The forrest of fancy Wherein is conteined very prety apothegmes, and pleasaunt histories, both in meeter and prose, songes, sonets, epigrams and epistles, of diuerse matter and in diuerse manner. VVith sundry other deuises, no lesse pithye then pleasaunt and profytable.

Title

The forrest of fancy Wherein is conteined very prety apothegmes, and pleasaunt histories, both in meeter and prose, songes, sonets, epigrams and epistles, of diuerse matter and in diuerse manner. VVith sundry other deuises, no lesse pithye then pleasaunt and profytable.

Author

H. C.

Publication

Imprinted at London :: By Thomas Purfoote, dwelling in Newgate Market, within the new rents, at the signe of the Lucrece,

1579.

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Link to this Item

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Cite this Item

"The forrest of fancy Wherein is conteined very prety apothegmes, and pleasaunt histories, both in meeter and prose, songes, sonets, epigrams and epistles, of diuerse matter and in diuerse manner. VVith sundry other deuises, no lesse pithye then pleasaunt and profytable." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A69037.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 12, 2025. content_copy

Contents

• title page
• The Booke speaketh to the Buyers.
• The Authour to the Reader.
• R. W. to the Reader, in the Au∣thours behalfe.
• The Epistle to the Reader.
• The Forrest of Fancy.
  • ¶A morrall of the misery and mischiefe that raigneth amongst wicked worldlinges, with an admonition to all true Christians, to forsake their sinne and amend their manners.
  • After the death of Oedipus King of Theabes, his two sonnes Ethiocles and Polinices striuing whether of them should succeede him, in the ende it was agreede, that they should raigne by course, one yeare the one, the next yeare the other, But Ethiocles raigning fyrst, whé his yeare was expired, woulde not giue place to his brother Polinices, which caused him to write vnto him in effect as followeth.
  • A warning to yong men to flye the flattery, and shun the deceiptes of dissem∣bling dames.
  • A plaine description of perfecte friendship.
  • An Inuectiue against couetous persons.
  • Of fayned friendship.
  • The commodities of Mariage.
  • In contrarium.
  • Of the wickednesse of women and howe prone they are to the procatious of the flesh.
  • What small trust there is to be reposed in friendes or kinsfolkes.
  • A Letter written by a yong maiden to a Louer of hers, wherein she detecteth the trechery of many men, and their great dissimu∣lation.
  • A yong man enamoured of a very fayre Gentlewoman, declareth the dollorous passions that he suffereth for her sake, and craueth mercy at her handes.
  • Certaine Verses written in commendation of the Nut cornell.
  • A Louer hauing long concealed his loue, at the lastre. uealeth it, and craueth fauour at the handes, of his beloued mistres.
  • A Louer whose friend for his sake was frowardlye delte withal, writeth vnto her, to perswade her with pacience, to suffer it for a season.
  • An admonition to Maisters, how they should behaue themselues towardes their seruauntes.
  • A yong man finding her to whome he had plighted pro∣mise, to be fraught with another mans fruicte, wrighteth vnto her as follo∣weth.
  • A Letter written to a yong widdowe, that was before matched with a very olde man, perswading her to make choyse of one whose yeares weare more agreeable with her owne.
  • A pretty fancy of the fynding of a Whyte, wherein is collourablely included the course of a Captiue Lo∣uer, in purchasing his desyred purpose.
  • How Altamenes hauing vnwares slaine his owne Father Cartareus died for sorrow, when he had know∣ledge thereof.
  • The Authour writeth this in commendation of his mistresse.
  • An Exhortation to Pacience.
  • A Louer writing to his chosen friend, who for his sake susteyned much sorrow, exhorteth her to conti∣nue constant, and paciently to tollerate her present aduersity in hope that better happes will insue.
  • The Aucthour wrighting to a friend of his, that was toward mariage, exhorteth her to make choyse of a wyse and verteous person.
  • Of the great patience and clemency of King Antigonus.
  • What misery and misfortunes mankinde is continually subiecte vnto.
  • A louer hauing long concealed his loue, at the last re∣uealeth it and craueth grace at the handes of his beloued mistresse.
  • Certaine verses written in commendation of the Rose.
  • The Louer after long absence hauing onewed his loue, by beholding the bewty of his beloued mistresse, sueth vnto her for grace, for the appea∣sing of his passyons.
  • Of a Souldyer who for couirousnesse of a little money, lost his owne lyfe.
  • The complaint of one Sidaspo, who was imflamed with loue through the bewty of his seruaunt Aletha.
  • A Letter which the said Sidaspo sente to his seruaunt Aletha.
  • The abiect Louer complaineth of the crueltye and disdainefull lookes of his Lady.
  • A commendation of the Cock.
  • A commendacion of the Robin redde brest.
  • The long acquainted Louer writeth to his beloued, whose grace he desyred.
  • Of one Vrbina a Virgin vestall, taken in adulterye,
  • Of one Cianippus, who in his dronkennesse deflowred his owue daughter ciane.
  • Of one Ceselius Bassus a Carthagenian, who deceiued the Emperour Nero.
  • The Louer woried with long loue; taking assuraunce of succour, enduceth his Lady to receiue to her seruice.
  • The Louer hauing long time loued a fayre Gentlewo∣man, at whose handes he had reciued small hope of obtaining his purpose, wrighteth vn∣to her as followeth.
  • The Louer being promised a resolute aunswere to that he desyred, wrighteth to his beloued Mistresse, in this manner, wherein he perswadeth her, to pittie his passions.
  • The tragedy of Meliager, sonne to Oeneus King of Calcedonia.
  • Lenuoy.
  • A letter written by one to a ritche Widdow, wherein vsing earnest perswations he soli∣citeth his sute, and craueth to be accepted.
  • The fyrst Letter written to the same widdowe, extolling her vertues, which he allegeth to be the cause of his ardent affection, he requyreth ma∣riage of her.
  • A yong Gentlewoman wrighteth this for aunswere to a Gentlemans Letter, that craued her loue, and exhor∣teth her to keepe promise with him, wherein ex∣cusing her selfe, by her ouer yong yeres, and his vnhabillitye, she prayeth him to cease of his sute.
  • A. B. wrighting to his sister C. B. admonisheth her of such thinges as he fyndeth amuse in her, and instruc∣teth her how shee should behaue herself to preserue her good name.
  • A yong man being in loue wiih a fayre Gentlewoman, that was but his equall, desyreth to be accep∣ted for her husband.
  • C. D. Being enamored of a fayre and vertous yong Gen∣tlewoman he craueth speedy comfort.
  • The Louer perceiuing the loue of his beloued mistresse, not to be so perfect as before time it had bene, wrighteth vnto her as follo∣weth.
  • A Louer being doubtfull of the good will of his Ladye; by meanes of the mutabillitie that many times he founde to be in her, craueth more assuraunce at her handes.
  • The Auctour writing to his sister that was towardes ma∣riage, teacheth how to make choise of a husband and howe to behaue her selfe beeing a Wyfe.
  • A pore yong mau being vehemently vexed for the loue of a fyre yong Gentlewoman, craueth her fa∣uour for the conseruation of his lyfe, almost consumed.
  • How foolish women are in the choyse of their Louers.
  • Damion wrighteth to his friend Sulippo exhorting him to seeke preferment whilst the time serueth.
  • Varinus hauing found in the night time that which ple∣sed his fancy he commendeth it much, and craueth to be accepted for her seruant whom he intyrely loued.
  • A pore yong man being in loue with a ritch Gentlewo∣man, fynding it somewhat difficult to obtaine a∣ny fauoure at her handes, sought to sup∣presse his fond affection, but could not, wherfore he wrighteth vnto her in effecte as followeth.
  • The great loue that Itafernes wyfe bare to her brother.
  • A Louer that stoode at an vncertaine staye, wrighteth this for aunswere to a Letter that he recey∣ued from her whome he loued.
  • The straunge pangs of a pore passionate Louer.
  • Of the thankefulnesse of a Dragon towardes a man that had brought him vp.
  • R. D. Being inflamed with the loue of a very bewtifull Gentlewoman, by a sodaine view that he tooke of her, doth colourably declare his case vnto her.
  • An aunswere to a Letter that was not onely darke, but also so disordered, as their could no sence be perceiued in it.
  • C. L. Wrighting to a speciall Friende of his, that was somewhat greeued in minde, for certaine troubles that were happened vnto him, ge∣neth him such friendly consolation as was riquisite for one in his case.
  • A yong Gentleman whose loue was hindred by falce re∣portes, wrighteth to his Lady that had promi∣sed her good will, so her friendes would agree vnto it.
  • Seigneor Francisco Vergelis, for a fayr ambling gelding, suffered one Seigneor Richardo Magniffico to talk with his wife, who gaue him no aunswere at all, but he aun∣swering for her, in such sort as if she her self had spoken it, according to the effect of his wordes, it came af∣terwards to passe.
  • Theodore enamoured of Maister Emories daughter, that was his Maister, got her with child, for the which he was condemned to be hanged, and as he was whipped through the Stretes to the place of execution, being knowne to his Father he procured his pardon, and so Thodore married the maide whom he had before de flowred.
  • ¶ One named Salard, departing from Genes, came to Montferat where he transgressed three commaunde∣mentes that his Father gaue him by his last will and Testamente, and being condemned to dye, was deliue∣red, and retourned againe into his owne countrey.