A Handful of Pleasant Delights/A poem, the title of which was on the lost leaf B. vj

by Clement Robinson et al.

 

[Leaf B. vj is wanting.]

 

So that his sorrowes importunate,
Had ended his life incontinent,
Had not Lady Venus grace, Lady Lady,
Pitied her poore seruants case,
My deer Ladie.

¶For when she saw the torments strong,
Wherewith the Knight was sore opprest,
Which he God knowes had suffered long,
Al through this Ladies mercilesse,
Of their desires she made exchange,
Ladie, Ladie.
And wrought a myracle most strange,
My deer Ladie.

¶So that this Ladie faithfully,
Did loue this Knight aboue all other:
And he vnto the contrarie,
Did hate her then aboue all measure,
And pitifull she did complaine: ladie, ladie.
Requiring fauour, and might not obtaine.
My deer ladie.

¶But when she saw, that in no case,
She might vnto his loue attaine:
And that she could not finde some grace,
To ease her long enduring paine,
And yat his hart wold not remoue, Lady, ladie
Without all cure [s]he died for loue,
My deer.[ladie.]

¶Besides these matters maruelous,
One other thing I wil you tell:
Of one whose name was Narcissus,
A man whose beautie doth excel.
Of natures gifts he had no misse, Lady, lady
He had ye whole of beauties blisse,
My deere.[ladie.]

¶So that out of manie a far Countrey,
I reade of manie a woman faire,
Did come this Narcissus to see,
Who perished when they came there,
Through his default I say in fine, lady, lady
Who vnto loue would not incline.
My deer.[ladie.]

¶Whose disobedience vnto loue,
When vnto Venus it did appeare.
How that his hart would not remoue,
She punisht him as you shal heare:
A thing most strange forsooth it was,
Ladie, Ladie.
Now harken how it came to passe,
My deer.[ladie.]

¶For when he went vpon a daie,
With other mo in strange disguise,
Himself forsooth he did aray
In womans attire of a new deuise,
And ouer a bridge as he did go, Ladie, ladie.
In the water he sawe his own shadow,
My.[deer ladie.]

¶Which when he did perceiue and see,
A Ladie faire he saith it seemeth:
Forgat himself that it was he,
And iudgde that it was Dianaes Nymph,
Who in the waters in such fashion, Lady, la[dy]
Did vse themselues for recreation,
My deer.[ladie.]

¶And through the beautie of whose looks,
Taken he was with such fond desire,
That after manie humble sutes,
Incontinent he did aspire.
Vnto her grace him to refer, Ladie, Ladie
Trusting yat mercie was in her,
My deer, &c.

¶With armes displaid he took his race,
And leapt into the riuer there,
And thought his Ladie to imbrace,
Being of himselfe, deuoid of feare,
And there was drownd without redresse, Ladie, Ladie.
His crueltie rewarded was,
with such follie.

¶Loe, hereby you may perceiue,
How Venus can, and if she please,
Her disobedient Subiects grieue,
And make them drinke their owne disease,
Wherfore rebel not I you wish, Lady, lady.
Least that your chaunce be worse than this,
if worse may be.

Finis.