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University of Virginia Library

The Complete Works of George Gascoigne

In Two Volumes

Gascoigne, George (1542?-1577)

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I.

COMMENDATORY VERSES

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The Anatomye of a Lover.

The arraig[n]ment of a Lover.

The passion of a Lover.

A straunge passion of a Lover.

The Divorce of a Lover.

The Lullabie of a Lover.

The lamentation of a lover.

[Thou with thy lookes on whom I loke full ofte]

[I cast mine eye and sawe ten eyes at once]

[What thing is that which swimmes in blisse]

[I grooped in thy pocket pretty peate]

[A lymone (but no Lemmane) Syr you found]

The lookes of a lover forsaken: written by a gentlewoman who passed by him with hir armes set bragging by hir sides, and lefte it unfinished as followeth.

[Howe long she lookt that lookt at me of late]

An other Sonet written by the same Gentlewoman, uppon the same occasion.

To the same gentlewoman because she challenged the Aucthour for holding downe his head alwaies, and for that hee looked not uppon hir in wonted manner.

The Recantacion of a Lover.

In prayse of Bridges, nowe Lady Sandes.

In prayse of Zouche late the Lady Greye of Wilton whome the auctor found in a homely house.

Gascoignes praise of his mistres.

Gascoignes good morrow.

Gascoygnes good night.

The introduction to the Psalme of De profundis.

Gascoignes De profundis.

Gascoignes Memories, written upon this occasion.

The nexte was at request of Antony Kinwelmarshe, who delivered him this theame, Satis sufficit, and thereupon he wrote as foloweth.

John Vaughan delivered him this theame. Magnum vectigal parcimonia, where uppon he wrote thus.

Alexander Nevile delivered him this theame, Sat cito, si sat bene, whereupon hee compiled these seven Sonets in seq[u]ence, therin bewraying his owne Nimis cito: and therwith his Vix bene, as foloweth.

Richarde Courtop (the last of the five) gave him this theame, Durum æneum & miserabile ævum, and thereupon hee wrote in this wise.

And thus an ende of these five Theames, admounting to the number of .CCLVIII. verses, devised ryding by the way, writing none of them untill he came at the ende of his Journey, the which was no longer than one day in ryding, one daye in tarying with his friend, and the thirde in returning to Greyes Inne: and therefore called Gascoignes memories.

An Epitaph upon Captaine Bourcher late slaine in the warres in Zelande, the which hath bene termed the tale of a stone as foloweth.

A devise of a Maske for the right honorable Viscount Mountacute

The refusal of a lover, writen to a gentlewoman who had refused him and chosen a husband (as he thought) much inferior to himselfe, both in knowledge, birth, and parsonage, wherin he bewraieth both their names in clowdes, and how she was won from him with swete gloves, and broken ringes.

Pride in Court written by a Gentlewoman in Court, who (when shee was there placed) seemed to disdaine him, contrarie to a former profession.

This question being propounded by a Dame unto the Aucthour, to witte, why he should write Spreta tamen vivunt, he aunswereth thus.

In trust is Treason, written by a Lover, leaning onelye to his Ladies promises, and finding them to fayle.

The constancie of a lover hath thus sometimes bene briefly declared.

The fruite of foes written to a Gentlewoman, who blamed him for writing his friendly advise in verse unto another lover of hyrs.

A Lover often warned, and once againe droven into fantasticall flames by the chase of company, doth thus bewayle his misfortunes.

The lover encouraged by former examples, determineth to make vertue of necessitie.

The delectable history of sundry adventures passed by Dan Bartholmew of Bathe.

The fruites of Warre,

II.

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The lover encouraged by former examples, determineth to make vertue of necessitie.

When I record with in my musing mind,
The noble names of wightes bewicht in love:
Such solace for my selfe therin I finde,
As nothing maye my fixed fansie move:
But paciently I will endure my wo,
Because I see the heavens ordayne it so.

For whiles I read and ryfle their estates,
In every tale I note mine owne anoye:
But whiles I marke the meanings of their mates,
I seeme to swime in such a sugred joye,
As did (parcase) entise them to delight,
Though turnd at last, to drugges of sower despite.

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Peruse (who list) Dan Davids perfect deedes,
There shall he find the blot of Bersabe,
Wheron to thinke, my heavy hart it bleedes,
When I compare my love like hir to be:
Urias wife before mine eyes that shines,
And David I, from dutie that declines.

Then Salomon this princely Prophetes sonne,
Did Pharaos daughter make him fall or no?
Yes, yes, perdie his wisdome coulde not shoone,
Hir subtill snares, nor from hir counsell go.
I nam

Am not.

(as hee) the wisest wight of all,
But well I wot, a woman holdes me thrall.

So am I lyke the proude Assirian Knight,
Which blasphem'd God, and all the world defied:
Yet could a woman overcome his might,
And daunt his force in all his Pompe and Pride.
I Holiferne, am dronken brought to bead,
My love lyke Judith, cutting of my head.

If I were strong, as some have made accompt,
Whose force is like to that which Sampson had?
If I be bolde, whose courage can surmount,
The heart of Hercules, which nothing drad?
Yet Dalila, and Deyanyraes love,
Dyd teach them both, such panges as I must prove.

Well let these passe, and thinke on Nasoes name,
Whose skilfull verse dyd flowe in learned style:
Dyd hee (thinke you) not dote upon his Dame?
Corinna fayre, dyd shee not him beguile?
Yes God he knowes, for verse nor pleasaunt rymes,
Can constant keepe, the key of Cressides crimes.

So that to ende my tale as I began,
I see the good, the wise, the stoute, the bolde:
The strongest champion and the learnedst man,
Have bene and bee, by lust of love controlde.
Which when [I] thinke, I hold me well content,
To live in love, and never to repent.

Meritum petere, grave.