The tryumphes of Fraunces Petrarcke, translated out of Italian into English by Henrye Parker knyght, Lorde Morley. The tryumphe of loue. Of chastitie. Of death. Of fame. Of tyme. Of diuinitie

¶ The first Chapter of the Tryumphe of Loue.

IN the tyme of the Renewinge of my suspyres By the swete remembraunce of my louely desyres That was the begynnynge of soo longe a payne The fayre Phebus the bull dyd attayne And warmyd had the tone and tother horne Wherby the colde wynter stormes were worne And Tytans chylde with her frostye face Ran from the heate to her aunciente place Loue, grefe, and complaynt, oute of reason Had brought me in such a case that season That myne eyes closed, and I fell to reste The very Remedye to such as be oppreste And there on the grene, as I reposed fast Sodenly me thought, as I myne eyes vp cast I sawe afore me a maruelous great lighte wherin as well comprehend then, I myghte Was doloure ynough wyth smale sporte & play And thus in my dreame musyng, as I laye I sawe a great Duke victorious to beholde Tryumphyng on a chayre, shynyng as golde Muche after the olde auncient sage wyse That the bolde Romayns vsed in there guyse When to the Capytoll the vyctors were brought With right riche Robes curiously were wrought I that such sightes was not wont to se In this noyous worlde wherein I fynde me Uoyde from the olde valure & yet more in pryde

Sawe comming towardes me ther on euery side Dyuerse men wyth straunge and queynte arraye Not vsyd amonge vs at this present daye Which made me wonder what persōs theishuld be As one glad to learne, and some new thinges to se There sawe I a boye on a firye chayre on hyghte Drawen with foure coursers all mylke whight Wyth bowe in hande and arrowes sharpe & keene Against whome no shylde nor helme so sheene Myght in no wyse the mortale stroke wythstand When he shote wyth his most dreadfull hande To this also a straunge sight to se Two wynges vpon his shoulders had he wyth coloures more then I can wryte or tell A thousande dyuers this I noted well And all the rest were nakyd to the skynne Aboute the chayre where that this boye was in Some laye there deade gapynge on the grounde Some with his dartes had taken meny a wound Some were prysoners and could not scape away But folowed styll the chayre nyght and day I that sawe this wonderfull straunge sight To know what it mente, dyd that I myght Tyll at the last I dyd perceaue and se My selfe to be amonge that company So had loue led me on that dawnce That as it lyked her, so must I take the chawnce I then among that great number in that place Lokyng here and there in eche mannes face Yf any of myne Acquayntaunce I coulde se But none was there except perchaunce that he By age or death or payne was chaunged quyte

As that I neuer had hym knowen by syght Wyth folowing that great kyng in that houre That is the grounde and cause of all dolowre Thus all astonied as I loked here and there All sodenly afore me then dyd there appeare A shadowe much more sadde for to regarde Than all the reste that I had sene or harde This sayd shadowe called me by name And sayd by loue is gotten all this fame Whereat I marueyled and sayde to hym agayne How knowest thou me, to learne I wold be faine For who thou arte I doo not knowe at all So wonderous derke is here this ayre and all That I can nether perceaue nor yet well se What man thou art nor whence y^t thou should be To that anone this shadowe to me sayde I am thy frende thou nedest not be dismayde And borne in Toscane where y^u was borne perdye Thyne auncient frende if that thou lyst to se His wordes whiche that I knewe by dayes paste By his speche, I knewe hym at the last All though his face, I coulde not then well se And thus in talkyng together went we And he beganne and thus to me dyd saye It is right longe and thereto many a day That I haue loked the my frynde to se Amonge vs here in this our companye For thy face was to me a token playne That ones thou shouldest know loues payne To whome I made aunswere and sayde These wordes by me they cannot be denayde But the sorowe the daunger and the dreade

That louers haue at the ende for theyr meade So put me in feare, that I left all asyde Leste that my seruyce should be cleane denyde Thus sayd I and when he well perceyued Myne entention and my wordes conceyued Smylynge he sayde what flame of fyre Hath loue kyndled in thy hartys desyre I vnderstode then lytle what he ment For his wordes vnto my heade then went As fyrme and fast sure set anone As they had bene prynted in a marbell stone And thus for the newe game that I begane I prayde hym tell me of verie gentlenes than What people these were that afore me went He aunswered bryfely to myne intente That I should knowe what they should be And be shortly one of theyr companye And that it was my destany and lotte That loue shoulde tye for me such a knotte That I shoulde fyrst chaunge my heade to graye Or that I coulde vnclose that knot away But to fulfyll thy yonge desyre sayth he I shall declare what kynde of men they be And fyrst of the capteynes of them all His maner playne declare the I shall This is he that loue the worlde doth name Bytter as thou shalt well conceyue the same And much the more when the tyme shall be That thou shalt be amonge this companie A meke chylde in his lustye yonge age And in elde one all full of rage Well knoweth he that thys hath prouyd

When thou by hym art heaued and shoued Thy selfe shall well see and vnderstand What a maister thou hast then in hande This god hath his fyrst byrth of ydelnes Noryshed with mankyndes foly and wantones And of vayne thoughtes plesaunt and swete To a sage wyse man nothynge mete Callyd a god of the people most vayne All be it he geueth for theyr rewarde and payne Some the death forthwyth out of hande Some alonge tyme in miserye to stand To loue I say them that loues not hym Fast tyed and fetred both cheke and chynne Nowe haue I declared to the this goddes feste Nowe wyl. I tell the in order of the reste Hym that thou seest that so lordely doth go And leadeth wyth hym his loue also It is the valeaunte Cesar, Iulius Wyth hym is quene Cleopatra the beutiouse She tryumphes of hym and that is good ryghte That he that ouercame the worlde by myght Should hymselfe ouer commen be By his loue euen as thou mayest se The next vnto hym is his sonne deare The great Augustus that neuer had peare That louyde more iustly then Cesar playne By request hys Lynya he dyd obtayne The thyrde is the dyspytefull tyraunte Nero That furyously as thou seest doth go And yet a woman hym ouercame Wyth her regardes Lo she made hym tame Beholde the same, is the good Marcus

Worthy to haue prayse for his lyfe vertuouse Full of phylosophy both the tounge and breste Yet for Fausteyn he standeth as arreste The tother two that stand hym by. That loke both twayne so fearefullye The tone is Denyse the tother Alexander That well was rewarded for his s••••aunder The tother was he that soore complayned Under Autander wyth teares vnfayned The death of Crensa and toke awaye The loue from hym as the poete doth saye That toke from Enander his sone deare Among the rest thou mayest se hym here Hast thou harde euer reason heretofore Of one that neuer would consent more To hys stepmothers foull and shamefull desires But flye from her syght and her attyres But wo alas that same chast honest mynde Was his death as thou mayst playnely fynde Because she chaunged hyr loue vnto hate Phedra she hyght that caused the debate And yet was it hyr owne Death also A sore punyshment vnto both them two To the sens that deceyued Adryan Wherefore it is full often founde than That one that blameth another parde He hym selfe is more to blame then he And who so he be wythouten any doubte That by fraude or crafte doth go aboute Another that trusteth hym for to beguyle Yt is good reason that wyth that selfe wyle He be seruyd wyth that same sawse

Lo what it is a louer to be false, This is he the famouse worthy knyght That betwyxt two systers standeth vpryghte The tone by hym was cruelly slayne The tother his loue in ioye dyd remayne: He that goeth with hym in the route It is Hercules, the stronge, fierce, and stoute That loue caused to folowe hyr daunce: The tother whiche in louynge had hard chaunce It is Achylles the Greke so bolde That for Polexemes loue dyed, as it is tolde. There mayst thou see also Demophone And Phylys hys loue, that sore dyd mone Hys absence, wherby that she dyed. Lo those that stande vpon the tother syde Is Iason, and Medea that for his loue Deceaued hyr father his trueth to proue The more vngentle is Iason in dede That gaue hyr suche rewarde for hyr mede. Hysyphyle foloweth and she doth wayle also For the barbarouse loue was taken hyr fro Next in ordre there commeth by and by He that hath the name moost excellently Of bewtye, and with hym commeth she that ouersone behelde his beutye Wherby ensued innumerable of harmes Thoroughe out the world by Mars charmes Beholde I praye the among the companye Enone complaynynge full heauely For Parys that dyd hyr falsly betraye And toke in hyr stede fayre Helen awape Se also Menelaus the Grekysse kynge

For his wyfe Helene in greate mournynge And Hermon the fayre Horestes for to call And Laodome that standeth all apall Crye for hyr loue the good Protheossolaus And Irgia the faythfull for Pollynisus Here I pray the, the greuous lamentynges The syghes, the sorowes, and the bewaylynges Of the myserable louers in this place That are brought into so dolorous case That there spyrytes they are about to rendre Unto the false God that is so sclendre I can not nowe tell the all the names That the false God of loue thus tames Not onely men that borne be mortall But also the hyghe greate Goddes supernall Are here in this greate and darke presse What shulde I any more nowe rehearse Se where Uenus doth stande with Mars Whose heade and legges the yron doth enbrase And Pluto and Preserpyne on the other syde And Iuno the ielyous for all hyr pryde And Apollo with his gaye golden lockes That gaue vnto Uenus scornes and mockes yet in Thessalia with this boyes fyrye darte This great God was pearsed to the harte And for conclusion, the Goddes and Goddesses al Of whome Uarro doth make rehearsall Beholde how afore loues'chayre they goo Fast fettred and chayned from toppe to too And Iupiter hym selfe, the great myghty kynge Amonge the other, whiche is a maruelous thing.

¶ The second Chapter of the Tryumphe of Loue.

ALl musynge wyth greate admirati∣on As one astonnyed to see the fasshy∣on Nowe here, nowe there, I loked all aboute To se the order of this greate huge route And as my harte from thought to thought past I sawe twayne together at a caste Hande in hand they went in the prease Reasonynge together they dyd not sease. Theyr straunge habyte, and theyr araye And theyr language more straunge I saye Was vnto me so darke and obscure That what they ment I knowe not be ye sure. Tyll my felowe by his interpretation Of that whiche they talked made declaration And then when I knewe what they were Into theyr presence I drewe me nere And perceaued that the one spirite was Frende to the Romaynes that there dyd passe The to ther contrary a perpetuall foo I lefte hyr then, and to the tother dyd goo and sayde: O Masinissa I the praye For Scypyons sake which thou dydst loue alway

And for Sophonysba that standeth the by That I am so bolde be thou not angrye To demaunde the what thou doest here Masinissa aunswered with a sad chere I do desyre to knowe what thou shulde be For it is I tel the a great wonder vnto me That thou doest spye my great affection whiche that I be are with suche dilection To this my loue, and to my tother frende That desyre of me, and I wyll condescende To all that thynge that thou wylt haue me do I aunswered gently, O hyghe prynce not so My poore estate desyreth no suche mede A small lytle fyer farre of in dede Bryngeth forth but a small lyght: But thy royall fame, O noble knyght Is euery where blowen and spredde This duke afore whome thou arte ledde I praye the gently kynge expresse Whether he doth lede you both in peace You and Sophonysba, for I suppose That twayne suche louers as together goese In all the worlde were harde to fynde: He aunswered and sayde, thy wordes are so kind That although thou knowe hole the case Of all my loue howe greuous that it was Yet wyll I tell the thy fancy to appease And thy mynde to set at rest and ease, That noble Duke that onlye had my harte So true and sure, and fast in euery parte That I in frendshyp with Lelins may compare Whersoeuer his worthy baner dyd fare,

There was I, wyth that moste worthy knyght But not so fortunate as he deserued by ryght For full of goodnes and grace was he Aswell wyth soule as in the fayre bodye Nowe after the Romaynes by singler honoure Had sprede theyr armes by myght and power To the extreme partes of the occident Thither wyth this valeaunt Scipion I went There was I, in loue fyrst taken than Wyth this Sophonisba this swete woman And she with me in such a feruent guyse That I affirme and with so true aduyse That neuer two louers loued better Nor two true louing hartes nor sweter Agreade in one nor yet neuer shall But the tyme of duryng alas it was but small For sone vanished away our louely chere As I tell the yf that thou wilt me here For albeit, I toke her to my wyfe And thought with her to haue led my lyffe The bond was broken forthwith in twayne By his holy wordes that more myght certayne Then all the worlde in such faruente case The knot he losed and I my selfe gaue place And nowe wonder for I in hym dyd see So highe vertue in all kynde of degree That as I may say by good comparison He is all blynde that cannot see the sonne And albeit that iustice was offence To oure true loue yet his high prudence And his deare frendshyppe dyd me compell For to folo we his sage worthy councell

In honour a very father was he And in loue a chylde in yche degree A brother in yeres which me constrayned Wyth heuy harte with sighes depe payned Scipio to obeye whereby my wyfe Was constrayned for to lose her lyfe And that wyllingly rather then she Into vyle seruitude brought should be And I my selfe the mynister was To my great doloure to execute this case So ardently she desired the death That I my selfe as the trueth sayeth To her prayer dyd then condiscend To my great heuynes this was the ende I sent her venyme for to drynke Wyth such a sorowe as thou mayest thynke Y feuer thou feltes of loues woo and payne That it semeth my harte wolde brest in twayne She knoweth this and so well knowe I Be thou the Iudge and thynk I do not lye Thus loste I my dere hope and luste To kepe my fayth and not to be vniuste Unto my Scipio nowe seke yf thou may Yf thou caust se in all this great arraye Or ells perceaue in all this louers daunce So wonderfull and so straunge a chaunce Wyth these wordes that he declared to me Calling to minde as I myght playnely se The hoote fyery loue betwixt them twayne My harte euen there so relentyde playne As doth the snowe agaynst the feruent sonne When that his beames to sprede he hath begonne

And this as these twayne passed by I harde her say and that right hastely This felowe pleased me nothing at all I am determined ye and euer shall To hate hym and all his nacion When that I harde her speake of this facion I sayd Sophonisba I praye the be in peace For bryfelye the truth to the to reherse Two times the Romaynes thy cartage oppressed That as theyr subiectes to be they all confessed The thirde tyme they destroyde it cleane That nowe vnneth thereof is nothyng sene Sophonisba answered to me agayne With short wordes and in great disdaine Yf Aufrike wept Italie had no nede For to make bost of theyr lucky spede Aske those that your hystoryes do wryte For they the trueth of both perties do endite Thus they went both together in fere Among the great prease here and there Smiling and talkyng that I ne might No more of them haue after that a sight Then as one that at aduenture doth ride To knowe the right way on euery syde Nowe standeth, nowe goeth, nowe hyeth a pase Euen so my fancye at that time it was Doubtefull and desyring to knowe by proue Howe faruently these twayne dyd loue Tyll at the last as I cast myne eye Upon the lyft hande I sawe me by One that had this straunge effecte To seme angry because he dyd abiecte

His wyffe which he loued aboue all other By pytie to geue her to a nother And reioysed much so for to doo And all together as louers they dyd goo Talkynge of this merueylouse case And of Syrya that countre where it was I drue me nere to these spirites thre That were aboute, as farre as I can see To haue gone from thense another way And to the first of them thus dyd I say I pray you sayde I, a whyle for to abyde A none the fyrste he dyd cast his heade asyde When that he harde me speake Italyan And wyth a ryght angrye countenaunce than He stode styll and streyght began to tell That which I thought to be a great maruell Thou desyrest my frende to knowe sayeth he What I am and what that I should be I am Selencus brifely to discus And this afore the is my sonne Antiocus Which had great warre with y^e Romaines nation But right agaynste fierce hath no dominion This woman that thou sest was fyrst my wyfe And after was his for to saue hys lyfe It was then ••efull for vs so to doe Her name is Stratonica she was called so And oure chaunce by loue was thus deuyded And vnder this facyon the matter was guyded My sonne was contented to release to my hande His great kyngdome and all his large lande I vnto hym my loue and lady deare When that I sawe hym for to chaung his chere

And day by daye to drawe vnto the death So that vnneth he myght not drawe his breath. I maruayled muche what the cause shoulde be Secretely my wyfe for trueth loued he That not disclosinge his wofull payne My dere sonne by loue was well nere slayne And had ben deade, but that the wyse phisician Disclosed to me the very cause than Of all his sycknes whiche he kept close Surely this came of a vertuouse purpose And of a wonderous fatherly pytie of me Sayinge these wordes awaye went he So that I coulde vnneth bydde hym farewell And this was all that then he dyd me tell After that the shadowe thus was gone Syghynge and sadde, I made great mone Because I myght not to hym disclose my hart But styll as I stode thus musynge aparte I knowe that Zerzes the great kynge of Perce Whiche ledde an Army as hystories reherce Of men innumerable, had neuer such a sort As there was of louers barrayne of comforte So that myne eyes coulde not well suffyse To se theyr straunge fashyons and theyr guyse Uaryable of tounges, and of so dyuers landes That amonge a thousand one that there standes I knewe not, theyr person nor theyr name Nor yet in hystorye coulde descryue the same Parseus was one, and fayne I woulde desyre Howe Andromeda dyd hyr selfe so attyre That although she blacke were pardie Borne in Ethiope that whote countrie

yet her fayre eyne, and her cryspe heare This Parseus harte in loue so dyd steare That as his loue the virgyn dyd he take And neuer after dyd that mayde forsake There was also the folysh louer playne That loued his owne pycter vayne That therby vnwysely he was brought to death And after as the hystorye playnly sayth He was conuerted by the diuine power Unto a fayre goodly pleasaunt flower Without for to brynge any frute at all And by hym emong these louers thrall Was she that was turned vnto a stone And now aloude doth aunswer euery one When she is called with voyce clere Next vnto this Ecco that dyd appeare Was yphys that had her selfe in hate Wyth other dyuers, in a full pyteouse state Whiche were to longe theyr names for to reherse Eyther in prose, or elles in ryme or verse But yet of some I wyll declare and tell Of Alcione and Ceice that loued so well That loue they had so ioyned for euer That nothynge could make them to disseuer Nowe clepyng now kyssynge, as they dyd flye Serchynge the kyngedome of Esperye Now restynge together on a salte stone And by the Sea theyr nestes to make alone And I sawe also amonge that great route As here and there I loked me about The cruell doughter of kynge Nysus With flyght she fledde which is maruelouse

Allauta was amonge them in the presse With theyr gay golden apples doubtles She was vanquyshed yea and ouercome By Hyppomone lo this is all and some Glad he semed to haue had the vyctory And amonge the other of this companye I sawe Atys and Galathea in his lappe And Poliphemon with greate noyse and clappe And Glanco shouynge amonge the sorte Crying for his loue without comforte Carmenite and Pico, of Italy sometyme kynge Turne to a byrde, which was a meruelouse thing There sawe I also Egeria complayne Because Syllayn was turned certayne Into a greate harde rocke of stone Whiche in the sea maketh many to mone Amonge the other that I haue rehearsed Was Cauase, by hyr father oppressed In the tone hande a penne dyd she holde A sworde in the tother, with pale face and colde Pygmalion was there among the reste With his wyfe Alyf that he loued best And amonge these I harde a thousande synge In Castallia where these Poetes brynge These louers with them more then I reherse In prose, in ryme, in metre, and in verse And at the last Cydippe dyd I see Scorned with an apple there was she.

¶ The thyrde chapter of the tryumphe of Loue.

SO muche was my hearte a marueld of this syght That I stode styll as one that had no myght To speake or looke but to holde hys peace As desyreous to haue some coun∣cell doubtles When that my frende gentylly to me sayde Why doest thou muse? Why arte thou dismayde? Shewe forth a better chere and porte And se how that I am one of the sorte That wyll I, nyll I, must folowe the rest. Brother sayde I, and thou knowest best Myne entention, and the hote loue I feale Whiche is so whote that it cannot keale So that suche busynes doth trauayle my mynde That what I wolde saye I leaue behynde. He aunswered and sayde, I do heare it all And well vnderstande by thy memoriall Thou wouldest knowe yet what these other be And I shall shewe thee yf thou wylte heare me Seest thou yondre great man of honoure That is Pompeus so great of power That hath with hym Cornelia the chaste Complaining of the vyle Tholome the vnstedfast

That betrayed so noble and worthy a man The tother is the great and myghtie grecian Alexander the lorde of lordes all Egystus and Clytemistra see where they stall And howe by them one may soone fynde Loue vnconstant waueryng and blynde More faste loue founde she that standeth by Ipermistra it is that fayre swete ladye See also where Piramus doth goo And with hym Thisbe that he loued soo That in the derke mette oft together Leander in the see and Ero at the fenester And hym that thou doest se so pensyle and sadde It is Ulixes that so chaste a wyfe hadde That dyd longe abyde hys returne from Troy Nowe on Cyres he hath all his ioye And yonder man that thou doest aduerte That made all ytaly sore for to smerte It is Amilcar sonne in very deade That made all the Romaynes to feare and dread And althoughe he made yche man to quake A vyle wench prysoner doth hym take And yonder woman with the short heare Loke howe she foloweth here and there All though she were quene of Ponto Her husbande whersoeuer he doth goo As a seruaunte and not as a wyfe She ledde wyth hym a full harde lyfe The tother thou seest is Porcia the true The chastiste wyfe that euer man knewe Because that yron men dyd her forbyde The fyre she swallowed tyll she were dede

Beholde where is Iulia that soore complayned That she best loued her husband vnfayned And yet he louide hys second wyfe better There could to her be no payne greater Turne thyne eyes on the other syde And see the olde holy father begylde And dysdayne not for to take the payne To serue seuen yeares to haue Rachell agayne O lyuely loue that with labour doth encrease See the father of this Iacob neuerthelesse And the graundefather of Sara take delyght Thus doth loue wyth his power and myght After loke howe loue cruell and euyll Ouercame Dauide and made hym to kyll His faythfull seruaunt which he repented sore In a derke place he dyd repentaunce therefore A lyke mysty cloude pyte to thynke vpon So ••erkyd the great wysedome of Salomon That well neare it quenched hys hygh fame Se also I praye the among the same He that louyde and hatyd in a whyle And it is he that Thamar dyd beguyle Wherefore she complayned to Absolone Of hyr mysfortune she made wondre mone And lytle afore hym see there he went The stronge Sampson that sore dyd repent For putting his heade in his loues lappe Tellyng her hys secretes he hadde hard happe After beholde amonge swordes and speares Iudeth that hent hym by the heares The proude Holiferne vanquished by loue Whereby she sauyde her citie from reproue

There was no moo but she and hee mayde That dyd thys wonders acte at that abrayde Doest thou not see Sychen afore thine eyes Emonge the circumcysed people howe he dyes Scorned in lyke maner as the tother was Thys was loue that brought hym to that case Lo where thou mayest see the greate Assuerus That for to heale hys malady amarouse Left the tone and toke hym to a sweter There is no remedy agaynst loue better Then one nayle to knocke out with a nother A stronge example this is among the other But nowe wylt thou see in one tyrantes hart Loue and crueltie which is a diuers parte Beholde Herodes howe he doth complayne Thys myscheuouse tyrante inhumayne To late repentyd soo doth dyuers mo The deade ones done, it cannot be vndoo Maryamne hys loue he calleth and clepeth And all in vayne wherefore he wepeth And lo there one may beholde and see Three fayre swete Dameselles where they be Pocry and the good gentle Arthemesia And in there companye there standeth Deidamin These were not soo good but the other be as yll That foloweth this loues tryumphe styll Semiramis and Biblia, and Mirra, the gent That of theyr vyle loue do soore repente I am not aduysed theyr offences to name Therefore I leue it for very pure shame Nowe foloweth then that fyll bokes wyth lyes Launslote and Trystram that for Ysode dyes

And Quene Queynor with other louers moo But specially the fayre gentle Darmino That made for his loue great complaynte And she for hym wexed pale and faynte Thus spake my frende, & I which herkened well All these hystories that he to me dyd tell Stode astonied as in dreade and feare Of hurt to come that hastyth nere and nere Pale and wane as he that is so taken Oute of his tombe newe rysen and awaken When that all sodenly by me there stode The fayrest yonge mayden of face and mode That euer I sawe whyter then a doue Which vnprouided toke me soore in loue And although that I dyd pretende By strength agaynst her me to defende And that I, would resyst in the place A man of armes in such a soden case Yet for hyr wordes and with her smyling there She bounde me fast and toke me prysoner And euyn then for trueth in that degree My frende drue nere and smyling sayde to me In my nere wysperyng nowe speake thou may What loue is and all her nyce playe Nowe mayest thou knowe it as well as I Both we be spottyd wyth one maladye I than was one of this great arraye That more dyd lament the trueth, I saye Of other mens loue that prosperde well Then of myne owne doloure of which I tell And as he that repenteth all to late Of hurte taken vnwysely allgate

So of my loues beautie dyd I make Myne owne death which wyllyngly I take By loue, by ielozy, by enuye also Burnynge lyke fyre thus dyd I loue in woo The fyre was kyndled in that most fayrest face Euen as a sycke man that an appetyte hase And desyreth that to hym semeth swete Yet to this helth it is nothynge mete Euen so was I vnto all other pleasure Deaf and blynde, out of all measure Folowynge hyr by so doubtfull wayes That it to remember, those tymes and dayes I tremble and quake when therof I do thynke More then I can wryte with pen paper and ynke So that from the tyme that this befell Myne eyes for moysture semed a well My harte was pensyfe, my lodginge was in dede Brokes sprynges, and ryuers, so dyd I lede My lyfe in busshes, in grouets, and in woodes Amonge the stones, I sought none other goodes And to this so many papers whyte As in hyr prayse I payned to endyte When after I tore them into peces smal I was compelled agayne to wryte them all And all in loues cloystre what is done I know it well it cannot be vndone That there is feare, and there is hope also Who wyll it rede, and take hede thereto In my forehead there maye ye se it playne All my sorowe, my doloure, and my payne And for all this, that wylde ioly dame That is the causer of all this same

Goeth afore me and careth not at all Whether that I flete, I synke, or fall So is she proude in vertue set so hye That in hyr selfe she taketh glorye To haue me so fast hyr seruaunt bounde That I knowe not howe to heale my wounde And to this it is a maruelouse thynge The God of loue this great myghtye kynge It seemeth of hyr he is soore afearde When that she lyst to loke hymin the bearde So that hope doth me so ofte forsake That loue hym selfe no remedy can make For when he wyll any thynge with this mayde She doth not as other do that are afrayde But as one that is free she goeth in the race Not bounde, but at lydertie with hyr fayre face And no wondre for she doth appeare Emonge the starres as the Sonne cleare Hyr porte is synguler hyr wordes are maruelous Hyr heare spred as the golde moost beutiouse The eyen kyndled with a celestiall lyght That well content to burne is my delyght Who can compare with hyr angelyke demure It passeth my connyng ye maye be sure As muche as the Sea passeth a lytle broke For who on good maners doth prye and looke A newe thynge it is, and not afore seene Nor after shall not so dulse and sheene So that all tounges hyr beutye to expresse Are and shalbe muete doubtelesse With suche a one am I taken, and with hyr tyde And she free from all loue on euery syde

O wycked starre that my destanye doth leade Howe is it that I haue no better speade Day and nyght vpon hyr I do call But she nothyng bouse to pytie at all Nor scant will tary to heare what I saye Alas for pytye well mourne I maye A harde lawe it is thus to loue be kynde The waye not ryght, but crooked for to fynde But yet to folowe it why shulde I saye naye When that not onely men doth goe that waye But the Goddes also that be celestiall Are not free from this payne at all He that is a louer ful well knowes this How that the hart from the bodye departed is How nowe he is in warre, and forthwith in peace Howe when his loue doth shewe vngentlenes He wyll not be aknowen, but his malady hyde Thoughe that it prycke hym both backe and syde This euell feele I, and yet more there to When with my loue I haue to do The bloude for feare renneth to my harte And streyght abroade in my vaynes doth starte I knowe also howe hydde vnder the floure The serpent lyeth the louer to deuoure How alwayes the louer lyeth in dread and doute In great suspecte for to be put oute By another, and so no rest I take Neyther when I slepe, nor when I wake I knowe also howe to seke the place Where my loue is ay wont to passe And yet I stand in feare hyr to fynde Althoughe hyr selfe is prynted in my mynde

I knowe also my selfe howe to beguyle With louynge and mornynge a great whyle Folowynge the damesell it is euen so That wyll burne me folowyng, yet after I go I knowe moreouer how loue cryes and calles And wyll not be shytte out with dores nor walles But puttes by reason, and wyll not go awaye Tyll he pearce the harte, and all I saye I knowe also how s•••••• a gentle harte Is tyed with a small lace and cannot▪ start When the sences haue the better hande And reason put by, and wyll not withstande I knowe to this how that loue doth shote How he flyes and strykes without geuyng boote How he threateth and robbeth with forse & might And thus wronges his seruaūtes against alright and I am not ignoraūt how vnstable is his whele The hope doubtfull alwayes for to fele The doloure sute, his promyse vntrue Ay desyrous to chaunge for thynges newe And how to this in the bones doth rest The hyd fyre that lyeth so opprest In the louers vaynes, and that with such a woūd That at the last it bryngeth hym to the ground In conclusion I know loue so to be Inconstaunt, waueryng, and fearefull trust me Hauyng in it a lytle small swetenes Mengled with extreme payne and bytternes When he woulde speake, cannot though he would Sodeyne scilence when his tale should be tolde A shorte laughynge with complaynt styll & longe Gall tempred with hony this is the louers songe.

¶ The fourth Chapter of the Tryumphe of Loue.

AFter that my for∣tune thus hade me broughte And loue soo sore in my hart wro∣ughte That cut were al my weake sely vaynes My lybertie gone and I in wofull paynes I that afore was wylde as any harte Was made then tame for my parte As well as all the other that were there And well knew theyr trauayle and theyr fere And wyth what wyte, crafte and chaunce I and they were brought to loues daunce And then as that I loked all aboute If I myght spye among that hudge route Any person of cleare and high name That by wryting haue eternall fame I sawe hym that Erudyce dyd call Apon Pluto the great god infernall And folowed her as these hystories tell Downe vnto the depe dongeon of hell And dying dyd his loue clepe and call I sawe also euyn among them all Alceo Macreon and the wyse Pyndarus That in loue were all thre studiouse

Uyrgyll was there. I say in lyke case Wyth other excellent poetes in that place The tone was Ouyde the tother Catullo Propercius also and eke Tubullo That of loue wrote many a verse and songe And with this excellent Poetes amonge Was a Grecian that with her swete style Of loue full many a songe dyd fyle Ay lokyng thus about me here and there I sawe in a grene fielde with sadde chere People that of loue reasonyng went Dant with beatryce fayre and gent Lo on the tother syde I might also se Cino of Piscoia wyth hym trust me Guydo of Rezzo and in that place Two other Guydos in lyke manner and case The tone of them was borne in boleyne The tother was a very ryght Cicelien Senicio and Francisco so gentle-of condicion And Arnolde and Daniell in lyke facion A great maker and dyuyser of loue And dyd great honour to his Citie aboue There was Peter also the Clerke famouse And Rambaldo with his stile curiouse That wrote for his beatryce in mont ferrato The olde Peter and with hym Geraldo Filile to that in Marsill bare the name And the prayse from Geneway by the same Geffray Rudell that sought his death Alasse vpon the water as he hymselfe dyd passe There was also Wilbon at that houre

That in wryting to his Peramoure Passyd many other in his dayes Among these other that of loue sayes Was Amerego, Barnardo, Hugo, and Anselme That in stede of speare, shilde, and helme Was theyr tounge and theyr fayre speach The loue of theyr Ladyes to besech I turned myne eyes from that companye And streight wyse I dyd there espye The good Thomaso that gate great prayse In Boleyne that citie in hys dayse O fleyng swetenes O paynefull wery lyfe What chaunce hath taken wyth woo and strife These my deare fryndes away from me Why am I not styll in theyr company Well may I perceaue howe feble and frayle Is mans lyfe all full of trauayle Well may I say it is none other thing But as a dreame or a shadowe passyng Or as a fable that when it is tolde The wynde and whether doth it holde Unneth was a lytle past the rule Of the commen lernars in scole When fyrste I dyd Socrates workes se And Lelius howe fayre they dyd agree Wyth these men I entende styll to goo Which I haue named hether vnto As those whose laude: no man can well rehearse Neyther in ryme, in prose, nor yet in verse Wyth these two and dyuerse other in my dayes Haue I searched many dyuers wayes

And from these noo man can me deuyde But for alwayes I wyll wyth them abyde Untyll the houre come▪ that I shall dye For wyth these two gotten yet haue I The gloriouse Laurell wherewith my heade As a garlande all aboute is spredde In memory of her of which I wryte Uerses of prayses as I can endyte But of her which I so much commend For all my seruyce that I do pretend I cannot get neyther boughe nor lefe But payne, heauines, doloure, and grefe And or I wryte the cause why she doth so I wyll wryte of the pensyfe woo That these vnwyse louers haue to loue The thyng is so farre my wytte aboue That for great Omer or for wyse Orpheus It were well mete they shoulde it dyscusse Then in folowing of my golden penne I wyll declare howe I and all these men Folowing this god by Dykes and by Dales With peynes and busines and with many tales This chylde vnto his kyngdome came Where Uenus hys mother was resydent than But so ouerwhart thyder was the wayes By busshes and woodes and other brayes That not one amonge all wyste where he was Nor howe it was wyth hym nor in what case There lyeth beyonde Egeo that grete see A delectable yle to beholde and se Because the sonne softly doth it warme The byrdes there full swetely charme

In the myddes of this yle now expressed Is there a mountayne fayre ydressed With fayre flowres, and fayre cleare water That it taketh awaye all sadde matter From the hartes of suche as be there This is the lande to Uenus moost dere Wherein the olde auncient men Made to this Uenus a temple then And yet of vertue it is so barrayne I saye That as it was, so it is at this daye In that selfe same place tryumpheth this Lorde Of vs and other that he doth bynde in corde Of all nations, from Tyle vnto Inde Innumerable of all men one maye fynde This Prynce in token of his great victory That he hath obteyned of louers so gloriouslye Caryeth with hym of poore louers the spoyle To gyue to hys wanton mother in that soyle Fyrst of all the louers thoughtes in his lappe He hath with hym fast closed in a trappe Uanytie embraseth hym, and with hym doth go Fugytyue pleasure doth folowe hym also In wynter Roses he caryeth about In Somer yse, this great God so stoute Doutefull hope before and behynde Shorte Ioye, wauerynge and blynde Penaunce and sorow doth folowe the rest As in Rome and in Troy, when it was opprest Thus with a noyse and a huge shoute Redounded the valleye there all aboute With a consent of byrdes fayre and swete And the ryuers that ranne by the strete

Were of coloure breifly to endyte Greene, blewe, redde, yalowe and whyte And euer the Ryuars rynnyng in that place When that the tyme of greate heate was Apon the freshe fayre greene flowres To comforte the herbers and the bowres Shadowes softe to kepe the sonne away The wether temperate by nyght and daye The Sonne nether to hoote nor to colde Plenty of deynties eate who woulde And pleasures dyuers to make a symple wytte Haue an olde feble harte for to vse it It was about the Equinoctiall lyne than When the fayre bryght Phebus began To chase the longe wynter nyghtes awaye And prougne laughes early afore daye In that tyme and in that selfe howre This great God of so hyghe powre Woulde tryumphe then, and there worshipped be O our vnstable fortune for to se We ne coulde but as this God vs leade Hym to worshyppe, se howe we speade What death, what sorow, woo and payne Hath the louer, his purpose to attayne Nowe for to declare this matter by and by This Goddes chayre, where that they sat on hye There was about it errour and dreames And glosynge ymages of all nations and realmes False opynion was entrynge the gate And slypper hope stode by theyr ate Wery rest, and rest with wo and payne The more hygher he clam the lesse he dyd obtayn

Damnable lucre was not wantynge there Nor profitable hurte alwayes in fere Cleare dishonoure, and glory obscure and darke False lealtie lefte not there to warke Nor beguyldynge fayth, nor furious busynes Nor slowe reason lacked not in the presse A pryson open, entre who woulde When he was in gotten oute he ne coulde Within trouble, confusion, and mysery A sure sorowe a myrth vncertaynly Lyppary nor Ischa, nor Uolcan boyls not so Strongile and Mongebell put therto As boyled the place where the castell was And briefly whosoeuer thyther dyd pas Is there bounde in hote and in colde In darkenesse euerlastynge in that holde Holden and tyed and kept by forse Crying for mercy tyll that he be horse In this castell syghynge for Sorga and Arno Was I prysoner many a longe daye so That by my wytte, I coulde no meanes fynde Oute for to gette there I was so blynde One remedye at the leaste there I founde Whyles that I was in loue thus bounde My wytte on hyghe thynges was euermore set To knowe what loue is whiche was so great That I therby coulde well discerne What was to be done in suche harme And thus hauynge great compassion Of suche that were in loues pryson My harte relented euen as doth the snowe Agaynst the hoote Sonne ye may me trowe

Merueylynge to se so many noble men To be in so darke a pryson there and then None otherwyse but as one that doth se A pycture well made in conformyte Goeth the foote forwarde it for to espye And yet loketh backwarde with his eye So at that tyme I loked all aboute To consydre this greate companye and route.

¶ The ende of the Tryumphe of Loue.