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 fifth Historie.
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 | A Courtlie controuersie of Cupids Cautels |  |
271
The fifth Historie.
283
[Dame Beautie pearelesse wight]
1
Dame Beautie pearelesse wight,the mother of my greefe,
Sith thou in suche dispight
disdaynest my releefe:
284
2
I doo repent me soreI so pursude thy grace,
I will doe so no more,
Ile hunt an other chase.
3
I will go arme me sureagaynst that glaring eye,
VVhose smiling gleames procure
the meanes to make me dye.
4
Yea I will stoppe mine eareagaynst the sayned speache,
VVhose suttle sound I feare,
will be my mortall leache.
5
Ile shunne the curled locks,which in a Net of golde,
Hath meshed me with mocks,
that make my hart full colde.
6
The snowishe Lilly brest,full fraught with louely lore,
Shall lose of me a guest,
I will byde scorne no more.
7
But will renounce the sightthat drownes me in desire,
And boyles me day and night
in flames of quenchlesse fire.
8
And henceforth search the way,to liue in libertie:
VVill works to voyde delay,
but loue will not agree.
[The fierie skies doe not at all times flame]
The fierie skies doe not at all times flame
The thunder threats not still the earth belowe,
Nor Ycie frost doth alwayes bruse the same,
Not euery houre colde blustering blasts do blowe:
Dissentious seas, holde not continuall strife,
Ne dunker night, doth alwaies shade oure life.
The thunder threats not still the earth belowe,
Nor Ycie frost doth alwayes bruse the same,
Not euery houre colde blustering blasts do blowe:
285
Ne dunker night, doth alwaies shade oure life.
But my debates for euermore and aye,
My passions eke approue your force and might,
Batter to earthe this iellous wall I saye,
That lockes from me my treasure and delight,
I thinke my ioyes and harte consumde with mone,
For aye shall lodge within this rocke of stone.
My passions eke approue your force and might,
Batter to earthe this iellous wall I saye,
That lockes from me my treasure and delight,
I thinke my ioyes and harte consumde with mone,
For aye shall lodge within this rocke of stone.
Like vnto me I viewe no louer pine,
VVith happy ioy they all do ende their paine:
Yet loue I more than they thy face diuine,
VVithin whose hearte no pittie doth remaine,
My maistresse is more mercilesse and nice,
Than thunder, nighte, the sea, the winde, or yce.
VVith happy ioy they all do ende their paine:
Yet loue I more than they thy face diuine,
VVithin whose hearte no pittie doth remaine,
My maistresse is more mercilesse and nice,
Than thunder, nighte, the sea, the winde, or yce.
[No forte or castell builte by force to feare the foe]
No forte or castell builte by force to feare the foe,No welth that surging seas do yeld by sayling, won with wo,
No garden of delight compilde by cunning hande,
No precious iewels to be found by serch in Leuant sande.
No sumptuous dainty feastes of rich and puisant kings,
No pastymes with companyons, that companie oft brings,
No merie table talke, no Histories of fame,
No perfumes of Arabia, that Fœlix men do name.
286
No melody of chaunting birdes, that chirpe with mery moodes,
No whispering water course, of siluer shallowe becke,
No fragrante fruites, that Sommer dothe with Autumns riping decke,
Nor all the worldly wealth, that radiant sunne doth see
Are of such price, as any heare of my deare Dame to mee.
287
[I did requyre of late this onely boune of Loue]
I did requyre of late this onely boune of Loue,For recompence of al my paine, my slender sute to moue,
And that he woulde vouchsafe, for comforte of my woe,
I might but licke the sugred lips, frō whēce my grief did floe,
My sute was graunted soone, to take it passing by,
Oh luckelesse daye, wherein, I did enioye suche amitie,
For then mine eies deprivde, of power to see their weale,
Enuide my mouth possessing then his sweet contented heale:
Loue, thou haste nothing done, to cheare my pensiue minde,
Thy former gifts within me breeds, an other war I finde,
VVhiche forceth me alas, to enuy mine estate,
That I shoulde be enforste by thee to curse my crooked fate.
Sith then one dainty bit, cannot two gluttons fill,
I pray thee Loue, haue some remorse, vnlesse thou wilt mee
And either take againe, my first possessed parte,
Or giue me more, that better may, contēt my faithful hart kill:
306
[The daily lampe, that I ames amid the Christall spheare]
The whole troupe of yong men and maidens togither.The daily lampe, that I ames amid the Christall spheare,
And round about the rolling globe, his glaring beames doth beare,
Surrenders vp his roomth, and dothe resigne the skie,
To thousande thousandes fierie lights, that dimmes eche drowsie eie,
And irkesome ougly night, doth spreade his darkesome wings,
And of Argentine Luna she, the haruest horses brings.
I see the scorching sunne in Seas to plunge from farre,
And after him pursueth neare, the blasing sheppardes starre:
Proceede then lustie youthes, let ioy beare all the swaye,
And honoure Hymen at this feaste, and blesse this wedding daye.
The Yong men.
O famous splendant starre by Cupid stayde aboue,
The pressed slaue at all assayes, and messenger of Loue,
307
To quēch the furious frying flames, that makes our bridegrom wepe.
Thou glorious starre, of whome dame Venus made hir choice,
For witnesse of hir plesaunte sports wherin hir thralles reioyce:
Make haste with penned course, I praye thee do not staye,
But honoure Hymen at thys feaste, and blesse this wedding daye.
The Maidens.
O starre more fierce than Mars, more cruell and vnkinde,
VVhy stealest thou thys ioyfull daye for Virgins aide assignde?
And rayste our sister deare, who once among vs dwelt,
To yeelde hir thrall to husbandes lawes whereof she neuer felt?
And cause this tender Impe forget hir louing Dame,
And graunte to beare the seruile yoke which strangely will hir tame,
VVhose flower nowe consentes, to wither and decaye,
VVhy shoulde we honoure Hymen then, and blesse this wedding day?
The Yong men.
Euen as wee see the Vine that springeth vp on hye,
VVithout a prop to staye his twigs, doth wither waste and dye,
And then his barraine boughes, whereon no fruite doth growe,
Deserues not of the husbandman the pruning knife to knowe.
But if the stubborne Elmes, supporte his tender taunts,
Soone shewes his purple in his greene whereof the Tilman vaunts.
So she that dothe consume hir age in Virgins life,
Hir freshe will fade, but if she yeelde to be a wedded wife,
And choose a louing feere, with fruite she shall encrease,
VVhich will hir auntient parentes glad, with ioyes that shal not cease,
To daunce the preatie babes in satten mantels gaye,
Oh honoure Himen at thys feaste, and blesse this wedding daye.
The Maidens.
Euen as the fragrante rose, the hostesse of the Flye,
Yong maydes delight, and yong mens ioye the pleasure of the eie,
308
It doth receiue the deawe of Heauen, and fresher still becomes:
Put being plucked downe, the hewe doth fade anone,
And nought remaineth but the stalke, from whence the rose is gone:
So she, that homage dothe vnto the lawes of Loue,
Liues vnder yoke of toyle and care, as keeping house dothe proue.
Farewell then daintie cheare, all pleasaunte sports adew,
Then flee from youthfull company, for feare of priuie viewe,
In chimney corner close, she bideth at the baye,
VVhy shoulde we honoure Hymen then, or blesse this wedding daye?
The yong men.
Proceede oh parched spouse in flames of beauties beames,
Reuenge thee nowe of cruell Loue, and of his sterne extreames:
Triumphe oh happy man, and nowe possesse thy ioy
At ease, and quench the coale wherewith Loue did thy hearte annoy.
I viewe in open campe, a thousande Cupids flye,
In signe of conqueste yeelding bowe, and brondes to scale the skie.
All torments hides their heade, that plagde thy pining harte,
Contented minde with might, doth make all grisly griefes departe:
And where insidious doubtes a thousande pangs did growe,
Possession may be pleaded nowe, the same to ouerthrowe.
Sith then the fielde is worne and thou at quiet reste,
Auay with armoure, speare, and shielde, reioyce among the beste,
For victories behoofe, our banners we display,
And honoure Hymen at this feaste, and blesse this wedding daye.
The Maidens.
O Hymen, happy childe of nature, moulde of all,
Hymen the brother vnto Loue, to whome all Louers call
For comforte in distresse, that by thy puissaunte might
They maye enioy their wished will, and haue their hartes delight,
Sith that thy pleasure is to trace out of our traine
Our sister, and in husbandes armes, so sweetely to retaine,
And of hir Virgins state, sith he muste cracke the bande,
In recompence of this hir losse, let this hir guerdon stande,
309
Let sacred loue chaine fast their hearts, and in their minds remayne.
And make hir of a mayde, a wife and mother glad,
To gouerne well hir familie in wisedomes holy trade:
And that eche one of vs in order as they goe,
By guage thereof, the surest meane to loue and liue may know,
And knowing pleasure is the ende of payne alway,
VVe honour Himen at this feast, and blesse this wedding day.
340
A brawle of Poictow.
The Louer.So long as I suche fauoure founde,
to flowe from my faire Ladies face,
As by hir to be vouched bounde,
to serue as slaue, hir noble grace,
My happy state and settled minde
possessed more contented stay,
Than any liuing prince may finde,
though all the world should him obay.
341
So long as of a seruant true,
the faithfull guage of loyall Loue
Posseste my hart, and I did viewe
his seruice soughte his faith to proue,
I could not change this weale of mine,
nor once reward hym with dispight,
To be partaker with a Queene
in worldly wealth and al delight.
The Louer.
But after she had learnde to knowe,
by vertue of hir looking glasse,
The beautie whiche did worke my woe,
and giues me cause to crie alas,
I had no power my hope to aide
by any meane, when I did viewe
Another, whom my maistresse saide,
should ioy the loue that was my due.
The Lady.
But after this vnconstant wretche
of other damoysells had a sighte,
And sought by many a suttle fetche,
to make them owners of my right:
Aduaunting he coulde cull his choice,
sufficiently to domage me,
And with the fairest Dames reioyce,
and please his wicked fantasie.
The Louer.
Beholde what slender confidence
remaineth in this slipper kinde,
This is the goodly recompence,
for seruing long a man shall finde,
The loyaller his vsage is,
more patiently he suffers paine,
342
and lesse in fine shal be his gaine.
The Lady.
Beholde whereto the promise tende
of these dissembling liers all,
That sweare and stare while life shall ende,
to serue their dames at euery call:
It is no more, but at their wills
to seeke our bodies to abuse,
VVhereof they vaunt and scoffe their fills,
and finally do vs refuse.
The Louer.
Therfore right happy shall he bee,
and alwayes compted ware and wise,
That can their seruile bondage flee,
and shunne the snares of loues deuise:
Vnhappy was the dismall daye,
when firste my lucklesse desteny,
Allotted my poore hearte, to praye
vpon such cankerde miserie.
The Lady.
Therefore suche creatures shall be bleste,
as can eschue this flaming fire,
And quite forbeare to be a gueste
vnto this torment of desire.
Treade not the trace that I haue gone,
you honeste dames that dwell in ioy,
Nowe subiecte vnto care and mone
vnder the lawe of all annoye.
The Louer.
But sith that force enforceth me,
of force perforce to giue consent
To loue and like my libertie,
to liue therein I am content:
343
than neuer, Shunne the baite of bale,
VVhiche moues oure wishes to debate,
and dayly setteth peace at sale.
The Lady.
But sith in time I muste prouide,
perforce to arme my wofull harte,
The cruell pearcing blowes to bide,
that Cupid striketh with his darte:
The hurte is hard to heale, some saye,
that long is kepte from Surgeons cure,
VVhiche warneth me to seeke the waye
to ease the care that I endure.
The Louer.
Yet if my cruell carelesse foe
with pitifull repentante eie
VVould yeelde to me, and to no moe,
the happy state of amitie,
Then woulde I dye to please hir minde,
and aye embrace hir as my wife,
My body restlesse shoulde she finde
to do hir good, my terme of life.
The Lady.
Yet if my faithlesse flitting friend,
woulde finde a daye to come againe,
And do his homage in the ende
vnto our loue and aye remaine:
I woulde with all my harte repent,
that fortune falsed my beheste
And if he coulde be so content,
my harte shoulde be his place of reste.
The Louer.
Come then the comforte of my mind
come then my solace and my ioye
344
our loue thus wronged with annoy:
Haste darling deare to salue the sore
that long hath soughte to waste my harte,
The griefe whereof wil gripe me more,
except we kisse ere we departe.
The Lady.
Come then my life and my desire,
my wished spouse and wedded guage,
The scorching flames and brainsicke fire,
are quenched quite of iealous rage
I neuer will recite to thee,
the thing that may displease thy mynde,
So that thou wilt remaine to mee
a carefull husband, and a kinde.
The Louer.
Faire Dame, let vs performe the summe
of al our passed auntient loue,
And let vs spende oure life to come,
In combate of this warre we proue:
Alas when pale and earthly colde
doth close vs in our fatall graue,
Oure louing flames you maye be bolde,
shall lose the heate that louers craue.
The Lady.
My friend, our gallant youthfulnesse,
and foolishe loue will waste awaye,
VVhen feeble age our limmes shall presse,
and bring our bodies to decaye:
But sooner shall the flaming fire
Burne in the depth of raging Seas,
Then euer we will wante desire,
eche others louing minde to please.
The ende of the fifth Historie.
| A Courtlie controuersie of Cupids Cautels | |