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 Flatterer and a Backbiter.

The tamest foule, and wildest beast, that euery man maie knowe:
Is sure a subtill flattryng freende, and sclandryng tong I trowe.
The one bit's sore behinde, thy backe, the other blears thyne eyes:
And still deceiu's thee to thy face, with nought but fained lyes.
The Doue is meeke and tame of kinde, but yet a Flattrar fine:
More tamer is, and shewes more arte, then all the Muses nine.
For he can so transforme hym self, you shall not see hym right:
Though through stone walls like Linx ye lock, or could haue Argos sight.
And he that bit's vnto the bones, is wilde as Bucke in chace:
And hides his hedde moste monster like, that dare not shewe his face.
The Colt that skipps before the dame, is not so light as he:
Malboche hath sutche a forked tong, it stingeth worse then Bee.
Malboche, doeth lodge the shamlesse clap, that goes as fast as Mill:
Malboche is like a common skolde, that must be chattyng still.
Malboche can creepe in credits grace, and Court it too some tyme:

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And make a stale and snare to catche, the simple soule in Lyme.
The mightie Mastiue brought to Beare, bit's not like scolding tong
A Larum all the countrey cries, where that loude bell is rong.
And when it hath begonne a braule, awaie in haste it goes:
And will abide by nothyng sure, for feare of bobbs and bloes.
But though Malbouche do breede muche strief, the Flattrar passeth all:
For he lyes lullyng in the lapp, and like a painted wall.
Full faire and smothe he shoes to sight, when loe a rotten poste:
He prou's yet seems a holie sainct, and is a curssed ghoste.
Well two thei are, the wilde & tame, that works this world mutche woe.
The wilde he hinders honest name, the tame no freend but foe.
But how to spie these monsters out, in deede I can not tell:
Except with wisedomes iudgyng hed, ye marke them bothe so well.
That when thei speake and babble mutche, thei meane to lay a baite:
To take and trap the harmelesse harte, in netts of meere decaite.
Now here is taught you how to find, these twaine by outward vewe:
Though bothe of thē begiles this worlde, with charms & nifles newe.

FINIS.

University of Virginia Library

Of a Flatterer and a Backbiter.