A pleasaunte Laborinth called Churchyardes Chance ::

A pleasaunte Laborinth called Churchyardes Chance

framed on Fancies, uttered with verses, and writtee[n] to giue solace to eury well disposed mynde: wherein not withstanding are many heauie Epitaphes, sad and sorowfull discourses and sutche a multitude of other honest pastymes for the season (and passages of witte) that the reader therein maie thinke his tyme well bestowed. All whiche workes for the pleasure of the worlde, and recreation of the worthie, and dedicated to the right honourable sir Thomas Bromley, Knight, Lorde Chancelour of Englande [by Thomas Churchyard]

Churchyard, Thomas (1520?-1604)

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My Ladie of Lennoyes graces Epitaphe.

An Epitaphe of sir Nicholas Bacon Knight, late Lorde Keeper.

Sir Hugh Pauletts Epitaphe.

Sir VVillyam Courtneis Epitaphe.

Sir VVillyam Pickryngrs Epitaphe.

Maister Hampdens Epitaphe.

My Ladie Baggnalles Epitaphe who died at the Nuerie.

An Epitaphe of one maistres Blunt, The Ladie Pauletts sister.

Maister VValter Archer his Epitaphe, an auncient Borgis of Kilkenie

The Lorde Braies Epitaphe.

Sir Jhon Constables Epitaphe.

The phantasticall Monarkes Epitaphe.

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Of the fickle faithe of men.

Of a Flatterer and a Backbiter.

A good description of a freende.

A warnyng from Courte.

Of a Courtiers life, and how the worst sorte findes beste Fortune.

Of woordes spoken by a greate personage.

A description of Desire.

Of a vicious woman.

Of vnsounde freendes.

A matter of fonde Cupid, and vain Venus.

This showes the vanitie of some hopes.

The meetyng of twoo noble knightes of the Garter (sir Henry Sidney, and the Erle of Essex) in Irelande, twoo miles beyond Dradath the xxj, of September, and 17 yere in the raigne of our souerain ladie Quene Elizabeth.

Of my Lorde cheef Baron that was.

Of a noble personage.

A letter in Maie, sent to Maister Henry Knowles house at Gobbyns.

Of the want of will.

Of twoo vertuous sisters.

Translated out of Latine.

A discription of the goodnesse that growes in Cicilia.

A matter of repulce, goyng to the Sea.

Of one that for vertues sake honored a freend.

VVritten from the Countrey twentie yere agoe, to one that poorely remaines at the Courte yet.

Of an iniurie by faunyng freendes.

Of the quietnesse that plaine Countrey bryngeth.

Of a fearfull Dreame.

Of a harde worlde.

Made against Idell and vain Rimes.

Of the vanitie of youth.

VVritten of a gentleman, whose name is in the verses.

Non est fides super terram.

Of a disdainfull persone.

A letter to maister Cressie.

A speciall trifle on a fickle woman.

Uerses written on the Muster that was made by the Pensioners before the Queene.

VVritten of the Queene, when her highnesse was in trouble.

Verses giuen the Quenes highnesse at windsor.

A Newe yeres gift to the Erle of Ormond, giuen at Kilkennie, when the Erle of Essex was in Irelande.

A touche stone to trie an error from a trothe.

For the losse of a mightie and noble mannes fauour.

Verses that were giuen to the Quenes maiestie.

A rebuke to vaine louers.

Of fained frendshippe.

Uerses that weare giuen to a moste mightie personage.

The louers of the worlde.

Of a noble mynde.

Of doubtfull hope.

Of the flantyng worlde.

Of a fantasticall dreame taken out of Petrarke.

A fancie as an answere to that dreame.

A fantasie on fifteene woordes, endyng all in one letter.

Of the strong and the weake.

Of Youth and Age.

Of the short estate of man.

The praise of mistres Mabell Browne, wherein vertue is honoured.

Of wandryng and gaddyng abroad.

Of faire thynges and foule, where in a vertuous Ladie is sette out.

Of an enemie.

VVritten in the beginnyng of Kyng Edwardes raigne, whiche verses are called Dauie Dicars Dreame.

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Of a noble mynde.

The noble minde that scornes to stoupe, at base and wretched things,
As quicke as thought, mountes vp the Skies, with swifte aspiryng wings:
Not lookyng doune, to dedde delits, that drounds the witts in drosse,
(And carries weake and simple brains, about with mucke and mosse.)
But bearyng harte and hedde so hie, as iudgement well maie goe,
The hautie sprit climes through the clouds, & leau's vain world beloe
I meane the manly courage greate, that stoutly striues for state,
Disdains the doltishe donghill Kites, and flies the Fancons greate.
And commyng once to mountain topp, from whence men se the vale,
A loft it keepes like gallant Barke, that hath a bouncyng gale:
Then clap on cloutes and sea roume seeke, adue the doubtfull shore,
In shallowe streame, or riuers small, we harbour ship no more.
To loftie seas whose wawes do worke, with eche small wind ye bloes
Set course and Barke, that Pilotes sage, maie se how fortune goes:
The minde is base that diggs and delues, where Deastnie scorns to dwel
In highest soiles are heauēs sought, on earth is nought but hel.
Who holds doune hed & hangs the groine, a cowards hart he bears,
He dares not looke on shinyng Sonne, that eury shadowe fears:
His combe is cutte his courage gon, that droupes or takes disgrace,
The medson for a greate mischaunce, is merrie chearfull face.
The swetest nutts and fairest fruites, from topps of trees we take,
On highest rocks or stately bowes, gaie birds their neasts thei make
And nere the ground tame dawes do breed, & simple doues you finde,
The carrain Crowe flies here beloe, when hauke doeth soer ye winde,
Wherefore let noble mindes alone, their course doeth passe our skill:
Their harts are fild with pleasant hops, that feeds their fancies still.

FINIS.

University of Virginia Library

Of a noble mynde.