Suche waiwarde waies hath love that moste parte in discorde; Our willes do stand wherby our hartes but seldom dooth accorde. Disceyte is his delight, and to begyle and mocke The symple hertes which he doth stryke with froward dyvers stroke. He cawseth hertes to rage with golden burninge darte, And doth alaye with ledden cold agayne the tothers harte. Hot gleames of burning fyre and easye sparkes of flame In balaunce of unegall weight he pondereth by ame. From easye fourde, where I might wade and passe full well, He me withdrawes, and doth me drive into the darke diep well; And me withholdes where I am cald and offerd place, And wooll that still my mortall foo I do beseche of grace. He lettes me to pursue a conquest well nere woon, To follow where my paynes were spilt or that my sute begune. Lo, by these rules I know how sone a hart can turne From warr to peace, from trewce to stryf, and so again returne. I know how to convert my will in others lust; Of litle stuff unto my self to weyve a webb of trust; And how to hide my harme with soft dissembled chere, When in my face the paynted thoughtes wolde owtwardlye appere. I know how that the blood forsakes the faas for dredd, And how by shame it staynes agayne the cheke with flaming redd. I know under the grene the serpent how he lurckes; The hamer of the restles forge I know eke how yt workes. 25tell, But ofte the wordes come forth a wrye of hym that loveth well. I know in heat and cold the lover how he shakes, In singinge how he can complayne, in sleaping how he wakes, To languishe without ache, sickles for to consume, A thousand thinges for to devyse resolving all hys fume. And thoughe he lyke to see his ladies face full sore, Such pleasure as delightes his eye doth not his health restore. I know to seke the tracke of my desyred foo, And feare to fynd that I do seke; but chefelye this I know, That lovers must transforme into the thing beloved, And live (alas, who colde beleve?) with spryte from lief removed. I know in hart ye sighes and lawghters of the splene At ones to chaunge my state, my will, and eke my colour clene. I know how to disceyve myself withouten helpp, And how the lyon chastysed is by beating of the whelpp. In standing nere my fyer,
I know how that I frese; Farr of, to burn; in both to wast, and so my lief to lese. I know how love doth rage uppon the yeldon mynd, How small a nett may take and mashe a harte of gentle kynd; With seldome tasted swete, to season heaps of gall, Revyved with a glyns of grace olde sorowes to let fall. The hidden traynes I know, and secret snares of love; How sone a loke may prynt a thought that never will remove. That slipper state I know, those sodayne tournes from welthe, That doubtfull hope, that certayne woo, and sure dispaire of helthe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Description of the fickle affections panges and sleightes of loue Suche waiward waies hath loue, that most part in discord Our willes do stand, whereby our hartes but seldom doe accord. Disceit is his delight, and to begile, and mock The simple hartes whom he doth strike with froward diuers strok. He makes the one to rage with golden burning dart, And doth alay with leaden colde agayn the other hart. Whote glemes of burnyng fire, and easy sparkes of flame In balance of vnegall weight he pondereth by aime. From easy forde, where I might wade and passe ful wel, He me withdrawes, and doth me driue into a depe dark hel, And me withholdes where I am calde and offred place, And willes me that my mortall foe I doe beseke of grace: He lettes me to pursue a conquest welnere wonne, To folow where my paines were lost ere that my suite begonne. So by this meanes I know how soone a hart may turne From warre to peace, from truce to strife, and so again returne, I know how to content my self in others lust, Of litle stuffe vnto my self to weaue a webbe of trust: And how to hide my harmes with soft dissembling chere, When in my face the painted thoughtes would outwardly apere. I know how that the blood forsakes the face for dred: And how by shame it staines again the chekes with flaming red. I know vnder the grene the serpent how he lurkes. The hammer of the restles forge I wote eke how it wurkes. I know and can by roate the tale that I would tel: But oft the wordes come furth awrie of him that loueth wel. I know in heat and colde the louer how he shakes: In singing how he doth complain, in slepyng how he wakes: To languish without ache, sicklesse for to consume: A thousand thinges for to deuise resoluing all in fume. And though he list to se his ladies grace ful sore, Such pleasures as delight the eye doe not his health restore. I know to seke the track of my desired foe, And feare to finde that I do seke.
But chiefly this I know, That louers must transforme into the thing beloued, And liue (alas who would beleue?) with sprite from life remoued, I know in harty sighes, and laughters of the splene At once to change my state, my wyll, and eke my coloure clene. I know how to deceaue my self with others help: And how the Lion chastised is by beating of the whelp. In standyng nere my fire I know how that I freze. Farre of I burne, in both I wast, and so my life I leze. I know how loue doth rage vpon a yelding mynde: How smal a net may take and meash a hart of gentle kinde: Or els with seldom swete to season heapes of gall, Reuiued with a glimse of grace olde sorowes to let fall, The hidden traines I know, and secret snares of loue: How soone a loke wil printe a thought, that neuer may remoue. The slipper state I know, the sodain turnes from wealth, The doubtful hope, the certain woe, and sure despeire of health.
