GUISZARD

Leave me my friends, this solitary walk Intiseth me to break your company. Leave me my friends, I can endure no talk. Let me entreat this common courtesy. WHat grecuous pain they dure which neither may Forget their Loves, ne yet enjoy their love. I know by proof, and daily make assay, Though Love hath brought my Ladies heart to love My faithful love with Like love to requite: This doth not quench, but rather cause to flame The creeping fire, which spreading in my breast With raging heat, grants me no time of rest. If they bewail their cruel destiny, Which spend their love where they no love can find Well may I plain, since Fortune haleth me To this torment of far more grievous kind. Wherein I feel as much extremity, As may be felt in body or in mind. For by that sighed which should recure my pain, My sorrows are redoubled all in vain. Now I perceive that only Ialone Am her beloved, her looks assure me so: The thought thereof provokes me to bemoan Her heavy plighted that grieveth at my woe. This intercourse of our affections: I her to serve, she thus to honour me, Bewrays the truth of our elections, Delighting in this mutual sympathy. Thus love for love intreats the Queen of love, That with her help Loves solace we may prove. I see my mistress seeks as well as I To stay the strife of her perplexed mind: Full feign she would our secret company, If she the wished way thereof might find. Heavens have yeseen, or hath the age ofman Recorded such a miracle as this? In equal love two noble hearts to frame, That never spoke one with another's bliss, I am assured that she does assent, To my relief that I should reap the same, If she could frame the means of my content, Keeping her self from danger of defame. In happy hour right now I did receive This cane from her: which gift though it be small, Receiving it what joys I did conceive, Within my fainting spiri therewithal, Who knoweth love arightmay well conceive, By Like adventures that to them befall. "For needs the Lover must esteem that well, "Which comes from her with whom his heart does dwell. Assuredly it is not without cause She gave me this: something she meant thereby: For therewithal I might perceive her pause Awhile, as though some weighty thing did lie Upon her heart, which he concealed, because The standers by should not our loves descry. This clift bewrays that it hath been disclosed. Perhaps herein she hath something enclosed. Oh thou great that nderer! who would not serve, Where wit with beauty chosen have their place, Who could devise more wisely to conserve Things from suspect? Oh Venus, for this grace That deigns me, all unworthy, to deserve So rare a love, in heaven I should thee place. This sweet letter some joyful news contains. I hope it brings recure to both our pains. Mine own, as I am yours, whose hear: (I know) No less then mine, for lingering help of woe Does long too long: Love tendering your case And mine, hath taught recure of both our pain. My chamber flower does hide a cave, where was And old vauts mouth: the other in the plain Doet rise Southward, a furlong from the wall, Descend you there. This shall suffice. And so I yield my self, mine honour, life and all, To you. Use you the same as there may grow Your bliss and mine (mine Earl) and that the same Free may abide from danger of defame. Farewell, and fare so well as that your joy Which only can, may comfort mine annoy. Yours more then his own, Gismund. Oh blissful chance my sorrows to assuage. Wonder of nature, marvel of our age, Comes this from Gismund? did she thus enfold This letter in the cane? may it be so? It were too sweet a joy, I am deceived. Why shall I doubt, did she not give it me? Therewith she smiled, she ioyde, she reached the cane And with her own sweet hand she gave it me: And as we danst, she dallied with the cane, And sweetly whispered I should be her king, And with this cane the sceptre of our rule, Command the sweets of her surprised heart. Therewith she reached from her alluring locks, This golden tress, the favour of her grace, And with her own sweet hand she gave it me. Oh peerless Queen, my joy, my hearts worser cree; And thou fair Letter, how shall I welcome thee: Both hand and pen wherewith thou written Wertenberg, Blessed may you be, such solace that impart, And blessed be this cane, and he that taught Thee to descry the hidden entry thus: Not only through a dark and dreadful vault, But fire and sword, and through what ever be, Mistress of my desires, I come to thee. Oh thou great God, who from thy highest throne Hast stooped down, and felt the force of love, Bend gentle ears unto the woeful moan, Of me poor wretch, to grant that I require: Help to persuade the same great God, that he So far remit his might, and slack his fire From my deer Ladies kindled heart, that she May hear my death without her hurt, Herface, wherein there is as clear a light As in the rising moon: let not her cheeks As read as is the party-coloured rose. Be paled with the news hereof and so I yield my self, my silly soul, and all, To him, for her, for whom my death shall show I lived, and as I lived, I died her thrall. Grant this thou Thunderer: this shall suffice, My breath to vanish in the liquid skies. My Lord the king, neither do I mislike Your sentence, nor do your smoking sighs Reached from the entrails of your boiling heart, Disturb the quiet of my calmed thoughts: For this I feel, and by experience prove, Such is the force and endless might of love, As never shall the dread of carrion death That hath envied our joys, invade my breast, For if it may be found a fault in me (That evermore have loved your Majesty) Likewise to honour and to love your child, If love unto you both may be a fault, unto her my love exceeds compare, Then this hath been my fault, for which I joy That in the greatest lust of all my life, I shall submit for her sake to endure The pangs of death. O mighty Lord of love Strengthen thy vassal, boldly to receive Large wounds into this body for her sake. Then use my life or death, my Lord and king, For your relief to ease your grieved soul: For whither I live, or else that I must die, To end your pains I am content to bear: Knowing by death I shall bewray the truth Of that found heart which living was her own, And died alive for her that lived mine,