A Handefull of pleasant delites Containing sundrie new Sonets and delectable Histories, in diuers kindes of Meeter. Newly deuised to the newest tunes that are now in use, to be sung: euerie Sonet orderly pointed to his proper Tune. With new additions of certain Songs, to verie late deuised Notes, not commonly knowen, nor vsed heretofore, By Clement Robinson, and diuers others |
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The Historie of Diana and Acteon.
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 | A Handefull of pleasant delites |  |
The Historie of Diana and Acteon.
Diana and her darlings deare,
Walkt once as you shall heare:
Through woods and waters cleare,
themselues to play:
The leaues were gay and green,
And pleasant to be seen:
They went the trees between,
in coole aray,
So long, that at the last they found a place,
of waters full cleare:
So pure and faire a Bath neuer was
found many a yeare.
There shee went faire and gent,
Her to sport, as was her wonted sort:
In such desirous sort:
Thus goeth the report:
Diana dainteously began her selfe therein to bathe
And her body for to laue,
So curious and braue.
Walkt once as you shall heare:
Through woods and waters cleare,
themselues to play:
The leaues were gay and green,
And pleasant to be seen:
They went the trees between,
in coole aray,
So long, that at the last they found a place,
of waters full cleare:
So pure and faire a Bath neuer was
found many a yeare.
There shee went faire and gent,
Her to sport, as was her wonted sort:
In such desirous sort:
Thus goeth the report:
Diana dainteously began her selfe therein to bathe
And her body for to laue,
So curious and braue.
As they in water stood,
Bathing their liuelie blood:
Acteon in the wood,
chaunst to come by:
And vewed their bodies bare,
Maruailing what they weare,
And stil deuoid of care,
on them cast his eie:
But when the Nymphs had perceiued him,
aloud then they cried,
Enclosed her, and thought to hide her skin,
which he had spied:
But too true I tell you,
She seene was,
For in height she did passe,
Ech Dame of her race,
Harke then Acteons case:
Whē Diana did perceue, where Acteon did stand,
She took bowe in her hand,
And to shoot she began.
Bathing their liuelie blood:
Acteon in the wood,
chaunst to come by:
And vewed their bodies bare,
And stil deuoid of care,
on them cast his eie:
But when the Nymphs had perceiued him,
aloud then they cried,
Enclosed her, and thought to hide her skin,
which he had spied:
But too true I tell you,
She seene was,
For in height she did passe,
Ech Dame of her race,
Harke then Acteons case:
Whē Diana did perceue, where Acteon did stand,
She took bowe in her hand,
And to shoot she began.
As she began to shoot, Acteon ran about,
To hide he thought no boote,
his sights were dim:
And as he thought to scape,
Changed was Acteons shape,
Such was vnluckie fate,
yeelded to him:
For Diana brought it thus to passe,
and plaied her part,
So that poore Acteon changed was
to a hugie Hart,
And did beare, naught but haire:
In this change,
Which is as true as strange,
And thus did he range,
So that his sorrowes importunate,
Had ended his life incontinent,
Had not Lady Venus grace, Lady Lady,
Pitied her poore seruants case,
My deer Ladie.
To hide he thought no boote,
his sights were dim:
And as he thought to scape,
Changed was Acteons shape,
Such was vnluckie fate,
yeelded to him:
For Diana brought it thus to passe,
and plaied her part,
So that poore Acteon changed was
to a hugie Hart,
And did beare, naught but haire:
In this change,
Which is as true as strange,
And thus did he range,
Had ended his life incontinent,
Had not Lady Venus grace, Lady Lady,
Pitied her poore seruants case,
My deer Ladie.
For when she saw the torments strong,
Wherewith the Knight was sore opprest,
Which he God knowes had suffered long,
Al through this Ladies mercilesse,
Of their desires she made exchange,
Ladie, Ladie.
And wrought a myracle most strange,
My deer Ladie.
Wherewith the Knight was sore opprest,
Which he God knowes had suffered long,
Al through this Ladies mercilesse,
Of their desires she made exchange,
Ladie, Ladie.
And wrought a myracle most strange,
My deer Ladie.
So that this Ladie faithfully,
Did loue this Knight aboue all other:
And he vnto the contrarie,
Did hate her then aboue all measure,
And pitifull she did complaine: ladie, ladie.
Requiring fauour, and might not obtaine.
My deer ladie.
Did loue this Knight aboue all other:
And he vnto the contrarie,
Did hate her then aboue all measure,
And pitifull she did complaine: ladie, ladie.
Requiring fauour, and might not obtaine.
My deer ladie.
But when she saw, that in no case,
She might vnto his loue attaine:
And that she could not finde some grace,
To ease her long enduring paine,
And yt his hart wold not remoue. Lady, ladie
Without all cure he died for loue, My deer.
She might vnto his loue attaine:
And that she could not finde some grace,
To ease her long enduring paine,
And yt his hart wold not remoue. Lady, ladie
Without all cure he died for loue, My deer.
Besides these matters maruelous,
One other thing I wil you tell:
Of one whose name was Narcissus,
A man whose beautie doth excel.
Of natures gifts he had no misse, Lady, lady
He had ye whole of beauties blisse, My deere.
One other thing I wil you tell:
Of one whose name was Narcissus,
A man whose beautie doth excel.
He had ye whole of beauties blisse, My deere.
So that out of manie a far Countrey,
I reade of manie a woman faire,
Did come this Narcissus to see,
Who perished when they came there,
Through his default I say in fine, lady, lady
Who vnto loue would not incline. My deer.
I reade of manie a woman faire,
Did come this Narcissus to see,
Who perished when they came there,
Through his default I say in fine, lady, lady
Who vnto loue would not incline. My deer.
Whose disobedience vnto loue,
When vnto Venus it did appeare.
How that his hart would not remoue,
She punisht him as you shal heare:
A thing most strange forsooth it was,
Ladie, Ladie.
Now harken how it came to passe, My deer.
When vnto Venus it did appeare.
How that his hart would not remoue,
She punisht him as you shal heare:
A thing most strange forsooth it was,
Ladie, Ladie.
Now harken how it came to passe, My deer.
For when he went vpon a daie,
With other mo in strange disguise,
Himself forsooth he did aray
In womans attire of a new deuise,
And ouer a bridge as he did go. Ladie, ladie.
In the water he sawe his own shadow, My.
With other mo in strange disguise,
Himself forsooth he did aray
In womans attire of a new deuise,
And ouer a bridge as he did go. Ladie, ladie.
In the water he sawe his own shadow, My.
Which when he did perceiue and see,
A Ladie faire he saith it seemeth:
Forgat himself that it was he,
And iudgde that it was Dianaes Nymph,
Who in the waters in such fashion, Lady, la
Did vse themselues for recreation, My deer.
A Ladie faire he saith it seemeth:
Forgat himself that it was he,
And iudgde that it was Dianaes Nymph,
Who in the waters in such fashion, Lady, la
Did vse themselues for recreation, My deer.
And through the beautie of whose looks,
Taken he was with such fond desire,
That after manie humble sutes,
Incontinent he did aspire.
Unto her grace him to refer, Ladie, Ladie
Trusting yt merrie was in her, My deer, &c.
Taken he was with such fond desire,
That after manie humble sutes,
Unto her grace him to refer, Ladie, Ladie
Trusting yt merrie was in her, My deer, &c.
With armes displaid he took his race,
And leapt into the riuer there,
And thought his Ladie to imbrace,
Being of himselfe, deuoid of feare,
And there was drownd without redresse,
His crueltie rewarded was, (Ladie, Ladie.
with such follie.
And leapt into the riuer there,
And thought his Ladie to imbrace,
Being of himselfe, deuoid of feare,
And there was drownd without redresse,
His crueltie rewarded was, (Ladie, Ladie.
with such follie.
Loe, hereby you may perceiue,
How Venus can, and if she please,
Her disobedient Subiects grieue,
And make them drinke their owne disease,
Wherfore rebel not I you wish Lady, lady.
Least that your chaunce be worse than this,
if worse may be.
How Venus can, and if she please,
Her disobedient Subiects grieue,
And make them drinke their owne disease,
Wherfore rebel not I you wish Lady, lady.
Least that your chaunce be worse than this,
if worse may be.
Finis.
| A Handefull of pleasant delites | |