 | A description of a most noble lady. A ballad of the green willow |  |
A DESCRIPTION OF A MOST NOBLE LADY
Adviewed by JOHN HEYWOOD, presently; who advertising her years, as face, saith of her thus, in much eloquent phrase:
Give place, ye ladies! all be gone;
Show not yourselves at all.
For why? behold! there cometh one
Whose face yours all blank shall.
Show not yourselves at all.
For why? behold! there cometh one
Whose face yours all blank shall.
The virtue of her looks
Excels the precious stone;
Ye need none other books
To read, or look upon.
Excels the precious stone;
Ye need none other books
To read, or look upon.
In each of her two eyes
There smiles a naked boy;
It would you all suffice
To see those lamps of joy.
There smiles a naked boy;
It would you all suffice
To see those lamps of joy.
If all the world were sought full far,
Who could find such a wight?
Her beauty twinkleth like a star
Within the frosty night.
Who could find such a wight?
Her beauty twinkleth like a star
Within the frosty night.
300
Her colour comes and goes—
With such a goodly grace,
More ruddy than the rose—
Within her lively face.
With such a goodly grace,
More ruddy than the rose—
Within her lively face.
Amongst her youthful years
She triumphs over age;
And yet she still appears
Both witty, grave, and sage.
She triumphs over age;
And yet she still appears
Both witty, grave, and sage.
I think nature hath lost her mould
Where she her form did take;
Or else I doubt that nature could
So fair a creature make.
Where she her form did take;
Or else I doubt that nature could
So fair a creature make.
She may be well compared
Unto the phœnix kind;
Whose like hath not been heard
That any now can find.
Unto the phœnix kind;
Whose like hath not been heard
That any now can find.
In life a Dian chaste;
In truth Penelope;
In word and deed steadfast—
What need I more to say?
In truth Penelope;
In word and deed steadfast—
What need I more to say?
At Bacchus' feast none may her meet;
Or yet at any wanton play;
Nor gazing in the open street,
Or wandering, as astray.
Or yet at any wanton play;
Nor gazing in the open street,
Or wandering, as astray.
The mirth that she doth use
Is mixed with shamefastness;
All vices she eschews,
And hateth idleness.
Is mixed with shamefastness;
All vices she eschews,
And hateth idleness.
301
It is a world to see
How virtue can repair,
And deck such honesty
In her that is so fair.
How virtue can repair,
And deck such honesty
In her that is so fair.
Great suit to vice may some allure
That thinks to make no fault;
We see a fort had need be sure
Which many doth assault.
That thinks to make no fault;
We see a fort had need be sure
Which many doth assault.
They seek an endless way
That think to win her love;
As well they may assay
The stony rock to move.
That think to win her love;
As well they may assay
The stony rock to move.
For she is none of those
That sets not by evil fame;
She will not lightly lose
Her truth and honest name.
That sets not by evil fame;
She will not lightly lose
Her truth and honest name.
How might we do to have a graff
Of this unspotted tree?
For all the rest they are but chaff
In praise of her to be.
Of this unspotted tree?
For all the rest they are but chaff
In praise of her to be.
She doth as far exceed
These women, nowadays,
As doth the flower the weed;
These women, nowadays,
As doth the flower the weed;
And more, a thousand ways.
This praise I shall her give
When Death doth what he can;
Her honest name shall live
Within the mouth of man.
This praise I shall her give
When Death doth what he can;
Her honest name shall live
Within the mouth of man.
302
This worthy lady to bewray—
A king's daughter was she—
Of whom John Heywood list to say,
In such worthy degree.
A king's daughter was she—
Of whom John Heywood list to say,
In such worthy degree.
And Mary was her name, sweet ye,
With these graces indued;
At eighteen years so flourished she:
So doth his mean conclude.
With these graces indued;
At eighteen years so flourished she:
So doth his mean conclude.
303
A BALLAD OF THE GREEN WILLOW
All a green willow, willow;
All a green willow is my garland.
All a green willow is my garland.
Alas! by what mean may I make ye to know
The unkindness for kindness that to me doth grow?
That one who most kind love on me should bestow,
Most unkind unkindness to me doth show?
For all the green willow is my garland.
The unkindness for kindness that to me doth grow?
That one who most kind love on me should bestow,
Most unkind unkindness to me doth show?
For all the green willow is my garland.
To have love, and hold love, where love is so sped,
Oh, delicate food to the lover so fed!
From love won to love lost where lovers be led,
Oh desperate dolour! the lover is dead;
For all the green willow is my garland.
Oh, delicate food to the lover so fed!
From love won to love lost where lovers be led,
Oh desperate dolour! the lover is dead;
For all the green willow is my garland.
She said she did love me, and would love me still;
She sware above all men I had her good will;
She said and she sware she would my will fulfil—
The promise all good, the performance all ill;
For all the green willow is my garland.
She sware above all men I had her good will;
She said and she sware she would my will fulfil—
The promise all good, the performance all ill;
For all the green willow is my garland.
304
Now, woe worth the willow, and woe worth the wight
That windeth willow, willow garland to dight;
That dole dealt in alms is all amiss quite,
Where lovers are beggars for alms in sight;
No lover doth beg for this willow garland.
That windeth willow, willow garland to dight;
That dole dealt in alms is all amiss quite,
Where lovers are beggars for alms in sight;
No lover doth beg for this willow garland.
Of this willow garland the burden seem'th small,
But my break-neck burden I may it well call;
Like the sow of lead on my head it doth fall,
Break head, and break neck, back, bones, brain, heart and all;
All parts pressed in pieces.
But my break-neck burden I may it well call;
Like the sow of lead on my head it doth fall,
Break head, and break neck, back, bones, brain, heart and all;
All parts pressed in pieces.
Too ill for her think I best things may be had;
Too good for me thinketh she things being most bad;
All I do present her that may make her glad;
All she doth present me that make me sad;
This equity have I with this willow garland.
Too good for me thinketh she things being most bad;
All I do present her that may make her glad;
All she doth present me that make me sad;
This equity have I with this willow garland.
Could I forget thee as thou canst forget me,
That were my sound salve, which cannot nor shall be;
Though thou like the soaring hawk every way flee,
I will be the turtle most steadfast still to thee;
And patiently wear this green willow garland.
That were my sound salve, which cannot nor shall be;
Though thou like the soaring hawk every way flee,
I will be the turtle most steadfast still to thee;
And patiently wear this green willow garland.
All ye that have had love, and have my like wrong,
My like truth and patience plant still you among;
When feminine fancies for new love do long,
Old love cannot hold them, new love is so strong
For all.
My like truth and patience plant still you among;
When feminine fancies for new love do long,
Old love cannot hold them, new love is so strong
For all.
Finis
qd. Heywood.
| A description of a most noble lady. A ballad of the green willow | |