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 discription of the goodnesse that growes in Cicilia.

Whiles rangyng youth did ronne about, as rage of humour roes,
A reatchlesse race I rowlled on, as water ebbes and floes:
And though through toile my tyme consumde, yet triall taught me well,
Here is a place (for all our pompe) where pilgrims ought to dwell.
But wildnesse edgde me forward faste, to se these worldly ioyes,
And greedie minde of glory vaine, (that poffes men vp with toyes)
Badde wanton will ronne all on hedde, and neuer looke behinde:
Till age on youth had clapt his clokes, by cruell course of kinde,
Thus haled through the hauen mouth, where heapes of hazards are,
Full vnder saile through swellyng seas, my ship and I did fare:
And passyng so to sondrie soiles, I sought some suertie still,
But that was past my compasse cleane, and farre beyond my skill,
For sutche as seekes in Sillas seas, a saffetie for his Barke,
Maie driue a midde Charibdes cliu's, and misse the full sea marke:
Well, as my shipp found winde at will, so did I make my saile,
And landyng tooke in sondrie soiles, when sea roume seemd to faile.

So France and Flaunders sawe I through, and other lands a score,
Where vessells in the rode might ride, and none might goe on shore:
But barely was I vittailde still, and seldome voide of want,
(And neuer founde good gale of winde,) as weather were so skant.
It had no will to serue my tourne, in all my iourneis greate.
Untill I cast a better course, and founde a noble seate:
That men doe call Cicillya, where loe sweete Cipres groes,
And many other precious things, more sweete then Muskie roes.
No soner sought I succour there, but straight waies had I aide,
As though that Deastnie did decree, my Barke should there be staied
O fruitfull soile full fraught with grace, the dewe of heauen fall,
Bothe daie and night like siluer showres, vpon thy vertues all:
Come wandryng wights yt seekes for happ, in wilde depe streams & flods
And se with feelyng sence what gifts, in Cicill growes & buds
I praies the name and blesse the plot, and kisse suche perfit grounde,
That yeelds suche fruit and doeth in deede, in blessed things abounde:
If tong had arte to showe at full, the fulnesse of this soile,
The tong should worke and pē should cease, or serue in place of foile.
To set forthe fame of lande vnknowne, yet knowne to skilfull men,
And knowne againe to Gods thē selues, that rules bothe tong & pen.

Finis.

University of Virginia Library

A discription of the goodnesse that growes in Cicilia.