Loves schoole Publii Ovidii Nasonis de arte amandi, or, The art of loue. — Ars amatoria. English

Loves schoole Publii Ovidii Nasonis de arte amandi, or, The art of loue. — Ars amatoria. English

Table of contents

Title page

PVBLII OVIDII NASONIS DE ARTE AMANDI: OR, The Art of Loue. The Proheme or Introduction.

THE FIRST BOOKE.

THE SECOND BOOKE.

THE THIRD BOOKE.

§

§

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Loues Schoole.

PVBLII OVIDII NASONIS DE ARTE AMANDI. Or The Art of Loue.

Gedruckt tot Amsterdam by Nicolas Iansz. Visscher.

PVBLII OVIDII NASONIS DE ARTE AMANDI: OR, The Art of Loue. The Proheme or Introduction.

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IF there be any in this multitude,

That in the art of Loue is dull and rude,

Me let him reade, and these my lines rehearse,

He shall be made a Doctor by my verse.

By art of sailes and oares Seas are diuided,

By art the Chariot runnes, by art Loue's guided:

By art are bridles rein'd in, or let slip:

Typhis by art did guide the Hemonian ship.

And me hath Venus her Arts master made,

To [...]each her Science, and set vp her trade:

And time succeeding shall call me alone,

Loue's expert Tiphis and Antomedon.

Loue in himselfe is apish and vntoward,

Yet being a childe, Ile whip him when he's froward:

Achilles in his youth was taught to run

On the stringd Lute a sweete diuision.

[Page]Art on his rude and [...]

Instructing him in old [...]

He that so oft his friends, [...]

Made quake and tremble when [...] disclose.

His furious rage was knowne to be a Sutor,

And with submission kneele vnto his Tutor:

Aeneides by Chiron was instructed,

And by my art is Loue himselfe conducted,

Both goddes sonnes, Venus and Thetis ioyes,

Both shrewd, both waggish, and vnhappy boyes:

Yet the stiffe Bulls necke by the yoake is worne,

The proud Steed chewes the bit which he doth scorn

And though Loues darts my own heart cleaues asunder,

Yet by my art the wag shall be kept vnder,

And the more deepe my flaming heart is found,

The more I will reuenge me of my wound:

Sacred Apollo witnesse of my flame,

Behold, thy arts I do not falsly clame,

Of Clios sisters, loe I take no keepe,

That in the vale of Ascafeede their sheepe.

Proud skie I teach of what I haue bene taster,

Loue bids me speake, Ile be your skilfull master:

And what I speake is true, thus I begin,

Be present at my labours loues faire Queene.

Keepe hence you modest maides & come not neare,

That vse to blush and shamefast garments weare,

That haue scant ruffes & keepe your haire vnseene,

Whose feete with your white aprons couered bene,

For Vertas virgins here no place is left,

My muse sings Venus spoiles and Loues sweete theft,

What kinde affections louers thoughts do pierse,

And there shall be no fault in this my verse.

FINIS.

THE FIRST BOOKE.

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FIrst thou that art a Freshman and art bent,

To beare Loues armes and follow Cupids tent,

Find whom to loue, the next thing thou must doe,

Learne how to speake her faire, to pleade and woe:

Last hauing wonne thy Mistris to thy lure,

[...]e teach thee how to make that loue endure,

This is my aime, Ile keepe within this space,

And in this road my Chariot wheele shall trace.

Whilst thou liuest free and art a Batcheler,

The loue of one aboue the rest preferre:

To whom thy soule sayes, you alone content me,

But such a one shall not from heauen be sent thee.

Such are not dropt downe from the azure skies,

But thou must seeke her out with busie eyes:

Well knowes the Huntsman where his toyle to set,

And in vvhat donne the Boare his teeth doth whet:

Well knowes the Fowler where to lay his gin,

The Fisher knowes what poole most fish are in,

And thou that studiest to become a louer,

Learne in vvhat place most Virgins to discouer.

I do not bid thee sayle the Seas to seeke,

Or trauell farre to find one thou dost like,

[Page]Like Perseus that among the Negroes sought,

And faire Andromade from Inde brought:

Or Paris who to steale that dainty peece,

Trauelld as farre as betwixt Troy and Greece,

Behold the populous Citie in her pride,

Yeelds thee more choise then all the world beside.

More eares of ripe corne grovves not in the fields,

Nor halfe so many boughes the Forrest yeelds:

So many greene leaues grovves not in the vvoods,

Nor swimme so many fish in the salt floods.

So many Starres in heauen you cannot see,

As here be prettie vvenches, Rome, in thee.

Faire Venus in the Citie of her sonne,

Is honoured with Aeneas first begun.

If in young Lasses thou delight, behold,

More Virgins thou maist see then can be told:

If vvomen of indifferent age vvill ease thee,

Amongst a thousand thou maist choose to please the [...]

If ancient vvomen, in the Citie bee

Matrons admired for their grauitie:

To find a Matron Widdovv or young Maide,

Walke but at such time vnder Pompeies shade,

When as the Sunne mounts on the Lions backe,

And store of all degrees thou shalt not lacke:

Or to that marble walke vvhich vvas begun,

And ended by a Mother and her Sonne.

Abroad, at noone, betimes, or euening late,

That day vvhich vve to Luna consecrate,

Or to the fiftie sisters Belus daughters,

That all saue one made of their husbands slaughter [...]

Or that same holliday vve yearely keepe,

In vvhich faire Venus doth for Adon vveepe,

Or in the Seuenth day sacred more then all,

Which the Iewes nation do their Sabboth call:

[Page]Or to the Miemphian Church vvhere many a [...]ow,

Is made to the Aegyptian Isis and her cow:

Or to the market place vvhich vvay is short,

Women of all estates do there resort,

Repaire else to the pulpets, euen the same

In vvhich our learned Orators declaime,

Here often is the pleaders tongue stroke dumbe

By those attractiue eyes that thither come.

There he to vvhom anothers cause is knovvne,

Speaking of that, vvants vvords to pleade his owne,

Venus reioycing smiles to see from farre,

The Lawyer made a Client at the barre:

But most of all I vvould haue thee stir,

At the play time vnto the Theater,

Where thou shalt find them thick in full great nomber,

The matted seates and the degrees to comber,

Amongst that goodly crevv thou maist behold,

Whom thou both lou'st, suest to, & faine would hold,

[...]ooke as the laden Ants march to and fro,

[...]nd vvith their heauie burdens trooping go:

[...]r as the Bee from flovver to flovver doth flie,

[...]earing each one her hony in her thigh:

[...]nd round about the spatious fields do stray,

[...]o do the fairest vvomen to a play:

[...]hat I haue vvondered how it could include,

[...]f beauties such a gallant multitude.

[...]here many a Captiue looke hath conquered bene▪

[...]hither sole armed to see and to be seene.

[...]reat Romulus thou first these playes contriues,

[...]o get thy vviddowed souldiers Sabines vviues,

[...] those dayes from the marble house did vvaue,

[...]o saile, no silken flag, no ensigne braue:

[...]e tragicke stage in that age vvas not red,

[...]here vvere no mixed colours tempered:

[Page]Then did the Seane vvant Art, the vnready stage,

Was made of grasse and earth in that rude age.

Round about vvhich the boughes were thickly placed

The people did not think themselues disgraced:

Of tuffe and heathy Sods to haue their seates,

Made in degree of sods and massie peates.

Thus plac'd in order, euery Romane pride,

Into his Virgines eyes, and by her side

Sate him dovvne close, and seuerally did moue,

The innocent Sabine vvomen to their loue.

And vvhilst the Piper Theuscus rudely playde,

And by their stamping vvith his foote had made,

A signe vnto the rest, there vvas a shout,

Whose shrill report peirst all the ayre about.

Now vvith a signe of rape giuen from the king,

Round through the house the lu [...]tie Romanes fling:

Leauing no corner of the same vnsought,

Till euery one a frighted Virgine caught.

Looke as the trembling Doue the Eagle flies,

Or a young Lambe vvhen he a Woolfe espies:

So run these poore girles, filling the ayre with shreik

Emptying of all the colour in their pale cheekes.

One feare possest them all, but not one looke,

This teares her haire, she hath her wits forsooke.

Some sadly sit, some on their mothers call,

Some chafe, some flye, some stage, but frighted all.

Thus vvere the rauisht Sabines blushing led,

Becoming shame vnto each Romanes bed:

If any striu'd against it, strait her man,

Would take her on his knee, whom feare made wan.

And say, why weepest thou, sweet, what ailst my dea [...]

Dry vp those drops, these clouds of sorrow cleare.

Ile be to thee, if thou thy griefe wilt smother,

Such as thy father was vnto thy mother.

[Page]Full vvell would Romulus his souldiers please,

To giue them such faire Mistresses as these.

If such rich vvages thou wilt giue to me,

Great Romulus thy souldier I vvill be.

From that first age the Theater hath bin,

Euen like a trap to take faire vvenches in:

Frequent the Tiltyard, for there oft-times are,

Clusters of people thronging at the barre.

Thou shalt not need, there vvith thy fingers becken,

Of vvincking signes, or close nods do not recken:

But vvhere thy Mistris sits, do thou abide,

Who shall forbid thee to attaine her side.

As neare as the place suffers, see thou get,

That none betwixt thee and her selfe be set.

If thou beest mute and bashfull I vvill teach,

How to begin, and breake the ice of speech:

Aske vvhose that horse was, vvhat he was did guide him,

Whence came he, if he well or ill did ride him.

Which in the course or barriers best did do,

And whom she likes, him do thou fauor to.

When thou espiest where Romes best gallants sit,

Applaud faire Venus, with thy Mistris hand it:

If dust by chance vpon her garments fall,

Looke vvith thy readie hand thou brush it all.

And though none fall, yet looke that without scoffe

Thou vvith thy dutious hand beate that none off.

And let the least occasion shew thy dutie,

None can be too seruile vnto beautie.

[...]f her loose garments hang downe that the skirt,

Licke vp the dust, or fall into the dirt:

Officious be, to lift it vp againe,

And from the sluttish earth do beare her traine.

Happly thy dutious guardian such may be,

That thou her foote or vvell shapt legmaist see.

[Page]Bevvare that none behind her rudely crush her,

Or vvith his hard knees or his elbowes brush her:

Small fauours womens light thoughts captiuate,

And many in their loues make fortunate,

Beating the dust or fanning the fiesh aire,

Or to her wearie soote but adde a staire.

Such diligence and dutie often proues,

Great furtherance to many in their loues.

Within these lists hath Cupid battaile sounded:

And he that makes men wounds, himselfe bin vvounded▪

As carelesse of himselfe he pries about,

To know which conquerors of the Champions stout,

He feeles himselfe pierst vvith a flying dart,

And vvounded sore, complaines him of his heart.

Oh vvhat as [...]embly did there come to see,

Great Caesar stand in all his royaltie:

Praysing his prizes in their shouts and skips,

Tooke in the Persian and Athenian ships,

From both sides of the Seas young Gallants came,

And Virgins of all sorts to see the same:

Then vvas the Citie throng'd, who could not find

In that faire crew a Saint to please his mind.

Oh gods! hovv many did kinde fancie driue,

Strangers to vs, vs vnto them to vviue:

Behold Great Caesar through the whole world famed

Will adde vnto the nations he hath tamed.

The Easterne kingdomes here to ouerpast,

And they of all his Conquests shall be last.

See vvhere a stout reuenger comes in armes,

Whose haughtie brest the flovver of honour warme [...]

That being but a child leades vvarre in chaines,

But more then children can, by vvarre constraines.

Thy birth-day shall by generall accord,

With all the newest vertues be ador'd,

[Page]Thy vvisedome which might well become the aged,

Shall in the selfe same ranke be equipaged:

That all the vvorld may vvonder one so young,

Hath such a ripe vvit, and so queint a tongue.

Thy gifts out-strip thy age, whose slow pace lingers.

Such vvas his instant strength, who twixt his fingers

Crusht two inuenom'd Snakes being in the cradle,

What vvould he do being mounted in the saddle,

As great as Bacchus vvhen his yeares yet greene,

Was in his povver amongst the Indies seene:

Is Caesar Heire vnto his fathers spirit,

That his forefathers veitues do inherit.

With their auspitious fortunes proudly dight,

Wars, and shall vanquish still vvhere he doth figh [...]:

Such be the fates, decree must be his fame

That shall vvage battell vnder Caesars name,

Liue still thou, Youth, of vvhom thou novv art king,

With milke white heads and beards thy praises sing,

Reuenge thy vvronged brothers, thy dead father,

And to the vvars millions of people gather.

Thy father, and thy Countries father too,

Case thee in armes gainst thy insulting foe.

Thou'bear'st religious armes; so doth not he,

Wrong leades him forth, but Iustice fightes for thee:

Behold the Parthians are alreadie slaine,

The East yeelds homage to the Latine traine.

Caesar and Mars, both gods, his fathers both

Be powerfull in his iourney now he goeth.

I Prophesie his conquest and his praise,

In a rich stile vnto the heauens Ile raise:

With my field vvords he shall his armie cheare,

Which with their sweet sound shal inchant each [...]are.

Whilst I the Parthians flight describe at large,

Who backvvard shoote, as flying, their foes charge.

[Page]And of the Romanes resolution vvrite,

In vaine poore Parthian souldiers thou dost fight.

Mars the great god of armes, forsake thy droome,

In vaine thou hop' [...]t by flight to ouercome:

In vvhat day shalt thou, fairest of all things,

Bedeckt vvith gold, attended on by Kings.

And drawne along by foure white snowie steeds,

To royalize thy acts and famous deeds.

The vvhilst thy troopes of souldiers round inuirons,

The Captaine of the enemie bound vvith irons:

Giuing their legs to keepe them from the flight,

Which they before did practise in their fight.

The ioyfull young men mingled vvith sweete lasses,

Will croud and presse to see him as he passes.

And now being met, no sweete occasion balke,

Make speech of any thing to enter talke:

Though ignorant in all things, all things know,

And take vpon thee to explaine each show.

As thus she Euphrates that first proceeds,

Hauing her head bound vvith a reath of reeds:

Call the next Tigris vvith her haire all blew,

Maides may be slattered, to thinke fained things true

Say this presents Armenia, Denae she,

In the next place let Achemonia be.

That man's a conquerour, captiues they that tremble,

Speake truly, if thou canst, if not dissemble.

Thence if you go to banckquet and sit downe,

To tast sweet Viands or to drinke around,

There may thy thoughts vnto my art incline,

Obseruing loue, more then the crimson vvine.

Cupid himselfe alvvayes inured to rapes,

Hath with his owne white hand prest Bacchus grapes.

Vntill his wings with sprinkled wine made vvet,

He heauy sits and sleepes vvhere he is set▪

[Page]The dew from off his feathers soone he shakes,

Which from his drowned vvings the dry aire takes.

But from his brest so soone he cannot driue,

Loue sprinkled there, though nere so much he striue.

Wine doth prepare the spirits, heates the braine hot,

Expels deepe cares, makes sorrowes quite forgot:

Moues mirth, breeds laughter, makes the poore man proud,

And not remembring need to laugh aloud:

Sets ope the thoughts, doth rudenes bannish,

Refineth arts, and at vvine sight vvoes vanish.

In vvine hath many a young mans heart bin tooke,

And borne away in a faire vvenches looke.

In wine is lust and rancknes of desire,

Ioyne vvine and loue, and you adde fire to fire:

Choose not a face by torch-light, but by day,

Onely grosse faults such splendors can bewray.

Tivst no made lights, they vvill deceiue thine eye,

Thou canst not iudge by torch-light, or in twie,

At the broad noonetide, when the Sun shin'd rarest,

Did Paris say to Hellen thou art fairest.

The night hides faults, the midnight hower is blind,

And no mishapt deformitie can find.

Stones and dyed Scarlet by the day vve chuse,

The broad day and bright sunne in beautie vse:

Sometimes vnto those places taske thy feete,

Where the faire forrest hantresses do meete.

In number more then sea sands, else prepare,

To the vvarme bathes, vvhere many a female are:

There some or other hurt by Cupids stroke,

Where troubled waters with warme brimstone smoke

Mistakes the wounds, cause and exclaming raues,

Not blaming Loue, but those vnholsome waues.

See vvhere Dian [...]es grouie Temple stands,

Where kingdoms haue bin won by slaughtring hands

[Page]Because [...]he Cupid loathes, and liues chast still.

Much people he hath slaine, and much shall kill:

Thus farre my Muse hath sung in diuers straines,

Where thou maist find fit place to set thy traines,

My next endeauour is to lay the ground,

To atchieue and vvin the Mi [...]tris thou hast found.

Be prompt and apt, you that shall reade my lines,

And vse attention to their disciplines,

The first strict precept I enioyne your sence,

Needfull to be obseru'd is conscience:

Be confident, thy sute being once begun,

And build on this, they all are to be vvonne.

First shall the birds that vvelcome in the spring,

All mute and dombe for euer cease to [...]ing:

The sommer Ants leaue their industrious paines,

And from their full mouthes cast their loaded gaines.

The swift Menation hounds that chasing are

Shall frighted runne backe from the trembling hare,

Before a vvanton wench, once tempted by thee

Poore foole, shall haue the hard heart to deny thee,

Stolne pleasure vvhich to men is neuer hatefull,

To vvomen, is now and at all times euer gratefull:

The difference is, a Maide her loue vvill couer,

Men are more impudent and publicke louers:

Tis meet vve men should aske the question still,

Should vvomen do it, it would become them ill.

The Heifers strength being once ripe and mellow,

After the Bull she through the fields vvill bellow.

The Mare neighes after the couragious Steed,

But humane lust doth not so much exceed.

Our flame hath lawfull bonds, keepe time & season,

Not bestiall made like theirs, but mixt with reason.

Should I of Biblis speake, vvhose hot desi [...]e

Doth to the brothers lawlesse bed aspire:

[Page]And when the incestuous deed shee well suspende [...],

With resolution her sweete life she endeth:

Mirrha the loue of her owne father sought,

Affecting him, but not as daughters ought:

Her bodie in a tree rough rinde appeares,

And vvith her sweet and odorifrous teares,

Our bodies vve perfume, these are the same,

Mirrh of their mistris Mirrha that beares the name

In Ida of tall tree and Cedars full,

There fed the glorie of the heard, a Bull:

Snow vvhite, saue twixt his hornes one spot ther [...] grew,

Saue that one staine he vvas of milkie hew,

This Bullocke did the Heifers of the groues,

Desire to beare as Prince of all their droues,

But most Pasiphae vvith adulterous breath,

Enuies the louely Heifers to the death:

I speake knowne truth, this cannot Creet deny,

With all her hundred Cities built on hie.

Tis said that for this Bull the doating Lasse,

Did vse to top fresh boughes and mow young grasse,

Nor vvas the amorous Cretan Queene afeard,

To grow a kind Companion to the heard:

Thus through the Campaigne she is madly borne,

And a vvilde Bull to Minos giues the horne.

Tis not for brauery he doth loue or loath thee,

Then vvhy, Pasiphae, dost thou so richly cloth thee▪

Why dost thou thus thy face and lookes prepare,

What makst thou with thy glasse ordring thy haire,

Vnlesse thy glasse could make thee seeme a Cow,

And how can hornes grow on that tender brow?

If Minos please thee, no adulterer seeke thee,

Or if thy husband Minos do not like thee:

But thy lasciuious thoughts are still increast,

Deceiue him vvith a man, not vvith a beast.

[Page]Thus by the Queene the wilde woods are frequented,

And leauing the Kings bed she is contented:

To vse the groues borne by the rage of mind,

Euen as a ship with a full Easterne vvind.

How often hath shee vvith an enuious eye,

Look'd on the Covv that by her Bull did lie:

Saying, oh vvherefore did this Heifer moue,

My hearts chiefe Lord, and vrge him to her loue.

Behold, hovv she before him ioyfull skips,

And proudly ietting on the greene grasse lips:

To please his amourous eye, then charg'd the Queene

See in these fields that cow no more be seene.

No sooner to her seruants had she spoke,

But the poore beast was straite put to the yoake.

Some of these strumpet Heifers the Queene slew,

And their vvarme bloud the alters did imbrevv.

Whilst by the sacrificing Priest she stands,

And gripes their trembling entrailes in her hands.

Oft praid shee to the gods, but all in vaine,

To appease their dieties with bloud of beasts thus Slaine,

And to their bowels spake, go, go, be gone,

To please him vvhom I fondly doate vpon.

Now doth she vvish her selfe Europ [...] then,

To be faire, so pasturing in the fenne,

[...] a beast in shape, hide, hoofe, and horne,

Onely Europa on a beast vvas borne.

At length the Captaine of the Heard beguilde,

With a Cowes skin vvith curious art compilde.

The longing Queene obtain'd her full desire,

And in the childs birth did bevvray the sire:

Had Cressa kept her from Thie [...]tes bed,

Shee had not vvith her child bene banished.

Nor Phoebus stopt his Carr that so bright burned,

And his Steeds back vnto the morning turned.

[Page]King Misus daughter that vvas held so faire,

Stole from her fathers head the purple haire:

And hanging at the ship vvas in her fall,

Chang'd to a bird in voice, in shape and all.

Another Silla vvas by Circes spels,

Made a Sea monster, and in the ocean dwels:

Beneath vvhose navell barketh many a hound,

Whose rauenous gulfe like throats ship, and men drownd.

The wisest of great Alcides that by land,

Fled the great god of vvar and did vvithstand:

Neptune by Sea, behold alas she dyes,

A vvofull and lamented sacrifice:

Whose sorrowes only not bright Crusaes flame,

Wishing their salt teares might haue quencht the same.

Who could but weepe to see young children slaine,

Whilst their warme blouds their mothers garments staine,

Phanux Annutors daughters she laments,

The swift pact hurrying chariot teares and rents.

Chiefe mischiefes all by womens lusts engender,

Some of their hearts be tough, though most be tender.

Womens defires are burning, some contagious,

Mens are more temporate, farre & lesse outragious:

Then in my art proceed nor doubt to enioy,

And win all women be they nere so coy.

Vse them by my directions, being learn'd by thee,

Not one amongst a thousand will deny thee:

Yet loue they to be vrg'd by some constraint,

As well in things which they deny as grant:

But take thou no repulse, ist not a treasure,

To enioy new delights and tast fresh pleasure.

Vari [...]tie of sweets are welcome still,

And acceptablest to a womans will:

They thinke that corne best in anothers field,

Their neighbors goate the sweetest milk doth yeeld.

[Page]But first ere siedge be to thy Mistris laid,

Practise to come acquainted vvith her maid:

She can prepare the vvay, seeke thy redresse,

And by her meanes thou maist haue sweete accesse.

To her familiar ear [...] your counsels show,

And all your priuate pleasures let her know:

Bribe her vvith gifts, corrupt her vvith reward,

With her that's easie vvhich to thee seemes hard,

She can choose times, so times Phy [...]itions keepe,

When in thy Mistris armes thou safe maist sleepe,

And that must be vvhen she is apt to yeeld,

What time the ripe corne swels within the field,

When banisht sorrowes, from her heart remoue

And giues mirth place, she lies broad vvake to loue.

Whilst Troy was pensiue, 'twas vvell fenc'd and kept,

But then betrayd vvhen they securely slept:

Yet sometimes proue her, vvhen thou findst her sad,

Mourning her owne vvrong vvith some vsage bad.

Follow that humour vvith thy fluent tongue,

Shee'll grace thee to reuenge her former vvrong:

Her may the industrious maide betimes prepare,

And softly vvhisper, yet that she may heare,

Such vvrongs no vvoman that hath sprit can beare:

So shee proceeds to thee, lifts thy praiseshie,

Sweare for her chast loue thou art bent to dye,

And there step in, and doubt not to preuaile,

Yet ere her furious anger hath strooke sail [...]

Rage in that Sea: delay consumes and dyes,

Like ice against the Sunne; no grace despise

That from the hand-maide comes; with all thy powe [...]

Seeke by conuenient meanes her to deflower.

She is industrious and made apt for sport,

And by her office limits your resort,

[Page] [...]he, if her owne counsell may be closly kept,

[...]er Ladies due vvould gladly intercept.

[...]ll is hap hazard, though it be vvith paine,

[...]y counsell is from these things to abstain [...].

[...]vvill not headlong ouer mountaines tread,

[...]or following me shall any be misled:

[...]ut of the maide by vvhom thou send'st thy letter,

[...]ith her care please thee vvell, with her face better

[...]egin not therefore vvith the Maide to toy,

[...]hy Mistris loue and fauour first enioy.

[...]ne thing beware, if thou wilt credit Art,

[...]or let my words amongst the windes depart:

[...] thou hast mou'd her once, take no de [...]yall,

[...]esolue to act, or neuer to make tryall.

[...]rom feare and blame thou art secure and free,

[...]s soone as shee pertakes the crime with thee.

[...]ou see the bird that to the morning sings,

[...]annot soare high, when she hath lim'd her wings:

[...]or can the sauage Boare with brisled backe,

[...]reake through those toyles which he before made slack.

[...]he fish that glides along the siluer brook,

[...] quickly drawne, being wounded with the hooke.

[...]o hauing once but tryde her, make her yeeld,

[...]nd neuer part, but conquer from the field:

[...]he fault being mutuall, knowing how she fell,

[...]he bashfull girle will be asham'd to tell.

[...]ut she can shew thee in familiar phrase,

[...]oth what thy vertuous Mistris doth and sayes.

[...]lwayes be secret, if your guilt appeare,

[...]will in thy Lady breed perpetuall feare.

[...]e is deceiu'd, that thinkes all times auaile,

[...]or Swaines to turne the earth, Seamen to saile:

[...]ll seasons are not kinde when men should sow,

[...]imes must be pickt, to haue your graine well gro [...].

[Page]Nor alwayes is the surging ocean fit,

That the vvell fraughted ship may saile in it:

Nor is it alwayes time faire girles to vvoe,

Sometimes abstaine, so doth thy Master doe.

Omit her birth-day, and those Calends misse,

When Mars and Venus both abstaine to kisse:

At some forbidden seasons being deckt,

With princely tire, vse her vvith great respect:

In the breame vvinter when that Phades raine,

From the sweete worke of Venus most abstaine.

Forbeare the like resort amongst thy wenches,

When that the tender kidd the ocean drenches:

Thou shalt begin euen in that very day,

When wofull and lamenting Allia,

Lookes on the tragicke earth, made crimson red,

With the wilde Romans wounds, which that day ble [...]

Or in the seauenth feast vvhich is held deuine,

And honoured by the men of Palestine.

Thy Ladyes birth-day Ceremonies make,

And superstitiously all workes forsake:

Aboue all dayes let that a blacke day be,

When thou giuest ought, or she doth beg of thee.

You shall haue some into your bosomes creepe,

Who iestingly will snatch things they will keepe.

And by some slight or pretty wanton suite,

To enrich themselues will leaue thee destitute:

First shall the Linnendraper bring his wares,

And lay his packe wide open, as at Faires.

She will peruse them as thou standst her nigh,

The whilst the Draper askes what will you buy?

Straite will she craue thy iudgement in the Lawn [...]

Thou by degrees to shew thy skill art drawne:

Then will she kisse thee, pray thee she may try it,

Thus by her flattery thou art vvonne to buy it.

[Page]Canst thou deny the wanton she will sweare,

This guift shall serue her vse for many a yeare:

It is now cheape, she hath great need of this,

And euery vvord she mingles with a kisse.

Hast thou no coyne about thee, thou shalt send,

To intreat it by a letter from thy frend:

What? must I needs present her vvith this casket,

Because that on her birth-day she doth aske it?

Then euery day she vvants she vvill be sworne,

That as that very day she's bred and borne.

Or vvhen I see her, how she sadly vveepes,

And fayning some false losse much seeking keep [...]s:

As if she had let fall some pretious thing,

A Iewell from her eare, her hand a ring.

What's that to me, or if I heare her pray,

To borrow this or that vntill some day:

What's lent is lost, and to be found no more,

Women things borrowed neuer will restore.

Ten tongues, as many mouthes cannot impart,

Halfe the sleights vsed in the strumpets art.

Make loue vvith letters, and thy money saue,

Dato do [...] sicut dat mella genista.

And let them wax, and inke, and paper haue.

Keepe what thou hast, for words good words surrender,

For flattery, like falshood euer tender:

Faire vvords are cheape, vvhat more thou giu'st is lost,

Flatter, speake faire, 'tis done with little cost.

Old Priam by intreatie Hector vvonne,

Which bribed Achilles neuer vvould haue done:

Force is but weake, intreatie hath her odds,

So we intreat, but not inforce the gods:

A promise is a charme to make fooles fat,

Be full of them, promise no matter what:

A promise is a meere inchanting witch,

By promises 'tis an easie matter to be rich.

[Page]The hope of gaine will keepe thy credit free,

Hope is a goddesse false, yet true to thee.

Giue her and say, you part on some disdaine,

Thou by her looseth, she by thee shall gaine:

Be alwayes giuing, but your guift still keepe,

And thy delayes in words well harmed steepe.

So hath the barren field deceiu'd the swaine,

So doth the Gamster loose in hope to gaine:

Loue that on euen hands growes is most pure,

That which comes gratis longest doth endure.

Write first, and let thy pleasant lines salute her,

A letter breakes the ice of any suiter:

A letter in an apple writ and sent,

Wonne faire Cidippe to her louers bent.

You Romane Youthes all other toyes resigne,

Leaue the seauen liberall Arts and Muses nine:

As when you heare an Orator declame,

The people iudge, and Senate grace the same.

So when the faire maides thou shalt come among▪

Speake well, and they will all applaud thy tongue.

But speake not by the booke, it breeds offence,

To Court in strange and [...]ustian eloquence:

None but a gull such bastard words will praise,

Or in his speech vse an inforced phrase.

Who but a mad man else with Orations,

Plead to his Loue, and woe in declamations:

Vse a smooth language and accusto [...]ed speech,

And with no straining discourse loue beseech:

As if thou camst to speake a studied part,

But as immediatly sent from the heart.

If she receiue thy lines, and scornes to reade them,

But casting them away, on the ground tread them:

Despaire not though, but that she may in time,

And will with iudging eyes peruse thy [...]ime.

[Page]In time the [...]tubborne Heifers draw the waine,

In time the wildest steeds do brooke the raine:

Time frets hard iron, in time the plow shares worne

Yet the ground soft by which the steele is torne.

What's harder then a stone, or what more soft

Then water is, and yet by dropping oft

The gentle raine will eate into the flints,

And in thtir hard sides leaues impressiue dints.

Do but persist the suite thou hast begone,

In time will chaste Penelope be wonne:

Long vvas it ere the Citie Troy was taine,

Yet vvas it burnt at length and Priam slaine.

Hath she perusde the scroule thou didst indite,

And vvill she not as yet an answer vvrite:

Enforce her not, it is enough to thee,

That she hath read it, and thy loue doth see.

Feare not, if once she reade vvhat thou hast writ,

She vvill vouchsafe in time to answer it.

At first perhaps her letter vvill be sowr,

And on thy hopes her paper seeme to lowr:

In vvhich she vvill coniure thee to be mute,

[...]nd charge thee to forbeare thy hated suite.

Tush, vvhat she most forwarnes she most desires,

[...]n frosty vvoods are hid the hottest fires.

Onely pursue to reape what thou hast sowne,

A million to a mite she is thy owne.

[...]f thou by ch [...]nce hast found her in some place,

[...]owne on her backe and vpwards with her face.

Occasion smiles vpon thee, thanke thy fate,

[...]eale to her besides vvith a theeuish gate:

[...]nd hauing wonne, vnto her vvisely beare thee,

[...]ith vvatchfull care that no Eauesdropper hear [...] thee.

[...]r if she vvalke abroad without delay,

W [...]n th [...] meetest [...] abroad.

[...]e thou a quicke spie to obserue her way.

[Page]Keepe in her eye, and crosse her in the street,

Here ouertake her, at that corner meet:

Then come behind her, then outstrip her pace,

And now before her, and now after trace.

Now fast, now slow, and euer moue some stay,

That she may find thee still first in her way,

Nor be afraid if thou occasion spie,

To iog her elbow as thou passest by.

Or if thou happenest to behold from faree,

Thy Mistris crossing to the Theater:

When thou findest her in the Theater.

Hye to the place, being there looke round about thee

And in no seate let her be found without thee.

No matter though the play thou do not mind,

Thou sights enough within her face shalt find:

There stand at gaze, there wonder, [...]here admire,

There speaking lookes may whisper thy desire.

Applaud him whom she likes, if thou discouer,

In any straine a true well acted louer.

Make him thy instance, court her by all skill,

If she rise, rise, if she sit, sit thee still:

Laugh thou but whē she smiles, dye when she lowers

And in her lookes and gestures loose thy howers.

Thy legs with eating pumice do not weare,

Vse no hot irons to crispe and curle thy haire:

No spruce starch fashions should on louers waite,

Men best become a meere neglected gate.

Blunt Theseus came vvith no perfumes to Creete,

And yet great Minos daughter thought him sweet.

Phoedra did loue Hippolitus, yet he,

Had on his backe no Courtly brauery.

Adonis like a vvoodman still vvas clad,

Yet Venus doated on the louely lad:

Goe neat and handsome, comelinesse best pleases,

And the desire of vvomen soonest ceases.

[Page]Vse a meet [...] gate, thy garments vvithout staine,

Keepe not thy face from vveather nor from raine:

Thy tong haue without roughnes, thy teeth cleare

And vvhite, and let no rust inhabite there.

Weare thy shooes close and fit, and not to vvide,

Cut thy haire compasse, euen on either side:

Let no disordered haires here and there stand,

But haue thy beard trim'd with a skilfull hand.

Make blunt thy nailes, pare them & keepe them low

Let no stiffe haires vvithin thy nostrils grow:

Keepe thy breath sweet and fresh, lest ranke it smell,

Such is the aire vvhere bearded gotes do dwell.

All other loose tricks and effeminate toyes,

Leaue thou to vvanton girles and iugling boyes:

Behold young Bacchus me his Poet names,

He fauours louers, and those amourous flames,

In vvhich he hath bene scorcht; it so fell out,

Mad Ariadne straid the Ile about:

The tale of Theseus and Ariadne.

Being left alone vvithin that Desert plaine,

Where the brooke Dia pores into the maine.

Who making from her rest, her vaile vnbound,

Her bare foote treading on the tender ground:

Her golden haire dissolued, aloud she raues,

Calling on Theseus to the defuged waues.

On Theseus, cruell Theseus, vvhom she seekes,

Whilst showers of teares makes furrowes in her cheeks

She calls and weepes, and weepes & calls at once,

Which might to r [...]th moue the senceles stones.

Yet both alike became her, they all grac'd her,

The whilst she striues to call him, or cry faster:

Then beates she her soft breast, and makes it groane:

And then she cryes, what is false Theseus gone?

What shall I do? she cryes, vvhat shall I doe?

And vvith that note she runs the Forrest through.

[Page]When suddenly her eares might vnderstand,

Cimballs and Timbrels toucht with a loud hand:

To vvhich the forrest woods and caues resound,

And now amaz'd she senceles falls to ground.

Behold the Nymphes come with their scattered hair [...]

Falling behind, which they like garments weare.

And the light Satires, an vntoward crew,

Nearer and nearer to the Virgin drew.

Then old Silenus on his lazie Asse,

Nods vvith his drunken pate about to passe.

Where the poore Ladie, all in teares lies drown'd

Scarce sits the drunkard, but he falls to ground▪

Scarce holds the bridle fast, but staggering stoopes▪

Following those giddy Bacchanalian troopes.

Who dance the wilde Laualto on the grasse,

Whilst with a staffe he layes vpon his Asse.

At length when the young Satires least suspect,

He tumbling falls quite from his Asses necke:

But vp they heaue him, whilst each Satire cries,

Ri [...]e good old father good old father rise.

Now comes the god himselfe, next after him,

His vine like Chariot driuen with Tigres grimme:

Coulou [...] and voice, and Theseus she doth lacke,

There would she fly, and there feare puld her back.

She trembles like a stalke the vvind doth shake,

Or a vveake reed that growes besides the lake.

To vvhom the god spake, Lady take good cheare,

See one more faithfull then false Theseus here.

Thou shalt be vvife to Bacchus for a guift,

Receiue high heauens, and to the spheares be lift.

Where thou shalt shine a starre to guide by night,

The wandring seaman in his course aright:

This said, lest that his Tigres should a [...]ray,

The trembling maide, the god his coach doth stay.

[Page]And leaping from his Chariot with his heels,

He prints the sand, with that the Nymph he feeles:

And hugging her, in vaine she doth resist,

He beares her thence, gods can do what they li [...].

Some Hymen sing, and Io cry,

So Bacchus with the maide that night doth lye:

Therefore when wine in plenteous cups do flow,

And thou that night vnto thy loue doth owe:

Pray to the god of grapes that in thy bed,

The quaffing healths do not offend thy head.

In wine much hidden talke thou maist inuent,

Loue tricks [...]sed in [...] ting and drinking.

To giue thy Lady note of thy intent:

To tell her thou art hers and she is thine,

Thus euen at board make loue tricks in the wine.

Nay, I can teach thee though thy tongue be mute,

How with thy speaking eye to moue thy suite:

Good language may be made in looks and wincks▪

Be first that takes the cup vvherein she drinks.

And note the very place her lip did tuch,

Drinke iust at that, let thy regard be such.

Or vvhen she carues, vvhat part of all the meate▪

She vvith her finger tuch, that cut and eate:

Or if thou carue to her, or shee to thee,

Her hand in taking it touch cunningly.

Be vvith her friend familiar, and be sure,

It much auailes to make thy loue endure:

When thou drink'st, drinke to him aboue the [...],

Grace him, and make thy selfe a thankfull gu [...].

In euery thing preferre him to his face,

Though in his function he be nere so base:

The course is safe, and doth securenesse lend,

For vvho suspectlesse may not greet his frend.

Yet though the path thou tread'st seeme straite and plaine,

In some things it is full of [...]ubs again [...].

[Page]Drinke sparingly, for my impose is such,

And in your singling him take not to much:

Carrouse not but with soft and moderate sup [...],

Carrouse [...] to much

Haue a regard and measure in your cups.

Let both thy feete and thoughts their office know,

Chiefly beware of brawling, which may grow

By too much vvine, from fighting most abstaine,

In such a quarrell vvas Eurition slaine:

Where swaggering leades the vvay mischiefe comes after,

Iunkets and vvine vvere made for mirth & laughter,

Sing,

Sing.

if thy voice be delicate and sweet,

If thou canst dance

Dance.

then nimbly shake thy feet.

If thou hast in thee ought that's more then commō,

Shew it; such gifts as these most please a woman.

Though to be drunke indeed may hurt the braine,

Yet novv and then I hold it good to faine.

Instruct thy lisping tongue sometimes to trip,

That if a word misplac'd do passe thy lip:

At which the carping presence find some clause,

It may be iudg'd that quaffing vvas the cause.

Then boldly say, how happy were that man,

That could enfould thee in his armes, and then

Wish to embrace her in her sweet hearts steed,

Whom in her eare thou rauest to see dead.

But vvhen the table's drawne and she among,

The full crew rising thrust into the throng:

And tuch her softly as she forth doth goe,

And vvith thy foote tread gently on her toe.

Now is the time to speake, be not afraid,

Him that is bould both loue and fortune aide.

Doubt not thy vvant of Rhetoricke true loue show,

Good words vnwares vpon thy tongue will flow:

Make as thy tong could wound thy soule with griefe

And vse what Art thou canst to winne reliefe.

[Page]All vvomen of themselues selfe-loued are,

The foulest in their owne conceits are faire:

Praise them, they will beleeue thee I haue knowne,

A meere dissembler a true louer growne.

Prouing in earnest what he fayn'd in sport,

Then, oh you Maides, vse men in gentle sort:

Be affable, and kind, and scorne eschew,

Loue forg'd at first may at the last proue true.

Let faire words worke into their hearts as brooks,

Into a hollow banke that ouerlooks:

The margent of the vvater praise her cheeke,

The coulour of her haire commend and like.

Her slender finger and her pretty foote,

Her body and each part that longs vnto't▪

And women as you hope my stile shall raise you,

I charge you to beleeue men when they praise you.

For praises please the chastest maides delight,

To heare their Louers in their praise to write.

Iuno and Pallas hate the Phrigian soile,

Where Paris to their beauties gaue the foile.

Euen yet they enuy Venus and still dare her,

To come to a new iudgement vvhich is fairer.

The Peacocke being praised spreads his traine,

Be silent and he hides his vvealth againe:

Horses trapt richly praise them in their race,

They vvill curuet and proudly mend their pace.

Large promises in loue I much allow,

Nay call the gods as vvitnes to thy vow:

For Ioue himselfe sits in the azure skies,

And laughes below at louers periuries.

Commanding Eolus to disperse them quite,

Euen Ioue himselfe hath falsly sworne some write:

By Stix to Iuno, and since then doth show,

Fauours to vs that falsly sweare below.

[Page]Gods surely be gods, vve must thinke they are,

To them burne incense, and due rights prepare:

Nor do they sleepe as m [...]ny thinke they do,

Lead harmelesse liues, pay debts and forfeits to.

Keepe couenant vvith thy friend and banish fraud,

Kill not, and such a man the gods applaud.

Say vvomen none deceiue, the gods haue spoken,

There is no paine impos'd on faith so broken.

Deceiue the sly deceiuer they find snares,

Fallere fallentem non [...]st fraus.

To catch poore harmelesse louers vnawar [...]s.

Lay the like traines for them; nine yeares some faine

In Egypt there did fall no drop of raine.

When Thratius to the grimme Busiris goes,

[...]usiris kild Thratius because he was a stranger.

And from the Oracle this answer showes:

That Ioue must be appeasde with strangers blood▪

They said Busiris kild him where he stood:

And said with all, thou stranger first art slaine,

To appease the gods and bring great Egypt raine.

Phallaris bull, King Phallaris first said,

With the worke-master that the Engine made:

Both Kings were iust, death deathes inuenters try,

And iustly in their owne inuentions dye.

So should false oathes, by right false oathes beguile

And a deceitfull girle be caught by wile:

Then teach thy eyes to weepe,

Weepe to [...]er.

tears perswade truth

And moues obdurate Adamant to ruth.

At such especiall times that passing by,

She may perceiue a teare stand in thy eye.

Or if teares faile, as still thou canst not get them,

With thy moist fingers rub thy eyes and wet them.

Who but a foole that cannot iudge of blisses,

Kisse her.

But when he speakes will with his words mixe kisse [...].

Say she be coy, and will giue none at all,

Take them vngiuen, perhaps at first shee'll brawle.

[Page] [...]triu [...] and resist her all the wayes she [...]an,

And say vvithall away you naughtie man.

Yet will she fight like one would loose the field,

[...]nd striuing gladly be constrain'd to yeeld:

[...]e not so boisterous, do not speake to hie,

[...]est by rude hurting of her lips she cry.

He that gets kisses with his pleading tongue,

And gets not all things that to loue belong:

[...] count him for a Meacock and a sot,

Worthy to loose the kisses that he got.

What more then kissing wanted of the game,

Was thy meere dastardie, not bashfull shame:

They terme it force, such force comes welcome still,

What pleaseth them, they grant against their will.

Phoebe the faire was forc'd, so vvas her sister,

Yet Phoebe in her heart thank'd him that kist her:

There is a tale well knowne how Hecubs sonne,

To steale faire Hellen through the streame did run.

Venus who by his censure wonne in Ide,

Gaue to him in requitall this faire bride:

Now for another world doth saile with ioy,

A vvelcome daughter to the King of Troy.

The vvhilst the Grecians are alreadie come,

Mou'd vvith this publicke wrong against Ilium:

Achilles in a smok his Sex doth smother,

And layes the blame vpon his carefull mother.

What makes thou great Achilles tozing wooll,

When Pallas in a caske should hide thy skull?

What doth that palme with webs and thrids of gold▪

Which are more fit a vvarlike shield to hold?

Why should that right hand rocke and twig contai [...]

By vvhich the Troiane Hector must be slaine.

Cast off these loose vailes and thy armour take,

And in thy hand the speare of Pelias shake.

[Page]Thus Lady-like he vvith a Lady lay,

Till vvhat he vvas her belly did bewray:

Yet vvas she forc'd: so ought vve to beleeue,

Not to be so inforst how vvould she grieue.

When he should rise from her still would she cry,

For he had arm'd him and his Rocke laid by,

And vvith a soft voice spake Achille stay,

It is to soone to rise, lye downe I pray:

And then the man that forc'd her she vvould kisse,

What force Deidemeia call you this.

There is a kind of feare in the first proffer,

But hauing once begun she takes the offer:

Trust not to much young man to thy faire face,

Nor looke a vvoman should intreat thy grac [...].

First let a man with sweet words smooth his way,

Be forward in her eare to sue and pray:

If thou wilt reape fruites of thy Loues effects,

Onely begin 'tis all that she expects.

So in the ancient times Olimpian Ioue,

Made to Heroes suite and vvonne their loue:

But if thy vvords breed scorne, a while forbeare,

For many what most flies them hold most deare:

And what they may haue proffer'd fly and shunne,

[...]e secret in l [...]ue.

By soft retreat great vantage may be vvonne.

In person of a vvoer come not still,

But sometimes as a friend in meere good will:

Thou camst her frend, but shalt returne her Loue,

A vvhite soft hew my iudgement doth disproue.

Giue me a face whose coulour knowes no Art,

Which the greene sea hath tan'd the Sunne made swart:

Beautie is meere vncomely in a Clowne,

Beautie not approued in [...] man.

That vnder the hot Planets plough the ground.

And thou that Pallas garland wouldst redeeme,

To haue a white face it would ill be seene.

[Page]Let him that loues looke pale, for I protest,

Looke pale.

That coulour in a Louer still shewes best:

Orion wandring in the woods lookt sickly,

Daphne being once in loue lost coulour quickly.

Thy leannesse argues loue, seeme sparely fed,

Leane.

And sometimes weare a nightcap on thy head:

For griefes and cares that in afflictions show,

Sickly.

Weaken a Louers spirits and bring him low.

Looke miserably poore, it much behoues,

That all that see you, may say, yon man loues:

Shall I proceed or stay, moue or disswade?

Friendship and faith of no account are made.

Loue mingles right with wrong, friendship despises,

And the world faith holds vaine, & sleightly prises.

Thy Ladies beautie do not thou commend,

Suspect thy friend in [...]ue.

To thy companion or thy trustie friend:

Least of thy praise enamoured it may breed,

Like loue in them with passions that exceed.

Yet was the nuptiall bed of great Achilles,

Vnstain'd by his deare friend Actorides:

The wife of Theseus though she went astray,

Was chast as much as in Pirithous Iay.

Phoebus and Pallas, Hermoins, Phillades,

And the two twins vve call Tindarides:

Tend to the like, but he that in these dayes,

For the like trust acquires the selfe same praise.

He may as well from weeds seeke sweet rose buds,

Apples of thornetrees, hony from the floods.

Nothing is practis'd now but what is ill,

Pleasure is each mans God, faith they excell:

And that stolne pleasure [...] respected chiefe,

Which falls to one man by anothers griefe:

O mischiefe you young louers, feare not those,

That are your open and professed foes.

[Page]Suspect thy friend, though else in all things iust,

Yet in thy Loue he vvill deceive thy trust.

Friends breed true feares, in loue the presence hare,

Of thy neare kindsman, brother and sworne mate:

I was about to end, but loe I see,

How many humorous thoughts in women be.

Qu [...]t capi [...]a tot sensus

But thou that in my Art thy name wilt raise,

A thousand humours woe a thousand vvayes:

One plot of ground all simples cannot bring,

This is for vines, here corne, there oliues spring.

More then be seuerall shapes beneath the skies,

Haue womens gestures, thoughts, and fantasies?

He that is apt vvill in himselfe deuise,

Innumerable shapes of fit disguise.

To shift and change like Proteus vvhom vve see,

A Lion first, a bore, and then a tree.

Some fishes strang [...]ly by a dart are tooke,

These by a net, and others by a hooke:

All ages not alike intrapped are,

The crooked old vvife sees the traine from far.

Appeare not learned vnto one that's rude,

Nor loose to one vvith chastitie indu'd:

Should you so do, alas the prettie elues,

Would in the want of Art distrust themselues.

Hence comes it, their best fortunes some refuse,

And the base bed of an inferior chuse:

Part of my toyles remaines, and part is past,

Here doth my shaken ship her ancker cast.

FINIS.

THE SECOND BOOKE.

[Page]

SIng Io P [...]an, twice twice Io say,

My toyles [...] pitch [...], & I have caught my pray▪

Let th [...] glad Lou [...]r crowne my head with b [...]yes

And before old blind Hom [...]r O [...]id praise.

Paris. P [...]lops.

So did King [...] sonne exult [...]ng skip,

With the faire rauish'd Hellen in his ship▪

So did he sing, th [...] in his Chariot runne▪

And Vict [...] li [...] th [...] bright Allanta [...].

[...]

Yet in the mid-sea farre from any coa [...] ▪

'Tis not enough to [...] by my new Ar [...],

To find a Lady that commands thy [...].

The reach of my [...] is much deeper,

By Art thou her shale win, by Art sh [...]l [...] keepe [...]

As difficult it is by Art to blind her▪

To [...] de [...]res, as a [...] th [...] fir [...] to find her▪

In this consists th [...] [...] of m [...] skill▪

Cupid and Venus both assist me still.

And gratio [...]s E [...]ato my stile prepa [...]e,

T [...]o [...] art the muse [...] hast of Louers care.

I promise wondrous things, I will explaine,

How [...]ickle thoughts in lo [...]e may firme r [...]m [...]ine.

[Page]And how the Wag in fetters may be hurl'd,

[...] [...]anders rou [...]d [...]bout the world▪

Ye [...] is Lo [...]e light, and hath two vvings to fly,

[...] hard to o [...]strip him mounting the skie.

The tale of Dedalus & [...]is sonne Icarus.

What M [...]os to his guest alwayes denyed,

[...]

[...]

In vvhich to [...] [...]he Queene Pasiph [...]es guilt.

Kneeling he say [...] ▪ iust Minos end my mones,

And let my [...] country sh [...]o [...]d my bones.

Grant me great King, vvhat yet the [...]ates deny,

And vvhere I haue not liu'd, ô let me die:

Or if dread Soueraigne, I deserue no grace,

Looke vvith a piteous eye on my childes face.

And grant him lea [...]e, from whence we are exild [...],

Or pitty me, if you deny my childe▪

This and much more he sayes▪ bu [...] all in vaine,

Both sonne and [...]i [...]e still doth th [...] King detaine.

Which he [...], said, now now 'tis fit,

To giue the world cause to admire thy vvit▪

The La [...] an [...] S [...]a [...]re watcht by day and night,

Nor Land no [...] S [...]a lyes open to our [...]ight.

Onely the ayre [...] try,

To cut a [...] through the [...] fly:

Ioue be auspitio [...] [...]o my [...],

[...]

But make this refuge since I can p [...]epare,

No meanes to [...] Lor [...], but [...] the ay [...] ▪

Make me [...], bring me to the brim,

Of the blacke Stygi [...] vva [...]rs, [...]

Oh humane vvit, thou canst inuent much ill,

Thou searchest strange a [...]s, who would think by skil

A heauy man like a light bird should stray,

And through the empty heauens find a fi [...] vvay.

[Page]He placeth in iust order all his quills,

Whose bottoms with resolued vva [...]e he fills:

Then bindes them with a line, and being f [...]st tyde,

He placeth them like oares on either side.

The little Lad the downy feathers blew,

And what his father wrought he nothing knew:

The waxe he softened, with the strings he playd,

Not thinking for his shoulders they were made:

To whom his father spake, and then look'd pale,

With these swift ships we to our land must saile.

All passage now doth cruell Minos stop,

Onely the emptie aire he still leaues ope:

That way must we, the land and the rough deepe,

Doth Minos bar the aire, he cannot keepe.

But in the way beware thou set no eye,

On the signe Virgo nor Bootes hie:

Looke not the blacke Orion in the face,

That beares a sword, but iust with me keepe place.

Thy vvings are now in fastning, follow me,

I will before thee fly, as thou shalt see.

Thy father mount or stoope, so I arreed thee,

Take me thy guide, and safely I will leade thee.

If we should soare too neare great Phoebus seate,

The melting waxe will not endure the heate:

Or if we fly too neare the humid Seas,

Our moistened wings we shall not shake with ease.

Fly betweene both, and with the gusts that rise,

[...] thy light body saile amidst the skies:

And euer as his little sonne he charmes,

He fits the feathers to his tender armes.

And shewes him how to moue his body light,

As birds do teach their little young ones flight:

By this he calls a counsell of his wits,

And his owne wings vnto his shoulders [...]its.

[Page]Being about to rise he fearefull quakes,

And in his new way his [...]aint body shakes:

Bu [...] ere he [...]ooke his flight he kist his sonne,

Whilst flouds of teares downe by his cheeks did run.

There was a hillocke not so high and [...]all,

As lo [...]tie mountaines be, nor yet so small:

To be with vallyes euen, and yet a hill,

From this they both attempt their vncouth skill:

The father moues his wings and with respect,

His eyes vpon his wandring sonne reflect.

They beare a spatious course, and the apt boy,

Fearelesse of harmes in his new tract doth ioy:

And flies more boldly, now vpon them looks,

The fisher men that angle in the brookes.

And with their eyes cast vpward frighted stand,

By this is Samos Isle on their left hand:

With Maxos, Paros, Delphos, and the rest,

F [...]elesse they take the course that likes them best.

Vpon the right hand [...] they forsake,

Now Astpelea with the fishie lake:

Shadie Pac [...]inne full of woods and groues,

When the rash boy to bold in ventering roues:

Looses his guide, and takes his [...]igh [...] so hie,

That the soft waxe against the Sunne doth fry.

And the cords slip that made the feathers fast,

So that his armes haue power vpon no bl [...]st:

He fearefully from the high clouds lookes downe,

Vpon the lower heauens whose curld waues [...]rowne.

At his ambitious height, and from the skies,

He sees blacke night and death before his eyes:

Now mel [...]s the w [...]e, his naked armes he shakes,

And seeking to catch hold, no hold he takes.

But now the naked Lad downe headlong falls,

And by the way he father, father calls:

[Page]Helpe father, helpe he cryes, and as he sp [...]akes,

A violent waue his course of language breakes.

The vnhappy father, but no father now,

Cryes out aloud, sonne Icarus where art thou:

Where art thou Icarus? where dost thou fly?

Icarus where are? when strait he doth espie,

Vse i [...] c [...]armes.

The feathers swimme, thus loud he doth exclame▪

The e [...]rth his bones, the Sea still keepes his name.

Minos could not restraine a man from flight,

But wing [...] Cupid be he nere so light:

He gulls himselfe that seekes to witches craft,

No Magick potions.

Or with a young colts forehead make a draft.

No power in wise Medeus potions dwels,

Nor drowned poysons mixt with magicke spels:

The power of Loue is not inforc'd by these,

For were it so, then had Aersonides,

Bene stayd by Phasius, and Vlisse kept,

Who stole from Circe while the inchantresse slept.

These charmed drugs moues madnesse, hurts the braine

To gaine pure loue, pure loue returne againe

Mischieuous thoughts eschue to purchase grace,

Manners preuailes more then a beautious face.

And yet the Nymphes the loue of Nilus seeke,

Vse manners.

And Homer doats on Nieureus the fai [...]e Greeke.

But trust not thou thy beautie to keepe kind,

Thy Mistris seekes the beautie of the mind:

All outward beautie fades as yeares increase,

Euen so it weares away and waxeth lesse.

Beautie in her owne course is ouertaken,

The Violet now fresh is, strait forsaken.

Nor alwayes do the Lillies of the field,

The glorious beauties of their obiect yeeld:

The fragrant rose once pluckt the briery thorne,

Shewes rough & naked, on which the rose was born▪

[Page]Oh thou most faire, vvhite haires come on apace,

And wrinkled furrowes which will plough thy face:

Instruct thy soule, thy thoughts haue perfect made,

These beauties last till death, all others fade.

To liberall Arts thy carefull howers apply,

Learne many tongues with their true Euphony:

Vlisses was not faire but eloquent,

Yet to his Loue the Sea Nymphes did consent.

How often did the Witch his stay implore,

Making the Seas vnfit for saile or oare:

She praid him oft, because he spake so well,

Ouer and ouer Troyes sad fate to tell.

Whilst he with pithy words and fluent phrase,

Recites the selfe same story diuers wayes:

Calipso as they on the Seabanke stood,

Casting their eyes vpon the neighbouring flood;

Desires the fall and blouddy acts to heare,

Wrought by the Ordrision Captaines sword & speare

Then holding twixt his fingers a vvhite wand,

Wha [...] she requests he drawes vpon the sand.

Here's Troy quoth he, and then the walls he paints,

Thinke Simois this, imagine these my tents:

There was a place in which Dolon was slaine,

About the vigill watch, when with the raine,

The Hemonian horses play, and as he speakes,

To counterfeit that place the sand he breakes.

Here Scithian R [...]esus tents are pitcht on hie,

This way his horsemen slaine, returned I.

More did he draw, when on the suddaine low,

A clyming waue the shore doth overflow.

And as her drops amidst his workes doth fall,

It washt away his tents, his Troy and all:

To which the Goddesse, dares Vlisses try,

These sencelesse violent waues that clime so hie.

[Page]And wilt thou vvith these vvaters be [...]noyed,

By which so great names are so soone destroyed.

Then trust no idle shape, it will decay,

Seeke inward beautie, such as lasts for aye:

Sweet affability

Be affable.

vvill enter farre

Into a womans breast, when scorne breeds war.

We hate the hawke and loath her flesh to eate,

Because by rapine she doth get her meate.

The Woolfe we hunt, and enuy all her stocke,

Because the Lamb [...] she kils, and spoyles the flocke:

But none the gentle Swallow layes to catch,

The louing stocks within our turrets hatch.

Away with quarrels,

Shun strife.

bitter words, rough deeds,

Loue with kind language and faire speeches speeds.

Strife makes the married couple often iarre,

The man with wife, the vvife with man to vvarre:

Leaue braules to wiues, they are their marriage dower,

And with kind words salute thy Paramore.

When by appointment you shall meet in bed,

By the lawes done, you are not thither led:

Strict statutes from such actions still withdraw,

Yet your abounding loue supply the Law.

Bring louing

Be louing.

spe [...]ches to inchant the eare,

And mouing vvords, such as she ioyes to heare:

I am not Tutor vnto him that's rich,

My precepts so are not to so high a pitch.

The Louer that's endow'd with gold or [...]ee,

And comes with gifts, he hath no need of me.

He that at euery vvord can take supply,

Hath in that euery vvord more wit then I:

We yeeld to him he that their laps can fill,

Teacheth an Art that goes beyond my skill.

My Muse instructs poore Louers vvanting pelfe,

For when I lou'd I was but poore my selfe.

[Page]Still as my purse no store of crownes affords,

I in the stead of rich gifts giue faire words:

Be fearefull you poore Louers to displease,

Be patient to endure,

B [...] patient.

things against your [...]ase.

Things that the rich would scorne, it was my hap,

Once as my head lay in my Mistris lap:

To grow inrag'd, when straite I fell to beate her,

To touse her ordered locks and ill intreat her.

But what ensude oh God, much griefe it cost me,

Many sweet dayes, many sweet nights it lost me.

Whether I toucht her cloathes I might deny,

She sayes I tore them, I some new must buy:

You Schollers by your Masters harmes beware,

These ills by him already prooued are.

Make against the Part [...]ians warre, but to thy Loue

Being concord peace, and all things that can moue:

Though at the first you find him but vntoward,

Beare it, and she in time will proue lesse froward.

The crooked arme that from the tree is cut,

By gentle vsage is made straite, but put:

Such violence is it as thy strength deliuers,

And thou wilt breake the short wood into shiuers.

By industrie thou maist oreswimme a floud,

Whose raging currant else is scarce withstood:

By industrie the Tigers gently grow,

And the wilde Lions may be tamed so.

The sauage Bull whose fierce ire doth prouoke,

By industrie is brought vnto the yoake:

Arcadian Atalanta was most cruell,

At length came one whom she esteem'd her Iewell.

Oft wept Hippomanes at his mishap,

And her seuerity who sought to intrap

Her harmeles Louers, oft at her fierc [...] becke,

He laid betwixt his shoulders and her necke.

[Page]The ioyles for sauage beasts, and with his speare,

He pierst such vntam'd cattell as came neare:

To such hard taskes I do not thee compell,

To arme thy body against Monsters fell.

In the wilde vvildernesse to seeke out broyles,

Nor on thy necke to beare the guilefull toyles.

My imposition is not so seuere,

No such aduentures are enioyned here.

This onely meanes all dangers will disperse,

Humo [...] her.

Yeeld her her humour when she growes peruerse:

What she in conference argues, argue thou,

What she approues, in selfe same vvords allow.

Say vvhat the sayes, deny vvhat she denyes,

If she laugh, laugh, if she vveepe wet thine eyes.

And let thy countenance be to thine a law,

To keepe thy actions and thy lookes in awe:

Or if thou hand to hand shalt play at dice,

Loose to her at game.

At tables or at chests by some deuice,

Let her depart the Conquerour else 'twere sinne,

What gladly thou vvouldst loose, that let her win.

Let thy officious hand then beare her fan,

Beare her fanne.

When thou shalt chance her through the streets to man:

Make thy supporting arme to hers a stay,

Through throngs and pres [...]es vsher her the vvay:

As she ascends her bed set her a staire,

By vvhich to clime and euery thing prepare:

That she may see them done vvithout offence,

Reach thou her pantafles or take them thence.

And standing by to vvatch her while she rests,

Warme thy cold hands betwixt her panting breasts:

Nor thinke it base, 'tvvill please though it be base,

To hold the glas [...]e vnto thy Mistris face.

He that deseru'd vvithin those heauens to tarry,

Hercules.

Which he before vpon his backe did carry.

[Page]Performing more then Iuno could command him,

So strong, that no fierce mōster could withstand hi [...]

Euen he Alcides Ioles grace to win,

Shapt like a woman did both card and spin.

Go thou, and in his seruill place proceed,

And gaine as faire a Mistris for thy meed:

Art thou enioyn'd at such an hower to be,

In the great Forum vvhere she vvai [...]es for thee.

Hasten thy weary steps and thanke thy fate,

Come there betimes, depart not thence till late:

Bids she thee go, all busines [...]e lay apart,

Run, till with extreame heate thou melt thy heart.

Sups she abroad, and wants she one to attend her,

Backe to her lodging, it will not offend her:

To waite her at the same place in the porch,

And light her home directly vvith a torch:

Is she in the Country, and commands thee come,

Hast thou no coach, vpon thy ten toes run.

Let neither vvinter blasts nor stormes of haile,

Nor the hot thirstie dogstarre let thee-faile:

Shun neither heate nor cold, but see thou go,

Though euery step, thou tread'st knee deepe in snow

Loue is a kind of vvar, all such depart,

As beare a timerous or a slothfull heart.

Nights, winters, long waies, watching griefe in millions,

Torments Loues souldiers in their soft pauillions:

On [...]old ground thou must lye, beare many a showr,

When the heauens open, and the floudgates powr.

So Phoebus when Admetus sheepe he kept,

In a thatcht Cotrage on the cold flower slept.

What Phoebus did, vvho may it not beseeme,

Better then Phoebus of himselfe esteeme:

What mortall louer dare, then sloth despise,

You that confirm'd and lasting loue deuise.

[Page] [...]f at the outward gate a vvatch stand centy,

Hazard for her.

Or say the bolts or locks deny thee entry:

Search some strange passage, through a casement crall,

Or by a cord downe from the chimney fall.

Thee in her louing armes she straite will take,

Reioycing thou vvouldst hazard for her sake:

Euery vaine feare and danger thou dost proue,

Is a sure pledge and token of thy loue:

Oft had L [...]ander without Hero slept,

To find his Loue into the Sea he leapt.

Thinke it no shame the fauour to deserue:

Of euery Maide, that doth thy Mistris serue:

To vse her Maides.

Salute them by their names in curteous sort,

For these are they that can preferre thy sport.

And more and more into their grace to grow,

Some trifling gifts on each of them bestow:

Especially regard her smiles or frownes,

Whose office is to brush her Mistris gownes.

To her make meanes, for she is groome porter,

Both to her bed, and such as do resort her:

Great and rich gifts I do not bid thee send her,

What gifts to send her.

I meane thy Loue, but knacks of value slender:

As when the orchard boughes are clag'd with fruite,

In some choise dish from thence commend thy suite.

And let the little Page that beares them say,

Though thou perhaps hast bought them by the way:

These pares, or plums, or grapes which I present you

As his fi [...]st fruits vvere by my Mistris sent you.

Or be they hazell nuts, or chesnuts great,

Euen such as Amarillis lou'd to eate.

Or a young Turkie, these vvill shevv thy hart,

These gifts send freely, lay thy gold apart:

Such presents neuer bring men to dispaire,

To vntimely age, or to tormenting care.

[Page]O let them amongst others rot and perish,

That hate mens persons, and their presence cheri [...]

What shall I bid thee send her,

Send her verses.

meetred [...]imes,

Alas, they find small honour in these times.

Verses they praise, but gould they most require,

If rich, though barbarous, he commands desire:

This is the golden age, not that of old,

Both life and honour are now bought vvith gold,

Though Homer bring the Muses in the traine,

Yet vvithout gold he may retire againe:

Some girles there be, but they be passing few,

Worthy to rancke amongst the learned crew.

Others vnlearned there are, yet vvould be held,

As if in skill and iudgement they excel'd:

Both let thy verses praise, and in a stile,

Of sweetest posie their worthes compile.

Perhaps thy laboured lines they may esteeme,

And like a slight gift thy sweet verses seeme:

What thou intend'st to do by some fine feate,

Note.

Cause of thy Lady may of thee intreate.

Art thou by couenant tide, and must it be,

That thou of force must set thy seruant free:

Contriue it so, that it she dare protest,

Thou hadst not freed him but at her request.

Art thou for any rash offence asswag'd,

So make thy peace, that she may be engag'd:

Do as thy profit leades thee, and yet so,

That she for euery thing thou dost may owe.

And thou that hast attain'd by passions deepe,

Thy Ladies grace,

Praise her [...]t [...]ire.

and vvouldst her fauour keepe:

Make her beleeue still when thou view'st her feature

Through all the vvorld she is the fairest creature.

If cloth of Tire she vveare, that habit laud,

Her Tirrian vesture vvith thy tongue applaud.

[Page] [...]ilke which vve from rich Arabi [...] trafficke,

[...]eare such attire cannot be [...]ound through

Affrick.

[...]cloth of gold she vveare, tush gold is base,

[...]ou compare her habite to her face:

[...]n the cold she but a freeze gowne vveare,

[...]en her perfection makes that garment deare.

[...]he compleatly drest, as rapt vvith ioy?

[...]ry out aloud, my heart burnes bright as Troy.

[...]oth she aboue her forehead part her haire?

[...]hat louely seene doth make her twice as faire:

[...] her curld locks in carelesse tresses dangled?

[...] these crispe knors thy heart must be intangled.

[...] she doth dance,

Her danting.

admire her actiue feete,

[...] sing, then vvonder at her voice so sweet.

[...]ut vvhen she ceasseth,

Her voice.

either then complaine,

[...]treating her to try her skill againe.

[...]o this, and vvere her heart as hard as brasse,

[...]r more obdurate then Medus [...]es vvas.

[...]et she in time shall be compeld to yeeld,

[...]nd thou depart a Conquerour from the field:

[...]nely beware o [...] too apparant flattery,

[...] vvill destroy the siedge and tedious battery.

[...]issembling vvith Art, tempered much imports,

[...]lse from all [...]ature credit it dehorts:

[...] Autumne when the yeare is in his pride,

[...]nd the grape full vvith vvine, red's on the side,

[...]hen the cleare aire keepes a deuided seare,

[...]ffording sometimes cold, and sometimes heate.

[...]omen are prone to loue healthfull and quicke,

[...]ut if by chance thy Lady be falne [...]icke,

[...]ake both thy loue, zeale, faith, & all things cheape,

[...]hen sow vvhat vvith full sickle thou maist reape.

[...]ast all about her longing thoughts to please,

[...]eeme not as if thou lothest her disease:

[Page]Imploy thy hand in each thing done to her,

These offices euen of themselues vvill vvoe her:

Let her behold thee vveepe as thou standst by,

That she may drinke each teare falls from thy eye▪

Vow many things, but all in publicke stile,

Tell her thy pleasing dreames, so make her smile.

And let the trembling Nurse, thought fit to vvatch,

Bring in her shaking hand a kindled match▪

Let her peruse the bed and make it soft,

Whilst vvith thy hand thou turnst & rearst her oft.

These are the easie footsteps thou maist [...]read,

Which haue made vvay to many a vvanton bed:

No such faire office can vvith hate be stayned,

Rather by these affection is soone gayned.

But minister no drugs of bitter iuyce,

Such let the riuall temper to his vse.

Now greater gusts must to my Barke giue motion,

Being from the shore launcht forth into th' ocean.

Young loue at first is vveake, and craues forbearing▪

But in continuance gathers strength by vvearing:

Yo [...] moody Bull of vvhom thou art afraid,

Being but a Cal [...]e thou with his hornes hast playd.

That tree beneath whose branches thou dost stand,

To shield thee from a storme vvas once a wand:

A Riuer at the first not once a stride,

Increaseth as he runs his vvaters vvide.

Receiuing in fresh brookes in diuers ranks,

Till he in pride haue ouer flowne his bankes:

Vse to conuerse vvith her, the speeder knowes,

What strength from ou [...]ome & acquaintance grows

Frequent her often,

Frequen [...] her.

be from her seld away.

Keepe in her eare and eye both night and day:

And yet sometimes from these thou maist desist,

'Tis good one should be asked for being mist.

[Page] [...] absent from her some conuenlent season,

Be absen [...] from her.

[...]nd let her rest a vvhile it is but reason.

[...]he field being span'd returnes vs treble gaine,

[...]frer great drouth the earth carrouses raine:

[...]illis did loue Demophoon, but not doate,

[...]ntill she saw his flying ship a floate.

[...]nelope her absent Lord did mourne,

Vlisset [...]

[...] Laodemeia did till the returne,

[...]f her deare spouse, but be not long away.

[...]ares perish, new loue enters by delay.

[...]hen Menelaus from his house is gone,

[...]oore Hellen is afraid to lie alone:

[...]nd to allay these feares lodg'd in her breast,

[...] her warme bosome she receiues her guest.

[...]hat madnesse was it, Menelaus say,

[...]hou art abroad whilst in thy house doth stay,

[...]nder the selfesame roofe thy guest and Loue,

[...]adman vnto the Hawke to turne the Doue.

[...]nd who but su [...]h a Gull would giue to keepe,

[...]to the mountaine vvoolfe full folds of sheepe,

[...]ellen is blamelesse, so is Paris too,

[...]nd did what [...] thou or I my selfe would do.

[...]he fault is [...]hine, I tell thee to thy face,

[...]y limiting these Louers time and place:

[...]rom thee the [...]eed of all thy wrongs are growne,

[...]hose counsell hath, she followed but thy owne.

[...]las, what should she do, abroad thou art,

[...]t home thou leau [...]st thy guest to play thy part:

[...] lye alone the poore Wench is afraid,

[...] the next roome an amourous stranger laid,

[...]er armes are open to imbrace him, he falls in,

[...]nd Paris I acquit thee of thy finne:

[...]either the brisled Boare in his fierce wrath,

Woman [...] rage.

[...]orne by the rauenous dogs more anger hath:

[Page]Nor the she Lion hid vvithin some ake,

Seeking her lost vvhelpes, hid vvithin some ba [...]ke;

Nor the short Viper doth more anger threaten,

Whom some vnvvary [...] hath crusht and beaten.

Then a fierce vvoman shewes her [...]else in mind,

Her dearest in adult erous armes to find.

Oh then she [...] eye burnes apace,

And you may see her thoughts [...] face.

Through swords, through flames she rushes, there's no ill,

So grieuous, but she acts it vvith her vvill:

This breakes all [...] loue, though vvell compounded,

This destroyes all, though nere so firmely grounded.

Medea did her husbands guilt repaire,

And vvith her bloudy hand Absiretis slay.

Yo [...] Swallow vvhich thou [...]eest vvas such another,

Before her transformation a fierce m other:

And that her deeds may yet be vnderstood,

The feathers of her breast vvere [...] bloud.

But for all this I taske not thy affection,

Of one, and her alone to make election▪

You Gods defend the [...] should proue so deepe,

These married men [...].

Play you the wantons, but being done [...] it,

[...]

[...]

[...]

[...],

[...].

[...]

[...].

[...]

[...].

[Page] [...]hilst [...] liu'd with one contented,

[...]is Wife vvas chast and neuer it repented:

[...]is secret blowes her heart did so prouoke,

[...]anting a sword she vvith the scabbard stroke.

[...]he heares of Chirses and the many iares,

[...]bout Liruesis to increase the warrs:

[...]nd therefore meere reuenge the Lady charmes,

[...] take Thie [...]tes in her amourous armes.

[...]when thou hast gone on thy nightly arrant,

[...]he act by circumstance peares too apparant:

[...]eny it steadfastly, vvhat ere they know,

[...]nd bouldly face them that it vvas not so.

[...] not so sad or of too mirthfull cheare,

[...]est in thy countenance thy deeds appeare:

[...] thy close meetings vse thy nimble knee,

[...] may perhaps a bould intruder be.

[...]nd after so repulsed scale the fort,

[...]t venter not too rashly on thy sport:

[...] any there be by whose vnkilfull motions,

[...]u are prescrib'd strange drugs and diuers potions.

[...] make you lustie they are poysons all,

[...] infect the body and inflame the gall.

[...]pper with biting nettleseed they mixe,

[...]f bastard pellitory some few sticks:

[...]hich beaten, and in old wine dr [...]nke vp cleare,

[...]akes spightfull men aloft their standards beare.

[...]he Goddesse that beneath high Eripe raignes,

Venus.

[...]nto her pleasure no such bloud constraines:

[...]hite skallions brought you from Megera eate,

[...]ith garden sage make sallets to thy meate.

[...]ke new laid eggs, fresh hony from the Bees,

[...]ne apple nuts full ripe, eat such as these:

[...]his holesome fare breeds nought, corrupt or tragicke,

[...]hat hath my Art to do with hellish Magicke.

[Page]Thou that but now wast bid thy guilt to hide,

Turnes from that course, boast and in it take prid [...]

Nor blame the lightnesse of thy Tutors mind,

You see we do not saile still with one wind.

Sometimes the East, and when his furie failes,

West North and South by turne doth fill our sail [...]

The Chariot driuer sometimes slakes his raines,

Sometimes againe his horses he restraines.

Many there be whom calmes much doth blind,

And if they find a riuall grow vnkind:

Prosperitie makes humane minds grow rancke,

Themselues to know, or their great God to thank [...]

Nor is it held an easie taske to find,

Men that all fortunes beare with equall mind.

As fire, his strength being wasted hides his head,

In the vvhite ashes sleeping though not dead.

And when a suddaine blast doth come by chance,

Sparke fire and light all wake as from a trance:

So vvhen with sloth and rest the spirits grow blu [...]

Loue must be quickened euen as fire is wont.

Make her to feare, and to looke pale sometime,

By shewing her some instance of thy crime:

Which she suspected erst in some strange vaines,

Must she abide whilst she thy guilt complaines.

No sooner the report of this assailes her,

But coulor, voice, and euery sence strait failes her

Then I am he whose face she madly teares,

Whom she desires to haue strait by the eares.

[...] ate me she must, and yet good God she may not

Without me liue she will (alas) but cannot.

Dwell not vpon this passion, but at length,

Make peace, in little time rage gathers strength:

By this her white necke with thy armes embrace,

Drying the teares that trickle downe her face.

[Page] [...] her yet weeping, her yet weeping show,

[...] the proud sweets the Queene of loue doth know:

[...]his makes true concord in her greatest rage,

[...]hese sports alone her passion can asswage.

[...]eace goes vnarm'd and knowes no warlike fashions

[...]his happy peace is knowne amongst all Nations:

[...]oues by their nombring songs shew their good wils

[...] now they fought, and now they ioyne their bils.

[...]he first confused Masse no order knew,

[...]arth Sea and Heauen, had all one face, one hew:

[...]rait was the heauens the earths large couering made,

[...]he shore guirt in the Sea not to inuade.

[...]ther in others bounds then Chars ceast,

[...]d each thing in their seuer all parts in [...]reast:

[...]he woods receiue the beasts, aire the birds take,

[...] the Sea choose, and the land forsake,

[...] wanders in the field and knowes no art,

[...]eare strength his body rules, meare lust his heart,

[...]roues were his Cities, shadowy bowes his dwelling

[...]ater his drinke, all other drinkes excelling.

[...]d long it vvas ere man the woman knew,

[...]ll pleasure did their appetites pursue:

[...]nd then vpon these vnknowne sweets she ventred,

[...]here many an vnsackt fort was scald and entred.

[...] they had none, no man then plaid the Suter,

[...] lay with her, they lik'd without a Tutor:

[...]en so one bird doth with another toy,

[...]d the male fish doth with the female ioy.

[...]e Hart the Doe doth follow, serpents to

[...] with the serpents held their feat to do:

[...]word4 hounds in their adulterate parts are fast,

[...]e ioyfull Ewe receiues the Ram at last.

[...] Cow with loftie bellowing meets the Bull,

[...]d the ranke he Gote finds the female trull.

[Page]The Mare to trie the valiant Horses courage,

Swims ouer fords, and doth large pastures forrage:

To thy offended Loue giue this strong potion,

And perfect friendship strait succeeds the motion▪

This medicine rightly tooke all hate expells,

As I was writing, loe the God of fire,

Appeares, and with his thombe he strock his lire:

Appeares, and with his thombe he stroke his lire.

In his right hand a branch of Lawrell grew,

A Lawrell chaplet I might likewise view:

Circle his brow, though all men do not know it,

This showes the Sunnes God Phoebus is a Poet.

Who after mouing of his head thus spake,

Mistris of [...], thy amorous Schollers take,

And leade them to my temple built on hie,

There is an old sunne knowne in euery skie.

Which by his Charects doth plainly show,

That euery man must learne himselfe to know:

Alone he vvisely loues that can do so.

He that is faire may shew his amorous face,

Whose skinne is white to do his coulour grace.

Lye naked with his neck and shoulders bare,

Let him shun silence, whose discourse is rare.

He that sings, sing by Art, that drinks drinke to,

By Art, and without cunning nothing do.

Let not the learned in their words declame,

Nor the vaine Poet prate of his owne fame.

So Phoebus warnes, Phoebus himselfe hath said it,

And his braue words are worthy to haue credit.

To come more neare the Louer that loues wisely,

If these my precepts he obserue precisely:

Shal reach his wish, th'earth brings not stil increase

Ships when the windes keepe▪ in their course do [...]

[Page]Few be our helpes, but many be our troubles,

Small is our furtherance, which our let still doubles:

A Louer must endure much griefe besides,

For euery Hare in Aetheo that abides.

For euery berry that the Oliue yeelds,

For euery spike of grasse sprong in the fields:

For euery shell strowed on the salt sea shore,

Loue hath one griefe to taste, and ten griefes more.

Art told that she abroad, but now did wonder,

Yet in her window seest her with her Pander.

Blame thou thine eyes, for it shall much auaile thee,

Thinke not that newes, but that thy eye-sight fa [...]l'd thee:

Locks she the doore she promised to Ieaue open,

O thinke not she deceitfully hath spoken.

Take vp thy lodging, make thy bed thy floore,

Thy pillow the cold threshold of the doore:

Perhaps the Maide from high may cast a flout,

And aske what's he doth keepe the gates without.

Yet both the Maide and rude posts do thou flatter,

[...]prinkling the seates and portalls with rose water.

[...]f she call come, if bid thee go, then trudge,

Railes she vpon thee, doth she call thee drudge:

Nay doth she knocke thee, beare it, it is meete,

Nor scorne it though she bid thee kisse her feete.

[...] dwell on trifles, greater matters heare,

[...]o which thou people lend a generall eare:

On stricter impositions now we enter,

[...]ertue is still imployed, no hard aduenter.

A riuall brooke, do this, and by Ioues power,

Thou art inthrong'd a Conquerour in his tower.

Oh thinke me not a man that thus doth teach,

[...]ome rough hew'd oake doth this hard doctrine preach:

[Page]This is the hardest thing I can impose thee,

If she defie beare it, if she showes thee

Her hand; forbeare to read it euery day,

When she calls come, when she commands thee [...]

This euen the married to lead peacefull liues,

Are o [...]t enforc'd to endure of their faire wiues.

I am not perfect I must needs confesse,

In this my Art, though I this art professe.

What shall I then, my word I cannot keepe,

I haue not power to swim a sea so deepe:

Shall any kisse my Lady I being by,

And to his throat shall I not madly fly.

Shall any becken to her and I beare it,

Shall any court her and I stand to heare it:

I saw one kisse my Mistris I complained,

And anger all my vitall spirits constrained.

My loue alas vvith barbarisme abound,

And doth my wit and spirits whole confound:

That Wittoll is much better skil'd then I,

Who sees such fights, and patiently stands by.

To keepe the roome where such things are in place,

Despoiles the front of shamefastnes and grace:

Then oh you yong men though you come to view,

Your looks beguile you, do not think [...] it true.

Against all censures I euer hold this plea,

Surprise her not.

It is not good to take them Res in Re.

Where two are taken napping both alike,

Their mutuall guilt makes them the oftner strike,

This tale through heauen is blazed how vnawares,

Venus and Mars vvas taken in Vulcans snares.

The tale of Venus and Mars.

The God of vvar doth in his brow discouer,

The perfect and true paterne of a Louer.

Nor could the Goddesse Venus be so cruell,

To deny Mars, soft kindnesse is a Iewell.

[Page] [...]n any woman, and becomes her woll,

[...]n this the Queene of Loue doth most excell.

Oh God) how often haue they mockt and flouted,

The Smiths polt foote, who nothing them misdoubted:.

Made iests by him and his begrimed trade,

And his smudg'd vissage blacke with coledust made.

Mars tickled with loud laughter whee he saw,

[...]enus like Vulcan limpe, and halt, and draw,

One foote behind another with a grace,

To counterfeit his odde and vneuen pace.

Their meeting first they did conceale with feare,

From euery searching eye and captiues [...]are.

The God of war and this lasciuious Dame,

[...]n publicke view were full of bashfull shame:

But the Sunne spies how this sweet paire agree,

Oh what bright Phoebus can be hid from thee.

The Sunne both sees and blabs the sight forthwith,

And in all post he speeds to tell the Smith:

Oh Sunne what bad examples dost thou show,

What thou in secret seest must all men know.

For silence aske a bribe from her faire treasure,

She'll grant thee that shal make thee swel with pleasure,

The god whose face is smudgd with smok and fire,

Placeth about their bed a net of wire.

So queintly made that it deceiues the eye,

Strait as he faines to Lemnos he must hie:

The Louers meet where he the traine hath set,

And both lie catcht within the wiery net.

He calls the gods, the Louers naked sprall,

And cannot rise, the Queene of Loue shewes all.

Mars chafes and Venus weepes, neither can flinch,

Grapled they lye, in vaine they kicke and winch:

Their legs are one within anothers ty'd,

Their hands so fast that they can nothing hide.

[Page]Among these high spectators one by chance,

That saw them naked in this pitfall dance:

Thus to himselfe said, if that it tedious be,

Good God of warre bestow thy place on me.

Scarce at thy prayers god Neptune he vnbound th [...]

But would haue left thē as the gods there found th [...]

The nets vntide, Mars strait repaires to Creet,

Venus to Paptes, after that they meet.

What did this helpe thee Vulcan, shall I tell thee,

Vnto more griefe and rage it will compell thee:

The publicke meeting which at first shame couers,

Is now made free, who knowes not they be louers.

There is no hope they should be now reclam'd,

Worse then they haue beene, how should they [...] sham'd

Of thy rash deed it often doth repent thee,

Mad art thou in thy mind, yet must content thee:

This I forbid you, so doth Venus too,

It harm'd her, and she forwarnes it you.

Lay for thy riuall then no secret snares,

Nor intercept his tokens vnawares:

Let these close prancks by such iust men be tride,

That are by fire and water purifide.

Behold once more I giue you all to know,

Saue vvanton loues my art doth nothing show:

No gouern'd Matron vvell and chastly guided,

I here protest is in my verse de [...]rided.

What prophane man at Ceres kites dare smile,

Or blab her secrets kept in Samos Ile:

Silence is held a vertue, silence then,

T [...]ls tailes and blabs, fie, Venus hates such men:

For blabbing Tantalus is plac'd in hell,

And there must euer and for euer dwell.

Hungry, whilst ripened fruite hangs by his lip,

Thirstie, vvhiles water by his chin doth slip:

[Page]But Venus more desires then any other,

Her secret mysteries and rites to smother.

I charge you let no tell-tales hither come,

Such amongst many there must needs be some:

Hide her reports from euery eare that lists,

And locke her secrets vp in brason chests.

In their new births till pleasures buried lie,

Twixt vs they grow, betwixt vs let them die.

Her naked parts, if she to any showes,

Her readiest hand to shadow them she throwes:

The shamelesse beasts in common pastures stray,

And act their generation at noone-day.

Which Maides by chance espying, cry oh spight,

And through their fingers looke to see the sight.

But vvhen our Louer with his mistris meets,

Haue beds & doores shut twixt them and the streets

With clothes and vailes their nakednes they shroud

Wishing the bright Sunne hid behind some cloud.

Euen in those dayes vvhen men on Acorns fed,

And the greene turfe vvas made the generall bed:

When no thatcht cottage or poore house was builded,

By vvhich from heate of cold they might be shielded.

Into the vvoods and caues the people vvent,

And their sweet pleasures there remotely spent.

In the Sunnes presence they shew'd nothing bare,

The rudest and most barbarous had this care:

As loath the day should view their publick shames,

Now to their nightly actions they giue names,

Bargaines and price is made in all their doings,

And nothing costs vs dearer then our vvoings.

Let not thy talke be vvhen thou com'st in place,

Noath.

To say she, this, or that vvench did me grace:

[Page]Or point them with thy finger, it may fall

Thus thou maist loose her whom thou louest & all:

Others there be from street to street do wander,

And innocent women in their shops do slander.

Forging of them they know not many a lye,

Which were they true they gladly would deny:

For vvho command not they, their spoile is such,

Whose breast they canot fold their names they tuch

Go then thou odious Pander that keepes whores,

A thousand locks hang fast vpon thy dores:

Part of her honest canst thou keepe within,

When her whole name abroad is full of [...]nne.

Do not their vvanton wishes make them nought,

When they desire to be as they are thought:

Sincearest Loues vve sparingly do teach,

Yet like no publicke crast their names impeach.

Necessarie [...]bseruati [...]s in a lo [...]er.

Dissemble euery fault in their complections,

Hit not in vvomens teeth their imperfections.

I wish you rather smother them, then blame them,

They loue if you praise them, hate if shame them:

Andromeda was belly sides and backe,

To Perseus seene, he did not tearme her blacke.

Andromeda she vvas of to huge a stature,

One louing Hector prais'd her gifts of nature:

And lik'd her selfe, faults at the first despised,

Seeme not so grosse vvhen men be well aduised.

Continuance and acquaintance weares away,

Such spots as are apparant the first day:

A young plant clothed in a tender rinde,

Cannot vvithstand the furie of the winde.

But vvhen his barke is growne, he scornes each blast,

In spite of whom he growes and beares at last:

[...]uery succeeding weeke and following day,

Takes from acquainted lookes a slaine away.

[Page]And vvhat to day a grosse blot thou wouldst guesse,

To morrow in thy eye appeares much lesse.

Young Heifors cannot be tickt to beare,

The ranke and lustie Bull for the first yeare:

But their societie acquaints the smell,

After continuance they can brooke it vvell.

Then fauour their disgraces and relieue them,

Blemishes helpe by the good names you giue the [...]

To her whose skinne as blacke as Ebon was,

I haue said ere now, O' tis a good browne lasse,

Or if she looke a squint, as I am true,

So Venus lookes, if she be blacke of hew.

Pale for the vvorld like Pallas, be she growne

Yellow, by heauens Minerua vp and downe:

If she be tall then for her height commend her,

She that is leane like Enuy tearme her slender:

She that is dwarfish name her light and quicke,

And call her vvell set that is grubbed thicke,

She that is puft like Boreus in the cheeke,

Is but full fast, and Daphne she is like.

Thus quallifie their faults, not to disgrace them,

But in a higher ranke of beautie place them:

Or happenest thou of one but dim of sight,

Wrinckled her brow her grisled haire turn'd white.

Her nose and chin halfe met she would take scorne,

To tell who Councell vvas when she was borne.

Then if to such thy loue thou vvilt engage,

Looke that at no time thou dost aske her age.

Though she vvants teeth and haue a flattering tong

Yet she takes pleasure to be counted young:

This is the age young men that brings the gaine,

And plenteous haruest of the springtides paine.

Imploy your selues then in your youth and strength

Age with a soft pace steales on you at length.

[Page]Spend thou thy youth at Sea, or till the land,

Or take a vvarlike vveapon in thy hand:

Follow the vvars, siege townes, or lie in trenches,

Or if not so, then learne to loue faire vvenches.

It is a vvarfare too, vvhen men are trained,

And euen by this imployment vvealth is gained:

Such discipline, such practise must be vsed

By vs, as those who hostile armes haue chused.

Some vvomen by their industrie and paines,

The losse of yeares recouers and regaines:

Times speedy course is by their art controld,

They can preferre themselues from seeming old.

Their amourous pastimes and lasciuious playes,

They shape and fashion many thousand wayes:

With sundry pleasures they their trade commixe,

And euery seuerall day deuise new tricks.

They can prouoke the appetite and please it,

Coniure the spirit vp and strait appease it:

But these rich feasts of sweets which they prepare,

Women and men should both of euen hands sha [...]e.

I hate the bed that yeelds not mutuall ioyes,

And that's the cause I loue not iugling boyes:

I hate her denyes that no spirit will vse,

Yeelding no more then what she cannot chuse.

I like not pleasure though I like the beautie,

Lasses of Loue performe not but of duty:

Duty away, I bannish thee the place,

Where mutuall Louers, mutuall sweets embrace,

Let me the musicke of her soft voice heare,

Whispering her rauisht pleasures in my eare.

To bid me on, then pause, proceed, then stay,

And tired vvith that, to toy some other vvay.

Let me behold her [...]yes turne vp the vvhites,

Now to be rapt, now languish in delights.

[Page]These prodigall pleasures nature hath not giuen,

To the first age a little aboue seauen.

The vvine that from the vnripe grape is prest,

Is tart and sower, the mellow wine tasts best:

The palme tree till it hath a vvell growne rinde,

Cannot vvithstand the violence of the vvinde.

The mead new mowne doth pricke the feet that's bare,

I grant thee young Hermione vvas faire:

But to preferre the girle before the mother,

The beautious Hellen neither one or other.

Can so blaspheme, heres Gorge some adore her,

But vvho praise her, before the Saint that bore her:

Now I suppose ripe fruites I most approue,

And in my thoughts I couet mellowed loue.

Yon bed new tost, behold where it discouers,

The curtaines being drawne to vvanton louers:

There stay my Muse, no further now proceed,

Without thy helpe they both can speake and speed.

Without thy helpe kind vvords will swiftly passe,

Betwixt the Louer and his amourous Lasle:

Without thy helpe their hands will nimbly creepe,

And in each ticklish place their office keepe.

Nay euery finger will it selfe imploy,

To adde increase to thy imperfect ioy:

Handling those parts where Loue his darts doth▪ hide,

This valiant Hector with his vvife hath tride.

Andromache to this of force must yeeld,

His vallour was not onely for the field:

This stout Achilles of his Loue desired,

When with the slaughter of his enemies tired.

He daught his cushes, and vnarm'd his head,

To tumble vvith her on a soft downe bed:

Thou didst reioyce Driseis to imbrace,

His brused corps, and kisse his bloud-staind face.

[Page]These warlike hands that did but late embrew,

Themselues in bloud of Troians whom they slew.

Were now imploy'd to tickle tuch and feele,

And shake a lance that had no point of steele:

Beleeue me, for I speake as I haue tasted,

The sports of Venus are not to be hasted.

They should be rather by degrees prolonged,

By too much speed much oft the sport is wronged:

When thou by chance hast hit vpon the place,

Which being touched a girle still hides her face:

Forbeare not though she blush & spring and kick,

And tumbling shew thee many a gambale tricke.

Thou shalt behold her straite lye still amazed,

Her eyes vvith a lasciuious tincture glazed:

Affording a strange kind of humid light,

As vvhen the Moone in vvater shines by night.

Let neither amourous words cease their inchanting,

Murmure not vvhispering sounds of [...]ioy be wanting:

Yea there let euery sweet content resort,

Euery vvord, deed and thought that furthers sport.

Let not thy Mistris vse too swift a saile,

Nor let thy hast beyond her speed preuaile:

Both keepe one course, your oares together strike,

Your iourneyes on then, make your pace alike.

Together striue at once winne to the marke,

You may no question grope it in the darke:

Then is the fulnesse of all sweet content,

When both at once striue, both at once are spent.

Such course obserue vvhen as the time is free,

And that no iealous eyes attend on thee:

Being secure no future danger neare,

Then thou maist bouldly dally without feare.

But if thou beest not safe, and hast short leasure,

Doubtfull to be disturb'd amidst thy pleasure.

[Page]Make then vvhat speed thou canst, vse all thy force,

And clap a sharpe spurre to a iade pack-horse:

My vvorke is at an end the palme bring me,

And let the Mirtle garland be my fee.

How much renowned great Pollidorus was,

That all the Greeks in Physicke did surpasse,

As famous as great Nestor for his age,

Or strong Achilles for his vvarlike rage.

As much extold as Calchas for his charmes,

Or Telemonius Aiax by his armes:

As for his Chariot skill Antomedon,

So great in Loue shall I be censured on.

Cannonize me your Poet, giue me praise,

And crowne my Temples with fresh wreathes of bayes:

Let this my laud in euery mouth be song,

And my fames clauger through the whole earth rong

I giue you armour, such god Vulcan framed,

So great Achilles he his enemies tamed.

And so do ye, but what so ere he be,

That by my armes subdues his enemy:

This Motto let him giue, loe here's a Lasse,

By Ouid my arts Master conquered vvas:

Behold young Wenches likewise craue my skill,

They shall be next instructed by my quill.

FINIS.

THE THIRD BOOKE.

[Page]

ARm'd at all points, the Greeke to field is gone,

To encounter with the naked Amazon:

Behold like weapons in my power remaine,

For the Pe [...]thesilea and thy traine.

Go arm'd alike, fight and they ouercome,

Whom sacred Venus fauours and her sonne:

It were not meete poore naked girles should stand,

To encounter men prouided hand to hand.

To conquer at such odds 'twere shame for men,

Oh but some say, why Ouid should they pen:

Put poyson into snakes, or giue to keepe,

Vnto the rauenous Woolfe a [...]ould of sheepe.

Oh for some few offenders do not blame,

All of their Sexe, let not a generall shame:

For some few falters their whole brood inherit,

But euery one be censured as they merit.

Although the two Atrides had their liues,

Endangered both by falshood of their wiues:

Though false Eriphile her husband sould,

To Polinyces for a chaine of gould.

Yet did the fai [...]e Penelope liue chast,

While twise fiue yeares her royall Lord did wast:

[Page] [...]n blouddy battels and as many more,

Wandring through euery sea and vnknowne shore:

So did the chast Phillacides and she,

That partner of her husbands griefe to be.

Went with him as his Page a tedious way,

And in the trauell died before her day:

Oh happie Pheretides thy wife,

From death redeemed thee with her owne life.

Receiue me oh you flames did Iphias cry,

And with my buried husband let me dye:

And with that word she skips into the fire,

All faire endowments that we can desire.

Raigne in a womans breast no maruell then,

They with adorned vertues please vs men:

But these chast minds my Art enioyneth not,

A softer saile will serue to guide my boate:

Nothing but wanton loue flowes from my braines,

How pretty vvenches may escape mens traines.

A vvoman neither flames nor swords vvill shun,

But through them both vnto her sweet heart run:

So vvill not men, poore girles by them are scoft,

Many times men faile, maides sometimes, not oft:

False Iason left Medea and her charmes,

To claspe another Mistris in his armes.

As much as in thy power false Theseus lay,

So right Ariadin [...] vvas a wofull pray:

To the Sea-fowles and Monsters left alone,

[...]n a remote place, friendlesse and vnknowne▪

Many vncertaine wayes hath Phillis gone,

Being forsaken of her Demophoon.

And though Aeneas had to sirname good,

He left his sword to let out Didos bloud:

But vvhat destroy you Ladies, can you tell,

You know not how to loue or fashion vvell.

[Page]Your thoughts to art, Loue artles stands vnsure,

Art with Loue tempered is strong to endure:

Nor should you know it now, but that the Queene

Of sacred Loue was in my vision seene:

And straitly charg'd me that I should impart,

To all the Sex the secret of my art.

For thus she spake, how haue poore maides misdone

That against armed men must naked run.

Two books haue giuen men weapons in their hands,

The whilst our fearefull Sex vnarmed stands:

He that rebuk'd Therapnes leud desire,

Since song her praises to a sweeter lire.

Thy selfe examine, canst thou do them domage,

To vvhom in time thou maist performe due homage

This hauing said she tooke from off her brow,

A mirtle wreath, for in a mirtle bow,

Her haire was twisted vp and gaue to me,

Of leaues and seeds a little quantity.

Strait in my braine I felt a power deuine,

Whilst in the place a purer aire did shine:

And all the cares that hung vpon my heart,

Euen at that instant I might feele depart.

My wits at ripest, are wenches come thicke,

Receiue my precepts vvhilst my vvits are quicke:

First thinke how old age hourely doth attend,

Womenloose no time.

To steale vpon thee, so be sure to spend,

No season idly, art thou young then play,

Yeares like the running vvaters glide away.

Thou canst not stay the flouds it streames so fast,

Nor pull the houres backe vvhen they are past:

Make vse of time for time is swift and fleet,

Nor can the following good be all so sweet.

As the first pleasure was, haue I not seene,

This now a vvithered stalke, once fresh and greene:

[Page]From that bare throne within these many howers,

I had a chaplet of sweet smelling flowers:

The time shall come when thou that dost exclude,

Such louers from thy doores as would intrude.

Shall on an emptie pillow throw thy head,

Stretching thy stiffe limbes on a frosty bed:

Nor in the night shalt thou be rais'd vp late,

By such as knocke and thunder at thy gate.

Nor in the morning vvhen the cocke hath crowed,

Find porch and threshold with fresh roses strowed:

Aime how soone doth the cleare coulour fade,

How quickly vvrinckles in thy skin are made.

Looke on thy lookes and thou vvilt sadly sweare,

Age hath too soone snowed on thy golden haire:

Snakes through their age of when they change their skinne,

Harts vvhen they cast their heads fresh strength begin:

And's giuen to them, vvhen that in age ye grow

Ye haue no heads to cast no skins to throw.

Your good flyes helples, therefore plucke the flower

Which being gathered withers in an hower:

In many child-birth age is quickly crept,

Fields soone grow leane, that are so often reapt.

You see Endinion by the Moone lou'd still,

Not doth she blush thereat, and by thy will:

Aurora thou vvouldst euer haue the name,

Of Cephalus thy deare, nor thinkst it shame.

And to conceale thee Adonore vvhose hearse,

Venus her selfe hung many a tragicke verse.

Tell vs by vvhom you Queene-borne of the sea,

Had you Aeneas and Hermione.

Oh mortall generation follow these,

And practise after them being goddesses:

[Page]Do not deny your rauishing pleasures vvhen,

They are besought you by desirous men.

Tell me vvhat loose you by it, vvhat thou hast,

Thou art possest of still, and feel'st no vvast:

Take thence a thousand sweets be not affraid,

Thou keepest thy owne, and nothing is decay'd.

Stones are by vse made soft, iron vvorne to dro [...]e,

That neuer weares and therefore finds no losse:

Who will deny vs at a torch being light,

To light a taper till it burne as bright.

Or vvho would striue in their owne power to keepe,

All the spare billowes in the vasty deepe:

Yet vvill a woman plead her loue is rare,

And in her plenty she hath nought to spare.

Oh tell me vvhy so strange a doubt thou mak'st,

Dost thou but loose the water that thou takest:

I speake not this to prostrate euery one,

But lest you feare vaine losse vvhere losse is none.

Now greater gusts my swelling saile must straine,

Being from the shore new lancht into the maine:

First with their neatnes I begin, the vine

Neatnesse required in a woman.

Well trim'd and prunde affords vs choise of vvine:

And in a field well till'd the corne growes tall,

Shape is the gift of God, none amongst you all

But in their shapes take pride, nay there be many

Proud of their fauour when they scarce haue any.

Proportion euen the greatest number vvant,

But [...]ar [...]supplies vvhere nature hath bene scant:

Care makes the face, the face a vvhile neglected,

Will grow to ruine, and be nought respected.

The Virgins of the old time had this care,

Their bodies and their beauties to repaire:

Else had the men of former ages spent,

Their yeares without their wonted ornament.

[Page]If you behold Andr [...]mache go clad,

In manly roabes, no maruaile, for she had

A souldier to her husband, if you see

The vvife of Aiax iet it valiantly,

Nor maruell, for she vvas his vvife that bare,

A shield of seauen oxe-heads thick tan'd with haire.

The world vvas plaine, simple, and rude of old,

But now abundant Rome doth flow vvith gold:

And shines in glorie vvith the bright reflection,

All the worlds wealth is vnder their subiection.

Behold the Capitall and thou wilt say,

In these great Ioue hath choos'd to dwell for aye:

This gorgeous Court & Counsell house was framed

Out of meere stubble when King Latius reigned.

These gorgeous Pallaces that against the Sunne,

Did glitter and shine vvhen they first begun:

A pasture for draught oxen, let them ease,

Their thoughts with ancient times whom old times please.

I thanke the gods I in this age was borne,

These times my humour fits, old dayes I scorne.

Not because gold in the earths vaines are sought,

Or shels, or stones, frō sorraigne shores are brought:

Not because marble from the hills is dig'd,

Or voyage ships to vnknowne seas are rig'd,

But because rudenesse to the gates is sent,

And this our age is full of ornament,

Hang in your eares bright stones, but not to deare,

Such Iudyes cast vp and are sold you here.

Neatnesse vve loue, your haire in order tye,

To keepe in within Law thy hands apply:

Thy hands mishape keepe still, and by her care,

Thou maist ore seeme, deformed or wondrous faire.

Nor is there onely one kind of attire,

The fashion that becomes thee best desire.

[Page]Proue euery shape, but ere it curr [...]nt passe,

See thou before take counsell from thy Lasse:

A long and leane vissage best allowes,

To haue the haire part iust aboue the browes:

So Laodem [...]ia sirnamed the faire,

Vsed when she walk'd abroad to trusse her haire.

A round plumpe face must haue her trammels tyed

In a fast knot aboue her front to hide:

The vvier supporting it vvhilst either eare,

Bare, and in sight vpon each side appeare.

Yo [...] Ladies locks about her shoulders fall,

And her loose vvare becomes her best of all:

So Phoebus look'd vvhen last he toucht his Lute,

That other Lady doth her habit suite,

With chast Diana being trickt to go,

To strike the sauage Bore or tamelesse Roe.

She when her haire hangs loose hath greatest pride,

This best becomes her when her locks are tyed:

Yon vvhen her head-tire like a tortoise shell,

Is roost and vawted vvell beseemes it well:

More leaues the Forrest yeelds not from the trees,

More beasts the Alpes breed not, nor Hibla bees:

Then there be fashions of attire in view,

Euery succeeding day adds something new.

Many become their tires best vvhen they weare,

In stead of sprucenesse a neglected haire:

And being comb'd but now yet thou shalt say,

Her haire hath not bene toucht since yesterday.

Art doth much change, so did Alcides see,

Io [...]attired, and said this vvench is for me.

So Inossis vvhom the god of grapes commended,

When by his shouting Satires being attended:

He found her plac'd locks by the coole wind shifted,

With scattered haire her to his coach he lifted:

[Page]How much oh nature are we bound to thee,

That findest for euery griefe a remedy.

And as our shapes and coulour suffer crosse,

To helpe the defects of nature.

Yet thou hast in thee to repaire that losse.

Say that by age or some great sicknesse had,

Thy head vvith vvonted haire be thinly clad:

Falling away like corne from ripened sheaues,

As thicke as Boreas blowes downe Autum leaues.

By Germane yearbes thou maist thy haire restore,

And hide the bare scalpe that vvas bald before,

Women haue knowne this art, and of their crew,

Many false coulours buy to hide the true.

And multitudes, yea more then can be told,

Walke in such haire as they haue bought for gold:

Haire as good Marchandize and growne a trade,

Markets and publicke trafficke thereof made,

Nor do they blush to cheapen it among,

The thickest number and the rudest throng.

Nay euen before Alcides sacred flames,

And in the presence of the vestall Dames:

To leaue their haire, and speake of their attire

I do not trayles or purfled guards desire.

Nor roabes of blush scarlet prized hie,

Whose wooll is twise dipt in the Tirian dye:

Looke but abroad and thou maist in a trice,

Find lighter coulours and of farre lesse price.

Were it not madnesse thou in scorne of lacke,

Should weare at once thy whole wealth on thy back

Behold the colour of the azure aire,

When in a cloudlesse day the skie is faire:

And the South wind bring on the earth no showers,

As once it did vvhat time one flow deuoures.

Phrixus and Hellis, such a colour chuse,

'Tis neate and cheape, but costly dyes refuse:

[Page]That prettie colour intimates the wa [...]es,

And from their sea-greene drops a name it craues▪

In this the young Nimphes went apparell'd most,

This saffron immitates of no great cost.

And yet she goes attired in saffron weeds,

That euery morning decks bright Phoebus steeds:

Else such a dye as Paphian mirtles yeeld,

Or purple Amethistos or a field:

Where nothing saue the milke white roses grow,

Or of that hew the Thratian Cranes do show.

Let not faire Amarilles wanting be,

Thy ackhornes or thy bloomes of Almond tree.

All these of seuerall coulours iuyce be full,

And with their seuerall colours staine the wooll:

So many sundry flowers as the fresh spring,

In spight of winters horrid rage doth bring:

To decke the earth with full so many hues,

The thirstie earth doth drinke and none refuse,

Mongst which faire women out of your affections,

To suite their attires to their Cōplections.

Choose them that shall become best your complections:

She that is browne let her attire be white,

Briseus ware a roabe of coulour light.

When she was rauisht, others that are faire,

Let their attires be blacke as Sables are:

Swarthy Andromed ware a milkewhite smocke,

When she was tyed halfe naked to the rocke.

Lest you be seene so let no ranknes grow,

Betwixt your armes and shoulders let none show:

Of rough and ragged haires there may appeare,

Vpon your legs and thighes but not to neare:

I do not teach rude maides by Cauease bred,

Or such as drinke of Risus but in steed

Of barbarous truls, to you braue girles of Rome,

Do I direct my phrase, and to your doome.

[Page]I now instruct you then your teeth to freet,

To keepe their teeth.

Lest in their vse some furdnesse they do get:

To wrince your mouthes in water you haue wit,

To apprehend my words betimes to sit.

And in the morning take away the slime,

Which makes the white teeth subiect to such crime:

Let such whose blouds are blacke and swart,

Cheekes.

Whom nature reds not, make them red by art:

Art likewise fills the wrinkles in the browes,

A skinne of dyed red leather art allowes.

To rub your faces with, nor hold it shame,

To kindle in your eyes a sparke of flame:

It may be done with saffron, which like corne,

Growes neare bright Cydnas wheras thou wert borne

I haue a little booke in substance small,

And yet a worke of weight writ to you all.

The Treatise is vnto your generall graces,

How you by art may best preserue your faces:

You vvhose rare beauties haue receiu'd a scar,

Seeke thence your helpes, receipts there written are

You may there find how to restore your blouds,

My art was neuer idle to your goods.

Beware lest that by chance your boxes lye,

Vpon the table, and your Loues passe by:

Throw them aside, art spreads her safest net,

When she is with most cunning counterfet.

Spill not thy drugs alike in euery place,

They will offend such as behold thy face,

Corrupting the beholder with such motion,

As should he see thy garments stand with lotion:

How doth the greasie franck woolls smell offend,

Though we for it as far as Athens send.

Yet is it good for vse, not before men,

Vse thou Deares marrow good for medicen:

[Page]Nor before men in presence rub thy teeth,

They both are good, yet harsh to him that seeth.

Many things which in doing vve detest,

Being once done, they oft times please vs best:

These stately pillers in iron caru'd and wrought,

Were a confused rocke, this ring now brought,

To that good forme, vvas once vnfashioned ore,

The costly cloth thou wearest a rough sheepe bore:

The curious picter of faire Venus vvas,

Before the cutting an vnpolisht masse.

Mind thou thy beautie when we think thee sleeping,

Thy hand, thy boxe, thy glasse their office keeping:

Why should I know how thou art growne so faire,

Shut fast the forge where beauties ioyned are.

For many things there be men should not know,

The greatest part of them if you should show,

They should offend them much, spare not to shroud

The doing, though the thing done be allowed.

The golden ensignes yender spreading farre,

Which vvasts them to the gorgeous Theater:

See what thin leaues of gold foile guilde the wood,

Making the collumes seeme all massie good:

Yet are the audience of all fight debarred,

Vntill the showes and sights be full prepared.

So in thy preparation marke this note,

Note.

Still make thee readie in a place remote:

Y [...]t sometimes if thy head be vvondrous faire,

Obse [...]t [...]is [...].

Euen before men 'tis good to combe thy haire.

The haire a beautie hath which much besots,

Being tied and wreathed in pleats and comly knots,

But be not tedious in thy art applying,

Be quicke both in the fasting and vntying:

Still vvhen thou goest to dresse thy selfe be safe,

I hate those [...]ullen pettish things that chafe

[Page]At euery idle crosse, who scratch and bite,

And with their nailes and bodkins pinch and sight:

Wounding themselues in anger, rending, tearing,

The wires, the tires, the ruffes which they be wearing,

She that is badly haired, let her before

She dresse her selfe, set watch still at the doore.

Vpon the suddaine 'twas my chance one day,

To presse into the place where my sweet hart lay:

When wondring she vnawares was thrust vpon,

Snatcht vp her haire and put the vvrong side on.

Like cause of shame let come vnto my foe,

And such disgrace vnto the Parthians go:

A sealded breast, fields that no grasse will beare,

Trees without leaues, and heads that haue no haire.

Are odious to the eye, none of you three,

Europa, Leda, or faire Senele.

Were subiect to this vvant or me did need,

The helpe of Physicke in this point to reed:

Nor Hellen thou whom with aduisement deepe,

Menelaus askes; the Troiane still doth keepe.

The wanton wenches in full troopes presse hither,

Good, bad, faire, foule, of all sorts flocke together:

And come to be instructed, amongst which

Oft times the faire be poore, the foule be rich.

And yet the fairest haue of me least need,

Their beautie is a dower that doth exceed

My precepts farre, the sea being calme and cleare,

The secure Seaman all his sailes may beare.

But vvhen it swells and is disturb'd apart,

The troubled Pilot must try all his art:

Of euery little mole be thou not squeamish,

'Tis hard to find a face that hath no blemish.

Yet shalt thou seeke to hide the least disgrace,

Either in thy proportion or thy face:

[Page]If thou beest short,

A lesson for Dwarses.

thy stature hide by wir,

Still sit, lest standing thou beest tooke to sit:

And stretch thy legs at length out in thy bed,

Lest that thy stature there be measured.

Loue Dwarfes, obserue my words I hold it meet,

To haue some garment throwne vpon thy feet:

She that is wea [...]ish and no clothes can fill,

Remedy for them that be leane.

Her double plated gowne must fit by skill.

To make her portly whilst a roabe vnbound,

From her two shoulders falls vnto the ground:

She that is pale, with purple staine her cheekes,

Pale.

She that is blacke the fish of Pharoes seekes.

Bla [...]ke.

A splay mishapen foote in vvhite shooes hide,

Splay foote.

And let dryed legs weare a rich garter tyde:

Let such vvhole shoulder blades stand much in sight

Weare boulster'd gownes to make them seeme vpright:

About a faint and slender body vveare,

To slender.

A flannell swathband or warme stomacher.

Such vvhose at hands are itchie in the ioynt,

Scabbed ba [...]ds.

Whē they discourse let them not vse to point.

You that haue stinking breathes must not speake fasting

But helpe thēselues by some good breakfast taking:

Stinking breathes.

Else chew a cloue the strength of it to breake,

Or keepe some distance of still when you speake.

Or if thy teeth in vvide vneuen ranks grow,

Badtoothed

Or be they gag'd, blacke, or too great in show:

Rot, lost, or that the fashion disagreeth,

Beware of laughing, laughing shewes the teeth.

Who vvould beleeue this, vvonder yet 'tis true,

Maides may be taught to laugh and to eschue.

Vncomely mouthes and harsh tricks of the face,

In laughing is much vncomelinesse and grace:

Be moderate in thy flearing, there's a feate,

To be obseru'd, in that make not to great.

[Page]The hallow pits mirth digs in euery cheeke,

To hide thy gummes let both thy red lips meet.

Nor do thou stretch thy entrailes by constraining,

Thy selfe vnto loud laughter, neither faining:

A more familiar gesture vvith voice flat,

Sound out a vvomaanish noise I know not vvhat.

Looke but on them that vvith loud yalling force,

Anticke and peruerse faces, what she wes worse:

And there is such a coile vvith wry mouthes kept,

That whē they laugh a man would sweare they wept

Many with vntun'd clamor hoarce and shrill,

[...]all as the flow Asse bayes out of the mill.

What cannot art; vvomen are taught to weepe,

How to weepe.

And in their lookes a sober forme to keepe:

To shape their eyes according to their passion,

[...]oth at what time they please, and in what fashion.

[...]s there not grace in lisping to be found,

How to lispe.

[...]o giue true vvords a forg'd imperfect sound:

[...]obbing the tongue his office in some part,

[...]uen in deprauing words is sometimes art.

[...]any that by my words my meaning scan,

[...]re taught to speake lesse perfect then they can.

[...]eigh these my words according to their worth,

[...]nd these being cond take other lessons forth:

[...] came how vvith womanish pace to vse your gate,

To go.

[...] euery step there is a kind of state.

[...]or is there ought that yet my art discouers,

[...]hich with more violence draws or driues back louers.

[...] hold you Ladies gate the rest outstrips,

[...] with what cunning she doth moue her hips:

[...]nd in the pride of steps how the cold wind,

[...] her loose vailes before her and behind.

[...]his like the blushing wife of Vember pac [...]th,

[...]er full viewd legs at euery stride she graceth:

[Page]Long measured steps do fit the state of some,

Others a moderate pace doth best become:

As farre as where the armes and shoulders parts,

How farre to appeare bare.

Appeare thou bare to wound the ambutous harts,

Of vvanton youthes, this fashion vnderstand,

Longs to the faire, not such vvhose skins be tand.

Such sights ere now haue made me I protest,

To kisse her necke, her shoulders and her breast.

The Sirens are Seamonsters,

Sing.

vvhose sweet notes,

Drawes to their tunes the wandring ships and bott [...]

And if their eares vvith vvaxe they do not stop,

They are charm'd to leape from the hatches top.

Song is a faire endowment, a sweet thing,

A praisefull gift, then women learne to sing:

Hard fauord girles by songs haue wonne such gr [...] ces,

Their sweet shrill tongs haue prou'd bands to the [...] faces:

Sometimes rehearse a speech brought from the pl [...]

Or else peruse some poeme in thy way.

Of Musicke I would haue thee know the skill,

With thy right hand to vse a Rebecks quill.

Or vvith thy left a Harpe, when Orpheus plaide,

The beasts, and trees, and stones to dance he mad [...]

And in his way to hell no fiend durst stirre,

Nor tartar power, nor tripple headed Curre.

Thou that so iustly did thy mother punish,

Didst by thy Musicks skill the wo [...]ld astonish:

In those sweet walkes that were by Musicke rear'd,

By euery tuch sweet harmony is heard:

The armed Dolphin is by nature mute,

Yet did he lift Arion to thy Lute.

Learne Musicke then and hope to play vpon,

The double handed sweet Psalterion:

[Page]Reade Pottrie, the workes of Co [...]s seeke,

Or great Callimacchus that writ in Greeke:

The laboured lines of Bacchus Poet get,

Read vvhat lasciuious Saph [...] else hath vvrit.

For vvhat more vvanton vvorkes then Sapho liues,

See vvhat delight to the Proportuis giues:

Or if thy further leasure serue thee looke,

In Gallus vvorks, or in Tibullus booke.

Or Varro, that of Phrixus and his neece,

The Legend vvrit, and of the golden fleece:

Or read AEneas banishment from Troy,

Th'originall of Rome, Rome doth enioy:

No bookes more famous, happly to my grace,

Some one may say thou Ouid hast a place.

Amongst the rest thou and thy lines may sound,

To after times, not be in Sethe drownd.

Some one may say perchance our Master read,

The booke he last drew vvith a double head.

Or those three bookes which he Amorum calls,

Entituling them of Loue, which of them falls,

Into thy handling first, that do thou choose,

And louingly my louing lines peruse.

Or with a compos'd voice my Cantons sing,

The vse of these Loues mistris first did bring:

To other yet vnknowne oh Phoebus graunt,

Graunt this you gods whom sacred Poets haunt.

With their oblations, grant these powers deuine,

Thou god of grapes, and you oh Muses mine:

Who doubts but I would haue you learne to dance,

Measure and Galliards shall your names aduance:

Command your armes and hands that they agree,

Vnto the motion of the foote and knee.

In mouing of the bodie hand and side,

The commicke Actor cannot take more pride.

[Page]Nor vse more art the comelinesse of either,

Concurres, and I compare them both together:

Learne triuall sports,

To game.

but oh your Poet shames,

To bid you be experienc'd in some games.

Yet long they to my art, the [...] be not nice,

To learne to play at cockall or at dice:

How to cast lots and chances which to gues [...]e,

To play at draughts at tables or at chesse.

To vse a racket and to tosse a ball,

At set game, or at that we bandy call:

To passe the night at balliards till eleauen,

At pickapandy, cards, or odd and euen.

Play prepares loue, your skill is not so needfull,

As ought to be your looks and carriage heedfull:

Your greatest cunning is vvith art to frame,

The gesture and the countenance in your game:

Game makes vs earnest if vve play with care,

Then vvith our open thoughts our breasts lie bare.

And straite we braule and scold, a grieuous staine,

Oh these be monstrous faults to chide and raile,

Or to blaspheme the gods vvhen our lucks faile:

To vow, to sweare, with protestations deepe,

And in the heate of play to fret or weepe.

Great Ioue himselfe from you such crimes expell,

Who couet suitors, and to please them well:

Nature these triuall sports to vvoman lends,

A freer scope of pastime she extends.

By much vnto vs men, for so we may,

Scourge tops, fling darts, and at the football play:

Vault, ride, and teach the horse to trot the ring,

Frequent the Fenceschoole, practise armes, leape, spring:

Nor can you march or muster on the sea,

Or like the Merchant venturer go to sea:

[Page]Walke may you sometimes vnder Pompeus shade,

To Phoebus pallace to the place vvas made:

For nouall triumph, to the Memphian fawne,

To the goatfield where chatiots are still drawne.

To the warme bleeding alter, some preferrs,

Before all these the thr [...]e braue Theaters:

Thus couet to be seene, vnseene, vnptoud,

What is not viewd and knowne, cannot be lou'd,

What profit were it to haue beautious bene,

If thy admired face vvere neuer seene:

Say you more stilde in shapes then Orpheus vvere,

Or Thamiras, such if men can not heare.

How should your musicke please;

The dignity of Poets.

Apelles painted,

[...]enus in Cois, else her fame had fainted:

[...]nd dyed in Lethe, he redeem'd her name,

[...]hat hunt the sacred Poets for but fame.

[...]nely for fame their labouring spirits they spend,

[...]f all the vowes, fame is the scope and end.

[...] vvhat alteration rude times brings,

[...]oets of old were the right hand of Kings:

[...]arge were their gifts, supreame vvas theim regard,

[...]heir meeted fames with feare and reuerence heard.

[...]onour, and state, and sacred maiestie,

[...]elong'd to such as studied poetrie:

[...]inus by Scipio that great man vvas sought,

[...]nd from the mountaines of Calabria brought.

[...]honoured now the Iuy garland lyes,

[...]he ancient worship done to Poets dyes:

[...]et vve should striue our owne fames to awake,

[...]mer a liuing lasting worke did make:

[...]s Iliads call'd, else who had Homer knowne,

[...]nd Danas in her tower an old wife growne.

[...]d neuer vnto publicke view resorted,

[...]ow had her beautie bene so farre reported.

[Page]You that applause would for your beauties vvin,

Be oft abroad, and keepe not too much in:

At the full folds the she Wolfes seekes her pray,

Though amongst all she steales but one away.

Ioues bird the Eagle when she soares most high,

To seaze one fowle doth at a Couy fly.

Frequent you faire ones vvhere men may you see,

Mongst many one best part will fancy thee:

In euery place vvhere thou shalt hap to sit,

Loose none by frownes vvhom thou by smiles maist get:

The bow of Cupid neuer stands vnbent,

And oftentimes things fall by accident.

Be thou prepard, hang alwaies out thy hooke;

For in that streame where thou no fish wouldst look

A fish by chance may bite, oft haue I seene,

The wandring hound range where no game hath bene,

And Harts that scapes the chase whē no man minds

them,

Fall in the toyles and there the keeper finds them.

What hope hadst thou Andromeda being bound,

Vnto a rocke a louer to haue found:

Being prepar'd for death beset vvith feares,

Blubbed thy cheeks, thy eyes quite drownd in tear▪

At buriall of one husband well I wot,

Another husband hath bene oft times got.

Weeping for him that's lost, may hap to grace thee,

And in the bosome of a second place thee:

But in your choise especially beware,

Of such effeminate men as starch their haire.

Pranke vp themselues, vvho lispe & cannot leaue it,

Loue complement and vse to smell of Ciuit:

They haue a thousand loues what they protest,

To thee they'll do as vnto all the rest.

Vnstay'd such be, and what will women say,

When in their thoughts men are more light the [...] they▪

[Page]S [...]ar [...]e vvill they credit me, and yet 'tis true,

Troy had yet stood, and Ilium bene in view,

Had euery thing bene swaid as Priam spake,

But good aduise they leaue, fond counsell take.

There are vvho vnder shew of loue do fame,

Louers disloyaltie-in many.

And by such passage seeke dishonest gaine:

Let no mans haire deceiue with powders sweet,

Nor studded girles which are short and meet:

Seuerall passages.

Nor their fine womans coates, a sightly thing,

Nor that each finger beares a golden ring.

Perhaps who in this kind most gallant goes,

Is a close theefe, and loues nought but your clothes.

Some Maides thus roab'd, so loud cry for their owne

That all the towne and Country heares their mone.

Venus whose golden shines at Apian stand,

And Pallas laugh a good these strifes in hand:

There are some Maides to sure but of bad fame,

Who oft deceiu'd are thought to vse the same.

Oh learne by others plaints to heare your owne,

Ope not your eares to men whose frauds are known.

Beleeue not Theseus Athens though he sweare,

The gods can heare no more then they heare.

And thou Demophoon Theseus falshood haire,

Phillis deceiued nones trust by speeches faire,

If men make promises, then Maides make you,

If men performe, performe your vowed ioyes too.

Now Ile come nearer, Muse, take faster hold,

Nor loose thy seat the wheeles though swiftly rold:

Men frame them, set maides vowes, some else were writ

Let some maids take their course, for it were fit:

Look on them, read them, frō the words then gather

Whether he faines or sues intirely rather:

After some while write backe; euer delayes,

Inflames a louer; so no tedious stayes.

[Page]Shew not the plyant, to the youth denyes,

Nor yet deny him vvhat by suite he plyes:

Let him both feare and hope by euery letter,

Be his feare lesse, his hope comes sure and better.

Be your phrase pure, but common vsuall words,

In speech the playnest stile best grace affords:

Full oft ambiguous vvords loue so misplace,

And a foule tongue hath hurt a beautious face.

But since although you yet not married be,

To go beyond vs men that care take ye:

By maides or some knowne lad your letters send,

And to no strange young man tokens commend.

I haue seene some maides so terrifide with this,

That euer after they vvere slaues I wi [...]e:

Faithlesse he is vvho keepes such tokens backe,

And burnes like Aetna till he ope the packe:

Trust me, vve may vvith fraud quite fraud againe,

From force to shield, from force the lawes maintaine

One maide must vse her selfe to many hands,

Ill might he speed vvhose shifts this rule commands

Deface the old seale vvhen you do reply,

And to one vvriting, but one hand apply.

Subscribe your letters thus, thine in all loue,

Be his, as he vvas yours, this art approue:

If from small things vve may to greater go,

And in our ship spread our full faile to show.

It longs to beautie to haue manners milde,

Impediments to bea [...]tie Anger.

Sweet pace fits vvomen, fierce rage sauage vvilde:

Rage swels the face, the vaines makes blacke vvith blood

The eyes blase ghastly like fell Gorgons brood

Away quoth she I prize not feature so,

Pallas should view her face, vvhere vvaters flow:

And should you looke your anger in your glasse,

You wold scarce discerne your vissage whose it was.

[Page]Nor do vve lesse blame proud and loftie lookes,

Pride.

Gentle and humble eyes are Cupids hookes:

We men do hate this ouer-weening pride,

Shew in the silent face, trust him hath tride.

View him viewes you, if men, then vvomen smile,

Signes made to you, make signes, 'twill men beguile:

Thus vvhiles he playes before vvith headles dart,

Cupid hath after vvounded to the hart.

We hate men said Aiax, Tremessa take,

We merrie Greeks blith vvenches sweet harts make:

Andromache Tremessa all your state,

Could not moue me to choose you for my mate.

Take gifts of rich men vvho do law professe,

Giue him no fee, be his clyent, need the lesse:

We that make verse, let vs send onely verse,

Our harts are pliant, vvhose loue soone doth pierce:

We spread abroad sweet beauties lasting praise,

We Nemesis, vve Cintheas honour raise:

Poets.

The East and West land knew lou'd Licoris,

And many aske vvho our Cormina is.

Besides, vve Poets from all frauds are free,

And forward manners by our poetrie:

Nor honour vs, nor loue of money please,

We slight our gaines for priuacy and ease.

Soone are we cought, our loues burne fie [...]ce & bold

And vvhere vve loue vve know to vvell to hold:

So 'tis vve soften nature by meeke art,

And as our studies, so our loues take part.

A fauour Maidens, a blest Poets vvill,

Heauens power vve haue, the Muses owne vs still.

A God is in vs, vve commerce vvith Ioue,

The spirit in vs boue your bright starres doth moue:

To looke for money from vs vvhat a crime,

And yet no Maides do feare it in our time.

[Page]At first be not too eager, faine beware,

A nouice louer [...]lights an open snare:

Nor do we rule a horse new broke to backe,

With the same raines as he that's skild to racke.

To catch one staid in yeares and a briske swaine,

Must not one way, may not one course be taine:

He's rude and in loues tents nere scene before,

Who as a new pray touch'd thy chamber doore.

Who knows no Maide but thee, none else wold know

This corne would be high fenced that it may grow:

If one, he is thy owne no riuells frowne,

Two things admits no mate, Loue and a Crowne.

That ancient souldiers wife and softly loue,

And much that younger scornes he meekly proues:

He'll breake no posts nor burne vvith furious fire,

Nor scratch his Mistris soft cheekes in his ire.

He'll teare no clothes, his Loues nor his owne,

Nor shall his torne haire giue him cause of mone:

These things fits youthes, whose loue as age is hot,

This beares harsh wounds gently as they were not:

Old men burne softly like a torch that's dry,

As woods from heath cut downe when first they lye

Old mens loue fure, youth short, but fruitfull made,

Maides plucke those fruites betimes, betimes vvhich fade▪

Nay yeeld vp all, ope the gates to our foe,

That faith from faithlesse treasure once may flow:

What's easie granted, long loue cannot feed,

Denyall from your sports must oft proceed:

Let them vvalke at the gate, cry cruell dore,

Do humbly much, but in their threats much more▪

We loath these sweets, bitter loue makes them new,

That wind oft drownd the ship by which it flew:

'Tis this makes men their vviues to slight so still,

They are ready prest vvhen ere their husbands will▪

[Page]Let the Ma [...]de run and cry we are vndone,

And hide the sacred youth till feare be gone;

Yet sport him midst those feares lest he misprise,

Your night's not so much vvorth such feares should

I had like to passe by vvhat art to deceiue,

To deceiue the most watchfull keeper.

Your husband and slye keeper to bereaue.

Wiues feare your husbands, vvho must keepe you in

'Tis firme by law right modestie hath bin.

Her to be kept whom late reuenge hath wrought,

Who can endure to auoide these meanes be sought:

As many keepe thee as had Argoes eyes,

If thou vvilt out thou shalt defeat with lyes.

You'll say your keeper doth withstand to write,

Take water for your selfe what time you might:

What can a keeper when the Cities fill,

Of playes and Maides see horses run that will,

When she will, a maide complainesher head,

And fayning sicke, hides whom she will in bed:

When the false key tels plainly what is done,

Aed to her chamber are more wayes then one.

Besides, a keeper may be foxt with vvine,

Prest from the grapes of Spaine and so made thine:

And there be drugs which can cause a sound sleepe,

And shut the eyes fast drencht in Lethe deepe.

You know Maides to May quickly find some way,

By long made sports to hould him in delay:

But what need I for to go farre about,

When one small gift may buy the keeper out.

Gifts trust me do appease both gods and men,

By gifts euen Ioue is pleased now and then:

What do the vvise since fooles in gifts delight,

Giue, and the husband sayes naught, say he might:

Hast bought thy keeper once he's thine for euer,

The helpe he once affords heele faile thee neuer.

[Page]I blam'd companions, now it comes to mind,

The hurt by it not men alone do find:

Beleeue me, other Maides thy ioyes may taste,

And others vvith thee hunt the Hare as fast.

The vvench that sweepes the chāber makes the bed

With sports of loue hath more then once bin sped:

Let not your vvaiting Maides be ouer faire,

Their Mistris place by them supplyed are.

Where run I Madman, naked against my foe,

And ope those ports that may me ouerthrow:

The birds teach not the Fowler how to take them,

The Harts teach not the dogs to run & shake them.

Looke too't that need my taske Ile do indeed,

Though 'tis to lend a sword to make me bleed:

'Tis easie to make vs thinke vve are beloued,

Their faith vvhich do desire is quickly moued:

Smile louely on a youth, sigh from your hart,

Aske vvhy he comes so late, a pretty art.

Shed some few teares, faine griefe for some close loue,

And teare your haire as doth your passions moue:

He is ouercome straite, pitty he vvill take,

And say this care is onely for my sake.

If he be spruce, and looke faire in a glasse,

He'll thinke the gods loue him, let not this passe:

Who ere thou art, be not thy worth to strong,

Nor rage not ouermuch, hath he done vvrong?

Trust not too soone vvhat art is in this case,

Procris may be example haue you grace.

The history of Procris.

Neare to Hymetus hill a holy vvell,

And a moist ground thicke grast the ancients tell:

The vvood, but vnderwood about this land,

The description of Hymetus.

The Crabtree, Rosemary, Bay, Mirtle stand.

The thicke leau'd boxe, the Tamariske so small,

Low stirubs, near Pines, there do these trees grow all

[Page]The gentle West vvinde and the healthfull aire,

Blow all those leaues & grasblades which are there:

Cephaius loued rest, his hounds and men foregone,

Weary in youth this ground oft sate vpon.

And thus he sings, thou which dost lay my heate,

Age, my brest come gentle aire and beate:

One ouer dutious told his fearefull vvife,

These words she heard, and so began the strife,

Procris vvho for a strumpet tooke this care,

Fell downe much moued vvith a suddaine feare.

Looke how the vine leafe vvhich you latest gather,

She lookt so pale, or farre more paler rather:

And the ripe Quince tree which doth bend his bows

Or dog-tree fruite, vvhich none for meate allowes.

Come to her selfe, her garments quite she tore,

From of her brest, and made her brest all gore.

And vvithout stay in rage and hast she goes,

Her haire about her neck like Bacchus froes:

Being neare the place, her mate she leaues behind,

Steales slyly to the vvood, no feare in mind.

'Tis thus thou thinkest now, who this aire should be

And her dishonest tricks thine eyes shall see:

Her coming shames her now, she would not take her

Yet now she's glad she's come, loue doubtfull makes

The name, the place, the signe, all these agree,

And vvhat the mind feares, that it thinkes to be.

Seeing the grasse so by some body prest,

Her trembling heart knockt at her tender brest:

Now the mid-day had made the shadowes short,

The euening and the morne of equall port:

Young Cephalus returnes vnto the wood,

And cooles his face vvith water as he stood.

Procris stands close, on the grasse he layes him faire,

And cries aloud, blow West wind, come sweet aire.

[Page]So soone as she had heard the erronious name,

Her mind and her true colour to her came.

She rises, vvith her body the leaues shake,

In mind to Cephalus her vvay to take:

He thought it some wilde beast, snatcht vp his bow,

His arrow in his right hand wont to show.

What dost thou vvretch, 'tis no beast, stay thy dart,

Alas, thy arrowes pierce a womans hart:

She cryes out, thou hast stroke thy louing breast,

Vpon this place thy wounds haue euer rest.

I dye before my time not wrong'd in loue,

This earth made me suspect thee light to proue:

Aire take my breath, thee 'twas I did mistrust,

I die, close thou my eyes, lay me in the dust.

She ended speech and life, and falling downe,

Her husband takes her last breath from the ground.

He beares his dying loue in wofull armes,

And wailes with teares so strange & deadly harmes:

But let vs backe, I see I must be plaine,

At the lost hauen that our ship may againe.

You looke now to be brought vnto a feast,

And that we teach you here as in the rest:

Come late, but comely brought in by night,

Thou shalt be welcome, so delay hath might.

Though thou be blacke thou shalt seeme faire to all

The night vvill hide thy faults both great and small

Eate neatly with your fingers art commands,

How maids must behaue themselues at meate.

Wipe not thy whole face vvith thy di [...]ty hands.

Eat not to long, leaue ere you vvould forbeare,

More then thou well canst do, this counsell heare:

Were Hellen greedy Paris would her hate,

And say my rape is foolish out of date,

To drinke is comely, and more fit for you,

Bacchus doth well vvi [...]h Venus, this is true.

[Page]Drinke, but yet not more then you well can beare,

And what is one let it not two appeare:

A shamefull thing to see a woman drunke,

Such a one is fit to be each base knaues punke.

Nor is it safe to sleepe, the tables drawne,

Much shamefull things haue in your sleepe bin sawne

'Tis shame to teach you more, yet Dion sayes,

Shame is the chiefest subiect of these layes.

Each know your selues as you your bodies see,

Gestures in lying.

So frame your lying in forme that it may be.

Whose face is beautious, she must lye vpright,

Whose backe is best, that still must be in sight:

Atlantues thighes vpon his shoulders wore,

Menation be these best, shew these the more.

Low Maides must ride, Thebais was somewhat long,

Nere sate one Hectors horse her pride among.

Who hath a long side, which shee'd haue in eye,

Let her bend to her knees her necke awry:

Whose hidden parts haue not a fault or spot,

Lye [...]uer side long, pray forget it not.

Nor thinke it a disgrace your haire to loose,

And then thy necke cast backward still to choose.

Thou that art ragged close and couered lye,

And from mens sight like the swift Parthian fly:

[...]oue hath a thousand wayes most voide of pride,

To lie halfe vpright on the righter side.

Apollos, Tripos, nor horrid Ammon say,

Not things more true then what are in our lay:

If there be truth in art got by long vse,

Beleeue and trust, you'll find it in our muse.

Maides see you loue vs men, plucke from the roote,

One thing may helpe you and steed to boote:

Rease not faire words, cease not close whispering sweet

And wa [...]ton words must with your sports oft meet.

[Page]And thou whō nature hath bard loues quick sence,

Faine pleasant ioyes though the things be from thence:

Vnhappy Maide to vvhom that place is dull,

Which with a man and woman should be full.

Yet when you faine, beware, let none else know it,

For feare thy gesture or thy eyes may shew it:

What helpes the speech and shewes the breath is ill

That part hath secrets, shame would hide it still.

Who seekes a man after enioyment straite,

Louing a gift would not her prayers had weight:

Ope not your vvindowes wide to take in light,

Much in your bodies rather fits the night.

Our sport is done,

Conclusion of the work.

'tis time the Swaines depart,

Which on their necks as yoakes haue drawne our art

As Men before, say Maides when ye preuaile,

Ouid our Master was, his art our saile.

FINIS.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

Loves schoole Publii Ovidii Nasonis de arte amandi, or, The art of loue.Ars amatoria. English

Ovid, 43 B.C.-17 or 18 A.D.

Edition statement

1625

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A08625

ID [STC]

STC 18935.5

ID [STC]

ESTC S4018

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

34382767

ID [OCLC]

ocm 34382767

ID [VID]

29077

Availability

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Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A08625)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 29077)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1901:16)

Source

— Loves schoole Publii Ovidii Nasonis de arte amandi, or, The art of loue., Ars amatoria. English, Ovid, 43 B.C.-17 or 18 A.D., Heywood, Thomas, d. 1641..

Extent

[6], 298 p.

By Nicolas Iansz. Visscher,. Gedruckt tot Amsterdam :: [ca. 1625]. (In verse.) (Engraved t.p.) (C₁r line 11 of text: "... to thee by my new Art,") (STC (2nd ed.) suggests imprint "London?, c. 1625.") (Translation attributed to T. Heywood by STC (2nd ed.).) (Signatures: A-E⁸, F⁶.) (Reproduction of original in: British Library.)

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