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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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The Authour writeth this in commendation of his mistresse.

You Ladyes now leaue of your strife,
For Golden fruicte without delay,
And thou that art Vulcanus wife,
resigne the same with speede I say,
To mistresse mine, that doth deserue,
For to possesse the same by right,
From this my hest seeme not to swerue,
Least thou be forst in open sight
Perforce to yeeld it vnto her,
and so be put to open shame,
Let not thy Godhead make thee erre,
If thou wilt shun all blot and blame,
It is not all thy glory great,
Nor yet thy sonne Cupido he,
That makes thee so with pryde repleate,
Or else thy fathers high degree,
That may my mistresse once distaine
In any point, who doth thee passe
As farre as Golde doth copper plaine.
Or perfect Emrod brittle glasse.

As farre as Phebus doth surmount,
The starre that lendes least light of all,
Aboue thy reache then doe not mount,
Least thou receaue the greater fall,
To her good Grisell may giue place,
Though great her pacience were in deede,
And constant Constance in like case,
For Constance doth them both exceede,
Her name and deedes so well agree,
That they doe varry in no thing,
In sooth it is a ioye to see,
The vertues that from her doe spring,
I know when she meete time shall see,
On any one to fyxe her harte,
She will like chaste Penelope,
Continue his till life depart,
That flattering wordes or fyled phrase,
Or golden giftes, or greedy gaine,
Her constant mind shall neuer cease,
Or make her chaunge her former frame,
That vallyaunt deedes done for her sake,
Nor fetured forme, nor fine deuice,
Shall cause her flye from chosen make.
Or to fond folly her intice,
That neither Fortune good nor bad,
Nor store of wealth nor wofull wante,
Nor smyling cheare, nor countinaunce sad,
Nor absence shall obliuion plante.
That neither threats nor lowring lookes,
Nor dread of daunger shall her draw,
From him whom fyrst for friend shee takes,
No man may keepe her so in awe,
No greefe can gripe her hart so sore,
No paine can pinche her so, that she
Will leaue her faithfull friend therefore,
How base of hyrth so eare he be.

Though this I haue not yet seene proude,
I am right sure it will be so,
For neuer saw I her minde moude,
With trifling tales for friend nor foe,
That she would take in hande the thing,
Which was contrary cleane to right,
but euen as vnder vertues wing,
She had bine trainde, she seemes in sight,
Thrise happy therefore shall he bee,
Whose happe shall be so good to get,
This precious Iewell franke and free,
That will by him so highly set.
And will not any tyme neglect,
The duty of a louing wife,
but please his minde in eche respecte,
Still studying to inlarge his lyfe,
And blest am I aboue the rest,
That haue obtainde to be her man,
Who purpose still to doe my best,
To please her mind in all I can.

Finis.