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502 COMPLAINTS
Alia Turchesca, much the more admyr'd,
And his lookes loftie, as if he aspyr'd 678
To dignitie, and sdeign'd the low degree,
That all which did such strangenesse in him see,
By secrete meanes gan of his state enquire,
And pnuily his seruant thereto hire
VVho throughly arm'd against such couerture,
Reported vnto all, that he was sure
A noble Gentleman of high regard,
Which through the world had with long trauel
far'd,
And seene the manners of all beasts on ground ,
Now here arnu'd, to see if like he found 688
Thus did the Ape at first him credit game,
Which afterwards he wisely did maintaine
With gallant showe, and dayhe more augment
Through his fine f eates and Courtly complement,
For he could play, and daunce, and vaute, and
spnng,
And all that els pertames to reuehng,
Onely through kindly aptnes of his loynts
Besides he could doo manie other poynts,
The which in Court him serued to good stead
For he mongst Ladies could their fortunes read
Out of their hands, and mene leasings tell,
And luggle finely, that became him well 700
But he so light was at legier demame,
That what he toucht, came not to light againe,
Yet would he laugh it out, and proudly looke,
And tell them, that they greatly him mistooke
So would he scofle them out with mockene,
For he therein had great fehcitie,
And with sharp quips loy'd others to deface,
Thinking that their disgracing did him grace
So whilst that other like vaine wits he pleased,
And made to laugh, his heart was greatly eased
But the right gentle minde would bite his lip,
To heare the lauell so good men to mp 712
For though the vulgar yeeld an open eare,
And common Courtiers loue to gybe and fleare
At euene thing, which they heare spoken ill,
And the best speaches with ill meaning spill,
Yet the braue Courtier, in whose beauteous
thought
Regard of honour harbours more than ought,
Doth loath such base condition, to backbite
Ames good name for enuie or despite 720
He stands on tearmes of honourable minde,
Ne will be carried with the common winde
Of Courts inconstant mutabihtie,
Ne after euerie tattling fable (lie,
But heares, and sees the follies of the rest,
And thereof gathers for himselfe the best
He will not creepe, nor crouche with famed
face,
But walkes vpnght with comely stedfast pace,
And vnto all doth yeeld due curtesie, 729
But not with kissed hand belowe the knee,
As that same Apish crue is wont to doo
For he disdames himselfe t'embase theretoo
He hates fowle leasings, and vile flattene,
Two filthie blots in noble Gentrie,
And lothefull ldlenes he doth detest,
The canker worme of euene gentle brest,
The whicn 10 banish with faire exercise
Of knightly feates, he dayhe doth deuise
Now menaging the mouthes ot stubborne
steedes, 739
Now practising the proofe of warlike deedes,
Now his bright armes assaying, now his spearc,
Now the nigh aymed ring away to beare,
At other times he casts to sew the chace
Of swift wilde beasts, or runne on foote a race,
T' enlarge his breath (large breath in armes most
needful 1)
Or els by wrestling to wex strong and heedfull,
Or his stiffe armes to stretch with Eughen bowe,
And manly legs, still passing too and fro,
Without a gowned beast him fast beside ,
A vaine ensample of the Persian pride, 750
Who after he had wonne th'Assyrian foe,
Did euer after scorne on foote to goe
Thus when this Courtly Gentleman with toyle
Himselfe hath weaned, he doth recoyle
Vnto his rest, and there with sweete delight
Of Musicks skill reuiues his toy led spnght,
Or els with Loues, and Ladies gentle sports,
The loy of youth, himselfe he recomforts
Or lastly, when the bodie list to pause, 759
His minde vnto the Muses he withdrawes ,
Sweete Ladie Muses, Ladits of delight,
Delights of life, and ornaments of light
With whom he close confers with wise discourse,
Of Natures workes, of heauenscontinuall course,
Of forreine lands, of people different,
Of kingdomes change, of diuers goucrnment,
Of dreadfull battailes of renowmed Knights ,
With which he kmdleth his ambitious spnghts
To like desire and praise of noble fame,
The onely vpshot whereto he doth ayme
For all his mmde on honour fixed is, 771
To which he leuels all his purposis,
And in his Princes seruice spends his dayes,
Not so much for to game, or for to raise
Himselfe to high degree, as for his grace,
And in his liking to wmne worthie place ,
Through due deserts and comely carriage,
In whatso please employ his personage,
That may be matter meete to game him praise,
For he is fit to vse in all assayes, 780
Whether for Armes and warlike amenaunce,
Or else for wise and cruill gouernaunce