THE court of Venus. Newly and diligently corrected with many proper ballads newly amended, and also added thereunto which haue not before been imprinted.   

The Prologue.  

IN the month of may when the new tender green  
Hath smothly covered the ground that was bare  
powdered with flowers, so well be sene  
I would haue brought my hart out of care  
And as I walked in the wood so fair  
thick of grass among the flowers sweet  
And many a hoisome herb fair under the feet.   

I heard one hunt, me thought it did blow  
In a great horn of styfe sown  
At the roote of the heart, as far as I could know  
Toward the cry I had me fast bowne  
And at the last, for weary I sat me down  
Thynking▪ a while to take my resting  
The hounds were gone out of my hearing.   

And for that I know myself to be alone  
And suddenly my grief, I began to complain  
Me thought I had good place, myself to mone  
And ease my hart of mine own pain  
beseeching Venus to lose me out of chain  
I was so fast and sure stung through the hart  
with the fiery chain, that I could not start.   

And as I was making my complaint  
Of my true service to my lady dear  
And how nothing I was repentant  
save to her presence, I was not taken nere  
Genius came and asked me what cheer  
Who is with Venus put in such trust  
That like to ●ye for love, confess them he must.   

Venus knew I had a woeful hart  
And where we thus content she knoweth her relief  
To me therfore she sand her own clerk  
To slack my sorrows, and help me of my grief  
That was so far in danger and mischief  
For whether I would, she knew I durst not speak  
which caused my hart in sunder to break.   

I laid my head betwixt my life and death  
Vpon his knee, and what he said I heard  
And by that time I scarcely drew my breath  
But hard his tale or I answered  
It hath been pity, him to haue disturbed  
O ●entimes he bad, that I should leave my wo  
and said of my disease ther were five hundreth mo.   

He bad therfore that I with pen and ink  
●●y with writing should make my complaint  
Ther shal be a redress, sooner then ye think  
And b●d no more that my heart should raynt  
And of our bills, he said he would none want  
Of them he thought to haue good comfort  
And would present himself in Venus court.   

For she intendeth, and that is in al hast  
To surmount the parliament as fast as can be done  
And jupiter himself within this day past  
Hath commanded Marcury for to be gone  
Vpon his message, some call him Stylbone  
With his commission also for to compel  
Mynos to come, the judge o● dreful hel.   

To the mount of Cethro, where Venus doth dwell  
The preparement made is so far exceeding  
That of such triumph no stories doth tel  
That is above al other so far transcending  
And for the while, she had me by copying▪  
Of these complayn●● which doth follow  
And after that I should know the matter thorough   

The whole fashion of every thing  
He would me sand therfore we must be gone  
O● matters determined, aswell as of the meeting  
But I besought him, or ever I were alone  
That of Venus court he would interpret the fashion  
Some thing to make but he would not consent  
till it were concluded by the parliament.   

But thus far he said he durst report  
That love without charity, should be put down  
Nor perjured persons, should no more resort  
unto the court of Venus doth frown  
When the religion hath them bowne  
And to Diana themself hath also sworn  
And yet through Heccates in her court be born.   

Whom the Poets call the gods of courtesy  
That now is in so great displeasure  
And like to be expelled for his bawdry  
which hath done mischief out of measure  
I pocrysye is spied for al his treasure  
That he spedeth as well as the false fox  
As that in arms, had many a bloody box.   

And Venus intendeth Diana to compel  
For to support under the colour of chastity  
No more in asking▪ but to expel  
Out of her retynew inconueniently  
For whose supporting she is had in ielousyt  
And thus he went and bad me farewell  
And at another time he would me moretel▪   

And therfore I must( my reader) entreat  
desiring you heartily to be content  
For though I haue not, I will not forget  
To describe the court, I will diligent  
And at the end of this complaint set it  
But I as nothing of mine induction  
will once report of Genius instruction.   

And here followeth, wherein you may rede  
To the court of Venus a great number  
Their harts they say be as heavy as led  
Their sorrowful wo, I am sure you will tender  
For if that I were maiden vncumber  
And had such might as she hath mone  
Out of their pain they should be lettin gone.   
¶ Thus endeth the prologue, and   

hereafter followeth the new court of Venus.  

MY pen take pain a little space  
to follow the thing that doth me chase  
and hath in hold, my hart so sore  
And when thou hast this brought to pass:  
My pen I pray the write no more.   

Remember how thou hast oft pleased  
And al my sorrows also eased  
But now unknown, I knew before  
That where I trust I am deceived  
And yet my pen thou canst do no more.   

A time thou hadst as other haue  
To writ which way my hope to crave  
That time is past, wythdraw therfore  
〈…〉 lose and other save  
As good leave of, and writ no more,   

And use to work another way  
Not as ye would but as ye may  
For else my life is past restore  
and my desire is my decay  
and yet my pen now writ no more.   

To love in vain whosoever shal  
Of worldly pain it passeth al  
As in like case, I find wherefore  
To hold so fast, and yet to fall  
Alas my pen now write no more.   

seeing thou hast taken pain this space  
To follow that which doth me chase  
and hath in hold my hart so sore  
And now to haue brought this to pass  
My pen I pray the to writ no more.   
Finis.   


MY lute awake perform the last  
Labour that thou and I shal wast,  
and end that I haue new begun  
For when this song, is gon and past  
My lute be stil for I haue done  
As to be heard where care is none  
A led to grave in a marble ston  
My song may pierce, heart as sone  
Should we then sing, weep or mone  
No more my lute for I haue done.   

The rock doth not so truelly  
Repulse the waves continually  
As she my suit and affection.  
So that I am past al remedy  
whereby my lute and I haue done   

Proud of the splen that thou hast shot  
Of simple hart, through loues got  
unkind although thou hast them won  
think not he hath his own forgot  
Although my lute and I haue done.   

vengeance may fall on such disdain  
That maketh but game of earnest pain  
●row not alone under the son  
Vngently to cause to louers plain  
Although my lute and I haue done   

And then may chance the to repent  
The time that thou hast lost and spent  
To cause thy lover to sigh and sown  
Then shalt thou know beauty but lent  
And wish and want as I haue done   

My lute be stil this is the last  
Labour that thou and I shal wast  
And end that I haue begun  
Or when this song is song and past  
My lure be stil for I haue done.   
Finis,   


TO whom should I sue to ease my pain  
To my mysters, nay nay certain  
For fear she should me then disdain  
I dare not sue, I dare not sue.   

When▪ I should speak to my mistress  
In hope for to get redress  
When I should speak, when I should speak   

What hap had I that suffereth pain  
And if I might her grace attain  
Or else she would here me complain  
What hap had I, what hap had I.   

I fly for fear to be espied  
Or of evil will to be destroyed  
The place where I▪ would faynest abide  
I fly for fear, I fly for fear.   

Though I were bold who should me blame  
love caused me to do the same  
with honesty it were no shane  
Thouth I were bold, though I were bold.   

And here an end, with full glad will  
In purpose for to serve her still  
And for to part think none yl  
And here an end, and here an end.   
Finis.   


DYsdaine me not without desert  
Nor leave me not so suddenly  
sense well ye wot that in my hart  
I mean nothing but honesty  
disdain me not  
Refuse me not without cause why  
Nor think me not to be unjust  
since that by lot of fantasy  
The careful knot needs knit I must.  
Refuse me not▪  
mistrust me not though some therbe  
That fain would spot thy steadfastness  
believe them not seeing that ye se  
The proof is not as they express  
mistrust me not.  
Forsake me not till I deserve  
Nor hate me not till I serve  
For sith you knew what I intend.  
Forsake me not.  
disdain me not being your own  
Refuse me not that I am so true  
mistrust me not till al be known  
Forsake me never for no new  
disdain me not.   
Finis.   


FOrtune what aileth the  
Thus for to banish me  
Her company whom I love best,  
For to complain me  
Nothing availeth me  
adieu farewell this nights rest.  
Her demure countenance  
Her womanly countenance  
Hath wounded me through Venus dart,  
That I cannot refrain me  
neither yet abstain me  
But needs must love her withal my hart.   

Long haue I loved her  
Oft haue I proved her  
Yet alas through disdain  
nothing regarding me  
Nor yet rewardeth me  
But letteth me lie in mortal pain.   

Yet shal jove her stil  
withal my hart and will  
where soever I ride or go  
My hart my service  
Afore al ladies  
Is hers al onely and no mo   

She hath my hart and ever shal  
In this terrestrial  
What can she more of me require  
Her whom I love best  
God sand her good rest  
And me heartily my whole desire   
Finis.   


I May by no means surmise  
My fantasy to resist  
But after the old guise  
To call on had I wist  
And thought it to suffice  
That again I shal haue none  
Yet can I not devise  
To get again mine own.   

It is my hart that I haue lost  
God sand it me again  
I should it haue what ever it cost  
Or else I am but slain  
I study day and night  
And loud I cry and call  
To be delivered quite  
From her that I am thrall   

And yet against al right  
Of force I must stil mone  
For it ●oth pass my might  
To get again mine own▪ &c.  
In torments I am torn  
That no rest find I can  
None so unhappy born  
sense that the world began  
I ask but such corn  
And such seed that was sown  
And yet though I had sworn  
I cannot get my own.  
But seeing that I cannot  
attain my true desire  
Nor by no mean may not  
creep out of the fire  
give ought of your own  
By reason that you should not  
Let me to haue mine own.   
Finis,   


IF fantasy would favour  
As I deserve and shal  
My love my lady paramour  
should love me best of al   

And if I not attain  
The grace that I desire  
Then may I well complain  
My service and my hier   

Fantasy knoweth how  
To forbear my true hart  
If fantasy might avow  
with faith to take part   

But fantasy is frail  
And fletynge still so fast  
that faith may not prevail  
To help me first nor last   

Since fantasy at his lust  
Doth rule al by guess  
whereto should I put trust  
In truth and steadfastness.   

Yet gladly would I please  
That fantasy of my hart  
That may me onely ease  
and help my careful smart.   

therefore my lady dear  
Let se your fantasy.  
to make some appear  
Ot help and remedy   

For if ye be my friend  
And undertake my wo  
My grief is at an end  
It ye continue so.   

else fantasy doth not right.  
As I deserve and shal  
To her day and night  
To love me best of al.    


DVring of pain and grievous smart  
Hath brought me low& wondrous weak  
that I cannot comfort my hart  
why sighest thou my hart& will not break   

The sighs and plaints are al in vain  
the tears that from thine eyes doth leak  
This life is death, this ioy is pain  
Why syghest thou hart and will not break   

Thou clymest to catch where is no hold  
Thou pullest the strings that be to weak  
Thy careful life cannot be  told  
Why syghest thou hart and will not break   

The faythfuller thou dost endure  
less she regarded to hear the speak  
And s●yng pity will the not cure  
Why sighest thou hart and will not break.   

As good thou were a sunder to ryue  
As thus in thought thyself to break  
Better to dy then thus to ly●e  
Why syghest thou hart and will not break.   

I pray the pity show redress  
Or else come death thyself awrcake  
And if thou find no gentleness  
sith no more, but hart thou breaket.   
Finis.   


Now must I learn to fain  
and do as other do  
Seing no truth doth rain  
That I may trust unto  
I was both true& plain  
To one and to no mo  
And unto me again  
Alas she was not so.   

unknown again my hart  
Into my foes hand  
and ever I could astart  
Out of that careful band  
Al the wit I had  
Could scace the knot undo  
This careful life I had  
For one that was no so.   

The night right long& heavy  
The dayes of my torment  
The sighs continually  
That thorough my hart went  
My colour pale and wan  
To her did plainly show  
That I was her true man  
And yet she thought not so   

Out of her sight no pleasure  
But to my hart great pain  
And tears out of measure  
that out of mine eyes did rain  
Her absence was my death  
For to depart her fro  
And yet alas her faith  
Was feigned and not so.   

Not the fever quartayne  
Doth half a man so shake  
As did the wo and pain  
That daily did me take  
No stepe could I nor rest  
But tossyng to and fro  
And whereas I loved best  
Alas she did not so,   

And seing it is my chance  
My love in vain to wast  
I am not in that dance  
The first nor yet the last  
But wise he is by once  
That can his folly know  
To revoke at once  
seeing she will no so.   
Finis.   


love whom you list and spare not  
Th●rwyth I am content  
Hate whom you list and spare not  
For I am indifferent   

Do what you list and dread not  
after your owns fantasy  
think what you list and fear not  
For al is one with me.   

For as for me Iam not  
wavering as the wind  
But even as one that reketh not  
which way you turn your mind   

For in your love I doubt not  
But as one that reketh not  
Whether you hate or hate not  
Is least charge of my thought.   

wherefore I pray you forget not  
But that I am well content  
To love whom you list and spare not  
For I am indifferent   
Finis.   


marvel no more al tho  
The songs I sing do mone  
For other life then woe  
I never proved none  
And in my hart also  
Is graven with letters deep  
And many thousands mo  
The floods of tears to weep.   

How may a man in smart  
Find matter to rejoice  
How may a woeful hart  
Set forth a pleasant voice  
Play who can that ●epart  
In me must needs appear  
How fortune overthwart   

Perdye ther is no man  
If he never saw sight  
That parfectly tel can  
The nature of the light  
How should I than  
That never tasted but sour  
But do as I began  
Continually to loure.   

Such chance perchance may chance  
To cause me change my tune  
And when such chance doth chance  
Then shal I thank fortune  
And if such chance do chance  
perchance or it be long  
For such a pleasant chance  
To sing some pleasant song.   
Finis.   


SHal she never out of my mind  
Nor shal I never out of my pain  
Alas her ioy doth so bind  
For lack of help now am I slain   

I never  told her of my mind  
What pain I suffer for his sake  
Alas what pains might I now find  
That no displeasure with me she take  
Yf I speak fair she saith I flatter  
And if I dare not, I shal not speed  
If I to her do write a letter  
Then will she say she cannot rede.   

Shal I dyspayre yet 〈◇〉 this  
Nay nay my hart will not do so