To Augustus Caesar. Elegie 1
WIth you what thing haue I ado, my bookes my hoplesse care
[...]
Sith that my
[...]its (o wretch) because y
t I of lyfe dispayre.
My verse conde
[...]ned muses why?
[...]epete I now agayne?
And it is not enough, th
[...]t I haue once thus s
[...]ffred
[...]ayne?
My verses
[...]o a meane haue bene, by heauy hap so growne
That I (alas) on euery syde, to man and wyfe am knowne.
By verses the doth
Caesar note, me and my maners all,
Through peruers art which now of late in deepe disdaine is fall▪
My paynful studyes set asyde, no faul
[...]es of life remayne,
That guylty I imputed am, my verse hath caused playne.
This we receiue, as price of life, and labors greate of mynd,
And now my paynful pynching paynes, in woful wit I fy
[...]de.
If wyse I were, I should of right, the learned sisters blame,
As greuous goddesses to such as worship wil the same.
But madnes now with feuer fearce, are ioyned so in one,
That mindfull yet of former payne, my foote doth strike the stone.
Like as the wounded souldiour doth, resort the f
[...]eld vnto,
Or as the wracked ship doth seeke, on swel yng seas to g
[...]e.
Perhaps li
[...]e him, which once within,
Teutrantus real
[...]e did rayne,
The same which made this greeuous wound, therof may ease the paine,
And angry muse which moued ire, the same likewyse remoue,
For weping verse do grace obtayne, at mighty Gods aboue,
The worthy dames of
Italy, doth
Caesar wil to pr
[...]y,
To
Ops which stately towers beare, and founding verse to say.
The like to
Phoebus eke what
[...]yme,
[...]ere playd the plea
[...]ant playes,
Which neuer oftner cold be sene, but once in one mens dayes.
Lo these (O gracious
Caesar now) as h
[...]ppy myrrours haue,
And let my wittes more m
[...]lder wrath, of thee hereafter craue.
The same is iust I do confesse, nor my desertes denye,
Nor shame so far departed is from feareful face to flye.
But if I had offended naught what could you then bestowe?
My let therefore occasion is whereof that mercy growe.
So oftentymes as mortall men, in sinful faulte
[...] be
[...]ound.
If
loue s
[...]ould strike he might in tyme lacke shot whe
[...]with to wounde.
But he when once with th
[...]ndring noyse, haue thr
[...]atned sore the lande,
With sprinkled drops the cloudy ayre, is cleared out of hand.
[Page]A God, a guyde, a father graue, of right he cald haue bene,
As mighty Ioue nothing so greate, in Uasty world is seene.
Sith thee also a father graue, and guyde in earth thy name,
Use then of Gods the maner
[...] myld, thy power it is the same,
The which full wel thou do, nor no man with more equall hand,
The rightful reanes could better hold, wherwith to rule the land.
T
[...]e
P
[...]rchian
[...] proude thou did subdue, yet pardon oft bestow,
Which they to thee in case alike, would not haue geuen I know.
Wi
[...]h worldly wealth and honours high, aduaunced many bee,
Whose guilty handes did weapons weare, in fielde aduerse to thee.
The day also with moued
[...]re, thy wrath away did take,
S
[...] eyther part in sacred house, at once their offringes make.
And as the souldiour doth reioyce, who did thy foes oppresse,
So haue the captiues cause ynough, to ioy at such distresse.
My cause yet better is: I weare no weapon so vntrue.
Nor ennemyes guilty goods I do, with greedy lust
[...]urs
[...]e.
By seas, by land, by starry skye, lo here I make my vow.
By thee also that present is, a God to whom I bow.
That this good wil (o most of might) haue euer bene in mee,
And as thyne owne with hart and soule, I sought alwayes to bee.
I wished oft that here thou mighte, in earth haue liued long.
And one I was that prayed thus amids the mighty thronge.
And sacrifyce for this I gaue, and with myne owne assent,
When publique prayers were pronounc'd, to help to this entent,
My bookes my faulty factes also, what n
[...]ede I haue in mynde,
Wherein thy name a thousand tymes, in open place I fynd.
Behold likewyse my greater wor
[...]es, vnended as they bee,
W
[...]ere th
[...]t transformed bodies are in wondrous wise to se.
Ther shalt thou find by flitteryng
[...]ame, thy name haue had much praise,
There shalt thou f
[...]nde by pledges greate of louing mind alwayes.
Thy glory yet no verse can well, augment in any wyse,
Sith nothing may therto be put, whereby it might aryse.
Of Ioue the fa
[...]e doth farre exc
[...]ede, yet doth it him delite,
Whe
[...] as the same in sta
[...]ly verse, we seemly do endight.
If that by Gyauntes bloudy warres of mention ought be hard,
At pr
[...]se therof he doth reioice, for truth we do regarde.
But th
[...]e do others honou
[...] more and as it seemeth f
[...]t.
Thy princely prayse and royall fame▪ do prayse with riper wit.
And as with shedding guil
[...]lesse bloud, of bulles a hundreth slayne▪
Of God with smallest ensenc
[...] geuen, so grace we do obtayne.
[Page 12]O wicked wight, O tyrant fearce, O cruel cursed foe,
That did my pleasant fancies make to the disclos
[...]d so.
To verses which in bookes discryb
[...], to thee thyne honour due,
From reader ought in iudgement iust, more fauor to ensue,
But if thou hap offended be▪ who then dare be my friend?
No scant vnto my selfe I should, my faythfull frendship lend.
When as
[...] house decayed is, and se
[...]led on the side,
Then all the mas
[...]y wa
[...]ght thereof, to yelding pa
[...]tes do slyde.
Or elswhereas by fortunes force, a
[...]hincke therein is wayde.
With prayse thereof in tract of
[...]ime, the same is soone decayde.
The great enuy of men so we, by hurtfull verse do finde,
And people be (as mee it is) to
Caesars side enclynde.
When as my life and maners yet, were more alowde I knowe,
And by the horse the same I iudge, which then thou did bestowe▪
The which although it profits nought, nor honest prayse I haue,
Yet from the name of cruel crime, my selfe I wish
[...]o saue.
No cause to me committed was, of guilty men amis
For iudges t
[...]n times ten to loke, vppon whose office is,
And priuate playntes without offence, as iudge I did decree
With v
[...]ryght mynd the same I gaue, it will confessed be
And that (O wretch) if latest deedes had not offended more,
Euen by thyne owne ass
[...]nt, I should not once be sau'te before.
The latest actes do me destroye, my ship which safely sailde,
In depthy and swallowing waues, through sturdy storme is faylde.
No litle part of wh
[...]lming waues, oppresseth mee alone,
But all the flocke of flowing flouds, and
Ocean seas in one.
Why saw I ought? myne eyes why haue, I guilty causd to be?
W
[...]y is m
[...] fault vn
[...]eeting I, now
[...]nowi
[...]g se well to mee?
The
[...]eck't
Diana Acteon saw, vnwares as hee did pas,
To hunge
[...] boundes a present pray, no whit the lesse he was
For mighty gods do punishe those, by chaunce that do offend,
Nor pa
[...]on oug
[...]t wh
[...]re po
[...]ers be hurt, to such mishaps do lend,
So in that day wherein I was with errour thus beguyld,
Our litle
[...]ous
[...] decayed i
[...], with fault yet vndefyld.
And litle though
[...] yet of good fame, euen in my fathers dayes,
Nor vnto none in
[...]riour now, for honours noble prayse,
Not
[...]or t
[...]e w
[...]lth nor want therof, it can so well be knowne,
For neyther
[...] beca
[...]se wh
[...]rof, our knighely name is growne.
And be
[...] by our byrth or rent our house be litle namde,
My wits and payn
[...]ul studi
[...] causde abroade it hath bene faynde.
[Page]Which though percase I seeme to vse, as young and wantonly,
Yet by that meane through world so wyde, my famous name do
[...]lye.
O
[...]
Naso eke the name is knowen▪ amidst the learned thronge,
W
[...]o
[...]are of him the same record
[...], no abiect men amonge.
This house therfore to muses greate, in great decay is fall,
By one offence and careful cryme, yet not accompted finall.
But so decayd as ryse it may, if that the raging ire,
Of greeued
Caesar waxeth ripe, to wonted vse retyre.
Whose gracious mercy is so greate, in iudgement of our payne,
That not so much
[...]s we did feare, we haue receiued playne
Our life is geuen and not my death, his gentle wrath doth craue,
With vsed power (O noble Prince) we pray therfore to saue.
I haue
[...]lso with thyne assent, my fathers liuings all,
As though my life thou did accompt,
[...] gyft that were to small.
My doleful dedes hast not condemd, by Senates close assent,
Nor by decree of them opprest, in wretched exile sent.
With threatning wordes rebuking vice (as best a Prince beseeme)
Offences all thou dost reuenge
[...]nd mercy so esteeme.
And those decrees which were pronounc'de in sterne and a
[...]per wyse▪
Yet in the name of lighter fault thou wild it should suffise.
Thus as dischargd and sent away, no exiles name I haue,
My happy dayes d
[...]priuing so, and life thereby to saue.
No payne or greefe so greeuous is, no trouble such of mynde.
As to displease so great a Prince his vengeaunce there to f
[...]nde.
But Gods which whilom moued were, sometimes appeased bee,
And scowling cloudes once driu
[...]n assyde, a day ful fayre wee see.
The Elme which lately blasted was, depriued of his greene,
The clustred vines eftsones to beare, full oftentymes is seene.
And though thou do forbid to hope, we hope assuredly.
This one thing yet m
[...]y come to passe, though thou thereto denye
My hope encrease (O gentle Prince) when thee I do behold,
And eke decrease when I respect my faultes so manyfold.
The roring rage of swellyng seas, is not alyke alwaye,
[...]or furies fierce doth euer last▪ in tossing streames to stay.
But sometymes be more calme and cleare, and cease theyr vsed toyle,
To make vs thinke the force wer lost, of byllowes boysterous broile
So do my feares both▪ ryse and fall, sometime in doubt remayne,
In hope and dreade of thy good wil, to passe or proue my payne.
For loue of Gods therfore which geue, the
[...] long and happy dayes,
(If they of noble Romaynes do esteeme thy name and prayse)
[Page 13]For countrey eke which thou do kepe, as guide and father deare,
Whereof my selfe a part I was, and thence now passed cleare.
To thee the stately towne so shal, with honors due resound,
W
[...]o doest for wit and famous factes, in wondrous wife
[...]bound.
So
Liuia with thee remayne, and liue in wedded lyfe,
Which were but euen for thee alone a farre vnworthy wyfe.
If shee were not, a s
[...]gle lyfe, should best beseeme for thee,
For none there liues to whom thou might
[...] wedded husband be.
Of thee so shall
[...] sonne in health, and thou in health to rayne,
Which may in thy more elder
[...]ge, an old man here remayne.
And bring to passe that happy starres, through those thy noble deedes▪
W
[...]th neuewes young shall stil abide, that thee in realme succedes.
So victory which vsed is, thy noble castels to,
Shal still be prest at hand alwayes, to customd ensignes goe.
S
[...]e shall with wonted winges still flye, with guyde of
Laui
[...] land,
On happy head a
Laurell greene, shal set with semely hand
By whom thou famous war
[...] do kepe, in parson also fyght,
To whom good lucke by thee is geuen, w
t Gods of maru'lous might.
And thus i
[...] mighty town art s
[...]ene, as present halfe to byde,
And halfe away in further partes, the bloudy wars to guyde.
A victor greate from foes subdu'de, he shal retourne to thee,
With crowned horse and tryumphes braue, aduaunced shal hee be,
B
[...]t spare we pray thy lightning fearce and cruel shot vp lay,
W
[...]erof (O wretch) we haue alas, to long now made assay,
Thou art our country father deare, not mindles of this name,
We pray thee spare and graunt vs hope, in time to haue no blame.
To come agayne I do not craue, yet well beleue we may,
That mighty Gods more harder suites, haue not denied alwaye.
A gentler kynd of exiles lyfe, and nerer place bestow,
Then of my paynes the greatest part would be allayd I know▪
The furthest land I do approue, and cast among my f
[...]es,
Nor no man from his country that, so far an exile goes.
In Hauen of seuenfold
I stars Sea, alone here am I sent,
With frosty axe of
Archadie, in cruell care am pent.
The
Iazegies, the
Colcho
[...] eke, and all th
[...]
Getan rout.
With
Me
[...]e
[...]ius whom
Danube stream may skant from h
[...]nce kepe out.
And though that diuers be driuen forth, for much more greate offence,
Yet none to place more f
[...]r then I, is sent away from thence.
B
[...]yond this land no thing ther is, saue cold and enmies fell,
W
[...]th waters thinne of whelming sea. with frosty yse congell.
[Page]On left syde here
Euxinians ioyne, to part of
Romaine land,
And next the
Basterns and the
Savvromes kepe wit
[...] cruell hand.
This is the land that latest came to rule of
Romayne law,
And scantly any part thereof, thyne
[...]mpire neare do draw.
Whe
[...]fore I hu
[...]bly pray that we, be set in saul
[...]er soyle,
L
[...]ast els with losse of counrey deare, we liue in endles toyle.
So neede we not the nations f
[...]re, whom
I star skant deuyde,
Nor as thy subiectes there be t
[...]ne, with cruell foes to byde.
For no
[...]an borne of
Latian bloud can beare those barberous bandes,
But that the
[...] wil a burden bee vnto
Caesarians handes
Two faultes there are that haue me slayne, error and my verse.
All other
[...]aultes I thinke it good that I do not reherse.
Thy greuous woundes
(O Caesar) now renew I do not meane,
And that thou hau
[...] bewayld t
[...]em onc
[...], to much I do esteeme.
Another part of cryme remaynes, a greeuous fault for mee,
A
[...]eacher of aduoutry foule, I charged am to bee,
Some thinges the Gods may well deceiue, then for to know is hard,
Of them for many be so meane, that thou dost not regarde.
For while as
Ioue beholdes the heauens, and mighty Gods also,
The smaller thing from lofty skyes, cannot respect vnto.
So many matters they escap
[...], in vewing world so wyde,
That l
[...]sse affa
[...]res of mean
[...]r wayght, f
[...]om
[...]eauenly
[...]inde do slyde.
That is while thou a Prince be set, in Empire large
[...]o rayne,▪
May not entend fond verse to reade, and greatter thinges disdayne.
The wa
[...]ghty w
[...]ght of
Romayne name, do not so
[...]ighty moue,
No
[...] pray
[...]e therof on back to beare, so
[...] thee
[...]ehoue.
As thou with Godly power may ma
[...]ke, our fonde and foolish toyes,
Wi
[...]h open eyes here to discusse, our ydle earthly ioyes.
Some
[...]ymes
Germania doth rebell, sometymes
Illerians
[...]yle,
Rh
[...]tia and the
Th
[...]a
[...]ian land, with ci
[...]ill wa
[...]es
[...].
S
[...]met
[...]
Armenius craueth peace and
Parthus
[...]
[...]elde.
With f
[...]r
[...]ful bandes resto
[...]yng
[...]ft the e
[...]s
[...]g
[...]es won
[...]n
[...]elde,
Ge
[...]mania eke through infant young, a yo
[...]g man t
[...]ee do take,
And
Caesar doth f
[...]ll cruell w
[...]res, for mig
[...]
Caesar make.
In fine, of all th
[...]ne empire huge (which ne
[...]er was
[...] large)
No pa
[...]
[...] all abated is, but stil
[...]en aynes in charge.
The Citty great and sure def
[...]nc
[...], of cus
[...]o
[...]es a
[...]d of law,
D
[...]th
[...]ike the sore? wh
[...]le thē
[...]ho
[...] s
[...]ekes,
[...] more
[...]ere to draw
The q
[...]et state
[...]hou can not vse, w
[...]ich thou hast
[...]ald in land,
For
[...]ro
[...]blous wars with nations great, thou dayly takes i
[...] hand.
[Page 14]Wherfore among such causes graue, I maruayle much and muse,
That thou our w
[...]nted follies would, with earnest eyes peruse.
But if thou had (as I do wishe)
[...]re ydle there haue bene,
Then in myne art no
[...]ault at all, perhaps thou shoul
[...] ha
[...]e seene.
The w
[...]ich I do confesse was not, deu
[...]sde with seue
[...]e heade,
Nor matter meete that might deserue of such a prince be reade.
Yet be they not to lawes offence, nor gylty of such blames,
But to enstruct the youthfull route, of noble
Romayne dames.
N
[...]r needest not my bookes to doubt, for in one of those three,
These verses
[...]ower which next approach,
[...]e set therin to see.
Stand you aloofe you vestal tape
[...], of s
[...]amefastne
[...] the signes,
Geue place likevvise ye purfled Pavvles, that halfe on feete declynes
Of lavvf
[...]ll lot and skill allovvd, vve onely do resoonde,
For in our simple verse there shall, no subt
[...]l cryme be founde.
Lo
[...]o wee not all sober dames, from this our art expell
[...]
Whom stole and tape forbiddeth playne with louely loue to mell?
B
[...]t matrones may more artes
[...]uent, although they be vntaught▪
W
[...]erby to make the chastest myndes, with wickednes be fraug
[...]t.
No bookes therfore let matrons reade, s
[...]th all thinges be so straunge,
That they be turnde from vertuous vse, to f
[...]lthy vice to chaunge.
W
[...]o lo doth care all thinges to turne to wrong and wor
[...]er part,
To vices vile his maners chaunge, through wil of workers hart.
For take in hand the C
[...]ronicke bookes, then those nothing more graue
How
Ilia fayre a babe brought forth, to reade there shalt thou haue.
Or if thou
[...]oke on
Maroes workes, ther shalt thou see in s
[...]ght,
How
Venus fayre a mother was vnto the
Troyan Knight.
Yea further yet if
[...]ll thinges may, likewyse accompted be.
No kynd of verse but may the mynd, corrupt also we see.
As guilty yet not euery booke, we may therefore disp
[...]se▪
For of ech thing that helpe proceedes, doth harme als
[...] aryse.
Then
[...]re what thinge more needefull to? yet who so lokes in land,
The howses high to burne and spoile, the fyre he t
[...]kes in hande.
So P
[...]s
[...]ck sometimes greatly hur
[...]es, sometymes do
[...] heale right wel,
Of herbes that hurtful be or not, by skil
[...]ul
[...]ore to tell
The theefe and ware wa
[...]fayr
[...]ng man, by syde a sword they haue.
The one to ro
[...] the s
[...]mple wight, the other himselfe to saue.
And R
[...]thorick haue long time ben taug
[...]t, to pleade for righteousnes,
Yet faulty fol
[...]es it oft def
[...]ndes, and innocents
[...]ppresse
Euen so w
[...]o shall my v
[...]ses reade, with eq
[...]all vpright mynd,
Shal well perswade himselfe enoug
[...],
[...] hurt in them to fynde.
[Page]And who so thinkes he sinne conceyues, or vyces here of haue,
But erreth much, and writinges myne, to much he doth depraue.
In sacred playes (I do confesse)
[...]e certayne wanton
[...],
The stages therof do remoue, wheron the players sli
[...].
What causes also haue bene geuen, of sinne and great mischaunce
In marshall fieldes and places greate where fighters do aduaunce?
L
[...]t
Ci
[...]cus
[...] b
[...] set asyde, the vse therof not good,
The maydens chast thereon at playes, by men vnknown they stoode.
While men do rome in selfesame path, where louers do resort,
Why then be porches set at large where all men may disport.
What place then temples is more l
[...]rge? yet is their cause of
[...]inne,
I
[...] wicked myndes that so delytes, by hap be set therin.
For set in sacred house of
Ioue perchaunce it may be seene,
What number great of mothers made, by mighty
Ioue haue bene.
Or who shal in the Temples pray, of Lady
Iuno true
The Gods she there bewayling sees, and wanton Lemman
[...] vewe.
So some wil aske that
Pallas see, as they her picture pas,
How of her
Eriththonius, by sinne conceiued was.
And commyng to the house shal see of
Mar
[...] the heauenly wight,
Before the gates where
Venus standes, fast by her worthy knight.
In
Isis Church who chaunce, to sit w
[...]l haply a
[...]e in doubt,
By
Ionian and the
Bosphore seas, why
Iuno sent her out.
For
Venus there
Anchises is, for
Luna Latinus old,
For
Ceres
[...]ke doth
Iatius stand, on whom thou maist beholde.
All these thinges therfore may corrupt, the wicked peruerse mynd,
Y
[...]t in their place ful harmles stand, not wrested from ther kynd.
Far from this art which w
[...]itten was, for wanton dames behoue,
The formost leafe of that same booke, all modest hands remoue.
Who so therefore by hap offend, more th
[...]n the liuers chast:
With guilty men of fault forbode, shall he strayght wayes be pla
[...]?
No haynous act the wanton verse, it is to lightly reede,
For many thinges the chast may see which be abhord in deede.
The matrons graue do oft beholde, the baudy harlots loue,
How naked there themselues they make, dame
Venus pr
[...]nkes to proue.
The Uestall eyes likewyse they do, the S
[...]rompets body see,
Yet to themselues by sight therof, no paynes deserued bee
But why haue I so much (alas) my muse to wanton made?
Or what haue causd my wicked booke to louely lore perswade?
No thinge saue sinne and open fault, of force I must confesse,
My wits and skill I do accuse, as cause of my distresse.
[Page 15]Why haue I not the
Troyan towne, by
Gretians whilom sackt,
In Asper verse the same renu'de, and toulde that famous fact?
Why spake I not of
Thebas slege, and wounded brethren twayne▪
And how the seuen gates thereof, in sundry charge remayne?
And marshall
Rome occasion gaue, whereof I should endight,
A godly worke it were for mee, my country facts to wright.
In fine: while that by thy deserts, all thinges so much abound
[...],
A cause I had (O
Caesar) why thy prayse I should resounde.
Euen as the eyes delighted be, with beames of
Phoebus bright,
So did thy facts my mynde entise, to take thereof delight.
As rightfully I am reprou'de, in barren fielde I t
[...]l'de,
That noble worke is far more large, with greater plentye fil'de,
For though the slender boate is bould, in smaller streame to play,
Yet like disport it dareth not in surginge seas assay.
And doubting that for greater thinges, my minde is farre vnfit,
In ditties small it may suffice, that I doe shew my wit.
But if thou should commaund to tell, of G
[...]aunts greeuous wound
[...]s,
Which they through fyre of
Ioue did feele: the worke my wit confoūdes▪
A fruictfull minde it doth requyre, of
Caesars actes to wright,
Least els perhaps with matter much, the worke may want his right.
Which though I durst haue take in hande, yet dreading much amonge,
Thy noble power I might abate, which were to great a wronge.
To lighter worke I therefore went, and youthfull verse addrest,
With
[...]ayned loue a care I had▪ to feede my fi
[...]le bre
[...]st.
Which loth I was full longe to doe, but fates did so ordayne,
And deepe des
[...]re my mynde did mooue, to purchase greeuous payne.
Why haue I learn'de? O wretch why haue, my parents taught me lore▪
On letters small why haue I set, my wofull eyes before?
For this I am of thee enuide, by wanton arte aright,
Through which thou thincks y
e chasty heads, be traind to foule delight.
But none whom wedlocks yoke doth bind, this craft haue learnd of me,
For who so nothinge knowes himselfe, no teacher can he be,
So haue I made both pleasant Toyes, and gentle facile verse,
As yet
[...]n talke for by worde leude, no wight may
[...]e reherse.
Nor none who liues in wedded life, amonge the common rought,
That of himselfe a father false, through my default doe dought.
My maners milde repugnant are, to verse (beleue you mee)
My life both chast and shamefa
[...]t is, though muse mor e pleasaunt bee.
And greatest part of those my workes, inuentions are vntrue,
For much more craft they doe allowe, then maker euer knewe.
[Page]Nor written bookes do not purport, th'aff
[...]ctions of the mynde,
But honest will to pleasaunt myrth, to make the ca
[...]es inclynde.
For
Aceius t
[...]en in cruell deedes,
Terentius should delight,
In b
[...]nk
[...]t
[...] braue: and warriours be, of warres that do endight.
In fine: tho
[...]gh diuers are with mee, that tender l
[...]ue haue m
[...]yde,
Y
[...]t I al
[...]n
[...] for it (O wretch) the paynes alone haue payde.
Theia mus
[...] of
Le
[...]yan olde, hath she not taught the skill?
With plenty great of
Bacchus dewe, dame
Venus neast to fill?
[...]hat ha
[...]h dame
Sappho Lesbia learn'de, but maydens fayre to loue,
Yet
Sa
[...]pho still remayneth
[...]aul
[...]e, and he no pa
[...]nes do proue.
What hath it thee (
ô Battis) hurt that reading of thy verse,
T
[...]y pleasaunt pr
[...]ncks thou did confesse, and wanton ioyes reherse.
No fab
[...]e
[...]ounde but tels of loue, in great
Menanders booke,
Yet is it red to Uirgins yongue, and Boyes thereon do looke.
What shall you reade in
Ilias, but foule aduouterous life?
And feare aff
[...]ct of louers false, with toyle and endlesse strife,
Therein what is there set before, of
Chresida the loue?
And of the mayde frō Captaynes caught, which anger great did moue.
What is
Odys
[...]ea els? but while
Vl
[...]s
[...]e
[...] was away▪
How of his wyse the loue to get, what Wo
[...]rs did
[...]ssay.
What doth great
Homer more report, but
Mars to
Venus bound,
And that th
[...]y were in filthy bed, and foule aduou
[...]ry
[...]ound.
By him haue we not knowledge caught,
[...]ha
[...] mo
[...]de with loues
[...]?
One straunger caus'de two G
[...]ddesses, to bu
[...]ne in secret fyre?
Though Tragedies all writinges do surmount, for matter gr
[...]ue,
Yet euen in them occasions great, of loue alwayes we haue.
For in
Hyppolitus the loue▪ of
Phaedra do we finde,
And eke how constant
Canace lou'de, her bro
[...]er not vnkinde.
What did not then kinge
Pelop
[...] white, when
Cupid forcte his chaire,
With
Phrygian horses fearce conuey,
Hippodamia faire?
Prouoked grie
[...]e through loues desyre, in sc
[...] so m
[...]ch it was,
That mothers caus'de theyr cruell Bledes, through childrens bloud to pas,
And loue a king with Lemman
[...]ayre, in
[...] foul
[...]s did chaunge,
And made Sir
Itis mother mourne, with s
[...]ghes, & sobbing straunge.
If that
Europaes brother vile, her loue did not requyre,
Wyth
Phoebus: then we h
[...]d not read, how horses did retyre.
Nor
Scylla should haue so attayn'de, the Tr
[...]g
[...]cke stile vnto,
Unlesse that loue her Father forste, his fatall hearse forgo.
Whose life by hap
Electran reades and made
Orestes fit,
Aegestus faultes nor
Clytemnestras, sinnes, he can forgit.
[Page 16]What neede I speake of
Victor that
Chymera did oppresse?
Who crafty gest did much annoy, to death almost distresse.
Who hath not spoke of
Hermyone, and thee
Chentyda tould,
Of
Alcumene whom
Mycene Duke, in louinge breast did fould.
What
Daneyes daughter in law, her selfe? what
Bacchus Dame?
What
Hermyona with her which caus'de, of one two Nightes became▪
Of Duke
Admere, of
Theseus eke, what should I here resounde,
Of
Greeke whose ship did first arriue, on coast of
Pgrygian grounde.
Let
Ioels come amonge the rest, with
Deidamia fayre,
Wyth
Hylas to and
Ganimede, who did to heauen repayre.
No time would serue the
Traiecke syres, if I for them should looke,
Whose names alone could not be set, within this carefull booke.
And
Tragedies the laughters foule, prouoke in sundry wyse▪
Yea shamelesse woordes full many a one, because of them aryse.
What hath it hindred him that did, the fearce
Achill abuse?
For which his valiaunt deedes were lost, and force did him refuse.
Aristides the filthy facts, of fond
My
[...]ns tould,
Yet from his towne was not exild, nor in such wyse contrould.
Nor
Eubius a writer great, of hystoryes vncleane,
How mothers might their seed
[...] consume, by foule and filthy mean
[...].
Nor he who wrote the bookes, which men,
Sabatia haue nam'de,
Nor they whose owne aduouterous deedes, to tell were not asham'de.
All these with graue and auncient sawes, of learned men be vs'de,
The facts apparaunt be yet not, to princes so refus'de.
Nor I these forrayne factes alone for my defence do finde,
But euen in
Romayne bookes I reade, the toyes of wanton winde.
As
Ennius graue who wonted was, of mighty
Mars to tell,
Ennius though voyde of arte, in wit he did excell.
Lucretius eke the cause discust, of fearce consuminge flame,
And triple worke he did deuine, of which proceede the same.
So did
Catullus wanton man, his Lemmans prayse resight,
Whose name in deede hee chaunged haue, and
Lesbia therefore hight.
Nor yet contented so but did, of Harlots mo reherse,
With whom aduoutry vyle he did, confesse in open verse.
Like lawles life did
Caluus leade, whose stature was but small,
By sundry meanes disclosing then, his filthy doinges all.
What should I speake of
Tynda
[...]es stile, and
Memnus verse also,
Who writinge of vnhonest actes, their names haue put vnto.
And
Cinna here a fellow is, and
Anser light as hee,
And
Cornificius wanton, worke, and
Catoes eke wee see.
[Page]And he who in
Phasecian seas, that
Argos whilom brought,
His secrete deedes could not keepe in, which he before had wrought.
Ho
[...]ensi
[...] and
Sulpitius facts, lasciuious be likewise,
And such graue men who followeth not, or doth their deedes despise.
Sisenna did
Mylesian bookes, reduce to
Romayne verse,
No paynes he proued yet, though filthy facts he did reherse.
Nor
Gallu
[...] th
[...]ugh
Lycoris feast he did oft times adore,
Was blamed ought: but deemed druncke, with wyne he bibd before.
To womens othes small trust to haue,
Tibullus whilom wou
[...]d,
Nor of them selues what they deni'd, no husband credit should.
For keepers eke of virgins chast, a fraud he did confesse,
And now (O wretch) through selfe fame art, is driuen to deepe distresse.
And as he would of signet fayre, or Iewels vertue finde,
By craft whereof his mystresse hand, to touch he beares in minde.
By priuy poynctes and crafty b
[...]cks, to shewe theyr secrete mynde,
He also taught: and subtile notes, in trenchers fayre to finde.
And by the sap of certayne hearbes, how wrath is set a syde,
Whereas the same through mutual mouthes by strēts of teeth do glide,
And eke how they should plenty great, of foolishe husbands craue,
Whereby the lesse they might offend, and lesse occasion haue.
At whom also the dogges, do barcke, when men that way are gone,
And secret hemmes he taught to knowe, when he did passe alone.
Full many a crafty lore he learn'de, which women did receiue,
Euen by, what art the wedded wyues, their husbands might deceyue.
For these yet no rebuke he had, his workes apparant bee,
And well alow'de, to thee our Prince, are not vnknowen we see.
Propertius like preceptes haue ge
[...]uen, which be apparant plaine▪
No checke or frowninge looke hee did, for that although sustaine.
And many more I did succeede, who (sith they liue in
[...]ame)
I will not now in open verse, recite them by their name.
I feared not (I do confes
[...]e) amonge so great a sayle,
My onely shippe to perishe quite, and none but she to fayle.
And other artes with trouling dice, lo diuers written haue.
Through which no small offence is cast, vpon your grands
[...]rs graue.
How that thou may by subtill meane, the greatest number throw,
And dogged poinctes may best eschew, through crafty arte to know.
In Tables play what markes auayle, or hurtfull are likewyse,
A skill they haue to vse the good, and lo
[...]s
[...]nge poyncts dispyse.
And how the knight in, coullers clad, doth rage in right sorts way,
When middle man through ennemies twayne, assault is made a pray.
[Page 17]And how they best may march abroade, or form
[...]n make retyre,
For none alone from wa
[...]de to passe, f
[...]r fea
[...]e of hurtfull hyre.
A game also with litle stone, so p
[...]ast
[...] on table small,
W
[...]ere at he winn'th that mak'th all three, in one straight line to fall.
And other Playes deui
[...]ed be (nor all to
[...]ell I meane)
Through which our time a
[...]hinge most deare, is so consumed cleane.
And other tell'th the
[...]orme of Balles, and skill of Tennis playes,
And some the Swimming arte
[...]oth show, and some the toppe as
[...]ayes.
The c
[...]aft with coullers blacke to slayne, do diuers take in hand
Of banket bowers and houshould lawes, haue others deepely skand.
Of earth doe others teach the vse, whereof the cup
[...]es do make,
And which the wyn
[...] preserues and which, will other liquor take.
Such kinde of sportes in smoky mouth, of cold
[...] D
[...]c
[...]mbers day,
A
[...]e v
[...]ed yet: nor maker none, for them the paynes doe pay.
Through these exam
[...]s lo I haue no weeping verses mayde,
But weeping paynes for pleasaunt sportes, I haue alas assayd.
In fyne: among these wryters all, I can perceaue not one,
To whom his Muse haue hurtfull bene, my selfe except alone.
What if I should the filthy playes, of
[...]ayling Iesters wryght,
Wherein the faultes of fayned loue, be set alwa
[...]es in sight,
And where the vicious man comes
[...]orth, in garments freshe and braue.
And wily wyfe her foolishe mate, by sleight deceyued haue,
Lo these: both mayd, wyfe, and man, with s
[...]ely children see,
And oftentimes the senate whole, in parson present bee,
The which alone with shame
[...]es spe
[...]che, do not defile the eare,
But filthy facts before the eyes they haue disclosed there.
And when the louer by his craft the husband doth begyle,
They clap their hands with wondrous ioy, and great reioycing smyle.
And that although lesse needefull is: for Poets greedy g
[...]yne,
The
Petor will of forged playes, with charge the sight attayne.
B
[...]olde of Playes the great
[...]xpence (O
Caesar) and the charge,
Which thou hast pay'd, thou s
[...]alt perceiue, y
• same haue ben
[...]ight large.
Lo these thy selfe full o
[...]t haue seene, and shewed to others playne,
Thy maiesty so lowly is, thy grace nothing
[...]sdayne.
The
[...]oyall eyes wherewith thou doe, the totall world beholde,
Th'adultry vile haue gladly seene, which that in
Scene is
[...]ol
[...]e,
W
[...]refore if lawfull that it be, that Ies
[...]ers so may wright
My
[...]eedes lesse paynes deserue, they do more honest ac
[...]es resight.
But is that kind of writing sa
[...]e, for P
[...]lpets
[...] regard?
And what the s
[...]age haue lawfull made, from I
[...]st
[...]s no
[...] r
[...]gard?
[Page]So haue the people daunced oft, when songe my po
[...]ses beene,
With open eyes the s
[...]me also, thy sel
[...]e o
[...]t times haue seene.
E
[...]en as the auncient pictures made, by craft of workemans hand,
With glistering glose be set in s
[...]ght, within your house to stand.
I
[...] them so be their
[...]bles small, in priuate place I know,
W
[...]ch sundry shapes and secret deedes, of Lady
Venus show.
And as t
[...]e
[...]
Aiax sits, with th
[...]eatning browes all bent,
Or as the Bar
[...]rous mothers eye, to wicked act is l
[...]nt,
Euen so the watry
Ven
[...]s sits, her dampish hayres to dry,
A
[...]d s
[...]metimes seemes in mother s
[...]as, away from s
[...]ght to fly.
And others be which cruell warres, wyth weapons sharpe do tell,
Yea so
[...]e t
[...]y graundst
[...]rs deedes & some thine owne do show right well.
In narrowe space the hatefull wight, dame Nature hath me pent,
No
[...] to my wo
[...]ull wayling w
[...]ts, but slender force haue lent.
O happy yet for him it was
Aeneados did wright,
W
[...]o
M
[...]rian head
[...] wi
[...]h mighty men, and weapo
[...]
[...]erce resight.
No part of all which famous worke, the readers do delight,
So much: as that, where loue was
[...]inckt againe all honest right.
Of
Phyllis he likewise haue tould, and
Amarylli
[...] loue,
I
[...] youthfull yeares he sought his minde, wyth
Bucolickes to moue.
And we who haue by wr
[...]ting these, committed greeu
[...]us sinne,
O
[...]r sinfull factes much elder be, though paynes but now beginne.
I verses also made when thou offences haue contrould,
A knight by thee to passe oft times, I voyde of checke was bould.
W
[...]erefore I yong and wanting wit in that no daunger thought,
W
[...]ich now to me in elder age, more hurt
[...]ull care haue brought.
A new reuenging pa
[...]nes I feele for auncient written Art,
The persecution differeth far from time of my defart.
Y
[...]t of my woorkes
[...]ou may beleue, more wayghty burdens beare,
For oftentimes more massy sayles, my ship sustayned there.
Fo
[...] bookes twyse
[...]ix I written haue, and
Fasto
[...] did them name,
In number like of
[...]onthes were made, and ended in the sa
[...]e.
A
[...]d that, that through my heauy fate, I did (O
Caesar) make,
W
[...]erein I highly honoured th
[...]e, wh
[...]n I my way did take.
Y
[...] T
[...]agike still in royall verse we also did endight,
W
[...]erein no waight
[...] wordes do want, that stately stile should light.
I
[...] verse lik
[...]w
[...]se
[...]e
[...]ould, altho
[...]gh t
[...]e workes imperfect bene,
W
[...]ere sundr
[...] shapes
[...]rans
[...]ormed are, and chaunged bodyes seene.
B
[...]t would to God thy wrath a w
[...]ile, fro
[...] mi
[...]de thou would remoue,
And that of th
[...]e same part to reade, thou wouldest m
[...] behoue.
[Page 18]The worke which at the worldes vpryse his firs
[...] b
[...]ginning had,
To thy
[...]ost famous
[...]aygne I brought, and wro
[...] (O
Caesar
[...] glad.
There shalt thou finde what store o
[...] wit, on me
[...],
And with what minde
[...]or thee and thine, to write I haue assa
[...]ed,
I do no man wyth
[...]yting verse, or churlis
[...]e c
[...]ecke disda
[...]ne,
Nor no mans guilty
[...]actes there doth, within my workes
[...]emayne▪
From s
[...]b
[...]ill
[...]oyes I guilt
[...]es am, that ten pre
[...] be
[...] ga
[...]l,
Nor
[...] my verse no venyme fell▪ w
[...]th myrth is mixt at all.
Among so many thousand men, wyth verses
[...]any a one,
My learned muse haue hindred no
[...]e (
[...]y s
[...]l
[...]e except alone)
At my mishap I gesse therefore, no
Romayne doth reioyce▪
But much bewayle our sundry woes, with one l
[...]enting voyce▪
Nor no man would I thinke be sad, in this
[...]y
[...]or
[...]y chaunce,
If mercy me through gui
[...]les life to g
[...]eater ca
[...]e aduaunce.
Lo th
[...]se with many more I wishe, may perce thy heauenly brest,
(O father deare) O sure de
[...]ence, our coun
[...]ryes only
[...]est.
To
Italy I would not turne, vnlesse in lo
[...]ger space,
Through greater paynes of thee perhaps, we
[...]ay deserue more grac
[...] ▪
More safer place for Exiles life, and gentler rest I craue,
So shall my faults and carefull crimes, theyr due deseruinges haue.
FINIS.