University of Virginia Library

The Louer to Cupid for mercie, declaring how first he became his thrall, with the occasion of his defiyng Loue, and now at last what caused him to conuert.

O mightie Lorde of Loue
Dame Venus onely ioy,
Whose Princely powre doth farre surmount
all other heauenly Roy:
I that haue swarude thy lawes
and wandred farre astray:
Haue now retyrde to thee againe
thy statutes to obay.
And so thou wouldst vouchsafe
to let me pleade for grace:
I would before thy Barre declare
a sielie Louers case.
I would depaint at full
how first I was thy man:
And show to that what was the cause
that I from Cupid ran.
And how I haue since that
yspent my weerie time:
As I shall tell, so thou shalt here
declarde in doolefull rime.
In greene and tender age
(my Lorde) till .xviij. yeares,
I spent my time as fitted youth
in Schole among my Feeares
As then no Bearde at all
was growne vpon my Chin,
Which well approoude that mans estate
I was not entred in.
I neede not tell the names
of Authors which I read,
Of Proes and Uerse we had inough
to fine the dullest head.
But I was chiefly bent
to Poets famous Art,
To them with all my deuor I
my studie did conuert.
Where when I had with ioy
yspent my time a while:
The reast refusde, I gaue me whole
to Nasos Noble stile.
Whose volumes when I saw
with pleasant stories fright:
In him (I say) aboue the rest
I laide my whole delight.
What should I here reherse
with base and barraine Pen,
The lincked tales and filed stuffe
that I pervsed then?
In fine it was my loare
vpon that part to light
Wherein he teacheth youth to loue,
and women win by slight
Which Treatise when I had
with iudging eie suruayde:
At last I found thy Godly kynde
and Princely powre displayde.
Of Cupid all that Booke
and of his raigne did ring,
The Poet there of Venus did
in sugred Dittie sing.
There read I of thy shafts
and of thy golden Bow,
Thy shafts which by their diuers heads
their diuers kindes did show.
I saw how by thy force
thou madest men to stoope:
And grisely Gods by secret slight
and Deuilish Imps to droope.
There were depainted plaine
thy quick and quiuer wings,
And what so else doth touch thy powre
there Ouid sweetely sings.
There I thy Conquests sawe
and many a noble spoile:
With names annexed to the same
of such as had the foile.
There Matrones marcht along
and Maydens in their Roe,
Both Faunes and Satyrs there I saw
with Neptuns troupe also.
With other thousands else
which Naso there doth write,
But not my Pen or barraine Skull
is able to recite.
O mightie Prince (quoth I)
of such a fearefull force,
How blest were I, so thou of mee
wouldst daine to take remorce?
And choose mee for thy thrall
among the rest to bee,
That liue in hope and serue in trust
as waged men to thee?
With that (thy Godhead knowes)
thou gauste a freindly looke:
And (though vnwoorthie such a place)
mee to thy seruice tooke.
In token I was thine
I had a badge of Blue
With Sabels set, and charge withall
that I should aye be true.
Thou badste me follow Hope
who tho thy Ensigne bare.
And so I might not doe amisse,
thus didst thy selfe declare.
Then who reioyst but I?
who thought himselfe yblist?
That was in Cupids seruice plaste
as brauely as the best?
And thus in lustie youth
I grue to be your thrall,
And was (I witnesse of thy Dame)
right well content withall.
But now I minde to shewe
(as promisse was to doe)
How first I fled thy Tents, and why
thy campe I did forgoe.
When I had bene retainde
well nigh a yeare or more,
And serude in place of wage and meede
as is the Souldiars lore:
I chaunst by hap to cast
my floting eies awrie,
And so a Dame of passing shape
my fortune was to spie.
On whome Dame Nature thought
such beautie to bestowe,
As she had neuer framde before
as proufe did plainely showe.
On hir I gazde a while
till vse of sense was fled:
And colour Paper white before
was woxen Scarlet red.
I felt the kindled sparkes
to flashing flames to growe:
And so on sodaine I did loue
the Wight I did not knowe.
Then to thy Pallace I
with frowarde foote did run,
And what I saide, I mynde it yet,
for thus my tale begun.
O Noble Sir (quoth I)
is this your free assent
I should pursue a Game vnknowne
within your stately Tent?
If so (quoth I) thou wilt,
and giuste the same in charge:
I mynde of all my brydled lust
to let the Raynes at large.
Then (Hope) did prick mee forth
and bad mee be of cheere:
Who said I should within a while
subdue my Noble Feere.
He counselde mee to shun
no dreadfull daungers place,
But follow him who Banner bore
vnto your Noble grace.
He would maintaine my right
and further aye my cause,
And bannish all dispaire that grewe
by frowarde fortunes flawes.
Tis Cupids will (quoth hee)
our Maister and our Lorde
That thou with manly hart and hand
shouldst lay the Barck aborde.
She shall not choose but yeelde
the fruite for passed paines:
For shee is one of Cupids thralls,
and bound in Venus Chaines.
Thinkst thou our maister will
his seruant liue in woe?
No not for all his golden Darts
ne yet his crooked Bowe.
Wherefore with luckie Mart
giue charge vnto the Wight:
Take Speare in hande, and Targe on arme,
and doe with courage fight.
With that, I armde me well
as fits a warring man,
And to the place of friendly fight
with lustie foote I ran.
My Foe was there before
I came vnto the fielde,
I thought Bellona had bene there
or Pallas with hir shielde.
So well shee was beset
with Plate and priuie Maile,
As for my life my limber Launce
might not a whit preuaile.
Yet naythelesse with Speare
and Shielde, we fought a space:
But last of all we tooke our Bowes
and Arrowes from the case.
Then Dartes we gan to sling
in wide and weightlesse Skies:
And then the fiercest fight of all
and combat did arise.
In stead of shiuering shafts,
light louing lookes we cast,
And there I founde my selfe too weake
hir Arrowes went so fast.
But one aboue the reast
did cleaue my breast so farre,
As downe it went, where lay my hart,
and there it gaue a iarre.
So cruell was the stroke,
so sodaine eke the wounde,
As by the fearefull force I fell
into a senselesse sounde.
Thus hauing no refuge
to quite my selfe from death:
I made a vowe to loue hir well
whilst Lungs should lende me breath.
And since that time I haue
endeuorde with my might
To win hir loue, but nought preuailes
shee wayes it not a Mite.
Shee skornes my yeelding hart,
not forcing on my Hest:
But by disdaine of cloudy browe
doth further my vnrest.
Yet ruthlesse though shee were,
and farsed full of yre:
I looude hir well as hart coulde think,
or woman might desire.
I sought to frame my speach
and countnance in such sort,
As shee my couert hart myght see
by shewe of outwarde port.
To Troilus halfe so true
vnto his Creside was
As I to hir, who for hir face
did Troiane Creside passe.
At length, when Reason saw
mee sotted so in loue
As I ne would, ne might at all
my fansie thence remoue:
Shee causde hir Trumpe be blowne
to cyte hir seruants all
Into the place, by whose aduise
I might be rid from thrall.
Then Plato first appearde
with sage and solemne sawes:
And in his hand a golden booke
of good and greekish lawes
Whose honnie mouth such wise
and weightie wordes did tell:
Gainst thee and all thy troupe at once
as Reason likte it well.
When Platoes tale was done,
then Tullie prest in place:
Whose filed tongue with sugred talke
would good a simple case.
With open mouth I heard
and Iawes ystrecht awyde,
How he gainst Venus dearlings all
and Cupids captiues cryde.
Then Plutarch gan to preach
and by examples proue,
That thousand mischiefes were procurde
by meane of guilefull loue.
Whole Cities brought to spoyle,
and Realmes to shamefull sack:
Where Kings and Rulers good aduice
by meane of Loue did lack?
Next Plutarch, Senec came
seuere in all his sawes:
Who cleane defide your wanton tricks,
and scornde your childish lawes.
I neede not name the reast
that stoode as then in place:
But thousandes more there were that sought
your Godhead to deface.
When all the Hall was husht,
and Sages all had donne:
Then Reason that in iudgement sate
hir skilfull talke begonne.
Gramercie Friends (quoth shee)
your counsell lykes me well:
But now lend eare to Reasons wordes
and listen what I tell.
What madnesse may be more
than such a Lorde to haue,
Who makes the chieftaine of his bande
a ruke and raskall slaue?
Who woonted is to yeelde
in recompence of paine,
A ragged recompence God wote
that turnes to meere disdaine?
Who gladly would ensue
a Conduct that is blinde?
Or thrall himselfe to such a one
as shewes himselfe vnkinde?
What Ploughman would be glad
to sowe his seede for gaine,
And reape when Haruest time comes on
but trauaile for his paine?
What madman might endure
to watch and warde for nought?
To ride, to runne, and last to loose
the recompence he sought?
To waste the day in wo,
and restlesse night in care,
And haue in stead of better foode
but sobbing for his fare?
To bleare his eies with brine
and salted teares yshead:
To force his fainting flesh to fade,
his colour pale and dead?
And to foredoe with carke
his wretched witherde hart?
And so to breede his bitter bale
and hatch his deadly smart?
I speake it to this fine,
that plainely might appere
Cupidos craft and guilefull guise
to him that standeth here.
Whose eies with fansies mist
and errors cloudes are dim,
By meane that hee in Venus Lake
and Cupids goulfe doth swim.
And hath by sodaine sight
of vnacquainted shape
So fixt his hart, as hope is past
for euer to escape.
Unlesse to these my wordes
a listning eare hee lende:
Which oft art woont the Louers minde
and fansie to offende.
But he that would his health
sowre Sirops must assay:
For erie griefe hath cure againe
by cleane repugnaunt way.
And who so mindes to quite
and rid himselfe from wo,
Must seeke in time for to remoue
the thing that hurtes him so.
For longer that it lastes
it frets the farder in
Untill it growe to curelesse maine
by passing fell and skin.
The Pyne that beares his head
vp to the haughtie Skie,
Would well haue beene remooude at first
as daylie proofe doth trie:
Which now no force of man
nor engine may subuart:
So wyde the creeping rootes are run
by Natures subtile Art:
So Loue by slender sleight
and little paine at furst
Would haue beene stopt, but hardly now
though thou wouldst doe thy wurst,
The woonted saw is true,
shun Loue, and Loue will flee,
But follow Loue and spite thy nose
then Loue will follow thee.
And though such graffed thoughts
on sodaine may not die,
Ne be forgone: yet processe shall
their farther grouth destrie.
No Giaunt for his lyfe
can cleaue a knarrie Oke,
Though he would seeke to doe his wurst
and vtmost at a stroke:
But let the meanest man
haue space to sell him downe,
And he will make him bende his head
and bring his boughes to grownde.
No force of falling showre
can pierce the Marble stone,
As will the often drops of raine
that from the gutters gone.
Wherefore thou retchlesse man
my counsell with the mo
Is, that thou peecemeale doe expell
the loue that paines thee so.
Renounce the place where shee
doth make soiourne and stay:
Force not hir trayning truthlesse eies,
but turne thy face away.
Thinke that the hurtfull hooke
is couerde with such baite:
And that in such a pleasant plot
the Serpent lurcks in waite.
Waie well hir scornefull cheere,
and think shee seekes thy spoile:
And though thy conquest were atchiude
may not acquite thy toile:
Not ydle see thou bee,
take aye some charge in hande:
And quickly shalt thou quench the flame
of carelesse Cupids brande.
For what (I pray you) bred
Ægisthus fowle defame?
And made him spoken of so yll?
what put him to the shame?
What forcde the Foole to loue.
his beastly ydle lyfe
Was cause that he besotted was
of Agamemnons Wyfe.
If he had fought in field
encountring with his Foe,
On stately steede, or else on foote
with glaue had giuen the bloe:
If he that Lecher lewde
had warlick walles assailde
With Cannon shot, or bownsing Ram
his fenced enmies quailde:
He had not felt such force
of vile and beastly sin,
Cupidos shafts had fallen short
if he had busie bin.
What Myrrha made to loue,
or Byblos to desire
To quench the heate of hungrie lust
and flames of filthy fire?
What Canace enforcde
to frie with frantick brands,
In sort as vp to yeeld hir selfe
vnto hir brothers hands?
And others thousand mo
of whome the Poets wright?
Nought else (good fayth) but for they had
in ydle thoughts delight.
They spent their youthfull yeares
in foule and filthie trade,
They busied not their ydle braines
but God of Pleasure made.
Wherefore if thou (I say)
dost couet to auoyde
That bedlam Boyes deceitfull Bowe
that others hath anoyde:
Eschewe the ydle lyfe,
flee, flee from doing nought:
For neuer was there ydle braine
but bred an ydle thought.
And when those stormes are past
and cloudes remooude away:
I know thou wilt on (Reason) think
and minde the words I say.
Which are: that Loue is roote

Discomodities of Loue.

and onely crop of care,
The bodies foe, the harts annoy,
and cause of pleasures rare.
The sicknesse of the minde,
the Fountaine of vnrest:
The goulfe of guile, the pit of paine,
of griefe the hollow Chest.
A fierie frost, a flame
that frozen is with Ise,
A heauie burden light to beare,
a Uertue fraught with Uice.
It is a Warlike peace,
a safetie set in dred,
A deepe dispaire annext to hope,
a famine that is fed.
Sweete poyson for his taste,
a Porte Charybdis leeke,
A Scylla for his safetie thought,
a Lyon that is meeke.
And (by my Crowne I sweare)
the longer thou dost loue,
The longer shalt thou liue a Thrall
as tract of time will proue.
Wherefore retire in haste
and speede thee home againe,
And pardned shall thy trespasse bee,
and thou exempt from paine.
Take Reason for thy guide
as thou hast done of yore:
And spite of Loue thou shalt not loue
ne be a thrall no more.
Repaire to Platos schoole,
and Tullies true aduice:
Let Plutarch be and Seneca
thy teachers to be wise.
This long and learned tale
had broosed so my braine:
As I forthwith to reason ran,
and gaue thee vp in plaine.
Fie, fie on Loue quoth I,
I now perceiue his craft:
For Reason hath declarde at large
how hee my freedome raft,
I see his promise is
farre fayrer than his paie:
I finde how Cupid blearde mine eies,
and made me run astraie.
I wote how hungrie Hope
hath led mee by the lip,
And made mee mooue an endlesse sute
well worth an Oken chip.
Hee trainde mee all by trust,
I farde as Hounde at hatch:
The lesser fruite I founde, the more
I was procurde to watch.
Thus (mightie Lorde) I left
thy lawes and statutes strong
For rayling Reasons trifling talke,
and offerd thee a wrong.
But now Dame Venus knowes,
and thou hir sonne canst tell
That I within my couert hart
doe loue thee passing well.
Now fully bent to be
(so thou wilt cleane put out
Of mind my passed iniuries)
thy man and Souldier stout:
Prest to obey thy will
and neuer swarue againe,
As long as Venus is of force
and thou shalt keepe thy Raigne.
I weigh not Tullies tale,
ne prating Platos talke:
Let Plutarch vouch what Plutarch can,
let skuruey Senec walke.
Olde Ouid will I reade,
whose pleasant wit doth passe
The reast, as farre as stubborne Steele
excells the brittle Glasse.
In him thy deedes of Armes
and manly Marts appeere,
In him thy stately spoyles are seene
as in a Mirrour cleere.
Thy mothers prayse and thine
in him are to be founde,
For conquestes which you had in Heauen
and here bylow on grounde.
Forgiue my former guilt,
forget my passed toyes:
And graunt I may aspire againe
vnto my woonted ioyes.
If euer man did loue
or serue in better steede,
Then shape my wagesse to the same
and doe restraine my meede.
But so I fight in fielde
as fiercely as the best:
I hope that then your Godhead will
reward me with the rest.