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

All is not Gold that glittereth fayre,
Nor all thinges as it seemes to be,
Fayre hangings hide the dusty wall,
So doth the barke the hollow tree,

The flower that fayrest seemes in sight,
Hath not alwayes the sweetest smel,
But time that bringes all thinges to light,
And doubtfull dread from mind expell,
Hath tryde thy treason and my truth,
Thy seeret slightes it doth detect.
Yea time hath now bewrayde thy wiles,
Thy wauering wit, thy small respect
To plighted vow, thy cloked craft,
Thy filthy life so close concealde,
Thy double dealing diuelish driftes
And wild desires it hath reuealde,
Unto my praise and thy reproche,
But who would looke for other gaine,
At handes of her in whome no truth
Did euer yet vouchsafe to raine,
Like as the Siren with her songs,
And Crocadile with dolefull cryes,
Procures the Pilat to approch.
The place where greatest perrill lyes,
So hast thou long led me to loue,
And like of thee aboue the rest,
By flattering wordes by fayned vowes,
And meere good will which thou profest.
But wordes are wind I well perceaue,
And womens vowes are made in vaine,
Their wauering wits delight in chaunge,
And reason neuer rules the raine,
Excuses now shall serue no more.
To bleare mine eyes as they haue done,
Thy filthy fact bewrayes thy lore,
For which great shame thou shalt not shon,
The wine another hath inioyde,
To me the dregges thou mindst to leaue,
But thinke not so, for if thou due,
Thou greatly doest thy selfe deceaue.

No mistresse, no, to yield to that,
Be sure ye shall not me compell,
I neede not oue to tast my meate,
My selfe can serue the turne full well,
Let him therefore that sowde the seede,
Enioy the fructe thereof at will,
His last is fittest for thy foote,
To row thy Barge he best can skill.

Finis.