The Castell of Courtesie Whereunto is adioyned The Holde of Humilitie: With the Chariot of Chastitie thereunto annexed. Also a Dialogue betweene Age and Youth, and other matters herein conteined. By Iames Yates |
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 | The Castell of Courtesie |  |
As
fixed minde desire hath,
more noueltie to see;
And wanton wittes are soone intic'd
with such toyes as they be:
So (trueth to tell) I must not faine,
that were no honest part:
I am as readie as the best
to practise such an art.
Small practise sure I thinke will serue,
for nature hath vs taught:
For to forsake that which is good,
and take that which is naught.
In deede more readie for the worst,
then seeke the best to chuse:
For nature is an enemie,
her Impes for to abuse.
The frailetie of our present Time
is much for me to write:
And silence seldome gets dispraise,
when tatlinge moues despite.
For little saide, a smalle amendes
will serue to counterpoyse:
When too much mischiefe doth arise
by talkers tatling noyse.
But whist, me thinkes I heere a voyce
which doeth commande me staye:
And telles me flatt in fewe wordes,
I am out of my waye.
O Youth what should become of thee
if Ayde were not thy guide:
What way would'st thou haue wandred heere.
how soone would'st thou goe wide?
Come followe me quoth father Ayde
let vs this Houlde goe see:
To view each parte and how it standes,
in state and eke degree.
So forth we went through forrest thicke,
and many craching Bryers:
Yet did we make no forse of them,
such were our due desires.
And when we had thus past the worst,
at length that place we founde:
The which did much delight our mindes,
and pleasure did abounde.
For loe, we sawe this passing Houlde,
so finelie fram'd in seate:
As in my minde I streight did muse
to see a thing so greate.
So huge and monstrous of higth
with Towers on each side:
That gaue it sure a goodly grace,
as did reporte my guide.
The Situation of the same,
vpon a pleasant greene:
Where Tellus bankes so braue did shew,
as like may not be seene.
An entrie of Trees did growe,
so streight vp to the skye:
As made me meruaile very much,
to see their length so hye.
And moated round, where pleasant springes,
doe yeeld a rare delight,
And him that gets a sip thereof
I count a happie wight.
Pernassus Hill where Muses keepe,
and ioyfull noates abounde:
May not compare now with this Houlde,
or pleasant fertle ground.
Apollo if he were in place,
to take a view therof:
Would presently, commend the same,
I knowe I do not scoffe.
The cost which Cæsar did bestowe,
within the walles of Rome:
Is not coequall vnto this,
as I suppose by doome.
When we aproched neere this Hold,
there did a Porter stand:
Whose name Resistance (sir) was cal'd
a greate clubbe in his hand.
For Grimnesse sure he might be Mars,
or Hercules indeede:
Who did commaunde vs for to stay,
whereto we both agreed.
He asked vs, wherefore we came,
and what was our intent:
We vp and told him all our minde,
and whereto we were bent.
Quoth Ayde, we are both straungers we
desirouse for to see:
This noble place the which is cal'd
the Hold of Humilitie.
Then straight Resistance gaue vs leaue,
to passe his watched place:
But in my dayes I neuer sawe,
so coucht a crabtreed face.
Resistance sure he might well be,
his face did shew the same:
His gesture therto was alike,
as nature well can frame.
Thus onwarde still withouten stoppe,
or any whit denyall:
When we had past Resistance hard,
we further put in tryall.
And venterously we did presume
to come vnto the gate:
Where as we met an other wight
of meeke and comely state.
Who asked vs from whence we came
and what was our intent:
We saide to see this noble Hold,
our mindes were fully bent.
Sir may we be so bolde (quoth Youth)
for to demaund your name,
He gently disclosed to vs
what was the verie same.
My name is Salutation,
which neuer doth disdaine:
The traueling wighte which worthie is.
All times I entertaine.
Youth.
more noueltie to see;
And wanton wittes are soone intic'd
with such toyes as they be:
So (trueth to tell) I must not faine,
that were no honest part:
I am as readie as the best
to practise such an art.
Small practise sure I thinke will serue,
for nature hath vs taught:
For to forsake that which is good,
and take that which is naught.
In deede more readie for the worst,
then seeke the best to chuse:
For nature is an enemie,
her Impes for to abuse.
The frailetie of our present Time
is much for me to write:
And silence seldome gets dispraise,
when tatlinge moues despite.
For little saide, a smalle amendes
will serue to counterpoyse:
When too much mischiefe doth arise
by talkers tatling noyse.
But whist, me thinkes I heere a voyce
which doeth commande me staye:
And telles me flatt in fewe wordes,
I am out of my waye.
O Youth what should become of thee
if Ayde were not thy guide:
What way would'st thou haue wandred heere.
how soone would'st thou goe wide?
[2]
let vs this Houlde goe see:
To view each parte and how it standes,
in state and eke degree.
So forth we went through forrest thicke,
and many craching Bryers:
Yet did we make no forse of them,
such were our due desires.
And when we had thus past the worst,
at length that place we founde:
The which did much delight our mindes,
and pleasure did abounde.
For loe, we sawe this passing Houlde,
so finelie fram'd in seate:
As in my minde I streight did muse
to see a thing so greate.
So huge and monstrous of higth
with Towers on each side:
That gaue it sure a goodly grace,
as did reporte my guide.
The Situation of the same,
vpon a pleasant greene:
Where Tellus bankes so braue did shew,
as like may not be seene.
An entrie of Trees did growe,
so streight vp to the skye:
As made me meruaile very much,
to see their length so hye.
And moated round, where pleasant springes,
doe yeeld a rare delight,
And him that gets a sip thereof
I count a happie wight.
Pernassus Hill where Muses keepe,
and ioyfull noates abounde:
May not compare now with this Houlde,
or pleasant fertle ground.
3
to take a view therof:
Would presently, commend the same,
I knowe I do not scoffe.
The cost which Cæsar did bestowe,
within the walles of Rome:
Is not coequall vnto this,
as I suppose by doome.
When we aproched neere this Hold,
there did a Porter stand:
Whose name Resistance (sir) was cal'd
a greate clubbe in his hand.
For Grimnesse sure he might be Mars,
or Hercules indeede:
Who did commaunde vs for to stay,
whereto we both agreed.
He asked vs, wherefore we came,
and what was our intent:
We vp and told him all our minde,
and whereto we were bent.
Quoth Ayde, we are both straungers we
desirouse for to see:
This noble place the which is cal'd
the Hold of Humilitie.
Then straight Resistance gaue vs leaue,
to passe his watched place:
But in my dayes I neuer sawe,
so coucht a crabtreed face.
Resistance sure he might well be,
his face did shew the same:
His gesture therto was alike,
as nature well can frame.
Thus onwarde still withouten stoppe,
or any whit denyall:
When we had past Resistance hard,
we further put in tryall.
[3]
to come vnto the gate:
Where as we met an other wight
of meeke and comely state.
Who asked vs from whence we came
and what was our intent:
We saide to see this noble Hold,
our mindes were fully bent.
Sir may we be so bolde (quoth Youth)
for to demaund your name,
He gently disclosed to vs
what was the verie same.
My name is Salutation,
which neuer doth disdaine:
The traueling wighte which worthie is.
All times I entertaine.
And as I was a going in
by chaunce cast vp myne eye:
And looking vp vpon the gate
this verse I did espye.
| The Castell of Courtesie | |