb can then recure his ill.

122

Absence killeth.

Not to enioy the sight of my faire ladies face,
Makes nothing vnto mee to yeeld his true delight,
The lillie seemeth black, the Sunne to lack his light,
Through absence of my loue thus altred is the case.

124

Loues miserie.

Loue liues in miserie and often doth sustayn,
The harmes of heat and cold, and therefore doth desyre,
That Cupids bow were broke and quenched were his fyre,
All louers or the moste of miserie complayn.

126

Out of sight out of mynde.

The glasse doth shew the face whyle thereon one doth look,
But gon, it doth another in lyke manner shew,
Once beeing turn'd away forgotten is the view,
So absence hath bin cause the louer loue forsook.

128

Loue bought and sold.

Loue iustly may complayn, and great abuse relate,
In seeing loue to bee somtymes for treasure sold,
As thogh high prysed loue were no more woorth then gold,
And marchants might it sell at ordinarie rate.

130

The chasing goeth before the taking.

Before the deer bee caught it first must hunted bee,
The Ladie eke pursu'd before shee bee obtaynd,
Payn makes the greater woorth of ought thats thereby gaynd,
For nothing easly got wee do esteemed see.

132

Loues ioy is reuyued by letters.

When loue impatient growes through absence & delay,
And with his loue to bee no remedie can fynd,
Loue letters come to him & tell his louers mynd,
Whereby his ioy is kept from dying and decay.

134

Loue enkindleth loue.

A kynd of wood there is, that rubbed with thesame,
Doth first encrease in heat and lastly come on fyre,
So do two louers eyes encrease their hot desyre,
When loues augmented force doth both their hartes enflame.

136

Lost loues speedie recouerie.

The candle thats blown out, may bee blown in agayn,
If straight-wayes it bee donne, whyle fyre doth yet endure,
So loue by chance put out, loue may perchance recure,
But it must bee in tyme, els blowing is in vayn.

138

Loue lacketh quietnes.

The flickering flame of fyre may not bee holden fast,
But too and fro it fleets & neuer can bee stayd,
So doth the louers mynd through loues distraction strayd,
As both in wish and wil resolued not to last.

140

Loue excused from periurie.

The louer freedome hath to take a louers oth,
Whith if it proue vntrue hee is to bee excused,
For venus doth dispence in louers othes abused,
And loue no fault comitts in swearing more then troth.

142

After a tempest a calme.

The sea is neuer still but when the wynd appeaseth,
Right so the louers mynd is neuer in repose,
Till fortunes rage bee donne, & enuie force doth lose,
The cause of ill remou'd, the ill soon after ceaseth.

144

Loue will appeer.

The fyre of Cupids heat can hardly hidden bee,
Some crannie or some hole can make loue bee espyde,
And oftentymes the more when louers do it hyde,
For loue may not bee sure that noman shall it see.

146

Fauour encreaseth loues force.

The flame doth more encrease by blowing of the wynd,
So the sweet breath of loue in kynd woords vttred foorth,
Encreaseth loue the more, and makes it more of woorth,
Loue not by fauour fed can no encreasing fynd.

148

Loue night and day attendant.

Loue alwayes doth attend the louer day and night,
For if hee sleep or wake still with him will hee bee,
Awake to him hee speakes, In dreames hee doth him see,
Repose enioyd of all, denyeth him delight.

150

Lookes are loues arrowes.

My loues lookes vnto mee, the force of loue empartes,
Each glance an arrow is, which from her eyes proceed,
Now Cupid rest thy self, to shoot thow haste no need,
For her lookes wound my harte aswell as do thy dartes.

152

The louers hart is Cupids whyte.

Right at the louers hart is Cupids ayme adrest,
Hee takes it for his whyte & neuer shootes awry,
Nor doth hee ceasse to shoot, but shaft on shaft lets fly.
And glorieth in the fame of his own shooting best.

154

No help for the louer.

The hert that wounded is, knowes how to fynd relief,
And makes by dictamon the arrow out to fall,
And with the self-same herb hee cures his wound withall,
But loue no herb can fynd to cure his inward grief.

156

Blynd fortune blyndeth loue.

Somtyme blynd fortune can make loue bee also blynd,
And with her on her globe to turne & wheel about,
When cold preuailes to put light loues faint feruor out,
But feruent loyall loue may no such fortune fynde.

158

Loues labor spent in vayn.

The fyre is strook in vayn where tinder there is none,
So is the loue but lost where it enkindleth not,
For loue must nowrish loue & keep it kyndly hot,
No loue can euer liue where it must liue alone.

160

No pleasure without payn.

In plucking of the rose is pricking of the thorne,
In the attayning sweet, is tasting of the sowre,
With ioy of loue is mixt the sharp of manie a showre,
But at the last obtaynd, no labor is forlorne.

162

Loue is pittilesse.

As Mars with humayn blood & spoyles and ouerthrowes,
Is not to pittie mou'd, when hee in rage is heated,
So Cupid by no plaints nor teares will bee intreated,
The more that hee is prayd the lesse he pittie shewes.

164

Slow in departing.

Cupid doth come in haste, but slow away hee goth,
A speedie cause hee fynds that his returne may stay,
Hope makes him to belieue ther's comfort in delay,
Feare of departing payn, to parte doth make him loth.

166

Dreames do produce ioy.

Loues fancies in the day, turne into dreames by night.
Then thinkes hee that his loue before him present is,
And that hee doth enioy his hartes desyred blisse,
But waxing once awake hee loseth that delight.

168

Loue is loues phisition.

By whome the harme is wroght the remedie is found,
The causer of the smart, is causer of the ease,
Hee cures the sicknesse best, that caused the disease,
Loue must the plaster lay, where loue hath made the wound.

170

Loues fyre is vnquencheable.

No water slakes loues heat, but makes his fyre to flame,
Cupids hart-burning fyre, makes water for to burne,
By coldnes hee doth cause encreasing heates returne,
Where loue hath hope of help, his harme lyes in thesame.

172

Brown beries are sweet of taste.

Cupid not alwayes doth, shoot at the fayrest whyte,
But at the louely brown, moste often drawes his bow,
Good gesture and fyne grace, he hath the skill to know,
Delighting for to chuse, the cause of his delight.

174

Loue vseth manie meanes.

The iuie ought can fynd his weaknes to supporte,
So doth the louer seek his fastning hold to take,
Of each occasion meet, aduantage for to make,
For nought must ouerslip that may his good importe.

176

Shewing causeth curing.

The paynfull wounded wight may boldly playn his grief,
And open lay his wound before his Surgions eyes,
So to thy louer shew where thy hartes dolor lyes,
The knowing the disease, is first cause of relief.

178

Proffred seruice past the date, Is wished when it is to late.

Loues offred seruice may for fassion bee refused,
If yeilding at the first vnseemly shall bee thoght,
But oft reiecting it, may make it to bee soght,
And wisht agayn to late, with follie vnexcused.

180

Loue endures no compagnion.

Loue none with him admits, in loue to haue a parte,
All were it Ioue himself hee'l make him to bee gon,
Loue nor yet Lordship do endure a paragon,
Loue wil alone enioy his ladies loving harte.

182

Fortune is loues looking-glas.

Eu'n as a perfect glasse doth represent the face,
Iust as it is in deed, not flattring it at all.
So fortune telleth by aduancement or by fall,
Th'euent that shall succeed, in loues luck-tryed case.

184

Loue in enduring death.

If loues beloued should, all mortall hatred shew,
Gainst him by swoord & fyre, by torment & by death,
Yet constant hee remaynes, whyle hee hath anie breath,
True loue in death it self, none can vnconstant know.

186

The greater loue, the greater feare.

The greater loue doth grow, the more doth feare abound,
Since for what moste wee loue moste care wee euer take,
Thus loue doth make our feare, & feare our loue doth make,
Hee that hath feare of losse, is carelesse neuer found.

188

Loues teares are his testimonies.

The teares of loue do serue for witnessing his wo,
His ardent loue the fyre, the fournace is his harte,
The wynd that blowes it, sighs, that rise from inward smarte,
The limbeke his two eyes, from whence his teares do flow.

190

Loue killed by his owne nouriture.

The torche is by the wax maintayned whyle it burnes,
But turned vpsyde-down it straight goes out & dyes,
Right so by Cupids heat the louer lyues lykewyse,
But thereby is hee kild, when it contrarie turnes.

192

Contentment in conceat.

Loues recompence is oft, but eu'n the thoghts of loue,
Imagining hee sees his mistris louely face,
And thogh shee absent bee, hee thinkes shee is in place,
And thus this all hee hath, nothing at all doth proue.

194

Loue hateth pryde.

The taile loue treadeth down of the prowd pecock braue,
Because hee hateth pryde, & hath it in disdayn,
Equalitie in loue hee thinkes doth loue mayntayn,
And for to please his loue will please to bee a slaue.

196

Loue giues cold entretaynment.

Vnwise is hee that will in that inne lodged bee,
Where as loue is the hoste that must him entertayn,
And there in steed of wyne doth make him drink his bayn,
How can hee perill scape that seekes it not to flee.

198

Loues endurance.

Where euer loue is plac'd in either hill or dale,
By south or els by north, in either cold or heat,
Eu'n at the push of pyke or perilles nere so great,
No danger nor no dread against him can preuaile.

200

No labor wearisome.

Loue onlie is asham'd to call his labor payn,
How heauie so it bee, for toyling is his ease,
As hee that hunts or haukes, his trauail doth him please,
Because his whole content lyes in the hope of gayn.

202

Loues infinite paynes.

There are not in the sea more billowes to bee found,
Nor on the sandie shore more cast vp cocle shelles,
But that the griefs of loue those numbers farre excelles
When aduers fortune doth in her mishappes abound.

204

Loue causeth liberalitie.

The wretched gredie mynd by auarice opprest,
Loue liberall can make, how fast his pursse bee closed,
No locks nor stringes can hold, but lightly they are losed,
When loue hath with his darte, but prickt him in the brest.

206

Loue had neuer foul mistris.

Shee whome loue doth affect hee holdeth to bee faire,
His deer-beloued foul hee not at all esteemeth,
What in her is amisse, amisse hee neuer deemeth,
For loue doth all defects of his belou'd repaire.

208

Loue pacifyeth the wrathfull.

Cupid the swoord of Mars out of his hand can wring,
And soone aswage his wrath how furious so hee bee,
Loue can do more then stryf, by this effect wee see,
The sturdie and the stout loue doth to myldnes bring.

210

By continuance.

Not with one stroke at first the great tree goes to grownd,
But it by manie strokes is made to fall at last,
The drop doth pierce the stone by falling long and fast,
So by enduring long long soght-for loue is found.

212

Choise breeds confusion.

Lyke to the wench that comes where fragrant flowers growes,
And still that flower plucks whereof first choise shee makes,
But it assoone forgets as shee another takes,
So doth the wauering mynd, for new choyce elder lose.

214

VVithout ceasing.

Behold a wood of shafts in the hart-placed syde,
Which Cupid there hath shot & ceaseth not to shoot,
Each day new dolor breeds, & playning doth not boot,
Yet all this, and yet more, will constant loue abyde.

216

The vnkynd louer killeth with laghing countenance.

The Crocodil sheds teares when shee a man destroyes,
The louer thats vnkynd doth lagh when shee doth kill,
But laght-at in distresse denotes a hatefull will,
The laghing serpent moste the louing harte annoyes.

218

Soon kindled soon consumed.

Straw straightwayes kindled is, & straightwayes it doth flame,
But as it kindleth soon soon it consumes away,
So loue enkindled soon dothe eu'n asson decay,
All thinges begun in haste end also as thesame.

220

Dissimulation is loues wisdome.

Not to deceaue his loue doth loue the visard vse,
Althogh disguys'd hee seem his mistris need not feare,
It is those to deceaue, thar secret malice beare,
Thereby to be secure from euill tounges abuse.

222

First pleasant & afterward painfull.

Eu'n as the Sun yeilds ioy when it beginnes to rise,
And at noontyde doth scortche in greatnesse of his heat,
So loue appeering first, yeilds pleasure passing great,
But burning in his rage, there payn for pleasure lyes.

224

By force made more forceible.

When there is ought that will the running stream restrayn,
It doth enrage with noyse thogh it before were still,
If fortune or ought els force loue against his will,
Then his desyre gainsayd, by force hee seekes to gayn.

226

Loue neuer vntroobled.

As billowes in the sea against the rocks do beat,
So thoghts both day and night perturb the louers mynd,
For loue right sildome can reposed quiet fynd,
Because his restlesse thoghts his rest so ill entreat.

228

Loue liueth by fyre.

Vnhu'rt amidds the fyre the Salamander liues,
The louer in the fyre of loue delight doth take,
Where loue thereby to liue his nouriture doth make,
What others doth destroy lyf to the louer giues.

230

Euer thesame.

When flowers are fresh & fayre wee take in them delight,
But vaded once and donne, all their esteem is paste,
Loue doth contrariwise in all tymes lyue and last,
For tyme must not bereaue true loue of due and right.

232

Euen to the end.

The match that kindled is, lasts burning to the end,
So when the fyre is once in the true louers harte,
There doth it lasting burne, and neuer doth departe,
For on still lasting doth the louers truthe depend.

234

The old fox is oft beguyled.

Look look how loue somtyme the old fox doth ensnare,
Or with his arrow hit whyle hee would runne away,
Not onlie youth is caught in snares that loue doth lay,
But eu'n the craftie old want craft for to beware.

236

Loues harte is euer young.

Tis onlie tyme that can the winges of Cupid clip,
And make him fly more low then he was wont to doo,
But Tyme clips not away his good will thereunto,
The aged carter loues to heare the lashing whip.

238

Loue exceeds in subtiltie.

Thogh Argus do not want an hundreth eyes to see,
Yet Cupid by his pype can bring them closse a-sleep,
But who a-sleep can ought from Cupid safely keep?
When watchfulnes it self deceau'd by him may bee.

240

Onlie for the chase.

Loue somtyme doth delight to hold his hunting race,
And hauing hit the deer that first hee lyked best,
Some other doth pursue and let the former rest,
Not seeking for to haue, but onlie for to chace.

242

It is good sayling before the wynd.

Loues happynes is heer by wynd and tydes accord,
Borne forward with full sayle vnto the wished porte,
But of this fortune few can iustly make reporte,
That enuy should not one contrarie blast afford.

244

Loue after death.

The vyne doth still embrace the elme by age ore-past,
Which did in former tyme those feeble stalks vphold,
And constantly remaynes with it now beeing old,
Loue is not kild by death, that after death doth last.

246

Triall made to late.

Too late the proof is made to make true meaning seen,
When by noght els but death it onlie must bee known,
Tis too extreme a proof where such effect is shewn,
Enough but not toomuch, alas enough had been.