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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A description of Desire.

Led by Desire, a thrall where freedome lyes,
Holde backe by witte, when fancie forward hales,
My greedie will, begiles my gasyng eyes:
Calde home from craft, yet caught in cunnyng stales,
Drawne from my self, and made to others call,
If daunger come, Desire is cause of all.

Prepard for flight, my wings are faste in Lyme,
I swimme in hope, and sincke with deepe consaite,
Deceiu'd by happ, yet learnd by losse of tyme:
To knowe the hooke, and yet must misse the baite,
But bound and ledde, a long by sweete Desire,
I scorche or burne, before I feele the fire.

Desire lackes sight, yet leades the sences blinde,
And wilfull Will, waites hard at Daungers heeles,
Good speede full leane, comes laggyng farre behinde:
Close harte saies nought, that all the sorrowe feeles,
So thus the man, to Death like captiue goes,
Ledde by Desire, that knowes not freends from foes.

Our life declares, Desire can take no reste,
In soundest sleepes, it keepes the minde awake,
It is a sprite, that closely creepes in breste:
A priuie thought, that Warres and Peace doeth make,
And whom it leads, it either throwes hym doune,
Or liftes hym vp, by happ to greate renowne.

The Soldiour builds, his hope on greate Desire,
The Marchant getts, his gaine and wealth thereby,
The trauelyng wight, it paies with noble hire:
It heales the harte, that in Dispaire doeth lye,
And though some sparks, of vice flee from that flame,
A good Desire, maintaines a vertuous name.

Then blushe I not, to yeelde where force doeth faile,
Desire doeth daunt, the strong and stoutest minde,
Where Fancie rules, no wisedome can preuaile:
Striue not with streame, nor saile against the winde,
For when fine witte, hath doen the beste it maie,
Desire comes in, and leads the harte awaie.

FINIS.

University of Virginia Library

A description of Desire.