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[CHIRINNUS]
How King Chirinnus giuen to dronkennesse raygned but one yeare. Hee died about the yeare before Christ, 137.
Though I my surfets haue not yet out slept,
Nor scarce with quiet browes begin my tale,
Let not my drousy talke bee ouer leapt.
For though my belching sent of wine or ale,
Although my face bee falloe, puft, and pale,
And legges with dropsy swell, & panche resound:
Yet let mee tell what vice did mee confound.
Nor scarce with quiet browes begin my tale,
Let not my drousy talke bee ouer leapt.
For though my belching sent of wine or ale,
Although my face bee falloe, puft, and pale,
And legges with dropsy swell, & panche resound:
Yet let mee tell what vice did mee confound.
Perhaps thou thinkste so groase a blockhead blunt,
A sleepy swinishe head can nothing say:
The greatest heads and smalest eke were wont
To beare in them the finest wits away.
This thing is true, thou canst it not denay,
And Bacchus eke ensharps the wits of some,
Foecundi calices quem non fecere disertum?
A sleepy swinishe head can nothing say:
The greatest heads and smalest eke were wont
To beare in them the finest wits away.
This thing is true, thou canst it not denay,
And Bacchus eke ensharps the wits of some,
Foecundi calices quem non fecere disertum?
Yet sith long since both braynes and all were spent,
And this in place amongste my mates I speake:
I trust thou wilt bee here withall content,
Although in deede my wits of talke are weake.
So old a vessayle cannot chuse but leake.
A drousy nole that lyes on drinke a sleepe so long
May pardon craue, although his tongue trip twifold wrong.
And this in place amongste my mates I speake:
I trust thou wilt bee here withall content,
Although in deede my wits of talke are weake.
So old a vessayle cannot chuse but leake.
284
May pardon craue, although his tongue trip twifold wrong.
Chirinnus was my name a Britayne King,
But rulde short time: Sir Bacchus was my let:
Erinnys eke my sences so did swing,
That reason could no seat amongst them get.
Wherefore the truth I pray thee playnly set.
I gaue my selfe to surfets swilling wine,
And led my life much like a dronken swine.
But rulde short time: Sir Bacchus was my let:
Erinnys eke my sences so did swing,
That reason could no seat amongst them get.
Wherefore the truth I pray thee playnly set.
I gaue my selfe to surfets swilling wine,
And led my life much like a dronken swine.
Deseases grewe, distempraunce made mee swell,
My parched liuer lusted still for baste:
My tympane sounded like a taber well,
And nought but wine did like my greedy taste.
This vice and moe my life and mee defaste,
My face was blowne and blubd with dropsy wanne,
And legges more like a monster then a man.
My parched liuer lusted still for baste:
My tympane sounded like a taber well,
And nought but wine did like my greedy taste.
This vice and moe my life and mee defaste,
My face was blowne and blubd with dropsy wanne,
And legges more like a monster then a man.
So not in shape and shewe I onely altered was,
My dispositions chaunged mee likewise:
For vices make a man a bull, a goate, an asse,
A swine or horse, (as Poets can comprise)
Transforming into beasts by sundry wise
Such men as keepe not onely shape of men,
But them mishapeth also now and then.
My dispositions chaunged mee likewise:
For vices make a man a bull, a goate, an asse,
A swine or horse, (as Poets can comprise)
Transforming into beasts by sundry wise
Such men as keepe not onely shape of men,
But them mishapeth also now and then.
Wherefore let who so loues to liue long dayes
Without deseases, strong, in youthfull state,
Beware of Bacchus booth which all betrayes,
The vayle of vices vayne, the hauen of hate,
The well of weake delightes, the brande of bate,
By which I loste my health, life, Realme and fame,
My wealth, my crowne, my scepter, sheelde and name:
And only wan the shrowding sheete of shame.
Without deseases, strong, in youthfull state,
Beware of Bacchus booth which all betrayes,
The vayle of vices vayne, the hauen of hate,
The well of weake delightes, the brande of bate,
By which I loste my health, life, Realme and fame,
My wealth, my crowne, my scepter, sheelde and name:
And only wan the shrowding sheete of shame.
285
Lenuoy.
Of this bad vice who shall embrace the loue,
And not refraine him selfe there from by grace:
Let him bee sure it shall his sence remoue,
His beauty reaue, his facts and fame deface:
His wealth, strength, health, shall waste and were apace,
Hee cannot liue in health till hee bee olde,
Nor purchase health, and sober fame againe, with sowes of golde.
And not refraine him selfe there from by grace:
Let him bee sure it shall his sence remoue,
His beauty reaue, his facts and fame deface:
His wealth, strength, health, shall waste and were apace,
Hee cannot liue in health till hee bee olde,
Nor purchase health, and sober fame againe, with sowes of golde.
The Poets painted Bacchus naked, bare,
Because hee doth all secrets deepe disclose:
In woemens weede, because men feebled are,
Effeminate, them selues to wine dispose.
Like wanton childe likewise they faine hee goes,
As dronkerds wanton were though nere so olde,
Not wonne to sage and sober life with sowes of golde.
Because hee doth all secrets deepe disclose:
In woemens weede, because men feebled are,
Effeminate, them selues to wine dispose.
Like wanton childe likewise they faine hee goes,
As dronkerds wanton were though nere so olde,
Not wonne to sage and sober life with sowes of golde.
But naked therefore I suppose hee's faynde,
Because hee makes men naked, poore, and bare:
By him they waste away the wealth they gaynde,
And plunge them selues in seas of woefull care:
Or naked then of vertues all they are,
When they to Bacchus bend, both yong and olde,
Not wonne to sage and sober life, with sowes of gold.
Because hee makes men naked, poore, and bare:
By him they waste away the wealth they gaynde,
And plunge them selues in seas of woefull care:
Or naked then of vertues all they are,
When they to Bacchus bend, both yong and olde,
Not wonne to sage and sober life, with sowes of gold.
Who loues to liue a wise and godly life,
Let him refuse such naked gods to serue:
So shall he saue his fame auoyding strife,
And right report of all good men deserue.
But from my purpose lest I seeme to swerue:
There next me thought a Prince I did behold
Of vicious life, and thus his fates he did vnfold.
Let him refuse such naked gods to serue:
So shall he saue his fame auoyding strife,
And right report of all good men deserue.
But from my purpose lest I seeme to swerue:
There next me thought a Prince I did behold
Of vicious life, and thus his fates he did vnfold.
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