The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton For the First Time Collected and Edited: With Memorial-Introduction, Notes and Illustrations, Glossarial Index, Facsimilies, &c. By the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart. In Two Volumes |
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A Foole,
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 | The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton |  |
20
A Foole,
Dame Fancies man, speaketh in Defence of his Mistresse, Fancie.
What meanes that mad man, tro,that railes on Fancie so?
That seekes to do her such dispight,
& sweres himself her fo:
The man mistakes himselfe,
it is not Fancie, sure,
That for to fal into such rage,
doth him so much procure.
Why, Fancie, is a frende,
to euery curteous Knight:
Why, Fancie, is the chiefest thing,
that doth the minde delight.
Why, Fancie, was the cause,
that wunders first were founde:
Of many fine deuices strange,
first, Fancie was the ground:
Why, Fancie is the thing,
that mooueth men to loue,
And telles the Louers what to doo,
as best for their behooue:
Fancie, findes pretie toyes,
to please each Courtly Dame:
Fancie, to passe the time in sporte,
inuented many a game.
To Courtiers many a one,
a good frende Fancie standes:
She makes them reap good lyking, at
their louing Ladies' hands:
She made the Poets olde,
deuices to endight,
Which they in wrightyng, left behind,
for other men's delight.
She seeketh vnto none,
but many seeke to her:
And those who are her servaunts styll,
she seeketh to preferre
To high degree in time:
and that in Court (perchaunce)
She helpeth them, and many wayes,
doth seeke them to advaunce.
Now some (perhaps) againe,
that are of grosest wit,
And, by their dispositions,
For Follye Schollers fit:
Those now (perhaps) in deede,
she letteth all alone,
With Follie, onely, to rewarde,
and them regardeth none.
But those that are againe,
of quicke capacitie,
Who can consider Vertue wise,
from foolysh Vanytie:
Suche men she chieflie loues,
and suche, although they know her,
Shall haue smal cause, in tract of time,
in deed, for to beshrow her.
I may not speake too muche,
for I am partiall,
But what I haue said is true,
for I have tried all.
And therfore, sure the man,
that rayleth on her so,
Hath done her wrong, without iust cause,
to stand so much her fo.
Faire wordes are euer best,
backbiting is too bad.
And therfore, I doo thinke the man,
is either dronke or mad,
That seekes her suche despight,
so much without desarte:
And, by her countenance, it seemes,
it greeues her to the hart
To be so muche abusde: but wot
you what, no remedie:
A wicked tongue doth say amisse.
and will do tyll I die.
FINIS.
| The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton | |