A handefvl of gladsome verses giuen to the Queenes Maiesty at Woodstocke this prograce. By Thomas Chvrchyarde |
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A HANDEFVLL OF GLADSOME VERSES GIVEN TO THE QUEENS Maiesty at Woodstocke this prograce.
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 | A handefvl of gladsome verses |  |
A HANDEFVLL OF GLADSOME VERSES GIVEN TO THE QUEENS Maiesty at Woodstocke this prograce.
I most
presume of all
(A boldnes more then needs)
To come where flowers sweet sent lets fall
And I bring nought but weeds.
(A boldnes more then needs)
To come where flowers sweet sent lets fall
And I bring nought but weeds.
But though the fountaine springs
From whence all learning flowes
By study great, great science brings
And therewith duety showes.
From whence all learning flowes
By study great, great science brings
And therewith duety showes.
The barraine ground of mine
That seld sweet roses beares
May yeeld some word or pleasant line
Shall please your Princely eares.
That seld sweet roses beares
May yeeld some word or pleasant line
Shall please your Princely eares.
But as an Oaten pipe
When shepheard plaies a round
Can moue no matter of delite.
By strangnes of the sound.
When shepheard plaies a round
Can moue no matter of delite.
By strangnes of the sound.
So verse puft vp with quill
And cunning sleight of braine
(Where swift conceite conceiues at will
Some grace of Poets vaine.)
And cunning sleight of braine
(Where swift conceite conceiues at will
Some grace of Poets vaine.)
No pearsing passage findes
To enter as it would
In great estates, whose noble mindes
Knowes quickly glasse frow gould.
To enter as it would
In great estates, whose noble mindes
Knowes quickly glasse frow gould.
A tale of plaine plowe man
That roughly runneth on
Finds frowns for fauor now and than
When gracious lokes are gone.
That roughly runneth on
Finds frowns for fauor now and than
When gracious lokes are gone.
What meanes my Muses weake,
In heate of humor newe:
So neere graue heads to write or speake,
Of things I seldome knewe.
In heate of humor newe:
So neere graue heads to write or speake,
Of things I seldome knewe.
As one start out of sleepe,
Tels dreames and visions rare,
To those that talke of dreames no keepe,
Nor doth for fancies care.
Tels dreames and visions rare,
To those that talke of dreames no keepe,
Nor doth for fancies care.
Our english Idle rimes,
To this is here compard:
Whose rouing reasons often times,
Reapes nought but small regard.
To this is here compard:
Whose rouing reasons often times,
Reapes nought but small regard.
For learned sages wies,
That much haue seene and red:
Who knowes the course of stars in skies,
And what may well be sed.
That much haue seene and red:
Who knowes the course of stars in skies,
And what may well be sed.
And all the liberall artes,
Haue at their fingers ends:
They for their giftes and speciall partes,
Which God to scholers sendes.
Haue at their fingers ends:
They for their giftes and speciall partes,
Which God to scholers sendes.
Are worthie hearing still,
They bring the sugred cuppe:
They are the nurses of good skill,
That fosters children vppe.
They bring the sugred cuppe:
They are the nurses of good skill,
That fosters children vppe.
They with the muses talke
As all things were their owne
And like the Gods doe closely walke
In secret clouds vnknown
As all things were their owne
And like the Gods doe closely walke
In secret clouds vnknown
Uaine verses haue no power
Great vertue to perswade
They are but blossomes of a flowre
(Whose beauty soone doth fade)
Great vertue to perswade
They are but blossomes of a flowre
(Whose beauty soone doth fade)
That pleaseth men a while,
with wordes of no great weight:
A speech that may some eares beguile
A fine and pretty sleight.
with wordes of no great weight:
A speech that may some eares beguile
A fine and pretty sleight.
A ripe inuention rare,
That springs on deepe deuice:
But verse is worne so weake and bare,
It beares but little price.
That springs on deepe deuice:
But verse is worne so weake and bare,
It beares but little price.
Because so many braines,
Runnes verses out of breath:
And posting wits with thankeles paines,
Hath ridden rime to death.
Runnes verses out of breath:
And posting wits with thankeles paines,
Hath ridden rime to death.
Though Poets in time past,
As Virgill and the rest:
Go[illeg.]e crownes and many a famous blast,
To make them hold vp crest.
As Virgill and the rest:
Go[illeg.]e crownes and many a famous blast,
To make them hold vp crest.
Yet most of them poore men,
Like byrdes but newely pluckt:
For Ovid that through gift of pen,
Did seeme that drye he suckt.
Like byrdes but newely pluckt:
For Ovid that through gift of pen,
Did seeme that drye he suckt.
The springes of learned lore,
He had hard hap withall:
Homer had no great golde in store,
Nor worldly wealth at call.
He had hard hap withall:
Homer had no great golde in store,
Nor worldly wealth at call.
And since, fewe Poets rose,
To any worthy place:
And some scarce got meate drink & clothes
So poore was Poets case.
To any worthy place:
And some scarce got meate drink & clothes
So poore was Poets case.
If Poets lucke be such,
That daily they decline:
And writers neuer can be rich,
For all their flourish fine.
That daily they decline:
And writers neuer can be rich,
For all their flourish fine.
Then seeke a better trade,
And fling away thy quill:
And take a mattoke and a spade,
And digge downe Maulvorne hill.
And fling away thy quill:
And take a mattoke and a spade,
And digge downe Maulvorne hill.
Twere better labour so,
By sweat of browes to liue:
Then like a threedbare Poet goe:
That hath no bread to giue.
By sweat of browes to liue:
Then like a threedbare Poet goe:
That hath no bread to giue.
Yet men may seeke to thriue,
By verse or stately prose:
Against ill chaunce, or streame to striue,
Both strength and time we lose.
By verse or stately prose:
Against ill chaunce, or streame to striue,
Both strength and time we lose.
Uerse well deuisde and framde,
Wins friends and feareth foes
So writer shape, vnharmd or blamd,
For treading on mens toes.
Wins friends and feareth foes
So writer shape, vnharmd or blamd,
For treading on mens toes.
Where angry cornes doth growe,
Yea verse breedes merry bloud:
When each sad word to world doth showe
A liuely sentence good.
Yea verse breedes merry bloud:
When each sad word to world doth showe
A liuely sentence good.
Uerse maketh many knowen,
That els forgotten are:
Who brings odde versis of their owne,
And prints no borrowd ware.
That els forgotten are:
Who brings odde versis of their owne,
And prints no borrowd ware.
Who watcheth not their hours,
To steale and picke away:
From others gardens goodly flowres,
To make their posies gay.
To steale and picke away:
From others gardens goodly flowres,
To make their posies gay.
Thus some doe borrowe much,
And then on braues doe stand:
A begger so may soone be rich,
He borne to rent nor land.
And then on braues doe stand:
A begger so may soone be rich,
He borne to rent nor land.
Great princes haue made verse,
And favred poetrie well:
Uerse hath a grace the clouds to pearce,
And clime where Gods doe dwell.
And favred poetrie well:
Uerse hath a grace the clouds to pearce,
And clime where Gods doe dwell.
In verse great vertue is,
If worke well passe the file:
And verse gets grace, with that or this,
To make the Prince to smile.
If worke well passe the file:
And verse gets grace, with that or this,
To make the Prince to smile.
Then many knacks we proue,
Our credite well to keepe:
And tell how Lords for Ladies loue,
Will lie all day a sleepe.
Our credite well to keepe:
And tell how Lords for Ladies loue,
Will lie all day a sleepe.
And faine when they awake,
In verse or letters long:
That they doe die for mistresse sake,
And suffer too much wrong.
In verse or letters long:
That they doe die for mistresse sake,
And suffer too much wrong.
A large discourse thereof,
Twere good to tell in deede:
But some would say I iest and scoffe,
And speake more wordes then neede.
Twere good to tell in deede:
But some would say I iest and scoffe,
And speake more wordes then neede.
Nay better talke of bogges,
That walkes in dead mens shapes:
Or tell of little pretty pogges,
As Monkies Owles and Apes.
That walkes in dead mens shapes:
Or tell of little pretty pogges,
As Monkies Owles and Apes.
A tale of two ours long,
Blinde peoples eares to please
Nay that were like a Syreins song,
That shipmen heares on seas.
Blinde peoples eares to please
Nay that were like a Syreins song,
That shipmen heares on seas.
Strange Farlees fathers tolde,
Of feendes and hagges of hell:
And how that Syrses when she would,
Could skill of sorcerie well.
Of feendes and hagges of hell:
And how that Syrses when she would,
Could skill of sorcerie well.
And how old thin faste wiues
That rosted crabs by night
Did tell of monsters in their liues
That now proue shadowes light.
That rosted crabs by night
Did tell of monsters in their liues
That now proue shadowes light.
And told what Marlin spoke
Of world and times to come
But all that fire doth make no smoke
For in mine eare doth home.
Of world and times to come
But all that fire doth make no smoke
For in mine eare doth home.
Another kinde of Bee
That sounds a tune most strange
A trembling noise, of words to me
That makes my countenance change.
That sounds a tune most strange
A trembling noise, of words to me
That makes my countenance change.
Of old Hobgoblings guise
That walkt like ghost in sheetes
With maides that would not early rise
For feare of Bugs and spreets
That walkt like ghost in sheetes
With maides that would not early rise
For feare of Bugs and spreets
Some say the fayres faire
Did daunce on bednall greene,
And fine familiars of the aire
Did talke with men vnseene.
Did daunce on bednall greene,
And fine familiars of the aire
Did talke with men vnseene.
And oft in moone shine nights
When each thing draws to rest
Was seene dum shoes and vggly sights
That feared evry guest.
When each thing draws to rest
Was seene dum shoes and vggly sights
That feared evry guest.
Which lodged in the house
And where good cheere was great
Hodgepoke would come & drink carows
And mounch vp all the meat.
And where good cheere was great
Hodgepoke would come & drink carows
And mounch vp all the meat.
But where foule sluts did dwell
Who vsde to sit vp late
And would not scowre their pewter well
There came a mirrie mate.
Who vsde to sit vp late
And would not scowre their pewter well
There came a mirrie mate.
To kitchin or to haule,
Or place where spreets resort:
Then downe went dish & platters all,
To make the greater sport.
Or place where spreets resort:
Then downe went dish & platters all,
To make the greater sport.
A further sport fell out,
When they to spoile did fall:
Rude Robin good fellow the lowt,
Would skime the milke bowls all.
When they to spoile did fall:
Rude Robin good fellow the lowt,
Would skime the milke bowls all.
And search the cream pots too,
For which poore milke maide weepes,
God wot what such mad gests will doe:
When people soundly sleepes.
For which poore milke maide weepes,
God wot what such mad gests will doe:
When people soundly sleepes.
Then world full merry was,
And gossips made good glee:
And men for wealth did little passe,
Good mindes were franke and free.
And gossips made good glee:
And men for wealth did little passe,
Good mindes were franke and free.
And some found heapes of gold,
Long hid in hollow ground:
And tript with timbrels where they would
Full many a frisking round.
Long hid in hollow ground:
And tript with timbrels where they would
Full many a frisking round.
These are but fabuls faind,
Because true stories old:
In doubtfull daies are more disdaind,
Then any tale is tolde.
Because true stories old:
In doubtfull daies are more disdaind,
Then any tale is tolde.
These toies cuts of the cares,
That worldly causes brings:
And drawes the heauy wind vnwares,
To thinke on better things.
That worldly causes brings:
And drawes the heauy wind vnwares,
To thinke on better things.
As when a may game comes,
Before a sort of states:
With morrice daunsers flutes and drums
That common weals debates.
Before a sort of states:
With morrice daunsers flutes and drums
That common weals debates.
The motion of the mirth
Though simple be the show
May moue the saddest man on earth
To gladsome thoughts I trow.
Though simple be the show
May moue the saddest man on earth
To gladsome thoughts I trow.
But how farre of am I
Now brought from wit and sence
To tell a tale smels like a lie
Before so great a Prince,
Now brought from wit and sence
To tell a tale smels like a lie
Before so great a Prince,
O pardon my rash wit
Sweete Queene and soueraigne deare
For he that doth in heauen sit
Knowes mine intent is cleare.
Sweete Queene and soueraigne deare
For he that doth in heauen sit
Knowes mine intent is cleare.
From all offence in minde
For when I tooke this taske
Each toy and fancy head could finde
(as man disguisde in maske.)
For when I tooke this taske
Each toy and fancy head could finde
(as man disguisde in maske.)
To make you laugh or smile
I tooke in hand to write
But now with troth another while
(And banish fables quite.)
I tooke in hand to write
But now with troth another while
(And banish fables quite.)
My pen shall armed be
In this sweete cause and soile
To sheeld my muse, my verse and me
From blemish blot or foile.
In this sweete cause and soile
To sheeld my muse, my verse and me
From blemish blot or foile.
Now as by heaunly grace
You past through many a sheere
So Roial Prince this auncient place
Hath hap to haue you heere.
You past through many a sheere
So Roial Prince this auncient place
Hath hap to haue you heere.
Old Woodstocke house is glad
It shall haue stone and lime
That long with Iuy hath bin clad
To shew the ruen of time.
It shall haue stone and lime
That long with Iuy hath bin clad
To shew the ruen of time.
This seat nay sure this shrine,
That thousands now doth praise:
That did preserue, by power diuine,
The Phœnix of our daies.
That thousands now doth praise:
That did preserue, by power diuine,
The Phœnix of our daies.
And in a cruell age,
When might did right great wrong:
This house was made the Phœnix cage,
And held her here so long.
When might did right great wrong:
This house was made the Phœnix cage,
And held her here so long.
That no proude tyrants power,
Had force to touch her then:
True harted people eury houre,
And prayers of good men.
Had force to touch her then:
True harted people eury houre,
And prayers of good men.
Kept Phœnix safe and sound,
And brought her to the crowne:
Who doth in vertues so abound,
Shee raignes with great renowne.
And brought her to the crowne:
Who doth in vertues so abound,
Shee raignes with great renowne.
And further flies her fame,
And spreads for gifts most rare:
Then all the princes we can name,
Let foes speake what they dare.
And spreads for gifts most rare:
Then all the princes we can name,
Let foes speake what they dare.
Nowe humble subiects true,
Whereof you haue great store:
A triple crowne, presents to you,
Of fame for euer more.
Whereof you haue great store:
A triple crowne, presents to you,
Of fame for euer more.
And such as neuer sawe,
Your Maiestie till nowe:
Full neare the coatch do daily drawe,
We see wherefore and howe.
Your Maiestie till nowe:
Full neare the coatch do daily drawe,
We see wherefore and howe.
The people swarmes like Bees
When Prince abroad doth ride:
And some climes vp to tops of trees,
As soone as shee is spied.
When Prince abroad doth ride:
And some climes vp to tops of trees,
As soone as shee is spied.
Yea such as saw her first
Doe after trudge a maine
Who haue in hart, so great a thirst
To see her once againe.
Doe after trudge a maine
Who haue in hart, so great a thirst
To see her once againe.
That they stand gazing still
A fresh on Phœnix face
As though they neuer had there fill
Of looking on her grace.
A fresh on Phœnix face
As though they neuer had there fill
Of looking on her grace.
Comes this of custome old
That subiects ows a king
No sure it rather doth vnfolde
An inward secreet thing.
That subiects ows a king
No sure it rather doth vnfolde
An inward secreet thing.
Of kindely zeale they beare
By nature not by art
Ioynd fast with duty loue and feare
That flowes from faithfull hart.
By nature not by art
Ioynd fast with duty loue and feare
That flowes from faithfull hart.
A speciall warme goodwill
For neuer King was seene
More truely serude, more followd still
More honord then our Queene.
For neuer King was seene
More truely serude, more followd still
More honord then our Queene.
Some noble cause there is
That workes such wonder now
Then who hath sence to vew of this
And can search causes throw.
That workes such wonder now
Then who hath sence to vew of this
And can search causes throw.
Discus this cause a right
But if world credit me
In liuely sort, and open sight
I doe such graces see.
But if world credit me
In liuely sort, and open sight
I doe such graces see.
In your most gratious raigne
That daily shines so cleare
As neuer none shall reach or staine
Nor euer could come neare.
That daily shines so cleare
As neuer none shall reach or staine
Nor euer could come neare.
This grace which God doth giue
Whereon great graces groe
Makes Prince loue peace and long to liue
And long a prograsse goe.
Whereon great graces groe
Makes Prince loue peace and long to liue
And long a prograsse goe.
This grace great Ioue hath sent
To garde your grace from harme
That Practise foule, nor false intent
Nor wordes nor deedes nor charme.
To garde your grace from harme
That Practise foule, nor false intent
Nor wordes nor deedes nor charme.
Nor forraine force nor warres
Nor proude attempts shall feare
For God that guides sun moone and stars
Shall saue you eury where.
Nor proude attempts shall feare
For God that guides sun moone and stars
Shall saue you eury where.
O sacred Soveraigne sweete,
Our faire red rose and white
We fall on knees at Cesars feete
To see our worlds delite.
Our faire red rose and white
We fall on knees at Cesars feete
To see our worlds delite.
And on her life depend
That now the sworde doth swaie
The Lord of hosts doth her defend
In such a kinde of way.
That now the sworde doth swaie
The Lord of hosts doth her defend
In such a kinde of way.
That nothing may impeach
Her heaunly graces great
For sure it passeth humane reach
To touch her sacred seat.
Her heaunly graces great
For sure it passeth humane reach
To touch her sacred seat.
So raigne good Queene in rest
Full free from all anoye,
As one the Lord aboue hath blest,
To be all Englandes ioye.
Full free from all anoye,
As one the Lord aboue hath blest,
To be all Englandes ioye.
FINIS.
| A handefvl of gladsome verses | |