Epigrammata prima.
Ad Musam,
FLie merry Muse vnto that merry towne,
where thou mayst playes, reuels, and triumphes see
The house of fame, & Theatre of renowne,
VVhere all good wits & spirits loue to be.
Fall in betwene their hands, that loue & praise thee
and be to them a laughter and a iest:
but as for them which scorning shall approue thee,
Disdayne their wits, and thinke thyne owne the best.
But if thou finde any so grose and dull,
That thinke I do to priuat Taxing leane:
Bid him go hang, for he is but a gull,
And knowes not what an Epigramme does meane.
Which Taxeth vnder a particular name,
A generall vice which merits publique blame.
Of a Gull [...] 2
OFt in my laughing rimes, I name a gull,
But this new terme will many questions bread
[...]
Therefore at first I will expresse at full,
Who is a true and perfect gull indeede.
A gull is he, who feares a veluet gowne,
and when a wench is braue, dares not speake to her:
A gull is he which trauerseth the towne,
and is for marriage knowne a common wooer.
A gull is he, which while he prowdlie weares,
a siluer hilted Rapier by his side:
Indures the lyes, and knockes about the eares,
Whilst in his sheath, his sleeping sword doth bide.
A gull is he which weares good hansome cloathes,
And standes in presence stroaking vp his hayre:
and filles vp his vnper
[...]ect speech with othes.
but speakes not one wise word throughout the yeere
But to define a gull in termes precise,
A gull is he which semes, and is not wise.
In Faustum 7
Faustus not lord, nor knight, nor wise, nor olde,
To euery place about the towne doth ride,
He rides into the fieldes, Playes to beholde,
He rides to take boate at the water side,
He rides to Powles, he rides to th'ordinarie,
He rides vnto the house of bawderie too.
Thither his horse so often doth him carry,
That shortlie he wil quite forget to go.
In Katum 1
Kate being pleasde, wisht that her pleasure coulde,
Indure as long as a buste ierkin would.
Content thee Kate, although thy pleasure wasteth,
Thy pleasures place like a buffe ierkin lasteth:
For no buste ierkin hath bin oftner worne,
Nor hath more scrapings or more dressings born.
In Librum 9
Liber doth vaunt how chastely he hath liude,
Since he hath bin in towne 7 yeeres and more,
For that he sweares he hath foure onely swiude,
A maide, a wife, a widow and a whoore:
Then Liber thou hast swiude all women kinde,
For a
[...]ift
[...]ort I know thou canst not finde.
In Medonem 10
Great Captaine Medon weares a chaine of golde,
which at fiue hundred crownes is valued;
For that it was his graundsires chain
[...] of olde,
when great king Henry Bulleigne conquered.
and weare it Medon, for it may ensue,
that thou by vertue of this Massie ehaine,
a stronger towne th
[...]n Bulloigne maist subdue,
Yf wise mens sawes be not reputed vaine.
For what saide Phillip king of Macedon?
There is no Castle so wel fortifid,
But if an Asse laden with gold comes on,
The guarde wil stoope, and gates flie open wide.
In Gellam 10
Gella, if thou dost loue thy selfe, take heede,
lest thou my rimes, vnto thy louer reade,
For straight thou grinst, & then thy louer reeth,
Thy canker-eaten gums, and rotten teeth.
In Quintum 12
Quintus his wit infused into his braine,
Mislikes the place, and fled into his feete,
and the
[...]e it wanders vp and down the streetes,
Dabled in the durt, and soaked in the raine.
Doubtlesse his wit intendes not to aspire,
Which leaues his head to trauell in the mire.
In Seuerum 13
The puritane Seuerus oft doth reade,
this text that doth pronounce vaine speech a sinne,
That thing defiles a man that doth proceede
F
[...]om out the mouth, not that which enters in.
Hence is it, that we seldome heare him sweare,
and therexsof like a Pharisie he vaunts,
but he deuoures more Capons in a yeare,
Then would suffice a hundreth protestants.
And sooth those sectaries are gluttons all,
As well the threed-bare Cobler as the knight,
For those poore slaues which haue not wher withal
Feede on the rich, til they deuoure them quite.
And so like Pharoes kine, they eate vp cleane,
Those that be fat, yet still themselues be leane.
In Leucam 14
Leuca in presence once a fart did let,
Some laught a little, she forsooke the place:
and madde with shame, did eke her gloue forget,
which she returnde to fetch with bashfull grace:
And when she would haue said, my gloue,
My fart (qd she) which did more laughter moue.
In Macrum 15
Thou canst not speake yet Macer, for to speake,
is to distinguish soundes significant,
Thou with harsh noyse the ayre dost rudely breake,
But what thou vtterest common sence dnth want:
Halfe English wordes, with fustian tearms among
Much like the burthen of a Northerne song.
In Faustum 16
That youth saith Faustus, hath a Lyon seene,
Who from a Dycing house comes monielesse,
but when he lost his hayre, where had he been
[...],
I doubt me had seene a Lyonesse.
In Cosmum 17
Cosmus hath more discoursing in his head,
then loue, when Pallas issued from his braine,
and still he striues to be deliuered,
Of all his thoughtes at once, but al in vaine.
For as we see at all the play house dores,
when ended is the play. the daunce, and song:
A thousand townsemen, gentlemen, & whores,
[Page]Porters & seruing-men togither throng,
so thoughts of drinking, thriuing, wenching, war,
And borrowing money, raging in his minde,
To issue all at once so forwarde are,
As none at all can perfect passage finde.
In Flaccum 18
The false knaue Flaccus once a bribe I gaue,
The more foole I to bribe so false a knaue,
but he gaue back my bribe, the more foole he,
That for my follie, did not cousen me.
In Cineam 19
Thou dogged Cineas hated like a dogge,
For still thou grumblest like a Mastie dogger
comparst thy selfe to nothing but a dogge,
Thou saist thou art as weary as a dogge.
As angry, sick, & hungry as a dogge,
As dull and melancholy as a dogge:
As lazie, sleepie, & as idle as a dogge.
But why dost thou compare thee to a dogge?
In that, for which all men despise a dogge,
I will compare thee better to a dogge.
[Page] Thou art as faire and comely as a dogge,
Thou art as true and honest as a dogge,
Thou art as kinde and liberall as a dogge,
Thou art as wi
[...]e and valiant as a dogge.
But Cineas, I haue oft heard thee tell,
Thou art as like thy father as may be,
Tis like inough, and faith I like it well,
But I am glad thou art not like to me.
In Gerontem 20
Geron mouldie memorie corrects,
Old Holinshed our famous chronicler,
With morrall rules, and pollicie collects,
Out of all actions done thiese fourescore yeere.
accounts the time of euery olde euent,
not frō Christs birth, nor from the Princes
[...]aigne,
But from some other famous accident,
Which in mens generall notise doth remaine.
The siege of Bulloigne, and the plaguie sweat,
The going to saint Quintines and new hauen.
The rising in the North, The frost so great.
That cart-wheele prints on Thames face were seene,
The fall of money, & burning of Paules steeple,
The blasing starre and Spaniardes ouerthrow:
By thiese euents, notorious to the people,
He measures times, & things forepast doth shew.
[Page]But most of all, he chieflie reckons by,
A priuat chaunce, the death of his curft wife:
This is to him the dearest memorie,
And th'happiest accident of all his life.
In Marcum 21
When Marcus comes frō Mins, he stil doth sweare
By, come a seauen, that all is loft and gone,
Bu
[...] thats not true, for he hath lost his hayre
Onely for that, he came too much at one.
In Ciprium 22
The fine youth Ciprius is more tierse and neate,
Then the new garden of the olde Temple is,
And stil the newest fashion he doth get,
And with the time doth chaung from that to this,
He weares a hat now of the flat crown-block,
The treble ruffes, long cloake, & doublet french:
He takes Tobacco, and doth weare a locke,
And wastes more time in d
[...]essing then a Wench.
Yet this new-fangled youth, made for these tims,
Doth aboue al, praise olde Gascoines rimes.
In Cineam 23.
Whē Cineas comes amōgst his friends in morning
He sliely lookes who first his cap doth moue:
Him he salutes, the rest so grimly scorning,
As if for euer they had lost his loue.
I knowing how it doth the humour sit,
Of this fond gull to be saluted first:
catch at my cap, but moue it not a whit:
Which perceiuing he seemes for spite to burst.
But cineas, why expect you more of me,
Then I of you? I am as good a man,
And better too by many a quallitie
For vault, and daunce, & fence & rime I can,
You keep a whore at your own charg men tel me.
Indeede friend (cineas) therein you excell me.
In Gallum 24
Gallus hath bin this Sommer time in Friesland,
And now returned he speakes such warlike wordes
As if I coulde their English vnderstand,
I feare me they would cut my Throat like swordes
He talkes of counterscarfes and casomates,
Of parapets, of curteneys and Pallizadois,
Of flankers, Rauelings, gabions he prates,
And of false brayes, & sallies & scaladose:
[Page]But to require such gulling termes as these,
With wordes of my profession I replie:
I tel of foorching, vouchers, and counterpleas,
Of Wi
[...]hernams, essoynes, and champartie.
so neyther of vs vnderstanding eyther,
We part as wise as when we came together.
In Decium 25
Audacious Painters haue nine worthies made,
But Poet Decius more audacious farre,
Making his mistres march with men of warre,
With title of tenth worthlie doth her lade,
Me thinkes that gul did vse his termes as fit,
which termde his loue a Giant for hir wit.
In Gellam 26
If gellas beautie be examined
she hath a dull dead eye, a saddle nose,
An ill shapte face, with morpheu ouerspread,
and rotten Teeth which she in laughing showes.
Brieflie she is the filthyest wench in Towne,
of all that do the art of whooring vse:
But when she hath put on her sattin gowne,
Her out lawne apron, & her veluert shooes.
[Page]Her greene silk stockings, and her peticoate,
Of Taffa
[...]ie, with golden frindge a-rounde:
And is withall perfumed with ciuet hot,
which doth her valiant stinking breath confounde
Yet she with these addicions is no mo
[...]e,
Then a sweete, filthie, fine ill fauored whoore.
In Sillam 27
Silla is often challenged to the fielde,
To answere like a gentleman his foes,
but when doth he his only answere yeelde,
That he hath liuings & faire lands to lose.
Silla, if none but beggars valiant were,
The king of spaine woulde put vs all in feare.
In Sillam 28
Who dares affirme that Silla dare not fight?
when I dare sweare he dares aduenture more,
Then the most braue, most all da
[...]ing wight:
That euer armes with resollucion bore.
He that da
[...]e touch the most vnholsome whoore,
That euer was retirde into the spittle:
and da
[...]es court wenches standing at a dore,
The porcion of his wit being passing litle.
[Page]He that dares giue his deerest friendes offences,
which other valiant fooles do feare to do:
and when a feuer doth confounde his sences,
dare eate raw biefe, & drinke strong wine thereto.
He that dares take Tobacco on the stage,
dares man a whore at noon-day throgh the street
dares daunce in Powles, & in this formall age,
dares say & do what euer is vnmeete.
Whom fea
[...]e of shame coulde neuer yet asfright,
Who dares affirme that Silla dares not fight?
In Haywodum 29
Haywood which in Epigrams did excell,
Is now put down since my light muse arose:
As buckets are put downe into a well,
Or as a schoole-boy putteth downe his hose.
In Dacum 30
Amongst the Poets Dacus numbred is,
Yet could he neuer make an english rime,
but some prose speeches I haue hearde of his,
which haue bin spoken many a dundreth time.
The man that keepes the Eliphant hath one,
wherein he tels the wonders of the beast.
[Page]An other Bankes pronounced long a goe,
when he his curtalls qualities exprest:
He first taught him that keepes the monuments,
At Westminster his formall tale to say.
And also him with Puppets represents,
and also him which with the Ape doth play
Though all his poetrre be like to this,
Amongst the Poets numbred is.
In Priscum 31
VVhhen Priscus raisde from low to high estate
[...]
Rode through the streete in pompous iollitie,
Caius his poore famillier friende of late,
be-spake him thus, Sir now you know not me:
Tis likely friende (quoth Priscus) to be so,
For at this time my selfe I do not know.
In Brunum 32
Brunus which thinkes him selfe a faite sweet youth
is Thirtie nine yeeres of age at least:
Yet was he neuer to confesse the truth,
but a dry starueling when he was at best.
T
[...]is gull was sick to shew his night cap fine,
and his wrought Pillow ouerspred with lawne:
but hath bin well since his griefes cause hath line,
At Trollups by saint Clements church in pawne.
In Francum 33
When Francus comes to sollace with his whoore
He sends for rods and strips himselfe stark naked:
For his lust sleepes, and will not rise before,
by whipping of the wench it be awaked.
I enuie him not, but wish he had the powre,
To make my selfe his wench but one halfe houre
In Castorem 34
Of speaking well, why do we learne the skill,
Hoping thereby honor and wealth to gaine.
Sith rayling Castor doth by speaking ill,
Oppinion of much wit, and golde obtaine.
In Septimum 35
Septimus liues, and is like Garlicke seene,
for though his head be white, his blade is greene.
This olde mad coult deserues a Martires praise,
For he was burned in Queene Maries dayes.
Of Tobacco 36
Homer of Moly, and Nepenthe sings,
Moly the Gods most soueraigne hearbe diuine.
Nepenthe Hekens drinke with gladnes brings,
harts g
[...]iefe expells, & doth the wits refine.
but this our age an other worlde ha
[...]h founde,
frō whēce an hearb of heauēly power is brought,
Moly is not so soueraigne for a wounde,
nor hath Nepenthe so great wonders wrought.
It is Tobacco, whose sweet substanciall fume,
The hellish torment of the Teeth doth ease
By drawing downe, & drying vp the rume,
The mother and the nurs of ech disease.
it is Tobacco which doth colde expell,
and cleeres the obstructions of the a
[...]teries,
and surfets threatning death digesteth well,
decocting all the stomacks crudities.
It is Tobacco which hath power to clarifie,
The clowdie mistes before dim eies appea
[...]ing,
It is Tobacco which hath power to rarefie,
The thick grose humour which doth stop the hearing,
The wasting Hectick and the quartaine feuer,
which doth of Phisick make a mocke
[...]ie:
The gowt it cures, & helps il breaths for euer,
Whether the cause in Teeth or stomacke be.
[Page]And though ill breaths, were by it but confounded
Yet that Medicine it doth far excell,
Which by sir Thomas Moore hath bin propoūded.
For this is thought a gentleman-like smell,
O th
[...]t I were one of thiese mountie bankes,
which praise their oyles, & pouders which they sel
my customers would giue me coyne with thankes.
I for this ware, forsoo
[...]h a Tale would tell,
Yet would I vse none of these tearmes before,
I would hut say, that it the pox wil cure:
This were inough, without discoursing more,
All our braue gallants in the towne t'alure,
In Crassum 37
Crassus his lies are not pernitious lies,
But pleasant fictions, hurtfull vnto none:
But to himselfe, for no man counts him wise,
To tell for truth, that which for false is knowne.
he sweares that Caunt is threescore miles about,
and that the bridge at Pa
[...]is on the Seine,
is of such thicknes, lēgth & breadth, throghout
that sixscore arches can it scarse sustaine.
He sweares he saw so great a dead mans scull,
At Canterbury digde out of the grounde:
[Page]That woulde containe of wheat, three bushels ful
And that in Kent, are twentie yeomen founde,
Of which the poorest euery yeere dispendes,
Fiue thousand pound these & v. thousand moe,
So oft he hath recited to his friendes,
that now himselfe, perswades himselfe tis so:
But why doth Crassus tel his lies so rife,
Of bridges, Townes, and things that haue no life.
He is a lawyer, and doth wel espie,
That for such lies an action will not lie.
In philonem 38
Philo the lawyer and the fortune teller,
The schoolemaister, the midwife & the bawde,
The conjurer, the buyer and the seller,
Of painting which with breathing wil be thawde.
doth practise Phisicke, & his credite growes,
as doth the ballade-singers auditorie.
which hath at Tēple bar his standing chose,
and to the vnlgar sings an ale-house storie.
First standes a Porter, then an Oyster wife,
Doth stint her crie, & stay her steps to heare him,
Then comes a cutpurfe ready with a Knife,
and then a cuntrey. Client passeth neere him,
There stāds the Cunstable, there stāds the whore.
And harkning to the song mark not ech other.
[Page]There by the Serieant standes the debtor poore,
and doth no mo
[...]e mistrust him then his brother:
Thus Orpheus
[...]o such hearers giueth Musique,
And Philo to such Patients giueth phisicke.
In Fuscum 39
Fuscus is free, and hath the worlde at will,
Yet in the cour
[...]e of li
[...]e that he doth leade:
hees like a ho
[...]e which turning rounde a mill,
doth alwaies in the selfe same circle treade:
Fi
[...]st he doth rise at X. and at eleuen
He go
[...]s to Gilles, where he doth eate till one,
Then sees he a play till sixe, & sups at seauen,
and after supper, straight to bed is gone.
and there til tenne next day he doth remaine,
and then he dines, then sees a commedie:
and then he suppes, & goes to bed againe,
Thus rounde he runs without va
[...]ietie:
Saue that sometimes he comes not to the play,
But falls into a whoore house by the way.
In Afrum 40
The smell feast after, Trauailes to the Burse
Twice euery day the flying newes to heare,
which when he hath no money in his purse,
To rich mens Tables he doth often be are:
He tels how Gronigen is taken in,
by the braue conduct of illustrious Vere:
and how the spainish forces Brest would win,
but that they do Victorious Norris feare.
No sooner is a ship at Sea Surprisde,
but straight he learnes the newes & doth disclose it,
faire written in a scrowle he hath the names,
of all the widowes which the plague hath made.
and persons, Times & places, still he frames,
To euery Tale, the better to perswade:
We cal him Fame, for that the wide-mouth slaue,
will eate as fast as he wil vtter lies
For Fame is saide an hundreth mouthes to haue,
And he eates more then woulde fiue score suffice.
In paulum 41
By lawfull mart, & by vnlawfull stealth,
Paules in spite of enuie fortunate:
De
[...]ues out of the Oceans so much wealth,
as he may well maintaine a Lordes estate.
But on the lande a little gulfe there is,
wherein he drowneth all the wealth of his.
In Licum 42
Lycus which lately is to Venice gone,
shall if he do returne, gaine 3 for one:
But x to one, his knowledg and his wit,
vvil not be bettered or increasde a vvhit.
In Publium 43
Publius student at the common lavv,
oft leaues his bookes, & for his recreation:
To Paris garden doth himselfe Withdravve,
Where he is rauisht vvith such delectation
as dovvne amongst the Beares & dogges he goes,
vvere vvhilst he skipping cries To head, To head.
His Satten doublet & his veluet hose,
Are all vvith spittle from aboue be-spread.
[Page]When he is like a Fathers cuntrey hall,
stinking vvith dogges, & muted al vvith haukes,
and
[...]ightly too on him this filth do
[...]h fall,
Which for such fil
[...]hie spo
[...]s
[...]is bookes
[...]orsake,
Leauing olde P
[...]oyden, Dier & Brooke alone,
To see olde Harry Hunkes & Saca
[...]son.
In Sillam 44
When I this proposition had defended,
A covvarde cannot be an honest man,
T
[...]ou Silla seemest foorthvvith to be offended:
And
[...]oldes the cont
[...]arie & svveres he can.
But when I
[...]el thee that he will forsake
his dearest friend, in perill of his life,
Thou then art changde & saist thou didst mistake,
and so we ende our argument & strife.
Yet I thinke oft, & thinke I thinke a right,
Thy argument argues thou wilt not fight.
In Dacum 45
Dacus with some good cellour & pretence,
Tearmes his loues beautie silent eloquence:
For she doth lay more collours on her face,
Then euer Tullie vsde hig speech to grace.
In Marcum 46
Why dost thou Marcus in thy miserie,
Rai
[...]e & blaspheme, & call the heauens vn-kinde,
The heauens draw no Kindenesse vnto thee,
Thou hast the heauens so litle in thy minde
fo
[...] in thy life thou neuer vsest prayer,
But at p
[...]imero, to encounter faire.
Meditations of a Gull. 47
See yonder melancholie gentleman,
Which hoode-winked wi
[...]h his ha
[...], alone doth sit,
T
[...]inke what he thinkes & tell me if you can,
VVhat great affaires troubles his litle wit.
he thinkes not of the war twixt F
[...]ance & spaine
VVhether it be for Europs good o
[...] ill,
Nor whether the Empie can it selfe maintaine
Against the Turkish power encroching stil.
Nor what g
[...]ea
[...] Towne in all the ne
[...]her landes,
The sta
[...]es determine to besiege this spring
Nor how the scottish po
[...]licie now standes,
Nor what becomes of ths I
[...]sh mu
[...]ining.
But he doth seriouslie bethinke him whether
Of the guld people he be more esteemde,
For his long cloake, or his great blacke Feather,
By which each gull is now a gallant deemde.
[Page]Or of a Iourney he deliberates,
To Pa
[...]s garden cocke-pit or the play:
Or how to steale a dogge he medi
[...]ates,
Or what he he shall vnto his mist
[...]is say:
Yet with these Thoughts he thinks himselfe most fi
[...]
To be of Counsell with a King for wit.
Ad Musam 48.
Peace idle muse,, haue done, for it is time,
Since lowsie Ponticus ensues my fame,
And sweares the better sort are much to blame
To make me so wel knowne for ill rime
Yet Bankes his horse is better knowne then he,
so are the Cammels & the westerne hog,
And so is Lepidus hie p
[...]inted dogge.
why doth not Ponticus their fames enuie.
Besides this muse of mine, & the blacke fether.
grew both together fresh in estimation,
and both growne stale, were cast away togither:
What fame is this t
[...]at scarse lasts out a fashion.
Onely this last in credit doth remaine,
That frō henceforth, ech bastard castforth rime
which doth but sauour of a Libel vaine.
shal call me father, and be thought my crime,
so dull & with so litle sence endude,
is my grose headed iudge the multitude.
FINIS.
I, D.
IGNOTO.
I Loue thee not for sacred chaststie,
who loues fot that? nor for thy sprightly wit:
I loue thee not for thy sweete modestie,
Which makes thee in perfections throane to sit.
I loue thee not for thy inchaunting eye,
Thy beautie rauishing perfection:
I loue thee not for vnchast luxu
[...]ie,
Nor for thy bodies faire proportion.
I loue thee not for that my soule doth daunce,
And leap with pleasure when those lips of thine:
giue Musicall and g
[...]acefull vtterance,
To some (by thee made happie) poe
[...]s line.
I loue thee not for voice or slender small,
But wilt thou know wherefore-faire sweet for all.
Faith (wench) I cannot court thy sprightly eyes,
with the base Viall placed betweene my Thig
[...]es
I cannot lispe, nor to some Fiddle sing,
Nor run vppon a high strecht Minikin.
I cannot whine in puling Elegies,
Intombing Cupid with sad obsequies.
[Page]I am not fashioned for these amorous times,
To cou
[...]t thy beutie with lasciuious rimes.
I cannot dally, caper, daunce and sing,
Oyling my saint with supple sonneting.
I cannot crosse my armes, or sigh ay me,
Ay me Forlorne egregious Fopperie.
I cannot busse thy fill, play with thy hayre,
Swearing by loue, Thou art most debonaire.
not I by Cock, but shall tel rhee roundly,
harke in thine eare, zounds I can ( ) thee soūdly.
Sweet wench I loue thee, yet I wil not sue,
Or shew my loue as muskie Courtiers doe,
Ile not carouie a health to honor thee,
In this same bez
[...]ing drunken curtesie.
and when als quafde, eate vp my bowsing glasse.
In glory that I am thy seruile asse.
nor wil I weare a rotten burbon locke.
as some sworne pesant to a female smock.
wel featurde lasse, Thou knowest I loue the deere
Yet for thy sake I wil not bore mine eare.
To hang thy durtie silken shootires there.
nor for thy loue wil I once gnash a brick,
Or some pied collou
[...]s in my bonnet stiche.
bu
[...] by the chaps of hell to do thee good,
Ile freely spend my Thrise decocted bloud.
FINIS.
Amorum lib. 1. Elegia 1.
Quemadmodum a Cupidine, pro bell. amoris scribere coactus sit.
WE which were Ouids fiue books, now are thre
For these before the rest preferreth he;
If reading fiue thou plainst of tediousnesse,
Two taine away the labour will be lesse:
VVith muse vpreard I meane to sing of ames,
Choosing a subiect fit for fierse alarmes
Both verses were a like till loue (men say)
Began to smile and take one foote away
Rash boy, who gaue thee power to change a line?
VVe are the Muses prophets, none of thine.
That if thy Mother take Dianas bowe?
Shall Dian fanne when loue begins to glowe.
In woodie groues ist meete that Ceres raigne,
And quiuer bearing Dian till the plaine:
Whole set the faire treste sonne in battel ray,
While Mars doth take the Aonion harpe to play,
Great are thy kingdom
[...] ouer strong and large,
Ambitious Imp, why seekst thou further charge?
[Page]Are al things thine? the Muses tempe thine?
then scarse can Phoebus say, this harp is mine.
When in this worke, first verse I trode a-loft.
I slackt my muse, and made my number soft.
I haue no Mistres, nor no fauorit,
Being fittest matter for a wanton wit.
thus I complainde, but loue vn-lockt his quiuer,
Tooke out the shaft, ordainde my heart to shiuer.
and bent his sinewy bow vppon his knee,
Saying, Poet heeres a worke beseeming thee.
Oh woe is me, he neuer shootes but hits,
I burne, loue in my idle bosome sits.
Let my first verse be sixe, my last fiue feete,
Farewell sterne warre, for blunter poets meete,
Elegian muse, that warblest amorous layes,
Gyrt my shine browe, with seabanke mirtle praise.
C Marlowe
Amorum. Lib 1. Elegia 3
Ad amicam.
I aske but right let her that co
[...]ght me late,
Eyther loue, or cause that I may hate.
I craue too much, would she but let me loue her
loue knows with such like praie
[...]s I dailie moue her
Accept him that wil serue thee al his youth,
Accept him that wil loue thee with spotles tru
[...]h.
Yf loftie titles cannot cause me to be
[...]hine.
that am descended but of Knightlie line.
Soone may you plow the little landes I haue,
I gladlie graunt my parents giuen, to saue
Appollo, Bacchus, and the Muses may,
and Cupid who hath markt me for thy pray,
My spotlesse life, which but to gods giue place,
Naked simplicitie, & modest grace.
I loue but one, and her I loue change neuer,
Yf men haue faith, ile liue with thee for euer.
The yeeres that fatal destenie shal giue,
ile liue with thee, and die, or thou shalt g
[...]ieue.
Be thou the the happie subiect of my bookes
That I may write thinges worthy thy faire lookes.
By verses horned Io got her name,
and she ro whom in shape of Bull loue came.
And she that on a fainde Bull swam to land,
griping his false
[...]ornes with her virgin hand.
So likewise we will through the worlde be rung,
And with my name shal thine be alwaies sung.
Amorum. lib. 1. Elegia. 5.
Corinnae concubjtus.
IN Summers heate, and mid-time of the day.
To rest my limbes, vppon a bed I lay.
One window shut, the other open stood,
Which gaue such light, as twincles in a wood,
like twilight glimps at setting of the sunne
O
[...] night being past, and yet not day begunne.
Such light to shamefast maidens must be showne,
Where they may sport, & seeme to be vn-knowne.
Then came Co
[...]inna in a long loose gowne,
Her white neck hid with trells hanging downe,
Resembling faire Semiramis going to bed,
Or Layis of a thousand louers spread.
I snatcht her gowne being thin, the harme was smal,
Yet striude she to be couered there-withall.
And striuing thus as one that would be cast,
betrayde her selfe, and yeelded at the last.
Starke naked as she stoode before mine eye,
Not one wen in here body coulde I spie.
What armes & shoulders did I touch and see,
How apt her breastes were to be prest by me.
How smooth a bellie, vnder her waste saw I,
How large a legge, and what a lustie thigh.
To leaue the rest, all pleasde me passing well,
I clingde her faire white body, down she fell.
Iudge you the rest, being tyrde she bade me Kisse,
Ioue send me more such after-noones as this.
C Marlow
Amorum lib. 3 Elegia 13.
ad amicam si pecatura est, vt occulte peccet.
SEeing thou art faire, I bar not thy false playing,
But let not me poore soule wit of thy straying.
Nor do I giue thee counsaile to liue chast,
But that thou wouldst dissemble when tis past.
she hath not trode awry that doth deny it,
such as confesse haue lost their good names by it.
What madnes ist to tell night-sports by day,
Or hidden secrets openly to bewray,
The strumpet with the stranger will not do,
before the roome be clea
[...]e, and dore put too.
Will you make shipwracke of your honest name
[...]
and let the worlde be witnesse of the same.
Be more aduisde, walke as a pu
[...]i
[...]ane,
and I shall thinke you chast do what you can.
slippe still, onely deny it when tis done,
and before people immodest speeches shun,
The bed is for lasciuious toying smeete,
There vse all toyes, and treade shame vnder feete,
When you are vp and drest, be sage and graue,
and in the bed
[...]ide all
[...]he faul
[...]s you haue
Be not a shamed to strippe you being there,
and mingle thighes, mine euer yours to beare,
There in your rosie lips my tongue intombe,
Practise a thousande sports when there you come.
[Page]Forbare no wanton wordes you there would speake,
And with your pastime let the bedsted creake.
But with your robes, put on an honest face,
And blush and seeme as you were full of grace.
Deceiue all, let me erre, and think I am right,
and like a wittal, thinke thee voide of slight.
Why see I lines? so oft receiude and giuen,
This bed, and that by tumbling made vn-euen.
Like one start vp, your hayre tost and displast.
And with a wantons tooth, your neck new raste.
Graunt this, that what you doe I may not see
Yf you wey not il speeches, yet wey me:
My
[...]oule fleetes when I think what you haue done,
and through euery veine doth colde bloud run
Then thee whom I must loue I hate in vaine,
and would be dead, but dying with thee remaine,
Ile not sift much, but holde thee soone excused,
Say but thou wert iniuriously accused.
though while the deedes be doing you be tooke,
and I see when you ope the 2 leaude booke.
Sweare I was blinde, yeeld not if you be wise,
and I will trust your wordes more then mine eyes.
From him that yeeldes, the garland is quicklie got,
teach but your tongue to say, I did it not,
and being iustified by two wordes thinke,
The cause acquites you not, but I that winke.
C Marlow:
Amorum lib. 2. Elegia 15.
Ad inuidos, quod fama Poetarum sit perennis.
ENuie, vvhy carpest thou my time is spent so ill?
And tearmes our vvorks fruits of an idle quill,
Or that vnlike the line from vvhence I come,
Wars dustie honors are refused being yong,
Nor that I study not the bravvling lavves,
Nor set my voyce to sale in euery cause.
Thy scope is mortall, mine eternall fame,
That all the vvorld might euer chau
[...]t my name,
Homer shall liue vvhile Tenedos stands and Ide,
Or to the sea svvift Symois shall slide.
Ascreus lines, vvhile grapes vvith nevv vvine svvel,
Or men vvith crooked sickles corne dovvne fell,
For euer lasts high Sophocles proud vaine:
VVith sunne and moone Eratus shall remaine.
While bond-men cheat, fathers hoord, bavvds hoorish
And strumpets flatter, shal Menander flourish.
Rude En
[...]ius, and Plautus full of vvit,
Are both in Fames eternall legend vvrit.
VVhat age of Varroes name shall not be tolde,
And Iasons Argos, and the fleece of golde,
Loftie Lucresius shall liue that houre,
That Nature shall dissolue this earthly bovvre.
Eneas vvarre, and Titerius shall be read,
While Rome of all the con
[...]uering vvorld is head.
[Page]Till Cupids bow, and fierie shafts be broken.
Thy verses sweete Tibullus shal be spoken.
And Gallus shall be known from East to West,
So shal Licorus whom he loued best.
Therefore when Flint and Iron weare away.
Verse is immortall and shal decay.
Let kings giue place to verse and Kingly showes,
The bankes ore which golde bearing Tagus flowes.
Let base conceited wits admire vilde things,
Faire Phoebus leade me to the Muses springs.
About my head be quiuering Mirtle wound.
and in sad louers heades let me be founde.
The liuing not the dead can enuie bite,
For after dearh all men receiue their right.
Then thogh death rocks my bones in funerall fire,
Ile liue, and as he puls me downe, mount higher.
Amorum. lib. 1. Elegia. 13.
Ad auroram ne properet.
NOw on the sea from her olde loue comes shee.
That drawes the day frō heauēs cold axletree.
Aurora whither slidest thou down againe,
And by
[...]des from Memnon yeerely shal be slaine.
Now in her tender armes I svveetlie bide,
If euer, novv vvellies she by my side,
The ayre is colde, and sleep is svveetest novv,
And byrdes send foorth shril notes from euery bovv.
Whither runst thou, that men & Woemen loue not
Holde in thy rosie horses that they moue not.
Ere thou rise stars teach seamen vvhere to saile,
But vvhen thou comest, they of their course
[...] faile.
Poore trauailers though tired, rise at thy sight,
The painful Hinde by thee to fild is sent,
Slovv Oxen early in the yoke are pent.
Thou cousnest boyes of sleep, & dost betray them.
To Pedants that vvith cruel lashes pay them.
Thou mak'st the surtie to the lavvyer run,
That vvith one vvord hath nigh himselfe vndone,
The lavvyer & the Client both do hate thy vievv,
Both vvhom thou raysest vp to toyle anevv.
By thy meanes Woemen of their rest are barde,
Thou seest their laboring hands to spin and Carde.
[Page]This could I beare, but that the Wench should rise,
Who can endure, saue him vvith vvhom none lies?
Hovv oft vvisht I night vvould not giue thee place,
Nor morning starres shun thy vprising face.
Hovv oft, that eyther vvinde vvould break thy coch
Or steeds might fal, forc't with thik clouds aproch
vvhither go'st thou hateful nimph? Mēnon the elfe.
Receiu'd his cole-black colour from thy selfe.
Say that thy loue vvith Cephalus vvere not knovvn
Then thinkest thou thy loose life is not shovvne.
Would Tithon might but talke of thee a vvhile,
Not one in heāuen should be more base and Vile.
Thou leau'st his bed, because hees faint throgh age,
And early mountest thy hateful cariage:
But had'st thou in thine armes some Caephalus,
Then vvould'st thou cry, stay night & run not thus.
Punnish ye me, because yeeres make him vvaine,
I did not bid thee vved an aged svvaine.
The Moone sleepes, and Endimion euery day,
Thou art as faire as she, then kisse and play.
Ioue that thou shouldst not hast but vvait his leisure
Made tvvo nights one to finish vp his plesure.
I chide no more, she blusht, and therfore heard me,
Yet lingred not the day, but morning scarde me:
Amorum. lib. 2 Elegia 4,
Quod amet mulieres, Cuiuscunque forme sint.
I Meane not to defend the scapes of any,
Or iustifie my vices being many,
For I cōfesse, if that might merite fauour
Here I display my levvde and loose behauiour,
I loath, yet after that I loath I run:
Oh, hovv the burden irkes, that vve shoulde shun.
I cannot rule my selfe but vvhere loue please,
And driuen like a ship vppon rough seas,
No one face likes me best▪ al faces moue,
A hundred reasons makes me euer Loue.
Yf any eye me vvith a modest Looke,
I blush, & by that blushful glas am tooke
And she thats coy I like, for being no clovvn,
Me thinks she should be quick vvhen she is dovvne.
Though her sovver Lookes a sabines brovv resēble,
I think sheele do, but deeply can dissemble
If she be Learned, then for her skil I craue her,
If not, because shees simple I vvould haue her,
Before Calimecus one preferres me farre,
Seeing she likes my bookes, vvhy should vve iarre?
Another railes at me, and that I vvrite,
Yet vvould I be vvith her, if that I might
Trips shee, it likes me vvel, plods she, vvhat than?
She vvould be nimbler Lying vvith a man.
And when one sweetly sings, then straight I long,
To quauer on her lips euen in her song,
Or if one touch the lute with art and cunning.
Who would not loue those nimble handes for their swift runing.
And she I like that with a maiestie,
Foldes vp her armes, and makes low curtesie,
To leaue myselfe, that am in loue withal,
Some one of theese might make the chastest fal,
If she be tall, shees like an amazon,
And therefore fils the bed she lyes vpon:
If short. she lyes the rounder to speak troth,
Both short & long please me, for I loue both:
If her white neck be shadowed with black hayre,
Why so was Ledas, yet was Leda faire.
Yellow trest is she, then on the morne think I,
My loue alludes to euery historie:
A young wench pleaseth, and an olde is good,
This for her lookes, that for her woman-hoode,
Nay what is she, that any Romane loues,
But my ambitious ranging minde approues?
Amorum. Lib. 2 Elegia 10
Ad Grecinum quod eodem tempore duas amet.
GRecinus (well I wot) thou toldst me once.
I could not be in loue with two at once.
By thee deceiued, by thee surprisde am I.
For now I loue two women equally:
both are well fauoured, both rich in aray,
VVhich is the louliest it is hard to say:
This seemes the fairest, so doth that to me,
This doth please me most, and so doth she,
Euen as a boate, tost by contrary winde,
So with this loue and that wauers my minde,
Venus why doublest thou my endlesse smart?
Was not one wench inough to grieue my heart?
Why addst thou starres to heauen, leaues to greene woods
And to the deep vast sea fsesh water floods?
Yet this is better farre then lye alone,
let such as be mine enemies haue none,
Yea, let my foes sleepe in an emptie bed,
And in the mids their bodyes largely spread:
But may soft loue rowse vp my drowsie eyes.
And fom my mistris bosome let me rise:
Let one wench cloy me with sweet loues delight
If one can doote, if not, two euery night,
Though I am slender, I haue store of pich,
[Page]Nor want I strength, but weight to presse her with:
Pleasure ads fuell to my lustfull fire,
I pay them home with that they most desire:
Oft haue I spent the night in wantonnes,
And in the morne bene liuely nerethelesse,
Hees happy who loues mutuall skirmish slayes,
And to the Gods for that death Ouid prayes,
Let souldiour chase his enemies amayne,
And with his blood eternall honour gaine,
Let marchants seeke welth with periured lips,
And being wrackt, carowse the sea tir'd by their ships
But when I dye, would I might droope with doing,
And in the mids thereof, let my soule going,
That at my funerals some may weeping cry,
Euen as he led his life, so did he die.
Amorum lib. 3. Elegia 6.
Quod ab amica receptus cum ea coire non potuit conqueritur.
EIther she vvas foule, or her attire vvas bad,
Or she vvas not the vvēch I vvisht t'haue had,
Idly I lay vvith her, as if I louede her not,
And like a burden greeu'd the bed that moued not
Though both of vs performd our true intent,
Yet coulde I not cast ancor where I meant,
She on my neck her Iuorie armes did throw.
That were as vvhite as is the Scithian snovv.
And egarly she kist me vvith her tongue.
And vnder mine, her vvanton thigh she flong,
Yea, and she soothde me vp, and calde me sir
And vsde all speech that might prouoke and stirre,
Yet like as if colde hemlock I had drunk,
It mocked me, hung dovvne the head and sunke.
Like a dull Cipher, or rude block I lay,
Or shad, Or body vvas lo? vvho can say,
What vvill my age do? age I cannot shunne,
Seeing in my prime, my force is spent and done,
I blush, and being youthful, hot, and lustie,
I proue neyther youth nor man, but olde and rustie,
Pure Rose she, like a Nun to sacrifice,
Or one that vvith her tender brother lies,
Yet boorded I the golden Chietvvise.
And Libas and the vvhite cheek'de Pith o thrise.
Corinna craude it in a summers night,
And nine svveet bouts had vve before day light,
What vvast my lims throgh some Thesalia charms
May spels and droughs do sillie soules such harms?
With virgin vvaxe hath some imbast my ioyntes,
Had pierst my Liuer vvich sharp needle points,
Charmes change corne to grasse and make it die,
By charmes are running springs & foūntaines drie
By charmes Mast drops from okes frō vines grapes fal
And fruit frō trees, vvhē ther's no vvind at al.
Why might not then my sinevves be inchaunted,
And I grovv faint, as vvith some spirit haunted.
To this and shame, shame to perform it quaild me,
And vvas the second cause vvhy rigor failde me:
My idle thoughts delighted her no more,
Then did the robe or garment vvhich she vvore,
Yet might her touch make youthfull pilius she,
And Tithon liuelier then his yeeres require,
Euen her I had, and she had me in vaine,
What mighr I craue more if I aske againe
I think the great gods grieu'd they had bestovvd,
This benefit, vvhich levvdlie I forslovvde:
I vvisht to be restored in, and in I got me,
To kisse, I kisse. to lie vvith her shee let me.
Why vvas I blest? vvhy made king? & refusde it,
Ch
[...]if-like had I not golde, & could not vse it?
So in a
[...]p
[...]ing thriues he that tolde so much,
[Page]And lookes vppon the fruits he cannot touch,
Hath any Rose so from a fresh young maide,
As she might straight haue gon to church & praid.
Well, I beleue she kist not as she shoulde,
Nor vsde the slight nor cunning vvhich she coulde
Huge Okes, hard Adam
[...]s might she haue moued
& vvith svveet vvords, cause deaf rocks to haue loued
Worthy she vvas to moue both gods & men
But neither vvas I man, ne liued then,
Can deafe yeres take delit, vvhē Phemius sings,
Or Thama
[...]is in cu
[...]ious painted things.
What svveet thought is there but I had the same,
And one gaue Place still as an other came.
Yet notvvithstanding, like one dead it lay,
Drouping more then a rose puld yesterday:
Novv vvhen he should not
ier,[?] he bolts vp-right,
And craues his task, & seekes to be at fight,
Lie dovvn vvith shame, & see thou stirre no more,
Seeing novv thou vvouldst deceiue me as before:
Thou cousendst me, by thee surprisde am I,
And bide great hurt vvith endlesse infamie.
Nay more, the Wench did not disdaine a vvhit.
To take it in her hand and play vvith it.
But vvhen she savv it vvould by no meanes stand,
but stil dropt dovvn regarding not her hand
Why mok'st thou me she cried, or being ill,
Who bade thee lie dovvne here against thy vvill?
Eyther tha'rt vvitcht vvith bloud of frogges nevv dead
Or iaded camst thou from som others bed.
With that her loose govvne on frō me she cast her
[Page]In skipping out her naked feet much grac'd her,
And lest her Maide should knovv of this disgrace,
To couer it, spilt vvater in the place.
Amorum Lib. 1 Elegia 2.
Quod primo amore coreptus, in triumphum duci se a Cupidine Patiatur.
WHat makes my bed seeme hard seing it is so soft?
Or vvhy slips dovvn the Couerlet so oft?
Although the nigh
[...]s belong, I sleepe not tho,
My sid
[...]s a
[...]e sore vvith tumbling to and fro.
VVere loue the cause, it's like I should descry him
Or lies he close, and shootes vvhere none can spie him.
T'vvas so he strok me vvith a tēder dart,
T'is cruell loue tu
[...]moyles my captiue hart.
yeelding or striuing do vve giue him might,
Lets yeelde, a bu
[...]den easly borne is light.
I savv a brandisht sire increase in stre
[...]g
[...]h,
vvhich being not shakt, I savv it die at length.
young oxen nevvly yokt are beaten more,
Then Oxen vvhich haue dravvn the plovv before:
& rough iades mouths vvith stuburn bits are torne
[Page]But managde horses heades are lighlly borne.
Vnvvilling louers, loue doth more torment,
Then such as in their bondage feele content.
Lo I confesse, I am thy captiue I,
And holde my conquered handes for thee to tie.
VVhat need it thou vvarre, I sue to thee for grace
VVith arms to conquer armles men is base,
Yoke Venus Doues, pur M
[...]tle on thy hayre,
Vuscan vvil gius thee Cha
[...]o
[...]s rich and fayre:
The people thee applauding thou shal
[...] stand
Guiding the harmles Pigeons vvith hand.
Yong men and VVoemen, shalt thou leade as thral
So wil thy triumphes seeme magnifical,
I lately cought, vvil haue a nevv made VVounde,
And captiue like be manacled and bound,
Good meaning shame, & such as seek loues vvrack
Shall follovv thee, their handes tide at their back.
Thee al shal feare and vvorship as a king
Io. triump
[...]ing shal thy people sing.
Smooth speeches, f
[...]are & rage shal by thee ride,
VVhich troups haue alvva
[...]es bin on Cupides side:
thou vvi
[...]h these souldiers cōquerst gods & men.
take these avvay vvhere is thy honor then?
Thy mother shal from heauen applaud this shovv,
And on their faces, heapes of Roses strovv.
VVith beutie of thy vvings, thy faire hayre guilded
Ride golden loue in Chariots richlie builded.
Vnlesse I erre, ful many shalt thou qurne,
And giue vvordes infinite at euery turne.
[Page]In spite of thee, forth vvil thy Arrovves flie,
A scorching flame burnes all the standers by.
So hauing cōquerd Inde, vvas Bacchushevv,
Thee Pōpous byrdes & him tvvo Tigers drevve,
Then seeing I grace thy shevv in follovving thee.
Forbeare to hurt thy selfe in spoyling me-
Behold thy kinsmans Cesars prosperous handes,
Who
[...]thee cōquered vvith his conquering handes.
FINIS.