Where fresh and fragrant flowers may scorn the courtier's cost, who daubs himself with civet, musk, and many an ointment lost.

 

Of the Place where and how an Assembly should be made in the presence of a Prince, or some honorable person. 

Who list - by me - to learn assembly for to make,
for Kaiser, King or comely Queen, for Lord or Lady's sake:
or where, and in what sort it should prepared be,
mark well my words, and thank me then, for thanks I crave in fee.
The place should first be pight, on pleasant gladsome green,
yet under shade of stately trees, where little Sun is seen:
and near some fountain spring, whose crystal running streams
may help to cool the parching heat, caught by Phoebus' beams.
The place appointed thus, it neither shall be clad, 
with arras nor with tapestry, such paltry were too bad:
nor yet those hot perfumes, whereof proud courts do smell, 
may once presume in such a place, or paradise to dwell.
Away with feigned fresh, as broken boughs or leaves,
awway, away with forced flowers gathered from their groves:
this place must of itself afford such sweet delight,
and eke such show, as better may content the greedy sight:
where sundry sorts of hewes, which grow upon the ground,
may seem - indeed - such tapestry, as we - by art - have found.
Where fresh and fragrant flowers may scorn the courtier's cost,
who daubs himself with civet, musk, and many an ointment lost. 
Where sweetest singing birds may make such melody,
as Pan, nor yet Apollo's art, can sound such harmony.
Where breath of western winds may calmly yield content, 
where casements need not opened be, where air is never pent. 
Where shade may serve for shrine, and yet the Sun at hand,
where beauty need not quake for cold, nor yet with Sun be tanned.
In fine and to conclude, where pleasure dwells at large,
which princes seek in palaces, with pain and costly charge.
Then such a place once found, the butler first appears,
he shall be formost doctor there, and stand before his peers:
and with him shall he bring - if company be great - 
some wagons, carts, some mules or jades laden till they sweat,
with many a medicine made for common quaint diseases, 
as thirsty throats, and tippling tongues, whom Bacchus' pipe appeases.
These little pinching pots, which 'pothecaries use,
are all too fine, fie, fie on such! they make men but to muse.
My doctor brings his drugs, to counterpoise all quarrels,
in kilderkins and firkins full, in bottles and barrels.
And yet therein he brings - I would you wist it well - 
no rotten drams, but noble wine, which makes men's hearts to swell.
And down does he dismount, his things for to address,
his flagons in the fountain fair are placed more or less.
Or if such fountains fail, my doctor has the skill,
with sand and camphor for to cool his potions at his will.
That done, he spreads his cloth, upon the grassy bank,
and sets to show his dainty drinks, to win his prince's thanks.
Then comes the captain cook, with many a warlike wight,
which armour bring and weapons both, with hunger for to fight.
Yea, some also set forth, upon a manly mind,
to make some means, a quarrel with, my doctor for to find.
For while cold loins of veal, cold capon, beef and goose,
with pigeon pies and mutton cold, are set on hunger loose,
and make the forlorn hope in doubt to 'scape full hard,
then come to give a charge in flank - else all the mart were marred - 
first neats' tongues powdered well, and gambones of the hog, 
then sausages and savoury knacks, to set men's minds on gog.
And while they skirmish thus, with fierce and furious fight,
my doctor clerkly turns the tap, and goes beyond them quite.
For when they be so trapped, enclosed round about,
no boot prevails, but drink like men, for that must help them out. 
Then King or comely Queen, then Lord and Lady look,
to see which side will bear the bell, the butler or the cook.
At last, the cook takes flight, but butlers still abide,
and sound their drums and make retreat, with bottles by their side.
Herewith ro stint all strife, the huntsmen come in haste,
they license crave of King or Queen, to see their battle plast,
Which granted and obtained, they set on such as live,
and fiercely fight, til both be first, all armour up to give.
And home they go dispoiled, like simple sakeless men,
no remedy but trudge apace, they have no weapons then.
The field thus fought and done, the huntsmen come again,
of whom someone upon his knee, shall tell the Prince full plain,
forgive me - Queen - who am too bold, to speak unto your grace.

My liege forgive the boldness of your man,
who comes to speak before your grace him call:
my skill is small, yet must I as I can,
presume to preach, before these Barons all,
and tell a tale, which may such minds appall
as pass their days in slothful idleness,
the first foul nurse to worldly wickedness. 

Since golden time - my liege - never does stay,
but flees still about with restless wings,
why does your grace, let time then steal away,
which is more worth, than all your worldly things?
Believe me - liege - believe me, Queens and Kings, 
one only hour - once lost - yields more anoy,
than twenty days can cure with mirth and joy. 

And since yout grace determined by decree,
to hunt this day, and recreate your mind,
why sit you thus and lose the game and glee
which you might hear? Why rings not the wind
with horns and hounds, according to their kind?
why sit you thus - my liege - and never call,
our hounds not us, to make you sport withal?

Perchance the fight, which suddenly you saw,
erewhile between, these overbragging bloods,
amazed your mind, and for a while did draw
your noble eyes, to settle on such suds.
But peerless Prince, the moisture of such muds
is much too gross and homely for your grace,
behold them not, their pleasures be but base.

Behold us here, your true and trusty men,
your hunts, your hinds, your swains at all assays, 
which overthrow them - being three to ten - 
and now are pressed, with bloodhounds and relays,
with hounds of cry, and hounds well worthy praise,
to rouse, to run, to hunt and hale to death
as great a hart as ever yet bare breath.

This may be seen - a Prince's sport indeed - 
and this your grace, shall see when pleases you:
so that vouchsafe - O noble Queen - with speed, 
to mount on horse, that others may ensue, 
until this hart be roused and brought to view.
Then if you find that I have spoke amiss,
correct me Queen - til then - forgive me this.

Afterwards, when all the huntsmen be come together, they shall make their sundry reports, and present their fumishings unto the Prince or Master of the game in field, one after another, every man rehearsing what he has seen. And when the Prince or other chief had hard them and seen their fumishings, he or she may then choose which of the Harts he will hunt, and which he or she thinks most likely to make him or her best sport. Telling his or her mind to him that harboured the Hart, the same huntsman shall go back to his blemishes immediately. But for the better declaration and lively expressing of all these things, I have here set in portraiture as well an assembly, as also the presenting of a report made by a huntsman to a Prince upon sight of slot, view entry, portes, abatures, fumishings, and such huntsmen as painfully do rise easily and late, to make their Lord and Master pastime, I have set it down in such terms as I can, desiring all Masters of Venery and old huntsmen to bear with my boldness in uttering of my simple knowledge.