MARGARET

Thomas, maids when they come to see the fair, Count not to make a cope for dearth of hay, When we have turned our butter to the salt, And set our cheese safely upon the racks. Then let our father's prize it as they please, We country sluts of merry Fressingfield, Come to buy needless noughts to make us fine, And look that youngmen should be frank this day, And court us with such fairings as they can. Ph us is blithe and frolic looks from heaven, As when he courted lovely Semele: Swearing the pedlars shall have empty packs, If that fair weather may make chapmen buy. This is a faring gentle sir indeed, To sooth me up with suc smooth flattery, But learn of me your sco es to broad before: Well Joan our beauties must abide their jests, We serve the turn iniolly Fressingfield. Whence are you sir, of Suffolk, for your are finer than the common sort of men? O pardon sir, I call to mind the man, It little manners to refuse his gift, And yet I hope he sends it not for love: For we have little leisure to debate of that. How different is this farmer from the rest, That erst as yet hath pleased my wandering sighed, His words are witty, quickened with a smile, His courtesy gentle, smelling of the court, Facill and debonair in all his deeds, Proportioned as was Paris, when in grey, He courted Aenon in the vale by Troy. Great lords have come and pleaded for my love, Who but the keepers las e of Fressingfield, And yet me thinks this Farmers jolly son, Passes the proudest that hath pleased mine eye. But Peg disclose not that thou art in love, And show as yet no sign of love to him, Although thou well wouldst wish him for thy love Keep that to thee till time does serve thy turn, To show the grief wherein thy heart does burn. Come Joan and Thomas, shall we to the fair, You Beckls man will not forsake us now, Well if you chance to come by Fressingfield, Make but a step into the keepers lodge, And such poor fare as Woodmen can afford, Butter and cheese, cream, and fat venison, You shall have store, and welcome therewithal. But tell me friar Bungay is it true, That this fair courteous country swain, Who says his father is a farmer nigh, Can be lord Lacy earl of Lincolnshire. Be what he will his lure is but for lust. But did lord Lacy Like poor Margret, Or would he dame to wed a country lass, Friar, I would his humble handmaid be, And for great wealth, quite him with courtesy. His personage Like the pride ofvaunting Troy, Might well avouch to shadow Helen's cape: His witis quick and ready in conceit, As Greece afforded in her chiefest prime Courteous, ah Friar full of pleasing smiles, Trust me I love too much to tell thee more, Suffice to me he is England's parramour. Yes Bungay, and would God the lo ely Earl Had that in esse, thatso many sought. Come Friar I will shake him from his dumps, How cheer you sir, a penny for your thought: Your early up, pray God it be the near, What come from Beckles in a morn so soon. A trusty man that court it for your friend, Woo you still for the courtier all in green. I marvel that he sues not for himself. You are for e hasty for to garden well, Seeds must have time to sprout before they spring, Love ought to creep as does the dials shade, For timely ripe is rotten too too soon. No, Friar what news. Yes very well my lord, for you are he, The keepers daughter took you prisoner, Lord Lacy yield, I'll be your gailor once. In st with you, but earnest unto me: For why, these wrongs do wring me at the heart, Ah how these earls and noble men of birth, Flatter and feign to forge poor women's ill. What love is there where wedding ends not love? I think that earls will stoop so low, What likes my lord is pleasing unto me. How lookest thou friar, as a man disttaught To see if he will take this task in hand. Pardon my lord if Jove's great royalty, Sent me such presents as to Danae, If Phœbus tied in Latona's webs, Come courting from the beauty of his lodge, The dulcet tunes of frolic Mercury, Not all the wealth heavens treasury affords, Should make me leave lord Lacy or his love. Rid me, and keep a friend worth many loves. And if thy mind be such as am hath blazed, Then princely Edward let us both abide The fatal resolution of thy rage, Banish thou fancy, and embrace revenge, And in one tomb knit both our carcases, Whose hearts were linked in one perfect love, And does the English Prince mean true, Will he vouchsafe to cease his former loves, And yield the title of a country maid, Unto lord Lacy. As it please lord Lacy, but loves foolish looks, Think footsteps Miles, and minutes to be hours. The scrolls that Jove sent Danae Wrapped in rich closures of fine burnished gold, Were not more welcome than these lines to me. Tell me while that I do unrip the seals, Lives Lacy well, how fares my lovely Lord? First for thou camest from Lacy whom I loved, Ah give me leave to sighs at every thought, Take thou my friend the hundred pound he sent, For Margrets resolution craves no dower, The world shall be to her as vanity, Wealth trash, love hate, pleasure despair, For I will straight to stately Fremingham, And in the abbey there be shorn a Nun And yield my loves and liberty to God, Fellow I give thee this, not for the news, For those be hateful unto Margret, But for thart Lacies man once Margrets love. Say that she joys his fancies be at rest, And prays that his misfortune may be hers. A father when the hermonie of heaven, soundeth the measures of a lively faith: The vain Illusions of this fl ttering world, Seems odious to the thoughts of Margret, I loved once, lord Lacy was my love, And now I hate my self for that I loved, And doted more on him than on my God: For this I scourge my self with sharp repent But now the touch of such aspiring sins Tells me all love is lust but love of heavens: That beauty used for love is vanity, The world contains nought but alluring baits: Pride, flattery, and inconstant thoughts, To shun the pricks of death I leave the world, And vow to meditate on heavenly bliss, To live in Framingham a holy Nun, Holy and pure in conscience and in deed: And for to wish all maids to learn of me, To seek heavens joy before earth's vanity. Now farewell world the engine of all woe, Farewell to friends and father, welcome Christ: Adieu to dainty robes, this base attire Better befits and humble mind to God, Than all the show of rich abiliments, Love, o Love, and with found Love farewell, Sweet Lacy whom I loved once so deer, Ever be well, but never in my thoughts, Least I offend to think on Lacies love: But even to that as to the rest farewell. Did not my lord resign his interest, And make divorce betwixt Margret and him Is not heavens joy before earth's fading bliss, And life above sweeter than life in love, Butter and cheese and humbls of a Dear, Such as poor Keepers have within their lodge. Weel find one for my Lord. 'Tis I my lords who humbly on my knee, Must yield her orisons to mighty Jove, For lifting up his handmaid to this state, Brought from her homely cottage to the court, And graced with Kings Princes and Emperors, To whom (next to the noble Lincoln Earl) I vow obedience, and such humble love, As may a handmaid to such mighty men. Handmaid unto the earl so please himself A wife in name, but servant in obedience. It I my Lord, not Lacy stepped awry, For oft he sued and courted for yourself, And still wood for the courtier all in green, But I whom fancy made but over found, Pleaded my self with looks as if I loved, I fed mine eye with gazing on his face, And still bewicht loved Lacy with my looks, My heart with sighs, mine eyes pleaded with tear , My face held pity and content at once, And mor I cou worser not siph r out by signs But that I loved Lord Lacy with my heart, Then worthy Edward measure with thy mind, If women's fa ours will not force men fallen, If beauty and if Dam S of oue, Is not of force to bury thoughts of friends. Brave Prince of Wales, honoured for royal deeds, It sin to stain fair Venus courts with blood, Loves conquests ends my Lord in courtesy, Spare Lacy gentle Edward, let me die, For so both you and he do cease your loves. Why, thinks king Henries son that Margrets love, Hangs in the uncertain balance of proud time, That death shall make a discord of our thoughts, No, stab the earl, and before the morning sun Shall vaunt him thrice, over the lofty east, Margret will meet her Lacy in the heavens. Then lordly sir, whose conquest is as great, In conquering love as Caesars victories, Margret as mild and humble in her thoughts, As was Aspatia unto Cirus self, Yields thanks, and next lord Lacy, does nshrine Edward the second secret in her heart. Then gentiles note that love hath little stay, Nor can the flames that Venus sets on fire, Be kindled but by fancies motion, Then pardon gentiles, if a maids reply Be doubtful, while I have debated with my self, Who or of whom love shall constrain me Like, Margret hath made a vow which may not be revoked. The blooms of the Almond tree grow in a night, and vanish in a mome, the flies Hamere (fair Peggy) take life with the Sun, and die with the Due, fancy that slippeth in with a gaze, goes out with a wink; and too timely loves, have ever the shortest length. I write this as thy grief, and my folly, who at Friendship singfield loved that which time hath taught me to be but mean dainties, eyes are dissen blers, and fancy is but queasy, therefore know Margret, I have chosen a Spanish Lad e to be my wife, chief weighting woman to the Pri cess Ellinour, a Lady saire, and no less fair that n thy self, honour ble and wealthy, in that I forsake thee I leave thee to thine own liking and for thy dowr e I have sent thee and hundred pounds, and ever assur thee of my favour, which shall avail thee and thine much. Farewell. Found Atae doomer of bade boding fates, That wrappes proud Fortune in thy snaky locks, Didst thou inchant my birthday with such stars, As lightened mischief from their infancy, If heavens had vowed, if tars had made decree, To show on me their froward influence, If L cy had but loved, heavens hell and all, Could not have wronged the p tience of my mind. How Fort tempe S lucky haps with frowns, And wrongs me with h the sweets of my delight, Love is my bliss e, and love is now my bale, Shall I be Hellen in my forward fates, As I am Hellen in my ma chles h e And set rich Sum olke with my face afire, If lovely Lacy were but with him Peggy, The cloudy darkness e of his bitter rowne Would changed k the pride of these aspiring squires, Before the to e of ten days be expired, When as they look for a swear of their loves, My Lord will come to merry F isingfield, And end their fancies, and their follies both, Till when Peggy be b that and of good cheer. What Hope's the Prince to gain by Lacies death? Content you gentles you have proffered fair And more than fits a country maids degree, But give me leave to counsel me a time, For fancy blooms not at the first assault, Give me but ten days respite and I will reply, Which or to whom my self affectionats. The wealth combined within the English shelves, Europes commander no the English King, Should not have moude the love of Peggy from her Lord. To me, you forget your self. Lord Lacy thinking of thy former miss , How found the prime of wanton years were spent In love, O fie upon that found conceit, Whose hap and essence hangs in the eye, I leave both love and loves content at once, Betaking me to him that is true love, And le ving all the world for love of him. The flesh is frail, my Lord does know it well, That when he comes with his enchanting face, What so er betide I cannot say him nay, Off goes the habit of a maidens heart, And seeing Fortune will, fair Fremingham, And all the show of holy Nuns farewell, Lacy for m , if he will be my lord. You way is eady and this path is right, My self do dwe her by in Frisingfield, And if the keeper be the and you seek, I am his daughter may the cause? Brave neighbouring squires the stay of Suffolks cli e, A Keepers daughters is too base in gree To match with men accounted of such worth, But might I notdisplease I would reply,