The Pastime of Pleasure by Stephen Hawes A literal reprint of the earliest complete copy (1517) with variant readings from the editions of 1509, 1554, and 1555 together with introduction notes, glossary, and indexes: By William Edward Mead |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IIII. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIIII. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIIII. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
The copy of the letter. Ca. xxxi.
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| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
| XLII. |
| XLIIII. |
| XLV. |
| XLVI. |
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The copy of the letter. Ca. xxxi.
The Pastime of Pleasure by Stephen Hawes |  |
XXXI. The copy of the letter. Ca. xxxi.
Right gentyll herte of grene flourynge age
The sterre of beaute and of famous porte
Consyder well that your lusty courage
Age of his cours must at the last transporte
Now trouth of ryght dooth our selfe exorte
That you your youth in ydlenes wyll spende
Withouten pleasure to brynge it to an ende
The sterre of beaute and of famous porte
Consyder well that your lusty courage
Age of his cours must at the last transporte
Now trouth of ryght dooth our selfe exorte
That you your youth in ydlenes wyll spende
Withouten pleasure to brynge it to an ende
What was the cause of your creacyon
But man to loue the worlde to multeply
As to sowe the sede of generacyon
With feruent loue so well conuenyently
The cause of loue engendreth perfytely
Vpon an entente of dame Nature
Whiche you haue made so fayre a creature
But man to loue the worlde to multeply
As to sowe the sede of generacyon
With feruent loue so well conuenyently
The cause of loue engendreth perfytely
Vpon an entente of dame Nature
Whiche you haue made so fayre a creature
Than of dame nature what is the entent
But to accomplysshe her fayre sede to sowe
In suche a place as is conuenyent
To goddes pleasure for to encrease and growe
The kynde of her ye may not ouerthrowe
Say what ye lyst ye can nothynge deny
But otherwyle ye thynke full pryuely
150
In suche a place as is conuenyent
To goddes pleasure for to encrease and growe
The kynde of her ye may not ouerthrowe
Say what ye lyst ye can nothynge deny
But otherwyle ye thynke full pryuely
What the man is and what he can do
Of chambre werke as nature wyll agre
Though by experyence ye knowe nothynge therto
Yet ofte ye muse and thynke what it may be
Nature prouoketh of her stronge degre
You so to as hath ben her olde guyse
Why well you than the true loue dyspyse
Of chambre werke as nature wyll agre
Though by experyence ye knowe nothynge therto
Yet ofte ye muse and thynke what it may be
Nature prouoketh of her stronge degre
You so to as hath ben her olde guyse
Why well you than the true loue dyspyse
In your courte there is a byll presented
By graunde amoure whose herte in dures
You fast haue fettred not to be absented
Frome your persone with mortall heuynes
His herte and seruyce with all gentylnes
He to you oweth as to be obedyent
For to fulfyll your swete commaundement
By graunde amoure whose herte in dures
You fast haue fettred not to be absented
Frome your persone with mortall heuynes
His herte and seruyce with all gentylnes
He to you oweth as to be obedyent
For to fulfyll your swete commaundement
What you auayleth your beaute so fayre
Your lusty youthe and gentyll countenaunce
Without that you in your mynde wyll repayre
It for to spende in Ioye and pleasaunce
To folowe the trace of dame natures daunce
And thus in doynge you shall your seruaunt hele
Of his dysease / and hurte you neuer adele
Your lusty youthe and gentyll countenaunce
Without that you in your mynde wyll repayre
It for to spende in Ioye and pleasaunce
To folowe the trace of dame natures daunce
And thus in doynge you shall your seruaunt hele
Of his dysease / and hurte you neuer adele
One must you loue it can not be denyed
For harde it is to voyde you of the chaunce
Than loue hym best that you haue so arayed
With fyry chaynes fettred in penaunce
For he is redy without doubtaunce
In euery thynge sor to fulfyll your wyll
And as ye lyst ye may hym saue or spyll
For harde it is to voyde you of the chaunce
151
With fyry chaynes fettred in penaunce
For he is redy without doubtaunce
In euery thynge sor to fulfyll your wyll
And as ye lyst ye may hym saue or spyll
Alas what payne and mortall wo
Were it to you / and ye were in lyke cace
With hym dysmayde whiche you haue rayed so
Wolde you not than thynke it a longe space
In his swete herte to haue a dwellynge place
Than in your mynde ye may reuolue that he
Moost longe do thynke that Ioyfull day to se
Were it to you / and ye were in lyke cace
With hym dysmayde whiche you haue rayed so
Wolde you not than thynke it a longe space
In his swete herte to haue a dwellynge place
Than in your mynde ye may reuolue that he
Moost longe do thynke that Ioyfull day to se
Is not he yonge bothe wyse and lusty
And eke descended of the gentyll lyne
What wyll you more haue of hym truly
Than you to serue as true loue wyll enclyne
But as I thynke you do now determyne
To fyxe your mynde for worldly treasure
Though in your youth ye lese your pleasure
And eke descended of the gentyll lyne
What wyll you more haue of hym truly
Than you to serue as true loue wyll enclyne
But as I thynke you do now determyne
To fyxe your mynde for worldly treasure
Though in your youth ye lese your pleasure
Alas remembre fyrst your beaute
Your youthe / your courage / and your tender herte
What payne here after it may to you be
Whan you lacke that whiche is true louers deserte
I tell you this your selfe to conuerte
For lytell knowe ye of this payne ywys
To lyue with hym in whome no pleasure is
Your youthe / your courage / and your tender herte
What payne here after it may to you be
Whan you lacke that whiche is true louers deserte
I tell you this your selfe to conuerte
For lytell knowe ye of this payne ywys
To lyue with hym in whome no pleasure is
Where that is loue there can be no lacke
Fye on that loue for the lande or substaunce
For it must nedes ryght soone abacke
Whan that youth hath no Ioy nor pleasaunce
In the party with natures suffycysaunce
Than wyll you for the synne of aueryche
Vnto your youth do suche a preiudyce
Fye on that loue for the lande or substaunce
For it must nedes ryght soone abacke
152
In the party with natures suffycysaunce
Than wyll you for the synne of aueryche
Vnto your youth do suche a preiudyce
Thus sythen nature hath you well endued
With so moche beaute / and dame grace also
Your vertuous maners hath so moche renued
Exyle dysdayne and let her frome you go
And also straungenes vnto loue the fo
And let no couetyse your true herte subdue
But that in Ioye ye may your youthe ensue
With so moche beaute / and dame grace also
Your vertuous maners hath so moche renued
Exyle dysdayne and let her frome you go
And also straungenes vnto loue the fo
And let no couetyse your true herte subdue
But that in Ioye ye may your youthe ensue
For of I loue the goddes dame Venus
Ryght well to knowe that in the worlde is none
That vnto you shall be more Ioyous
Than graunde amoure that loueth you alone
Syth he so dyde it is many dayes agone
Who euer sawe a fayre yonge herte so harde
Whiche for her sake wolde se her true loue marde
Ryght well to knowe that in the worlde is none
That vnto you shall be more Ioyous
Than graunde amoure that loueth you alone
Syth he so dyde it is many dayes agone
Who euer sawe a fayre yonge herte so harde
Whiche for her sake wolde se her true loue marde
And so shall he without ye take good hede
Yf he so be / ye be cause of the same
For loue with dethe wyll ye rewarde his mede
And yf ye do ye be to moche to blame
To loue vnloued ye knowe it is no game
Wherfore me thynke ye can do no lesse
But with your loue his paynes to redresse
Yf he so be / ye be cause of the same
For loue with dethe wyll ye rewarde his mede
And yf ye do ye be to moche to blame
To loue vnloued ye knowe it is no game
Wherfore me thynke ye can do no lesse
But with your loue his paynes to redresse
Yf ye do not this may be his songe
Wo worthe the tyme that euer he you met
Wo worthe your herte so doynge hym wronge
Wo worthe the houre that his true herte was set
Wo worthe dysdayne that wolde his purpose let
Wo worthe the floure that can do no bote
Wo worthe you that perst hym at the rote
Wo worthe the tyme that euer he you met
Wo worthe your herte so doynge hym wronge
Wo worthe the houre that his true herte was set
153
Wo worthe the floure that can do no bote
Wo worthe you that perst hym at the rote
Wo worthe my loue the cause of my sorowe
Wo worthe my lady that wyll not it releace
Wo worthe fortune bothe euen and morowe
Wo worthe trouble that shall haue no peace
Wo worthe cruelte that may neuer sease
Wo worthe youthe that wyll no pyte haue
Wo worthe her that wyll not her loue saue
Wo worthe my lady that wyll not it releace
Wo worthe fortune bothe euen and morowe
Wo worthe trouble that shall haue no peace
Wo worthe cruelte that may neuer sease
Wo worthe youthe that wyll no pyte haue
Wo worthe her that wyll not her loue saue
Wo worthe the truste without assuraunce
Wo worthe loue rewarded with hate
Wo worthe loue replete with varyaunce
Wo worthe loue without a frendely mate
Wo worthe the herte with loue at debate
Wo worthe the beaute whiche toke me in snare
Wo worthe her that wyll not cease my care
Wo worthe loue rewarded with hate
Wo worthe loue replete with varyaunce
Wo worthe loue without a frendely mate
Wo worthe the herte with loue at debate
Wo worthe the beaute whiche toke me in snare
Wo worthe her that wyll not cease my care
Wo worthe her maners and her goodlynes
Wo worthe her eyes so clere and amyable
Wo worthe suche cause of my grete sekenes
Wo worthe pyte on her not tendable
Wo worthe her mynde in dysdayne so stable
Wo worthe her that hath me fettred faste
And wo worthe loue that I do spende in waste
Wo worthe her eyes so clere and amyable
Wo worthe suche cause of my grete sekenes
Wo worthe pyte on her not tendable
Wo worthe her mynde in dysdayne so stable
Wo worthe her that hath me fettred faste
And wo worthe loue that I do spende in waste
Wherfore of ryght I pray you to remembre
All that I wryte vnto you ryght nowe
How your true loue is of aege but tendre
His humble seruyce we pray you alowe
And he hym selfe shall euermore enprowe
You for to please and gyue the foueraynte
How can you haue a more true loue than he
All that I wryte vnto you ryght nowe
How your true loue is of aege but tendre
His humble seruyce we pray you alowe
And he hym selfe shall euermore enprowe
154
How can you haue a more true loue than he
And fare ye well there is no more to say
Vnder our sygnet in our courte ryall
Of Septembre the two and twenty day
She closed the letter and to her dyde call
Cupyde her sone so dere and specyall
Commaundynge hym as fast as he myght
To labell pucell for to take his flyght
Vnder our sygnet in our courte ryall
Of Septembre the two and twenty day
She closed the letter and to her dyde call
Cupyde her sone so dere and specyall
Commaundynge hym as fast as he myght
To labell pucell for to take his flyght
So dyde Cupyde with the letter flye
Vnto labell pucelles domynacyon
There that he spedde full well and wonderlye
As I shall after make relacyon
But to my mater with breuyacyon
A turtle I offred for to magnefye
Dame Venus hye estate to gloryfye
Vnto labell pucelles domynacyon
There that he spedde full well and wonderlye
As I shall after make relacyon
But to my mater with breuyacyon
A turtle I offred for to magnefye
Dame Venus hye estate to gloryfye
She me exorted for to be ryght hardy
Forthe on to trauayle and to drede nothynge
I toke my leue of her full humbly
And on my way as I was rydynge
This Godfrey gobylyue came rennynge
With his lytell nagge and cryed tary tary
For I wyll come and bere you company
Forthe on to trauayle and to drede nothynge
I toke my leue of her full humbly
And on my way as I was rydynge
This Godfrey gobylyue came rennynge
With his lytell nagge and cryed tary tary
For I wyll come and bere you company
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The copy of the letter. Ca. xxxi.
The Pastime of Pleasure by Stephen Hawes | |