Willobie His Avisa Or The true Picture of a modest Maid, and of a chast and constant wife. In Hexamiter verse. The like argument wherof, was neuer heretofore published [by Henry Willoby] |
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 | Willobie His Avisa |  |
Cant. I.
Let martiall men, of Mars his praise,
Sound warlike trumpe: let lust-led youth,
Of wicked loue, write wanton layes;
Let sheepeheards sing, their sheepe coates ruth:
The wiser sort, confesse it plaine,
That these haue spent good time in vaine.
Sound warlike trumpe: let lust-led youth,
Of wicked loue, write wanton layes;
Let sheepeheards sing, their sheepe coates ruth:
The wiser sort, confesse it plaine,
That these haue spent good time in vaine.
My sleepie Muse that wakes but now,
Nor now had wak't if one had slept,
To vertues praise hath past her vow,
To paint the Rose which grace hath kept,
Of sweetest Rose, that still doth spring,
Of vertues birde my Muse must sing.
Nor now had wak't if one had slept,
To vertues praise hath past her vow,
To paint the Rose which grace hath kept,
Of sweetest Rose, that still doth spring,
Of vertues birde my Muse must sing.
The birde that doth resemble right,
The Turtles faith in constant loue,
The faith that first her promise plight;
No change, nor chance could once remoue:
This haue I tri'd; This dare I trust,
And sing the truth, I will, I must.
The Turtles faith in constant loue,
The faith that first her promise plight;
No change, nor chance could once remoue:
This haue I tri'd; This dare I trust,
And sing the truth, I will, I must.
Afflicted Susans spotlesse thought,
Intis't by lust to sinfull crime,
To lasting fame her name hath brought,
Whose praise incounters endlesse time:
I sing of one whose beauties warre,
For trials passe Susanna's farre.
Intis't by lust to sinfull crime,
To lasting fame her name hath brought,
Whose praise incounters endlesse time:
I sing of one whose beauties warre,
For trials passe Susanna's farre.
The wandring Greekes renowmed mate,
That still withstoode such hote assayes,
Of raging lust whose doubtfull state,
Sought strong refuge, from strange delayes,
For fierce assaults and tryals rare,
With this my Nimph may not compare.
That still withstoode such hote assayes,
Of raging lust whose doubtfull state,
Sought strong refuge, from strange delayes,
For fierce assaults and tryals rare,
With this my Nimph may not compare.
Hote tryals try where Golde be pure,
The Diamond daunts the sharpest edge,
Light chaffe, fierce flames may not indure,
All quickly leape the lowly hedge,
The obiect of my Muse hath past
Both force and flame, yet stands she fast.
The Diamond daunts the sharpest edge,
Light chaffe, fierce flames may not indure,
All quickly leape the lowly hedge,
The obiect of my Muse hath past
Both force and flame, yet stands she fast.
Though Egle-eyde this bird appeare,
Not blusht at beames of Phœbus raies:
Though Faulkcon wing'd to pearce the aire,
Whose high-pla'st hart no feare dismaies:
Yet sprang she not from Egles nest,
But Turtle-bred, loues Turtle best.
Not blusht at beames of Phœbus raies:
Though Faulkcon wing'd to pearce the aire,
Whose high-pla'st hart no feare dismaies:
Yet sprang she not from Egles nest,
But Turtle-bred, loues Turtle best.
2
At wester side of Albions Ile,
Where Austine pitcht his Monkish tent,
Where Sheapheards sing, where Muses smile,
The graces met with one consent,
To frame each one in sundry parte,
Some cunning worke to shew their arte.
Where Austine pitcht his Monkish tent,
Where Sheapheards sing, where Muses smile,
The graces met with one consent,
To frame each one in sundry parte,
Some cunning worke to shew their arte.
First Venus fram'd a luring eye,
A sweete aspect, and comly grace;
There did the Rose and Lillie lie,
That brauely deckt a smiling face,
Here Cupids mother bent her wil,
In this to shew her vtmost skill.
A sweete aspect, and comly grace;
There did the Rose and Lillie lie,
That brauely deckt a smiling face,
Here Cupids mother bent her wil,
In this to shew her vtmost skill.
Then Pallas gaue a reaching head,
With deepe conceites, and passing wit,
A setled mind, not fancie-led,
Abhorring Cupids frantique fit,
With modest lookes, and blushing cheekes,
A filed tongue which none mislikes.
With deepe conceites, and passing wit,
A setled mind, not fancie-led,
Abhorring Cupids frantique fit,
With modest lookes, and blushing cheekes,
A filed tongue which none mislikes.
Diana deckt the remnant partes
With fewture braue, that nothing lacke,
A quiuer full of pearcing Darts,
She gaue her hanging at her backe;
And in her hand a Golden shaft,
To conquer Cupids creeping craft.
With fewture braue, that nothing lacke,
A quiuer full of pearcing Darts,
She gaue her hanging at her backe;
And in her hand a Golden shaft,
To conquer Cupids creeping craft.
This done they come to take the view,
Of nouell worke, of perelesse frame;
Amongst them three, contention grew,
But yet Diana gaue the name,
Auisa shall she called be,
The chiefe attendant still on me.
Of nouell worke, of perelesse frame;
Amongst them three, contention grew,
But yet Diana gaue the name,
Auisa shall she called be,
The chiefe attendant still on me.
When Iuno view'd her luring grace,
Olde Iuno blusht to see a new,
She fear'd least Ioue would like this face,
And so perhaps might play vntrew,
They all admir'd so sweete a sight,
They all enuide so rare a wight.
Olde Iuno blusht to see a new,
She fear'd least Ioue would like this face,
And so perhaps might play vntrew,
They all admir'd so sweete a sight,
They all enuide so rare a wight.
When Iuno came to giue her wealth,
(Which wanting beautie, wants her life)
She cryde, this face needes not my pelffe,
Great riches sow the seedes of strife:
I doubt not, some Olympian power
Will fill her lap, with Golden shower.
(Which wanting beautie, wants her life)
She cryde, this face needes not my pelffe,
Great riches sow the seedes of strife:
I doubt not, some Olympian power
Will fill her lap, with Golden shower.
This iealous Iuno faintly said,
As halfe misdeeming wanton Ioue,
But chast Diana tooke the maide,
Such new-bred qualmes quite to remoue:
O iealous enuie, filthie beast,
For enuie Iuno gaue her least.
As halfe misdeeming wanton Ioue,
But chast Diana tooke the maide,
Such new-bred qualmes quite to remoue:
O iealous enuie, filthie beast,
For enuie Iuno gaue her least.
In lew of Iun'os Golden parte,
Diana gaue her double grace;
A chast desire, a constant heart,
Disdaine of loue in fawning face,
A face, and eye, that should intice
A smile, that should deceiue the wise.
Diana gaue her double grace;
A chast desire, a constant heart,
Disdaine of loue in fawning face,
A face, and eye, that should intice
A smile, that should deceiue the wise.
A sober tongue that should allure,
And draw great numbers to the fielde;
A flintie hart, that should indure
All fierce assaults, and neuer yeelde,
And seeming oft as though she would;
Yet fardest off when that she should.
And draw great numbers to the fielde;
A flintie hart, that should indure
All fierce assaults, and neuer yeelde,
And seeming oft as though she would;
Yet fardest off when that she should.
3
Can filthy sinke yeelde holsome aire,
Or vertue from a vice proceede?
Can enuious hart, or iealous feare
Repell the things that are decreed?
By enuie though she lost her thrift,
She got by grace a better gift.
Or vertue from a vice proceede?
Can enuious hart, or iealous feare
Repell the things that are decreed?
By enuie though she lost her thrift,
She got by grace a better gift.
Not farre from thence there lyes a vale,
A rosie vale in pleasant plaine;
The Nimphes frequent this happie dale,
Olde Helicon reuiues againe;
Here Muses sing, here Satyres play,
Here mirth resounds both night and day.
A rosie vale in pleasant plaine;
The Nimphes frequent this happie dale,
Olde Helicon reuiues againe;
Here Muses sing, here Satyres play,
Here mirth resounds both night and day.
At East of this, a Castle stands,
By auncient sheepheards built of olde,
And lately was in sheepheards hands,
Though now by brothers bought and solde,
At west side springs a Christall well;
There doth this chast Auisa dwell.
By auncient sheepheards built of olde,
And lately was in sheepheards hands,
Though now by brothers bought and solde,
At west side springs a Christall well;
There doth this chast Auisa dwell.
And there she dwels in publique eye,
Shut vp from none that list to see;
She answeres all that list to try,
Both high and low of each degree:
But few that come, but feele her dart,
And try her well ere they depart.
Shut vp from none that list to see;
She answeres all that list to try,
Both high and low of each degree:
But few that come, but feele her dart,
And try her well ere they depart.
They try'd her hard in hope to gaine,
Her milde behauiour breeds their hope,
Their hope assures them to obtaine,
Till hauing runne their witlesse scope;
They find their vice by vertue crost,
Their foolish words, and labour lost.
Her milde behauiour breeds their hope,
Their hope assures them to obtaine,
Till hauing runne their witlesse scope;
They find their vice by vertue crost,
Their foolish words, and labour lost.
This strange effect, that all should craue,
Yet none obtaine their wrong desire,
A secret gift, that nature gaue,
To feele the frost, amidst the fire:
Blame not this Dians Nimphe too much,
Sith God by nature made her such.
Yet none obtaine their wrong desire,
A secret gift, that nature gaue,
To feele the frost, amidst the fire:
Blame not this Dians Nimphe too much,
Sith God by nature made her such.
Let all the graces now be glad,
That fram'd a grace that past them all,
Let Iuno be no longer sad;
Her wanton Ioue hath had a fall;
Ten yeares haue tryde this constant dame,
And yet she holds a spotles fame.
That fram'd a grace that past them all,
Let Iuno be no longer sad;
Her wanton Ioue hath had a fall;
Ten yeares haue tryde this constant dame,
And yet she holds a spotles fame.
Along this plaine there lyes a downe,
Where sheepheards feed their frisking flocke;
Her Sire the Maior of the towne,
A louely shout of auncient stocke,
Full twentie yeares she liued a maide,
And neuer was by man betrayde.
Where sheepheards feed their frisking flocke;
Her Sire the Maior of the towne,
A louely shout of auncient stocke,
Full twentie yeares she liued a maide,
And neuer was by man betrayde.
At length by Iuno's great request,
Diana loth, yet gaue her leaue,
Of flowring yeares, to spend the rest
In wed-locke band; but yet receiue,
Quod she, this gift; Thou virgin pure,
Chast wife in wed-locke shalt indure.
Diana loth, yet gaue her leaue,
Of flowring yeares, to spend the rest
In wed-locke band; but yet receiue,
Quod she, this gift; Thou virgin pure,
Chast wife in wed-locke shalt indure.
O happie man that shall enioy
A blessing of so rare a price;
That frees the hart from such annoy;
As often doth torment the wise,
A louing wife vnto her death,
With full assurance of her faith.
A blessing of so rare a price;
That frees the hart from such annoy;
As often doth torment the wise,
A louing wife vnto her death,
With full assurance of her faith.
4
When flying fame began to tell,
How beauties wonder was returnd,
From countrie hils, in towne to dwell,
With special gifts and grace adornd,
Of sutors store there might you see;
And some were men, of high degree.
How beauties wonder was returnd,
From countrie hils, in towne to dwell,
With special gifts and grace adornd,
Of sutors store there might you see;
And some were men, of high degree.
But wisdom wild her chuse her mate,
If that she lou'd a happy life,
That might be equall to her state,
To crop the sprigges of future strife;
Where rich in grace, wher sound in health,
Most men do wed, but for the wealth.
If that she lou'd a happy life,
That might be equall to her state,
To crop the sprigges of future strife;
Where rich in grace, wher sound in health,
Most men do wed, but for the wealth.
Though iealous Iuno had denyde
This happy wench, great store of pelffe:
Yet is she now in wedlocke tyde,
To one that loues her as himselfe,
So thus they liue, and thus they loue;
And God doth blesse them from aboue.
This happy wench, great store of pelffe:
Yet is she now in wedlocke tyde,
To one that loues her as himselfe,
So thus they liue, and thus they loue;
And God doth blesse them from aboue.
This rare seene bird, this Phœnix sage
Yeelds matter to my drowsie pen,
The mirror of this sinneful age,
That giues vs beasts in shapes of men,
Such beasts as still continue sinne,
Where age doth leaue, there youths begin.
Yeelds matter to my drowsie pen,
The mirror of this sinneful age,
That giues vs beasts in shapes of men,
Such beasts as still continue sinne,
Where age doth leaue, there youths begin.
Our English soile, to Sodoms sinke
Excessiue sinne transformd of late,
Of foule deceite the lothsome linke,
Hath worne all faith cleane out of date,
The greatest sinnes mongst greatest sort,
Are counted now but for a sport.
Excessiue sinne transformd of late,
Of foule deceite the lothsome linke,
Hath worne all faith cleane out of date,
The greatest sinnes mongst greatest sort,
Are counted now but for a sport.
Old Asues grandame is restor'd;
Her grouie Caues are new refinde:
The monster Idoll is ador'd
By lustie dames of Macha's kinde:
They may not let this worship fall,
Although they leese their honours all.
Her grouie Caues are new refinde:
The monster Idoll is ador'd
By lustie dames of Macha's kinde:
They may not let this worship fall,
Although they leese their honours all.
Our Moab Cozbies cast no feare,
To Iet in view of euery eye,
Their gainelesse games they holde so deere,
They follow must, although they dye.
For why? the sword that Phineas wore,
Is broken now, and cuts no more.
To Iet in view of euery eye,
Their gainelesse games they holde so deere,
They follow must, although they dye.
For why? the sword that Phineas wore,
Is broken now, and cuts no more.
My tender Muse, that neuer try'd
Her ioynted wings till present time,
At first the perelesse bird espy'd,
That mounts aloft, deuoide of crime;
Though high she sore, yet will I trie,
Where I her passage can discry.
Her ioynted wings till present time,
At first the perelesse bird espy'd,
That mounts aloft, deuoide of crime;
Though high she sore, yet will I trie,
Where I her passage can discry.
Her high conceites, her constant minde;
Her sober talke, her stout denies;
Her chast aduise, here shall you find;
Her fierce assaults, her milde replies,
Her dayly fight with great and small,
Yet constant vertue conquers all.
Her sober talke, her stout denies;
Her chast aduise, here shall you find;
Her fierce assaults, her milde replies,
Her dayly fight with great and small,
Yet constant vertue conquers all.
The first that saies to plucke the Rose,
That scarce appear'd without the bud,
With Gorgeous shewes of Golden glose,
To sow the seeds that were not good:
Suppose it were some noble man
That tride her thus, and thus began.
That scarce appear'd without the bud,
With Gorgeous shewes of Golden glose,
To sow the seeds that were not good:
Suppose it were some noble man
That tride her thus, and thus began.
| Willobie His Avisa | |