University of Virginia Library

I read how Troylus

A comparison of his loue wyth the faithfull and painful loue of Troylus to Creside.

I Read how Troylus serued in Troy,
A lady long and many a day,
And how he bode so great anoy,
For her as all the stories saye.
That halfe the paine had neuer man,
Which had this wofull Troyan than.
His youth, his sport, his pleasant chere,
His courtly state and company,
In him so straungly altred were,
With such a face of contrary.
That euery ioye became a wo,
This poyson new had turned him so.
And what men thought might most him ease
And most that for his comfort stode,
The same did most his minde displease,
And set him most in furious mode,
For all his pleasure euer lay,
To thinke on her that was away,

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Z4v

His chamber was his common walke,
Wherin he kept him seretely,

[_]

secretely

He made his bedde the place of talke,
To heare his great extremitie.
In nothing els had he delight,
But euen to be a martyr right.
And now to call her by her name
And straight therwith to sigh and throbbe:
And when his fansyes might not frame,
Then into teares and so to sobbe,
All in extreames and thus he lyes
Making two fountayns of his eyes.
As agues haue sharpe shiftes of fittes
Of colde and heat successiuely:
So had his head like chaunge of wittes:
His pacience wrought so diuersly.
Now vp, now downe, now here, now there,
Like one that was he wist not where.
And thus though he were Pryams sonne
And commen of the kinges hie bloude,
This care he had er he her wonne.
Till shee that was his maistresse good,
And lothe to see her seruaunt so,
Became Phisicion to his wo.
And toke him to her handes and grace,
And said she would her minde apply,
To helpe him in his wofull case,
If she might be his remedy.
And thus they say to ease his smart,
She made him owner of her hart.
And truth it is except they lye,
From that day forth her study went,
To shew to loue him faithfully,
And his whole minde full to content.
So happy a man at last was he,
And eke so worthy a woman she.
Lo lady then iudge you by this,
Mine ease and how my case dothe fall,
For sure betwene my life and his,
No difference there is at all.
His care was great so was his paine,
And mine is not the lest of twaine.

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Aa1r

For what he felt in seruice true
For her whom that he loued so,
The same I fele as large for you,
To whom I do my seruice owe,
There was that time in him no payne,
But now the same in me dothe raine.
Which if you can compare and waye,
And how I stande in euery plight,
Then this for you I dare well saye,
Your hart must nedes remorce of right
To graunt me grace and so to do,
As Creside then did Troylus to.
For well I wot you are as good
And euen as faire as euer was shee,
And commen of as worthy bloode,
And haue in you as large pitie.
To tender me your owne true man,
As she did him her seruaunt than.
Which gift I pray God for my sake,
Full sone and shortly you me sende,
So shall you make my sorowes slake,
So shall you bring my wo to ende.
And set me in as happy case,
As Troylus with his lady was.