Tragicall Tales translated by Tvrbervile In time of his troubles out of sundrie Italians, with the Argument and Lenuoye to eche Tale |
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To his friend Nicholas Roscarock, to induce him to take a wife.
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 | Tragicall Tales translated by Tvrbervile |  |
194
To his friend Nicholas Roscarock, to induce him to take a wife.
Roscarocke
, sith my raging prime is past,
And riper age with reasons learned lore,
Well staied hath my wits that went so fast,
And coold the heat that hent my brest of yore:
I cannot choose but write some solemne stuffe,
For thee to read, when thou art in thy ruffe.
And riper age with reasons learned lore,
Well staied hath my wits that went so fast,
And coold the heat that hent my brest of yore:
I cannot choose but write some solemne stuffe,
For thee to read, when thou art in thy ruffe.
I see thee muse what should the matter be,
Whereof I meane to treate, thou bitest thy lip,
And bendst thy browe as though I were not he
That had a tricke my Cornish friend to trip:
Well, to be short, it toucheth mariage vow,
An order which my selfe haue entred now.
Whereof I meane to treate, thou bitest thy lip,
And bendst thy browe as though I were not he
That had a tricke my Cornish friend to trip:
Well, to be short, it toucheth mariage vow,
An order which my selfe haue entred now.
A sacred yoke, a state of mickle praise,
A blessed band, belikt of God and man,
And such a life, as if in former dayes
I had but knowen, as now commend I can,
Good faith I would not wasted so my prime,
In wanton wise, and spent an idle time.
A blessed band, belikt of God and man,
And such a life, as if in former dayes
I had but knowen, as now commend I can,
Good faith I would not wasted so my prime,
In wanton wise, and spent an idle time.
An idle time, as sundry gallants vse,
I meane my London mates, that tread the streete,
And golden wits with fond conceits abuse,
And base deuises farre for such vnmeet.
Leauing the law, and casting bookes aside,
Wherby in time you mought your countries guide.
I meane my London mates, that tread the streete,
And golden wits with fond conceits abuse,
And base deuises farre for such vnmeet.
[194]
Wherby in time you mought your countries guide.
Your daily practise is to beat the bush,
Where beauties birds do lodge themselues to lie:
You shoote at shapes and faces deare a rush,
And bend your bowes, your feeble strengths to trie.
Of closure you somtimes do common make,
And where you lift, abroad your pleasures take.
Where beauties birds do lodge themselues to lie:
You shoote at shapes and faces deare a rush,
And bend your bowes, your feeble strengths to trie.
Of closure you somtimes do common make,
And where you lift, abroad your pleasures take.
You count it but a game to graffe the horne
That inward growes, and seldom shewes without:
The silly man you skoffe and laugh to skorne,
And for his pacience deeme him but a lout.
By day you gaze vpon your Ladies lookes,
By night you gad to hang your baited hookes.
That inward growes, and seldom shewes without:
The silly man you skoffe and laugh to skorne,
And for his pacience deeme him but a lout.
By day you gaze vpon your Ladies lookes,
By night you gad to hang your baited hookes.
Thus do you lauish frolike youth away,
With idle words not woorth a parched pease,
And like to wanton colts that run astray,
You leape the pale, and into euery lease.
Where fitter far it were to marry wiues,
And well disposd to lead more sober liues.
With idle words not woorth a parched pease,
And like to wanton colts that run astray,
You leape the pale, and into euery lease.
Where fitter far it were to marry wiues,
And well disposd to lead more sober liues.
Reuolt in tyme, least time repentance bring,
Let each enioy his lawfull wedded mate,
Or else be sure, your selues in time shall sing
The selfesame note, and rue your harmes too late.
For commonly the wrong that we entend,
Lights on our heads and shoulders in the end.
Let each enioy his lawfull wedded mate,
Or else be sure, your selues in time shall sing
The selfesame note, and rue your harmes too late.
195
Lights on our heads and shoulders in the end.
Perhaps thou wouldst as willing wedded be,
As I my selfe and many other moe:
But that thou canst no perfit beautie see,
For which thou wilt thy single life forgoe.
Both yoong & faire, with wealth & goods thou seekst,
Such one she is, whom thou Roscarocke leekst.
As I my selfe and many other moe:
But that thou canst no perfit beautie see,
For which thou wilt thy single life forgoe.
Both yoong & faire, with wealth & goods thou seekst,
Such one she is, whom thou Roscarocke leekst.
Be rulde by me, let giddy fansie go,
Imbrace a wife, with wealth and coyne enough:
Force not the face, regard not feature so,
An aged grandame that maintains the plough.
And brings thee bags, is woorth a thousand peates,
That pranck their pates & liue by Spanish meates.
Imbrace a wife, with wealth and coyne enough:
Force not the face, regard not feature so,
An aged grandame that maintains the plough.
And brings thee bags, is woorth a thousand peates,
That pranck their pates & liue by Spanish meates.
That one contents hir self with now and than,
Right glad if she might sit at Uenus messe
Once in the moneth, the youthfull Damsell can
Not so be pleasd, hir rage must haue redresse,
As oft as pleasure pricks hir lims to lust,
Els all the matter lies amid the dust.
Right glad if she might sit at Uenus messe
Once in the moneth, the youthfull Damsell can
Not so be pleasd, hir rage must haue redresse,
As oft as pleasure pricks hir lims to lust,
Els all the matter lies amid the dust.
Wherfore I iudge the best and wisest way
Were wife to wed, and leaue to range at will,
In maried life there is assured stay,
Where otherwise to follow euery Gill,
Breeds wracke of wealth, of credit, ease, and blisse,
And makes men run their races quite amisse.
Were wife to wed, and leaue to range at will,
In maried life there is assured stay,
Where otherwise to follow euery Gill,
[195]
And makes men run their races quite amisse.
Experto credere tutum est.
| Tragicall Tales translated by Tvrbervile | |