Guistarde and Sigismonde

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¶Guystarde and Sygysmonde.

¶Here foloweth the amerous hystory of Guystarde and Sygysmonde / and of theyr dolorous deth by her father / newly translated out of laten in-to eng[l]yssheenglysshe] engysshe 1532 by wyllymm_walter seruaunt to syr Henry_Marney knyght chaunceler of the duchy of Lancastre.

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¶R._Coplande to the translatour.

TH'ynflammate desyre / of your good intent

Newes to compyle / eschewynge ydelnesse

Cometh of grace / and of wysdome excellent

To occupy suche / as haue no besynesse

Whiche vertu of doynge / moche harme doth oppresse

For surely ydelnesse / is portresse of all synne

Euery vyce / redy to lette in

¶The wretched lyfe / of osyosyte

Engendreth slouth / pouerte and payne

It is nouryce / of voluptuosyte

And setteth the mynde on all thynges vayne

It sleeth the body / and troubleth the brayne

Unstedyeth the wyt / and wasteth good dede

And letteth vertu / and goodnesse to procede

¶Example playne / of ydle Sygysmonde

Fedde deyntely / no maner werke to vse

Whiche caused ydelnesse / for to habonde

And vnto pleasure / set onely for to muse

Daunce / songe / and play / she dyd not refuse

Whiche thynges assembled / engendred delyte

Of naturall lust / to do her appetyte

¶Here lacketh besynesse / and good pastyme

Grace of good doynge / was from her exyled

Caught as a byrde / tangled with lyme

Fyrst by one feder / and than with all begyled

Ryght so who with this vyce is fyled

Take with one synne / all other dothe ensue

Ergo / good besynesse / is gate of vertue

¶Thus endeth the prologue.

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¶How Sygysmonde after the deth of her husbande was enamored of one Guystarde a man of her faders hous.

PRynce of Salerne somtyme was one Tanc[re]de Tancrede] Tancerde 1532

A noble man gentyll lowly and sage

Greatly praysed for his manhode and ded

Yf he had not take vengeaunce in his age

Of two louers / done by his fell courage

For they loued eche other tenderly

By cruell meane he caused them to dy

¶This noble man had neuer other chylde

But a doughter of excellent beaute

Prudent in her youthe sage and nothynge wylde

Her father loued her ryght tenderly

So lothe he was to lese her company

That no man coude haue her in maryage

Tyll that she was aboue her lawfull age

¶Sygysmonde was the name of this lady

Whiche was wedded with her faders counseyle

Unto the dukes sone of Campany

But in shorte tyme after theyr espousayle

Dethe with his darte her husbande dyd assayle

After whose dethe she dyd not longe soiourne

But to her father she dyd home retourne

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¶Of shape and persone she was well-fourmed

Her face and coloure fayre and amyable

Nature in beauty her so fornysshed

That none to her was equiperable

Her maner and wysdome commendable

In all her dedes she was excellent

More than to woman is expedyent

¶In her faders house she long soiournynge

In welthe and ease and greate prosperyte

Her faders mynde whan she had perceyuynge

How he in her had suche felycyte

That to mary her he wolde not agre

And how it sholde be shame for hym to requyre for: Wright emends to fro, but perhaps for='before, in the presence of'

To accomplysshe her pleasure and desyre

¶Wherfore she concluded in her mynde

Some gentyll man for her louer to chose

Whiche wolde vnto her be secret and kynde

With whome she myght her pleasure somtyme vse

The chaunce of loue she coude no-wyse refuse

Cupyde so sore her herte had set on fyre

That nede she must accomplysshe her desyre

¶Of nobles and other of meane degre

Her faders house was greatly fornysshed

As noble housholders are wont for to be

Sygysmonde theyr maners oft regarded

Amonge whome one out she had espyed

Uertuous / humble / stedfast / prew / and sage

How-be-it he was but of small lygnage

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¶This noble yonge man Guystarde had the name

Upon whome ofte Sygysmonde her loke dyd cast

His noblesse her herte dyd sore enflame

And for she had full oft founde hym stedfast

Hym for to loue she was nothynge agast

His sadde behauour wounded her [so] sore so] 1532 omits

That loue in her encreased more and more

¶This yonge man lykewyse of wyt excellent

Perceyuynge the noblesse of this lady

In her loue so feruently he brent

That nyght nor daye he coude rest quyetly

To loue his mynde so moche he dyd apply

That by desyre he was so sore opprest

His paynfull loue he coude in no wyse dygest

¶Eche of other was sore enamoured

Yet none of them knewe the others mynde

Sygysmonde nothynge so moche desyred

As Guystarde in a secrete place to fynde

To whome she myght bewray her loue so kynde

To none other she durst shewe her purpose

Leest they to her father wolde it dysclose

¶She coueytynge her mynde for to fulfyll

All her mynde she wrote in a lettere

And in an holowe rede she put the byll

And to hym she gaue it with smylynge chere

Byddynge hym to bere it to her chambere

And to delyuer it vnto her mayd

To kyndle the fyre / it was good she sayd

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¶Guystarde than toke the foresayd rede

Sayenge he wolde soone do her commaundement

But in his thought he well ymagyned

It was not gyuen hym but for some entent

Wherfore vnto his chambre he forth went

And brake the rede / wherin he dyd espy

The letter enclosed ryght secretly

¶Whan that he had ouer-red the byll well

Wherin her purpose he had perceyued

He was so mery that no tongue can tell

The ioye whiche his herte had supprysed

For it was the thynge he moost desyred

Wherfore he agreed her mynde to fulfyll

Accordynge to the tenoure of the byll

¶R._Coplande to these louers in th'effect of theyr loue

SE here in loue / the merueylous effect

Without foresyght / compassynge the ende

Onely of lust / the doynge to coniect

As by this lady / whiche dyd condescende

Unto this knyght / her mynde so to haue pende

Not regardynge / her state of wydowheed

Honour and good fame / forgetynge as deed

¶O folysshe Guystarde / O vnwyse Sygysmonde

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O newe P[yr]amus / O yonge wanton Thysbe / Pyramus] Pryamus 1532

Was no reason / nor fere in you founde

To pondre of Tancrede / the inwarde cruelte

O blynde loue / suche is thy properte

Youthe to enclose with thy lubryke fyre

105

Nothynge regarded / but to do theyr desyre

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¶Alas Guystarde, where is thy memory

Thou doost not pondre thy maysters gentylnesse

Whiche from thy youthe hath fostred tenderly

His house and doughter thou wylt pollute rechelesse

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Thou wylt dystayne / his honoure and noblenesse

His loue thou lesest / his good worde and his dede

Beware / suche seruyce / suche is the wage or mede

¶How after that Guystarde had receyued the rede of Sygysmonde he founde the caue where-thorowe he went to her chambre.

THere was a caue ioynynge vnto the place

Whiche was out of mannes remembraunce past

115

For it was not vsed of longe space

On the toppe therof in lyght for to cast

There was an hole whiche w[a]s so olde and wast was] wos 1532

That thornes and breres dyd it ouer-growe

So that the entre therof none myght knowe

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¶And from the caue there was a secrete way

Whiche of no creature was espyed

Unto the chambre where-as Sygysmonde lay

The way therof so longe was dysused

The dore of the sayd caue was fast barred

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Whiche passage was stopped so secretly

That harde it was the entrynge to espye

¶Sygysmonde by the secrete introduccyon

Of loue from whose eyes nothynge can be hyd

Of the sayd caue she founde the entrynge soone

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And in-to it alone she descended

Bothe length and depnesse she well regarded

And to Guystarde she made therof reporte

By wrytynge how he myght to her resorte

¶Guystarde of this beynge aduertysed

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Ordred all-thynge mete to his besynesse

A ledder cote for hym he deuysed

From thornes and breres to kepe hym harmelesse

And in the nyght thyder he dyd hym dresse

And by a rope in-to the caue dyd slyde

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And there for her all nyght he dyd abyde

¶In the mornynge whan the day gan to appere

Sygysmonde caused to auoyde by a trayne

The maydes whiche lay within her chambere

Sayenge that nyght she coude not slepe for payne

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And quyetly than to rest she wolde fayne

And after them she locked fast the dore

Of her purpose she thought she wolde be sure

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¶In-to the caue she gothe incontynent

Fyndynge Guystarde / she oft dyd hym embrace

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In-to her chambre they bothe after went

And vnto bedde they yede for theyr solace

Theyr pleasaunt lyfe they contynue a space

Enforsynge them-selfe to please eche other

Tyll it was tyme for them to dysseuer

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¶Guystarde in-to the caue went secretly

After whome she locked the dore full fast

And to her maydens she went hastely

But he durst not whyle the day dyd last

Go from the caue but whan mydnyght was past

160

He went out so that none hym espyed

And vnto his house fast he hym hyed

¶Often-tymes this custome they vsed

Theyr lyfe amorous ledynge couertly

Of a longe tyme it was not perceyued

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But fortune whiche is alway contrary

By his harde chaunce these louers dyd dyscry

So that with sorowe ended theyr pleasure

There is no ioye that alway may endure

¶Tancrede alone vsed customably

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Unto his doughters chambre to resort

And on her bedde to slepe somtyme wolde ly

Or els with her to fynde some game and sporte

In her talkynge he had full greate confort

And whan he had ben there a certayne space

175

He wolde departe vnto some other place

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¶He came vnto her chambre on a day

Whyle she was with her maydens in the gardyne

He seynge that she was besy in play

Besyde her bedde he dyd hymselfe declyne

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Afore his face he dyd drawe the curtyne

A soft pylowe vnder his heed he cast

His wery body fell a_slepe full fast

Sygysmonde before her chambre wyndowes shyt shyt: =shut

For with Guystarde she had made apoyntment

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The same day to haue a mery fyt

And whan she thought her tyme conuenyent

Out of the gardyne secretly she went

And vnto her chambre she resorted

And after her the dore she fast locked

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¶She not knowynge her father there a_slepe

The caue-dore she opened with her kay

And caused Guystarde out of it to crepe

And on the bedde as they were wont alway

Of Uenus they vsed the sporte and play

195

So that by noyse and wordes that they dyd make

Tancrede her father out of his slepe dyd wake

¶Tancrede from his slepe moued sodeynly

All theyr pastyme he well aduertysed

At the fyrst tyme he dyd thynke for to crye

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But in hym-selfe he well delybered

By sylence his mynde sholde be better sped

And that he myght with delyberacyon

Upon them bothe take iust correccyon

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¶Where from noyse he kept hym-selfe full close

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These louers whan they had done theyr pleasure

With glad semblaunt they bothe from the bedde rose

The dede they thought ryght secrete and sure

In-to the caue whiche was depe and obscure

Guystarde went in as he was wont to do

210

And Sygysmonde dyd to her maydens go

¶R._Coplande by exclamacyon to fortune.

UNstable fortune / tomblynge as the see

Than yse more slypper / frosen after rayne

Here is thy dede / here is thy properte

Neuer in one / but chaungeable sodayne

215

These two louers / by thy bryttle trayne

Thou hast assembled / and now wylt dysceuer

A worthy acte / this is thy guyse euer

¶P[yr]am and Thysbe / thou goodly behyght Pyram] Pryam 1532

Dydo to Ene / thou caused to combyne

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Arcyte to Emely / in sturdy fyght

And Heleyn to Parys / holly to enclyne

Ypomyneus to Athelant of noble lyne

Troylus to Cresede / by reason of Pandare

At last vnwares / thou dydest them separe separe: =separate

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¶O fortune harde / of chaunces moost extreme

To brynge her father / O wycked slacke traytresse

Was there none other person in all the reme

For to dyscouer / theyr secret besynesse

None? no / alas / here is greate heuynesse

230

Of ony other / it myght haue ben denayde

But nay for-sothe / thou fortune hast them trayde

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¶How Guystarde was taken comynge out of the caue.

TAncrede for this chaunce beynge troubled

From the chambre secretly dyd yssue

And with watche-men the caue he enclosed

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Within the nyght Guystarde for to pursue

As he came oute they toke this louer true

In his ledder cote as he was clothed

Before Tancrede they haue hym presented

¶Tancrede vnto hym spake thus cruelly

240

Guystarde my kyndnesse hath not deserued

That thou sholde do to me this vylany

Whiche with myne eyen this day I espyed

I haue alwaye the greatly fauoured

Thou hast dyshonoured me by thyne offence

245

For kyndnesse shame thou doest me recompence

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¶The true louer answered pyteously

Unto Tancrede sayenge syr for certayne

The harde chaunce of loue no man can deny

It is greater than is the power humayne

250

From it I coude my-selfe in no wyse refrayne

Your puyssaunce may not vnto loue compare

Loue is so greate that it wyll no man spare

¶This prynce for this beynge full of sorowe

Commaunded hym to be kept in prysone

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And after dyner on the nexte morowe

Unto his doughters chambre he went ryght soone

All were auoyded saue they two alone

With heuy chere thus vnto her he sayd

Whiche knewe nothynge her councell was bewrayd

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¶Sygysmonde I haue ben longe dysceyued

By your honest vertu and sadde prudence

Whiche vnto me so stedfast appered

That in you I had so greate confydence

Thynkynge ye wolde neuer do suche offence

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No man coude haue made me it to byleue

Yf with myne eyes the dede I dyd not preue

¶Thy heynous trespace doth my herte sore greue

Whiche contynually is in my thought

That the small tyme whiche I haue to leue

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In sorowe to ende thou hast it now brought

At leest yf thou had mynded to be nought

Thou sholde haue taken one to thy degre

Conuenyent the lesse the faute had be

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¶But of the multytude that vse my hall

275

Thou hast chosen Guystarde thy loue to be

Whiche is moost symple and poorest of them all

Not gentyll borne but come of lowe degre

Whome we haue nourysshed for charyte

Wherfore I am so wrapped in sorowe

280

That what to do as yet I do not knowe

¶Of Guystarde whiche is in captyuyte

What I wyll do I am delybered

But what punysshement I shall take on the

As yet my mynde is not determyned

285

Loue wolde the offence to be pardoned

The trespace requyreth vengeaunce certayne

Iustyce wolde punysshe / nature wolde refrayne

¶Therfore my mynde as yet is varyable

Not knowynge what to do ne what counceyll

290

Sholde to this mater be moost profytable

But I thought fyrst to knowe thy mynde and wyll

And vpon that my pleasure to fulfyll

These wordes sayd / he cast asyde his eye

And lyke a chylde he wept haboundauntly

295

¶Sygysmonde herynge her father thus speke

And how Guystarde was put in pryson depe

For sorowe her herte in two dyd nyghe breke

Unneth from sownynge she coude her-selfe kepe

But lamentably she full fast dyd wepe

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Knowynge theyr loue to be dyscouered

Whiche of longe-tyme had be full closely hyd

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¶She vaynquysshynge her femynyne courage

With constant mynde she dyd cease to lament

For angre she knyt the browes and vysage

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And for to dye in herte she dyd assent

Yf Guystarde dyed by her faders Iudgement

Wherfore of dethe she beynge not dysmayd

Unto her father these wordes she sayd

¶Father your mercy I wyll not requyre

310

Syth your mynde is my louer for to kyll

I shall nothynge optayne of my desyre

And as for me it shall be at your wyll

Whyder that ye wyll my lyfe do saue or spyll do: Wright emends to 'to'

The one I knowe well I shall neuer get

315

The other to haue I do not couet

¶Wherfore your mercy I do now despyse

And with good reason for to purge my fame

Of this my dede lette it you now suffyse

That ye your-selfe of it are moost to blame

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For I had neuer come vnto this shame

Yf it had not ben by your neclygence

Syth I dyd yll / it is but your offence

¶To loue Guystarde I knowlege and confesse

And euer shall whyle that my lyfe doth last

325

Whiche is but short the trewthe for to expresse

My herte and wyll shall euer be stedfast

Yf loue may be whan that the lyfe is past

Hym for to loue / my herte shall neuer sease

But and it may / it shall rather encrease

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¶Father ye sholde haue well consydred

That I am not made of yron nor stone

But of your flesshe and nature engendred

And though that by age your courage is gone

Of youthe ye sholde haue consyderacyon

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How they be brent with ryght feruent desyre

Of loue whiche doth theyr hertes sore set on fyre

¶Forthermore ye myght ryght well consyder

That ydelnese and delycate fedynge

In yonge people to lust is a breder

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And how I am in yonge age florysshynge

And of my husbande hauynge knowledgynge

Of loue what the delycyousnes ment

Wherfore with desyre I sholde soone be brent

¶I beynge in voluptuosyte

345

Bothe nyght and day my mynde I dyd apply

My flamynge hete how quenched it myght be

Without mannes helpe I kn[e]we no remedy knewe: knowe 1532

Wherfore my courage for to satysfy

In secrete wyse I thought to vse the game

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So that no man therof me sholde dyffame

¶Loue and fortune my purpose forderynge

A secret caue they made me for to fynde

Wherof no man had ony knowledgynge

Whiche caue auaunced my desyre and mynde

355

Thynkynge I myght secretly vse my kynde

But of your knowlege I greatly meruell

The entrynge therof how that ye coude tell

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¶Guystarde I haue not loued faynedly

As moost women be wont of theyr vsage

360

But of longe tyme I dyd dylygently

Regarde his good maners and wysdome sage

His constaunt vertu / and manly courage

Or I wolde vnto hym ony loue cast

Whiche is so sure that it shall euer last

365

¶But for he is borne but of lowe degre

Ye say to me the dede to be more shame to be] to be to me 1532

By your sayenge as semeth vnto me

Fortune and not Guystarde ye do now blame

Unworthy men whiche bryngeth to greate fame

370

And they that be worthy of greate renome

She kepeth lowe vnder her fell thraldome

¶Of one man we toke our orygynall orygynall: =origin

Uertu maketh man to be excellent

Whose dede is good hym noble men may call

375

Though your sayenge therto do not assent

But ygnorant men thynke by theyr Iudgement

He is noble that is of greate estate

Though theyr maners be worthy for to hate

¶The dedes of your nobles remembre

380

And the maners of Guystarde therwithall

Certes yf ye wyll iustely consydre

Of noblenesse he shall be specyall

Noble vnnoble eyther ye may call eyther: Wright emends to rayther

Theyr byrthe and maners are full contrary

385

From noblenesse they greately do vary

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¶I take recorde therof of your reporte

Whome ye haue praysed so excellently

Of your affyrmynge I toke greate confort

His vertu ye so moche dyd magnyfy

390

And without I am dysceyued truely

There is no prayse to hym attrybuted

But that he hath it full well deserued

¶Yf he be poore yet he is excellent

His noble vertu doth enhaunce his name

395

His youthe in your seruyce hath longe spent

Yf he be poore therof ye be to blame

With rychesse ye myght haue raysed his name

Promocyon he hath deserued full well

Pouerte dooth not gentylnesse expell

400

¶And where ye be in ambyguyte

How ye may do to punysshe myne offence

Of the sayd doute I wyll make your herte fre

To punysshe Guystarde yf ye do pretence

Upon me execute the same sentence

405

I was the cause that he dyd the trespace

Yf that he dye I coueyte not your grace

¶Dethe I fere not nor lyfe I wolde optayne

But of Guystarde yf ye take not mercy

Though ye wolde me spare I shall not refrayne

410

But of my-selfe take vengeaunce cruelly

And yf we haue deserued for do dye

Upon vs bothe accomplysshe your pleasure

For after hym my lyfe shall not longe dure

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¶Robert_Coplande to the constauncy in loue of Sygysmonde.

O Constant lady / O lyght of louers shene

415

O turtle true / thy louer so absent

What myght thou more / than with courage clene

Offre thy-selfe / to dethe moost vyolent

For thy Guystarde / whiche hath his Iudgement

Alas my pen / for ruthe sorowe doth quake

420

Onely for ruthe / that I haue for thy sake

¶Alas swete woman / thou loued not for mede

Nor yet in comune / but stedfastly to one

Whiche secrete was in worde / thought and dede

And neuer loued but onely the alone

425

Alas what sorowe / now that he is gone

Doth the compasse / standynge all in drede

Herynge hym iudged / to deth by fyers Tancrede

¶Wyll none excuse / thy faders herte relent

And thou his chylde / O nature moost vntrewe

430

Alas me-thynke I se the here present

Berayned with teres / and asshy deedly hewe

Thou doost not praye his fauoure to eschewe

But hardyed in loue / makynge thy Iudgement

Wenynge therby / his herte for to relent

¶Finis.

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¶How Guystarde was taken out of pryson and his herte cut oute of his body / and sente in a cuppe of golde to Sygysmonde.

435

THis prynce perceyuynge his doughters courage

Thought not that she wolde her sayenge fulfyll

But from her chambre he toke his passage

To sle his doughter it was not his wyll

But Guystarde he determyned to kyll

440

After whose dethe he thought she wolde ref[r]ayne refrayne] refayne 1532

Forgettynge the loue that was with them twayne

¶He commaunded them that dyd kepe the Iayle

To strangle Guystarde by his fell iudgement

Secretly in the nyght they sholde not fayle

445

And from his body his herte they sholde rent

And there-withall they sholde do hym present

Whose commaundement they durst not dysobey

But executed it without delay

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¶Tancrede in a cuppe of golde put the herte

450

And by a secret seruaunt he it sent

Unto his doughter with this message smert

Sayenge your father sendeth you this present

That you sholde take conforte is his entent

Of that whiche ye loued best in your mynde

455

Whome ye haue founde so stedfast true and kynde

¶But Sygysmonde after her father was gone

Oute of her chambre her mynde to fulfyll

To the gardyne she went secret alone

And gadred venymous herbes to styll venymous] veynymous 1532

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Where-with she myght her-selfe sodeynly kyll

Yf Guystarde were slayne as she dyd suppose

Than by that venym her-selfe she wolde lose

¶But after this message was to her tolde

She toke the cuppe with a sadde countenaunce

465

The herte therin sadly she dyd beholde

She pondred within her remembraunce

That it was his herte she had no dowtaunce

Wherfore she sayd vnto the messangere

These wordes folowynge with heuy chere

470

¶Certayne my father hath well consydred

This noble herte is not worthy to haue

Other sepulture to be entyred

For in a cuppe of golde sholde be his graue

So greate a gyft he neuer to me gaue

475

With greate thankes haue me recommended

For his kyndnesse can not be deserued

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¶R._Coplande by exclamacyon to Tancrede in executynge tyranny.

OUte on the tyraunt / O cruell Tancrede Tancrede] Trancrede 1532

What hast thou done / fury to commyt

Beholde Guystarde withouten herte here blede

480

Wo worth thy dome / and hasty shyttle-wyt

Outrage alas how is thy reason quyt

Onely but dethe / fye out alas for wo

No pryson / banysshment / nor punysshynge but so

¶Thou hast not regarded the wordes of thy chylde

485

Nor her answers / with promysse desperate

But in angre thou hast / thy-selfe begylde

Now to repent / thou shalt it fynde to late

A se what cometh of domes abreuyate

But repentaunce / O fole insapyent

490

Of folysshe Iudge / an hasty iudgement

¶With dethe of one / thou thought to haue the other

Thou lesest bothe / and all with hastynesse

True loue of deth is the very mother

Recorde of Dido / as Uyrgyll doth expresse

495

Dyanyra / Isyphyll / and Lucresse

With many other whiche at this tyme I spare

And now by the is come these louers share

¶Finis.

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¶How Sygysmonde dyed after the herte of Guystarde was sent to her.

The sayd messengere with this dyd departe

Sygysmonde holdynge the cuppe tenderly

500

With her lyppes often kyssed the herte

Replenysshed with teres aboundauntly

With face pale for wo and melancoly

Beholdynge it with deedly countenaunce

In this wyse she wayled the wofull chaunce

505

¶O noble herte the pleasaunt hospytall

Of my desyre whiche by greate cruelte

Hast fynysshed for me thy lyfe mortall

To knowe thy dethe it had suffysed me

Though with myne eyes I dyd it not se

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But me-thynke it is to me agreable

Thou hast thy graue to the conuenable

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¶At thy last departynge there lacked nought

But the teres of thy louer so fre

Yet god hath put within my fathers thought

515

Thy herte he hath sent hyder vnto me

To fornysshe them at this thyne obseque

He knewe it loued me specyally

But with dry eyes I dyd thynke for to dy

¶I can desyre no better company

520

Than thy noble herte at my departynge

For to the it is ryght necessary

To haue knowlege of my lyfe the endynge

My soule with thyne to be is desyrynge

Ensemble that they may go theyr passage

525

Where pleaseth god to theyr last pylgrymage

¶These wordes sayd she dyd declyne her eye

Upon the cuppe wherin the herte was layde

Lyke a ryuer she wept haboundauntly

But noyse or cry she dyd not out-brayde

530

As women be wont but with mynde dysmayde

Full oft she kyssed there the deed herte

Complaynynge on fortune false and peruert

¶Her gentylwomen beynge there present

What the herte sygnyfyed they dyd meruayle

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And wherfore she dyd so greatly lament

And for pyte they dyd wepe and wayle

Prayenge her to make to them rehersayle

The cause wherfore she made so muche sorowe

But in no wyse of her they myght it knowe

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540

And whan she had wept suffycyently

She dryed her eyen and ceased her wepynge

And to the herte she sayd thus pyteously

O noble herte best beloued of all-thynge

The offyce of loue I make now endynge

545

For tyme it is that I sholde folowe the

By cruell deth thy felowe for to be

¶This sayd she dranke the poyson without fere

And on her bedde downe her-selfe she layde

The deed herte to hers she helde harde and nere

550

Abydynge her deth without noyse or brayd

The madyens of this beynge sore afrayd

Suspectynge the drynke and lamentacyon

To Tancrede therof they made relacyon

¶Her father of this was greatly meued

555

For he fered his doughters fell courage

That her-selfe with some-thynge had greued

To her chambre he toke fast his passage

But the poyson no medycyne coude asswage

Wherfore he syghed and wept asperly

560

Complaynynge his doughters harde desteny

¶She prayed hym to cease so for to raue

And that he of his extreme charyte

Wolde burye her and Guystarde in one graue

And for she lyuynge suffred myght not be

565

Secrete to vse famylyaryte

That after her dethe she vncouertlye

Myght be layd by hym where-so he dyd lye

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¶Tancrede for wo and sorowe coude not speke

Sygysmonde felynge deth to approche fast

570

And that her eye-strynges began to breke

She badde them all farewell with mynde stedfast

With that her soule out of her body past

The herte full harde she helde vntyll her brest

Untyll that deth her lyfe had ouer-prest

575

¶Thus the loue of these louers fynysshed

Tancrede after his wofull heuynesse

In one sepulture them bothe entered

Within the cyte of Salerne doutlesse

Full lyke a prynce with greate pompe and rychesse

580

To these two louers Iesu of his grace

Graunt mercy and in heuen to ha[u]e a place. Amen.

¶The lenuoy of R._Coplande.

GO tragedy vnto thy translatoure

Bewayle to hym thy chaunce vnfortunate

Yf ought be amys / thyne impressoure

In addycyon / or sence myslytterate

Pray hym of helpe / thy fautes to castygate

And where nede is / to adde or elles detray

Pardon of mysmakynge / gladly thou hym pray

¶And hym requyre / accordynge to promys

His boke to acheue / he knoweth myne intent

Whiche is of substaunce worthe many of this

And more worthy / of mater excellent

How-be-it with this I do ryght well assent

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That he with Pamphletes many doth occupy

Whiche morall bokes / redeth not wyllyngly

¶And yf thou happe to reimpressyon

Desyre them / the whiche shall be the cause

Though thou be yll / that no transgressyon

By them nor theyrs / be made in ony clause

Correccyon / I agre / but there a pause

Folowe your copy / and lette th'amendynge alone

He may yll mende two tonges that can but one

¶None be the maysters / that with me wyll dele

Than beware / my lytell boke I pray

From boyes / and lerners / lest they thy trowthe stele

And holly thy fautes / vnto me lay

Shewe forthe thy mater / what-euer that they say

Of loue / foly / fortune / hastynesse / and shame

Unto thyne auctour / and not to me the blame

¶And vnto them / whiche chayned be in loue

Shewe example / of wylfull appetyte

Ordre eche where / theyr courages to moue

Well cometh entent / taken of wyse respyte

Gyue councell / to leue sensuall delyte

Take the as myrrour / suche daunger to ensewe

By harme of other / they may the same eschewe.

FINIS

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¶Thus endeth the amorous hystory of Guystarde and Sygysmonde. Imprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the Sonne by Wynkyn_de_Worde. In the yere of our lorde. M.CCCCC.XXXij.

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