Love

A controuersie of a conquest in Loue twixt Fortune and Venus

by George Turberville c. 1540–c. 1610

From Epitaphes, Epigrams, Songs and Sonets (1567)

Love

WHilst Fissher kest his line
the houering fish to hooke:
By hap a rich mans daughter on
the Fissher kest hir looke.
Shée fryde with frantick Loue,
they maride eke at last:
Thus Fissher was from lowe estate
in top of Treasure plast.
Stoode Fortune by and smylde:
how say you (Dame) quoth shée
To Venus? was this conquest yours,
or is it due to mée?
Twas I (quoth Vulcans Wife)
with helpe of Cupids Bowe,
That made this wanton wench to rage,
and match hir selfe so lowe.
Not so: twas Fortune I
that brought the Trull in place:
And Fortune was it that the man
stoode so in Maydens grace.
By Fortune fell their loue,
twas Fortune strake the stroke:
Then detter is this man to mee
that did the match prouoke.

MLA

Turberville, George. “A controuersie of a conquest in Loue twixt Fortune and Venus.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/turberville/53/.

Chicago

Turberville, George. “A controuersie of a conquest in Loue twixt Fortune and Venus.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/turberville/53/.

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