 | The knave of Clubbs |  |
A Cuckold.
A citty wanton full of pride and lust,Of Venus straine and disposition iust,
(That could her husband on the fore-head strike,
And make his brow to swell Acteon like,
Yet he poore seely man, ne're felt it smart,
But tooke al kinde that came from his sweet hart)
Had two choyse friends to sport her selfe withall,
Two cousens, you may cuckold-makers call:
The one a Captaine and a martiall wight,
Was Champion in his Mistris cause to fight.
And for the seruice that he did by day,
She did reward him with a nightly pay.
The other was a Courtier, gallant, braue,
That great content to her sweete person gaue:
Her deere Adonis quick and pleasant witted;
With these, the vertuous Cittizen was fitted.
Hauing a maid sorted vnto her will,
Which for her seruice she did much applaude,
Being her Mistris crafty cunning baude,
A trusty messenger from each to other,
Who for her paines got mony, and the tother,
They call good turne: which Bettris would not leese
Because her seruice did deserue such fees.
The Courtier one time hauing vnderstood,
By Cuckolds absence, how the time was good,
To goe a grafting, hies him to the place,
Where he might giue loues mistris loues embrace
While he was in his courtly complements:
The maid comes in, and heauy newes presents,
Saying the Captaine was a comming in,
Which to the Courtier euer foe had bin,
For they bare hatred of a iealous spite,
And each had vowd where e're they met, to fight.
Oh loue (quoth she) creepe vnderneath the bed,
This is no fighting place, sweet hide thy hed,
For loue of Christ keepe you vnseene asunder,
Well for this time (quoth he) I will creepe vnder,
Because thy name in question shall not bee,
Else would I die on him for lone of thee.
So vp comes Captaine, and he falls to court,
With speach befitting Mars and Venus sport,
I'le clame the rights befitting loue (my deere)
Had I the courtier here loud thee before,
While we were busie, he should keepe the dore,
Or I would make incission in his guts,
And carue his carcasse full of wounds and cuts.
With that, the maide againe comes vp the staires,
Crying deere mistris now begins our cares,
My maister's comming, what shift will you make?
Now hould out wit t'is for our credits sake:
Captaine (quoth she) to rid all doubt and feare,
Vnto my counsaile lend a willing eare,
Put but in practise what I shall deuise,
And on my life no preiudice will rise,
Drawe out your weapon, & goe swearing downe,
Looke terrible I (need not teach you frowne)
And vow you'le be reueng'd some other time,
And then leaue me, to make the reason rime.
I will saies he, so downe the staires he goes,
with rapier drawne, such fearefull looks he showes
The Cuckold trembles to behould the sight,
And vp he comes as he had met some spright,
Ah (wife said he) what creature did I meete?
Hath he done any harme to thee my sweete?
A verier Ruffian I did neuer see,
The sight of him almost distracted me.
Thinking no harme or any euill knowing,
A Gentleman comes vp the staires amaine,
Crying, oh helpe me or I shall be slaine,
I of compassion husband (life is deere)
Vnder our bed in pitty hid him heere,
His foe sought for him with his rapier drawne:
While I with teares did wash this peece of Lawne
But when he saw he could not finde him out,
(After he tossed all my things about)
He went downe swaggering euen as you met him,
My sauing the poore man so much did fret him.
A blessed deede (quoth he) it prooues thee wise,
Alas the Gentleman vneasie lies,
Wife call him forth, I hope all danger's past,
Good Bettris looke that all the doores be fast.
Sir you are welcome to my house I vow,
I ioy it is your Sanctuary now,
And count myselfe most happy in the thing,
That such good fortune did you heather bring,
Sir (said the Courtier) hearty thankes I giue,
I will requite your kindnesse if I liue,
But know not how to gratify your wife,
For this great fauour, sauing of my life:
Yet Gentlewoman this assurance take,
Some satisfaction I in part will make,
That vowes to honour all your sex and kinde:
More louing far in heart then men you be,
Extending your affections bounteous, free,
Most affable and pittifull by nature,
The worlds euen supreame all excelling creature,
Fond men vniustly doe abuse your names,
With slandrous speaches and most false defames,
They lye, and raile, and enuies poyson spit,
But those are mad-men that doe offer it,
They that inioy their wit and perfect sence,
wil hate the hart should breed a thoughts offence,
Accounting it a womans greater honor,
To haue a senceles foole exclame vpon her,
Farewell my lifes protector, health attend thee,
With what I haue I euer will befriend thee.
| The knave of Clubbs | |