XIII. Who likes to love
1
Who lykes to loue let him take heed,
and wot you why:
Among the Gods it is decreed,
that Loue shal die,
& euerie wight that takes his part,
shal forfaite each,
a mourning heart,
2
The cause is this as I haue heard,
a sort of dames,
whose beautie he did not regard,
nor secret flames.
complaind before the gods aboue,
that golde corrupts the God of loue.
3
The gods did storme to heare this newes
and there they swore,
that sith he did such dames abuse,
he should no more
be god of Loue, but that he should
both die, and forfait all his gold.
4
His bowe & shaftes they tooke away,
before their eies,
and gaue these dames a longer day,
for to deuise,
who should them keepe, & they be bound,
that loue for gold should not be found.
5
These Ladies striuing long, at last,
they did agree,
to giue them to a mayden chast,
whome I did see:
who with the same did perce my brest,
her beauties rare and so I rest.
FINIS.
