The golden fleece VVhereto bee annexed two elegies, entitled Narcissus change. And Æsons dotage. By Richard Brathvvayte Gentleman.

THE SECOND SONET.

PVh, fie, away I cannot brooke to kisse, For modest lips detest such wantonnesse, Hold off those impure hands, whose onely blisse Is fraughted with the poize of wickednesse. Shake off these ca••kred thoughts▪ these apparitions, These shittring dr••ames, & these lasci••••o•••• visions.

Thou dreamde the other night, thy masters maske, Was hid vnder the pillow of thy bed, And when thou wakt thou presently did aske, Whose vnchast hands did take it from thine head. Fond gull beware of these conceits of thine, Like characters of louser acts doe shine.

Endimion like with groueling in thy caue, Thou sleptst of Satyres, Fauns, & mountaine gods Loue is the part thy slumbring eielids craue, Thou dream'st thou kist Diana in the woods, Of steepe cliffie Pindust, out vpon the Asse, Thou kist Diana where she neuer was.

Thou dream'd of bugbeares, and opprest with feare, Ranne to the pillow for to kill a fiend, When (in good sooth) there nothing did appeare, Yet from a shadow did thy soule defend. Leaue off fond gull, no spirit thou canst finde, Worse then the spirit of thy iealous minde.

Acteon was a coward to suppose Each bush a Pandor to his beauteous wife, And whilst vnto the shadie groues he goes, He feares the ruine of his worthlesse life. No care to iealous 〈◊〉〈◊〉 there can be, For iealous thoughts despaire of remedie.

Nature hath plagude some with a iealous spirit, And yet no cause giuen by his honored wife, For iealous thoughts proceede not still from merit, Surmisde coniectures breede intestine strife. Reaping such things, as such minds do befit, They lose the substance, and the shadow get.

Whenas desire of vaine and wanton loue, Shewes as a Tyger, and triumphes in woe Her tyrant hands she in her course doth proue▪ And draweth on despaire where ere she goe, For desperate loue appeareth oft in such, As are besotted with louing ouermuch.

But well I know the portraie of thy mind, Thou lou'st, and art bewitcht with iealousie, And if a sillie Mouse thou chance to finde, Within thy chamber, thy impatiencie. Sweares it hath ••uckold thee, and in despaire, Protests the child she hath is not thine heire.

Wherefore should bushes so affright braue men, That are endewd with wit and dignitie, How should a Momus portraie with his pen, Their iealous thoughts, and their impietie? Beleeue me friend, no viper worse I finde, Then the ranke poyson of a iealous minde.

The Macedons were more discreete then they, Who suffred all haue publike liberty. And to repaire vnto their house each day, For to supply their imbecility. I cannot chuse but count that man a gull, That thinks his Pasyphae nee••s euery B••ll.

I cannot chuse, but sore condemne that man, That soothes his pleasure in a vaile of teares, And blots the current of his glorious name, By suppositions, and pretended pheres. Honour thy wife, for she is chaste and pure, Conceiue but chastly of her, rest secure.

I am thy friend in counsell and must tell, Thy follies erre, and wander farre amis••e, For iealous thoughts runne posting hast to hell, Ne're are partakers of an heauenly blisse. Remember well, let iealous thoughts depart, Least Queene of chast desires frame thee an hart.

And then still grazing in the shadie groue, Repent thy foolish and mishapt suspicion, Which did coniecture false of such a loue, Grounding a truth out of an apparition. Can tell this vaine forgde deed, and then prepare, More honourd thoughts t'extenuate thy care.

Ile leaue thee thus, and if thou doe remaine, In thine ill formd suggestions then be sure, There's punishing Gods, that will in lieu of gaine, Enthrall thy soule in dep••h, ere to endure. Emprisned fast with chaines of slauerie, Condigne reward for vntunde iealousie.

Haplesse is he who so regards his name, That he redoubles it with infamie, Vnfortunate that doth impaire the same, And shewes his thoughts by harsh tunde iealousie. Iuno can looke vpon her husband loue, To know, why he faire Io so should loue?

I haue knowne many in regard of time, Shew discontent, to see their wiues partake, Of popular aspect, and to repine To loue a friend, not for her husband sake, But none I euer knew, or ere shall know, That for true loue will seeme besotted so.

When Collatine did giue his signet ring, Vnto young Sextus void of any ill, He safe content, within his tent did sing Deuoted to his chast Lucretiaes will, Worthie was he of such a beauteous mate, That could so well discerne of his estate.

He had a pearle, and he did esteeme it, Not like vaine trash floting with euery winde, For like a Phoenix vpon earth did deeme it, Contented well with Iewell of his mind. Thou hast as faire a gemme as ere had he, VVhy should thou then affect such iealousie?

FINIS.

Notes

• Supplemen∣tum.