Against One Which Wrote a Slaunderous Libell in Dishonour of a Lady

Yhacht thou wert in envies nest,
Whose murthering tongue might not suffice
To woorke a ladies great unrest,
But that with penne thou didst devise
Vile vice to paint in vertues place,
Her spotlesse life for to disgrace.

Whose sacred head, with wisedome fraught,
Is guided by Dame Pallas skill;
Her deintie minde Minerva taught
The good to love, to leave the ill;
Then may it bee, shee doth deserve
Report from reasons lore to swerve?

Noe, no, thou wretch and viper vile,
From natures lawe which dost rebell,
The world doth know thy giltie gile,
In dungeon darcke hence forth now dwell,
For all men doth thy sight repine,
From manly actes which doest decline.

The heavens do frowne with earthly foode
Thy carren corpes should nourisht bee,
Thou onely byrde of vipers broode,
And bitter braunch of rankors tree;
A harpie for thy filthie factes,
For God and man abhorres thy actes.

Unseene henceforth, thou caitise, couche,
Thou murtherer vile of others fame,
How durst thou once presume to touche
The honour due unto her name,
And make report that Dian chaste
Faire Venus knightes in bedde imbraste?

Allotting to her harmelesse tongue
All rusticke speach, with Stentors voice,
Disdayning them whom love hath stonge,
For that with chaunge shee makes her choice;
Not carefull of her curious charge,
But gladly rowes in everie barge.

How may it bee such fertile soyle,
Well tilde and sowne with happie seede,
Can chuse in recompence of toyle,
But yeeld thee fruites of Venus meede?
Why worke I her so great abuse,
For giltlesse fact to frame excuse?

My paines herein deserves no praise,
For all men knowes more then I write;
But thou that didst this rumour raise,
If that thou darst to show thy might,
As truth maintaine thy slaundrous wordes,
Committing triall to our swordes.

Who readie am her to defend,
Till wounded corpes, with bloud begord,
Of worldly woes do make an end,
By froward force of slaundrous sword,
Or [to] recant to make will I,
And for offence her mercie crie.
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