Classic Poem

The pyning wight, presented with reliefe,
With souden joy awhile forgoes his sense;
The retchlesse youth, likewise, besiegde with griefe,
With feare dismayd, forgets to use defence:
Such is the force of hastie joy or woe,
As for the time few knoweth what they doe.

And I unwares, with both extremes forgone,
Subject to love, that never felt his force,
One while dismayd, I starvde in wretched mone,
And straight through hope, I tasted sweet remorse:
Soust with these stormes, when I shuld mone my suit,
Small wonder though a while I masked mute.

And yet (God not) my sighes did plead amaine:
They broke the clouds that cowred all my care;
My ruthfull lookes, presented still my paine,
As who wold say: When wil she cleare thy scare?
Attending thus, when you should note my case,
The time sorewent ere I could sue for grace.

But now (constraynd) neede makes the creeple goe:
My festred sore (of force) some cure must seeke,
My woundes so bleed I can not hide my woe.
My hurt is heald, if you my service like:
Let egall love go bath in wished blisse,
Suffiseth me my maistresse hand to kisse.

So thus, dear dame, you know my case and cure:
It rests in you my life to save or spyll.
If you desire I should these stormes indure,
Commaund my death, and I will work your wyl,
If not, in time him for your servaunt chuse,
Who living dies till you his service use.
Roberto Rinaldo .
This little leasure, together with the disquietnesse of mynde (as appeareth by the plainenesse of this invention) wrought an alteration in Rinaldo's muse; yet, for that his devise somewhat answered his owne estate, he was content to present it to maistresse Giletta, and, persevering in the sayde purpose, the next morning he clothed him selfe in russet, satten, garded with blacke velvet, which witnessed he did both hope and dread: he thus appointed (chusing a place of moste advauntage) willingly lost theseverses. Giletta, by this evening fare well looking for such a morning welcome, was the first that found them; who soudenly withdrewe her selfe, with earnest desire, effectually to peruse Rinaldo's devise. Which done, one while she scorned his base estate, and straight she was contented of Rinaldo to be beloved; so that (her mynde distempered with the contrarietie of fancies) neyther angrie nor well pleased, she wrote this following answere:
Although it pleased you this other night (occasion by me unhappily ministred) to intertaine time with an ordinarie profession of love, yet (master Rinaldo) you doe both me and your selfe great injurie to continue your needelesse labour with such importunancie to me. For that you trust to overthrow my vertues, with the assault of wanton persuasions your selfe, for that I am assured you warre in vaine; but for that I want wit to incounter you in words or writing, I wil hencefoorth likewise want will to take knowledge of eyther your exercises. Thus muche (being your firste attempt) I thought good to answere, least you should think with needlesse nicenesse I acquited your courtesies. And for that you knowe the successe of your faultlesse adventures, I trust to be no more troubled in answering your idle letters.
Giletta de Bologna .
This letter so soone as Giletta had surely sealed, she presented her selfe in the great chamber: Rinaldo (delighted in nothing so muche as in the sight of his maistresse) with the first saluted her. Maistresse Giletta courteously (as she did the rest) acquited him, dissembling as then her knowledge of his verses; but notwithstanding this carelesse shewe, her mynde was combred with a thousand contrarie fancies: one while she mistrusted the invention to be his owne devise, an other while she feared to deliver her answere; nowe she loved, straight she scorned, and yet in her greatest disliking she liked to looke on Rinaldo; and as it is the nature of lovers (subject to a thousand distresses) to search all meanes to be assured of their choyces loyaltie, so here maistresse Giletta (newly entered into that profession) by the often beholding of Rinaldo, and marking the colour in his apparell, tooke occasion, under the colour of a pleasant request, to be acquainted (perhaps) with his inward disposition, in so much when as other ladies charged such as they thought well of with service, quoth she, For that I know (maister Rinaldo) you are a very good poet, I injoyne you without further studie to shewe in vearse to what ende you weare blacke upon russet? Quoth Rinaldo (willing to obey this injunction) Deare lady, although my sight in poetrie be but small, yet will I (to satisfie your request) supply my inabilitie of skill with the abilitie of good will; and to execute the same, he called for pen, ynke, and paper, in the presence of a number writing as followeth.