The Works of William Fowler :: :: University of Virginia Library

The love, the treuth, the steidfast faith, the kynd and loyall hart,
the greatnes of a graitfull mynd, the wyse and constant pairt,
the plaints, the smarts, [the] griefs and grones, the schrilling cryes and cair,
the trikling teares, the loud laments that perst the poorest air
of fair olympia will I tell, of help with ayd bereft,
And to the wyld and savage beasts by fals bireus left.
O betoun brave! o noble boyne, and glorye of your sex!
whose courteous beames beyond desert dois mak on me reflex,
receave these verse, and thame pervse, euen of that wonnted grace
that planted is within your brest, and buddeth in your face.
[OMITTED]ts tyme afford vnto my Muse some mater of more art
[OMITTED]yow for gretar glore and prayse I may impart,
whair ȝe sal se my painting pen, appropriat in your praise,
conspyre with that quhilk trew report gius furth of yow thir dayes.
And look, quhat fame hes blowen abrod, and Verlen hes furth shawen,
quhat beutye hes with wounder spred, and Ponnte hes maid knowen,
Quhat bountye, beautye, vertew, fame hes so of yow record,
I meane some day for to proclame, gif so it pleis the lord
that to this work he giue me force and pouer to my will,
and that vnto my reddye mynd proportiond be my skill.

311

III. PSAL. 129.

they oftentymes afflicted me
now israell may say;
they oftentymes, euen from my youth,
pursewed my decay;
But yet the Lord so favourd me
as they culd not prevaill,
And these attemps wer frustrat all,
which causd them vs assaill.

The plouers ploued vpon my bak,
and cuist there furrous long,
but yit the lord was righteous,
that cutt thair cords so strong;
the weked quho did sion hate,
and thought it to oppres,
salbe aschaimd, and turne there baks
to mak there shame the les.

they salbe as the gras which growes
vpon the houses toppes,
which withereth far befoir it ryse
for laik of higher croppes,
whairof the mower, when he pulls,
not filleth full his hand,
and as the glainers emptie lapp
do shaw the barren land.

No passers by sall wisss the Lords
good blissings on them fall;
nor none sal think in thought or say,
“for yow to god we call.”

quod W.m Foul.

312

IV. FOR HIS VALENTYNE.

Prepair and prease as papists dois,
o poetts, ȝour ingyne,
And celebratt the memorye
off blist sant valentyne.

Sound furth your voce, and sing his praise
with learned verses fyne,
And with my dames resound the glore
off blist sant valentyne.

Off all the sants within the heaven,
baith godlye and devyne,
none more I love or honoureth mair
then blist sant valentyne.

For he by lott to me hir name
in taken dois propyne
baith off hir love and constancye;
then blist be valentyne.

Tak in gud pairt thir haistye lynes,
o yow sueit maistres myne,
And, giue ȝe pleis, a ring or poynts
send to your valentyne.

Bot gif ȝe faill, I sueir I sall,
suppose my hart repyne,
burne in the fyre ȝour gratious name,
And curss sant valentyne.

313

Quhat is the causs, my dearest dame,
that thow so long deleyes
to send me silken couleured poynts?
quhat is the caus thow stayes?

Is it bycaus your schamefastnes
your courtesie restrains?
or ȝit bycaus your chastlye mynde
sic hamlines disdains?

Gif so it be, it suld not be:
for custome this dois crave
off euerye one, and byndeth yow
to giue and to receave.

Or is it for ȝour doubtfull mynde
Is not in it resolud
Quhat chose to mak of chaingin hews,
or thame ȝour hands vnfould,

Quhase lyflye couleurs might expresss,
and properteis furth paint,
your graces lykwyse with my faith,
and favour represent?

so, so it is: me thinks I see
within your window lye
the dyvers sorts of schewing silk,
lyk rainbows in the skye.

Me thinks I see these tendar hands
vntwist the plesant quhyte,
as badge of ȝour virginitie,
quhairin ȝe do delyte.

314

Me thinks I see than after that
the blak cum in your hand,
as maist aggreing with his doole,
quhome ȝe may maist command.

Then these layd by, me thinks I see
the Ridd layd nixt in place,
quhilk baldnes shawes, bot mair that hew
quhilk gius ȝour lipps þair grace.

Incarnatt after followeth nixt,
quhilk schaws ȝour gud complexioun,
and mixt with gray in taken of happ
and houp of your perfectioun.

Immediatlye I see ȝow take
In ordour nixt the ȝallow,
declairing furth your wyttie hairt,
And liberallness to follow.

And with the same me think I see
baith quhyte and darkned gray,
this for to tell my patience,
the other my decay.

Then afterwart me think I see
for to appeir the blew,
quhilk dois decore ȝour asurd vains,
and provis my love be trew.

The pourpour lykwyse to me semes,
quhilk tells ȝow ar beloved,
Then tanny after to declair
the greiffs and pains I proved.

315

In end the violett cums nixt,
my perseverance schawen,
And constancye in all the scorns
quhilk hes my hope ourthrauen.

And to be short, I think that ȝow
the tynder ass assewme,
to wittnes how that pansiue thoughts
to ass dois me conseume.

then dois the grene your work conclud,
quhilk dois this muche professs,
that as my pains dois florish still,
so sal they neir decresss.

now quhither this or vther hews
your purpose is to fallow,
I cair not, so ȝe send me not
the woefull blak and ȝallow.

finis.

W.m Fouler.

316

V. ANAGRAME.

Anna Britannorum Regina.
In anna regnantium arbor.

Perpetuo vernans arbor regnantium in Anna
Fert fructum et frondes, germine lœta nouo.

Freshe budding blooming trie,
from Anna faire which springs,
Groue on blist birth, with leaues and fruit,
from branche to brainche in kings.

317

VI. VERSES.

To the true, Ho:ble., most vertuous, and onlie deseruing La: of Highest titles: The La: Arbella Steward: vppon my passage downe the Thames to London: Ianuarie the: 8: 1603.

Scotlande.

I haue the Orcades seen, Dee, Done, and Forth,

Englande.

Tay, Tweid, Esk, Humber, Leei, and nowe faire Thames,

Zeilande.

with Scalt and Ishell, with Zuindersea more North,

Hollande.

and Mais, and Weissell, Elbe, and also Eymes,

Guelders.

The Baltique Sea, and all along that Coast,

Iuliers.

and Vindar Floud, vnder the Artique Pole,

Denmark.

And Rhine, wher meane and measieres are lost,

Sweiden.

with Necar, Vr, to Rhine that paieth tole;

Norwaie.

I haue seen Danube, Leigh, with Inn, and Trent,

Franconia.

the Adriatique and the Tirrhen Sea,

Hildeberg.

And Mynce, from Poo, and Adegis with Brent,

Tirolls.

triumphant Tibre, the worldes pride and Eye;

Palatina.

Vulturno haue I seen, with Sebet, Arnn,

Almaine.

and Rubicon, with Ticine, Loier, and Rhon,

Zuitzerland.

With Douick, Seyn, both Garroun, Some, and Marne,

Venetian Sea.

and all the Swannes, that swimmeth theruppon;

the South Sea.

Yet neuer sawe I swann so faire to singe

Lombardie.

more sweiter Carrolles of perpetuall fame

Romagnia.

Then shee who ioyes to sence and spirites doth bringe

Mantua.

next to our kinge, as next by bloud and name.

Ferrara.

318

But here I stay: Geese singes not with the Swanne;

Verona.

her songes and Hew doth glad both Eies and Eares;

Padua.

Then must my trauail'd Muse but pipe like Pan,

Capua.

and Hobbinol her Rondleis with her Peers.

Neapolis.

Go back then Cignetts to Apollos troupe,

Florence.

salute his Vestall Preist, his Sainct and Shrine,

Vrbin.

Abase your Plumes, your Necks to her make stoope

Pauia.

who is the Tenth Muse to ȝe Muses Nine.

Premont.

Present from mee my Seruice and my Vowes,

France.

successfull wishes which may her befall,
By platted Crounes, which Circle maie her browes,
and in the Thrones of Honour may enstall.

Though that I liue from laue,
nor subiect to eache will,
Yet shal my seruice fredome be
if grace so grace me still.

Wiliame Fouler.

319

VII. TO MY ONLY L. ARB.

Patrona mia supra titulos,
Chast-loue engendrer, chaser-lust away,
adord be al, admyrd ad siculos,
whose hands I hope shal statlye scepters suay,
your ouen foulero and your humble sclaue
to god his prayers for your saftye offers;
to yow so many blissings dois he crave
as nummi ar within your grandames coffers.

320

VIII. TO SIR DAUID WOD.

Dogrell.

Sir, I devyned what would insewe,
that double drinks would mak yow spew;
bot wheather yow liue, or wheather yow die,
deuil tak most caire, al is one for me;
or wheather yow brek your gal or melt,
or faill be fewers or by felt,
tome bottells ful and pischpotts fill,
or reaving trouble bothe braynes and scill,
or rail on theme that home yow led
yestreene vnto your lothed bed,
against your will, good knight, I grant,
but store of wyne will mak wit skant;
yet out of love I send my man
to know if yow looke paile or wan,
coght whomsell snuff and suering wounds,
or if with colere flegme abounds,
what domineres in this excess,
or wheather your witts be fresh or les,
or if this day yeil come abrod,
or keipe your bed, or blaspheme god,
or come to sun your moulyie cunȝe,
or crye at dyce, deuil tak that gronȝe,
yow lie, fals knave, yow limmar skybell:
bot here I end and byds your libell.
be him whose rymes ar naught as prose,
your freend, but Naso be his nose.

321

IX. TO M. MELVIN

21 Sept. 1610.

no more of cupids quavers nor his foyles,
no more of Mars, his battells and his broyles,
no more of bothe, things ar not for al season,
I now will sing off patience bred by preason,
a theame not yet by others spookt or pend,
by sonndryie proven, by yow, sir, in the end.
then, Melvin, len me some portion of thy muse,
& rub thy front on myne and It infuse;
as pegase feet the hyppocreniem well,
so may thy parnass muses in me duel
but for a tyme, whils I this theame of mine
may bring to end, that thou may it refyne,
and in thy censure giue it lyfe and sence,
which is proiected for thy patience.
The soule yow wil confess to be in preson:
our inward gifts, facultyies, and reasoun
invested ar and founded in our fleshe;
So long we liue they doe but vs refreshe,
we have but vse of thame so long we breathe,
and as deathe comes, so do they pairt by deathe;
but doith not die, immortal ar the same!_
I meane the soule, and all which it may clame

322

In faith or hope by mereits of our christ,
both god and man in whome we all ar blist.
but here I stay and putteth doune my pyke
fixd in the ground; I will not phormio lyke
discourse of warrs afore a anniball,
so guyltie in my self of learning smal;
and to relate to yow things so devyne
were to obtrud to yow which ar but thyne:
for in this kynd my muse can not afford
nor bring yow confort by wryting or be word:
Learne of yourself who hath so may learnd,
and in your [OMITTED] this [OMITTED] hathe decernd.

323

X. [ON THOMAS CORYATE THE TRAVELLER.]

Thou ass-Vlisses lyke, Ass far from home,
ass-painful on thy leggs as he on foote,
and thou on foote asslyke from thy Odeomme
hathe circueted soyles with a clouted boote,
contemning toyle with resolut advyse,
for to susteane the bytes of fleas and lyce.

But to what end? but for thy contryies good:
thy painful penn vnto our eyes layth oppen
the travells of fyve monnths with litill food,
who hathe suche seaes orsaylde and lands orloppen:
Cæsar did wryte, he camm, he veued, he wan,
but thow In the hathe playd a brauer man.

Sicilien wonders and Cyanez Rockes,
caribdis suelling waues and Scyllas Sees,
the siren songs and Lestrigoniem knocks
thow hast escapd (not veued by thy eyes);
pheacien feeldes thou left (as yet vntraced)
for tymes to come to mak the more then graced.

Lex hæc lineis imposita est Iocosis
Vt nisi pruriant non possint Valere.

324

XI. EPITAPHE VPON IAMES STEUUARTS DEATHE.

With courage full of splene I did combatte,
orcumming, I succumb, so bothe subdewed,
and bounding in my tombe my hopes and fate,
with euil aspect of starrs deathe hathe enseued.

XII. VPON SIR GEORGE WHARTON.

Greate was the wrong but gretar the report;
yet creddit was repayred with reuenge,
with loss of lyfe after such martial sort,
as to faint hartes this boldnes will seme strange.

But vnto those which ar to honour borne,
and mynds resents the valeur of there race,
suche noble harts which couardyce ay scorne
may well condoole our deathe but not disgrace.

XIII. THO. DURYIE.

He spak, spat, speued, struk, pisht his hose in anger
A catholiguer, and catolik wrongar;
he tymlie dyed for to prevent the othe
to which to sueare al know he would bene loathe.

325

XIV. M. D. DRUMO[N]D[?].

He was tuo d'd, but not of bothe my race,
nor uood, nor mad, but taistyne tarnd alyke,
oynt, not anoynt, a courteour through his place,
messt spreit in cariage, no girning in his face,
from falshood clere, but in his menage found
with ȝ in welth and more a thousand pound.

XV(A) Cold bontie did me warne.

Cold bontie did me Warne,
bright beautie did me Warme,
such warning did me learne,
such warming did me harme:
Thus warmed and harmed,
thus warned and learned
through smal bontie, greate beautye
of hers which I did ones adore,
plaist in the middle of my hart and more,
and now me holds of litill wourthe.
fairwell! my Loue, from hencefurthe
I owe yow no deautye.

326

XV(B) RECANTATION.

Bright beautye did warme me,
Colde bontye did warne me:
such warming did harme me,
such wairning did learne me
to playne thus warned and warmed,
to pen thus learned and harmed
by smal bontie, greate beautye
of hers which ones I did adore,
pla[i]st in the Middle of my harte and more,
and now me holds of littill wourthe.
then fairwell! my loue, hencefurth
I oue yow no deautye.

XVI. [Blist Blist and happie he.]

Blist Blist and happie he
whose eyes behoulde her face,
but blissed more whose eares hathe hard
the speaches framd with grace.

And he is half a god
that these thy lipps may kisss,
yet god al whoale that may enioy
thy bodye as it is.

327

XVII. [Wheare art thow, echo, who suld my planctus heare.]

Wheare art thow, echo, who suld my planctus heare?
que faict madonna, when I theme despley?
whilst I spend lyfe, will shee not lend a teare?
from eare to hart it is no distant way.
how can shee honour me in mortis fluctu?
per quod will shee resound to men my losss?
an with cordoglio, an cum eructu?
shees gentle, and kyndnes kieps her Νυσιμος[?].
Vale! sad echo, thou maks this tempus grave,
bot shal these words come to her conclaue.

XVIII. TESTAMENTO.

Quatrains Macorones.

Prest pour m'eloingner from this Monde, Madame,
I leaue my Sinns to it, to heauens mon ame,
my sight aux vents, mes pleurs vnto the sees,
my flams to fewe, mes gasings vnto your ees,
mon Cœur to yours, auec his chaud affections,
bothe bred and buryed be your rare perfections.

328

XIX. Ie hay.

I do detest the florentine his vsuryce is so gritt;
I do abhore the sienies for his vnstable witt;
I hate the guylfull genevois for fals deceatful leyes,
and malice of the venismen which citeis stands in seis;
I hate the ferrarois also for some vyld secreit vyce;
I do abhore the lombards faith for there vntrewe advyse;
I do detest all naples men for they ar fearse and vaine;
I hate the romane sluggart for he dois tak litill paine;
I hate the inglish mutin man, the scottish brave and neate;
I hate the traitur bourguigion and frenshman vndiscreit;
I hate the glor[i]ous spa[n]ȝart proude and duchte ay tane with drink;
and to be short in eury land there case to lothe I think;
I hate my self and all my faults, bot mair a pedant foole,
quhase skill is nought and dois conduct the children to the shoole.

XX. [I will confes and will the treuth disclose.]

I will confes and will the treuth disclose
that ȝe have court mair favorable then me:
yet our fames lests quhen ȝe yo[u]r favor lose;
we have les cair, and ȝe mair vexed be;
ye iest at vs, we Iyve at yow aga[n]e;
your words dois pass, our verse will ay remane.

329

XXI. [It is to yow, o Iesuits crewe.]

It is to yow, o Iesuits crewe,
to whome king henrys hart is de[w]e,
for when the harts ar hounted hard,
the entralls ar the dogs reuard.

XXII. Quid pluma leuius? pulvis.

Quid pluma leuius? pulvis.
What lightar is then feather? dust.
Quid pulvere? ventus.
What more then dust? the wind.
Quid vento? mulier.
What more then wind? a woman's trust.
Quid muliere? nihil.
What more? nought more I find.

pater transtulit, Ludouicus Fouler f. exscripsit.

XXIII. de me ipso cum decumberem. [3 7bris. 1610.]

Vaga mihi fuit vita: in curia Incuria, Incerta certa fides,
certior mors, at in christo salus certissima.

pater posuit, Lud. filius moerens scripsit.