The Choise of Valentines | Page 7

lowe would passe.
Vpon a charriot of five wheeles he rydes,

The which an arme strong driuer stedfast guides, 276
And often alters pace as wayes growe deepe,
(For who, in pathes
unknowne, one gate can keepe?)
Sometimes he smoothlie slideth
doune the hill;
Another while, the stones his feete doe kill; 280
In clammie waies he treaddeth by and by,
And plasheth and sprayeth
all that be him nye.
So fares this iollie rider in his race,
Plunging
and sousing forward in lyke case, 284
He dasht, and spurted, and he plodded foule,
God giue thee shame,
thou blinde mischapen owle!
Fy-fy, for grief: a ladies chamberlaine,

And canst not thou thy tatling tongue refraine? 288
I reade thee beardles blab, beware of stripes,
And be aduised what
thou vainelie pipes;
Thou wilt be whipt with nettles for this geare
If
Cicelie shewe but of thy knauerie heere. 292

Saint Denis shield me from such female sprites!
Regarde not, Dames,
what Cupids Poete writes:
I pennd this storie onelie for my selfe,

Who, giuing suck unto a childish Elfe, 296
And quitte discourag'd in my nurserie,
Since all my store seemes to
hir penurie.
I am not as was Hercules the stout,
That to the seaventh
iournie could hould out; 300
I want those hearbe's and rootes of Indian soile,
That strengthen
wearie members in their toile--
Druggs and Electuaries of new devise,

Doe shunne my purse, that trembles at the price. 304
Sufficeth all I haue, I yeald hir hole
Which, for a poore man, is a
princelie dole,
I paie our hostess scott and lott at moste,
And looke
as leane and lank as anie ghoste; 308
What can be added more to my renowne?
She lyeth breathlesse; I am
taken doune;
The waves doe swell, the tydes climbe or'e the banks;

Judge, gentlemen! if I deserue not thanks? 312
And so, good night! unto you euer'ie one;
For loe, our thread is
spunne, our plaie is donne.
Claudito iam vinos Priapa, sat prata biberunt [sic[j]].
Tho. Nash.
[Illustration]
_Thus[k] hath my penne presum'd to please my friend--
Oh mightst
thou lykewise please Apollo's eye.
No, Honor brooke's no such
impietie,
Yett Ouids wanton Muse did not offend.
He is the fountaine whence my streames doe flowe--
Forgive me if I
speake as I was taught,
A lyke to women, utter all I knowe,
As
longing to unlade so bad a fraught.

My mynde once purg'd of such lasciuious witt,
With purifide words
and hallowed verse,
Thy praises in large volumes shall rehearce,

That better maie thy grauer view befitt.
Meanewhile yett rests, you smile at what I write;
Or, for attempting,
banish me your sight._
Thomas Nash.
FOOT- AND LINE NOTES
[k] Quite detached, on page 94 of the Rawl. MS. (the text
commences
on page 96), are a few lines entitled "The Epilogue," which are
obviously part of the above, albeit more than usually imperfectly
copied. Why so placed does not appear, especially as several blank
pages immediately follow the conclusion of the Bodleian copy.
Title, The Choosing of Valentines, Nashes Dildo.
2 yong_, younge; _their iollie roguerie_, their brauery; _iollie, Fr. joli_,
pretty, fine. _Bravery_, finery; _Cf_. Holinshed's Chron. of Eng.,
55_--The ancient Britons painted their bodies "which they esteemed a
great braverie."
3 Rose earelie in the morne fore, Rose in the morning before; daie,
daye.
4 soe trimme and gaie, soe fresh and gaye.
5 summer sheene, somers shene.
6 haidegaies on, high degree in.
7 alas at Easter, or, allso at Ester and.
8 Perambulate, preambulate.
9 to som_, into some; _abbordring, bordering.

10 taste the creame and cakes, tast the cakes and creame.
11 Or, To.
12 by Bachelrie of Maningtree, by the bachelours of magnanimity.
"Manningtree, in Essex, formerly enjoyed the privilege of fairs, by the
tenure of exhibiting a certain number of stage plays yearly. It appears
also, from other intimations, that there were great festivities there, and
much good eating, at Whitsun ales, and other times."--Nares.
13 Where to, the contrie franklins, Whether our Country Franklins.
14 Jhon and Jone com, John and Joane come.
15 Euen_, Even; _hallowes_, Hallowes; _Saint, Sainct.
16 doeth_, doth; _louers_, lovers; _those, omitted in Rawlinson.
17 ladies, Ladyes.
18 she_, shee; _valentine, valentyne.
19 woe, alass, out, alas.
20 an upper, another.
21 _-haft and crab-tree face_, with his crabbed face.
22 scar'd hir_, scard her; _the, that.
23 And now she was compel'd for Sanctuarie, And she, poore wench,
compeld for Sanctuary.
24 unto_, into; _venery, Venery.
25 bouldlie,_, bouldly; _enquire, inquire.
26 hackneis, hackneyes. Hackney, a person or thing let out for
promiscuous use, e.g._, a horse, a whore, a literary drudge. _Cf. "The

hobby-horse is but a colt, and your love perhaps a
hackney."--Love's
Labour Lost, iii., 1.
27 crau'd, craud.
29 Therwith out stept_, With that, stept forth; _three chinnd,
three-chinde. Foggie = fat, bloated, having hanging flesh. Cf. "Some
three chind foggie dame."--Dolarney, Primrose.
30 us'd_, vsd; _yong, younge.
31 ask't_, askt; _I ment as I profest, soothe were my request.
32