Tragicall Tales translated by Tvrbervile In time of his troubles out of sundrie Italians, with the Argument and Lenuoye to eche Tale |
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The Authors excuse for writing these
and other fancies, with promise of grauer matter hereafter.
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 | Tragicall Tales translated by Tvrbervile |  |
The Authors excuse for writing these and other fancies, with promise of grauer matter hereafter.
Lordings
allow my light and lewde deuise
And Ladies ye that are of greatest state
Beare with my bookes, imputing nought to vice
That I haue pende in youth, nor now of late,
My prime prouokt my hasty idle quil:
To write of loue, when I did meane no ill.
And Ladies ye that are of greatest state
Beare with my bookes, imputing nought to vice
That I haue pende in youth, nor now of late,
My prime prouokt my hasty idle quil:
To write of loue, when I did meane no ill.
Two things in cheefe did moue me thus to write
And made me deeme it none offence at all,
First Ouids works bedeckt with deepe delight,
Whom we of Poets second best doe call,
I found him full of amours euery where:
Each leafe of loue the title eke did beare.
And made me deeme it none offence at all,
First Ouids works bedeckt with deepe delight,
Whom we of Poets second best doe call,
I found him full of amours euery where:
Each leafe of loue the title eke did beare.
Then next I liued in place among the moe,
Where fond affection bore the cheefest sway,
And where the blinded archer with his bow
Did glaunce at sundry gallants euery day
And being there although my minde were free:
Yet must I seeme loue wounded eke to be.
Where fond affection bore the cheefest sway,
And where the blinded archer with his bow
Did glaunce at sundry gallants euery day
And being there although my minde were free:
Yet must I seeme loue wounded eke to be.
[199]
I sawe how some did seeke their owne mishap,
And hunted dayly to deuoure the hookes,
That beuty hayted, and were caught in trap,
Like wilfull wights that fed on womens lookes,
Who being once entangled in the line,
Did yelde themselues and were content to pine.
And hunted dayly to deuoure the hookes,
That beuty hayted, and were caught in trap,
Like wilfull wights that fed on womens lookes,
Who being once entangled in the line,
Did yelde themselues and were content to pine.
Some other minding least to follow loue,
By haunting where dame Uenus darlings dwelt,
By force were forst Cupidos coales to prooue.
Whose burning brāds did make their minds to melt
So as they were compeld by meere mischaunce,
As others did, to follow on the daunce.
By haunting where dame Uenus darlings dwelt,
By force were forst Cupidos coales to prooue.
Whose burning brāds did make their minds to melt
So as they were compeld by meere mischaunce,
As others did, to follow on the daunce.
Some eke there were that groapt but after gaine
That faynd to frie and burne with blooming heate
Of raging loue and counterfetted paine,
When they (God wot) had slender cause to treate,
But all was done to make their Ladies deeme
How greatly they their beuties did esteeme.
That faynd to frie and burne with blooming heate
Of raging loue and counterfetted paine,
When they (God wot) had slender cause to treate,
But all was done to make their Ladies deeme
How greatly they their beuties did esteeme.
And then (O gods) to vew their greeful cheeres,
And listen to their fonde lamenting cries,
To see their cheekes deepe dented in with teares
That day and night powred out from painful eyes,
Would make a heart of marble melt for woe,
That sawe their plights, & did their sorowes know
And listen to their fonde lamenting cries,
To see their cheekes deepe dented in with teares
That day and night powred out from painful eyes,
Would make a heart of marble melt for woe,
That sawe their plights, & did their sorowes know
And all for lacke of ruthe and due remorse
Their cruel Ladies bore so hard a hand,
And they (poore men) constraynd to loue perforce,
And fruitlesse cleane to sowe the barrain sand.
That vnto me who priuie was of all,
It was a death and grieued me to the gall.
Their cruel Ladies bore so hard a hand,
And they (poore men) constraynd to loue perforce,
And fruitlesse cleane to sowe the barrain sand.
200
It was a death and grieued me to the gall.
Then for my friends (as diuers loued me well)
Endite I must some light deuise of loue,
And in the same my friends affection tell,
Whom nothing mought from beauties bar remooue
My pen must plead the sillie Suters case,
I had my hire, so he mought purchase grace.
Endite I must some light deuise of loue,
And in the same my friends affection tell,
Whom nothing mought from beauties bar remooue
My pen must plead the sillie Suters case,
I had my hire, so he mought purchase grace.
Some otherwhile when beautie bred disdaine,
And feature forst a pride in hawtie brest,
So as my friend whs causelesse put to paine
And for good will might purchace slender rest:
Then must my quill to quarels flatly fall,
Yet keep the meane twixt sweete and sower brall.
And feature forst a pride in hawtie brest,
So as my friend whs causelesse put to paine
And for good will might purchace slender rest:
Then must my quill to quarels flatly fall,
Yet keep the meane twixt sweete and sower brall.
Somtimes I must commēd their beauties much
That neuer came where any beautie lay,
Againe somwhiles my mates would haue me tutch
The quicke, bicause they had receiued the nay:
And thus my pen, as change of matter grew,
Was forst to grief, or els for grace to sue,
That neuer came where any beautie lay,
Againe somwhiles my mates would haue me tutch
The quicke, bicause they had receiued the nay:
And thus my pen, as change of matter grew,
Was forst to grief, or els for grace to sue,
Thus did I deale for others pleasure long
(As who could well refuse to do the like)
And for my self somtimes would write among
As he that liues with men of war must strike.
I would deuise a Sonet to a dame,
And all to make my sullen humor game.
(As who could well refuse to do the like)
And for my self somtimes would write among
As he that liues with men of war must strike.
I would deuise a Sonet to a dame,
And all to make my sullen humor game.
So long I wrote, so oft my friends did sue
So many were the matters, as at last,
The whole unto a hansome volume grewe,
Then to the presse they must in all the hast,
Mauger my beard, my mates would haue it so
Whom to resist it was in vaine you know.
So many were the matters, as at last,
[200]
Then to the presse they must in all the hast,
Mauger my beard, my mates would haue it so
Whom to resist it was in vaine you know.
These causes forst my harmeles hand to write,
And no desire I had to treate of ill
Who doth not know that youthfull heads delight
Sometimes to shewe the queintnes of their quil,
But pardon (Lordings) what is past and done
I purpose now a better race to runne.
And no desire I had to treate of ill
Who doth not know that youthfull heads delight
Sometimes to shewe the queintnes of their quil,
But pardon (Lordings) what is past and done
I purpose now a better race to runne.
I meane no more with loues deuise to deale,
I neuer wil to wanton Uenus bowe,
From Cupids court to Pallas I appeale,
Iuno be iudge whom I doe honor now
Hie time it is for him to blow retreate:
And leaue to loue whom selfe rod now doth beate.
I neuer wil to wanton Uenus bowe,
From Cupids court to Pallas I appeale,
Iuno be iudge whom I doe honor now
Hie time it is for him to blow retreate:
And leaue to loue whom selfe rod now doth beate.
Wherfore, goe (wanton) trusse vp all your trash
Fancy farewel, to grauer gods I goe,
Then loue and Uenus, cleane my hands I wash,
Of vayne desires that youth enrageth so
Uertue doth farre surmount such filthy vice
Amend my mates, or els you know the price.
Fancy farewel, to grauer gods I goe,
Then loue and Uenus, cleane my hands I wash,
Of vayne desires that youth enrageth so
Uertue doth farre surmount such filthy vice
Amend my mates, or els you know the price.
Vtile consilium est sæuas extinguere flammas,
Qui non est hodie, cras minus aptus erit.
Qui non est hodie, cras minus aptus erit.
| Tragicall Tales translated by Tvrbervile | |