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 letter in Maie, sent to Maister Henry Knowles house at Gobbyns.

Your healthfull house that holdes me here, with heapes of sweete delite,
(Where Courtlike fare not countrey chere, I finde, and thereof write:
Makes me forgett the dompishe daies, that hatefull soiles did yelde,
And feedes my fancie many waies, with pleasures of the feeld.
For here the birdes doe chure and charme, as bells of Osney ronge,
Or els the pretie boyes of Poules, amidde the clapper songe:
Methinke the trees doe tremble still, and that the yearth should shake
When Nightyngalls in Mornyng graie, their merie Musick make.
For through their throats thei thrust their notes, as Organ pipes did sound
Te deum and faburthen sweete, the Quere had chanted round
Here is no noies of churlishe Choughs, nor piuishe chattryng Pye,
Nor screkyng Oule the poste of Death, that mak's a fearfull crye.
Nor pratyng Paret dare not preace, in compasse of this place,
Nor no proude Pecocke commeth here, for all his stately grace:
This soile doeth breede no scornfull bird, in whom disdain doth dwell
This is a heauen of it self, that stands so farre from hell.

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No deuelishe minde maie nestell here, for feare thei scoule and lowre,
This is a pleasant plot of ground, where Gods haue bilt their bowre
Who made a lawe on paine of death, that none aproche the seate,
Except his sweete conceited speeche, prouoketh laughter greate:
Those hoggishe hedds and lompishe lobbs, that muse on mischeef still
Are banisht from this fruitfull vaill, to digge at Mauuorne hill.
And yet the dullest dolt that is, maie happe to mende his spreete,
If when his grossest humour comes, he tast the nector sweete:
That I haue founde, for loe here dwelles, a noble nurse in deede,
Who for the weaknesse of mens braines, she hath so fine a seede.
It heales the hedache and the cough, and comforts so the wittes,
That man vpon the present helpe, forgetts his former fitts:
This merrie medson workes in me, a masse of matter good,
It makes me walke, yea eate and slepe, and gather so mutche blood.
That now greate gobbins gins to growe, vpon my Lenten cheekes,
And leggs are filde with fatt and fleshe, that was as leane as Leekes:
Whiche you shall see and well perciue, if long you walke in Poules,
And so I saie in takyng leaue, Adue good maister Knowles.

FINIS.

University of Virginia Library

A letter in Maie, sent to Maister Henry Knowles house at Gobbyns.