The Preface.
What eche man dothe, and eche man blante [...] nor onse we may him see
Come face to face, but we once gone then stoutly stepp [...] out hee:
And all he carpes that there he fyndes ere halfe he reade to ende,
And what he vnderstandes not, blames▪ though nought he can amende.
But were it so that suche were none, how may these youthfull dayes
Of mine, in thyng so hard as this deserue of other prayse?
A labour long (quoth I) it is that riper age doothe craue:
And who shall trauaile in thy bookes, more iudgement ought to hou [...]
Then I: whose greener yeares therby no thanks may hope to wynne.
Thou seest dame Nature yet hath sett [...]
No heares vppon my chynne.
Traue this therfore of grauer age, and men of greater shill.
Full many be that better can, and some perhapps that will.
But yf thy will be rather hent, a yong man [...] witt to proue,
And thinkst that elder lerned men perhaps it shall behoue,
In woork [...] of w [...]ight to spende theyr tyme, goe where Minerua [...]s men,
And finest witts doe swarme: whome she hath taught to passe with pen.
In Lyncolnes Inne and Temples twayne, Grayes Inne and other mo,
Thou shalt them fynde whose paynfull pen thy verse shall florishe so,
That Melpomen thou wouldst well ween [...] had taught them for to wright,
And all their woorks with stately style, and goodly grace t'endight.
There shalt thou se the selfe same Northe, whose woorke his witte displayes,
And Dyall dothe of Princes paynte, and preache abroade his prayse.
There Sackuyldes Sonettz sweetely sauste, and featly tyned hee,
There Nortons ditties do delight, there Yeluerton [...] doo flee
Well pewrde with pen: suche yong men three, as weene thou mightst agayne,
To be begotte as Pallas was, of wyghtie Ioue his brayne,
There heare thou shalt a great reporie, of Ba [...]wyns worthie name,
Whose Mirrour dothe of Magistrates, proclayme eternall fame.
[...]
[...]
[...] complaint to the god Cupid be [...]ause he with his Darts perseth him alone.
[...]upid Venu [...] darling deare,
[...]ose powre un mortal might may bide,
[...]in h [...]nd s [...]y how thou bear,
[...]ing Forkers by thy five,
[...]hy dost thou this lie still and fleapt:
[...]hen I to thee due wayle and weepe.
[...] is become thy wonted powre:
[...]ou va [...]u [...]ht and put to flight:
[...] [...]ou [...]isposde to lowre,
[...]e alone moste wofull wight:
[...], say [...], Oh I thee pray,
[...]urue the hart breed [...]s mine andy.
[...]ants parte not seeme to show
[...]ay the yeelding captiue wight
[...]e in time take vp thy howe,
[...]orce my deare to [...]now thy mighte,
Dido did when once in lappe,
[...]ou tookst on thee Asscanius shappe.
Would I not like greif should grow,
[...] thereby, as did to mee.
But that she may then partly kn [...]w [...]
What time I spend in misery,
Ne yet I wishe hir no such end,
As destinie did to Dido send.
But only this I wish thereby,
That she as l [...]tle power may haue,
At any time aside to wrie,
The humble iute that I doe craue,
As Did [...] had when she did yeelde,
Vnto Eneas in the feelde,
Finis.
A token of gratitude to his very frend,
YOur gen [...]l talk & fr [...]ndly curti [...] your coūfināce acording wel yt your filid words which stil in mind I your trusty trete, deuoyd of guile or Hath me so bound in euery poynt to that whilst I line I am your seruant
Finis.
[...]
By natures lawes there is no cause,
Tho [...] liberty to stay:
To worke their will, or good or [...];
Why should they even haue nay.
He that [...] & thinges geueth women their owne will.
To [...] Fether shall be sure still
For to be deer, who will neicer,
In feathers fre [...] and fayre,
A flie for him that to go tr [...],
Woth dwell in deepe dispayre
Mantuan writes declard in booke of his,
That sugred poysen ech ill woman is.
To poyson sweet, tho Mantua lyke,
Fayre dames as fresh as flowor.
Yet pleasnunt tas [...]t. shal be imbraste,
Before the cause thats sowre.
Through pleasure Paris to be in Helens vew [...],
Troy was troddown and [...] that causd them [...]
Although troye towne were thus trode downe,
Where paris [...] life.
Yet Helins fate [...] may disgrace,
For Paris wrought that strife.
The noble Hercules Dianica did bryng down
Whych through the worlde had [...] so greate renown [...]
Where ye do saye, hercles decaye,
By Dianyr [...] f [...]ll,
Agaynst her wyll through [...],
[...] I can prooue well.
[...]
The variable thoughts of the Louer captiue.
I Lyue in hope and yet dispayre,
I do reioyce when greife doth grow,
I fly aloft aboue the ayre:
But dwell alway in Limbo low.
I neuer seeke: tho much I finde,
Yet finde nothing and still do seeke:
I see what best contents my minde:
When most in mind I do mislike.
One hath me in captiuitie,
So suer that I vneth may swarue:
Who lets me liue at libertie,
As free from bands that I deserue.
Finis.
The defence of vvomens vvill.
WHo womē wisheth in thynges to haue their myu [...]
To leaue good lyfe in iudgement is but blynde. w. v.
[...]