PROMOS

Lo, here you see what is our Sovereigns will, Lo, bear his wish, that right, not might, bear sway: Lo, hear his care, to weed from good the ill, To scoorge the wights, good Laws that disobey. Such zeal he bears, unto the Common weal, (How so he bids, the ignorant to save) As he commands, the lewd do rigor feel. Such is his wish, such is my will to have: And such a Judge, here Promos vows to be. No wilful wrong, sharp punishment shall miss, The simple thrall, shall be iudgde with mercy, Each shall be doombde, even as his merit is: Love shall not stay, Love hate and gain, the causes of Inium stice. nor hate revenge procure, Ne yet shall Coin, corrupt or fester wrong: I do protest, whylste that my charge endure, For friend nor foe, to sing a partial song. Thus have you herd, how my Commission goes, He absent, I present our Sovereign Still: It answers then, each one his duty shows, To me, as him, what I command and will. 'Tis strange to think, what swarms of unthrifts live, Within this town, by rapine spoil and theft: That were it not, that Justice oft them grieve, The joust men goods, by Ruflers should be reft. At this our Size, are thirty iudgde to die, Whose falls I see, their fellows smally fear: So that the way, is by severity Such wicked weeds, even by the roots to tear: Wherefore Shriefe, execute with speedy pace, The dampened wights, to cut of hope of Grace. Well met Phallax. I long have wished to show. A cause to thee which none but I yet know. Do what I can, no reason cools desire, The more I strive, my fond affects to fame: The hotter (o) I feel, a burning fire Within my breast, vain thoughts to forge and frame. Oh straying effects, of blind affected Love, From wisdoms paths, which does astray our wits: Which makes us haunt, that which our harms does move, A sickness like, the Fever Etticke fits: Which shakes with cold, when we do burn Like fire. Even so in Love, we freeze, through chilling fear, When as our hearts, does fry with hight desire: What said I? like to Etticke fits, nothing near: In sourest Love, some sweet is ever sucked. The Lover finds peace, in wrangling strife, So that if pain, were from his pleasure plucked, There were no Heaven, Like to the Lovers life. But why stand I to plead, their joy or woe? And rest unsure of his I wish to have. I know not if Cassandra love, or no? But yet admit, she grant not what I crave, If I benyce, to his brother life to give: His brother's life, too much will make his yield, Might Master's right. A promise then, to let his brother live: Hath force enough, to make his fly the field. Thus though suit fail, necessity shall win, Of Lordly rule, the conquering power is such: But (o sweet sighed) see where she enters in, Both hope and dread, at once my heart does tuch. By proof I find, no reason cools desire, Cassandra's suit, sufficed to remove My lewd request, but contrary, the fire, His tears inflamed, of lust, and filthy Love. And having thus, the conquest in my hands, No prayer seru'de to work restraint in me: But needs I would untie the precious bands, Of this fair Dams spotless Virginity. The spoil was sweet, and won even as I would, And yet vngainde, till I had given my troth, To marry his, and that his brother should Be free from death, all which I bound with oath: It rests now (unless I wrong his much) I keep my vow: and shall Andrugio live? Such grace would me, with unindifferency tuch. To pardon him, that did commit a Rape, To set him free, I to Cassandra sware: But no man else, is privy to the same, And rage of Love, for thousand oaths nyll spare, More then are kept, when got is the game. Well, what I said, then Lover Like I said, Now reason says, unto thy credit look: And having well, the circumstances wayde, I find I must, unswear the oath I took: But double wrong, I so should do Cassandra. No force for that, my might, commandeth right, His privy man, his open cries will stay: Or if not so, my frowning will his fright, And thus shall rule, conceal my filthy deed. Now forthwith, I will to the Gayler send, That secretly Andrugio he behead, Whose head he shall, with these same words commend. Both Sword and Keys, unto my Princes use, I do receive and gladly take my charge. It rests now, for to reform abuse, We point a time, of Council more at large, To treat of which, a while we will depart. Cassandra, leave of thy bootless suit, by law he hath be tried, Law found his fault, Law iudgde him death: Fair Dame, I see y e natural zeal, thou bearest to Andrugio, And for thy sake (not his desert) this favour will I show: I will reprieve him yet a while, and on the matter pause, To morrow you shall licence have, a fresh to plead his cause: Shriefe execute my charge, but stay Andrugio, Until that you in this behalf, more of my pleasure know. Happy is the man, that enjoys the love of such a wife, I do protest, his modest words, hath wrought in me a maze. Though she be far, she is not deackt, with garish shows for gaze, His beauty lures, his looks cut off, found suits with chased disdain. Oh God I feel a sudden change, that does my freedom's chain. What didst thou say? fie Promos fie: of his avoid the thought, And so I will, my other cares will cure what love hath wrought, Come away. Fain would I speak, but o, a chylling fear, (The case is such) makes me from speech forbear. Against a wight of small account it is, And yet I fear, I shall my purpose mys: Fair Ladies Oh, no Lady is my love, And yet the sure, as coy as they will prove. Do what one can. fire will break forth I see, My words unwares, hath shown what grieveth me: My wound is such, as love must be my leache. Which cure will bringing Gravity in speech, For what may be, a folly of more note, Then for to see, a man grey beard to dote. The example is such, as I sygh to show, Sister she is, to dampened Andrugio. The contrary (through fear) does work my pain, For in her face, such modesty does reign, As cuts of loving suits, with chaste disdain. What is it best, Andrugio free to set, Ere I am sure, his sisters love to get? With right good will, for such my sickness is. As I shall die, if her good will I mys. Fair Dame, I well have weighed thy suit, & wish to do Thee good, But all in vain, all things conclude, to have thy brother's blood: The stricknes of the law condempnes, and ignorant abuse, Then wilful faults are hardly helped, or cloaked with excuse: And what may be more wilful, then a Maid to violate. Law ever at the worst, does construe evil intent. Cassandra in thy brother's half, thou hast said what may be And for thy sake, it is, if I do set Andrugio free: Short tale to make, thy beauty hath, surprised me with love, That maugre wit, I turn my thoughts, as blind affections move. And quite subdued by Cupid's might, need makes Me sue for grace To Thee Cassandra, which dost hold, my freedom's in a lace. Yield to my will, and then command, even what thou wilt of Me, Thy brother's life, and all that else, may with thy liking agree. Fair Dame my outward looks, my inward thoughts bewray, If you mistrust, to search my heart, would God you had a kaye. In doubtful war, one prisoner still, does set another free. The Lover oft sues to his foe, and finds no remorse: Then if he hap to have a help, to win his forward foe, Too kind a fool, I will him hold, that lets such vantage go. Bethink your self, at price enough I purchase sweet your love, Andrugios life sufficed alone, your strangeness to remove: The which I grant, with any wealth that else you will require, Who buyeth love at such a rate, pays well for his desire. To bnie this Jewel at the full, my wife I may Thee make: These suits seems strange at first I see, where modesty bears sway, To himself. I therefore will set down my will, & for his answer stay. Fair Cassandra, the jewel of my joy, How so in show, my tale, seems strange to thee: The same well weighed, thou needest not be so coy, Yet for to give thee respite to agree. I will two days hope Still of thy consent, Which if thou grant (to clear my clouds of care) Clothed Like a Page (suspect for to prevent.) Unto my Court, some night, sweet wench repair. Till then adue, thou these my words, in works performed shalt find.