AS close as you your wedding kept, yet now the truth I hear: Which you, ere now, might me have told. What need you "Nay!" to swear?
You know I always wished you well; so will I during life! But sith you shall a Husband be; GOD send you a good Wife!
And this, whereso you shall become, full boldly may you boast: That once you had as true a Love as dwelt in any coast.
Whose constantness had never quailed, if you had not begun: And yet it is not so far past, but might again be won.
If you so would, yea and not change so long as life should last: But if that needs you marry must; then Farewell! Hope is past!
And if you cannot be content to lead a single life, Although the same right quiet be: then take me to your Wife!
So shall the promises be kept that you so firmly made: Now choose, Whether ye will be true, or be of Sinon's trade?
Whose trade if that you long shall use, it shall your kindred stain! Example take by many a one, whose falsehood now is plain.
As by Eneas, first of all, who did poor Dido leave; Causing the Queen by his untruth, with sword her heart to cleave.
Also I find that THESEUS did his faithful Love forsake; Stealing away within the night, before she did awake.
Jason, that came of noble race two Ladies did beguile: I muse how he durst show his face to them that knew his wile.
For when he, by Medea's art, had got the Fleece of Gold; And also had of her, that time, all kinds of things he would:
He took his ship, and fled away; regarding not the vows That he did make so faithfully unto his loving Spouse.
How durst he trust the surging seas, knowing himself forsworn? Why did he 'scape safe to land before the ship was torn?
I think King Æolus stayed the winds, and Neptune ruled the sea; Then might he boldly pass the waves: no perils could him slay.
But if his falsehood had to them been manifest before; They would have rent the ship as soon as he had gone from shore.
Now may you hear how falseness is made manifest in time; Although they that commit the same think it a venial crime.
For they, for their unfaithfulness, did get perpetual fame. Fame! Wherefore did I term it so? I should have called it shame.
Let Theseus be! let Jason pass! let Paris also 'scape, That brought destruction unto Troy, all through the Grecian rape.
And unto me a Troilus be! If not, you may compare With any of these persons that above expressèd are.
But if I cannot please your mind, for wants that rest in me: Wed whom you list! I am content your refuse for to be.
It shall suffice me, simple soul, of thee to be forsaken: And it may chance, although not yet, you wish, you had me taken.
But rather than you should have cause to wish this, through your Wife: I wish to her, ere you her have, no more but loss of life.
For she that shall so happy be, of thee to be elect; I wish her virtues to be such, she need not be suspect!
I rather wish her Helen's face, than one of Helen's trade! With chasteness of Penelope, the which did never fade.
A Lucrece for her constancy, and Thisbe for her truth! If such thou have, then Peto be: not Paris, that were ruth!
Perchance, ye will think this thing rare in one woman to find. Save Helen's beauty, all the rest the gods have me assigned.
These words I do not speak, thinking from thy new Love to turn thee! Thou knowest by proof what I deserve! I need not to inform thee.
But let that pass! Would God I had Cassandra's gift me lent! Then either thy ill chance, or mine, my foresight might prevent.
But all in vain for this I seek. Wishes may not attain it! Therefore may hap to me what shall; and I cannot refrain it.
Wherefore I pray, GOD be my guide, and also thee defend! No worser than I wish myself, until thy life shall end!
Which life, I pray GOD, may again King Nestor's life renew! And after that, your soul may rest amongst the heavenly crew!
Thereto I wish King Xerxes's wealth, or else King Crœsus's gold! With as much rest and quietness as man may have on mold!
And when you shall this letter have let it be kept in store! For she that sent the same, hath sworn as yet to send no more.
And now, "Farewell!" For why? At large my mind is here exprest: The which you may perceive, if that you do peruse the rest.
FINIS.
The Admonition by the Author to all young
Gentlewomen, and to all other Maids,
being in love.
YE Virgins, that from Cupid's tents do bear away the foil! Whose hearts as yet with raging love most painfully do boil:
To you, I speak! For you be they that good advice do lack; O if I could good counsel give, my tongue should not be slack!
But such as I can give, I will here in a few words express: Which if you do observe, it will some of your care redress.
Beware of fair and painted talk! Beware of flattering tongues! The Mermaids do pretend no good, for all their pleasant Songs!
Some use the tears of crocodiles, contrary to their heart: And if they cannot always weep, they wet their cheeks by Art.
Ovid, within his Art of Love, doth teach them this same knack: To wet their hand, and touch their eyes; as oft as tears they lack.
Why have ye such deceit in store? have you such crafty wile? Less craft than this, God knows, would soon us simple souls beguile!
But will ye not leave off; but still delude us in this wise? Sith it is so, we trust we shall take heed to feignèd lies.
Trust not a man at the first sight! but try him well before: I wish all Maids, within their breasts, to keep this thing in store.
For trial shall declare this truth, and show what he doth think: Whether he be a Lover true, or do intend to shrink.
If Scylla had not trust too much before that she did try; She could not have been clean forsake, When she for help did cry.
Or if she had had good advice, Nisus had livèd long! How durst she trust a stranger, and do her dear father wrong!
King Nisus had a hair by fate; which hair while he did keep, He never should be overcome, neither on land nor deep.
The stranger, that the daughter loved, did war against the King; And always sought how that he might them in subjection bring.
This Scylla stole away the hair, for to obtain her will: And gave it to the stranger, that did straight her father kill.
Then she, who thought herself most sure to have her whole desire, Was clean reject, and left behind; When he did home retire.
Or if such falsehood had been once unto Œnone known; About the fields of Ida wood, Paris had walked alone!
Or if Demophoon's deceit, to Phillis had been told; She had not been transformèd so, as Poets tell of old.
Hero did try Leander's truth before that she did trust; Therefore she found him unto her both constant true and just.
For he always did swim the sea, when stars in sky did glide; Till he was drownèd by the way, near hand unto the side.
She scrat[ched] her face, she tare her hair, it grieveth me to tell, When she did know the end of him that she did love so well.
But like Leander there be few; therefore, in time, take heed! And always try before ye trust! so shall you better speed.
The little fish that careless is within the water clear. How glad is he, when he doth see a bait for to appear!
He thinks his hap right good to be, that he the same could spy; And so the simple fool doth trust too much before he try.
O little fish, what hap hadst thou, to have such spiteful fate! To come into one's cruel hands, out of so happy state.
Thou didst suspect no harm, when thou upon the bait didst look: O that thou hadst had Lynceus's eyes, for to have seen the hook!
Then hadst thou, with thy pretty mates, been playing in the streams; Where as Sir Phœbus daily doth shew forth his golden beams.
But sith thy fortune is so ill to end thy life on shore; Of this, thy most unhappy end, I mind to speak no more.
But of thy fellow's chance that late such pretty shift did make That he, from fisher's hook did sprint before he could him take.
And now he pries on every bait, suspecting still that prick For to lie hid in everything, wherewith the fishers strike.
And since the fish, that reason lacks, once warnèd, doth beware: Why should not we take heed to that that turneth us to care.
And I, who was deceivèd late by one's unfaithful tears, Trust now for to beware, if that I live this hundred years.
Is. W.
FINIS.