The Copy of a letter, lately written in meeter, by a yonge Gentilwoman to her unconstant Louer. With an Admonitio[n] to al yong Gentilwomen, and to all other Mayds in general to beware of mennes flattery. By Is. VV. [i.e. Isabella Whitney] Newely ioyned to a Loueletter sent by a Bacheler, (a most faithfull Louer) to an unconstant and faithless Mayden |
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The admonition by the Auctor, to all yong Gentilwomen: |
 | The Copy of a letter, lately written in meeter, by a yonge Gentilwoman |  |
The admonition by the Auctor, to all yong Gentilwomen:
And to al other Maids being in Loue.
Ye Virgins ye from Cupids tentes
do beare away the foyle
Whose hartes as yet we raginge loue
most paynfully do boyle.
do beare away the foyle
Whose hartes as yet we raginge loue
most paynfully do boyle.
To you I speake: for you be they,
that good aduice do lacke:
Oh if I could good counsell geue
my tongue should not be slacke?
that good aduice do lacke:
Oh if I could good counsell geue
my tongue should not be slacke?
But such as I can geue, I wyll.
here in few wordes expresse:
Which if you do obserue, it will
some of your care redresse.
here in few wordes expresse:
Which if you do obserue, it will
some of your care redresse.
Beware of fayre and painted talke,
beware of flattering tonges:
The Mermaides do pretend no good
for all their pleasant Songs.
beware of flattering tonges:
The Mermaides do pretend no good
for all their pleasant Songs.
Some vse the teares of Crocodiles,
contrary to their hart:
And yf they cannot alwayes weepe,
they wet their Cheekes by Art.
contrary to their hart:
And yf they cannot alwayes weepe,
they wet their Cheekes by Art.
Duid, within his Arte of loue,
doth teach them this same knacke
To wet their hād a touch their eies:
so oft as teares they lacke.
doth teach them this same knacke
To wet their hād a touch their eies:
so oft as teares they lacke.
Why haue ye such deceit in store?
haue you such crafty wile?
Lesse craft thē this god knows wold soone
vs simple soules begile.
haue you such crafty wile?
Lesse craft thē this god knows wold soone
vs simple soules begile.
And wyll ye not leaue of? but still
delude vs in this wise?
Sith it is so, we trust we shall,
take hede to fained lies.
delude vs in this wise?
Sith it is so, we trust we shall,
take hede to fained lies.
Trust not a man at the fyrst sight,
but trye him well before:
I wish al Maids within their brests
to kepe this thing in store.
but trye him well before:
I wish al Maids within their brests
to kepe this thing in store.
For triall shal declare his trueth,
and show what he doth think:
Whether he be a Louer true,
or do intend to shrink.
and show what he doth think:
Whether he be a Louer true,
or do intend to shrink.
If SCILLA had not trust to much
before that she dyd trye:
She could not haue ben clene forsake
when she for help did crye.
before that she dyd trye:
She could not haue ben clene forsake
when she for help did crye.
Or yf she had had good aduice
Nisus had liued long:
How durst she trust a strainger, and
do her deare father wrong.
Nisus had liued long:
How durst she trust a strainger, and
do her deare father wrong.
King Nisus had a Haire by fate
which Haire while he dyd kepe:
He neuer should be ouercome
neither on Land nor depe.
which Haire while he dyd kepe:
He neuer should be ouercome
neither on Land nor depe.
The straūger that ye Daughter lou'd
did warre against the King
And alwaies sought how ye he might
them in subiection bring.
did warre against the King
And alwaies sought how ye he might
them in subiection bring.
This Scylla stole away the Haire,
for to obtaine her wyll:
And gaue it to the Straunger that,
dyd straight her father kyll.
for to obtaine her wyll:
And gaue it to the Straunger that,
dyd straight her father kyll.
Then she, who thought her self most sure
to haue her whole desyre:
Was cleane reiect, and left behind
when he dyd whom retyre.
to haue her whole desyre:
Was cleane reiect, and left behind
when he dyd whom retyre.
Or if such falshood had ben once,
vnto Denone knowne:
About the fieldes of Ida wood,
Paris had walkt alone.
vnto Denone knowne:
About the fieldes of Ida wood,
Paris had walkt alone.
Or if Demophoons deceite,
to Phillis had ben tolde:
She had not ben transformed so,
as Poets tell of olde.
to Phillis had ben tolde:
She had not ben transformed so,
as Poets tell of olde.
Hero did trie Leanders truth,
before that she did trust:
Therfore she found him vnto her
both constant, true, and iust.
before that she did trust:
Therfore she found him vnto her
both constant, true, and iust.
For he alwayes did swim the Sea,
when starres in Skie did glide:
Till he was drowned by the way
nere hand vnto the side.
when starres in Skie did glide:
Till he was drowned by the way
nere hand vnto the side.
She scrat her face, she tare her Heir
(it greueth me to tell)
When she did know the end of him,
that she did loue so well.
(it greueth me to tell)
When she did know the end of him,
that she did loue so well.
But like Leander there be fewe,
therfore in time take heede:
And alwayes trie before ye trust,
so shall you better speede.
therfore in time take heede:
And alwayes trie before ye trust,
so shall you better speede.
The little fish that carelesse is,
within the water cleare;
How glad is he, when he doth see,
a Bayt for to appeare.
within the water cleare;
How glad is he, when he doth see,
a Bayt for to appeare.
He thinks his hap right good to bee,
that he the same could spie:
And so the simple foole doth trust
to much before he trie.
that he the same could spie:
And so the simple foole doth trust
to much before he trie.
O little fish what hap hadst thou?
to haue such spitefull fate:
To come into ones cruell hands,
out of so happy state?
to haue such spitefull fate:
To come into ones cruell hands,
out of so happy state?
Thon diddst suspect no harme, when thou
vpon the bait didst looke:
O that thou hadst had Linceus eies
for to haue seene the hooke.
vpon the bait didst looke:
O that thou hadst had Linceus eies
for to haue seene the hooke.
Then hadst thou we thy prety mates
bin playing in the streames
Wheras syr Phebus' dayly doth,
shew forth his golden beames.
bin playing in the streames
Wheras syr Phebus' dayly doth,
shew forth his golden beames.
But sith thy Fortune is so yll
to end thy lyfe on shore:
Of this thy most vnhappy end,
I minde to speake no more.
to end thy lyfe on shore:
Of this thy most vnhappy end,
I minde to speake no more.
But of thy felowes chance that late
such prety shift did make:
That he from fishers hooke did sprit
before he could him take.
such prety shift did make:
That he from fishers hooke did sprit
before he could him take.
And now he pries on euery baite,
suspecting styll that pricke:
(for to lye hid in euery thing)
where with the fishers stricke,
suspecting styll that pricke:
(for to lye hid in euery thing)
where with the fishers stricke,
And since the fish that reason lacks
once warned doth beware:
Why should not we take hede to that
that turneth vs to care.
once warned doth beware:
Why should not we take hede to that
that turneth vs to care.
And I who was deceiued late,
by ones vnfaithfull teares:
Trust now for to beware, if that
I liue this hundreth yeares,
by ones vnfaithfull teares:
Trust now for to beware, if that
I liue this hundreth yeares,
FINIS.
| The Copy of a letter, lately written in meeter, by a yonge Gentilwoman | |