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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.]

Constable, Henry (1562-1613)

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The Booke speaketh to the Buyers.

The Authour to the Reader.

R. W. to the Reader, in the Authours behalfe.

The Forrest of Fancy.

[Thy cruell dealing hath procurde]

A warning to yong men to flye the flattery, and shun the deceiptes of dissembling dames.

A plaine description of perfecte friendship.

An Inuectiue against couetous persons.

Of fayned friendship.

The commodities of Mariage.

Of the wickednesse of women and howe prone they are to the procatious of the flesh.

What small trust there is to be reposed in friendes or kinsfolkes.

A Letter written by a yong maiden to a Louer of hers, wherein she detecteth the trechery of many men, and their great dissimulation.

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.

Certaine Verses written in commendation of the Nut cornell.

A Louer whose friend for his sake was frowardlye delte withal, writeth vnto her, to perswade her with pacience, to suffer it for a season.

An admonition to Maisters, how they should behaue themselues towardes their seruauntes.

A yong man finding her to whome he had plighted promise, to be fraught with another mans fruicte, wrighteth vnto her as followeth.

A pretty fancy of the fynding of a Whyte, wherein is collourablely included the course of a Captiue Louer, in purchasing his desyred purpose.

How Altamenes hauing vnwares slaine his owne Father Cartareus died for sorrow, when he had knowledge thereof.

The Authour writeth this in commendation of his mistresse.

An Exhortation to Pacience.

The Aucthour wrighting to a friend of his, that was toward mariage, exhorteth her to make choyse of a wyse and verteous person.

Of the great patience and clemency of King Antigonus.

What misery and misfortunes mankinde is continually subiecte vnto.

A louer hauing long concealed his loue, at the last reuealeth it and craueth grace at the handes of his beloued mistresse.

Certaine verses written in commendation of the Rose.

Of a Souldyer who for couitousnesse of a little money, lost his owne lyfe.

The complaint of one Sidaspo, who was imflamed with loue through the bewty of his seruaunt Aletha.

A Letter which the said Sidaspo sente to his seruaunt Aletha.

The abiect Louer complaineth of the crueltye and disdainefull lookes of his Lady.

A commendation of the Cock.

A commendacion of the Robin redde brest.

The long acquainted Louer writeth to his beloued, whose grace he desyred.

Of one Vrbina a Virgin vestall, taken in adulterye.

Of one Cianippus, who in his dronkennesse deflowred his owne daughter ciane.

Of one Ceselius Bassus a Carthagenian, who deceiued the Emperour Nero.

The tragedy of Meliager, sonne to Oeneus King of Calcedonia.

Lenuoy.

A yong Gentlewoman wrighteth this for aunswere to a Gentlemans Letter, that craued her loue and exhorteth her to keepe promise with him, wherein excusing her selfe, by her ouer yong yeres, and his vnhabillitye; she prayeth him to cease of his sute.

The lamentable complaint of a louer, who notwithstanding his diuerse daungerous trauailes, and continual sorrow sustained coulde fynd no fauor at al at her hands that was the causer of his callamity but cruell contemt, to counteruayle his curtesy.

How foolish women are in the choyse of their Louers.

Varinus hauing found in the night time that which plesed his fancy he commendeth it much, and craueth to be accepted for her seruant whom he intyrely loued.

The great loue that Itafernes wyfe bare to her brother.

The straunge pangs of a pore passionate Louer.

Of the thankefulnesse of a Dragon towardes a man that had brought him vp.

R. D. Being inflamed with the loue of a very bewtifull Gentlewoman, by a sodaine view that he tooke of her, doth colourably declare his case vnto her.

An aunswere to a Letter that was not onely darke, but also so disordered, as their could no sence be perceiued in it.

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A Louer whose friend for his sake was frowardlye delte withal, writeth vnto her, to perswade her with pacience, to suffer it for a season.

As one bewrapt in wastefull wo,
in dryry dread I stand,
Least that my shippe on Rocks should rend,
or perrish in the Sand.
Least blustring blastes should driue my barke.
to vnacquainted shore,
Least swelling waues should soke it so,
as naught may it restore.
To former state and strength againe,
least foes of forrein land?
should make encounter with my men,
that may not long withstand.
Or least with song some Siren should,
the pilate so allure,
As by that meanes, his losse and mine,
vnwisely he procure,
A thousand thoughtes in head do swarme,
which will not me permit,
Ne night nor day my rest to take,
as nature deemes it fitte,
You are the ship, whose safety so,
my hart hath euer sought,
You are the Barke for whose mishaps,
my head with care is fraught.
Such craggy cliftes, such greedy gulfes,
such sundry sortes of Sandes,
Such daungers great, such perrilous portes,
amidst your passage standes,
Such whirling winds, such blustering blastes,
which cleane contrary blow,

Such tempestes straunge, such wallowing waues,
about you still doe flowe.
Such syrens with their subtill songes,
allure your pilate still:
I meane your mother that thereby,
she seekes to worke you ill.
Such homebred hatefull hellish hagges,
such friendly fawning foes,
Whose priuie mallice prickes farre worse,
then bryre amidst the rose.
Which breedes my bale, and to my mind,
doth dayly bring vurest,
For feare least you by their despight,
should be to much opprest,
But sith as yet I see no way,
these euils to preuent,
With perfect pacience arme your selfe,
till helpe from God be sent,
And pray to him with hart and voyce,
to further my desyre.
Which once obteind, doubt not to fynde,
such rest as you require,
And thereby be in such estate,
as they that now deuise,
To worke your wo, to gaine good will,
shall then all meanes deuise,
Thus leauing now for lack of time,
a long discourse to make.
I bid adue, and kisse this scroule,
that you in hand shall take,
Hoping it shall as thankfully,
of you receaued be,
As I desyre most willingly,
your hart from harme to free.

Finis.