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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Made against Idell and vain Rimes.

A penne emploied to vertues things, a croune of glory gains,
But idell verse small profite brings, the ynke but paper stains:
And fills the worlde with follie greate, that spryngs on fancies fitts,
Whiche blotts good name, and dulls the minde, and doeth abuse the witts.
The wanton ryme for reatchlesse youth, a pleasant bable is,
Or els a Lanterne voide of light, that leads poore Lambs a mis:
What shame is this to here how men, hath loste their sence for loue,
And daiely dye in leude desiers, that doeth mutche mischeef moue.
What fondnesse can be more then that, when louers saie to here,
The Goddes of my life and death, and ground of gladsome chere:
What blasphemie is it to call, a creature by that name,

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Which God hymself of right should beare, and best deseru's the same.
Put vp your pennes you Poets vaine, that piuishe rimes doe make,
For shame leaue of your Venus songs, that keepeth vice awake:
Flyng all your Fables in the fire, and followe vertues lore,
That plants the perfite feare of God, where vice was graft before.
His feare kepes kyngs & kyngdomes vp, and sendeth subiects peace,
For blesse he but the barrain soile, there eche thyng doeth increace:
The feelds doe florishe full of corne, the Haruest is full greate,
The emptie Barnes maie plentie crie, and hongrie findeth meate.
If men did waie what wealth doeth rise, by feare of God alone,
(And what faire works true wisedoms frams, vpō the corner stone)
Thei would no other buildyngs make, nor ron and gad so faste,
To toyes and trifles any where, whose blosomes maie not laste.
Wherefore awaie with wanton trashe, sutche ware is waxen stale,
Shut vp your shopps you Printers all, that setts vain Rimes to sale:
And looke vpon the booke of life, and there your cunnyng showe,
For all the rest but shadowes are, as worthie heads doe knowe.

FINIS.

University of Virginia Library

Made against Idell and vain Rimes.