POEMS.BYGEORGE CAVENDISH.

The Poems of George Cavendish, which accompany the Life of Wolsey in the Original Autograph Manuscript, consist of a series of Visions upon the Fortunes and Fall of the most eminent Persons of his time.

The reader is here presented with the Prologue; the Legend of Wolsey; and the Author’s Address to his Book; with two stanzas from a long Epitaph on Queen Mary. This specimen, it is presumed, will be deemed sufficient to convey an idea of the style of Cavendish in verse. It should be remembered, that the Mirror for Magistrates, which subsequently became so popular, had not then been given to the world. Cavendish, therefore, may have formed his plan from Lydgate’s Fall of Princes. Traces of the same kind of versification, which is evidently intended to depend more on rhythmical cadence than the number of feet in the verse, will be found in Skelton, in Stephen Hawes, Nicholas Grimoald, and other contributors to Tottel’s Miscellany of Songes and Sonnettes. In the MS. copy there is no punctuation; but instead we have the mark of the pause or cæsura in the middle and occasionally at the end of the line; as may be remarked in the example on the plate of fac-similes.

In the monyth of June, I lyeng sole alonUnder the umber[246]of an oke with bowes pendant,Whan Phebus in Gemynys had his course overgonAnd entered Cancer, a sygne retrogradant,In a mean measure his beams radyant,Approaching Leo, than mused I in myndOf fykkellness of Fortune and the course of kynd[247];How some are by fortune exalted to riches,And often such as most unworthy be;And some oppressed in langor and sykness,Some wayling, lakkyng welthe, by wretched povertie;Some in bayle and bondage, and some at libertie:With other moo gystes[248]of fortune varyable;Some pleasant, some mean, and some onprofitable.But after dewe serche and better advisement,I knewe by Reason that oonly God aboveRewlithe thos thyngs, as is most convenyent,The same devysing to man for his behove[249];Wherefore Dame Reason did me persuade, and moveTo be content with my small estate,And in this matter no more to vestigate.Whan I had debated all thyng in my mynd,I well considered myne obscure blyndness;So that non excuse could I see or fynd,But that my tyme I spent in idelnes;For this me thought, and trew it is doughtles,That since I ame a reasonable creature,I owght my reason and wytt to put in ure[250].Than of what matter myght I devise to wright,To use my tyme and wytte to excercyse,Sithe most men have no pleasour or delightIn any history, without it sownd to vice:Alass! shold I than, that ame not young attiseWith lewed ballatts, faynt harts to synne,Or flatter estatts[251]some favor of them to wynne.What than shall I wright? the noble doughtynessOf estatts that used is now a dayes?I shall than lak matter; for gredy covetousnesOf vayne riches, whiche hathe stopt all the wayesOf worthy chyvallry, that now dayly sore dekayes:And yet thoughe some behave them nobly,Yet some ther be that dayly doth the contrarye.For some lovyth meat fynne and delicious,And some baudye[252]brothes, as their educasion hath be;So some lovethe virtue, and some tales vicious:Sewerly suche tales get ye non of me,But to eschewe all ociosite,Of Fortune’s fykellnes hereafter shall I wright,How greatest estatts she overthrowyth by myght.Thoughe I onworthe this tragedy do begyne,Of pardon I pray the reders in meke wyse;And to correct where they se fault therein,Reputing it for lak of connyng exercyse.The cause that moved me to this enterpriseEspecyally was that all estatts myght seeWhat it is to trust to Fortune’s mutabylitie.With pen and ynke I toke this work in hand,Redy to wright the deadly dole and whofull playntOf them whose fall the world doth understand;Which for feare made my heart to faynt:I must wright playn; colours have I none to paynt;But termes rude their dolours to compile;An wofull playnt must have an wofull style.To whome therefore for helpe shall I nowe call?Alas! Caliope my calling will utterly refuse;For mornyng dities and woo of Fortune’s falleCaliope dyd never in hir dyties use;Wherefore to hir I might my self abuse:Also the Musis that on Parnasus syngSuche warblyng dole did never temper stryng.Now to that Lord whose power is celestiall,And gwydyth all thyng of sadnes and of blysse,With humble voyce to the I crie and call,That thou wouldest direct my sely[253]pen in this:For, wantyng of thy helpe, no marvel thoughe I mysse;And by thy grace, though my style be rude,In sentence playne I may full well conclude.Nowe by thy helpe this hystory I will begyn,And from theffect varie nothing at all;For if I shold, it ware to me great synneTo take uppon me a matter so substancyall,So waytie, so necessarie, of fame perpetuall:And thus to be short, oon began to spekeWith deadly voyce, as thoughe his hart wold breke.

In the monyth of June, I lyeng sole alon

Under the umber[246]of an oke with bowes pendant,

Whan Phebus in Gemynys had his course overgon

And entered Cancer, a sygne retrogradant,

In a mean measure his beams radyant,

Approaching Leo, than mused I in mynd

Of fykkellness of Fortune and the course of kynd[247];

How some are by fortune exalted to riches,And often such as most unworthy be;And some oppressed in langor and sykness,Some wayling, lakkyng welthe, by wretched povertie;Some in bayle and bondage, and some at libertie:With other moo gystes[248]of fortune varyable;Some pleasant, some mean, and some onprofitable.

How some are by fortune exalted to riches,

And often such as most unworthy be;

And some oppressed in langor and sykness,

Some wayling, lakkyng welthe, by wretched povertie;

Some in bayle and bondage, and some at libertie:

With other moo gystes[248]of fortune varyable;

Some pleasant, some mean, and some onprofitable.

But after dewe serche and better advisement,I knewe by Reason that oonly God aboveRewlithe thos thyngs, as is most convenyent,The same devysing to man for his behove[249];Wherefore Dame Reason did me persuade, and moveTo be content with my small estate,And in this matter no more to vestigate.

But after dewe serche and better advisement,

I knewe by Reason that oonly God above

Rewlithe thos thyngs, as is most convenyent,

The same devysing to man for his behove[249];

Wherefore Dame Reason did me persuade, and move

To be content with my small estate,

And in this matter no more to vestigate.

Whan I had debated all thyng in my mynd,I well considered myne obscure blyndness;So that non excuse could I see or fynd,But that my tyme I spent in idelnes;For this me thought, and trew it is doughtles,That since I ame a reasonable creature,I owght my reason and wytt to put in ure[250].

Whan I had debated all thyng in my mynd,

I well considered myne obscure blyndness;

So that non excuse could I see or fynd,

But that my tyme I spent in idelnes;

For this me thought, and trew it is doughtles,

That since I ame a reasonable creature,

I owght my reason and wytt to put in ure[250].

Than of what matter myght I devise to wright,To use my tyme and wytte to excercyse,Sithe most men have no pleasour or delightIn any history, without it sownd to vice:Alass! shold I than, that ame not young attiseWith lewed ballatts, faynt harts to synne,Or flatter estatts[251]some favor of them to wynne.

Than of what matter myght I devise to wright,

To use my tyme and wytte to excercyse,

Sithe most men have no pleasour or delight

In any history, without it sownd to vice:

Alass! shold I than, that ame not young attise

With lewed ballatts, faynt harts to synne,

Or flatter estatts[251]some favor of them to wynne.

What than shall I wright? the noble doughtynessOf estatts that used is now a dayes?I shall than lak matter; for gredy covetousnesOf vayne riches, whiche hathe stopt all the wayesOf worthy chyvallry, that now dayly sore dekayes:And yet thoughe some behave them nobly,Yet some ther be that dayly doth the contrarye.

What than shall I wright? the noble doughtyness

Of estatts that used is now a dayes?

I shall than lak matter; for gredy covetousnes

Of vayne riches, whiche hathe stopt all the wayes

Of worthy chyvallry, that now dayly sore dekayes:

And yet thoughe some behave them nobly,

Yet some ther be that dayly doth the contrarye.

For some lovyth meat fynne and delicious,And some baudye[252]brothes, as their educasion hath be;So some lovethe virtue, and some tales vicious:Sewerly suche tales get ye non of me,But to eschewe all ociosite,Of Fortune’s fykellnes hereafter shall I wright,How greatest estatts she overthrowyth by myght.

For some lovyth meat fynne and delicious,

And some baudye[252]brothes, as their educasion hath be;

So some lovethe virtue, and some tales vicious:

Sewerly suche tales get ye non of me,

But to eschewe all ociosite,

Of Fortune’s fykellnes hereafter shall I wright,

How greatest estatts she overthrowyth by myght.

Thoughe I onworthe this tragedy do begyne,Of pardon I pray the reders in meke wyse;And to correct where they se fault therein,Reputing it for lak of connyng exercyse.The cause that moved me to this enterpriseEspecyally was that all estatts myght seeWhat it is to trust to Fortune’s mutabylitie.

Thoughe I onworthe this tragedy do begyne,

Of pardon I pray the reders in meke wyse;

And to correct where they se fault therein,

Reputing it for lak of connyng exercyse.

The cause that moved me to this enterprise

Especyally was that all estatts myght see

What it is to trust to Fortune’s mutabylitie.

With pen and ynke I toke this work in hand,Redy to wright the deadly dole and whofull playntOf them whose fall the world doth understand;Which for feare made my heart to faynt:I must wright playn; colours have I none to paynt;But termes rude their dolours to compile;An wofull playnt must have an wofull style.

With pen and ynke I toke this work in hand,

Redy to wright the deadly dole and whofull playnt

Of them whose fall the world doth understand;

Which for feare made my heart to faynt:

I must wright playn; colours have I none to paynt;

But termes rude their dolours to compile;

An wofull playnt must have an wofull style.

To whome therefore for helpe shall I nowe call?Alas! Caliope my calling will utterly refuse;For mornyng dities and woo of Fortune’s falleCaliope dyd never in hir dyties use;Wherefore to hir I might my self abuse:Also the Musis that on Parnasus syngSuche warblyng dole did never temper stryng.

To whome therefore for helpe shall I nowe call?

Alas! Caliope my calling will utterly refuse;

For mornyng dities and woo of Fortune’s falle

Caliope dyd never in hir dyties use;

Wherefore to hir I might my self abuse:

Also the Musis that on Parnasus syng

Suche warblyng dole did never temper stryng.

Now to that Lord whose power is celestiall,And gwydyth all thyng of sadnes and of blysse,With humble voyce to the I crie and call,That thou wouldest direct my sely[253]pen in this:For, wantyng of thy helpe, no marvel thoughe I mysse;And by thy grace, though my style be rude,In sentence playne I may full well conclude.

Now to that Lord whose power is celestiall,

And gwydyth all thyng of sadnes and of blysse,

With humble voyce to the I crie and call,

That thou wouldest direct my sely[253]pen in this:

For, wantyng of thy helpe, no marvel thoughe I mysse;

And by thy grace, though my style be rude,

In sentence playne I may full well conclude.

Nowe by thy helpe this hystory I will begyn,And from theffect varie nothing at all;For if I shold, it ware to me great synneTo take uppon me a matter so substancyall,So waytie, so necessarie, of fame perpetuall:And thus to be short, oon began to spekeWith deadly voyce, as thoughe his hart wold breke.

Nowe by thy helpe this hystory I will begyn,

And from theffect varie nothing at all;

For if I shold, it ware to me great synne

To take uppon me a matter so substancyall,

So waytie, so necessarie, of fame perpetuall:

And thus to be short, oon began to speke

With deadly voyce, as thoughe his hart wold breke.

FINIS QUOD G. C.

O Fortune! (quoth he) shold I on the complayn,Or of my negligence, that I susteyn this smart?Thy doble visage hathe led me to this trayne;For at my begynnyng thou dydst ay take my part,Untill ambysion had puffed up my hartWith vainglory, honor, and usurped dignytie,Forgettyng cleane my naturall mendycitie.From povertie to plentie, which now I see is vayn,A cardinal I was, and legate de latere,A byshope and archbysshope, the more to crease my gaynChauncellor of Englond, Fortune by hir false flatterieDyd me advance, and gave me such auctorytieThat of hyghe and low I toke on me the charge,All England to rewle, my power extendyd large.Whan Fortune with favor had set me thus aloft,I gathered me riches; suffisance could not content;My fare was superfluous, my bed was fyne and soft;To have my desiers I past not what I spent:In yerthe, such abondaunce Fortune had me lent,Yt was not in the world that I could well requier,But Fortune strayt wayes did graunt me my desier.My byldyngs somptious, the roffes with gold and byse[254]Shone lyke the sone in myd day spere,Craftely entaylled[255]as connyng could devise,With images embossed, most lively did appere;Expertest artificers that ware both farre and nere,To beautyfie my howssys, I had them at my will:Thus I wanted nought my pleasures to fullfill.My galleries ware fayer both large and long,To walke in them whan that it lyked me best;My gardens sweet, enclosed with walles strong,Embanked with benches to sytt and take my rest;The knotts so enknotted, it cannot be exprest[256],With arbors and alyes so pleasant and so dulce,The pestylent ayers with flavors to repulse.My chambers garnysht with arras fynne,Importyng personages of the lyvelyest kynd:And whan I was disposed in them to dynne,My clothe of estate there ready did I fynd,Furnysshed complett according to my mynd;The subtyll perfumes of muske and sweet amber,There wanted non to perfume all my chamber.Plate of all sorts most curiously wrought,Of facions new, I past not of[257]the old,No vessell but sylver before me was brought,Full of dayntes vyands, the some cannot be told;I dranke my wynne alwayes in sylver and in gold:And daylye to serve me, attendyng on my table,Servaunts I had bothe worshipfull and honorable.My crosses twayne of sylver long and greate,That dayly byfore me ware carried hyghe,Upon great horses, opynly in the strete,And massie pillars gloriouse to the eye,With pollaxes gylt that no man durst come nygheMy presence, I was so pryncely to behold,Ridyng on my mule trapped in sylver and gold.My legantyne prerogatyve was myche to myn avayle,By vertue wherof I had thys high preemynence:All vacant benefices I did them strayt retaylle,Presentyng than my clarke, as sone as I had intellygence:I prevented the patron, ther vaylled[258]no resistence;All bysshopes and prelates durst not oons denay,They doughted so my power, they myght not dysobey.Thus may you see how I to riches did attayne,And with suffisaunce my mynd was not content;Whan I had most, I rathest[259]wold complayne;For lake of good, alas! how I was blent[260]!Where shall my gatheryngs and good be spent?Some oon, perchance, shall me thereof dyscharge,Whom I most hate, and spend it owt at large[261].Sytting in Jugement, parcyall ware my doomes;I spared non estatte, of hyghe or low degree;I preferred whom me lyst, exaltyng symple gromesAbove the nobles; I spared myche the spritualtie,Not passyng myche on the temperaltie;Promotyng such to so hyghe estateAs unto prynces wold boldly say chek-mate.Oon to subdewe that did me always favor,And in that place another to avaunce,Ayenst all trewthe, I did my busy labor,And, whilest I was workyng witty whiles in Fraunce,I was at home supplanted, where I thought most assuraunce:Thus who by fraud fraudelent is found,Fraud to the defrauder will aye rebound.Who workyth fraude often is disceyved;As in a myrror, ye may behold in me;For by disceyt, or I had it perceyved,I was disceyved; a guerdon mete pardeFor hyme that wold, ayenst all equite,Dysceyve the innocent, that innocent was in deede;Therefore Justice of Justice ayenst me must proceede.For by my subtill dealyng thus it came to passe,Cheafely disdayned, for whome I toke the payn;And than to repent it was too late, alas!My purpose I wold than have changed fayn;But it wold not be, I was perceived playn:Thus Venus the goddesse that called is of loveSpared not with spight to bryng me from above.Alas! my soverayn Lord, thou didest me avaunce,And settest me uppe in thys great pompe and pryde,And gavest to me thy realme in governaunce;Thy pryricely will why did I set aside,And followed myn own, consideryng not the tyde,How after a floode an ebbe comyth on a pace?That to consider, in my tryhumphe I lakked grace.Now fykkell Fortune torned bathe hir whele,Or I it wyst[262], all sodenly, and down she did me cast;Down was my bed, and upward went my hele,My hold faylled me that I thought suer and fast;I se by experience, hir favor doth not last;For she full low now hath brought me under,Though I on hir complayn, alas! it is no wonder.I lost myne honor; my treasure was me beraft;Fayn to avoyd, and quykly to geve place,Symply to depart, for me nothing was laft,Without penny or pound I lived a certyn space,Untill my soverayn Lord extendyd to me his grace;Who restored me sufficient, if I had byn contentTo mayntayn myn estate, both of loud and rent.Yet, notwithstanding, my corage was so hault,Dispight of mine enemyes rubbed me on the gall,Who conspyred together to take me with asault;They travelled without triall to geve me a fall:I therefore entendyd to trie my frends all;To forrayn potentates wrott my letters playn,Desireng their ayd, to restore me to favor againe.Myn ennemyes, perceiving, caught thereof dysdayn,Doughtyng the daynger, dreamed on the dought;In councell consulting, my sewte to restrayn,Accused me of treason, and brought it so aboutThat, travelling to my trial, or I could trie it owte,Death with his dart strake me for the nons[263],In Leicester, full lowe, where nowe lyeth my boons.Loo, nowe you may see what it is to trustIn worldly vanyties that voydyth with the wynd;For death in a moment consumeth all to dust:No honor, no glory, that ever man cowld fynd,But Tyme with hys tyme puttythe all out of mynd;For Tyme in breafe tyme duskyth the hystoryOf them that long tyme lyved in glory.Where is my tombe that I made for the nons,Wrought of fynne copper, that cost many a pound,To couche in my carion and my rotten boons?All is but vayn-glory, now have I found,And small to the purpose, when I am in the ground;What doth it avaylle me, all that I have,Seyng I ame deade and laved in my grave?Farewell Hampton Court, whos founder I was;Farewell Westminster Place, now a palace royall;Farewell the Moore, let Tynnynainger[264]passe;Farewell, in Oxford, my college cardynall;Farewell, in Ipsewich, my schole gramaticall:Yet oons farewell, I say, I shall you never see;Your somptious byldyng, what now avayllethe me?What avayllyth my great aboundance?What is nowe left to helpe me in this case?Nothing at all but dompe in the daunce,Among deade men to tryppe on the trace:And for my gay housis now have I this placeTo lay in my karcas, wrapt in a sheete,Knytt with a knott at my lied and my feete.What avayleth now my feather bedds soft,Sheets of Raynes[265], long, large, and wide,And dyvers devyses of clothes chaynged oft;Or vicious chapleyns walking by my syde,Voyde of all vertue, fullfilled with pryde,Which bathe caused me, by report of suche fame,For ther myslyvyng to have an yll name.This is my last complaynt, I can say you no more,But farewell my servant that faythefull hathe be;Note well these words, quod he, I pray the therfore,And wright them thus playn, as I have told them the,All which is trewe, thou knowest well, parde;Thou faylledst me not, untill that I dyed,And now I must depart, I maye no longer byde!

O Fortune! (quoth he) shold I on the complayn,

Or of my negligence, that I susteyn this smart?

Thy doble visage hathe led me to this trayne;

For at my begynnyng thou dydst ay take my part,

Untill ambysion had puffed up my hart

With vainglory, honor, and usurped dignytie,

Forgettyng cleane my naturall mendycitie.

From povertie to plentie, which now I see is vayn,A cardinal I was, and legate de latere,A byshope and archbysshope, the more to crease my gaynChauncellor of Englond, Fortune by hir false flatterieDyd me advance, and gave me such auctorytieThat of hyghe and low I toke on me the charge,All England to rewle, my power extendyd large.

From povertie to plentie, which now I see is vayn,

A cardinal I was, and legate de latere,

A byshope and archbysshope, the more to crease my gayn

Chauncellor of Englond, Fortune by hir false flatterie

Dyd me advance, and gave me such auctorytie

That of hyghe and low I toke on me the charge,

All England to rewle, my power extendyd large.

Whan Fortune with favor had set me thus aloft,I gathered me riches; suffisance could not content;My fare was superfluous, my bed was fyne and soft;To have my desiers I past not what I spent:In yerthe, such abondaunce Fortune had me lent,Yt was not in the world that I could well requier,But Fortune strayt wayes did graunt me my desier.

Whan Fortune with favor had set me thus aloft,

I gathered me riches; suffisance could not content;

My fare was superfluous, my bed was fyne and soft;

To have my desiers I past not what I spent:

In yerthe, such abondaunce Fortune had me lent,

Yt was not in the world that I could well requier,

But Fortune strayt wayes did graunt me my desier.

My byldyngs somptious, the roffes with gold and byse[254]Shone lyke the sone in myd day spere,Craftely entaylled[255]as connyng could devise,With images embossed, most lively did appere;Expertest artificers that ware both farre and nere,To beautyfie my howssys, I had them at my will:Thus I wanted nought my pleasures to fullfill.

My byldyngs somptious, the roffes with gold and byse[254]

Shone lyke the sone in myd day spere,

Craftely entaylled[255]as connyng could devise,

With images embossed, most lively did appere;

Expertest artificers that ware both farre and nere,

To beautyfie my howssys, I had them at my will:

Thus I wanted nought my pleasures to fullfill.

My galleries ware fayer both large and long,To walke in them whan that it lyked me best;My gardens sweet, enclosed with walles strong,Embanked with benches to sytt and take my rest;The knotts so enknotted, it cannot be exprest[256],With arbors and alyes so pleasant and so dulce,The pestylent ayers with flavors to repulse.

My galleries ware fayer both large and long,

To walke in them whan that it lyked me best;

My gardens sweet, enclosed with walles strong,

Embanked with benches to sytt and take my rest;

The knotts so enknotted, it cannot be exprest[256],

With arbors and alyes so pleasant and so dulce,

The pestylent ayers with flavors to repulse.

My chambers garnysht with arras fynne,Importyng personages of the lyvelyest kynd:And whan I was disposed in them to dynne,My clothe of estate there ready did I fynd,Furnysshed complett according to my mynd;The subtyll perfumes of muske and sweet amber,There wanted non to perfume all my chamber.

My chambers garnysht with arras fynne,

Importyng personages of the lyvelyest kynd:

And whan I was disposed in them to dynne,

My clothe of estate there ready did I fynd,

Furnysshed complett according to my mynd;

The subtyll perfumes of muske and sweet amber,

There wanted non to perfume all my chamber.

Plate of all sorts most curiously wrought,Of facions new, I past not of[257]the old,No vessell but sylver before me was brought,Full of dayntes vyands, the some cannot be told;I dranke my wynne alwayes in sylver and in gold:And daylye to serve me, attendyng on my table,Servaunts I had bothe worshipfull and honorable.

Plate of all sorts most curiously wrought,

Of facions new, I past not of[257]the old,

No vessell but sylver before me was brought,

Full of dayntes vyands, the some cannot be told;

I dranke my wynne alwayes in sylver and in gold:

And daylye to serve me, attendyng on my table,

Servaunts I had bothe worshipfull and honorable.

My crosses twayne of sylver long and greate,That dayly byfore me ware carried hyghe,Upon great horses, opynly in the strete,And massie pillars gloriouse to the eye,With pollaxes gylt that no man durst come nygheMy presence, I was so pryncely to behold,Ridyng on my mule trapped in sylver and gold.

My crosses twayne of sylver long and greate,

That dayly byfore me ware carried hyghe,

Upon great horses, opynly in the strete,

And massie pillars gloriouse to the eye,

With pollaxes gylt that no man durst come nyghe

My presence, I was so pryncely to behold,

Ridyng on my mule trapped in sylver and gold.

My legantyne prerogatyve was myche to myn avayle,By vertue wherof I had thys high preemynence:All vacant benefices I did them strayt retaylle,Presentyng than my clarke, as sone as I had intellygence:I prevented the patron, ther vaylled[258]no resistence;All bysshopes and prelates durst not oons denay,They doughted so my power, they myght not dysobey.

My legantyne prerogatyve was myche to myn avayle,

By vertue wherof I had thys high preemynence:

All vacant benefices I did them strayt retaylle,

Presentyng than my clarke, as sone as I had intellygence:

I prevented the patron, ther vaylled[258]no resistence;

All bysshopes and prelates durst not oons denay,

They doughted so my power, they myght not dysobey.

Thus may you see how I to riches did attayne,And with suffisaunce my mynd was not content;Whan I had most, I rathest[259]wold complayne;For lake of good, alas! how I was blent[260]!Where shall my gatheryngs and good be spent?Some oon, perchance, shall me thereof dyscharge,Whom I most hate, and spend it owt at large[261].

Thus may you see how I to riches did attayne,

And with suffisaunce my mynd was not content;

Whan I had most, I rathest[259]wold complayne;

For lake of good, alas! how I was blent[260]!

Where shall my gatheryngs and good be spent?

Some oon, perchance, shall me thereof dyscharge,

Whom I most hate, and spend it owt at large[261].

Sytting in Jugement, parcyall ware my doomes;I spared non estatte, of hyghe or low degree;I preferred whom me lyst, exaltyng symple gromesAbove the nobles; I spared myche the spritualtie,Not passyng myche on the temperaltie;Promotyng such to so hyghe estateAs unto prynces wold boldly say chek-mate.

Sytting in Jugement, parcyall ware my doomes;

I spared non estatte, of hyghe or low degree;

I preferred whom me lyst, exaltyng symple gromes

Above the nobles; I spared myche the spritualtie,

Not passyng myche on the temperaltie;

Promotyng such to so hyghe estate

As unto prynces wold boldly say chek-mate.

Oon to subdewe that did me always favor,And in that place another to avaunce,Ayenst all trewthe, I did my busy labor,And, whilest I was workyng witty whiles in Fraunce,I was at home supplanted, where I thought most assuraunce:Thus who by fraud fraudelent is found,Fraud to the defrauder will aye rebound.

Oon to subdewe that did me always favor,

And in that place another to avaunce,

Ayenst all trewthe, I did my busy labor,

And, whilest I was workyng witty whiles in Fraunce,

I was at home supplanted, where I thought most assuraunce:

Thus who by fraud fraudelent is found,

Fraud to the defrauder will aye rebound.

Who workyth fraude often is disceyved;As in a myrror, ye may behold in me;For by disceyt, or I had it perceyved,I was disceyved; a guerdon mete pardeFor hyme that wold, ayenst all equite,Dysceyve the innocent, that innocent was in deede;Therefore Justice of Justice ayenst me must proceede.

Who workyth fraude often is disceyved;

As in a myrror, ye may behold in me;

For by disceyt, or I had it perceyved,

I was disceyved; a guerdon mete parde

For hyme that wold, ayenst all equite,

Dysceyve the innocent, that innocent was in deede;

Therefore Justice of Justice ayenst me must proceede.

For by my subtill dealyng thus it came to passe,Cheafely disdayned, for whome I toke the payn;And than to repent it was too late, alas!My purpose I wold than have changed fayn;But it wold not be, I was perceived playn:Thus Venus the goddesse that called is of loveSpared not with spight to bryng me from above.

For by my subtill dealyng thus it came to passe,

Cheafely disdayned, for whome I toke the payn;

And than to repent it was too late, alas!

My purpose I wold than have changed fayn;

But it wold not be, I was perceived playn:

Thus Venus the goddesse that called is of love

Spared not with spight to bryng me from above.

Alas! my soverayn Lord, thou didest me avaunce,And settest me uppe in thys great pompe and pryde,And gavest to me thy realme in governaunce;Thy pryricely will why did I set aside,And followed myn own, consideryng not the tyde,How after a floode an ebbe comyth on a pace?That to consider, in my tryhumphe I lakked grace.

Alas! my soverayn Lord, thou didest me avaunce,

And settest me uppe in thys great pompe and pryde,

And gavest to me thy realme in governaunce;

Thy pryricely will why did I set aside,

And followed myn own, consideryng not the tyde,

How after a floode an ebbe comyth on a pace?

That to consider, in my tryhumphe I lakked grace.

Now fykkell Fortune torned bathe hir whele,Or I it wyst[262], all sodenly, and down she did me cast;Down was my bed, and upward went my hele,My hold faylled me that I thought suer and fast;I se by experience, hir favor doth not last;For she full low now hath brought me under,Though I on hir complayn, alas! it is no wonder.

Now fykkell Fortune torned bathe hir whele,

Or I it wyst[262], all sodenly, and down she did me cast;

Down was my bed, and upward went my hele,

My hold faylled me that I thought suer and fast;

I se by experience, hir favor doth not last;

For she full low now hath brought me under,

Though I on hir complayn, alas! it is no wonder.

I lost myne honor; my treasure was me beraft;Fayn to avoyd, and quykly to geve place,Symply to depart, for me nothing was laft,Without penny or pound I lived a certyn space,Untill my soverayn Lord extendyd to me his grace;Who restored me sufficient, if I had byn contentTo mayntayn myn estate, both of loud and rent.

I lost myne honor; my treasure was me beraft;

Fayn to avoyd, and quykly to geve place,

Symply to depart, for me nothing was laft,

Without penny or pound I lived a certyn space,

Untill my soverayn Lord extendyd to me his grace;

Who restored me sufficient, if I had byn content

To mayntayn myn estate, both of loud and rent.

Yet, notwithstanding, my corage was so hault,Dispight of mine enemyes rubbed me on the gall,Who conspyred together to take me with asault;They travelled without triall to geve me a fall:I therefore entendyd to trie my frends all;To forrayn potentates wrott my letters playn,Desireng their ayd, to restore me to favor againe.

Yet, notwithstanding, my corage was so hault,

Dispight of mine enemyes rubbed me on the gall,

Who conspyred together to take me with asault;

They travelled without triall to geve me a fall:

I therefore entendyd to trie my frends all;

To forrayn potentates wrott my letters playn,

Desireng their ayd, to restore me to favor againe.

Myn ennemyes, perceiving, caught thereof dysdayn,Doughtyng the daynger, dreamed on the dought;In councell consulting, my sewte to restrayn,Accused me of treason, and brought it so aboutThat, travelling to my trial, or I could trie it owte,Death with his dart strake me for the nons[263],In Leicester, full lowe, where nowe lyeth my boons.

Myn ennemyes, perceiving, caught thereof dysdayn,

Doughtyng the daynger, dreamed on the dought;

In councell consulting, my sewte to restrayn,

Accused me of treason, and brought it so about

That, travelling to my trial, or I could trie it owte,

Death with his dart strake me for the nons[263],

In Leicester, full lowe, where nowe lyeth my boons.

Loo, nowe you may see what it is to trustIn worldly vanyties that voydyth with the wynd;For death in a moment consumeth all to dust:No honor, no glory, that ever man cowld fynd,But Tyme with hys tyme puttythe all out of mynd;For Tyme in breafe tyme duskyth the hystoryOf them that long tyme lyved in glory.

Loo, nowe you may see what it is to trust

In worldly vanyties that voydyth with the wynd;

For death in a moment consumeth all to dust:

No honor, no glory, that ever man cowld fynd,

But Tyme with hys tyme puttythe all out of mynd;

For Tyme in breafe tyme duskyth the hystory

Of them that long tyme lyved in glory.

Where is my tombe that I made for the nons,Wrought of fynne copper, that cost many a pound,To couche in my carion and my rotten boons?All is but vayn-glory, now have I found,And small to the purpose, when I am in the ground;What doth it avaylle me, all that I have,Seyng I ame deade and laved in my grave?

Where is my tombe that I made for the nons,

Wrought of fynne copper, that cost many a pound,

To couche in my carion and my rotten boons?

All is but vayn-glory, now have I found,

And small to the purpose, when I am in the ground;

What doth it avaylle me, all that I have,

Seyng I ame deade and laved in my grave?

Farewell Hampton Court, whos founder I was;Farewell Westminster Place, now a palace royall;Farewell the Moore, let Tynnynainger[264]passe;Farewell, in Oxford, my college cardynall;Farewell, in Ipsewich, my schole gramaticall:Yet oons farewell, I say, I shall you never see;Your somptious byldyng, what now avayllethe me?

Farewell Hampton Court, whos founder I was;

Farewell Westminster Place, now a palace royall;

Farewell the Moore, let Tynnynainger[264]passe;

Farewell, in Oxford, my college cardynall;

Farewell, in Ipsewich, my schole gramaticall:

Yet oons farewell, I say, I shall you never see;

Your somptious byldyng, what now avayllethe me?

What avayllyth my great aboundance?What is nowe left to helpe me in this case?Nothing at all but dompe in the daunce,Among deade men to tryppe on the trace:And for my gay housis now have I this placeTo lay in my karcas, wrapt in a sheete,Knytt with a knott at my lied and my feete.

What avayllyth my great aboundance?

What is nowe left to helpe me in this case?

Nothing at all but dompe in the daunce,

Among deade men to tryppe on the trace:

And for my gay housis now have I this place

To lay in my karcas, wrapt in a sheete,

Knytt with a knott at my lied and my feete.

What avayleth now my feather bedds soft,Sheets of Raynes[265], long, large, and wide,And dyvers devyses of clothes chaynged oft;Or vicious chapleyns walking by my syde,Voyde of all vertue, fullfilled with pryde,Which bathe caused me, by report of suche fame,For ther myslyvyng to have an yll name.

What avayleth now my feather bedds soft,

Sheets of Raynes[265], long, large, and wide,

And dyvers devyses of clothes chaynged oft;

Or vicious chapleyns walking by my syde,

Voyde of all vertue, fullfilled with pryde,

Which bathe caused me, by report of suche fame,

For ther myslyvyng to have an yll name.

This is my last complaynt, I can say you no more,But farewell my servant that faythefull hathe be;Note well these words, quod he, I pray the therfore,And wright them thus playn, as I have told them the,All which is trewe, thou knowest well, parde;Thou faylledst me not, untill that I dyed,And now I must depart, I maye no longer byde!

This is my last complaynt, I can say you no more,

But farewell my servant that faythefull hathe be;

Note well these words, quod he, I pray the therfore,

And wright them thus playn, as I have told them the,

All which is trewe, thou knowest well, parde;

Thou faylledst me not, untill that I dyed,

And now I must depart, I maye no longer byde!

Discend from hevyn, O Muse Melpomene,Thou mournfull goddesse, with thy sisters all,Passe in your playnts the wofull Niobe,Tome musyke to mone with teeres eternall,Blake be your habetts, dyme, and funeral;For deathe bathe bereft, to our great dolour,Mary our mastres, our quene of honor.Our quene of honor, compared aptlyToVeritas victrix, daughter of Tyme,By God assisted, amased in armye,When she a virgin cleare, without cryme,By ryght, without might, did happely clymeTo the stage royal, just inheritor,Proclaymed Mary our quene of honor.

Discend from hevyn, O Muse Melpomene,

Thou mournfull goddesse, with thy sisters all,

Passe in your playnts the wofull Niobe,

Tome musyke to mone with teeres eternall,

Blake be your habetts, dyme, and funeral;

For deathe bathe bereft, to our great dolour,

Mary our mastres, our quene of honor.

Our quene of honor, compared aptlyToVeritas victrix, daughter of Tyme,By God assisted, amased in armye,When she a virgin cleare, without cryme,By ryght, without might, did happely clymeTo the stage royal, just inheritor,Proclaymed Mary our quene of honor.

Our quene of honor, compared aptly

ToVeritas victrix, daughter of Tyme,

By God assisted, amased in armye,

When she a virgin cleare, without cryme,

By ryght, without might, did happely clyme

To the stage royal, just inheritor,

Proclaymed Mary our quene of honor.

Crepe forthe, my boke, under the proteccionOf suche as have bothe learnyng and eloquence;Humbly submyttyng the to the correccionOf worthy writers of virtuous excellence,Besechyng all them, of ther benygn pacienceTo take the meanyng, however the matter frame,Of this thyn auctor, abasshed of his name.For, first of all, whan I do beholdOf famous writers the goodly circumstance,My quaking hand my penne unnethe can hold,So dombe I ame of doctryn, lame of experience,Stakeryng in style, onsavery of sentence,Save oonly hope, that saithe withouten fayll,That my well meanyng shall quytt my travayll.Thus, not presumyng of learnyng ne eloquence,Hope made me shove the boote from the shore;Desyryng no thyng for my fare or expence,But only good wyll; I aske no more:And for[266]the hurt of envy that myght rore,I shall set my shrowd[267]for my defence,Under the mantell of well wyllyng audyence.And principally this my work for to assist,I humbly beseche that Lord that is eternallTo defend my penne that wrott this with my fist,To be my savegard, my staffe, and my wall;And consequently for feare least I shold fallIn the daynger of the learned[268]and honorable sort,I pray them all my lamenes to support.Least perchaunce the pleasaunt floode do faylleOf witty writing or sugred eloquence,Followe, therfore, good wyll at the boots taylle,Me to preserve in the waves of ignorance,Socoured by hope and gentill sufferance:Nowe hale uppe, skuller; God graunt me wynd,And Jhesu defend me to my lives end.Whan thou, my boke, comest into the preaseBothe of the wyse and learned multitude,To excuse thyn auctor thou canst do no lesse,Wantyng learnyng, and of utterance rude,Which did never this enterprise entrude;Trustyng either of wytt or learnyng,But for an exercise, and non other thyng.

Crepe forthe, my boke, under the proteccion

Of suche as have bothe learnyng and eloquence;

Humbly submyttyng the to the correccion

Of worthy writers of virtuous excellence,

Besechyng all them, of ther benygn pacience

To take the meanyng, however the matter frame,

Of this thyn auctor, abasshed of his name.

For, first of all, whan I do beholdOf famous writers the goodly circumstance,My quaking hand my penne unnethe can hold,So dombe I ame of doctryn, lame of experience,Stakeryng in style, onsavery of sentence,Save oonly hope, that saithe withouten fayll,That my well meanyng shall quytt my travayll.

For, first of all, whan I do behold

Of famous writers the goodly circumstance,

My quaking hand my penne unnethe can hold,

So dombe I ame of doctryn, lame of experience,

Stakeryng in style, onsavery of sentence,

Save oonly hope, that saithe withouten fayll,

That my well meanyng shall quytt my travayll.

Thus, not presumyng of learnyng ne eloquence,Hope made me shove the boote from the shore;Desyryng no thyng for my fare or expence,But only good wyll; I aske no more:And for[266]the hurt of envy that myght rore,I shall set my shrowd[267]for my defence,Under the mantell of well wyllyng audyence.

Thus, not presumyng of learnyng ne eloquence,

Hope made me shove the boote from the shore;

Desyryng no thyng for my fare or expence,

But only good wyll; I aske no more:

And for[266]the hurt of envy that myght rore,

I shall set my shrowd[267]for my defence,

Under the mantell of well wyllyng audyence.

And principally this my work for to assist,I humbly beseche that Lord that is eternallTo defend my penne that wrott this with my fist,To be my savegard, my staffe, and my wall;And consequently for feare least I shold fallIn the daynger of the learned[268]and honorable sort,I pray them all my lamenes to support.

And principally this my work for to assist,

I humbly beseche that Lord that is eternall

To defend my penne that wrott this with my fist,

To be my savegard, my staffe, and my wall;

And consequently for feare least I shold fall

In the daynger of the learned[268]and honorable sort,

I pray them all my lamenes to support.

Least perchaunce the pleasaunt floode do faylleOf witty writing or sugred eloquence,Followe, therfore, good wyll at the boots taylle,Me to preserve in the waves of ignorance,Socoured by hope and gentill sufferance:Nowe hale uppe, skuller; God graunt me wynd,And Jhesu defend me to my lives end.

Least perchaunce the pleasaunt floode do faylle

Of witty writing or sugred eloquence,

Followe, therfore, good wyll at the boots taylle,

Me to preserve in the waves of ignorance,

Socoured by hope and gentill sufferance:

Nowe hale uppe, skuller; God graunt me wynd,

And Jhesu defend me to my lives end.

Whan thou, my boke, comest into the preaseBothe of the wyse and learned multitude,To excuse thyn auctor thou canst do no lesse,

Whan thou, my boke, comest into the prease

Bothe of the wyse and learned multitude,

To excuse thyn auctor thou canst do no lesse,

Wantyng learnyng, and of utterance rude,Which did never this enterprise entrude;Trustyng either of wytt or learnyng,But for an exercise, and non other thyng.

Wantyng learnyng, and of utterance rude,

Which did never this enterprise entrude;

Trustyng either of wytt or learnyng,

But for an exercise, and non other thyng.

FINIE ET COMPILÉ LE XXIIIJ JOUR DE JUNIJᾹ REGNOR̄ PHILIPPI REX & REGINE MARIE IIIJTO. & VTO.[269]PER LE AUCTOR G. C.Novus Rex, nova Lex: Nova sola Regina, probz pene ruina.

FINIS.

LONDON:PRINTED BY THOMAS DAVISON, WHITEFRIARS.

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