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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Lenuoy.
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 | The Forrest of Fancy |  |
Lenuoy.
These foresayde thinges who noteth well,to fyre them fast in mynde,
He shall not fayle for his auayle,
good fruicte therein to fynde.
Fyrst by Oeneus are we taught,
at no time to neglect,
but chiefely haue respect,
To honour him, and laude his name,
that leddeth lyfe to all,
Which errth containes, who lifts vs vp,
and likewise lets vs fall,
Whome Seas obay, whome heauens adore
and all thinges else besyde,
Who sees and knowes our secret thoughtes,
though we the same would hyde,
And as he is a God moste iust,
so iustly will he render,
His grace vnto the penitent,
although a great offender,
Deseruing death most damnable,
so mercifull is he.
That as he saith, he doth not seeke,
a sinners death to see,
For when from depth of hart we will,
our hainous crimes confesse,
And craue forgiuenesse at his handes,
we soone shall finde redresse,
But when no mendment he perceiues,
nor warninges to preuayle,
Then with his mighty hand he doth,
vs wicked wight as assayle,
And vs and all our progeny,
vnto the death pursues,
Then praise we God, and vnto him,
all reuerence let vs vse,
And you O Captaines that doe guyde,
and gouerne Armies great,
Ye Magistrates and Rulers all,
that are with pryde repleate,
Leaue of lyke lawlesse Lordes to liue,
Of Meliager learne,
as reason shall disearne,
Who merrits golden gaine to get,
for worthy workes committed,
In countreyes cause let his reward,
in no wise be remitted,
So shall you surely reape renoune,
and purchase peoples loue,
Yea valyaunt minds to vallyaunt actes.
thereby you soone shall moue,
You enuious sorte at prosperous state,
of men that doe repine,
That grutch to see another gaine,
with most mallicious eyne,
Forsake that foule infyrmitye,
that hurt with vertue heale,
Which vexeth euery vaine of you,
for grace to God appeale.
Else shall confusyon come to you,
and that which you did craue,
To light on others that be sure,
your selues alone shall haue,
By Meliager murtherers may
a good example see,
To cause them shun to seeke their blood,
with whome they greeued be.
Least that the same to heauenly Ioue,
from earth do vengeaunce erye.
and so their soules be damde in hell,
when corpes in graue doe lye,
For God so much a murderer hates,
that be he Prince or peare,
Yet blood craues blood, and vnto God
the Begger is as deare
In all respectes, as is the King,
that rules in regall raigne,
who slayeth shall be slaine,
What measure men to others meate,
with that they shall againe,
Be measured this finde we true,
by tryall euery day,
Now last of all let sisters learne,
where vertue beares cheefe sway,
To loue their bretheren feruently,
as nature doth requyre,
So shall they purchase praise of all,
that know their good defyre.
Finis.
| The Forrest of Fancy | |