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 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1. |
|
 |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. | III. A Sweet contention between Love, his Mistress,
and Beauty. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
 | The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton |  |
9
III. A Sweet contention between Love, his Mistress, and Beauty.
Love and my Mistress were at strife
Who had the greatest power on me;
Betwixt them both, oh, what a life!
Nay, what a death is this to be!
Who had the greatest power on me;
Betwixt them both, oh, what a life!
Nay, what a death is this to be!
She said, she did it with her eye;
He said, he did it with his dart;
Betwixt them both (a silly wretch!)
'Tis I that have the wounded heart.
He said, he did it with his dart;
Betwixt them both (a silly wretch!)
'Tis I that have the wounded heart.
She said, she only spake the word
That did enchant my peering sense;
He said, he only gave the sound
That enter'd heart without defence.
That did enchant my peering sense;
He said, he only gave the sound
That enter'd heart without defence.
She said, her Beauty was the mark
That did amaze the highest mind;
He said, he only made the mist
Whereby the senses grew so blind.
That did amaze the highest mind;
He said, he only made the mist
Whereby the senses grew so blind.
She said, that, only for her sake,
The best would venture life and limb:
He said, she was too much deceiv'd;
They honour'd her, because of him.
The best would venture life and limb:
He said, she was too much deceiv'd;
They honour'd her, because of him.
Long while, alas, she would not yield,
But it was she that rul'd the roast;
Until, by proof, she did confess,
If he were gone her joy was lost.
But it was she that rul'd the roast;
Until, by proof, she did confess,
If he were gone her joy was lost.
And then she cried, ‘Oh, dainty Love,
‘I now do find it is for thee
‘That I am lov'd and honour'd both,
‘And thou hast power to conquer me!’
‘I now do find it is for thee
‘That I am lov'd and honour'd both,
‘And thou hast power to conquer me!’
But, when I heard her yield to Love,
Oh! how my heart did leap for joy,
That now I had some little hope
To have an end of mine annoy!
Oh! how my heart did leap for joy,
That now I had some little hope
To have an end of mine annoy!
For though that Fancy Beauty found
A power all too pitiless,
Yet Love would never haue the heart
To leave his servant comfortless.
A power all too pitiless,
Yet Love would never haue the heart
To leave his servant comfortless.
But as too soon before the field
The trumpets sound the overthrow,
So all too soon I joy'd too much,
For I awak'd, and nothing so.
The trumpets sound the overthrow,
So all too soon I joy'd too much,
For I awak'd, and nothing so.
| The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton | |