A light Bondell of liuly discourses called Churchyards Charge presented as a Newe yeres gifte to the right honourable, the Earl of Surrie, in which Bondell of verses is sutche varietie of matter, and seuerall inuentions, that maie bee as delitefull to the Reader, as it was a Charge and labour to the writer, sette forthe for a peece of pastime, by Thomas Churchyarde |
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Of Beutie and Bountie.
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 | A light Bondell of liuly discourses called Churchyards Charge |  |
Of Beutie and Bountie.
When Beautie Uenus doughter deare, from Ioue descended doune,To reigne on yearth an Empresse here, with scepture and with Croune:
To Pleasures pallace she repairde, where with a Princely porte,
She helde an open housholde long, in feasts and royall sporte.
The fame whereof rang through the worlde, so shrill in euery eare,
That well was him, & glad was she, that might come banquet there:
The lists were made, the scaffolde deckt, eche thyng in good arraie,
The Lords full braue, the Ladies fine, the Courtiers trim and gaie.
And as these states in triumphe were, all plaste in their degrees,
And to beholde the shiuerd staues, the people swarmde like Bees:
In stept a goodly armed knight, on courser white as Snowe,
And twise he paste the Tilte about, as soft as horse could goe.
And when he came where Beautie satte, he pausde with bowed hed,
And loude in open audience then, all haile faire Queene he sed:
I came quod he from Manhoods court, the worthiest prince aliue,
Who keepes his kyngdome all by sworde, and doeth for honor striue.
By battaill and by breakyng launce, who sent me hether plaine,
To chalenge for my mistresse sake, the stoutest in thy traine:
No soner he his message saied, but in there rusht a bande,
Whose clattering harnesse causde their steeds vpō no groūd to stād.
The dust flewe vp, the preace did shrinke, the fomyng horses naied,
The trumpets blewe, the launce in rest, the spurres on sids thei laied:
Fie cowarde knight quod Courage then, can all you fight with one,
So thei retierd, and to the shocke, came youth all armde alone.
These chāpions met as yearth should shake, so fierce thei seemd to be
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At eche encounter crasht their slaues, and fell amid the throng,
The buffetts were so freely dealt, the blood through Beauer sprong.
The Queene cride hola, cease quod she, you turne your sport to spite,
Some cause your collour doeth encrease, & Mars the pastime quite:
A cause quod Youth (moste worthy dame) and my leege Ladie dere,
Came euer yet before a Prince, so stoute a chalenge here.
Who dare with Venus doughter boste, dame Beautie iustly calde,
That came from Skies, and satt next Ioue, in sacred honor stalde:
Though Beautie sprang frō yearthly cause, & had but shape of kinde,
And did no heauenly gifts possesse, nor vertues lodge in minde.
Yet Boldnesse churlishe chalenge braue, too sawsie is you knowe,
And Beautie hath too many freends, to see her handled so:
When Boldnesse hard this taunting tale, & markt the peoples chere,
He thrusted through the thickest throng, and drewe the scaffolde nere
And all on knees he crau'd to speake, and aunswere to this cace,
On whom the Queene for honours sake, did shewe a gracious face:
Speake on quod she, so stept he vp, and thus to her he saied,
O puisaunt prince, thinks Youth of braggs, yt boldnes stands afraied
I am a braunche of Manhoods blood, that stoute conceite begate,
The hope and helpe of hie attempts, and staie of euery state.
That hether came for that no Courte, can be where I am not,
No Tornay seen, no triumph made, no fame nor glorie got:
And wotte you well, a Princesse too, in Court I serue this howre,
That is as greate in some respects, as she is small in powre.
If stately honour can be gest, by goodly graces trime,
Or perfect beautie be possest, where Bountie swimes at brime:
Or wisedome vnder seemly shaeds, maie shine or yet be seene,
My mistres is a worthie dame, though Beautie be a Queene.
Report hath blowne to Manhoods eares, the trothe of that I tell,
Then Boldnesse needs not blushe to boast, yt Bountie beares the bell
And sith you licence me to speake, I dare deuoide of blame,
Light suche a torche vnto your eyes, shall shewe this Ladies name:
When Skie is clere, and Sommer set, to shewe the weather faire,
I meane when calmie blowes the winde, and pleasaunt is the aire.
A Marie gold then maie you finde, full nere an Eglantine,
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Her countenance carries sutche a state, full right amid her face,
As though therein the Muses nine, had made their mansion place.
A ratlyng sounde vnto your eares, of her now here I showe,
Now racke & wrest my meanyng out, and you my mind shal know:
This saied eche one on others lookt, and he on horsebacke leapt,
And some that dwelt in their concept, full close in corners creapt.
The glorious sort that gapte for fame, where no deserts could be,
Did drawe a backe and preast a pace, with plaine reproche to flee:
The hautie minds held doune their heds, hye looks gan blush for fere,
As Youth beheld this sodaine chaunge, he thought no tariyng there.
The Gods regardyng from the starres, what strife by Beautie rose,
Bad Venus call her daughter home, and homewards so she goes:
Then sawe I Boldnesse turne againe, who gaue for Boūties weare,
A garlande of the goodliest flowres, that ever yearth did beare.
And foarst her for to take the same, in signe of glorie wonne,
As Beautie mounted to the Gods, and all the triumphe doen:
The people seyng Beautie gon, with one assent did crie,
That Bountie pleased more their mindes, then Beautie did the eye.
FINIS.
| A light Bondell of liuly discourses called Churchyards Charge | |