Tottel sig. Riiv | Verse Miscellanies Online

[sig. Riiv]

Not knowing alas (poore foole) how nere She is vnto the fowlers snare. So I amid disceitfull trust,  Did not mistrust such wofull happefortune : Till cruell loue erebefore  that I wistwish Had caught me in his carefull trappe. Then did I fele, and partly know, How litle forcestrength, control  in me did raigne:  So soone to yelde to ouerthrow, Domisprint for either ‘To’ as in ‘Too’ or ‘So’  fraile to flit from ioy to paine. For when in welth will did me leade Of libertie to hoysehoist  my saile: To hale at shete and cast my leade, +Lines 38-39: ‘hoyse… leade’: set the sail and cast the lead weight to                            test the depth of the water.  I thought free choyce would still preuaile. In whose calme streames I sayld so farre, No raging storme had in respect: Untill I raysderaised, summoned  a goodly starre, wherto my course I did direct.  In whose prospect in doolfulldolefull, sorrowful  wise, My tackle failde, my compasse brakebroke ? Through hote desires such stormes did rise, That sterne and top went all to wrakewreck as in shipwreck . Oh cruell hapfortune , oh fatall chaunce,  O Fortune why were thou vnkinde: Without regarde thus in a traunce, To reueviolently take  from me my ioyfull minde. Where I was free now must I serue, Where I was loseloose, free  now am I bound:  In death my life I do preserue, As one through girtstruck (gird) through  with many a wound. 

A praise of his La-
dye. +Either imitates or is imitated by Surrey, ‘A praise of his love wherein he reproveth them that compare their ladies with his’. * Other copies in: F: V.a.339, fol. 107; H: MS Eng 1503 (3), vol. i, fol. 67; Leeds: Brotherton Lt q 9, fol. 65r. Author: attributed to John Heywood in H: MS Eng 1503 (3) and Leeds: Brotherton Lt q 9. Structure: 56: 14×4 a8b6a8b6

G Eue place you Ladies and be gone, Boast not your selues at all: For here at hand approcheth one: Whose face will staineshame  you all.  The vertue of her liuely lokes, Excels the precious stone: I wish to haue none other bokes To read or loke vpon. +Borrowed by Melbancke,  Philotimus  (1583):                            ‘the vertue of her thralling lookes so brauely gloste with glimsing grace, that thou wouldest wishe no other bookes to reade or looke vpon’ (p. 19). 