University of Virginia Library

The excellent Tryumphe of Chastitie.

When that I sawe euyn afore my face
In one tyme and in one Selfe place
The hyghe god that reigneth aboue
And men mortall subdewede also by loue
By theyr example and by there great fall
Some profyte to my selfe then dyd I call
And some comeforte it was also to me
Euen as other were I for to be
When Phebus a god was taken in that lure
And the yonge Leader a man pure
Both twayne strycken wyth loues darte
And Iuno and Dydo lasyd with that parte
Not that Dydo that men doth wryte
That for Eneas wyth death was dyte
But that noble Lady true and iuste
For Sychen her ioye and hartes luste
I ought not to morne thoughe that vnware
I were taken in loues craftie snare
Being but a very yonge man of age
For to be vanquished wyth such a rage
And yf that my Lady that I loue best
Wyll not with loue in no wyse be opprest
But be mine enemies in such a thyng
I haue no cause of great mournyng
Forasmuche as I do call to mynde
What hurt by that, that she should fynde
I knowe also that by her reason
She doth so guyde her in eche season
That loue by her is so abatyd
That it doth seme this god is hatyd
Which when that loue dyd playnely se
He was so chafed trust ye well me
That the lyghtnyng that falles from the skye
And beryth downe all euen by and by
Nor the lyon soo woode in his rage
So assayde not that tyme for to assuage
Wyth all his argumentes that he coulde make
This Lady I reason of prysoner to take
Nor she agayne I say for her parte
When that she well and wisely dyd aduert
What Cupyde was aboute wyth her to do
The whurling wind flieth not so faste so
As she agaynst hym wyth vertue went
To let this great god of his intent
What should I say Etna that hyll
That boyleth and burneth euermore still
Maketh not a more terrible soune
When that Enchelado would shake it downe
Nor Sylla nor Carrybdys when angry they be
Then loue assayde you may trust me
To wyne my Lady in suche wyse
When that he sawe hyr loue dyspyse
Eche man there drue hymselfe aparte
The great horrible stryfe for to aduert
Up to a place that were meruelously hye
To loke to, what ende this should applye
Thys god that the vanquer as is tolde
Of mortall men both of yonge and olde
Toke in his ryght hand Arrowe sharpe and kene
And in the tother a bowe bryght and shene
And drewe it vp this Lady to feare
In great hast and anger vp to his eare
And this dyd he in such great violence
That a Leoparde that maketh pretence
The fugytyfe hart for to cache and take
Coulde not more hasty haste make
Then loue dyd wyth his fyery face
This fayre Lady with craft to compase
I that sawe the maner and the guyse
Was soore moued in double wyse
Pyte ferde me lest that I shoulde se
So swete a Creature vanquished for to be
Desyre agayne would haue be gladde
That I my purpose myght then haue hadde
But vertue that with the good is euer
Shewed at that tyme that he dyd neuer
Forsake hym that hym doth truste
This fayre Lady my hartes luste
When she dyd se the stroke at hande
Was neuer mayster that doth withstand
In the shyppe on the parlouse Rocke to fall
Then she that then and forth with all
Dyd awaye from loues stroke glyde
Wyth such a honestie one euery parte and syde
Which then apperyd in her swete face
That loues fyery darte had there no place
I that stode styll with wonderouse sadde entent
To se whervnto this matter went
Hopyng the vyctorie to me should fall
And that I shulde he hyrse hole and all
As one that hath or he would speake
Wrytten in hys heade and harte eke
What he wolde say euen so do I
Thynke to say euen by and by
My lorde yf that you wynne the fyelde
Bynde me with her for I doo yelde
And let me neuer from her depart
Whyles that the lyfe is in my harte
And yf that vnworthy that I be
To be with this Lady in company
All though for euer in loue I dure
Here styll wyth you do tye me sure
Whyles that I mynded thus for to saye
She loked on me that moste swete may
Wyth such a graue and a wyse sadde chere
That for to speake it I dreade and feare
For I not onely that haue smale wytte
But that man also for to declare it
That had the moste excellent wytte and reason
Should haue marueyled at that tyme & season
For this loues golden and fyery shafte
Euen by it selfe there it fell aparte
Seyng the honestie as I haue here tolde
In my loues breste that then was colde
So that Camilla that fayre ladye gent
That with the lyfte brest to battell went
Nor Cesar in Tessalia agaynst Pompeus
Was nothyng to speake of so Ualerouse
As she was agaynst loue there and than
That euery stronge shielde breake it can
Armed was she with all her route
With vertues compassed all about
O what a gloryouse bande there was
That agaynst loue with hyr dyd passe
Twayne and twayne and hande in hande
This noble army together dyd stande
Honestie and shamefastnesse they went before
A great gyfte of God for euermore
That made this Lady for to shewe and shyne
Not lyke no mortall but lyke deuyne
Wyt and sobernes folowed the trace
Well set in hyr harte without arrace
And perseueraunce came with the reste
Whiche kept her honour not to be opprest
Fayre entreatynge was not behynde
Nor clemesse nor curtesy that is so kynde
Purytie of heart and feare of shame
Was there in presence loue to tame
Olde wyse thoughtes in a yonge tender age
And gratiouse concorde all fury to asswage
And beuty lacked not, with a chast clene thoughte
All these agaynst loue my Lady broughte
With the fauoure of heauen that halpe therto
And the blessed holy saynctes ayde also
That vnneth my syght coulde well susteyne
To se suche a company in that playne
There sawe I this felowshyp take the spoyle
A thousande palmes in that great soyle
Awaye from the handes of them that were
Louers in that companye there and there
The sodeyne throwe that fierse Hannibal
Had of Scipion the captayne generall
Of the Romaynes when he had obteyned
So many victories so many mayned
Nor the great Golyas was not more abashed
When with the stone his heade was dashed
By Dauid yonge and tendre of age
Nor Cirus more astonied in that rage
When that the wydow the vengeaunce did make
For the death of Hermon, and for hyr loues sake
As was loue whiche stode in the place
Muche lyke after the fashion and case
As he that thynkes hymselfe safe and sounde
And with a pange doth fall to the grounde
Euen so there dyd loue poorely stande
Unto hys eyes puttynge vp his hande
As he that both with angre and feare
Euen with a moment appeared there
And he so chaufed with his aduenture
That the ragyouse Sea ye may be well sure
Nor Mongebello nor yet Enchelydo
Neuer more chaufed then he dyd tho
Thus passed this great company gloryouse
That I dyd se tryumphynge thus
But theyr excellency for to declare
My connynge and my wytte is all to bare
I therfore wyll tourne to my fayre Ladye
And to the rest of hyr chast company
She had this excellent dame victoriouse
A whyte vesture, gaye and gloryouse
The shielde in hande of pure Iasper cleane
That euyll sawe Medusa that Quene
With a pyller in the myddes fynely set
A chayne with a Dyamount therto was fret
And a Thopasion a preciouse stone
Used sometyme and nowe cleane gone
I sawe hyr there euen afore myne eyes
So bynde loue in suche a wonderouse wyse
That it semed vengeaunce I say ynowe
To make hym stoupe, to make hym for to bowe
And I therefore dyd nothynge then repent
What my loue dyd, I was therwith content
What more shulde I nowe saye or wryte
It passeth my connyng, it passeth my myght
The sacred and holy virgins to tell
Caliope and Clio I knowe it well
With the rest of the muses nyne
Shulde lacke eloquence that to defyne
But parte of them of moost hygh honeste
I wyll declare what persons they shulde be
Lucrecia on the ryght hande there she stode
And swete Penolope so mylde of mode
These twayne had broken in pecis small
Loues bowe his dartes, arrowes and all
And pulled his wynges quyte from hys backe
Thus this greate God dyd go to wracke
Uirginea with hir fierce father was there
With swearde in hande and armed clere
That chaunged the state of Rome towne
And raysed vp libertie that was put downe
And after that one myght beholde and se
Of the Germaynes maydens a huge company
That for to saue them from vyllany
Were all contented with good wyll to dye
Iudith the Ebrewe the wyse and the stronge
With the Grekes Lady she was amonge
That leped into the great perylious See
To kepe hyr body from all vyllanye
With these swete sorte I sawe diuers moo
That in this tryumphe forth dyd goo
Tryumphynge of Loue that tryumphed before
Yet amonge other there sawe I more
The meke vyrgyn of Uesca there she was
That proued hyr chastitie by suche a case
She bare fayre water in a large Seue
Wherby she voyded all and yll repreue
Hersilia also passed with that route
Wyth all hir Sabyns that stode there aboute
And emong these other fayre Ladyes free
I sawe hyr of muche hyghe state and degree
That for hyr husbande was content to dye
And not for Eneas so affyrme I
Let the vulgar people then holde theyr peace
It is that Dydo that I do here rehearse
That honest loue broughte vnto an ende
And not vayne wanton loue that dyd her offende
At the last I dyd se one of that lande
Where as the large ryuer of Arno doth stande
Closed hyr selfe vp in a secrete place
To kepe hyr vyrgynitie, but woo alas alas
Hyr fayre thought by force it was lette
There emonge other I sawe her sette
This excellent tryumphe whereof I wryte
Went with great glory euenforth ryght
To Baia the seasone all softe and fayre
To the place sometyme that Sibilla dyd repayre
Callyd Cumana by her surname
And from thens passyng by the same
Streyght to Linterna that castell they went
In that smale citie where it is bent
Dwellyd that vallyaunt Romayne than
That was surnamed Scipion the Affrican
There the tone salutyd gently the tother
And euermore among the one and the other
Not she that was fayrest but chastyst and beste
Was most honored among all the rest
It pleased then this Romayne for to goo
Among the other there in ordre also
Unto the temple that Sulpicia made
Where all the hole flame that loue hade
They quenched it out and from thense all went
Unto that fayre temple wyth good entent
Of honorable chastitie so is the ryght name
Because there appertayneth vnto the same
To kyndle good wyll in a gentle harte
Specially to noblenes that thereto doth aduert
In that holy temple there offered this Lady
The gloriouse spoyle of her high victorye
And leues of the Laurell tre there dyd she spred
Of hyr freshe garlande aboute her fayre hed
There the younge louer the Toscan left asyde
The wounde that was both large and syde
That loue had geuen hym and all because
To fle the suspect to folowe loues lawes
Where as was with hym dyuerse other mo
The gentle and faythfull true Ypolito
And Iosephe the Ebrue honest and iuste
That vanquisshed loue and all his foule luste