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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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.

As order is the staie of states, a blisse to eurie age,
A knot of loue, a bande of peace, a rule yt gouerns rage:
So order drue, two noble wights, that of the order are,
To mete by order as it fell, a sight full strāge and rare.
For selde is seen, in Irishe soile, where order doeth but glance
That ij. which doth ye garter were do mete by suche a chance
The one an Erle, a Mars more like, that God of battaill is:

The other sutche a Mirror knowne, as Irelande maie not mis.
The one hath lighted sutche a Lampe, where on the rest maie gase,
Yea all the torches in the lande, waxe dim where this doeth blase:
The other hath through modest meanes, and Marciall maners both,
Pluckt frō warme brest, the peoples harts, ye bears good wil to troth
The bruite of these, are blowne so far, their names therby are known
These are no Gemms of forraine mines, but Iewells of our owne.
The more that Enuie hides their praise, the bigger doe thei shine,
As cleere renowme, were shouded safe, by secret power deuine.
In louyng league, of well won laude, these lordes their liu's do lead,
And through this thanklesse thwartyng world, ye steps of honor tread
Bothe bent to serue, & fitte therfore, their ventures claimes the same,
And bothe for greatnesse of their mindes, doe merite equall fame:
A ioye to see suche iewels ioyne, so thought the lookers on,
A pearle of price, in any place, agrees with precious stone.
The Gods thē selu's, did make this matche, through ordryng things a right.
The heauens cast of cloudie clokes, and clapt on mantells light.
To showe how glad the Planetts were, in meetyng nobles twaine,
When one the other fetcht to toune, with sutche a troupe and traine:
The season sweete, and Phebus shone, so cleare from christall Skie,
As worlde were willyng to bestowe, on them a welcome eye.
The Prince that hath suche members here, is happie sondrie waies,
The soldiours that shall serue them bothe, shall win immortal praies.
The people that by outward signes, an inward meanyng knewe,
Bade sluggishe Muses whet their skill, on matter worthie vewe:
Then tooke I penne, and put in verse, these thyngs wt great post hast
In larger volume looke for more, if this be well embrast.

FINIS.

University of Virginia Library

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.