[333] THE AUTHOUR. With that the Lady Sabrine slinckt from sight, I lookt about and then me thought againe Approched straight another wofull wight: It seemde as though with dogs he had bin slaine; The bloud from all his members torne amaine Ran downe: his clothes were also torne and rente, And from his bloudy throte these plaintes he sente. ed. 1575. [334] That. ed. 1575. [335] Was. ib. [336] Durst none aduenture anger mine t’ aswage If once to freate and fume I did begin; And I excelde in nothing els but sinne, So that wel nighe all men did wishe my ende. ed. 1575. [337] And. N. [338] In pleasures pleasaunt was my whole repaste, ed. 1575. [339] This seems a provincial word, as crome is used in Norfolk for a hook. See _Grose’s Glossary_. [340] Syrtes, a quicksand or bog. _Johnson._ [341] Neuer, ed. 1575. [342] Vast. N. [343] The conclusion of this life, from stanza 11, is thus varied in ed. 1575. Alas that youth (in vayne) so vyly spent, Should euer cause a king to haue such ende: Alas that euer I should here lament, Or else should teache vnto my cost my frende: Alas that fortune such mishap should sende: But sithe it is to late for me to crie, I wishe that others may take hede herebye. I might full well by wisdome shund this snare, Tis sayde a wiseman all mishap withstandes. For though by starres we borne to mischieues are: Yet prudence bayles vs quite, from carefull bandes, Eche man (they say) his fate hath in his handes, And what he makes, or marres to lese, or saue Of good, or euill, is euen selfe do selfe haue. As here thou seest by me, that led my dayes In vicious sorte, for greedy wolues a praye: Warne others wysely, than to guide their wayes By mine example, wel eschue they may, Such vices as may worke their own decay: Which if they do, full well is spent the time To warne, to wryte, and eke to reade this rime. THE AUTHOUR. When this was said, no more was Madan seene, (If it were he) but sure I half suspecte It was some other else, so seru’de had bene, For that all stories do not so detecte His death, or else I did perhaps neglecte His tale, bicause that diuers stories brought, Such fancies of his death into my thought. Therefore although it be not as some write Here pende by me, and yet as others haue: Let it not greeue thee reade that I recite, And take what counsaile of good life he gaue: I trust I may (that dreame) some pardon craue, For if the reste, no dreames but stories pen: Can I for that they wryte be blamed then?