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

O loue who leidethe at thy will
The hartes of humanis good & ill,
Whose puissance Plutoes raigne dothe reach,
And to the cristall skyes doe streach,
No power ther is that may resist
The violence of thy darte!
No highe nor lowe, but when thou list
Thou makst them feile the smarte.

To the these louers doe complaine,
To the they showe ther ioye & paine,
To the ther solempne vowes they swere,
conformd with manye a sighe & teare;
Thou frames ther gestures, countenance, speach,
And lendes them wit & grace,
Attyres them trim, & to ther leache
Thou leides them in thy lace.

At the then would I aske the cause
Why last not these thy lustye lawes;
The pleasour neuer perfitt was
That dothe conclude with ‘Ohe! Alas!’;
And oft tis sene that all thy Ioyes
Thy seruantes doe posesse
Convertes in passions & annoys,
In dollours & distresse.

I heare them curse thy courte & the,
Ther Fortune & the destinies three,
disdaines themselues the daye & hower
That first the fortund in thy power;

355

The[y] flye, the[y] presse, theye hate the light,
All mirthe augmentes ther woe,
They feid on teares, they waik the night,
Ther harmes haue neuer ho.

Art thou the causer of this change?
Or is it men of manners strange?
Or do these ladies sowe the same?
For they against the most exclame.
I heare them say that faithe & trothe
In loue is ane exyle,
And louers now no pleasures haue
But louers to beguyle.

If Loue be good, then would I aske
Why settes thou vs so harde a taske;
If thou be still, what is the cause
That we obay thy fickles lawes?
Vnhappie is the wight to loue
his harte dothe wholl derect,
For to his truthe thend shall prove
That loue hathe no respect.

Ye that haue loued, or louers be,
Or myndes to loue, take this of me;
And Ladies, ye that haue your hartes
All francke & free from Cupids dartes,
Since loue is falce & full of care,
As euerye daye ye see,
I counsell you, sweit Ladies faire,
Trust none in loue but me.

Finis.