The Choise of Valentines | Page 4

did euer write,

That have succeeded in theis latter times. 12
Accept of it, Deare Lord, in gentle gree,
And better lynes, ere long,
shall honor thee._

FOOT- AND LINE NOTES:
[i] Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton, and Baron of
Titchfield. The dedication is absent in the Rawlinson text: cf. variorum
reading in line 13.
1 Matchles, machles.
2 the red rose euer bare, that euer red rose bare.
3 devorst from deeper care, diuert from deepest care. Nash was
notoriously impecunious all through his life, and probably reference is
here made to some bounty received at the hands of Lord Southampton
(see Introduction). What patronage meant at times is gleaned from
Florio's dedication of The Worlde of Wordes in 1598 to the same
nobleman. He says:--"In truth I acknowledge an entire debt, not only of
my best knowledge, but of all; yea, of more than I know, or care, to
your bounteous lordship, in whose pay and patronage I have lived some
years.... But, as to me, and many more, the glorious and gracious
sunshine of your honour hath infused light and life." Rowe also tells a
story of Lord Southampton's munificence to Shakspeare. It is said that

he gave the poet £1,000 (equal to £12,000 now-a-days) to complete a
special purchase. Whether this story be true or not, it is certain that
Lord Southampton was a most liberal patron of letters.
4 Presents thee with, Presentes you with.
5 "Ne" = Nor, A.S.; unchastitie, inchastitye.
6 painting_, paynting; _things_, thinges; _hidden are, hidden be.
7 & 8 In Rawl. MS. these lines are transposed. Since all men act, sith
most men marke; speache declare_, speech descrie; _Onlie, only;
varietie, varyetye.
9 Complants and praises euery one, Complayntes & prayses every
man.
10 passion out_, passion forth; _their pangu's_, there loue; statlie
rimes_, statly rime.
11 pleasures none_, pleasure non; _euer write, e're indite.
12 theis latter times, this latter time.
13 Deare Lord, deare loue. A significant reading in view of the absence
of the dedication in the Rawl. MS. "_Accept ... in gentle gree_," to take
kindly.
14 And better lynes ere long, And better farr, ere long (see
Introduction).
[Illustration]
THE CHOOSING
OF VALENTINES.
It was the merie moneth of Februarie,
When yong men, in their iollie
roguerie,
Rose earelie in the morne fore breake of daie,
To seeke
them valentines soe trimme and gaie; 4

With whom they maie consorte in summer sheene,
And dance the
haidegaies on our toune-greene,
As alas at Easter, or at Pentecost,

Perambulate the fields that flourish most; 8
And goe to som village abbordring neere,
To taste the creame and
cakes and such good cheere;
Or see a playe of strange moralitie,

Shewen by Bachelrie of Maningtree. 12
Where to, the contrie franklins flock-meale swarme,
And Jhon and
Jone com marching arme in arme.
Euen on the hallowes of that
blessed Saint
That doeth true louers with those ioyes acquaint, 16
I went, poore pilgrime, to my ladies shrine,
To see if she would be
my valentine;
But woe, alass, she was not to be found,
For she was
shifted to an upper ground: 20
Good Justice Dudgeon-haft, and crab-tree face,
With bills and staues
had scar'd hir from the place;
And now she was compel'd, for
Sanctuarie,
To flye unto a house of venerie. 24
Thither went I, and bouldlie made enquire
If they had hackneis to
lett-out to hire,
And what they crau'd, by order of their trade,
To lett
one ride a iournie on a iade. 28
Therwith out stept a foggy three-chinnd dame,
That us'd to take yong
wenches for to tame,
And ask't me if I ment as I profest,
Or onelie
ask't a question but in iest. 32
"In iest?" quoth I; "that terme it as you will;
I com for game, therefore
give me my Jill."
"Why Sir," quoth shee, "if that be your demande,

Com, laye me a Gods-pennie in my hand; 36
For, in our oratorie siccarlie,
None enters heere, to doe his nicarie,

But he must paye his offertorie first,
And then, perhaps, wee'le ease
him of his thirst." 40

I, hearing hir so ernest for the box,
Gave hir hir due, and she the dore
unlocks.
In am I entered: "venus be my speede!
But where's this
female that must do this deed"? 44
By blinde meanders, and by crankled wayes,
Shee leades me onward,
(as my Aucthor saies),
Vntill we came within a shadie loft
Where
venus bounsing vestalls skirmish oft; 48
And there shee sett me in a leather chaire,
And brought me forth, of
prettie Trulls, a paire,
To chuse of them which might content myne
eye;
But hir I sought, I could nowhere espie. 52
I spake them faire, and wisht them well to fare--
"Yet soe yt is, I must
haue fresher ware;
Wherefore, dame Bawde, as daintie as you bee,

Fetch gentle mistris Francis forth to me." 56
"By Halliedame," quoth she, "and Gods oune mother,
I well perceaue
you are a wylie brother;
For if there be a morsell