Here begynneth the Complaynte of them that ben to late maryed Copland, Robert, fl. 1508-1547. 1518 Approx. 19 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 9 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2011-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). B07531 STC 5728.5 ESTC S123101 72798882 ocm 72798882 184027

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. B07531) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 184027) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 2222:3) Here begynneth the Complaynte of them that ben to late maryed Copland, Robert, fl. 1508-1547. [16] p. : ill. s.n., [S.l. : 1518?] Date of publication suggested by STC (2nd ed.). Printer's device on colophon (McK. 12), initials. Signatures: A-B⁴. In verse. Reproduction of original in: Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.

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eng English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700. English literature -- Early modern, 1500-1700. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2010-08 Assigned for keying and markup 2010-09 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2010-10 Sampled and proofread 2010-10 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2011-06 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

¶ Here begynneth the complaynte of them that ben to late maryed ⸫

a young lady waves to two gentlemen

AFter playes ſportes and daunces of ſolace We muſt thynke to come to proſperyte After that god of his haboundaunte grace Wyll prouyde how that I may gouerne me In mynde I purpoſe wedded to be In a better lyfe may no man lyue in Than to be maryed and lyfe out of ſynne All yonge louers ſholde them ſo affyle That they loue trewely and ſo for to lyue With ardaunte wytte and perfyte ſtyle All vnto goodneſſe themſelfe for to gyue Than may they be ſure that they ſhall thryue So wyll I lyue in maryage clene and pure To goddes be houe & in creaſynge of nature To longe haue I lyued without ony make All to longe haue I vſed my yonge age I wyll all for go and a wyfe to me take For to encreace both our twoos lynage For ſaynt Iohn̄ ſayth that he is ſage That ayenſt his wyll doth hym gouerne And our lordes preceptes hym ſelfe for to lerne There is no greter pleaſure than for to haue A wyfe that is full of prudence and wyſdome Alas for loue nyght I am in poynte to raue Theſe curſed olde men haue an yll cuſtome Women for to blame / both all and ſome For that thy can not theyr myndes full fyll Therfore they ſpeke of them but all yll Now ſyth that I haue my tyme vſed For to folowe / my folyſſhe pleaſaunces And haue my ſelfe oftentymes ſore abuſed At plaes and ſportes / pompes and daunces Spendynge golde & ſyluer and grete fynaunces For faut of a wyfe the cauſe is all To late maryed / men may me call The holy ſacramente of maryage Before holy chyrche was ordeyned For to encreaſe humayne lynage He that doth other wyſe is not receyued Before god / thus was man guerdoned With woman for to lyue at his owene wyll He is a fole that elles where doth nature ſpyll I haue done as the labourer doth That ſomtyme is payned with trobyll grete For he leſeth his payne for certayne ſoth That in the hye waye ſotweth his whete Well I perceyue that I dyde me forgete Or that I put me in to houſholde I haue loſt my ſeed my worke is but colde Women and maydens / both good and yll With me I helde my ſelfe for to pleaſe The one dyde rebell / the other abode ſtyll Other made me well at myn eaſe Cupydo than came me for to ceaſe Venus lyghted her bronde of fyre For ſuche ſeruyce ſuche guerdov & hyre Late mary. Thus rauyſſhed in this ſayd abuſyon I was taken with a cauteious wyle That me thought to make concluſyon Of my weddynge within a whyle But yet dyde they me begyle They cauſed me for to make grete dyſpence For I was no ſoner wed through my neglygence I wolde do make comune I wys My propre goodes ſo was I lyght Of wytte and was all wayes redy as is A man of armes in poynt to fyght Other whyles I went me ryght In to places my ſelfe ſolyſytynge But nother frequented that beynge Yf I with helde ony praty one Swetely ynough ſhe made me chere Sayenge that ſhe loued no perſone But me / and therto ſhe dyde ſwere But whan I wente fro that place there Vnto another ſhe dyde as moche For they loue none but for theyr poche I had fyue or ſyxe companyons That haunted with me euery houre But I haue knowen to ſuche garſons In ſecrete they haue done ſocoure yf that they enioyed my paramoure With grete payne durſte I it to them ſaye Force me was to kepe counſeyll alwaye I wote well that I haue ryght ſore varyed For to haue wylled for to lyue alone For to haue ben to late maryed For that I haue herde ſo longe a gone For ſhe that abandoneth to more than one I dare wyll ſwere and ther with it ſuſtyne That ſhe abandoneth vnto a doſayne Folyſſhe regardes full of vanyte I keſt ouer ſwarte and eke contrauers To daye I had peas reſt and vnyte To morowe I had plete & proceſſe dyuers Breke I dyde dores and feneſters Sargeauntes met me by the waye And enpryſoned both me and my praye Subiecte I was to a meyny of bawdes And vnto a grete company of brothelles Whiche to me brought an hepe of rybaudes Dronkardes that loued well good morſelles Knaues & theues that wolde pyke quarelles I gaue them clothes I knewe not theyr vſe There is none ſo ſubtyll but loue doth hym abuſe Alas I haue all my tyme ſpent and loſt Whiche for to recouer is impoſſyble Spent haue I nature at grete expens and coſt Ayenſt the ryght canon and of the holy byble Offens done to god neuer ceaſyble In daunger for to for fayte bothe ſoule & lyfe By defaute for to haue taken vnto me a wyfe Lyke vnto a beſt and hors or an aſſe That careth not for to tomble in the fen yf that ony with me playenge there was An other to helpe I wolde go then Mo gallantes a man ſholde ſe than ren After a wentche and lepe and hytche Than dogges do about a farowinge bytche She wolde to no maner a man eſcondyte Eche one ſhe appetyted for to receyue Takynge therein pleaſure and delyte To the ende theyr ſyluer for to haue But in the ſtede chyldren to conceyue Botches pockes / and goutes they engendre In hedes and in legges and in euery menbre In this maner of ſykeneſſe many ther be That ben Impotentes hanged and dede But lytell ſemblaunce they make on to ſe Taken as they ben / not beggynge theyr brede Haſt you to be wedded thus I you rede Vnto the ende that ye be not cappable Of this grete daunger / deedly and vncurable Now am I out of this daunger ſo alenge Wherfore I an gladde it for to perſeuer Longe about haue I ben me for to renge But it is better to late than to be neuer Certes I was not in my lyfe tyll hyther So full of Ioye that doth my herte in ſpyre Wedded folke haue tyme at theyr deſyre Out am I now of thought dole and mone Lyuynge euer more ryght amorouſly For I haue a wyfe by my ſelfe alone At my cōmaundement both late and erely And yf it happen that I loke heuely My wyfe me kyſſeth & than ſhe me colleth And ryght woman there ſhe me conſolleth To that I wyll haue done ſhe is redy Neuer wyll ſhe ayenſt my wyll ſaye She doth to me the beſt that ſhe can truely Nothynge of my volenty ſhe doth me naye Yf I be angred or trobled ony waye Redy ſhe is to chaunge my purpoſe Vnto the ende that I may haue all my repoſe I haue me all to longe refrayned Furnyſſhe I can not to all her pleaſyre And for to promyſe her I am conſtrayned More than I can do to her deſyre She appetyteth it moche & doth me enſpyre Gorgyouſly ſhewynge her fayre corſage But I am all caduc and wery for age I ought for to haue by this many chyldren Some ſporte and playe & ſome at fyre ſyttynge Other in the felde to ſhote lepe and ren And ſome hardy / ſome mery / & tryumphynge In whome I ſholde haue all my delytynge But to late maryd without en dout May neuer ſe his chyldren ren out My wyfe ſhewed to me her proper dugge On the mornynge her delyte for to make And to haue me for to playe nugge a nugge Alas I wolde it full fayne forſake But force it is ſuche leſſons to take And to ryſe vp erly as I thynke beſt In the mornynge and go vnto my reſt Whan I ſe her lye in ſhetes fayre and whyte As rede as the button of the roſe With good wyll wolde I take than delyte Neuertheles I lete her haue her repoſe For it is force that I caſt agayne on the cloſe And to make a pawſe than I am conioynt For thynſtrument is not yet well in poynt But yet ſomtyme I me conſtrayne To take nature ſolace thus thynke I But all ſodeynly I me refrayne For I do fere to be to ſoone wery And than I ſlepe with courage all drery And yet am I / I can not paſſe Vpon women more than euer I was Conſtrayned I am to be full of Ialouſy Seynge that I can not content her mynde Touchynge the playe of loue all ſoftely Often ynough the experyence to fynde She me aſſayeth and tourneth by kynde Caſtynge vnto me her beggynge legge But I do ſlepe I care not for ſuche a begge With her eyen pleaſaunte caſtynge a regarde In chaſtynge a laughter a merous Than with a praty ſmyle ſhe doth me larde And that maketh me ſom what Ioyous But comynge to a bed delycyous For to holde the ſpere in a full hande It plyeth and fayleth for wyll not ſtonde Whan I herde her bable and langage Her gentyll termes ſpoken ſo properly I do me wyſſhe for to be in to the age Of eyghten / neyntene / or foure and twenty Suche aſſautes than gyue wolde I That for it ſholde haue no nede to craue Of the grete pleaſure that ſhe ſholde haue If that ſhe go to banckettes and daunces She doth none offence therin certayne Nedes ſhe muſt haue her pleſaunces In ſome place to make her glad and fayne Wherfore I dare well ſay and ſuſteyne That after with me I wolde haue her ledde Yf ony ſoner I had ben to her wedde We twayne ſholde haue all our yongeneſſe After maryage cuſtome and ryght Paſſed in Ioye / ſolace / and gladneſſe And is wherfore I haue me pyght Force it is to me that the fyre be nyght That at a nede I can not haue quenched To late maryed is for to be complayned Late mary. It is ſayd that man in ſeruytude Hym putteth / whan he doth to woman bende He ne hath but only habytude Vnto her the whiche well doth hym tende Who wyll to houſholde comprehende And there a bout ſtudyeth in youth alwayes He ſhall haue honoure in his olde dayes Some chyldren vnto the courtes hauntes And ben puruayed of benefyces Some haunteth markettes & be marchauntes Byenge and ſellynge theyr marchaūdyſes Or elles conſtytued in offyces Theyr faders and moders haue grete ſolace That to late maryed by no waye haſe I be wayll the tyme that is ſo ſpent That I ne me haſted for to wedde For I ſhall haue herytage and rente Both golde and ſyluer and kynred But ſyth that our lorde hath ordeyned That I this ſacrament take me vpon I wyll kepe it trewely at all ſeaſon Theophraſtus vs ſheweth in his proſe That in maryage all is out of tune So doth alſo the romanuce of the roſe Compoſed by mayſter Iohā de mehune Yet neuertheles it is all comune That they neuer were in bonde of maryage Wherfore at all aventures is theyr langage Matheolus that was holden ſo wyſe For to blame womem was all his ebate Suppoſe that he was maryed twyſe For he was ſo olde that balde was his pate For he came the laſt tyme ſo very late That in hym there was no puyſſaunce Amyte / ſolace / Ioye ne pleaſure But whan that a man may do no more He blame that / that he can not do To late wedded the ſurplus therfore May not furnyſſhe as other may do For whan he wened to ſatyſfye lo Nature at nede wyll not hym preuayle Suche wenes do to well yt other whyle fayle Yf that there be ony tryfelers That haue wylled for to blame maryage I dare well ſaye that they ben but lyers Or elles god fayled in the fyrſte age Adam bereth wytneſſe and teſmonage Maryed he was and comen we ben God dyde choyſe maryage vnto all men Now ſyth it is thus befall Why than ought we it to blame Vs for to put we ben holden all So ſholde we alwayes holde with the ſame Or elles holy ſcrypture ſayeth it is ſhame And that alleggeth all predycacours Our lorde god hateth all fornycatours Late mary. I am now ſory that I haue no rathe Put my ſelfe in to maryages rout For many a folyſſhe loke it hathe It hath me coſt / here and there about But yet my ſoule is in grete doute For god fornycatures punyſſheth And out of this realme he them banyſſheth There is no man lyuynge that can commyt Without outen the worke of nature But he in maryage doth commyſe it As vs telleth the holy ſcrypture It is than foly to ony creature Thus for to blame his creaſon For ony maner of folyſſhe opynyon All they that by theyr ſubtyll artes Hath wylled for to blame maryage I wyll ſuſteyne that they be baſtardes Or at leeſt waye an euyll courage For to ſaye that therin is ſeruage In maryage / but I it reny For therin is but humayne company Yf ther be yll women and rebell Shrewed diſpytous & eke felonyous There be other fayre & do full well Propre / gentyll / luſty / and Ioyous That ben full of grace and vertuous They ben not all born vnder a ſygnet Happy is he that a good one can get To late maryed now helpe than me To make my ſorowes and complayntes For by my fayth I ſwere to the I haue ſuffred many dolours & crayntes And haue ſuſtayned mo attayntes Than euer dede wat after the hounde At dyſpence I lyued & that haue I founde Galantes playne ye the tyme that ye haue loſt Mary you be tyme as the wyſe man ſayth Toſſed I haue ben fro pyler to poſt In commyſynge natures werke alwayes I haue paſſed full many quaſy dayes That now vnto good I can not mate For mary I dyde my ſelfe to late Rychely in a raye ought for to go Theſe women that be obedyent Better than theſe curſed wyues do That ben not to theyr huſbandes pacyent To take a wyfe was myn intent Goddes lawes to kepe and them to obſerue Sauynge of nature and heuen to preſerue Afore that euer I was maryed Bordeles I haunted and places of infame But I am now vnto a wyfe alayed The worlde to holde & honoure goddes neme That wycked man I holde to blame That foloweth euyll ruell and wyll not amende Vnto his ſoulles heth and honoure to pretende Late mary. Whan a man to olde age is faden and fall Lerne this leſſon herken my ſentence Fewe frendes meteth he with all That wyll to his pouerte take ony intellygence Wo worthe than crye they of the expence That they haue ſpent vnto youthes luſt And now they muſt dye for hunger & thurſt Better it is in youth a wyfe for to take And lyue with her to goddes pleaſaunce Than to go in age for goddes ſake In wordely ſorowe and perturbaunce For youthes loue and vtteraunce And than to dye at the laſt ande And be dampned in hell with the foule fende
¶ The auctour. Rychenes in youth with good gouernaunce Often helpeth age whan youth is gone his gate Both yonge & olde muſt haue theyr ſuſtenaūce Euer in this worlde ſoo fekyll and rethrograte Ryght as an ampte the whiche all gate Truſſeth and caryeth for his lyues fode Eny thynge that whiche hym ſemeth to be good Cryſten folke ought for to haue Open hertes vnto god almyght Putrynge in theyr mynde thyr ſoule to ſaue Lernynge to come vnto the eternall lyght And kepe well theyr maryage & trouth plyght Nothynge alwaye of theyr laſt ende Durynge theyr lyues how they ye tyme ſpende Here endeth the complaynt of to late maryed For ſpendynge of tyme or they a borde The ſayd holy ſacramente haue to longe taryed Humayne nature taſſemble & it to accorde Enprynted in Fleteſtrete by wynkyn de Worde Dwellynge in the famous cyte of London His hous in the ſame at the ſygne of the Sonne.
¶ FINIS.

wynkyn de worde

printer's device of Wynkyn de Worde
printer's device of Wynkyn de Worde

wynkyn de worde