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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A dialogue between Age & Youth,
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 | The Castell of Courtesie |  |
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A dialogue between Age & Youth,
Declaring hovve vaine a thing it is to Presume on Youth, and how we must all yeeld to Age.
Age.I am for to be loued, for why?
you must me proue:
You youthfull laddes, that youthfull are,
it doth you much behoue.
For I am grisseled Age,
who striketh you with Ake:
And make you yeeld though with ill will,
your bones I doe so shake.
Youth.
It is not grisseled Age
that Youth can now restraine:
Nor make me subiect to your yoake,
ne will I yet refraine,
My youthfull Toyes that now I Youth,
will vse in your despyte:
For why? Sir Age you haue no force.
to banish my delite.
Age.
Haue I no force, to pull thy pride?
well one day thou shalt see,
That I will make thee for to stoupe
and yeeld thy selfe to me:
And shake as I doe now,
when hoary hayres appeare,
To make thee leaue of youthfull toyes,
and dalling with thy deere.
Youth.
Nay Age it is not thou,
[9]
For why? therein is my delight,
I houlde it for my ioy.
For I haue most delight,
to talke with Venus Dames:
For Cupid oft doth me moue,
by force of fiery flames.
Age.
Those fiery flames that Cupid sendes,
and doe in thee abounde:
Thou wilt at length (I knowe) them leaue,
incertaine is their grounde.
For why? who can withstand
when Age doth lay his yoake?
Yeeld therfore now most willingly,
to beare my staying stroake,
Youth.
To yeeld myselfe to thralle,
nay Age that shall not be:
It is not thou that can me hurte,
I force not much of thee.
For I will thee withstand
inspite Sir of thy pose:
And runne my race in youthfull wise,
as I doe well suppose.
Age.
I doe not Sir say nay,
but then maist runne a race:
Yet vnto me thou must nowe bend,
in spight Sir of thy face.
For I can make thee come
to Crouches, if that thou
Be not cut off by swinging wise:
I make to God a vow.
Youth.
To Crouches, what are they
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I force thee not, doe what thou can,
to me doe as thou dorst.
For I am youthfull Youth,
I force thee not a nute:
Thy grisseled face, is not in minde,
thou art not in my sight.
Age.
I am not in thy sight,
till I doe make thee shake:
As I will doe it one day sure,
if life do not forsake.
Then shalt thou see that I,
haue altered thy will,
To brydle fond affection,
wherin thou stand'st so ill.
Youth.
To bridle my Affection,
thou shalt it finde but vaine:
Thy pourpose shall not come to passe,
thou canst it not attaine.
For I will houlde thee off,
so longe as I haue life:
My youth I knowe thou canst not quaile,
I finde my selfe so ryfe.
Age.
Though youth in thee doth so abound,
yet I Age will take place:
And make thee wofull weary, I,
when as I doe thee chase.
And though thou seem'st to run at large,
at length you shall come home:
And bee as I am, silly Age,
and counted as a Mome.
Youth.
Though thou art counted as a Mome,
[10]
That I haue [illeg.]rights to shift thee off,
and put thy yoake aside.
And though thou would'st so faine
nowe catch me in thy trap:
I am so light and quicklie gone,
I rest not in thy lap.
Age.
Although thou rest not in my lap,
yet I can catch thee in:
And make thee subiect vnto me,
when as I doe begin.
With ach and paine to rouse thy Corpes,
that youth did once professe:
Such is the Strength sir, of my stroake,
when as I doe oppresse.
Youth.
Alas good Age thy strength of stroake,
I feele vpon me nowe:
It lyeth so heauie on my bones,
it makes me for to bowe.
And though I held thee off with talke,
that was but vaine:
Yet nowe I feele that Age can strike
with greeuous ach and paine.
Age.
O lustie youth, is courage past,
can you no more hold off?
I thought at length you would come home,
for all you did so skoffe,
And yeeld your selfe to me,
that nowe haue trapp'd you in,
Although before that you did say,
you forc'd me not a pin.
Youth.
Those vauntes were all in vaine,
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But thine were true, as I full well
vnto my greefe de finde.
Wherefore you youthfull laddes,
that seeme to put Age by:
You may as well presume to clyme,
vnto the loftie skye.
Finis.
| The Castell of Courtesie | |