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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Of faire thynges and foule, where in a vertuous Ladie is sette out.

As God bestowde his grace, on thee through heauenly skill,
By comely shape and forme of face, and worldly wealthe at will:
So people doe suppose, (that beares an vpright minde,)
Amid thy noble inward breast, dame Uertues giftes are shrinde.
For God makes nothyng lame, his woorks so perfite bee,
That hidden graces aunswers oft, the outward shape we see:
The ritche and precious pearle, that shines to sight ye knowe,
Haue many vertues in the same, besides the outward showe.
The goodly glittryng gold, hath Nature to restore,
Some peece of health ye sicknesse brought, by greef consumde before:

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The flowre whose beautie faire, delites the eye full well,
Is freend by kinde to medsons sweete, and sharps our sence by smell.
The ground that smothly lookes, bears fruits and herbs enowe,
And yeelds the Idle Landlorde rent, and feeds the houshold throwe:
Thus from faire things I proue, some goodnesse men maie reape,
And where that beautie budds & bloums, doeth bountie hord & heape
Els all this goodly worlde, is but like painted poste,
Or as a picture dombe and dedde, that hath ne sprite nor ghost.
If Phebus wanted heate, and did no grace retaine,
For all his beames and glorie greate, he should but shine in vaine:
I doubt not but the Gods, hath furnisht you so well,
That life and good renowme can showe, where vertue ought to dwel
My penne but mou's your minde, of that ye like to here,
A iewell that the Gods embrace, and worlde doeth holde full dere:
A lampe that long shall laste, whose light shall nere goe out,
But burne & blase as bright as torche, whiles breath ye beare about.
If people did but note, what doeth by vertue ryes,
The meanest wight wt wings of fame, would seke to mount ye skies:
Or followe them whose stepps, doeth eche good gift aduaunce,
Thei know full well what measure means, that leads dame vertues daunce,
I leaue you to the rounde, holde on the trace a while,
And as the bell beginns to sound, at Churchyards verses smile.

Finis.

University of Virginia Library

Of faire thynges and foule, where in a vertuous Ladie is sette out.