Yf kynde had wrought my forme in common frames, And set mee forth in coulours blacke and browne, Or beauty had beene percht in Phœbus’ flames, Or shamefast wayes had pluckt my fethers downe, Then had I kept my fame and good renowne: For nature’s gifts were[1977] cause of all my greefe: A plesaunt pray entiseth many a thiefe. 19. Thus woe to thee that wrought my peacock’s pryde, By clothing mee with nature’s tapestry: Woe worth the hewe wherein my face was dyde, Which made mee thinke I pleased euery eye: Like as the sterres make men beholde the skye, So beautye’s showe doth make the wise full fond, And brings free harts full oft to endlesse bond. 20. But cleare from blame my frends can not be founde, Before my time my youth they did abuse: In mariage a prentise was I bounde, When[1978] that meere loue I knew not how to vse: But, welaway, that can not mee excuse, The harme is mine though they deuisde my care, And I must smart and sit in slaundrous snare. 21. Yet gieue mee leaue to pleade my cause at large: Yf that the horse do run beyond his race, Or any thing that keepers haue in charge, Doe breake theyr course where rulers may take place: Or meate bee set before the hungrye’s face, Who is in fault, th’offender,[1979] yea, or no, Or they that are the cause of all this woe? 22. Note well what strife this forced mariage makes, What lothed liues do come where loue doth lacke, What scratching breers do growe vpon such brakes, What common weales by it are brought to wracke, What heauy loade is put on pacient’s backe, What straunge delights this braunch of vice doth breede, And marke what grayne springs out of such a seede. 23. Compell the hauke to sit that is vnmande, Or make the hound vntaught to drawe the dere, Or bring the free against his will in band, Or moue the sad a pleasaunt tale to here: Your time is lost and you no whit the[1980] nere: So loue ne learnes of force the knot to knit, She serues but those that feele sweete fancie’s fit. 24. The lesse defame redounds to my disprayse, I was entiste by traynes, and trapt by trust: Though in my powre remayned yeas, and nayes, Unto my frends yet needs consent I must, In euery thing, yea, lawfull or vniust: They brake the bowes and shakte the tree by sleight, And bent the wand that mought haue growne full streight. 25.