Yet as soon shall the fire

Want heat to blaze and burn,

As I, in such desire,

Have once a thought to turn.

A CARELESS MAN

SCORNING AND DESCRIBING THE SUBTLE USAGE OF WOMEN TOWARDS THEIR LOVERS.

WRAPT in my careless cloak, as I walk to and fro, I see how love can show what force there reigneth in his bow:

And how he shooteth eke a hardy heart to wound ; And where he glanceth by again, that little hurt is found.

For seldom is it seen he woundeth hearts alike;

The one may rage, when t'other's love is often far to seek.

All this I see, with more; and wonder thinketh me How he can strike the one so sore, and leave the other free.

I see that wounded wight that suff'reth all this wrong,
How he is fed with yeas and nays, and liveth all too long.
In silence though I keep such secrets to myself,
Yet do I see how she sometime doth yield a look by

stealth,

11

As though it seem'd, 'I wis, I will not lose thee so;' When in her heart so sweet a thought did never truly

grow.

Then say I thus: Alas! that man is far from bliss,
That doth receive for his relief none other gain but this.'
And she that feeds him so, I feel and find it plain,
Is but to glory in her power, that over such can reign :

Nor are such graces spent, but when she thinks that he, A wearied man, is fully bent such fancies to let flee. 20 Then to retain him still, she wrasteth1 new her grace, And smileth, lo! as though she would forthwith the man embrace.

But when the proof is made, to try such looks withal, He findeth then the place all void, and freighted full of gall.

Lord! what abuse is this; who can such women praise,
That for their glory do devise to use such crafty ways ?
I that among the rest do sit and mark the row,
Find that in her is greater craft than is in twenty mo:
Whose tender years, alas! with wiles so well are sped,
What will she do when hoary hairs are powder'd in her
head?

30

AN ANSWER IN THE BEHALF OF A WOMAN.2

GIRT in my guiltless gown, as I sit here and sew,
I see that things are not in deed as to the outward show;
And whoso list to look and note things somewhat near,
Shall find where plainness seems to haunt, nothing but

craft appear.

For with indifferent eyes, myself can well discern, How some to guide a ship in storms stick not to take the stern;

Whose skill and courage tried in calm to steer a barge, They would soon show, you should foresee, it were too great a charge.

And some I see again sit still and say but small,

That can do ten times more than they that say they can do all.

10

1 Wrasteth' wrests to another form or purpose.-2 There is a doubt whether this piece was written by Surrey.

Whose goodly gifts are such, the more they understand, The more they seek to learn and know, and take less charge in hand.

12

And to declare more plain, the time flits not so fast, But I can bear right well in mind the song now sung,

and past;

The author whereof came, wrapt in a crafty cloak,

In will1 to force a flaming fire where he could raise no smoke.

If power and will had met, as it appeareth plain, Then truth nor right had ta'en no place; their virtues had been vain ;

So that you may perceive, and I may safely see,

The innocent that guiltless is, condemnèd should have be.

Much like untruth to this the story doth declare,

20

Where the elders laid to Susan's charge meet matter to

compare ;

They did her both accuse, and eke condemn her too, And yet no reason, right, nor truth, did lead them so to do!

And she thus judged to die, toward her death went forth, Fraughted with faith, a patient pace, taking her wrong in worth.2

But He that doth defend all those that in Him trust, Did raise a child for her defence to shield her from th'

unjust ;

And Daniel chosen was then of this wrong to weet, How, in what place, and eke with whom she did this crime commit.

30

He caused the elders part, the one from th' other's sight, And did examine one by one, and charged them both say right.

1 In will:' with will.-2 In worth:' meekly, patiently.

'Under a mulberry-tree it was;' first said the one; 33 The next named a pomegranate-tree, whereby the truth was known.

Then Susan was discharged, and they condemn'd to die, As right required, and they deserved, that framed so foul a lie.

And He that her preserved, and let them of their lust, Hath me defended hitherto, and will do still, I trust.

THE CONSTANT LOVER LAMENTETH.

1 SINCE Fortune's wrath envieth the wealth
Wherein I reigned, by the sight
Of that, that fed mine eyes by stealth
With sour, sweet, dread, and delight;
Let not my grief move you to moan,
For I will weep and wail alone.

2 Spite drave me into Boreas' reign,

Where hoary frosts the fruits do bite,
When hills were spread, and every plain
With stormy winter's mantle white;
And yet, my dear, such was my heat,
When others froze, then did I sweat.

3 And now, though on the sun I drive,

Whose fervent flame all things decays;
His beams in brightness may not strive

With light of your sweet golden rays;
Nor from my breast his heat remove
The frozen thoughts, graven by love.

4 Ne may the waves of the salt flood
Quench that your beauty set on fire;
For though mine eyes forbear the food
That did relieve the hot desire,
Such as I was, such will I be,

Your own; what would ye more of me?

A SONG WRITTEN BY THE EARL OF SURREY

OF A LADY THAT REFUSED TO DANCE WITH HIM.

EACH beast can choose his fere according to his mind, And eke can show a friendly chere, like to their beastly kind.

1

A lion 1 saw I late, as white as any snow,

Which seemed well to lead the race, his port the same

did show.

Upon the gentle beast to gaze it pleased me,

For still methought he seemed well of noble blood to be.
And as he pranced before, still seeking for a make,
As who would say, 'There is none here, I trow, will me
forsake,'

I might perceive a wolf2 as white as whalèsbone;

A fairer beast, of fresher hue, beheld I never none; 10
Save that her looks were coy, and froward eke her grace:
Unto the which this gentle beast 'gan him advance apace,
And with a beck full low he bowèd at her feet,
In humble wise, as who would say, 'I am too far unmeet.'
But such a scornful chere, wherewith she him rewarded!
Was never seen, I trow, the like, to such as well deserved.

1 'A lion: ' that is, Surrey himself, the white lion being one of the badges of the house of Howard.-2A wolf:' guessed to mean the Lady Stanhope, the arms of whose family bore a wolf.