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 Pleasure of the firste dayes Pastyme.
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 | A Courtlie controuersie of Cupids Cautels |  |
9
The Pleasure of the firste dayes Pastyme.
[If thundring threates of mightie Ioue aboue]
If thundring threates of mightie Ioue aboue,
If monstrous shapes from God among vs sente,
If bitter plagues, whereof we dayly proue,
Had power to make mankynde his lyfe repent,
Man shoulde not neede to feare the fleying whip,
VVhiche dothe for sinne his guiltie conscience nip.
If monstrous shapes from God among vs sente,
If bitter plagues, whereof we dayly proue,
Had power to make mankynde his lyfe repent,
Man shoulde not neede to feare the fleying whip,
VVhiche dothe for sinne his guiltie conscience nip.
The rodde wherewith the Lorde doth scourge vs still,
The promised plagues of vengeance in his ire,
Is to enforce man to obey his wyll,
And shunne the debt of his deserued hire.
The louing Lorde dothe warne vs day by day,
Yet we rebell, and lust to runne astray.
The promised plagues of vengeance in his ire,
Is to enforce man to obey his wyll,
And shunne the debt of his deserued hire.
The louing Lorde dothe warne vs day by day,
Yet we rebell, and lust to runne astray.
Eche fishe that swimmes, eche foule that buildes a nest,
Eche blooming plante, eche hearbe, and fruitfull tree,
Eche creping worme, and euery liuing beaste,
Brings forth encrease, eche one in their degree.
They prayse the Lorde according to their kinde,
They prayse the Lorde according to their kinde,
They liue and dye, as nature hathe assinde.
Eche blooming plante, eche hearbe, and fruitfull tree,
Eche creping worme, and euery liuing beaste,
Brings forth encrease, eche one in their degree.
They prayse the Lorde according to their kinde,
10
They liue and dye, as nature hathe assinde.
All things on earthe, created by the Lorde,
VVere to sustaine the needefull life of man:
And man at laste was formed by his worde,
And of the earthe, by God possession wanne,
Redeemed eke from sinne by Christe his sonne,
VVhose Godhead was before the worlde begonne:
Be thankfull man, repent, and turne againe,
Let not thy sauiours bloude be shed in vaine.
VVere to sustaine the needefull life of man:
And man at laste was formed by his worde,
And of the earthe, by God possession wanne,
Redeemed eke from sinne by Christe his sonne,
VVhose Godhead was before the worlde begonne:
Be thankfull man, repent, and turne againe,
Let not thy sauiours bloude be shed in vaine.
The complaint of the ciuill warres of Fraunce.
1
VVhat kinde of newe suspectDoth grudge my broylyng breaste?
VVhat griping griefe, or straunge conceite,
Bereaues my minde of reste?
VVhat horrour new at hande
Doth dull my senses so?
VVhat slicing blade doth cutte my gale
By force of mortall foe?
11
So fiercely me assayles,
As still me thinkes, I feele hym teare
My hearte with goarye nayles.
2
The flames of Ætna mounte,VVhose smoothers pierce the aire,
Consumes not so, as I doe waste,
VVith enuy, rage and care,
To viewe in euery coaste,
The gamisons so thicke,
Of brainsicke souldiours, whom the spoiles
Of natiue soile doth pticke,
And headlong doth enforce,
To baine the fieldes in bloode
Of countrey soules, without remorse
Of Fraunce their mother good.
3
VVith sorrowe I consume,Like snowe againste the Sunne,
Mine eies with teares like flowing streames
Continually doe runne:
My face with ashes foule,
My golden tresse is shorne,
My hearte in sorrowe closed fast,
My pleasant dayes are worne,
My pinching pining pangs
My penne shall nowe disclose,
The worlde shal knowe my driery playntes
The cause of these my vvoes.
4
My sadde and pensiue song.Runne with dispersed lockes:
Proclayme my griefe in dolefull tunes,
Among the woodes and rockes
Goe cladde in mourners weede,
Trusse vp thy garmentes rounde,
12
Doe there my verses sounde.
VVhere Arno floudes, and Po,
VVith Eccho may reporte
My sighes, my sobbes, and harde mishap,
To suche as there resorte.
5
Tell them the Frenchmen they,VVho by their valiant might,
So oftentymes in fierce conflictes
Their armies put to flighte,
Nowe doubte and feare themselues,
Nowe doe they seeke no more
Reuenge of wrong receyude, they seeks
To salue their present sore.
Tell Italy alas,
That Milan neede not feare,
But liue in peace with Naples nowe,
That Fraunce is in dispaire.
6
Tell Germany la bas,VVhere Mos the running flood,
Doth leade his course by mount & rocke,
Through many a dale and wood
VVhose people taught to crouche,
By force of our assaultes,
Constraynde to flee their walled Townes,
And hide themselues in vaultes:
VVishe them and those that holde
The fruitfull bankes of Rhine,
Like brethren now to length our liues,
VVith some reliefe in tyme.
7
You Europe Princes all,VVhiche sometime sought for peace,
Thereby to staye the Frenchmens force
Their kingdome to encreace,
13
Coulde not in forrayne soyle
Resiste, afflicted nowe you seeke
Like carion crowes to spoile:
Not one is absent nowe,
The carkasse to deuoure,
VVhose fleshe then in your greedy mawes
Had made your sauce but sowre.
8
Thus is the Lion stoute,VVhome euery beaste did feare,
Assailed nowe, and marched on
Of euery trembling hare.
Oh Fraunce, whose mightie power,
And famous highe renoume,
Surmounted for hir valiantnesse
Eche country king and towne,
VVhat dire mishap more harde,
VVhat more vnhappy ende,
Coulde fortune frame, than force perforce
Thy fame to ruine sende.
9
Must needes thy fatall blade,Not hauing whome to kill,
Againste thy selfe his bloudy rage
In fury worke his will?
As noble Romaines did,
The conquerours of all,
VVho after thousand battels wonne
Did worke their fatall fall,
VVhen rancor taking roote,
Their mightie hande did arme
Against themselues, to rue the liues
They shoulde haue kept from harme.
10
As he that hath the goute,Doth dayly wishe for death,
14
VVoulde stop his vitall breath:
Or as the man that liues
In painefull pangs, doth crie
And call for death, to end his griefe,
And yet hee can not die,
But takes some poysned drugge
At laste to ende his life:
So Fraunce by murthering man and child
VVoulde ende our cankred strife.
11
The roaring Lion fierce,Or furious Leoperds rage,
VVith no suche frensie trackes they pray
Their hunger to asswage:
Nor Tigre dothe pursue
More greedely, the thiefe
That steales hir yong, or faster packes
To giue hir whelpes reliefe,
Than doth our scattered troupes,
In armes with fury fraughte,
Againste themselues suche slaughter make
As bringeth all to naught.
12
The fieldes are bathed in the bloud,Euen of their children deare,
And churchyards now of common groundes
Doe euery where appeare:
And cankred spighte hath wrought
By heapes of bodies dead,
That frothye ryuers whyte as mylke
Are dyed scarlet redde.
Thus eche man vrged on
By madde reuenging moodes,
Lyke franticke fooles do quite forget
The losse of wife and goodes.
15
13
The father dothe not spare,To bathe his bloudy knife,
VVithin the bowels of the babe
That by himselfe had lyfe:
The childe nowe growne a man,
Cuttes off his syers head,
And dothe reioice with mery moode
To see his father deade:
The brother feares his ende,
Leaste brother do aduaunce,
Thus all estates to ruine runne,
Throughout the realme of Fraunce.
14
The mischiefe wrought by men,The battering Cannons shotte,
Destroyeth castels, fortes, and townes,
That valiant Princes gotte.
The auncient myghtie walles,
VVhere stately Cities stoode,
Lies flatte and beaten to the earth,
Imbrude in Burgers bloode.
The wealth we wallowed in
Before our wofull wracke,
Conuerted is by country foes,
To pillage, spoyle, and sacke.
15
The reuerend aged siresObeye these lawlesse mates,
VVho lyke vnbridled Helhoundes, beare
Of men the onely shapes:
They dayly seeke to haue
The vvealth man can not giue,
So they do get, they do not force
Howe hardly others lyue.
The olde distressed dames
Doe rende their grisly heare,
To see the maydes by bloudy beastes,
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Oh tiranny vniuste,Oh crueltie vnkinde,
My heare with horrour stands on end,
In vttering of my minde:
You people neyghbours nere,
Yet farre from any blowe,
Bewaile the state of our decay,
Lament our ouerthrowe.
And though our ship do sincke
In viewe of you on shore,
Let not the storme that works our wracke,
Make you reioice the more.
17
Quake at our hard mishap,Least you befall the like,
For where the blind doth leade the blinde,
Bothe fall into the dyke.
Your kindled neighbours house,
May cause you feare youre owne:
VVho dreades no harme that maye ensue,
Is soonest ouerthrowne.
VVherfore consider freendes,
That yet liue in delyghtes,
How Dogs and Rauens your fathers flesh,
Deuoured in your syghtes.
18
Alas, shal euermoreOur woes engraued lye,
VVith sighes, in brasse and marble stone,
The bookes of memorie:
VVherein discyphred bee
The discordes and the death
Of many a noble valiant wight,
Too soone bereft of breath
17
Theyr orphanes dolefull teares,
VVith cryes of poore exiled soules,
Apparantly appeares.
19
There may you viewe with feare,Howe daungerous a thing
Ill councell is in tender yeares,
To ouerthrow a king.
The seas be calme and smoothe
VVe dayly see by kynde,
No billowe mountes, but by the force
Of boysterous stormye wynde.
So royall Princes loue,
To lyue where vertue is,
If Sycophantes or Parasites
Enformde them not amisse.
20
Our realme had happie bene,Thou Prince to vertue borne,
If that by thy too lyght beleefe,
Thy subiects now forlorne,
Had neuer felte thy powre
VVith sworde and Cannon shot,
VVhereby our lande destroyed lies,
And famous Fraunce forgot,
Yea thy renoume and fame
Is buried with the reste,
Of Castels, Townes, and battered fortes,
VVhiche once a king possest.
22
A welcome of Peace into Fraunce.
1
Oh puissant Ioue on high,VVhat pleasaunt Musicke rare,
Dothe fill my senses with delightes
Proceeding from the ayre?
I feele my daselde eies,
By leamings lose their light,
VVhich farre excell the Sunny beames
Or glary morning brighte:
The sounde of straunge Consorts,
Contents my listening eare,
More gallant heauenly harmony
On earth may no man heare.
2
I see out of the cloudes,A Virgin doth decline,
In Sattyn clad, as white as swan
VVith maiestie diuine:
Vpon hir heade she beares,
A garlande like the grasse,
Of Laurell tree, in hewe this Nimph:
Dame beauty doth surpasse:
Hir countenaunce presents
The glorie of the Lorde,
In hand she holdes an Olyue braunche,
The ensigne of Accorde.
3
But as I doe suppose,This Princesse I do know,
VVho nowe forsakes the Heauens aboue,
To visite vs belowe:
Tis Peace, tis euen the same,
VVhome our incessant cries,
By earnest sute hath called downe
23
VVhere she (O noble dame)
Constrained was to flye,
And keepe hir close, to shunne the force
Of VVrath and Tiranny.
4
From whence she did beholdeThe bloudy furious flame,
VVherin all Fraunce consumed is,
To our eternall shame:
Howe Discorde hatched first
The fire of all our feares,
Then viewyng our vnhappie state,
She shed moste bitter teares:
And dyd bewayle our want
Of Peace, exilde by spight,
Lamenting with a heauie heart,
Our sorrowes daye and night.
5
In this our deepe distresse,VVe praide with one consent,
Entreating Faithe to be our friende
To God omnipotent.
He did present our sute,
To Christe the virgins sonne,
The mediatour of mankinde,
By whome our sute was wonne:
VVherein we did beseeche,
Almightie God to cease
His plagues deserued for our sinne,
And graunt to vs his peace.
6
Our prayer being heardeBy him that seeth all,
Presented by his onely sonne,
Didde graunt his grace, and calde
Necessitie in haste,
And did dispatche wyth speede,
From Heauen to Earth the Angell rude,
20
VVhose force and power is suche,
Once being out of bande,
As nothing liuing in the world
Can shunne hys mightie hande.
7
Thou Angell (saide the Lord)Giue eare, this is my minde,
Do thou my will vpon the earth,
As duty doth thee binde:
Goe downe into the worlde,
I giue thee perfecte power,
To apprehende that bloudy VVarre,
VVho doth my flocke deuoure:
Abate his cruell pride,
And see thou cheyne hym well,
Imprison hym in Limbo lake,
Among the fiendes of hell.
8
This chardge pronounced, IoueDid glaunce his eie aside,
And did espie the virgin peace,
VVho waited but hir tyde:
My daughter deare (quoth hee)
That haste thy dwelling place
Among my Saintes and blessed traine,
VVith speede goe shewe thy face,
Vnto the toiled troupes,
That for thy absence mourne,
Plante amitie, and pittie them,
That VVarre hath quite forlorne.
9
The Angell and the Maide,No sooner knewe the will
Of Ioue, but downe they driue amaine,
His pleasure to fulfill,
Like as the Arrowe shotte
Out of a mightie bowe,
21
Themselues more swiftly throwe:
Auoide you souldiers nowe,
Oure comforte is in place,
Nowe Murther, Theft, and Treason hide
Your shamelesse cruell face.
10
Oure happy dayes approche,Oure ioy shall nowe abounde,
And peace shall giue vs precious oyle
To heale oure mortall wounde:
She bringeth Charitie,
VVith Concorde, Faith, and Loue,
Companions sente for oure reliefe
From mightie Ioue aboue:
VVith garlandes crowned all
Of moste immortall fame,
Giue laude therfore with one accorde
To hys eternall name.
11
Delay no tyme (oh Fraunce)Be gladde and now reioice,
Praise him on high, that hath giuen eare,
To thy lamenting voice:
Let vs (O people) kneele
Before the Lorde of might,
And humbly thanke him, sith we finde
Suche fauour in his sight,
As pleaseth him to sende
These Nimphes of heauenly race,
To ease our griefe, release our woe,
And all our foes deface.
12
Peace hated of the ill,Of God the darling deare,
VVe celebrate thy name (O Peace)
In Fraunce with mery cheare:
Thy Altar will we builde,
18
To thee, of Furie and Disdayne,
VVhiche thou doste from vs take.
By Heraulds shall thy praise
Be blasde in riche aray,
And Trumpets shall thy fame resounde,
VVhich neuer shall decay.
13
Our weale do the ryse by thee,For thou by thy puissance,
Compellest Fraunce to knowe hir king,
And hym to knowe his Fraunce:
By thee, the Henries three,
To pleasure chaunge their rage,
And doth allie their loue anew
Vnto their parentage.
All bloudy combates cease,
All malice doth assuage.
Triumphes approche to beautifie
A noble mariage.
14
All garnisons departeOur Cities by thy stroke,
VVho didde oppresse our Citizen,
By force of seruile yoke.
Our fieldes are cleere by thee,
From all the wicked traine,
That haue destroyde our country wealth,
And all oure tillmen slaine:
VVho to excuse the crime,
VVherein they dayly sinne,
Alleage the deede that they haue done,
Theyr leaders did beginne.
15
By thee the aged man,Shall see his faithfull wyfe,
To whome with teares she will vnfolde
Hir wearye passed lyfe,
And tell what care of mynde
19
VVhat feare and sorrow day and night
For hym she did endure.
In recompence of paine,
The hoarie headed sire,
Renues with looke their auncient ioyes,
Reuiued by desire.
16
By thee the Virgins walkeThe Gardens of delyght,
Conducted by their louyng makes,
In place of open syght:
They trace the pleasant groues,
And gather floures sweete,
They do appoynte the secrete place
Of loue where they muste meete,
And sure guages giuen,
To keepe the tyme is sette,
VVhere wished wedlocke trappeth them
VVithin hir ioyfull nette.
17
By thee dame Iustice shallHir ballance beame redresse,
To yelde the wicked their deserte,
And aide the comfortlesse.
By thee the holy Churche,
Shall praye bothe day and nighte,
And preache the God of heauen to bee
The king of powre and might.
The merchaunt shall by thee
Applye his Traffike so,
As Tauernes shall not him compell
His profyte to foreslowe,
18
By thee the pesant poore,VVith trauayle shall begin
To sowe, to plante, and till the lande,
That long hath barreyn bin,
24
Shall stande hym nowe in steede
Vppon a poll to fraye the birdes,
That doe destroye his seede:
His Morion of defence
He vsed for his hatte,
Shal serue his wife to put in corne
To make his pulleyn fatte.
19
Thou Peace the springing wellOf euery happy thing,
I can not speake, ne yet conceale
The goodnesse thou dost bring:
Thou doest reioyce our hearts
VVith presence of thy syght,
More than the risyng of the Sunne
Doth ioye eche earthly wight.
VVhose golden glittring beames
Dothe chase and put to flighte
Dame Sadnesse, Feare, and Drowsinesse,
The daughters of the nyght.
20
Thy merrie moode, oh Peace,Doth cause eche thing to growe,
VVhose fruite once yelded, thou agayne
The same doste ouerthrowe:
Thou doste appease the rage
And storme on seas and lande,
To mitigate the furious force
Of heauen, is in thy hande:
All seasons, tymes and tydes
In thee accord by kynde,
The hydeous tempeste in the ende,
By Peace a calme dothe fynde.
21
Thou makest euery birdIn tyme to buylde their nest,
Thou dost ordeyne in craggye rockes
A denne for euery beast.
17
By thee their force appease,
By thee the Gallies rowe with ores,
Amid the rolling Seas:
In fine, eche gifte of grace
Proceeding from aboue,
Like hony dewe is powrd on vs
By concorde, peace, and loue.
22
Oh blessed lucky houre,O happy wished daye,
VVherein dissention and despight,
By peace are chasde awaye:
Goe harbour with the Turke,
VVho pufte with pride doth swell,
Or packe you to your auncient denne
VVith Pluto god of hell.
If you on earth will bide
To Persia hye with speede,
Or Cacebas, whose enuious mindes
Your cankerd counsell neede.
23
The realme of Fraunc hathe sworneThat peace shall be their stay,
To whome their hand and harts be giuen
For euer to obey:
And haue decreed all,
That who so breakes his vowe
In lewe of his disloyaltie,
Shall hang vpon a bough.
And he that seemes to lodge
Ambition in his minde,
The same rewarde, that Amon had,
For his deserte shall finde.
24
If any wretche there be,That dare presume to stande
26
VVith force of armed hande.
VVe feruently beseeche
The thundring God of myght,
That all the plagues of heauen and earth
Vppon the wretche maye lyght,
That furye freate his gall,
His payne may neuer cease,
Ne fynde no friende in his distresse,
That may his woe release.
| A Courtlie controuersie of Cupids Cautels | |