The Spanish Ladies Loue to an English Gentleman
W you heare a Spanish Lady
how she wooed an Englishman:
Garments gay as rich as may be,
deckt with Iewels had she on
Of a comely countenance,
and grace was she:
And by birth and parentage
of high degree.
As his prisoner there he kept her,
in his hands her life did lye:
Cupids bands did tie her faster,
by the liking of her eye.
In his courteous company,
was all her ioy;
To fauour him in any thing,
she was not coy.
At the last there came commandment,
for to set the Ladies free:
With their Iewels still adorning,
none to do them iniury
Alas, then said the Lady gay,
full woe is me:
O let me still sustaine this kind
captiuity.
Gallant captaine take some pittie
of a Lady in distresse:
Leaue me not within the Citie,
for to dye in heauinesse.
Thou hast set this present day,
my body free:
But my heart in prison strong,
remaines with thee.
How should you, faire Lady loue me
whom thou knowest thy Countries foe:
Thy faire words make me suspect thee,
serpents lie where flowers grow.
All the euill I thinke to thee,
most courteous Knight:
God grant vnto my selfe the same,
may fully light.
Blessed be the time and season,
that you came on Spanish ground,
If you may our foe be termed,
gentle foes we haue you found.
With our Cities, you haue won,
our hearts each one:
Then to your Country beare away,
that is your owne.
Rest you still most gallant Lady,
rest you still and weepe no more:
Of faire louers there are plenty,
Spaine doth yeeld a wondrous store.
Spaniards fraught with iealousie,
we often find:
But English men through all the world
are counted kind.
Leaue me not vnto a Spaniard,
you alone enioy my heart:
I am louely, yong and tender,
loue is likewise my desert.
Stil to serue thee day and night,
my mind is prest:
The wife of euery Englishman
is counted blest.
It would be a shame, faire Lady,
for to beare a woman hence:
English souldiers neuer carry
any such without offence.
I will quickly change my selfe,
if it be so:
And like a Page Ile follow thee,
wherere thou go.
I haue neither gold nor siluer,
to maintaine thee in this case:
And to trauell is great charges,
as you know in euery place,
My chaines and Iewels euery one
shall be thine owne:
And eke fiue hundred pound in gold,
that lyes vnknowne.
On the Seas are many dangers,
many storms do there arise:
Which will be to Ladies dreadfull,
and force tears from watry eyes,
Well, in worth I should endure
extremity:
For I could find in heart to lose
my life for thee.
Courteous Lady be contented,
here comes all that breeds the strife,
I in England haue already
a sweet woman to my wife.
I will not falsifie my vow
for gold nor gaine:
Nor yet for all the fairest Dames
that liue in Spaine.
O how happy is that woman
that enioyes so true a friend:
Many dayes of ioy God send you,
of my suit Ile make an end.
Vpon my knees I pardon craue
for this offence:
Which loue and true affection
did first commence.
Commend me to thy louing Lady
beare to her this chaine of gold,
And these bracelets for a token,
grieuing that I was so bold.
All my Iewels in like sort
beare thou with thee:
For these are fitting for thy wife,
and not for me.
I will spend my dayes in prayer,
loue and all her lawes defie:
In a Nunnery will I shrowd me,
farre from other company,
But ere my prayers haue end,
be sure of this:
To pray for thee and for thy loue,
I will not misse.
Thus fareweell most gentle Captaine,
and farewell my hearts content:
Count not Spanish Ladies wanton,
though to thee my loue was bent.
Ioy and true prosperitie
go still with thee:
The like fall euer to thy share,
most faire Lady.
(2 votes, average: 3,50 out of 5)