The Forrest of Fancy Wherein is conteined very prety Apothegmes, and pleasaunt histories, both in meeter and prose, Songes, Sonets, Epigrams and Epistles, of diuerse matter and in diuerse manner. With sundry other deuices, no lesse pithye then pleasaunt and profytable [by H. C.] |
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A yong man enamoured of a very fayre Gentlewoman,
declareth the dollorous passions that he suffereth for her sake, and craueth mercy at her handes.
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 | The Forrest of Fancy |  |
A yong man enamoured of a very fayre Gentlewoman, declareth the dollorous passions that he suffereth for her sake, and craueth mercy at her handes.
The
more I looke vppon her louely face,
Whose like before dame nature neuer framde,
The more I like, and long to liue in grace,
Of her that may Pandora well be namde,
Whose deedes as due, the highest place haue claimde,
A Phenix rale, she may be tearmed right,
That so surmountes each other earthly wight.
Whose like before dame nature neuer framde,
The more I like, and long to liue in grace,
Of her that may Pandora well be namde,
Whose deedes as due, the highest place haue claimde,
A Phenix rale, she may be tearmed right,
That so surmountes each other earthly wight.
Of Silke and Siluer, seemes her heare to be,
Her teeth of pearle, her eyes of Christall cleare,
Her lippes of Ruby, wrought in each degree,
She doth excell, and vaunteth voide of peere,
Her like did neuer liue, that I could heare,
Who would not then accompt himself in blis,
That might inioy, so rare a iem as this,
Her teeth of pearle, her eyes of Christall cleare,
Her lippes of Ruby, wrought in each degree,
She doth excell, and vaunteth voide of peere,
Her like did neuer liue, that I could heare,
Who would not then accompt himself in blis,
That might inioy, so rare a iem as this,
Sir Aleran as may by bookes appeare,
A sily Saxon, sought her loue to gaine
That was the Emperour Othos Daughter deare,
And did in fine his wished will obtaine,
She graunted grace to quite his carefull paine,
And fearing nought her fathers furious yre.
Did yield her hart all whole at his desyre.
A sily Saxon, sought her loue to gaine
That was the Emperour Othos Daughter deare,
And did in fine his wished will obtaine,
She graunted grace to quite his carefull paine,
And fearing nought her fathers furious yre.
And Acharisto he but basely borne,
Besought the loue of fayre Euphimia
Who seemed nought his courtesy to scorn,
Though she were Queene of riche corinthia.
Yong Iason eke obtained Medea,
Who though she knew not him nor his estate,
Forsooke her friendes to be his matched mate.
Besought the loue of fayre Euphimia
Who seemed nought his courtesy to scorn,
Though she were Queene of riche corinthia.
Yong Iason eke obtained Medea,
Who though she knew not him nor his estate,
Forsooke her friendes to be his matched mate.
A million more I might alledge of those.
That did by seeking soone obtayne their will,
And when they were bewrapt in wretched woes.
Had speedy helpe to shield themselues from ill,
Which otherwise their youthfull dayes would spill,
Yea some we see from seruill state aduaunst,
By worthy dames whose grace to gaine they chaunst.
That did by seeking soone obtayne their will,
And when they were bewrapt in wretched woes.
Had speedy helpe to shield themselues from ill,
Which otherwise their youthfull dayes would spill,
Yea some we see from seruill state aduaunst,
By worthy dames whose grace to gaine they chaunst.
Then speake and speede, be still and want thy hyre,
For many a time and oft I haue hard say,
And sometime proude, that he that would aspire,
To that which will doth wish, the wisest way,
Is to expulse dispayre which makes men stray,
Farre from the path of perfect peace and rest,
Sith Fortune still, doth helpe the bouldest best.
For many a time and oft I haue hard say,
And sometime proude, that he that would aspire,
To that which will doth wish, the wisest way,
Is to expulse dispayre which makes men stray,
Farre from the path of perfect peace and rest,
Sith Fortune still, doth helpe the bouldest best.
For can the Leach recure his pacientes paine,
Before he see from whence his greefe doth grow,
Or can the Lawyer pleade a matter plaine,
Unles to him, his case the client show,
Then should this dainty dame on me bestow
Her loyall loue before she trye my truth,
The meetest meane to moue her mind to ruth.
Before he see from whence his greefe doth grow,
Or can the Lawyer pleade a matter plaine,
Unles to him, his case the client show,
Then should this dainty dame on me bestow
Her loyall loue before she trye my truth,
The meetest meane to moue her mind to ruth.
Then welcome hope, and foolish feare farewell,
Farewell all care, and welcome pleasaunt ioy,
That guilefull gest no more with me shall dwell,
That would my helth and happy hap destroy.
What should I doubt, sith she is nothing coy,
Her gentle hart can not his hurt procure,
That for her sake would any death indure.
Farewell all care, and welcome pleasaunt ioy,
That would my helth and happy hap destroy.
What should I doubt, sith she is nothing coy,
Her gentle hart can not his hurt procure,
That for her sake would any death indure.
On her my health, on her my happy dayes,
Doe whole depend, on her my myrth or mone,
My welth or, wo, my paine or pleasure stayes,
My lyfe and death doth rest in her alone,
By her I must, alas, or else by none,
Receaue releefe, and hope to haue redresse,
Of all the paines that doe my mind oppresse.
Doe whole depend, on her my myrth or mone,
My welth or, wo, my paine or pleasure stayes,
My lyfe and death doth rest in her alone,
By her I must, alas, or else by none,
Receaue releefe, and hope to haue redresse,
Of all the paines that doe my mind oppresse.
And as her bewty braue bindes me to loue,
So doth her courtious countinaunce comfort yielde,
And as the paine I feele my mind doth moue,
So hope perswades that grace shall gaine the field,
But hap what may, both loue and paine that builde
Their bower in brest, my sorrowes so renue,
That forst I am for grace to seeke and sue.
So doth her courtious countinaunce comfort yielde,
And as the paine I feele my mind doth moue,
So hope perswades that grace shall gaine the field,
But hap what may, both loue and paine that builde
Their bower in brest, my sorrowes so renue,
That forst I am for grace to seeke and sue.
Behold therefore deare dame thy seruaunt heare,
Lies prostrate at thy feete to pleade for grace,
Oh rue my state let pittie plaine appeare,
For thou alas haste brought me in such case,
As if I find not fauour in thy face,
Like one that loathes his lyfe I wish my graue
To quench the cares which doe my health depraue.
Lies prostrate at thy feete to pleade for grace,
Oh rue my state let pittie plaine appeare,
For thou alas haste brought me in such case,
As if I find not fauour in thy face,
Like one that loathes his lyfe I wish my graue
To quench the cares which doe my health depraue.
The bale I bide, I would right happy count,
And thinke my selfe in Paradice to be,
Yea in good hap all others to surmount,
might it but please you once to deeme of me
As I deserue, and graciously agree,
To take me for your seruaunt, slaue or swayne,
Whose mind to please, I would refuse no payne.
And thinke my selfe in Paradice to be,
Yea in good hap all others to surmount,
might it but please you once to deeme of me
As I deserue, and graciously agree,
To take me for your seruaunt, slaue or swayne,
Few wordes will serue a righteous cause to pleade,
If Iudge be iust, by whome it must be tryde,
How said I? what shall I her dealing dread,
No no, I know she will not shrinke aside,
From reasons rule, at any time or tide,
But render me my due deserued hyre,
Which is the somme of all my whole desyre,
If Iudge be iust, by whome it must be tryde,
How said I? what shall I her dealing dread,
No no, I know she will not shrinke aside,
From reasons rule, at any time or tide,
But render me my due deserued hyre,
Which is the somme of all my whole desyre,
Who serues, deserues, his recompence to haue,
Who truely loues, ought to be loude againe,
Whose greefes are great, must needes a medicine craue,
Or else permit himselfe to pine in paine,
Let me deare dame my guerdon then obtaine,
And doe not now in lew of lasting loue,
With deepe disdaine, my rash attempt reproue.
Who truely loues, ought to be loude againe,
Whose greefes are great, must needes a medicine craue,
Or else permit himselfe to pine in paine,
Let me deare dame my guerdon then obtaine,
And doe not now in lew of lasting loue,
With deepe disdaine, my rash attempt reproue.
Finis.
| The Forrest of Fancy | |