A Courtlie controuersie of Cupids Cautels Conteyning fiue Tragicall Histories, very pithie, pleasant, pitiful, and profitable: Discoursed uppon wyth Argumentes of Loue, by three Gentlemen and two Gentlewomen, entermedled with diuers delicate Sonets and Rithmes, exceeding delightfull to refresh the yrkesomnesse of tedious tyme. Translated out of French as neare as our English phrase will permit, by H. VV. Gentleman [i.e. Henry Wotton] |
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The fourth Historie.
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 | A Courtlie controuersie of Cupids Cautels |  |
212
The fourth Historie.
236
[Ah trayterous eyes, you haue betrayed your forte]
Ah trayterous eyes, you haue betrayed your forte,
For sith the Euen you sawe dame Beautie blaze
Hir radiant beames by torchlight for disporte,
Proude Cupids yoke hath mazde me in hir maze:
I was then franke and free, now cloggde with care,
My daintie cheare is changde to lothsome fare.
For sith the Euen you sawe dame Beautie blaze
Hir radiant beames by torchlight for disporte,
Proude Cupids yoke hath mazde me in hir maze:
I was then franke and free, now cloggde with care,
My daintie cheare is changde to lothsome fare.
The more I am obedient to hir will,
The more to me hir crueltie abounds,
The more I flee to shunne the greater yll,
The more hir snares my staggering steppes confounds:
And aye the more she hath my heart in chace,
The more I doe pursue hir Princely grace.
The more to me hir crueltie abounds,
The more I flee to shunne the greater yll,
The more hir snares my staggering steppes confounds:
And aye the more she hath my heart in chace,
The more I doe pursue hir Princely grace.
VVhat meane remaynes in mine vnhappie state,
Resembling right the dayly running brooke,
VVhose course dammde vp, to stay his woonted gate,
VVith stronger streames ryues out at euery nooke:
So my desire increaseth so muche more,
As hope doth scant, to salue my pining sore.
Resembling right the dayly running brooke,
VVhose course dammde vp, to stay his woonted gate,
VVith stronger streames ryues out at euery nooke:
So my desire increaseth so muche more,
As hope doth scant, to salue my pining sore.
237
Nought resteth, but that you my trayterous eyes,
Lament the breache of your disloyall truste,
And curse the night wherin you were the spies
To seeke and like sweete beautie so vniuste:
You all haue sworne, and practised the waye,
To yeelde my youth to ruine and decaye.
Lament the breache of your disloyall truste,
And curse the night wherin you were the spies
To seeke and like sweete beautie so vniuste:
You all haue sworne, and practised the waye,
To yeelde my youth to ruine and decaye.
[Oh drowsie night, the dame of dreadefull dreames]
Oh drowsie night, the dame of dreadefull dreames,
The carefull nurse of Venus waywarde boye,
Thoughe death presented be in thine extreames,
And feare dothe shrowde in shade of thine anoye,
Yet I (alas) like more thine irkesome sight,
Than to beholde the ioyes of Phebus light.
The carefull nurse of Venus waywarde boye,
Thoughe death presented be in thine extreames,
And feare dothe shrowde in shade of thine anoye,
Yet I (alas) like more thine irkesome sight,
Than to beholde the ioyes of Phebus light.
VVith closed eies thy power hath made me viewe,
My stopped cares thou haste compeld to heare,
The fame, and speach, that makes my harte to rue,
And seeds my thoughts, with sucke of sowre cheare,
I ioye and mourne within thy carefull cage,
As men do smile possest with rauing rage.
My stopped cares thou haste compeld to heare,
The fame, and speach, that makes my harte to rue,
And seeds my thoughts, with sucke of sowre cheare,
I ioye and mourne within thy carefull cage,
As men do smile possest with rauing rage.
O dreaming Dormouse, drownde in daily sleepe,
I grudge to see thy long delightfull reste,
O Morpheus, yeelde vpon my limmes to heape
The burthen graunted once, vppon requeste
Vnto Endymion and Epiminyde,
Or let mine eies their fatall sleepe abide.
I grudge to see thy long delightfull reste,
O Morpheus, yeelde vpon my limmes to heape
The burthen graunted once, vppon requeste
Vnto Endymion and Epiminyde,
Or let mine eies their fatall sleepe abide.
238
[Even as the Orient peerelesse pearle]
Even as the Orient peerelesse pearleon Indian shoare abides,
The beating of the foming Seas
in calmes and surging tides:
VVithout the honoure, price, or praise,
to suche a iewell due,
Vntill the prudent Traueller
doth take thereof the viewe,
And doth enchace the same in golde,
by cunning Goldsmiths skill,
VVhiche done, he rates the price thereof
according to his will:
So vnder cruell carefull yoke,
of seruitude vniuste,
Perthenia spent hir tender yeares,
and chiefest time of luste,
Vntill a King of forraine lande,
by Fortune preste in place,
To winne hir to his wedded sire,
bycause he knewe hir race:
For as the glittering golde is drawne,
from oute the nurses breaste,
To shewe the shining hewe thereof,
in spite of mysers reste.
And as men plucke the pleasaunte fruite,
from braunche of tender tree,
So is the fragrant smelling rose
stript from the twig (we see)
To frame there of gay posies sweete,
by cunning handy slight,
To whome the fading flowers oughte
to yelde ioye and delight.
239
[If thou remember, (Nimph) I praye thee tell]
If thou remember, (Nimph) I praye thee tell
Howe thou in loue with faire Narcissus fell,
And scanne my choice, if it be ill or well,
Eccho Well.
Howe thou in loue with faire Narcissus fell,
And scanne my choice, if it be ill or well,
Eccho Well.
Declare from whence these crooked thoughts proceede,
VVhiche thus in haste my harte hath occupide.
Cupide.
VVhiche thus in haste my harte hath occupide.
Cupide.
VVhat happy chaunce ensues for my reliefe,
Saye on, whose ioyes consumed are with griefe,
Griefe.
Saye on, whose ioyes consumed are with griefe,
Griefe.
VVhat griefe? Alas the end must cruell bee,
But can no meane redresse my woe, but shee?
Shee.
But can no meane redresse my woe, but shee?
Shee.
If none but she, then can I not denye,
To heare hir voice, none shoulde reioyce but I.
I.
To heare hir voice, none shoulde reioyce but I.
I.
Describe, good friende, what meane is best for mee,
To winne hir loue, whome I but once did see?
see.
To winne hir loue, whome I but once did see?
see.
And seing hir, my minde howe shall I breake,
To shewe my woe by sighes, or else to speake?
speake.
To shewe my woe by sighes, or else to speake?
speake.
But what is beste to quench the flame of loue?
If death were due, I woulde his pangs approue.
proue.
If death were due, I woulde his pangs approue.
proue.
And by what wordes my seruice muste I proffer,
To ease the ill, that loue to me dothe offer?
offer.
To ease the ill, that loue to me dothe offer?
offer.
VVhat beste auailes, to write, or speake, to spend?
To get good will saye, shall I goe or sende?
sende.
To get good will saye, shall I goe or sende?
sende.
Howe muste I worke hir fauoure to preserue,
If once the same my lucke be to preserue?
serue.
If once the same my lucke be to preserue?
serue.
240
And if for loue, of loue I doe not misse,
VVhat muste I doe, to pleasure my maistrisse?
this.
VVhat muste I doe, to pleasure my maistrisse?
this.
To like of loue, when men the meane doe haunte,
VVhat way is beste to bid their loue aununt?
vaunt.
VVhat way is beste to bid their loue aununt?
vaunt.
O Cupids friende, what sacrifice or shifte,
Of beauties pardon, maye obtaine the gifte?
gifte.
Of beauties pardon, maye obtaine the gifte?
gifte.
If giftes so please, as maides thereby consent,
VVhat then behoues, I shoulde doe this present?
present.
VVhat then behoues, I shoulde doe this present?
present.
And what shall I doe in the loue of the Princesse.
Wherevnto Eccho answered
cease.
And it that any saye, I loue faire Perdenie?
denie.
And it that any saye, I loue faire Perdenie?
denie.
260
[Ovt of the Easte did spring]
Ovt of the Easte did spring
A grafte from gracious tree,
VVhome Fortune made a king,
Both valiaunt, wise, and free.
A grafte from gracious tree,
VVhome Fortune made a king,
Both valiaunt, wise, and free.
A VVesterne stocke of price,
This grafte tooke to his choice,
Both vertuous, faire, and wise,
In whome he did reioyce.
This grafte tooke to his choice,
Both vertuous, faire, and wise,
In whome he did reioyce.
Their perfecte giftes of kinde,
Their treasures of grace,
Declarde their heauenly minde,
And shewde their princely race:
Their treasures of grace,
Declarde their heauenly minde,
And shewde their princely race:
Their vertues linckt in one
By loyall wedlockes lore,
Had freed their mindes of mone,
And toyle for euermore.
By loyall wedlockes lore,
Had freed their mindes of mone,
And toyle for euermore.
If Enuie had not fraught
Two nobles with despight,
To bring their blisse to naught,
And reaue their hartes delight.
Two nobles with despight,
To bring their blisse to naught,
And reaue their hartes delight.
By whome, besides their strife
For rule by lawlesse way,
These Princes loste their life,
VVhose loue shall laste for aye.
For rule by lawlesse way,
These Princes loste their life,
VVhose loue shall laste for aye.
[The mirrour of might]
The mirrour of might,And patterns of Loue,
Reste here day and night,
And cannot remoue.
The ende of the fourth dayes disporte.
| A Courtlie controuersie of Cupids Cautels | |