The Copy of a letter, lately written in meeter, by a yonge Gentilwoman: to her vnconstant Louer.
With an Admonitiō to al yong Gentilwomen, and to all other Mayds in general to beware of mennes flattery.
By If. VV.
Newly ioyned to a Loueletter sent by a Bacheler, (a most faithfull Louer) to an vnconstant and faithles Mayden.
Imprinted at London, by Richarde Ihones dwelling in the vpper end of Fleetlane: at the Signe of the spred Egle.
¶THE PRINTER TO the Reader.
What lack you Maister mine?
some trifle that is trew?
Why? then this same will serve your turne
the which is also new.
¶ Or yf you minde to reade,
some Fables that be fained:
Buy this same Booke, and ye shall finde,
such in the same contained.
¶ Perchaunce my wordes be thought,
vncredible to you:
Because I say this Treatise is,
both false and also true.
¶ The matter of it selfe,
is true as many know:
And in the same, some fained tales,
the Auctor doth bestow.
¶ Therefore, bye this same Booke,
of him that haere doth dwell:
And you (I know) wyll say you haue
bestowed your mony well.
¶Farewell
To her vnconstant Louer.
As close as you your wedig kept
yet know the trueth I here:
Which you (yer now) might me have told
what nede you nay to swere?
You know I alwayes wisht you wel
so wyll I during lyfe:
But sith you shal a Husband be
God send you a good wyfe.
And this (where so you shal become)
full boldly may you boast:
That once you had as true a Loue,
as dwelt in any Coast.
Whose constātnesse had neuer quaild
if you had not begonne:
And yet it is not so far past,
but might agayne bewonne.
If you to would: yea and not change
so long as lyfe should last:
But yf that needes you marry must?
then farewell hope is past.
And if you cannot be content
to lead a single lyfe?
(Although the same right quiet be)
then take me to your wife.
So shall the promises he kept,
that you so firmly made:
Now chuse whether ye wyll be true,
or be of
SINONS trade.
Whose trade if that you long shal vse,
it shal your kindred stayne:
Example take by many a one
whose falshood now is playne,
As by
ENEAS first of all,
who dyd poore
DIDO leave,
Causing the Quene by his vntrueth
with Sword her hart to cleaue,
Also I finde that
THESEVS did,
his faithfull loue forsake:
Stealyng away witout the night,
before she dyd awake.
IASON that came of noble race,
two Ladies did begile:
I muse how he durst shew his face,
to them that knew his wile.
For when he by
MEDEAS arte,
had got the Fleece of Gold
And also had of her that time,
al kynd of things he wolde.
He toke his Ship and did away
regarding not the vowes:
That he dyd make so faithfully,
vnto his louing Spowes,
How durst he trust the surging Seas
knowing himselfe forsworne?
Why did he scape safe to the land,
before the ship was torne?
I think king Aeolus stayd the winds
and Neptune rulde the Sea:
Then might he holdly passe y
e waues
no perils could him stea.
But if his faise hed had to them,
bin manifest befor:
They wold haue rent y
e ship as soone
as he had gon from shore.
Now may you heave how falseies is
made manyfest in time:
Although they that cōmit the same,
think it a veniall crime.
For they, for their vnfaithfulnes,
did get perpetuall Fame:
Fame? wherfore dyd I terme it so?
I should haue cald it shame.
Let Theseus be, let Iason passe,
let Paris also scape:
That brought destruction vnto Troy
all through the Grecian Rape,
And vnto me a Troylus be,
if not you may compare:
With any of these parsons that
aboue expressed are.
But if I can not please your minde.
for wants that rest in me:
Wed whom you list, I am content,
your refuse for to be.
It shall suffice me simple soule,
of thee to be forsaken:
And it may chance although not yet
you wish you had me taken.
But rather thē you shold haue caush
to wish this through your wyfe:
I wysh to her, ere your her haue,
no more but loste of lyfe.
For she that shal so happy be,
of thee to be elect:
I wish her vertues to be such,
she nede not be suspect.
I rather wish her
HELENS face,
then one of
HELENS trade:
With chastnes of
PENELOPE
the which did never fade.
A
LVCRES for her constancy,
and Thisbie for her trueth:
If such thou have, then
PETO be
not
PARIS, that were rueth.
Perchance, ye will think this thing, rare
in on woman to fynd:
Saue Helens beauty, al the rest rare
the Gods haue me assignd.
These words I do not spek, thinking
from thy new Loue to turne thee:
Thou knowst by prof what I deserue
I nede not to informe thee.
But let that passe: would God I had
Cassandraes gift me ient:
Then either thy yll chaunce or mine
my foresight might preuent.
But all in dayne for this I seeke,
wishes may not attaine it
Therfore may hay to me what shall,
and I cannot refraine it.
Wherfore I pray God be may guide
and also thee defend:
NO worser then I wish my selfe,
vntill thy lyfe shal end.
Which life I pray God, may agayne,
king Nestors lyfe renew:
And after that your soule may rest
amongst the heauenly crew.
Therto I wish king Xerris wealth,
or els king Cressus Gould:
With as much rest and quietnesse
as man may have on Mould.
And when you shall this letter haue
let it be kept in store?
For she that sent y
e same, hath sworn
as yet to send no more.
And now farewel, for why at large
my mind is here exprest?
The which you may perceiue, if that
you do peruse the rest?
¶FINIS.
Is. VV.
The admonition by the Auctor, to all yong Gentilwomen: And to al other Maids being in Loue.
YE Uirgins y
t from Cupids tentes
do beare away the so
[...]yle
Whose hartes as yet w
t raginge-love
most paynfully do boyle.
To you I speake: for you be they,
that good adusee do lacke:
Oh if I could good counsell geue
my tongue should not be slacke?
But such as I can geue, I wyll,
here in few wordes expresse:
Which if you do obserue, it will
some of your care redresse.
Beware of fayre and painted talke,
beware of flattering tonges:
The Mermaides do pretend no good
for all their pleasant Songs.
Some vse the teares of Crocodiles,
contrary to their hart:
And yf they cannot alwayes weepe,
they wet their Cheekes by Art.
Ouid, within his Arte of loue,
doth teach them this same knacke
To wet their hād, & touch their eies:
so oft as teares they lacke.
Why haue ye such deceit in store?
have you such crafty wile?
Lesse craft thē this god knows wold soone
vs simple soules begile.
And wyll ye not leaue of? but still
delude vs in this wise?
Sith it is so, we trust we shall,
take hede to fained lies.
Trust not a man at the fyrst sight,
but trye him well before:
I wish al Maids within their brests
to kepe this thing in store.
For triall shal declare his trueth,
and show what he doth think:
Whether he be a Louer true,
or do intend to shrink.
If SCILLA had not trust to much
before that she dyd trye:
She could not haue ben clent forsake
when she for help did crye.
Or yf she had had good aduice
Nisus had liued long:
How durst she trust a strainger, and
do her deare father wrong.
King Nisus had a Haire by fate
which Haire while he dyd kepe:
He neuer should be ouercome,
neither on Land nor depe.
The straūger that y
e Daughter lou'd
did warre against the King
And alwaies sought how y
t he might
them in subiection bring.
This Scylla stole away the Haire,
for to obtaine her wyll:
And gaue it to the Straunger that,
dyd straight her father kyll.
Then she, who thought her self most sure
to haue her whole desyre:
Was cleane reiect, and left behind
when he dyd whom retyre.
Or if such falshood had ben once,
vnto Oenone knowne:
About the fieldes of Ida wood,
Paris had walkt alone.
Or if Demophoons deceite,
to Phillis had ben tolde:
She had not ben transformed so,
as Poets tell of olde.
Hero did trie Leanders truth,
before that she did trust:
Therfore she found him vnto her
both constant, true, and lust.
For he alwayes did swim the Sea,
when starres in Skie did glide:
Till he was drowned by the way
nere hand vnto the side.
She scrat her Face, she tare her Heir
(it greueth me to tell)
When she did know the end of him,
that she did loue so well.
But like Leander there be fewe,
therfore in time take heede:
And alwayes trie before ye trust,
so shall you better speede.
The little Fish that carelesse is,
within the water-cleare:
Now glad is he, when he doth see,
a Bayt for to appeare.
He thinks his hap right good to bee,
that he the same could spie:
And so the simple foole doth trust
to much before he trie.
O little Fish what hap hadst thou?
to haue such spitefull Fate:
To come into ones cruell hands,
out of so happy state?
Thou diddst suspect no harme, when thou
vpon the bait didst looke:
O that thou hadst had Linceus eies
for to haue seene the hooke.
Then hadst thou w
t thy prety mates
bin playing in the streames
Wheras syr Phebus dayly doth,
shew forth his golden beames.
But sith thy Fortune is so yll
to end thy lyfe on shore:
Of this thy most vnhappy end,
I minde to speake no more.
But of thy Felowes chance that late
such prety shift did make:
That he from Fishers hooke did sprit
before he could him take.
And now he pries on euery baite,
suspecting styll that pricke:
(For to lye hid in euery thing)
where with the Fishers stricke.
And since the Fish that reason lacks
once warned doth beware:
Why should not we take hede to that
that turneth vs to care.
And I who was deceiued late,
by ones vnfaithfull teares:
Trust now for to beware, if that
I liue this hundreth yeares,
¶FINIS.
Is. VV.
A Loueletter, or an earnest perswasion of a Louer: sent of late to a yonge Mayden, to whom he was betrothed.
Who afterward being ouercome with flattery, she seemd vtterly to swerue from her former promise without occasion, and so to forsake him.
By VV. G.
A Loueletter, sent from a faythful Louer: to an vnconstant Mayden.
AS dutie wils, so nature moues,
thy frend these lines to wright:
Wherin thy fraude, (O faithlesse thou)
I minde to bring to light.
Can plighted faith, so firmly plight,
without desert be moued?
Or should the man that faithfull is,
so slenderly be loued?
¶ Should hate his guerdon
[...], remaine
in place of thy good wyl?
Should rigor raign within thy brest
to vanquish reasons skyll?
Should faith to falshed so be changd
(alas) the greater ruthed
When double dealyng is preferd,
before a perfect trueth
[...]
Of case such hap, as recompence,
vnto your friend you yelde?
What Bulwarke canst thou clayme,
gainst Gods thy selfe to sheilde?
Can they that sit in hauty Heauens
such couert gilt abyde?
Or ar they parcial now deemst thou?
is Iustice throwne a syde?
May iust are they, and iustice styll,
as iust, they iustly vse:
And vnto them, as giltlesse then,
canst thou thy selfe excuse?
No, no, not so, for they be holde,
thy double deades, be sure:
Do forged style, nor flattryng phrase
their fauour may allure.
No gifts, no golde, can them corrupt
such iustice there doth raigne:
And they that disobey their heastes,
are subiect vnto payne.
These are no nouel newes I tell,
the proofe is playnly knowne:
To such as do offend their wils,
their powre forth are showne:
To see thy conscience, gylty is,
thy faithles frawde they see:
And thinkste thou then, this gilt of thine,
can vnrewarded bee?
O Faith, think not so far to wish,
from reasons lymyts pure:
But iudg thy selfe, what iustice they
to sinfull ones inure.
And thy selfe such domb, shalt geue,
as gilty shalt thou finde:
Therfore relent, and once agayne,
thy grudging conscience minde.
Which vnto Gods that sacred are,
as gilty thee he wray:
In place of fraude, let faith & trueth
with thee now heare the sway,
Reuoke and call to memory,
the fruits of friendship showne:
Perpend in mind, my tormēts strong
my playnts and pensiue mone.
Which sixe yeares long, as pacionate
to caryyng yoake of care:
I bod for thee, as thou they selfe,
I know canst wel declare.
Remēber thou the plaints & teares,
which I powrd foorth for thee:
And ponder well the sacred vow,
that thou hast made to mee.
Which vow gaue comfort to thi frend
that subiect serued to griefe:
Thou gauest thy selfe a pledg to me,
thy faith was my releffe.
But now what helyth hagge? (alas)
hath tournde thy loue to hate:
Or els what whelpe of
HYDRAS kind
in thee hath wrought debate.
Alas, wilt thou dispoyle me quight,
of my possessed ioye?
Or wilt y
u plunge me headlong thus,
to gulphes of great annoye?
Who would a thought (alas)
such fraude to rest in thee?
Who wold haue deemd withou desert
thy hart should change from mee?
Whose hart hath coucht his tent,
within my couert brest:
And thine I hopte, of me thy friend,
likewise had ben possest.
But waueryng minds I plainly set,
so compassed with guile:
Pretend by slights, the perfect ioyes,
of frindes for to exile.
O, shuld a pratlyng Parasite, so egge
thee with disdayne?
That thou the presence of thy friend
through flattery should refrayne?
Not vouching once to speake w
t him
whose hart thou hast in hold:
Sith likeing same hath graunted grace
should loue so soone be cold.
Consider these my letters well,
and answer them agenne:
For I thy friend in couert zeale,
this time hath closd my penne.
Farewel, a dieu tenthousand times,
to God I thee commend:
Be seching him his heauenly grace,
vnto thee styll to send.
¶ Thy friend in wealth, thy friend in woe,
Thy friend while lyfe, shal flytt mesroe:
And whilst that you, inioy your breath,
Leaue not your friend, vnto the death:
For greater praise cannot be wonne,
Then to obserue trueloue begonne.
¶ FINIS.
VV. G.
¶ Imprinted at London, by Richard Ihones.
R W Against the wilfull Inconstancie of his deare Foe E. T. Whiche Example may iustly be a sufficient warnyng for all Yongmen to beware the fained Fidelytie of vnconstant Maydens.
All youthful Mights at lyberty
whom
LOVE did neuer thrall,
I wish that my deray may bée,
a warnyng to you all:
That haue a soare bred in my Brest
although it be not strange:
Yet wyll it bryng mée to the Graue
without some sodaine change.
For I by Sute haue serued one
two yeares and somwhat more,
And now I can no longer serue
my hart it is so sore.
Whiche hart I let to Userie
through gredie fond desire:
Not doubting to receiue home twain
when I would them requyre.
But if that euerie Userer
had such good hap as I,
There would not be so many men
would vse this Userie.
My Debtor hath deceyued mée
for she is from mée fled:
And I am left among the Bryers
to bryng a Foole to Bed.
So that I séely man remayne
eche day in doubtfull case:
For
DEATH doth dayly lye in wayte
to rest me with his Mace.
And cast mée into Prison strong
the Doore is made of Grasse:
And I might bles my houre of birth
if it were come to passe.
For lo my carefull choyce doth choose
to kéepe mée styll in thrall,
And doth regard my loue no more
then Stone that lyes in wall:
Wherby I see that Womens hartes
are made of Marble Stone
I sée how carelesse they can bée
when pensiue men do mone.
I sowed both pure and perfect séede
on fayre and pleasant grounde
In hope though harnest brought som pain
som profit might bée found.
But now the Haruest ended is
and for my faythfull Séedes
And all my payne and labour past:
I haue nought els but Wéedes.
I thrust my hand among y
t Thornes
in hope the Rose to finde.
I prickt my hand and eke my hart
yet left the Rose behynde.
Not I, but many more I knowe
in Loue do lacke reléefe,
But I as cause doth mée compell,
do wayle my payne and griefe,
I doubtlesse can not bée the first
That Loue hath put to payne,
Nor yet I shall not be the last
that Women wyll disdayne.
If I poore wretch should think vpon
the paynes that I haue past:
Or if I should recount the cares,
that she hath made me taste
Into Dispayre it would mée driue,
and cleaue my hart in twaine:
Or els bereaue me of my Wittes
to thinke vpon the payne.
I neuer spent one day in Ioye
my carefull hart doth know,
Since first I lent my Loue to her
by whom my griefe doth growe.
There are no greater paynes assignd
for dampned Ghostes in hell:
Then I do suffer for her sake,
that I do loue so well.
The Pryce that I haue paid for loue
not many men do gyue.
But I my Bargayne shall repent
as longe as I do lyue.
I payde for loue and that full deats
yet I receyue right nought,
I neuer was so much deceyued
in any thynge I bought.
If euerie woman on her friend
suche pitie vse to take,
Then shortly men wyll ron to loue,
as Beares vnto a stake.
But now let
VENVS fire her forge
let
CVPIDS Shafte be sent:
They can no more encrease my woe
for all my Loue is spent.
But here good Reader thou maist sée
how Loue hath paide my hyre,
To leaue mée burnyng in the frame,
compeld to blow the fyre.
But if that thou good frende desire
to lyue in happy state?
Then séeke in
[...] if thou mis
[...]ap,
Repentance comes too late.
Frequent not Womens company
but sée thou it from them swarue
For thy Rewarde shall be but smal,
whateuer thou deserue.
Take héede for y
u maist come in the all
Before that thou beware:
And when thou art entangled once
thou canst not fliethe snare.
Take thou not this to be a Iest,
but thinke it to be true,
Before thou prooue as I haue done,
least proofe do make thée rew.
Yet if thou chaunce to place thy loue
take héede what than doest sate:
And sée thou place thy talke in Print
or els beware a fraie.
And thus I ende: not doubtyng but
these wordes may well suffice,
To warne thy gredie bart of harme
and ease thy rouing eyes.
¶ Ease by Disease,
hath made me to halt,
Time hath so turned
my Suger to Salt.
FINIS.
R. VVITC.
¶ Imprinted at LONDON, by RICHARD IOHNES.