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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Verses that were giuen to the Quenes maiestie.

As Thonder cracks with horlyng noies, ronns ratlyng through the Skies,
For feare whereof greate flocks of Sheepe, to Folde or couert flies:
Or as the dreadfull Iudges voice, of life sharpe sentence giu's,
And causeth captiu's quake for feare, that vnder mercie liu's.
So hearyng from your highnesse mouth, a worde of wōders weight,
Like hound I clapped doune my eares, & coutcht in kenell streight:
And droupyng in this worlds disdain, that drounds eche good desart,
I suckt vp sighes as sorrowe shapt, to breake a blistred harte.
Yet gripyng greef in gronyng brest, bred no sutche swellyng sore,
But salue of sweete contented minde, had healed long before:
Though nere the dongeon of dispaire, in darcknesse did I dwell,
And Caron came with carefull boate, to rowe me doune to hell.
I held my hands to heauen hye, where hope and helpe is had,
And so apeald to hym aboue, that heauie minds maie glad:
Feare not quoth he of froward Fate, that fast on people fauls,
Nor shon not (for a cottage poore) the princely golden hauls.
In Court thou shalt thy credite seeke, for she who scepter beares,
Shall showe thee fauour when I list, and looke vpon thy teares:
Her iudgement tries the gold frō drosse, & where doeth vertues bud,
She frankly speaks and frely giu's, and flings forthe worldly good.
When he that rules the hartes of kyngs, had told this tale to me,
To court I came for cause well knowne, and knelyng on my kne:
At closet dore where Prince doeth passe, to praier mildly than,
I found by words and gracious lookes, I was a happie man.
O blessed be that cherefull browe, where Phebus beams did shine,
And euerlastyng light remaine, amid those blessed eyne:
That like the starrs or Lampe of daie, that blaseth broad in Skies,
Doeth driue darke clouds & night awaie, whē blostryng blasts arise.
And as there burns greate gifts of grace, in her like candle clere,
So God vphold her blessed face, emong vs many a yere.

Finis.

University of Virginia Library

Verses that were giuen to the Quenes maiestie.