Albions England A Continued Historie of the same Kingdome, from the Originals of the first Inhabitants thereof: With most the chiefe Alterations and Accidents theare hapning, vnto, and in the happie Raigne of our now most gracious Soueraigne, Queene Elizabeth: Not barren in varietie of inuentiue and historicall Intermixtures: First penned and published by William Warner: and now reuised, and newly inlarged by the same Author: Whereunto is also newly added an Epitome of the whole Historie of England |
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CHAP. X.
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CHAP. X.
Albions England |  |
CHAP. X.
A proper Lad made Loue (quoth she) vnto a pretie Lasse:
In self-same house, for-worne with age, this Maidens Grandame was.
Her eyes were sunck into her head, her cheekes were leane and lank,
Out stood her chin, into her mouth her bloodlesse lips they sanke,
Her toothlesse chappes disgrac'd her toong in telling of a Tale,
And sucke she might a Teat for teeth, and spoonage too did faile,
Her haire (since sixtie yeares nor blacke) was now or white or none,
The substance of her wrinkled face was only skin and bone,
Dimme were her eies, deafe were her eares, ranke smelt it shee could sent,
A Palsie made her feeling cease, downe tastlesse food it went:
Sight, hearing, sent, touch, tast, and all, thus failing with her strength,
She to her chamber, bed, and chaire betooke her at the length.
But gold is lou'd till graue hath lodg'd, her bags and she were one,
She must the Maidens Dowry giue, els Dowry hath she none.
The yoong man, though he lou'd the Maid (on whō no loue was lost)
Did loue to liue, as one that knew that marriage asketh cost.
The old wiues bags did let the Banes, with whom he smoothed so,
That flattered, she fantised, her moldie braines did cro.
What Diuel, I wote not, made her dote, she doted on the man,
Her rotten trunke and rustie face she finified than,
And seeth what she could not see, her senslesse Senses worke,
And vnderneath a wrinckled hide a wanton heart did lurke.
Vnkindly too she kisses gaue, which he did kindly take,
Supposing that her kindnes was but for the Maidens sake.
Her crooked ioynts (which long ere then, supported, scarcely stood)
She brought vnto a wallowing pace, disiellowing so her bloud:
And all for loue (surreuerence Loue) did make her chew the cudde.
In self-same house, for-worne with age, this Maidens Grandame was.
Her eyes were sunck into her head, her cheekes were leane and lank,
Out stood her chin, into her mouth her bloodlesse lips they sanke,
Her toothlesse chappes disgrac'd her toong in telling of a Tale,
And sucke she might a Teat for teeth, and spoonage too did faile,
Her haire (since sixtie yeares nor blacke) was now or white or none,
The substance of her wrinkled face was only skin and bone,
Dimme were her eies, deafe were her eares, ranke smelt it shee could sent,
A Palsie made her feeling cease, downe tastlesse food it went:
Sight, hearing, sent, touch, tast, and all, thus failing with her strength,
She to her chamber, bed, and chaire betooke her at the length.
But gold is lou'd till graue hath lodg'd, her bags and she were one,
She must the Maidens Dowry giue, els Dowry hath she none.
The yoong man, though he lou'd the Maid (on whō no loue was lost)
Did loue to liue, as one that knew that marriage asketh cost.
The old wiues bags did let the Banes, with whom he smoothed so,
That flattered, she fantised, her moldie braines did cro.
What Diuel, I wote not, made her dote, she doted on the man,
Her rotten trunke and rustie face she finified than,
And seeth what she could not see, her senslesse Senses worke,
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Vnkindly too she kisses gaue, which he did kindly take,
Supposing that her kindnes was but for the Maidens sake.
Her crooked ioynts (which long ere then, supported, scarcely stood)
She brought vnto a wallowing pace, disiellowing so her bloud:
And all for loue (surreuerence Loue) did make her chew the cudde.
Young Battus from his Omphida (for they were named so)
Dislodged by the Grandame long, to worke did roundly go,
Desiring both the Maiden, and to marrie her a Dower.
The old-wife, netled at his words, for all her loue did lower,
And, drying vp what drained out in belching, thus did say:
The thing (friend Battus) you demaund not gladly I denay:
But well you wot that I am old, and yeat not all so old,
But that the remnant of my life may spend the wealth I hold:
As all are neerest to themselues, so to my selfe am I,
And all shall lacke ere I will lacke, store is no sore we trie.
If you doe like of Omphida, I also like the match:
Loue hath no lacke, ye both are young, wealth comes to such as watch.
You louing her, she to her selfe a dowrie is, if not,
My money shall not sell the Maid, a sinfull sale God wot:
For money shall not sell my selfe. And yeat I cannot see,
But that a comfort to mine age an honest match would be.
My Goods besides doe want a Guide, and often did I know
Your youngers vpon elder wiues then I themselues bestow,
And liued well, and loued well. But as I doe not care
For mariage, so an honest match were poperie to forsweare.
Well, Battus, take you Omphida: but if you money craue,
My bagges must onely vent to him whom I my selfe shall haue.
Yet thinke I not mislike of you in that you haue not sped,
But thinke I wish no better match, if I my selfe should wed.
Dislodged by the Grandame long, to worke did roundly go,
Desiring both the Maiden, and to marrie her a Dower.
The old-wife, netled at his words, for all her loue did lower,
And, drying vp what drained out in belching, thus did say:
The thing (friend Battus) you demaund not gladly I denay:
But well you wot that I am old, and yeat not all so old,
But that the remnant of my life may spend the wealth I hold:
As all are neerest to themselues, so to my selfe am I,
And all shall lacke ere I will lacke, store is no sore we trie.
If you doe like of Omphida, I also like the match:
Loue hath no lacke, ye both are young, wealth comes to such as watch.
You louing her, she to her selfe a dowrie is, if not,
My money shall not sell the Maid, a sinfull sale God wot:
For money shall not sell my selfe. And yeat I cannot see,
But that a comfort to mine age an honest match would be.
My Goods besides doe want a Guide, and often did I know
Your youngers vpon elder wiues then I themselues bestow,
And liued well, and loued well. But as I doe not care
For mariage, so an honest match were poperie to forsweare.
Well, Battus, take you Omphida: but if you money craue,
My bagges must onely vent to him whom I my selfe shall haue.
Yet thinke I not mislike of you in that you haue not sped,
But thinke I wish no better match, if I my selfe should wed.
Thus cunningly she closd with him, and he conceaues her thought:
Vnequall was the Combat then that Loue and Lucar wrought,
The one was in her flowring age, the other too too old:
The first with beautie did allure, the latter with her Gold.
But stormes (thought Battus) haue their stops, not long the Croen can liue,
Or if my kindenes length her life, my kindenes God forgiue.
Resoluing therefore on such hope, with easie sute, he got
Assurance to be wedded to the old deformed Trot.
Medea charmed AEson yong, Battus Medea-like,
Did worke no lesse a cuer vpon this vaine vnweldie Tyke.
Now on the bridle played she: yeat as she laughes she lookes
With ielious eyes, if Omphida be blotted out his bookes.
Yea she that could not moue before, now crauleth euery wheare,
To prye if Battus play not false, and cause there was to feare.
Vnequall was the Combat then that Loue and Lucar wrought,
The one was in her flowring age, the other too too old:
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But stormes (thought Battus) haue their stops, not long the Croen can liue,
Or if my kindenes length her life, my kindenes God forgiue.
Resoluing therefore on such hope, with easie sute, he got
Assurance to be wedded to the old deformed Trot.
Medea charmed AEson yong, Battus Medea-like,
Did worke no lesse a cuer vpon this vaine vnweldie Tyke.
Now on the bridle played she: yeat as she laughes she lookes
With ielious eyes, if Omphida be blotted out his bookes.
Yea she that could not moue before, now crauleth euery wheare,
To prye if Battus play not false, and cause there was to feare.
But all this while no mariage was, nor witnes of their match:
And well he knewe that widdowes shrinke, if men for slowe dispatch.
So hasting whats he hindred not, come was the wedding day:
The Morning thaw'd the eauening frost, and slipprie was the way:
Yeat, hobling on her rustie ioynts, to Churchward goes the Bride,
Whose feete (her harts vnequall gides) could nothing els but slide.
Then Battus kindly leadeth her, and euer as she trips,
God blesse thee Mouse, the Bridegroome said, & smakt her on the lips.
The oftner stumbled then his Beast, the oftner to be kist,
And thinketh in her gentle Choyse her selfe not meanly blist.
But when the priest had done his part, and that they homeward come,
The Bride, for Battus, might salute the Pauement with her bomme.
She reeled oft, and looked backe: he sawe, but would not see:
At length she stumbled headlong downe, hoyst vp againe, quoth hee:
The second time she did the like, hoyst Brock, her good-man saide,
And thirdly falling, kindly bad her breake her necke, olde Iade.
The old-wife tooke it at the hart, and home she went and dyde:
But Battus, ere his first was sicke, had owed his second Bryde.
And well he knewe that widdowes shrinke, if men for slowe dispatch.
So hasting whats he hindred not, come was the wedding day:
The Morning thaw'd the eauening frost, and slipprie was the way:
Yeat, hobling on her rustie ioynts, to Churchward goes the Bride,
Whose feete (her harts vnequall gides) could nothing els but slide.
Then Battus kindly leadeth her, and euer as she trips,
God blesse thee Mouse, the Bridegroome said, & smakt her on the lips.
The oftner stumbled then his Beast, the oftner to be kist,
And thinketh in her gentle Choyse her selfe not meanly blist.
But when the priest had done his part, and that they homeward come,
The Bride, for Battus, might salute the Pauement with her bomme.
She reeled oft, and looked backe: he sawe, but would not see:
At length she stumbled headlong downe, hoyst vp againe, quoth hee:
The second time she did the like, hoyst Brock, her good-man saide,
And thirdly falling, kindly bad her breake her necke, olde Iade.
The old-wife tooke it at the hart, and home she went and dyde:
But Battus, ere his first was sicke, had owed his second Bryde.
This Iest from Cacus straynde a smyle, but quickly was it donne:
When, turning to her Sisters twaine, the yongest thus begonne.
Ye, sisters, seuerally haue tolde how foes in loue did fall,
And ago with youth, but I doe say that Loue can all with all.
Examples we, whom Loue hath brought from Court to liue in Caue,
And were there neede of further proofe, a thousand proofes I haue.
Could Latmus speake, it might accuse euen Phœbe of a kis:
And of a Votarie of hers to speake my purpose is.
When, turning to her Sisters twaine, the yongest thus begonne.
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And ago with youth, but I doe say that Loue can all with all.
Examples we, whom Loue hath brought from Court to liue in Caue,
And were there neede of further proofe, a thousand proofes I haue.
Could Latmus speake, it might accuse euen Phœbe of a kis:
And of a Votarie of hers to speake my purpose is.
But first she cheared thus her friend (for Cacus sadly sits)
Be merrie man, thy pensiuenesse our pastimes badly fits:
Be as thou art, not as thou wouldst, it will be as it is:
Learne then to lacke, and learne to liue, for crosses neuer mis.
Thinke Fortune newly hatcht is flidge, and waggeth wing to flye:
All suffreth change: our selues, new borne, euen then begin to dye.
Be resolute, not desperate: the Gods that made thee poore,
Can, if they will (doe waite their will (thy former state restoore.
At least let patience profit thee, for patience is a thing
Whereby a begger gaineth of a discontented King.
Know Destinie is Destinie. This Epitaph I reede,
Though common-booked Poetrie, yeat not vnworthie heede:
Be merrie man, thy pensiuenesse our pastimes badly fits:
Be as thou art, not as thou wouldst, it will be as it is:
Learne then to lacke, and learne to liue, for crosses neuer mis.
Thinke Fortune newly hatcht is flidge, and waggeth wing to flye:
All suffreth change: our selues, new borne, euen then begin to dye.
Be resolute, not desperate: the Gods that made thee poore,
Can, if they will (doe waite their will (thy former state restoore.
At least let patience profit thee, for patience is a thing
Whereby a begger gaineth of a discontented King.
Know Destinie is Destinie. This Epitaph I reede,
Though common-booked Poetrie, yeat not vnworthie heede:
Vnborne to knowe what I should be to Gods my mother praide:
A Male, quoth Phœbus, Female Mars, and Iuno neither sayde:
An Hermaphrodite was I borne. My death then askt she after:
By sword quoth Iuno, Tree quoth Mars, and Phœbus said by water.
A Riuer shadowing tree I climbd, out slipt my sword, I slidd,
By feete I hung, stabd with my sword, my head in water hidd:
Male, Female, neither, hanging, Sword, and drowning I abidd
A Male, quoth Phœbus, Female Mars, and Iuno neither sayde:
An Hermaphrodite was I borne. My death then askt she after:
By sword quoth Iuno, Tree quoth Mars, and Phœbus said by water.
A Riuer shadowing tree I climbd, out slipt my sword, I slidd,
By feete I hung, stabd with my sword, my head in water hidd:
Male, Female, neither, hanging, Sword, and drowning I abidd
Thus, Cacus, howsoeuer things from likelihoods discent,
In birth, life, death, the Gods are first, the middell, and Euent:
And not what they can doe they will, but what they will they can,
And that they doe, or doe it not, behooues not vs to skan:
And saying so, and kissing too, her tale she thus began.
In birth, life, death, the Gods are first, the middell, and Euent:
And not what they can doe they will, but what they will they can,
And that they doe, or doe it not, behooues not vs to skan:
And saying so, and kissing too, her tale she thus began.
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CHAP. X.
Albions England | |