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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 | The Forrest of Fancy |  |
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.
Of
many torments, straunge and tedious toyles,
That grisly ghostes in Limbo lake sustaine,
Of feareful facts, and bloody beastly broiles,
That there are vsde, the pleasaunt Poets fayne,
As how that Phlegias to his treble paine,
Upon a turning wheele is fixed fast,
Which makes him lothe his lyfe, that long doth last.
That grisly ghostes in Limbo lake sustaine,
Of feareful facts, and bloody beastly broiles,
That there are vsde, the pleasaunt Poets fayne,
As how that Phlegias to his treble paine,
Upon a turning wheele is fixed fast,
How Sisiphus doth rowle the restless stone,
Which to the top attaind, turnes hath againe,
How silly Titius making mostful mone.
Unto a Rock fast tyde, doth stil sustaine,
The griping greefes that rauening byrds constraine,
Who on his entrailes dayly feede their fill,
And yet he liues, to trye these tormentes still.
Which to the top attaind, turnes hath againe,
How silly Titius making mostful mone.
Unto a Rock fast tyde, doth stil sustaine,
The griping greefes that rauening byrds constraine,
Who on his entrailes dayly feede their fill,
And yet he liues, to trye these tormentes still.
How Tantalus amidst the streame that standes,
Up to the chin, is like for drouth to dye,
And goodly Apples, almost in his hand,
With hunger nipt, in extreame payne doth lye,
How Danaus daughters doe themselues apply,
With pailes that bottomes want, a tubbe to fill,
That wanteth bottome to, which passeth skill.
Up to the chin, is like for drouth to dye,
And goodly Apples, almost in his hand,
With hunger nipt, in extreame payne doth lye,
How Danaus daughters doe themselues apply,
With pailes that bottomes want, a tubbe to fill,
That wanteth bottome to, which passeth skill.
But all their paines may not compared be,
To that which I doe euery hower abyde.
For all at once assembled are in me,
There is no torment that I haue not tryde,
To me the heauens haue happy h[illeg.] denyde.
The Plannets all appointed me by fate,
to liue and leade my life in lothsome state,
To that which I doe euery hower abyde.
For all at once assembled are in me,
There is no torment that I haue not tryde,
To me the heauens haue happy h[illeg.] denyde.
The Plannets all appointed me by fate,
to liue and leade my life in lothsome state,
All day my minde with fancies fond is fraught,
Which greatly wastes my witte and breakes my braine
To no effect at all, when sleepe hath caughte
Some holde of me at night, alas my paine
Browes greater farre, for dreadfull dreames restraine
My quiet rest, all myrth is mone to me,
All pleasure paine, I loth the light to see.
Which greatly wastes my witte and breakes my braine
To no effect at all, when sleepe hath caughte
Some holde of me at night, alas my paine
Browes greater farre, for dreadfull dreames restraine
My quiet rest, all myrth is mone to me,
All pleasure paine, I loth the light to see.
Of all the wightes that euer liude in loue,
Was neuer alone whose luck was lyke to myne,
though grefe them gript though pain they long did proue
Yet did they gaine their wished will in fyne,
Their Ladies liking did to loue inclyne,
And they inioyde their ioy and hartes delight,
At wished will their wretched woe to quight.
Was neuer alone whose luck was lyke to myne,
Yet did they gaine their wished will in fyne,
Their Ladies liking did to loue inclyne,
And they inioyde their ioy and hartes delight,
At wished will their wretched woe to quight.
Though pastor Paris past the surging Seas,
And many perrils more for Hellens sake,
Yet he at last his heauy hart to ease,
Enioyde her loue, and reft her from her make,
Which deede the Greekes so greeuousely did take,
As Troy therefore they did to ruine bring,
The fittest fruicte that of such loue doth spring.
And many perrils more for Hellens sake,
Yet he at last his heauy hart to ease,
Enioyde her loue, and reft her from her make,
Which deede the Greekes so greeuousely did take,
As Troy therefore they did to ruine bring,
The fittest fruicte that of such loue doth spring.
When Peseus had with tedious toyle distrest,
The Monster huge that laboured to deuour,
Andromada, that on a Rock did rest
Fast bound with chaines, expecting euery hower,
For dread full death, he cropt the costly flower.
Which fancy forst him seeke, with such annoy,
And after led his life in lasting ioy.
The Monster huge that laboured to deuour,
Andromada, that on a Rock did rest
Fast bound with chaines, expecting euery hower,
For dread full death, he cropt the costly flower.
Which fancy forst him seeke, with such annoy,
And after led his life in lasting ioy.
And many more such lyke alleage I coulde,
Who after paine did purchase their desyre.
I might bring in Nastagio if I would,
Hippomanes that fryde in Cupids fyre.
And Pelops to if cause did so requyre,
But these will serue in my saying true to trye,
That none for loue hath led such lyfe as I.
Who after paine did purchase their desyre.
I might bring in Nastagio if I would,
Hippomanes that fryde in Cupids fyre.
And Pelops to if cause did so requyre,
But these will serue in my saying true to trye,
That none for loue hath led such lyfe as I.
For I alas of all men most accurst,
Haue spent much time with care and busy cure,
And when I thought me best, my hap was worst.
When safe I seemde, then sate I most vnsure,
Not deadly dole, thou I did long indure,
Not trickling teares, not sighes nor fittes could serue,
To purchase that which I doe well deserue.
Haue spent much time with care and busy cure,
And when I thought me best, my hap was worst.
When safe I seemde, then sate I most vnsure,
Not deadly dole, thou I did long indure,
Not trickling teares, not sighes nor fittes could serue,
When as I glaunce my glaring eyes on her,
She bendes ger lookes vpon some other thing,
When as I would with wordes my sute preferre,
Then angry she away from me doth fling,
Saying take heede; the Siren now doth sing,
And when with pen my passyons I depaint,
She rentes my writ and scornes my pittious plaint.
She bendes ger lookes vpon some other thing,
When as I would with wordes my sute preferre,
Then angry she away from me doth fling,
Saying take heede; the Siren now doth sing,
And when with pen my passyons I depaint,
She rentes my writ and scornes my pittious plaint.
If messengers I fond with her to treate,
And pleade my cause as they can best deuise.
Their wordes so set her haughty hart in heate.
Who causelesse still doth me so much despise,
As when she heares me namde, her blood doth rise,
An when my friendes doe her present with aught,
She frets and fumes as one with fury fraught.
And pleade my cause as they can best deuise.
Their wordes so set her haughty hart in heate.
Who causelesse still doth me so much despise,
As when she heares me namde, her blood doth rise,
An when my friendes doe her present with aught,
She frets and fumes as one with fury fraught.
Through places scarcely knowne, both day and night,
through wods, through groues, & marish grounds I rode
Through Forrests, fennes and furrowes voyde of lighte,
Yea ouer hautye hilles where I abode,
Full many bitter blastes before I trode
The trusttesse trace where I this Tiger found,
Whose diuelish deedes doth cause my cares abound.
through wods, through groues, & marish grounds I rode
Through Forrests, fennes and furrowes voyde of lighte,
Yea ouer hautye hilles where I abode,
Full many bitter blastes before I trode
The trusttesse trace where I this Tiger found,
Whose diuelish deedes doth cause my cares abound.
Then cursed be the hower and eake the daye,
Wherein I hid to her my iorney frame.
I would I had bene murdered by the way,
Before I came to see that cruell Dame,
Who for good will doth yield me bitter blame,
For then the death had me depriude of all.
The daungers dyre, wherein I dayly fall.
Wherein I hid to her my iorney frame.
I would I had bene murdered by the way,
Before I came to see that cruell Dame,
Who for good will doth yield me bitter blame,
For then the death had me depriude of all.
The daungers dyre, wherein I dayly fall.
But all to late to shut the stable dore,
When steede is stolne, so faith the Prouerbe olde,
I wisely should haue thought of this before
I did attempt her bewty to beholde,
Who hath my heauy hart so hard in holde,
As needes I must both loue and serue her still,
Though she me lothe, and seeke my blood to spill.
When steede is stolne, so faith the Prouerbe olde,
I did attempt her bewty to beholde,
Who hath my heauy hart so hard in holde,
As needes I must both loue and serue her still,
Though she me lothe, and seeke my blood to spill.
You yonglinges all, where euer that you be,
That subiect are vnto the lawes of loue.
Take hede in time, be wysely warnd by me,
On whome you looke, least lookes that liking moue,
Ingendring loue, make you more paines to proue,
Then I pore wretch, that dayly wish to dye,
And yet doe liue, these tormentes straunge to trye.
That subiect are vnto the lawes of loue.
Take hede in time, be wysely warnd by me,
On whome you looke, least lookes that liking moue,
Ingendring loue, make you more paines to proue,
Then I pore wretch, that dayly wish to dye,
And yet doe liue, these tormentes straunge to trye.
Finis.
| The Forrest of Fancy | |