From: Poems by Sir John Salusbury and Robert Chester, with an introduction by Carleton Brown. London: Early English Text Society, 1914
XXI
Sweet mvses come & lend your helpinge handes
to Rule my penne which quakinge standes to write
ffeare bides me stay but hope doth egge me on
to putt in practize what's my hartes delight
ffayne would I write so 'twere without offence
I'le venter once my mvse goe packe thee hence
Goe blasse abrod the prid of Britance soyle
for vertue manhood and for curtesie
The onely perle which all prowd wale doth foyle
for kindly favour and sobrietie
Kind vnto all both high & lowe degree
to Riche & poore is worthy Salusbury
Beloued of all and Ioyed of each wight
feared of his foes & loued of his friendes
Courteous of speech & show to all mens sight
free of his purse, the flowre of all his kine
Where e're I goe whiles lif doth last in me
my tonge shall speake of courteus Salusbury
Did Troy but stand which nowe lyes ruinate
& beauteus helen liueinge in the same
Should paris thinke with face so feminate
or smooth tounge wordes to wynne that grekish dame
No 'twere in vayne to enterprise that deed
since Salusbury lives that paris doth exceed.
Was paris beautiful? why so is Salusbury,
was paris courteus? Salusbury is more kind
Was paris manlike? & is not Salusbury
the manlikest wight in Britaine you can find
In all respectes paris vnlike to thee
Helen revives to love sweete Salusbury
Yf Salusbury did enioye faire Helens love
& had her salf within the wales of troy
The greekes were best their siege for to remoove
for 'twere in vayne gainst Salusbury to enioy
His manlike armes ffrom of the greekish wales
would tosse downe pilleres like to tennis bales
Blest be the pappes that first did give him sucke
blest be the wombe that first did him conceyve
Blest be the tyme his father had such looke
blest be the tree which sprwnge fouth such a lefe
Blest be they all & tenne tymes blest be he
for whome so meny blessinges vtred be
Curst may they be that Salusbury seekes to wronge
curst may they be that Salusbury seekes to shame
Curst may they be that with their slanderous tounge
seekes to slander sweete John Salusburys name
Curst be they all & tenne tymes curst be he
that speakes one worde against swete Salusbury
Hence mvste I goe but mvses stay you heare
I mvst departe yet shew you my good will
When I ame gon see that you doe not feare
to shew your masteres fruites of simple skill
ffor while he lives where e're he goe or ride
sweete John Salusburys name shall in him bide
Denbighe adew pray thou for Salusbury
north wales adew pray ye for Salusbury
The sweetest gemme that cures your melencolie
is kind & faire & courteus Salusbury
Pray you for him & I will pray for yee
so god blesse vs & courteus Salusbury
Nowe mvses stay I may no longer write
to dolle ame I to speake of Salusbury prais
Some finer wittes hearafter shall indite
& putt his name in coridons roondelays
Then sweete philida & coridon agree
to singe in prays of lovinge Salusbury
And I'le intreat dianas trayne to stand
to lend ye help with all their siluer stringes
The nimphes shall dance with Salusbury hand in hand
treadinge the measures on the pleasant plaines
And thus in myddest of all his mirth & glee
I'le take my leaue of courteus Salusbury
finis quoth Danielle.
XXII
But stay a while thou hast forgott thy parte
retourne againe & ere thou goe ffrom hence
Thinke vpon her whome thou arte bound in harte
in humble duty for to recompence
ffor whom he loves shee neuer hates I see
so kind & courteus is m[istress] Salusbury
ffrom princely blood & Ryale stocke she came
of egles brood hatcht in a loftie nest
The earle of derby & the kinge of manne
her father was her brother now possest
Then hapie he but thris more hapie's shee
to mache her self with lovely Salusbury
A lovelier man all europe cannot find
so kid to her & she so kind to him
Like turtles true so doth this cuple buyld
heauens graunte this their ioyes may ne're be dime
But flwrish still as doth the lawrel tree
& hartes content rest both to him & shee
Nowe mvst I goe my penne hath runne his fill
gould have I not to gwrder her with all
Butu yet to shew some parte of my good will
thebest I have I humblie parte with all
Accept it then a portion of my store
'tis my good will would god 'twere tenne tymes more
Thus for my bowldnes pardon I do crave
prayeinge the heauens to send you both content
Ioy of your ofspringe euer for to have
Admetus lif vnto you both be lent
God keepe your troope both high & lowe degree
tho last not lest vale m[istress] Ane stanley
finis quoth Danielle