whence on amorous sweet fire Did send forth sighes children of Care begotten through Desire Her slender Middle like a Spanne did shewe her waste so small Which who so lookt on as he lookt he languisht therewithall Next was that place Alas that of that Place I may not showe Vnworthie we such Mysteries and such rare sights to knowe Her hands were white as Whale his bone so matchelesse was her foote The first whereof were Arrowes which Dan Dupid vsde to shoote Then such this wonderous Beautie was of this faire Shepheardesse Who many a Shepheards hart did chaxm wroght them much distresse Her name was FLORA FAIRE surnam'd well worthy of that name And worthie was that name of her so glorious was her Fame Her exercise and vse as then was bout the Fields to walke And chiefest pleasure which she tooke in shadowy Groues to stalke Whilst as her harmlesse flocke did feede about them she did sing Full merilie some pleasant Round which made the woods to ring For spitefull LOVE as yet had not his malice gainst her bent Nor had he yet through his deuise spoylde this worke excellent Free was shee from a Louers life from amorous annoy With libertie most pleasantly her youth she did enioy But soone this humor for to change she gainst her will was forc't Compeld to Loue from her hearts ease poore soule she was diuorc't For by her dwelt a goodly Swaine that did increase her care A valiant Shepheard gallant and louely as she was faire Borne on the selfe-same day that she into this world was borne And subiect by the selfe-same chaunce vnto this fatall storme Hight NV MIDOR he cleaped was both affable and kinde So courteous and so debonnaire as like you could not finde In feature shape and comelinesse Adonis he did passe And if hee did not him exceed his equall sure he was Each morning when the breake of day began for to appeare He vsed to accompanie his FLORA loued deare Vnto the Meadowes with her Flocke and there with her would chat In friendly wise as they did walke of this and then of that And afterwards they both would set them downe or in some shade Of some thicke Pinetree or by Foord which trickling murmure made There would he cate of vittailes hers and she on his would feed Whilst what they had emongst themselues as common they decreed When any sport commenced was mongst Shephear as she was found The first that led the Daunce with him and he began the Round No sooner was it night but they together home did goe And in franke manner one of th' other Gifts vsde to bestowe These pretie sports were but a light as t' were more strong to tie And to begin to binde them in more perfect Amitie And yet this plaine and simple kinde of Courting though plaine stuffe To set their harmlesse harts on fire too much t' was and enough Since LOVE we see engendred is only by looks and speach And so continueth through the same beyond all humane reach This was the cause that manie woes they did endure Of Friends they loyall Louers did become most firme and sure As both their Birth-dayes were but one so was their Loues but one Equall they in affection were and loue they did alone One minde there was betweene them both two bodies but one soule One Conquerour both of their harts and fancies did controle What one did wish the other would alike was their Desire If th' one did burne through heate the other did feele as great a fire If th' one did send forth pittious plaints with many a drery teare The other for to waile with sighes and sobbes did not forbeare No loue like hers so passionate so loy all ere hath bene Anchises loue with Venus faire so constant was not seene Nor Pyramus may I compare vnto these Louers true Although so deare his Dame hee lou'd as that himselfe he slue In euery Rocke and Tree they did ingraue the houre and day In which LOVE cunningly had wrought to bring them to his bay In midst of Groues and thickie Woods cut in the tender kindâ— Of Okes and Elmes these Louers names engrauen you might finde Whilst as they romed here and there a thousand Songs they sung To make them to forget their paine fierce LOVE them so had stung The louely Shepheard Sonnets made in honor of his Dame And in her presence sung them oft presenting her the same Which she accepted gratiousty whilst with hote sighes from hart She shewde how he grieu'd not alone but that she bare a part And thus long time both comfortlesse did comfort one another Long time this secret Fare hid close in bosome they did smother Whilst in some sort the heauens did seeme their actions to allow And LOVE made show as good what so they did for to avow Bin weladay what mortall thing can euer lasting bee When they themselues must once decay and vnto ruine gree When Fortune enuicus of our good such interest hath and power That he can alter our delights and pleasures in an hower No maruell then though that sweet life of these two Louers in aine He topsie turme turned quite for pleasure bringing paine As you behold a stately Oke in growth surpassing prowde Vnder whose shade of late the Plants were glad themselues to shrowde Whose cooly leaues and braunches greene greatst Conquerors doth scorne Vpon their helmets and their Crests most brauely to haue borne Vpon the suddaine through mischance with Thunder sirucke as the Whilst blasted with the Laghtning flash his head doth lye fall low His scorchea leaues look black and swarth his verdure all is gone The Tree it selfe shewing like a Truncke a Blocke or barea stone No sappe or iuyce remaines therein but dead it seemes to bee Nor former glorie of his greene you anie more can see Euen so by malice most vniust through Fortune full of strife Of these two Louers happie-once did end the pleasant life The iealous heauens repining that they thus should liue on earth Exempt from canes Death sent to them to stop their vitall breath Death did they send as messenger to sommon them from hence And for to bring the same about they wrought a false pretence This which we LOVE call which two harts makes one in loyall wise The same vow'ae to the other oft makes deadlyest Enemies Of cold and freezing iealousie the Author first be is Whose sweetnes sowrest miserie to follow doth not misse Nor euer hath there any thing as yet in him bene found But what with griefe and wretchednes thicke swarming doth abound His preasures like are vnto spoyles or like an Aprill showre Which is no sooner come then goue nor any while doth dure That this is too too true I vouch Aenone she it prou'd And dolefidl Dido who did die because one-much she lou'd Achilles felt his furie fierce when he Polixena Did sue to haue whose witching-face was cause of his decay Then of these faithfull Louers twaine
still in such base and abiect seruitude and bondage These speeches did the cunning Curtezan vse sepatheticallie sending forth so manie sighes and teares to accompanie the same that as I gesse the rightfull God to reuenge poore Izabellas wrongs did so much animate the strength and courage of the Moore her husband that as one desperate with rage and iealousie hee most furiouslie runneth with all his Troupes vpon the Portugall Armie whome as a Thunder or Lightning hee ouerturneth so that the Christians doe what they could were ouerthrowne and had the worse Which when Horatio percelued he as a wise and politike Capitaine beganne with aduantage to retire vntill such time as the foresaid diuellish Moore came where hee was who with his wife set vpon him where Horatio slue them both whilst in this conflict ouer pressed with numbers of Souldiers hee was strucken downe and thrust through with a Iaueline where he lost both force and life together So died the companions of Machabeus An example being slaine by the fword who were found charged with Thefts and Robberies So by the decree of God those chiefe men and heads ouer the people of the lewes were hanged vp because they caused the other to commit Idolatrie and leaue their Creator So was the periurde Zedechias forced to die in prison hauing his eves pulled our and his children slaine before his face And so perished Ioconias and diuers others iustlie punished by the holie one of Israel For Iustice diuine neuer giueth ouer from doing right And if it be slowe in comming yet doth the crueltie of the punishment make amends for the deferring of the same Meane time the Portingales gathered themselues againe into battaile array and followed their enemies with so hote a pursuite as they at the last recouered and brought backe againe the bodie of their Capitaine ouer which the Moores meant to haue triumphed So for the bodie of Achilles deere friend slaine The Greekes and Troyans hand to hand doe fight amaine Hardly did these Infidels let the bodie goe skirmishing oftentimes with their foes for the same yet neuerthelesse in despite of them all the Portingales gote it away and brought it with them which as yet breathed and had some little life within it But sorrowfull newes were these vnto heauy Izabella who hoped that at the ioyfull returne of her husband all should be well as shee her selfe could wish But man purposeth and God disposeth man hopeth of one thing but God doth quite contrarie to that which he supposeth So Senacherib thinking to conquer was himselfe conquered and the Iewes who thought themselues to be quite ouerthrowne came in the end to be victors So proud Goliah was slaine contratie vnto his owne conceit and to the opinion of all men So Amon was hanged neuer any thinking he should haue died such a shamefull death And Mardocheus who was condemned to be slaine was honoured deliuered And so it fell out with this vncomfortable Ladie who hoping to see her husband to come home well and safe vnto her and to repent him of his former follies found him to be slaughtered and dead without life or soule O cruell mutation change truth it is that she before had heard by certaine of her husbands Souldiours that had escaped out of the field that the Portugalls had lost the day but yet knew she nothing of his death And yet euen then a cold feare ran all about her heart whilest she sore suspecting the worst prophesied within her selfe that it was true and that she had lost her husband and not not long after her doubt was confirmed but with too too true a proofe when the rest of his band brought his coarse into the citie vnto her where she was and when so denly at the sight thereof she sounded it being long before they could get life in her againe whilest in the meane space Horatios mangled carkasse was laid in a bed God giuing him so much time of repentance as he craued mercie of him and of all the world for his bad life whilest all that small time as he so lamēted his sinnes his faithfull Souldiours with sad teares wonderfully lamented the losse of so noble a Generall vnder whom they had alwaies remained vanquishers So Greckes did waile Achilles death of great renowne So Troyans Hector moande chiefe Fortresse of their towne Great Machabeus one of the Nine WORTHIES was neuer more lamented amongst his men of warre than he was amongst the Portugalls whom he had so often brought home victorious ladē with forraigne spoyles into their countrie Who then perceiuing himselfe to drawe nigh vnto his end desired to talke with his wife that he might take his latest leaue of her But now what is he that can lend mea Sea of Inke to set downe the grieuous passions and the insupportable sorrowes of his pittifull wife Where shall I find a pen of Iron to paint forth her lamentable speeches And what paper is sufficient to receiue in writing the number of her more then sad and heauie complaints To hers was the woes of Niobe nothing at all Nothing the griefes of Hecuba nothing those of Portia nor those of chast Lucretia compared vnto hers With much adoe was she brought vnto the bed for goe she could not for very faintnes weakenes where her repētant husband was giuing vp the Ghost who so soone as he beheld her O griefe O loue O pittie O heauie spectacle that it was to see this heauie meeting such as like was neuer seene before the poore dying soule beginning in his death to affect and loue her more entirely then euer he had hated her before whilest thrusting forth his dying armes with seeble force to embrace her and laying his cold lips vpon hers with a hollow faultring voyce he began thus to speake as well as he could O fortunate day in which poore Horatio dieth reposing himselfe at ease in the bosome of his Izabella O my chaste and sweet Ladie must I needs die leauing after my death so foule a fault as thou shalt haue cause to complaine of me as the authour of all thy griefes whatsoeuer No way am I able to make thee any reasonable satisfaction neither know I how sufficiently to make amends for so hainous and so detestable an offence as I haue committed against thee which the iust God hath reuenged vpon me for thy sake and according as I deserued But sweet wife if as yet there remaineth any one small sparke of that rare and loyall Loue thou hast heretofore borne me and if iust griefe and rightfull disdaine hath not quenched it all and quite put it out then by the selfesame affection and fancie I pray desire and beseech thee most humbly to pardon me this once and not to be the cause that miserable Horatio should goe into his graue with great anguish and exceeding bitternes of his soule This pardon as I hope for of thee so doe I expect it at thy hands crauing in the
being the ordinarie whippes with which they scourge thē for their impieties but it is themselues that are causes of their owne sorrowes because they driue away sage Reason from them who is of might sufficient to deliuer and set them free The franticke Bedlem that wilfully killeth himselfe can he dying accuse any other of his disaster or complaine of a straunger when he hath murthered himselfe No more can a fond Louer hurting himselfe be angrie with the heauens who was not the cause thereof but he himselfe And herein they resemble little children that hauing done a fault lay the blame thereof either vpon their play-fellowes or vpon something else being neuer willing to confesse that they haue done amisse Fuen so they themselues hauing felt one burning in their brests the furious fire which in the end consumeth and destroy eth them condemne the powers aboue for the same But small reason haue they so to doe for they that vse it are rather counted to be full of rage and giuen to murmure then esteemed as wise and prudent persons And yet I cannot denie but that the heauens narurally doe as it were seeme to be bound to doe vs good but the accident oftentimes corrupteth the Nature The Parent by Nature is bound to loue his child yet if his his owne flesh shall be peruerse and ill giuen becomming a mortall enemie vnto his Father this right of Nature ceaseth and he is no more bound to doe any thing for him no more than for a straunger There is a iust law grounded vpon this reason which permitteth the Father being iustly offended with his Sonne to dishinherit him of his lands this being the very same punishment that the children of Sophocles suffered for that they most maliciously accused their Father to dote for age and to be out of his right wits onely because they would haue depriued him of his possessions and goods Brutus likewise stucke not to prosecute the death of his too forward sonne most cruellie and with great disgrace also because he had done as well against the Common-wealth as contrarie vnto his owne command So therefore although the heauens I speake all this against my selfe as well as thee Coribant for that I am as wretched a Louer as thy selfe art in euerie degree be our common Father and for that cause is naturally bound to doe vs good yet notwithstanding is he not bound to shewe vs this kindnesse if we shall gricuously and willingly offend him as the Accidence of the offence shall be more violent and strong then the naturall Right is which by reason of this quite ouerthroweth the other For as water quencheth the fire and maketh it cold as any Ice which by nature is hote burning and full of heate So the discourtesies and iniuries which we offer vnto such as by Nature were prouided to be our protectors and defenders drowne and extinguish all their deuoire and Right altering their good mindes from vs quite contrarie vnto that it was at the first A man that is by kinde borne vicious and bad and such a one as bringeth forth of the wombe of his mother wickednesse with him into the worlde may per Accidence through good education and bringing vp become vertuous and wise Euenso the Accident of iniuries and displeasures may chaunge and alter the curteous inclination of a kinde friend sowring and sharpning the same against vs as the Lees and dregs doe the sweetest wine And this mischiefe falling vpon our heads wee cannot condemne anie for it but our owne selues who are the chiefe and efficient cause thereof And therefore we are much in the wrong to lay the blame on him whom through our owne meere follie we haue made him our soe although he be slow and slacke to helpe vs we being falne into miserie although before he by nature was bound to lend vnto vs his helping hand and to assist vs in what he could certainely if we were well and godly giuen and without prouoking or tempting the Eternall Power aboue would we but confirme our selues in all our actions according vnto his desire keeping vs with the bonds of his commandements there is no doubt but he would aide vs hearing vs when we should call vnto him and would nor sticke to raine downe Manna as he did for the children of Israel nourishing vs in the wildest Desarts that be But what law can force or constraine him to shew vs this mercie when we shew our selues to be his mortall enemies going about to increase his wrath euerie houre against vs. But say that he were willing and readie as we are most vnworthie thereof to helpe vs and that it would please him to haue this pittifull and fauourable regard ouer vs yet may you be well assured he would neuer take any charge nor euer make any account of Louers for their griefes is not numbred amongst the plagues of other miscrable creatures the second cause whereof the heauens oftentimes are our sinnes being the first Loue being seene to be but a verie meere follie and therefore neuer moueth the heauens with compassion to heale them A great and grose error therefore it is amongst Louers to imagine that the heauens are the Authors of their paine but a farre greater fault is it in them to require their aide and assistance for Loue is not any kind of contagious disease causing men to die cutting off one after another and for that cause hath reason to implore the heauens for aide to helpe them as they doe when any great mortalitie or plague rageth amongst them but it is a sickenes that continueth still without dying with which onely sensuall persons and sooles and none else are infected This is the reason that we haue neuer knowne any Louers to haue bene cured through miracle whereas we find written in diuers learned bookes that the bodies of many men being dead haue bene restored to life againe and that many haue bene cured of incurable discases onely this vaine sicknes is vnworthie of remedie and reliefe because it proceedeth not neither through the anger of the heauens nor by reason of the contagion of other diseases but onely through our owne foolishnes Now as that amitie cannot be firme and strong betweene man and woman where they answere not one another in desires and affection although naturally they are bound to loue one another euen so the heauens cannot be accused of crueltie in not scourging mortall creatures if the cause which should drawe them vnto this charitable endeuour be taken away from them Let vs then no more exclaime against the Celestiall Power aboue but let vs thanke our owne selues that we deserue no better of him our sinnes being the cause he giueth vs ouer As the fellon cannot blame the Iudge that condemneth him to death nor accuse him of ouermuch seueritie in that he dieth but rather his owne bad liuing that brought him vnto so vntimely an end for he is not to be thought ill of who doth rightly
voyage findeth but the halfe part of his Marchandise in his ship the gaine of which drew him to aduenture abroad and to leaue his countrie and friends Euen so Leander found himselfe but halfe contented and pleased when he perceiued those to be dead whom he so much coueted in his minde to haue encombred them aliue neuerthelesse he drew neerer vnto the place where they lay marking very wistly both his dead enemies and his wife As he stood thus gazing vpon them diuers conceits ran in his head not knowing well what to thinke of the matter one while he thinketh that his wife loued Antonio so dearely as she would needes die with him an other while he iudgeth rightly of the fact imagining that ciuill discention had caused one to kill an other now he iudgeth that some foe of Antonios had stabd him and then againe he gesseth that some of his friends had offered him this cruell outrage for doing so great villainie against him But Loue crossed all these contrarie conceits dispearsing them heere and there as the cracke of the thunder forceth the cloud to giue way when it breaketh through the same and falleth vpon the ground below he thought he had many iust occasions to hate his wife meaning if she had bene aliue to haue inflicted vpon her that punishment which he had alreadie found her to endure and yet when he had a little better considered thereof in his minde seeing her to be brought vnto so pittifull a straight he could not chuse but must needes lament and bewaile her hard mishap Whilest she liued he loathed her nor will he by any meanes be induced to beleeue that she is culpable of that fault of which he before accused her seeing that now she is dead A friend is neuer knowne so well as when he is mist He commeth neerer and neerer vnto her which wofull Cynthia perceiuing and not knowing who it was but rather supposing that the villaines were come backe againe although she were not quite dead yet did she faine her selfe to be so fearing least they would offer some violence vnto her bodie if she should haue made shew that she had bene still aliue Leander lighting of his horse kneeleth downe by his wife weepeth bitterly and then kisseth her which the poore soule perceiuing maruelling much what this should meane openeth her dying eies a little when after she had a good while wistly looked vpon him she sawe and knew him to be liuing whom she held and accounted to be dead That Romane woman who died with sodaine ioy seeing her sonne returne safe and whole from that bloodie battaile of Cannas and whom she esteemed to be dead was not halfe so much rauished with true delight and amazemēt in viewing him as Cynthia was when she saw her spouse aliue and well And now she striueth as much as in her feeble strength lieth to open wide her languishing eies that she might the better gaze and looke vpon her husband But alas mortall and deadly were the glaunces she cast vpon him mortall were they vnto her to Leander she now began to wende away as mildly as a lambe whilest her wofull husband what sinister conceit soeuer he had before of her died for very anguish to see her in this wofull taking He was aliue and not wounded at all his wife readie to giue vp the ghost all to be mangled with gorie blood and yet had not he his tongue so readie to command as his poore Cynthia had for so great was his griefe as he could not speake as much as one word which she perceiuing and now knowing throughly who he was with a kind of hollow and broken voice she spake thus vnto him Ah my deare husband art thou then come from heauen to assist and helpe thy faithfull wife she being readie to giue vp the ghost and hast thou dained so much as to remember her and to honour her at her end with thy welcome presence Ah say is it thine owne selfe whom I see or is it some euill spirit that hath taken thy shape vpon him to mocke and delude me If it be thee and that thou liuest as yet then thrise fortunate is Cynthia to see thee before she giueth ouer this wretched life And yet if thou be that Leander who sometimes wert the kind husband of vnhappie Cynthia how then canst thou abide to approach neere vnto her she hauing bene the occasion of so many euils lightned vpon thee thou knowing not whether she be cleare from them or no But I see well that Loue draweth all such doubts in thee and will not suffer thee to beleeue any thing that is not good for me And yet Leander hast thou reason to conceiue the worst of me because I haue bene the occasion of many troubles that haue hapned vnto thee notwithstanding I sweare vnto thee by that God before whom I hope to be iudged who reuengeth euery periurie that I am meerely innocent of what ill so euer is done I hauing not bene defiled either in bodie or in minde the Almightie hauing most miraculosly preserued me from all such harme Whereupon she began to discouer vnto him all that had hapned since she last sawe him and withall how she had not made him acquainted with the affection which Antonio bare vnto her the cause of all this mischiefe and the reason that it might haue bene preuent if he had knowne thereof But said she I was in good hope he would haue become a new man being loth to bewray his soilie vnto you because you made so great account of him thinking he would neuer haue borre so bad a minde towards you But now I see this sore to be vnrecurable I know not what to say but onely to craue pardon of you for the same and withall to take some order for my buriall Then sweet husband weepe no more for what reason hast thou to bewaile her death who hath brought thee so many losses and vncurable dammages whilest she liued with thee rather haue you cause to reioyce and be glad to see her finall end and therefore I most humbly beseech you if you doe loue me indeed as you seeme at this time to make some shew that you doe drie vp your teares cease these lamentings giue ouer this sighing and sobbing and suffer me to finish this small rest of my life in some pleasure for my sorrow proceedeth not from my death but for that I see thee thus to take on Trouble not then I pray thee that contentment which I haue to view and behold thee before I shut vp my dazeling eies through thy too much lamenting for my death If thou hast loued me then call to minde this thy good will towards me and let the remembrance thereof now I die perswade thee to doe so much for me It is the last office of friendship which thou must doe for me for now I shall trouble thee no more my glasse being runne and the date of my life in
daintie is the vaine of that Muse that taketh a worthy Subiect to exercise her diuine power with all as braue and goodly seemeth the swift courser which runneth in a faire and spatious plaine being guided by a very expert and excellent Horseman But as it is not easie to make him that is crooked straight and as he that goeth alwaies stooping can hardly walke bolt vpright Euen so although one haue neuer so rare a vaine to endite yet if he haue no worthie matter whereon to be employed he can hardly write learnedly Homer thought to haue made Achilles more valiant and strong then Hoctor but yet he could not Maro did what she was able to perswade vs that Aeneas was a man iust religious and a great friend vnto his Citie of Troy But it was vnto no end for he cannot leaue any worthy commendation behind him that taketh vpon him to commend a coward or one that bath bene a Traitor vnto his owne countrie I speake this Shepheard vnto this end I well perceiue thy Muse is wonderfull desirous to paint me forth most brauely but yet neuerthelesse I must needs tell thee that when thou hast done all thou canst it is to no purpose because thou shalt neuer be able to make the world beleeue otherwise then that I am a poore sillie soule simple and plaine and one that haue not as much as one good qualitie in me Take then some other better theame to declaime vpon for if thou relyest vpon my praise which is too weake a stay thou wilt quickly fall and thy inuention cease as hauing not whereupon to write Leaue me poore Nymph as I am with my imperfections least thou be the occasion that where thou seekest to magnifie me I shall be mocked for the same for farre better were it for a man to haue his bodie and the remembrance of himselfe to be buried both together then to be renownred as Thersites was and so to be infamous by reason of his memorie Leaue then I pray thee to poetise thus vpon me and rather bestow it vpon some other that doth better deserue it for too simple am I to be a Subiect for thy Muse To refuse the gift of another is as much as not to wish him well or to seeke not to be beholding vnto him for feare lest we should be constrained to make him some amends for as the giuer in bestowing a present doth shew his good will so he that receiueth the gift in accepting thereof doth make manifest his good minde vnto him Euen so my Mistris in refusing the fruits of the new Louers Muse gaue sufficient testimonie she did not much affect him of which thing when I heard I was not a little pleased And yet God he knoweth how much I was at that time gaulled with afflictions seeing so many contrarie windes and all in one day to tosse and tumble my weather beaten Barke All that long night could I not sleepe as much as one winke as often as I remembred the inestimable pleasure which that great God enioyed as I foolishly imagined with my Diana Besides I began to grow exceeding iealous doubting lest she being now come to haue so glorious a Deitie vnto her Paramour would disdaine the Loue of any other mortall creature yea and that now she onely doated vpon him I dreamed of the great delight Apolle tooke to haue in his armes so rare a Paragon but I neuer all this while thought vpon that which most of all concerned me which was the chaste and pure vertues of my Ladie for although I did beleeue verily that as that night she lay betweene the armes of that God yet could I not chuse but loue her as much as I had done before such great force hath Loue ouer vs as he maketh vs loue our Mistrisses although they be bad and vitious as well as if they were well giuen and vertuous nay I was so farre wide from reason as I thought she was to be excused in satisfying the request of so mightie a God not thinking this to be any blemish vnto her credit at all Thus euery Bird supposeth her owne neast to be most fairest and euery mother her owne child pretiest although it be mishapen and deformed But when I was assured of a certaine truth that my Ladie had not onely not laine that night in the Temple but rather like another Daphne or a new Cassandra had most vertuously refused this great God reiected his promises disdained his gifts shamed and hated his presence ah then two contrarie doubts began a fresh to combat in my heart the one was of contentment seeing my Diana so wise so modest and so vertuous the other was of dispaire imagining and not without cause that if she had refused the amitie of so great a God much lesse would she make any reckoning or account of me And thus was I still troubled in my minde although so much was the affection which I bare vnto her as I had rather to haue â—ene quite void of all hope euer after then that she should haue committed so foule an offence For the rare constancie which she had shewed against the sollicitings and inticement of that God made me to looke more cranestly into the greatnes of the fault which she should haue committed then I had done before like vnto him that flinging himselfe into a large Riuer the more he wadeth in the water the more he thinketh of the danger he is in not dreaming of the same before This made me to admire her more then euer I had done in times past although I perceiued I was out of all hope to be affected of her Strange is the puissance and force that vertue hath ouer our soules we chusing rather to loue her without reward or recompence then to follow vice although we should be richly guerdoned for the same Most sacred is this diuine Goddesse we choosing rather to be afflicted for her sake then to cast our liking vpon vgly and deformed vice This then was the cause I loued my Mistris more then if she had tainted her honour with Apoâ—â—o and that afterward she should haue giuen me loue to haue enioyed my pleasure with her This made the Duke of Ithaca to esteeme more of the modest and bashfull cares of his chaste Spouse then of the voluptuous pleasures of wanton Circes With my soule did I reuerence my Diana being of conceit that I could not suffer too much for so admirable a creature for sweet is the trauâ—ile of braue and haughtie enterprises a vertuous man chusing rather to endure labour and gaine notorious praise then to be quiet and at case without any honour or commendation at all And thus spent I the tedious night which before I spake of thinking one while that my Mistrisse discoursed with me in most kinde manner shewing mee many excuses that shee had done no such hainous fact but that I had greatly wronged her to suppose she had committed the same An other while I
Iulietta who being pressed vpon to returne into his owne natiue soyle was forced much against his will to leaue her bringing away with her license these two Tables to the ende he might still contemplate and behold her as well with the eyes of his bodie as those of his soule And now I maruaile no more of that selfe-conceited Painter A Historie who fell in loue with his owne picture or of fond Narcissus who grew extreamely enamoured of his owne shadow seeing the Shepheard Arcas found the thoughts of his misfortunes to be sweetely asswaged with the continuall regard of these counterfaites gazing vpon them without mouing a long time In the meane space Philistel awaked the other Swaine not perceiuing it at all hauing now called to mind poore Arcas and how he had bin heretofore corriuall in his Loue and imagining that he was as yet touched with his first passion by reason his senses were rauished in staring so much vpon the picture of Iulietta to awake him out of his dreame he began thus to accost him Arcas the excellencie of beautie consisteth chiefly in this one poynt which is not to beare enuie vnto those that exercise the same but rather to imitate them in what we may for happie is that countrie which as a thicke and shadowing Forrest is sowed and filled with a great number of worthie and vertuous men Thy selfe and I strooken with one and the selfe-same dart haue loued her whose shadow thou here seest and because this Loue of ours was laudable yea and worthie of reward therefore hath it neuer altered our mindes nor separated our good liking one from another The Spartaines heretofore loued but yet chastly the faire and prettie children of their citie this liking of theirs neuer breeding any falling out or iealous conceit An example one against another although three or fower of them loued but one of these yongest boies alone But contrariwise they rather forced themselues and striued one with another who should best teach these youthes some rare qualitie or perfection whereby they might come to more estimation and credit And such was our loue towards the diuine Iulietta we both hauing loued her and yet not hated one the other forcing our selues to trie who could doe best in chaunting abroad her faire vertues seeking still to render that worthie honour vnto her perfections as they of right deserued And seeing this Loue did part vs at that time for a while asunder we ought as now of our owne accord to reunite our selues againe together For the Maister of a ship who hath had but hard fortune hauing made a bad voyage at sea hath neede after his losses to get tother the relicks and remainders of his Shipwracke and to make account of that which before this mischaunce he would haue disdained to haue done And so we if any small conceit ouerpartiall hath passed twixt vs about our Loues now at this houre when all is lost and that scarce we our selues are escaped from the crueltie of the waters let vs forget and sorgiue what is past and let the ioy in that we haue once more met againe before we die maister for a while this our ouermuch sadnes Friendship neuer bestoweth her diuine brightnes A Sentence where aboundance of pleasures flow for they hinder vs fro discerning the same being the occasions that it is not adored according vnto her deserts But when affliction and sorrow approacheth then doth she best appeare her wholsome effects as then being most prised and commended For at such a time necessitie forceth men to haue more neede one of another then when they are in prosperitie it being the onely cause that loue sheweth it selfe more liuely hot comfortable My minde prognosticated vnto me the comming into this place whilst I not knowing the good and happie meeting that I should haue here did murmur against the Seas for casting me vpon this shore but now I haue found by triall that humane matters being ordered by diuine prouidence happen oftentimes contrarie vnto the opinion of men to the ende they may know that in respect of God they are but vessels of earth by him ordained for shame and that vnto him onely appertaineth the disposing of all things O Philistell answered the Shepheard of great follie should he be condemned who finding himselfe all alone would imagine to be able to carrie away some great victorie amongst the midst of a huge number of enemies For it is not courage but rather mad furie for one to vndertake more then he is able to bring to passe inasmuch as it is no lesse vertue to know himselfe then to vanquish and ouercome his aduersaries These considerations are sufficient to moue me to extinquish all bad conceits which I might haue conceiued against you about the loue of sweete Iulietta For could I hope to haue any recompence of her whome hard misfortune wretched pouertie the malice of nature and a thousand other hinderances haue set me vp as it were for a marke to discharge their deadly arrowes at me Whereas you who to serue her haue left your countrie and your realme and who carrie besides the auncientnes of your birth and the greatnes of your race a braue and generous spirit endued with as vnseemely qualities may well hope for that which I not so much as dare to name or thinke of in my heart Behold then the cause why I cannot beare any malice vnto thee as touching that thing which I iudge my selfe vnworthie to possesse which for the same cause I reuerence adore For my Loues haue bin but shrill Trompets to sound the glory of this faire superexcellent virgin my labours but her Herrolds to blazen forth in right colours her rich perfections and mine amorous trauailes but loud Chaunters of her rare and diuine vertues But you my deare Philistell easilie and sweetly may you obtaine her good will by the sacred bond of Nuptiall hallowed right Nature hauing made you her equall in blood How men ought truely to loue power authoritie credit command Diuers waies may a man loue for in louing are many effects Some lay the foundation of their Loue vpon the weake and feeble ground of pleasures Others vpon that of marriage but the wisest place it vpon the inexpugnable Rocke of vertue Voluptuous loue passeth slightly and lightly away with the pleasures themselues for we loue no more that thing which we haue no more occasion to vse by reason we haue drawne from thence all the contentment we desired The affection which marriage engendreth endureth longer and yet is there oftentimes in the same many contrarieties and disagreements betweene the Husband and the Wife but that liking which is setled vpon the firme Rocke of vertue neuer dieth because the cause thereof remaineth euerlasting The foundation whereof can neuer be ouerthrown With such religious amitie haue I sought diuine Iulietta yea with such amity as shall neuer die in me no more then vertue
be knowne for feare least being discourered she should be conueied vnto the Prince of Danes and so by that meanes forced to leaue the companie of the Spanish Knight whome now she dearely loued although she somewhat dissembled the same most earnestly desired him not to bewray what she was vnto any man vntill she should finde a fit time to be knowne Which he most willingly promised giuing her more honour from that time forward and vsing her with greater respect then he had done before verie much discondemning his owne iudgement in that he could not perceiue this Ladie to be noblie discended seeing so many rich proofes and apparant signes of the same as her courtly demeanure her rare vertue her stately Maiestie her learned discourse and excellent beautie gaue forth sufficient testimonie which euery one did admire at Meane time these vertuous Louers twaine did burne in oneselfe fire And languishing did pine away for want of their desire But alas no remedie could be found to ease their passiōs for the gentleman knowing the Princes descent to be so great and worthie durst not as much as once presume to thinke she would vouchsafe to accept him for her husband chusing rather to die a thousand times then to be very troublesome vnto her or to receiue so bitter a pill from her as a sharpe repulse which he knew he should neuer be able to disiest but onely by death This conceit bred such a melancolie apprehension in him as by little and little he began to languish away his blood was dried vp his colour gone and his strength decaied so as he seemed rather a dead coarse readie to be laid in his graue then a man likelie to liue This sudden accident troubled euery one all lamenting the misfortune of this gentle Knight especiallie wofull Iustina who knew her selfe to be the onely cause of this sorrow and which was worse knew no meanes how to remedie the same without disparagement vnto her credit yet in the ende she resolued with her selfe if otherwise then well should happen vnto Alphonso to die for his sake so dearely did she loue him who now was growne to be in such a pittifull taking as he could neither rest sleepe eate nor drinke so as he was forced although sore against his will to keepe his loathed bed where he thought neuer to haue seene his Mistris more A strange thing Louers resemble the Basiliske who desireth to see that within a cristall glasse which is the cause of his owne death So these poore wretches couet nothing so much as the presence of that thing which doth shorten their liues soonest thinking themselues most miserable when they are depriued of the same They account no time happie but when they feele death and nothing is more agreeable vnto them then that Subiect which taketh away their life from them Verilie if the law doth most iustly condemne such for wilfull murtherers as destroy and make away themselues then ought Louers to be placed amongst the ranke of these her selfe-wild murtherers for their onely follie hastneth the ende of their liues making them to die before their time This poore knight lieth grieuously sicke without hope of recouerie and Iustina resolueth for companie to take the like course she thinking it to be no reason that she should liue ioyfully when her friend should be dead through her onely occasion O how bitterly did she curse her cruell fortune seeing her selfe inuironed with two such violent extremities either to permit him to die whom she loued more then her selfe or else to suffer her honour to be crazed which she loathed more then death In the ende she resolued rather to ende her daies then to scandalise her good fame with soule reproach and to leaue the bodies both of her selfe and her friend breathlesse then to deface her chastitie which she preferred before all things else in the world Hauing set vp her rest thus she goeth to visit her sickly friend who seeing her come began to open his eyes to mooue his bodie and to change his colour and countenance which soden alteration she presently perceiued by reason she knew better then any other the cause of his sicknes comming to his bed side she sits her downe by him and taking him by the hand with a soft and pittious voice she began thus to speake vnto him What cheare sweet Gouernor and how fare you what will you with this your sicknes make so many of your good friends ill who so much loue you and desire your welfare If you will not liue for your owne sake at the least yet seeke to recouer for theirs for what pleasure or delight can they take seeing you brought into this low estate in which now you are fallen We ought more to respect the good of our friends then our selues because we are borne for them your vertues your youth and your valour are to be profitable vnto your countrie kindred and friends neither can they as yet well spare them that death should enioy them Liue my good Lord liue and let not your priuate losse be a generall hinderance vnto all your countrie For vnhappie is that man who standeth in steed of a fire to burn his owne proper realme You that haue so often discomfited your enemies wonne so many braue victories and subdued and brought vnder so many valiant aduersaries will you suffer your selfe to be ouercome with a little sickenes which you may if you so please easilie driue away from you Courage man courage and like a good Physition heale your selfe be not the occasion lest for want of helping your selfe it be thought that you haue bene a wilful murtherer of your owne bodie A Sentence For he may well be tearmed a murtherer of his owne life who shunneth the meanes for to conserue the same and who entertaineth for his friends the executioners thereof Comfort your selfe thē I beseech you and with your recouerie make your friends recouer their former ioy againe banishing away all their sorrow with your abandoned sicknes And as for my selfe I offer vnto you all honest seruices as farre as honour permits to helpe you vnto your health againe which I esteeme as dearely of as mine owne life for the many courtesies I haue receiued most gratiously of you which I know and acknowledge so worthie of recompence as if I thought my life might buy and redeeme yours I would thinke my selfe most fortunate to haue it bestowed vpon so rare and worthie a Subiect The poore Gentleman beholding his cruell mistresse the onely pretious Balme for his sicknes with a heauie eye who neuerthelesse Thrise happie thought himselfe to see that beautious face Although she had brought him into so pittious a case Clasping her faire white hand hard within his forcing the very walles themselues to yearne and grieue at his pittious languishing with a hollow voice interrupted with many sobs and sighes perceiuing death to approach he faintly replied thus Ah my sweet Charge what
soule if it were possible Why afflicting thy selfe thus doest thou adde more miserie vnto my paine If euer I haue merited anie thing at thy handes then I coniure thee by that most faithfull amitie I haue borne thee whilest I liued forbeare to lament or grieue any more And suffer I pray poore Alphonso to die quietly who accounteth himselfe most fortunate in that he seeth he dieth in thy good grace and fauour Most fortunare doeth he die hauing bene brought to his ende by base treason and not through braue valour hauing before reuenged himselfe of thy mortall enemie my deere and louely Ladie Now if I shall finde that thou seemest to enuie at my glorie shall I not then haue reason to complaine of thee to accuse thy friendship to thinke hardlie of thy promise and lastly to condemne thy most loyall Loue Alas Iustina wilt thou make mee so miserable as I shall heare my selfe to be the cause of thy death now I am dying Ah doe not that iniurie or wrong vnto him who hath loued thee dearer then the apples of his owne eyes How deerely and at what a high price doest thou sell to mee this last pleasure which I finde in dying before thy presence Diddest thou thinke Iustina when thou marriedst mee that thou hadst wedded some God or other that was immortall Deare heart Death is common and naturall to all men without sparing of any A Sentence we must all die at one time or another and if my dayes were shortned sooner then thou wishest what remedie canst thou finde against the will of the Heauens Then content thy selfe with my death without making me die againe through the vnpleasant report of thy ouerthrow Liue then liue long and happily to the end I may die the more pleasingly And here I most earnestly pray desire and adiure thee by our former mutuall loue by all our chast pleasures by our sacred band of wedlock and by the selfe-same affection which maketh thee so heauie and ioylesse for mine occasion seeke not to offer any violence vnto thy faire selfe after I am dead Speake my sweet Charge wilt thou giue me thy word as thou hast held me deare to hold this promise with me Ay mee I see thou disdainest to answere me as vnwilling to yeelde vnto this my last request Oh most disconsolate and comfortles my death And wilt thou then mine onely ioy refuse to graunt me this my last boone which I so earnestly begge of you Thou that for my sake art willing to leaue this world and who of late didst please to offer it vnto me to saue my life Be not so vnkinde now nor offer me this iniurie to refuse me in this point otherwise I protest I will curse my byrth my cruell Fortune and the froward Heauens themselues Speake then sweet Spouse for till then I forbid thee to touch my dying face and lippes Ah speake yet at length and I beseech thee be content with the hellish paines which I endure to leese thy companie without aggreuating any more my more then endlesse torments Ah cruell Husband replyed the pensiue Princesse what offence haue I done thee what iniurie haue I committed against thee and how haue I wronged the bands of our sacred marriage that thou shouldest forbid me thy presence Where is now the time in which thou hast so much desired to haue me about thee Where are those wonderfull caresses those sweet embraces and those affectionate kindnesses vsed vnto mee of late that thou shouldest now thus reiect condemne and disdaine me If I am vnworthy of thee then why diddest thou accept of me as thy companion and friend And if I haue not merited to follow thee then why hast thou ioyned my soule so strictly vnto thine Thinkest thou I would be thine liuing and would not be the same vnto thee after thou wert dead My deare Lord remember that since I first was wedded vnto thee I haue alwayes fulfilled thy commandement and that I serued and obeyed thee and thy will in all things In leiu of which perfect obedience graunt mee once what I shall desire of thee But if thou wilt not not onely be content to leaue mee a most wretched Creature after thy departure but also to make me more miserable wilt not permit me to follow thee then to render a new proofe of my great affection towards thee for the great good will I haue alwayes had to be dutifull vnto thee and to satisfie thy dying Spirit at this houre Behold I here vow not to lay any violent hands vpon my person but to attend with patience vntill it shall please the Destinies to call mee vnto thee from hence Then my kinde Loue answered the Knight let me embrace thee once againe cheerfully and let me kisse thee once more since thou art so pleasing vnto me O how much doe I acknowledge my selfe beholding vnto thee how blessed doest thou make my death and how willingly doe I depart from out this world And seeing thou hast made me this faithfull promise I most humblie beseech thee to haue alwayes in remembrance poore Alfonso thy loyall Husband Heauens graunt that if thou hast a minde to take a second choyce that thou mayest happen vpon such a one as may loue thee no worse then I haue done I feele my speech beginneth to faile me and death knocketh at my hearts doore to enter in Farewell my faire sweete louing kinde chaste and loyall wife Adieu my heart and life close vp these mine eyes and this my mouth which once was thine and cause my bodie to be carryed vnto his last home whilest I receiue for vowes thy plaintes thy teares for oblations and thy Faith for friendlie assurance That little land and wealth I haue I wholly bequeath vnto thee I will that all my goods whatsoeuer be thine although I doubt not but that thy vertues are able to purchase thee more great and precious riches Onely bestow a little peece of ground vpon his bodie who whilest he liued was vnworthy to enioy so gratious a Princesse as thy worthie selfe Farewell my good Friends and faithfull Seruants whom I desire and commaund to honour and make account of my deere Ladie and wife as you would of mine owne selfe if I were liuing whom I know will not be vnmindfull of you for your good seruices done vnto mee And cease you your womanish teares for not with effeminate teares but with shrill Trumpets and warlike Drummes the coarses of braue Souldiers are vsed to be conducted vnto their graues Once more farewell my sweete Princesse Remember what thou hast promised vnto mee and LORD receiue my soule into thy heauenlie King Alas this word Kingdome hee could not throughly pronounce Death with one stroke cutting off his voyce and his life both together at once But why hold I you so long with this Tragicall discourse or what should I report vnto you the vnspeakeable sorrowes of dispairing Iustina when shee saw her noble husband giue vp the last
meane while by reason of that litle space of time I haue to breath thou wilt doe me the fauour to embrace me kindly if it shall please thee to thinke me worthie of such a kindnes this being the last request and latest fauour I shall craue at thy hands Ah let me kisse those faire cheekes which were sometimes mine and those sweet sparkling eyes which had not the blacke foulnes of my fault dimmed them they had still stood me in steed of two glorious Sunnie lights Although I cannot denie but thus to die in thy armes doth much lighten and ease me of my torments I endure within my minde yet had it pleased God to haue but giuen me the grace to haue suruiued but some fewe yeares that I might haue made some amends vnto my faithfull Spouse whom I haue so wickedly abused I then would haue thought my selfe to haue bene the happiest creature vnder the heauens Thinke deare heart that I make no account neither care any thing at all to die but onely for this cause and for that I shall be forced to leaue thee a Widow whom I loue more then my owne soule Iust and great reason hast thou to complaine and find fault with me and farre vnworthie am I that thou shouldest shed these salt teares for my sake For why shouldest thou waile his death who hath bene thy chiefe aduersarie why doest thou sorrow for the losse of thy mortall enemie and lamentest thou the death of him who sought thy vtter ouerthrow Drie vp these teares for I desire them not Leaue these thy sighes for I not merit them and giue ouer these thy bitter wailings for I am no way worthie of them Onely pardon me close vp these my dying eyes when they shall lèaue their wonted light which done if it shall please thee to honour this miserable carkasse of mine with thy presence vnto my Tombe and now and then to thinke on me although thou hast small reason so to doe then then I say shall I be euery way contented and satisfied vnto the full Weepe not I pray thee then for me who descrues no teares at thy hands but rather ill thoughts for otherwise I shall sustaine a double death thy sorrow being nigher setled vnto my heart then my deperture hence can be any way dolefull vnto me So saying the fainting knight kisseth his wife wiping her blubbered eyes and embracing her as straitly as the Iuie doth the wall If the poore Ladie could not answere him it was no great wonder when as those that were but spectators in this heauie sight although they felt not as much as she yet were they mouelesse and much amazed for verie pure pittie In the end the disconsolate Izabella began to recouer her speech answering him in this sort Cruell and hard-harted husband let my pittifull paine my easelesse griefes and my insupportable sorrowes satisfie thee without gaulling me any further with this word pardon vnto her who neuer desired to liue but to doe thee seruice Ah deare Horatio thinkest thou I can liue after thy departure hence and that I can ioy in this world being bereaued of thy companie Whilest thou did dest liue I was thine by the lawes of marriage and when thou art dead I will be thine also resolued to follow thee wheresoeuer thou goest thinking my selfe happie that I am so luckily come as to die with thee Then if I may or thou wouldest haue me to giue any credit vnto thy speeches then in requitall of them all let me againe intreate thee this one thing which is that I may leaue this world with thee But why should I aske leaue of thee when I am at libertie my selfe to dispose of my life as I shall thinke good of and when with ending of one life I may rid my selfe of a lingring death which doth continually haunt me Thankes therefore to thee kind Thethis who didst driue my shippe into this Port where I may passe to heauen with him who was the onely life and maintainer of my life and who being dead I can no longer remaine allue Pittilesse husband to debarre me from my teares whē as I see my countrie depriued of a braue defender of his libertie and find my selfe forsaken of the onely loyall and most louing friend I had here vpon this earth No no I will weepe and shed teares as long as any drop of moysture shall remaine within this bodie for should I not waile for thee for whom then should I reserue these teares Whose losse should I lament but thine and for whom should I take thought or care for but for thine owne sweet selfe who was so neare to mee as thou who so deare as thy selfe and who is to haue interest in mee but my best and sweetest Horatio Then hinder not her from lamenting who liueth onely to shead teares and doe not enure the happines she findeth in that she hath time to bewaile her vnhappie Fortunes How wide is my best Lord from mine intention and meaning and how slenderly doth he conceit of my loue towards him when hee imagineth that although I see him dye yet should not I waile and that his death and destruction should not be the ende and date of my life this beeing the least thing that I can doe for him the least dutie that I doe owe vnto him and the smallest testimony of my great affection which I haue euer borne him Gush forth then my brinish teares and streame downe along my pale cheekes washing away the bloud of my wounded Spouse mingling your selues together as my soule hath alwayes bene with his most perfectly mixed and conioyned the one with the other My dearest Lord if euer thou hast thought well of mee speake neuer more of this word pardon it becommeth me to intreate rather then you I hauing bene shee that hath so often offended you let vs forgiue forget all vnkindnesses whatsoeuer that our soules as most loyall friends may die and liue together in eternall felicitie for euer O how like an Angell replyed Horatio doth my Izabella speake and how pleasing doth shee cause my death to be vnto mee would she but promise to suruiue and liue after my death For sweet Lady it is thy sorrows and not my death that shortens my lifes and I die not for griefe but for sorrow to see thee lament for my cause Wilt thou die and doest not descrue death No it is I that haue offended and therfore merit to be punished for my fault Liue thou happilie still and safely returne thou home into thy Countrey againe where thou shalt not want new husbands who will deserue at thy handes far better then I haue done had I not so much forgot my selfe towards thee as I confesse I haue my ioyes had bene at the highest and I had departed hence the happiest man aliue But now mine houre approcheth I feele death ready to arrest mee with his yron mace my heart fainteth and my soule beginneth to flie from
〈◊〉 goodly Castle wherein for the most part 〈…〉 This Geâ—lle man 〈…〉 more challe 〈…〉 be made much 〈◊〉 by her husband she hauing two such 〈…〉 bounding miner This their maritage at the first was the 〈…〉 them both for there wanted nothing more to 〈…〉 Paris and 〈◊〉 conceiued when they were first 〈…〉 Admitus with Alcesta or that of Vltsses with Penelope or 〈…〉 was nothing in respect of the true delight that these two 〈…〉 being coupled so sacredly and surely together But what is too violent be it aduersitie or prosperitie can not be 〈…〉 more then hee who ouer swistly and too too hastily beginning his course loosert vâ— on the suddaine his breath and so in the midst of his race faileth both in force and in running whether it be eyther because their violent beginnings ingendereth their procâ—edings for that without reason no sure foundation can be layde or else that their hues passeth away with their owne ouermuch violence as a great and outragious fire consumeth in a sinall time great store of wood and sewell But not to digresse from our first matter Not farre from this gallant Lombard called Leander was there an other faire place the owner whereof was a neighbour of his a youthfull Gentleman a Batcheler and vnmarried which two what by reason of the nearenesse of their houses and the conformitie of their manners grewe to be so inward and deare friendes as they could not abide one to be from another and their loue was so great as all things as farre as honor would permit was common betweene them Pilades was neuer so great with Orestes Theseus neuer nearer to Peritheus nor Alexander neuer more beloued of Ephestion then Leanaer was of his friend and his friend of him Neuer went they on Hawking Hunting or anie other such like laudable exercise but they were together Being at home they had but one boord and being abroad but one bed and one purse betweene them as if they had benesworne brethren and both borne of one mother But now marke the difference betweene leaud Loue and loyall Amitie This friendship betwixt these two young neighbours so sacred so religious and honest was famous euerie where and commended throughout all the whole Countrey there about which neuer thelesse cruell LOVE diuided and brake in sunder Yea and in such sort as that which was the chiefe ioy and contentment of them both cost them both their liues By this then may we perceiue how contrarie LOVE is vnto Friendship for whereas the one is laudable honest praise-worthie and profitable the other is wicked and cruell sowing discord and malice amongst such as were and should bee most faithfull and firme friendes one vnto an other So did LOVE drowne and extinguish long since all respect friendship and dutie which Medea ought vnto her Father bereauing her of all naturall pittie tearing in peeces her owne proper Brother to succour and helpe her Louer Iason And so likewise this mischieuous LOVE forced the daughter of Minos to be his mortall enemie onely to follow her deceitfull seruant Theseus Neither did this wicked LOVE worke a lesse villanie against these two friendes for Leander hauing as I said before a most excellent faire and modest wife but as Hellena vnfortunate was the occasion that shee ministred meanes and matter vnto LOVE to put in practise and to exercise so manie cruell and vniust parts as hee afterwards did but if the Innocent merit to be excused then is shee not to be accused as the losse of her owne deare life afterwards shewed But what kingdomes oftentimes which of themselues are rich and necessarie set a fire most hurtfull damageable and spoyling warres of which notwithstanding they are manie times cleare of crauing no other thing then onely to submit themselues vnder the dominion and gouernement of the right and lawfull heire vnto the Crowne But the ambitious desires of men are they that make the wounds by reason of the greedinesse they haue to enioy that which in their conceits they iudge to be faire profitable and pleasant This Gentleman the friend of Leander called Antonio Picchio made account of Leunders house as his owne being seldome or neuer from thence and the longer hee stayed there the better he was welcome his marryed friend and his wife for his sake giuing him the best entertainment they could deuise It is an olde said sawe that a man alwayes liketh his neighbours house better than his owne Whether it be the chaunging of lodgings is the cause or the straunge and good companie that he findeth An old saying where there is good refort and merrie Now whilst our Batcheller passed his time most pleasantly away hee began inwardlie to cast an affection vnto his friends wife and to loue her farre better then hee did her husband And thus are many men now a dayes made account of onely for their wiues sakes as manie kisse the children onely for the Nurses sake Tuta frequensque via est per amici fallere nomen Tuta ftequensque licet sit via crimen habet The safe and surest way it is By fri udship to deceiue Though safe and surest way it be T' is knauerie by your leaue So long he beganne to like her that at last he was troubled in his minde so as a secret conceit ranne still in his braine a nouell flame was kindled in his brest and a new strange desire chaunged the nature of his first humor And in so much as within a little while after he became another kinde of man then he had bene heretofore I will now maruell no more why the Poets haue set downe so manie humane bodies to be chaunged through LOVE into diuers insensible and senslesse likenes and shipes For there is no doubt but that the very countenance the conditions and the desires of Loâ—ers alter and chaunge in so much as they turne themselues into new bodies as the Snake doth cast her skinne by reason this extreame hote and supernaturall passion comming vppon the suddaine and crossing the right nature of man breaketh and chaseth it soone away as a suddaine flood of water carryeth before him both hedges Trees and houses and whatsoeuer else withstandeth his violence And so did it happen vnto foolish Antonio Picchio The desire he had to see his shee friend and chase the Deare with her husband was the occasion he came oftner to Leanders house Louers metamorphosed and changed then otherwise he would haue done for he was passing craftie and knewe too too well how to colour his comming thither Loue being his Schoole-master and hauing taught him this cunning Louers neuer want a pretext or shadow to cloake theit affections It is the first lesson they learne in Cupids schoole and which they studie carnestly to obserue to the end that for want of concealing that The first lesson that a Louer learneth which they are most desirous should be hid from the sight of others they feare it it should be
afterwards discouered and appeare in his right forme and likenes The eyes of his Mistris onely seemed in his iudgement worthie to be marked and regarded although they resembled the Viper which as well hurteth as helpeth a man for no sooner did he gaze vppon them but that his soule swallowed downe a sweet poysonous potion feeling at one instant both pleasure and paine yet could not hee liue without approching neare this ardent Fire Although the nearer hee came vnto it the more by degrees hee consumingly both melted and wasted away Wherein he resembleth that sicke patient who doth nothing else but drinke and after he hath drunke findeth the drinke to double his griefe thoughout his bodie Had he had but the libertie of speech and might he haue bene bolde to haue vttered his minde hee had not endured halfe the torments he did but being preuented by vnhonest meanes and because hee was vnworthie to receiue anie succour or helpe hee was forced though much against his will to be silent and to hold his peace For ouermuch talke oftentimes doubleth a mans shame and hindereth him not a little His aime was at the marke which onely appertained to his Friend And like as the Theefe feareth to deliuer his minde vnto the Iudge because of the great desire he hath to commit some one Robberie or other Fuen so a Louer being in his conceits dishonest and quite repugnant to Honour dareth not but conceale the same as much as hee may to auoyd greater disgraces that may ensue for feare of further danger This was the cause that the sonne of Seleucus louing his Stepmother ouer dearely because he kept his mouth so close his lippes being sealed with the Signet of dutifull respect and lawfull Honour endured great torment lying at the point of death The hart of man being tainted with poyson dyeth soone vnlesse by some meanes or other the venome be cast forth and therefore most insupportable is their anguish and tortures who dare not discouer their hurts because they are vnworthie of helpe But what Who euer saw but that a Louer vaine Conceales his griefe nor dares bewray his paine And so did Picchio onely his heauie eye and sadde countenance supplied the office of his tongue by which he declared his minde by sighes though otherwise hee durst not And therefore it is a hard matter for those that loue constantly to conceale their passions doe they neuer set so hard and close a Bridle before their tongue for either the pale colour of their face either their sad and heauie countenance A Louer can hardly coÌ„â—cale his griefe either the teares that alwayes flowe from their eyes or else their continuall sighing and sobbing will discouer and bewray their affection for this passion is too terrible too vehement and too hote to be keptsecret without disclosing some signe or token of the violence thereof no more then fire can be hidde vnder the Ashes which neuerthelesse sendeth forth a heate Yea and sometimes a flame too This then was the occasion that Antonio was chaunged both in fauour and shape and yet notwithstanding these were not sufficient strong testimonies for the standers by to iudge that he was in Loue. Seldome or neuer is the Criminall condemned to die vppon bare suppositions or likely hoodes if neither his owne eyes haue giuen anie shrewde gesse or his owne tongue discouered his offence And yet this alteration of bodie in Picchio made euery one to wonder in so much as they were maruellously desirous to know the reason thereof for the nature of man is alwayes verie cur lous to heare of straunge matters delighting in nouelties and to vnderstand the seuerall euents and occasions of the same But to what ende should the Physition enquire of a sicke man the originall of his discase what it is and how it came if the patient be stedfastly resolued to die and will not liue Euen so it was but lost labour for those who did importune verie often poore Picchio to discouer where his most paine lay when he meant not to tell them For he had bene worthie to haue bene registred for a right Dolt indeed if he should haue made them acquainted therewith when they could doe him no good at all and who were so farre from helping of him as they sooner would haue brought poyson then Balme for his recurelesse wound O Tyraunous LOVE thou art not content alone to inflict vpon vs manie corrosiues and dolours vnlesse thou forcest vs also to commit manie villainous Actions making vs thy executioners by doing of which wee loose our whole contentments our honours and our liues Was not the anguish and agonie that haplesse Antonio endured sufficient to content thee but that he must needes perpetrate so hainous a deed as must cost him the life of her whom hee so dearely loued must cause her husband to die and make him to spill his owne heart blood and all to satisfie thee But it is a thing vsuall and ordinarie to see in thy Theater thousands of Tragedies of all sorts of murthers horrible Treasons and most damned villanies presented vpon the Stage before thee It is not as thou thinkest enough to haue life of one onely as those cruell Gods vsed to doe who demaunded men to be sacrificed vnto them but thou wilt haue manie to appease thy wrath that thou mayest be as it were drunke with their blood and grow fatte with eating and feeding vppon their flesh But to come to kinde Leander who seeing Picchio in this heauie taking began to condole wonderfullie with him for his sicknesse and as it were to participate and beare parcell of his paine crying out for the sorrowes of his friend But that which grieued him most of all was because hee could not learne of Antonio what the cause of his discontentment should be taking it passing vnkindely at his hands that hee would neuer tell him But had hee but knowne the minde of him hee had cut off manie wofull inconueniences which after followed But alas Men haue not windowes in their bodies that we may see into their harts and onely God aboue knoweth the secret thoughts of euerie one Priam thought that he had broke asunder the fatall threed of the destruction of Troy commaunding that Paris his owne sonne should be cast amongst wolues to be deuoured of them And yet good man he could not Danaus causing his owne daughters cut their husbands throats came for all this vnto that lucklesse ende which the Oracles of the Gods had fore-told him Astiages sought to murther and to make away Cyrus and neuerthelesse he dyed a wretched death as was before allotted vnto him Oft may Destinie be foreseene but neuer can it be preuented for what the Heauens decree against mortall men that shall happen vnto them let them seeke neuer so much to preuent it Leander was ordained before his byrth to haue this hard happe neither could his good Fortunes hinder it had hee sought neuer so much to auoyde the
same For can poore men with their weake feeble power The force of Gods crosse when they gin to lower The Titans those monstrous Gyants were blasted with Lightning and tumbled downe headlong into hell because they would pesume to encounter with the Gods And Tamirus and Marsius the one lost his eyes and the other his skinne because they dared to compare with Apollo and his sacred Sisters But neuer thelesse to beginne where wee left Although Leander often intreated sollicited yea and Coniured Antonio to make manifest the cause of his sicknes vnto him yet could hee not so much as get one word from him which made him so much the more disconsolate And yet to say the truth who would haue done but as Antonio did beeing in his case For to haue discouered the truth thereof vnto him had bene as if a guilty wretch should haue confessed his criminall misdeeds before the Iudge and to put himselfe into the hands of his vtter enemie hauing iust cause to be reuenged of him Meane space Leander after his olde wont taketh on and lamenteth that he hath not that kinde interest in his friend as before hee thought he had had Crying out that hee loueth him not For otherwise hee would not let to haue disclosed a greater matter then that vnto him For saide he weeping vnto Antonīo Perswade thy selfe deare friend that I will spend my heart blood to doe thee good and neither shall any meanes be left vnsought for to helpe thee so I may but onely knowe the cause of thy maladie Thou knowest thy well-fare is mine thy sicknesse my sorrow and that as long as thou art ill I cannot be well at ease Why then thou that art the sweetest part of mine owne selfe shouldest thou thus deferre to reueale thy discontentment vnto him who is thine owne sworne brother and who cannot be content as long as thou art thus displeased Now good now doe not delay any longer but let me know thy minde since I am grieued as much as thy selfe to see thee in this most grieuous taking Truely truely if you doe keepe this still thus from me I cannot chuse but thinke you are no perfect nor true friend indeede for no fortune bad or good ought to part such as knit in true frienship and loyall affections bands and they ought to be partners as well of weale as of woe Then why shouldest thou doubt me or be thus strange vnto me haue you seene or marked any thing in me that might make thee conceit mee not to be the same man towards thee that I haue bene of yore Or doe you imagine that I am not as willing to take part of your bad fortunes as in former time I haue bene to be acquainted with your good If you thinke so hardly of mee I protest you doe me the greatest wrong that may be No no one friend must not conceiue sinisterly of another neither mistrust him without vehement and most apparant presumptions but must alwayes iudge the best rather then imagine the worst no more then one ought to condemne him that is vertuous and honest vnlesse there be apparent proofe and restimony against him of the same The affection that is betweene two friends is so sacred and religious of it selfe that there is no sense why any should take exceptions against it as long as it sheweth no contrarie effects but such as be worthy of all commendation and praise If thou thinkest that to recouer thy health or to purchase some comfort for thee it lyeth in my power and that I haue that which may doe thee good then hast thou the more reason to demaund it freely For rightly may hee be counted but a counterfeit friend that will not employ the vttermost of his power to helpe his friend and the rather for that true friends indeed reioyce and are not a little proude when there is any occasion giuen them to engage themselues or what they haue for to profite one another For as a learned Scholler desireth nothing more then that his learning may be knowen abroade in the world so a sure friend doth not couet for any thing so much as to render some assured testimonie of his infallible friendship vnto his best beloued friend Then doe not smoother this thy griefe within thy selfe but make me acquainted therewithall Otherwise thou wilt induce me to haue this opinion of thee either that thou doest hold me for thine enemie or else that thou art no right friend vnto me and therefore iudge of me by thine owne selfe Although these speeches were vttered with great earnestnes and with a most hartie affection yet could they not worke any thing at all in the minde of Antonio As the wilde Boare sitting vppon his tayle standeth stoutly in his owne defence against the dogges not stirring once as much as one foote from his first place now tearing one Brache and then shaking in pieces another euen so Antonio Coneealeth still within his brest his paine Nor but to Mistris his will tell the same But the meanes how to discouer it vnto her he knoweth not much lesse how to finde occasion to breake his minde vnto her O how hard a matter is it to doe ill and when wee haue done it to conceale the same whereas the behauiour and carriage of the well-meaning man is safe and sure not vnlike a common beaten way that is easie to be found But now Leander looketh for an answere of Antonio who could not chuse but that he must needs answere him and answer him he did but God knoweth in such manner and with such simple and bare excuses as Leander perceiued too plainely that the young Louer meant not to acquaint him with that which troubled him so much which was the reason that for that time hee gaue ouer to importune him any more and the rather for that his conscience told him hee had done what he could to the vttermost of his power as much as did belong vnto him For when one hath offered vnto his deare and beloued friend as much as in him lyeth to hinder or crosse and keepe backe some inconuenience that is like to happen vnto him although he cannot bring what he would to passe yet is it farre lesse griefe vnto him then if the pretended mischiefe had come and he had offered no kindnesse at all vnto him because we beeing mortall creatures are not able to cope with the Gods whose wills it is it should be so and to be ouercome by them after we haue done to the vttermost of our strength and power is not a cause why wee should chafe or stomacke thereat in as much as wee are subiect vnto them and the rather because we are made and formed by them But now Antonio his discase increaseth daylie more and more hee taketh no rest nor can he eate or drinke his colour is earthly and his face is pale and leane The day he spendeth in sighing and the night in sobbing whilst his eyes looke
a manner quite expired Then graunt me this my request for my daies were but daies to serue thee my soule but a soule to honour thee and my heart but a heart to affect and onely loue thees and I hope thou hast found knowne and perswadest thy selfe that I speake nothing but truth Which if thou doest then let me obtaine this last Boone of thee and be not so cruell as to denie me so small a matter Grieue then no more my good Leander for me which if thou doest I then will close mine eies and shut vp my tongue because I cannot abide to see thee in this heauie plight for her who is vnworthie that thou shouldest torment thy selfe any way for her cause Hauing thus complained she held her peace when her wofull husband who during this her lamentable discourse had recouered his speech began thus to comfort her Ah my sweet Cynthia what cause of mislike haue I euer giuen thee and when did I vse thee otherwise than became me that thou shouldest imagine I were not able to forbeare thy companie without great discontentment vnto my selfe Doest thou then thinke that I loue thee not If so thou thinke O God what wrong doest thou vnto me yes Cynthia yes I loue thee yea and in that sort as thou canst not die without me Death is not of power sufficient to extinguish my loue which shall liue in despite of him and shall still continue with thee be thou aliue or dead Not so soone canst thou command but I will as willingly condiscend vnto thee in any thing and yet thy entreatie cannot hinder me but that I must bewaile thy Disaster and farre more should I take on by oddes but that my hope is to see the shortly in another world Too zealous and affectionate is my loue towards thee to see thee suffer that thou doest and I not to be moued with the same O would to God thou wert without hurt or wound and that I had had that misfortune to haue falne vpon me which thou now hast But seeing it cannot be thou shalt not chuse but giue me leaue to beare some part of thine anguish When we were well and liued at hearts ease there was not any thing but what was common betweene vs all things were alike betweene thee and me why then shouldest thou oppose thy selfe now so much against me as to denie me that I should participate of thy troubles with thee No no I will beare a heauie burthen in this thy sorrowfull song and mine eies shall streame forth before I die as two fountaines of water all the liquid humour that remaineth within my restlesse bodie Thou goest thy way my deare Cynthia and leauest me here plunged in deepe perplexitie but I will not stay long behind soone will I follow after thee and quickly ouertake thee Is it possible mine eies should giue light vnto my bodie and want thy sight and is it likely I shall be able to abstaine from thy companie for euer when I cannot endure to forbeare thy presence one short day O deare wife now I coniure thee by the chaste pleasures of our sacred Hymen and vnspotted nuptiall bed by that Loue of thine and mine as yet neuer broken and by thy heart and mine which neuer were but one let me entreate thee that thou take it not ill although I die with thee Great is the authoritie that Loue hath giuen thee ouer me but yet not so great as it shall disturbe my desire or make me follow any other course but death Certainely certainely I will beare thee companie euen into thy graue O faire and beautifull eies mine were you whilest you liued and mine shall you be when you are dead No man liuing hath interest in you but my selfe and you will I as well see being dead as when you were aliue O curteous death if it be possible for thee to be entreated by the Praiers or the cries of mortall wights or if euer thou hast done any kindnes vnto them then I beseech thee let me finde this fauour at thy hands that I may breath my last gaspe before my Ladie Doe me this good turne for all the euill thou hast done me and in recompence of such great losses as I am like to sustaine by thee in snatching away from me most violently the onely support and Atlasse of my life which if I may not obtaine I will complaine and exclaime against thee making it knowne vnto the whole world that thou art cruell and partiall against me onely for it should much abate and asswage my torments to goe before her to the end I might be exempted from those more then deadly darts which will pierce deepely into my soule when I shal behold her to be laid within her graue O cruell Tombe must thou be so fortunate as to lodge and entertaine so pretious a treasure to possesse so rare and louely a beautie and to enclose and couer a bodie so exquisite and perfect that same being the chiefe maintainer of my glorie and the onely vpholder of my life O that some gentle power would be so kind vnto me as to transforme me into thy likenes to the end I might enioy that benefit which is permitted to be thine and of which whilest it liued I was Maister and owner And yet thinke not thou shalt haue the bodie of my deare wife alone no no thou shalt haue mine also to beare hers companie and by that meanes thou shalt receiue two bodies which liuing had but one soule betweene them And now my sweet Cynthia let me once more take thee by the hand for a finall farewell and let me kisse thee once againe to the end that my breath may issue out of this his earthly mantion and part hence at the selfe same instant that thine passeth away Leander hauing so said and weeping most tenderly taketh the cold carkasse of his wife in his armes often kissing and rekissing her colde mouth he being neuer sufficiently satisfied with the delight of that dying which was wholy at his commaundement whilest it was liuing His lips neuer parted from hers whilest his eies streamed downe teares and his heart sent forth scalding sighes in aboundance O thrise fortunate soules whom neither death nor sorrowes could part asunder and ô happie couple who would not haue but one Tombe to enclose you both together And now Leander began to faint as well as his wife he being sore wounded with griefe and Loue which she perceiuing forced her selfe to vttes these fewe words as well as she could vnto him It is enough sweet husband it is enough you too much trouble your sicke selfe with an vnworthie burthen for we may count our selues blessed in that we haue incountered one with another before we die The end crowneth the workes of man their glorie lying onely in their deaths which death shall make vs famous for euer allotting vnto vs the Garland of commendation and praise to continue hereafter For mine owne part I
honour thee in as much as my loue is neither dishouest beastly nor viticus but rather sacred vertuous and chaste and therefore not subiect to any reprehension Why doest thou thus oppose thy selfe against that faire glorie which thy worthy carriage doth permit why doest thou reiect that praise which euery one would render vnto thy peerlesse beautie why doest thou disdaine that honour which the heauens haue ordained for thy matchlesse perfection And why doest thou refuse the seruice of the most loyallest Louer that euer breathed In times past those beautifull Ladies counted themselues happie that could vant themselues of the faithfulnes of their Louers Hero thought her selfe fortunate in that she had Leander for her faithfull friend and why then doest thou denie to be most faithfully serued of thy deuoted and true hearted Arcas Suffer him suffer him hard-harted as thou art to honour thee for the Gods themselues forbid not men although vitious to adore them because friendship is not to be scorned from whence soeuer it commeth in that it proceedeth from a willing and well-wishing minde Thus said the Shepheard when the Nymph hearing him to make this straunge kinde of Tale pursued her former complaint in this manner Ah barbarous and disdainfull man why doest thou stop thine eares against my pralers Take heed take heed least the heauens iustly punishing thee harden not the hart of her whom thou honourest against thee as thou most vnkindly hast done vnto me for oftentimes we fall into the snare which we haue laid to intrappe straungers we being scourged with the same plague wherewith we haue afflicted others Is it not enough for thee to be contented with these my sorrowes but that thou must mocke mee therewithall making a shew as if thou sawest another and not me vnto whom thou framest thy speech But the Gods be iust and therefore thanked be they seeing thy Mistris maketh thee know and that vnto thy cost if thou so much louest as thou makest vs beleeue how insupportable the torments are which thy Sauadge rigor maketh me to feele for he onely can talke rightly of griefe that hath felt the same and daily experience maketh vs perfect in the knowledge of such things as we practise If thou feelest this euill and if thou knowest how full of anguish it is then permit not me to abide the same any longer which if thou doest thou wilt then force me to call for aide vnto the heauens that they assist me to take reuengement vpon thee for he ought and that iustly to be punished who knoweth the euell that he doth is acquainted with the greatnes of the fault he committeth and yet neuertheleâ—le will not giue it ouer for onely ignorance excuseth the offence which knowledge condemneth because such as did perpetrate the same were not vnacquainted with it Open then those deafe eares of thine and shew me some pittie to the intent I may commend thee for kindnes as long as the world shall flourish The Shepheard notwithstanding these her earnest perswasions seemed not to heare one word but as he did at the first so still he continued making solemne intercession vnto his good Angell Diana in this wise Alas must the distance of place hinder thee faire Virgin so much as thou canst not aunswere me and must I be so miserable as I may say I am farre exiled from thee Can my soule breathe and not behold thee O wonderfull miracle that wretched Arcas can liue without the chaste and prudent Diana for she is his soule and the bodie without soule how is it possible that it should ioy at all Certainely I should thinke my selfe much blessed if I might but onely see thy face without speaking as much as one word vnto thee for then would I most willingly yeeld vnto death but I see it is my destinie to die and not so much as before my death to see thee Vnfortunate my Tombe to be so farre off from thee my deare and accursed mine eies to sleepe in any other resting place than where thou abidest But alas art thou the cause of my distresse no no it is the heauens who are ouer iealous of my glorie and who would faine loue thee themselues they knowing thy like is not to be found in the whole world and therefore are the more vnwilling to haue any Corriuals in their Loue. But in despite of them will I loue thee nothing being of force to quench this outragious heate of mine no not death it selfe Thus wailed the sad Shepheard thinking verily that he had bene before the presence of his diuine Diana and more would he haue lamented but that Coribant plucking him by the sleeue and wearied with hearing him and the amorous Orythia put him out of this amorous dreame in this sort Enougn man enough no teares nor sighes make a man the wiser after the fault committed but rather more miserable and wretched Cease I say cease both of you to lament and rather seeke some remedie how to redresse your sorrowes And because I would be glad to perswade you to giue ouer this dangerous Loue which maketh you thus to torment and massacre your selfe continually I will account vnto you a most lamentable Historie by which you may gather how cruell and damned a plague Loue is for we cannot come from out this Rocke as long as this tempest lasteth and which is but scarcely new begun Arcas and Orythia seeing there was no remedie considering the foulnes of the weather sat them downe when Coribant sitting betwixt them and they lending a listning eare vnto him began his dolorous discourse in this manner Yee hollow Rocks be witnesses what here by me is sed Within whose gloom it horror darke the night is shadowed Yee stately Rocks to powder burnt of times most cruelly When Ioue your tops with thunderbolts doth scortch and bruse from skie Ah be your witnesses of this my sad discourseile tell You which of late the loues of these two Shepheards ouerwell Conceiude of these two louing wights whose lucklesse hapile show Vndone by Loue by Loue who dares the Gods to ouerthrow Aâ—dye broad Beeches in your shade that often hane themseene When they reposing of themselues under the same haue beene You which a thousand letters caru'd within your tender rinde Knots and deuises in their loue and such like Toyes may finde You dark 〈◊〉 Caues where whilst the day did last in bright some wise They blushing of theor chastest Loues did mongst themselues deuise Yee pretrie Foordes and christall springs yee Riuers murmerous Whoat the sigh of them became for to be amorous Yee vncorh Desarts witnesses what they in secret did Importunde by their often plaints which from you were not hid And thou thicke priuate shadowing groue that knowest most of all To thee and all the rest to heare what I will speake I call Vnto you all beare witnesse then I to you all appeale Since t is as true as pittifull what I shall now reueale In that same time
by Hunter he did runne And then againe begins the course that he before had donne When missing of his purpose he laments in pitteous case And cruell to himselfe doth scrath and teare his manly face Euen as Hippollitus the chaste was drawne by his faire haire Through forrests woods and mount aine tops and hurried euery where And at the last his limmes were rent asunder one from one Whilst frighted with sea monsters he from Chariot fell alone So such our Shepheard seemd to be resembling such a wight Whilst streames of blood runne downe alongst his bodie view you might He sighes and sobs within the woods with voice most dolorous Whilst on the name of Ladie his he crieth and cals on thus Ah where art thou my Flora dearâ— alas where maist thou be And why shouldst thou be so vnkind to hide thy face from me What place so happie is to hold thy selfe mine onely ioy Thy beautie now where doth it shine chasing away annoy Light of mine eies say dost thou loue ah yet vnto me speake And be not so vnkind my heart with calling thee to breake Where so thou liu'st blessed is that place thrise blessed aie More willing than in paradise I there would bide and staie Alacke what haue I done to thee thou shouldst be so vnkind To part from me my better part and leaue my soule behind No doubt some God hath gotten thee enioying presence thine Some heauenly power doth honour thee which breedeth sorrow mine For thinkest thou withouten thee I can draw forth this breath Thinkst thou that in thine absence I can liue vpon this earth Then speake my sweet vouchsafe so much as tell me where art thou Where bide those rare perfections and where shine thy vertues now May I not be so happie as to know where thou dost keepe Since for thy losse I cannot chuse eternally but weepe Without thy carefull Numidor tell me where doest thou staie Who euer hath thee lou'd and who will loue thee still for aie Canst thou if him as he doth thee so much and truely loue Grieue him so much vex him so much and ouermuch him moue I knew the time I must confesse when as thou didst sermount For loyall Loue and when of me thou diddest make account I know I know thou loud'st me once that loued me thou hast And that for constant loyaltie our mutuall Loue hath past I know that Loue ore both our hearts tryumpht as Conquerour And that or'e both our soules he had the like and selfesame power I le sweare that once thou louedst me though now thou lou'st me not Though now that fire extinguisht is and thou hast me forgot I know not if as wearie of me thou beginst to range And that thy fickle minde desires else where to soare and change Or whether hauing found a man thou better likst than mee I am reiected and shooke off and quite cassheirde by thee Which if that it be so why then die must poore Numidore And with his death his fortune hard and thy bad minde deplore If it be so he must resigne his life to death and die Rather than liue thus languishing in paine continually If it be so I needs must say though so to say doth griue There is no trust in any one no faith on earth doth liue Needs must I say women are false that constant fewe remaine And that their Sex doth harbor â— ought but false dissembling shame If it be so that Flora false to Shepheard hers hath prou'd Then well I sweare that loyally neuer hath woman lou'd But why alas talke I so vaine too idle is my head Whilst with such franticke raging fits my fantasie is fed What madding humor vexeth me what bedlem iealousie What fond conceit makes me to talke Sans Sens so foolishly Am I so vilely giuen to thinke that Flora will cassbeire Her seruant Numidor whom she before hath lou'd so deare That she to any but to him will true and faithfull proue That she will falsifie her faith orethrowing her first Loue O thought most base to haue of her conceit her to mistrust O traiterous Shepheard worthlesse man O louer most accurst Haue I long heretofore her Loue with Touchstone throughly tride And shall she now with sensure hard withouten cause abide Shall I of infidelitie condemne her and suspect When I haue euer knowne her all bad motions to reiect No no sweet Flora I dare sweare and I doe know too well Thou lou'st thy Numidor nor him for new wilt euer sell No thou dost loue him though some God hath tane thee gainst thy will And keepeth thee perforce although thou neuer meanedst ill I know thou dearely louest him as dearely as thy hart And that his absence makes thee waile and in thee breedeth smart I know my presence thou dost wish and dost lament my losse I know that my not being with thee thou dost count a crosse I doe beleeue assuredly nor otherwise I le thinke Thy loue so sacred nere can die nor euer be extinct Too much thou louedst me too much thou aie of me didst make To leaue me to abandon me and me for to forsake Thou louest me and dost desire with me to be I know But that bad fortune crossed thee the faults thereof to show Then in what place thy sweetest selfe doth soiourne and doth stay And where so ere thy beautie faire her brightnes doth display Where ore thy gratious eie doth glaunce controlling with delight Embellsshing with lulstrious raies the glorie of thy sight Ah there the Gods I doe beseech all happines to raigne Downe on thee fast whilst there thou maist in pleasure safe remaine Whilst I meane while will goe to seeke some wofull vncoth place Some hollow Rocke where I may liue since I can finde no grace For being of thy seemely shape though vndeseru'd depriude I needes must breath my last of force and seeke to be distiude Then happie liue thou liue thou long and neuer maist thou tast Of sorrow such as I haue done to force thy life to wast Thus said the Shepheard and therewith seekes still some hollow Cane Wherein he soone may finde his end which he desires to haue He seekes to finde his death whilst her to finde he nere doth linne As did Apollo Daphna chase whose loue he sought to winne Nor wearied is he Louers nere are wearied when the fire Of Loue doth burne their entrailes hot with coales of strange desire Long trauaile neuer tireth them but still they labour fresh And though they be ore chargde yet take thy courage nerethelesse Then Numidor by Loue borne out both day and night doth seeke For his faire Saint for whom he longs and much desires to meete As one beholds the Lionesse at mouth with froth to fome When she to seeke her little ones stolne from her forth doth runne She neuer staieth but restlesse runnes the forrests all about Nor giues she ore although her bones and backe doe cracke throughout Running sometimes vpon the
imagined that that great God being iealous of mee threatned to flea me aliue as hee did Marsius if I presumed to prosecute my suite anie further And then againe me thought my faire Saint thrust mee from her most disdainefully shee being growâ— proud as an other Olympia or Rhea because of the companie of so glorious a Deitie To be short many dreames troubled mee in my rest abused me in my minde and caused me to be maruellously sorrowfull as I did now and then slumber Alwayes the thought of such things as we haue desired and sought for in the day time presenteth it selfe through Fancie vnto our eyes in the night Beautious Aurora was scarce risen from her olde husband and the Sunne was yet sleeping in his coolie bedde when I got me out of doores trudging as fast as I could vnto the same place from whence but the night before I parted Not being altered in affection or thorough griefe anie thing at all both which I still entertained All the night long before I could not rest which was the cause I composed this Ode following when being as then come vnto mine olde place and seeing my selie alone I began to sing the same with many a heauy sigh hauing it written faire in a paper as thou seest AN ODE Since that thou hast Victorie Ore my dearest Libertie Why with blacke Robe beautie thine Doest thou cloathe sorich and fine If thou wear'st it for to witnesse As a friend my sadde distresse Happie I since for my sake Thou the Colours sadde doest take Sweete my life content be thou That this blacke Weede I beare now Haplesse was my life and so Sad my life in th' end shall show Tomee these sadde cloathes alone Appertaine as signes of mone Nature in one bodie nere Blacke and White at once doth beare From my Blacke all hate be wide With which I my Crosses hide Hee that in dispaire doeth rest Black doeth beare for colour best Cruell this not Colour's thine Since thine eyes bright and dinine Sacred as the hallowed day Chase the gloomie Night away One that or'e All 's Victor braue Cannot rightly this Blacke haue Our barts wounded thou deest make Then of Conquerour habite take And let mee alone with this Since my fitting colour t' is Liue thou in eternall glorie Whilst I die at desperate seric Whilst this Dye thou putst on thee Thou depriu'st of comfort mee For I doubt that thouart sad And thy griefe Death's tome bad Change then this same weede of Dule Fit for dead folks O thou Cruell Why through it wouldst thou impaire Beautie thine farre more then rare Leaue it for I thee assure This my sight cannot endure Giue to mee my Colour blacke Or with Ghostes I goe to wracke If my Colour thou doest take For to ende my Crosses make Thou wilt not for whilst I liue More thou daylie wilt mee grieue That blinde Goddesse Fortune constant onely in vnconstancie hauing the day before vsde me so hardlie thought now to flatter mee a little in making me some amends for the great wrongs she had done vnto mee For my Mistris who with the other Nymphes had the night before fulfilled certaine vowes vnto the Goddesse Diana who then shined most gloriously vppon the face of the heauens was nigher vnto mee then I had thought and in a luckie houre for me heard me thus heauily lament vnto my selfe after I had made an ende of my Song Alas said I into what a maze of wretchednesse am I fallen how wofull is my Destinie and how haplesse my misfortune Of all worldlings liuing some are but too too Fortunate and some but too too miserable but I am neither in the one nor in the other of these two extremities For to say that I am Fortunate I cannot and to tearme my selfe miserable I may not in as much as LOVE although it ouerthroweth mee syet making me affect so dinine a Dame as I do is sufficient enough to he the vpon me all good Fortunes that may be This is the reason I am neither content nor altogether quite displeased whilst I walke in the middest of these two extremities as those base Cowardes who through faintnesse of heart runne from one Enemie vnto another and so serue neither of them rightly And yet alas I finde that the Ballance in which my misfortunes are placed in weigh more then that wherein my good Fortunes be And I feele the burthen of griese more heauy and hard vpon my shoulders then that of ioy and pleasure For what ioy can hee haue that hath not hope of anie thing Most sweete is the sweate that expecteth some fruite to come thereof As that Husbandman laboureth with delight when he soweth his ground because he hopeth to reape some gaine of the same whereas that trauell that is voyd of all hope â—â—so displeasing vnto vs as the verie thought thereof alone maketh a man miserable Such is mine estate for how can I being so wretabed a Caitiffe as I am attend or looke for any fauour from her whom the Gods themselves secke vnto and honour It is not likely that shee will leaue the friendship of so high a Deitie to like of so poore a Shepheard as I in whom there is nothing worthie of commending O beautious Diana enioy enioy I say most happily thy Loue with that great God the father of all Lightsomnes as one whom thou art worthie of and suffer me to pine away in griefe or at the least permit me to sâ—grisâ—ee my hart vpon your common Aultar to the end that this oblation may content him offred vp by a true Louer like himselfe Thrice blessed thou to be adored and reuerenced of so great a God and most accursed I since that I dying am not able to render any sufficient testimonie of the faithfull seruice which I haue alwayes vowed vnto thee But alas what need hast thou of my helpe or which way can I stand thee in stead when thou mayst commaund so mightie and diuine a power at all times Truely thou art right Fortunate and heauens I pray that so thou mavest still continue whilst I as one that languisheth piece-meale away will for thy sâ—ke goe and inclose my selfe within the bottome of some gloomy Rocke where I will so long bewaile my hard chaunce as at the last what with Famine and what with sorrow I will resigne this wretched life tormented with a number of calamities onely because I could no way pleasure thee my sacred Goddesse Thus did I say sighing and sobbing as one resolued to die when my faire Mistris who with â—uch patience had heard this mine amorus complaint vppon the suddaine appeared vnto me not vnlike a newe Sunne breaking through the thicke gloomie Cloudes when they couer the Skies all ouer That wife that beholdeth her husband aliue whome she lamented for dead is not halfe so much astonisht and amazed as I was when I saw my Diana whome I supposed to haue bene as then with the God of the
offer violence vnto her honour For as that woman is not to be excused who at the earnest praiers of her Louer suffereth that goodly Flower to be slipt wherein consists her reputation and credit so cannot shee chuse but be blamed who seeketh the vtter ruine and ouerthrowe of such as chastly honour her without impeach of honour So doeth Arcas loue thee and why then doest thou force him to make away himselfe Cruell is the wrong that one receiueth of his friend but farre more piercing is that which commeth from a mans owne selfe seeing none can be greater friendes vnto vs then our owne selues Be not then the cause that this poore wretch should massacre himselfe least it be hereafter cast in thy teeth that thou hast slaine him which if thou doest it may fall out with thee as it did with proud Narassus who dyed falling in loue with his owne selfe after he had disdained the friendship of diuers faire and curteous Nymphs But I will say no more for thou art wise and to such fewe words are sufficient thou art faire and therefore I hope wilt not be oner froward and thou art religious which maketh mee perswade my selfe that thou wilt haue a conscience especially in a matter of so great importance as this is Thus did the pittifull Orythâ—a pleade for me against her owne selfe willing is she to die so shee may saue my life not caring what sorrowes she endured so shee could rid me from out my troubles Diana hauing heard her was readie to make answere for they that are faire spoken and can speake with discretion haue alwayes the best and readiest wittes and so had shee Mercury lodging in her tongue and purest houie dropping from out her mouth Harke then how wisely she replyed If any man vexed with a furious spirit shall without beeing proucked or vrged by any other then by their owneseluâ—s ruâ—ne wilfully vnto death can any be blamed for the same but onely their owne selues Or is it reasonable that such as be guiltlesse shall be punished and answere for the faults that others commit Iuno is the occasion of the plagues that that luxurious Ixion endureth and yet it was his owne offence that was the cause thereof and not she her selfe If these vaine and fantastike Louers who are weakened in their right wittes through Cupid shall murther and make away themselues are therefore those Ladies vnto whome they offer their seruice the cause of their ruine and ouerthrow Hee onely rightly may be called the author of mischiefe who either hath done it or hath caused it to be done But women doe they force men to loue them and doe they compell them in despite of themselues to deuote themselues vnto them What they doe they doe of themselues and through their owne follies doeth this madnes proceed and therefore who is the cause of their vndoing but their owne selues If the enuious person dieth for very griefe and rage of minde because he seeth his neighbour prosper and doe well who but himselfe is the occasion thereof None forceth any man to loue And so no woman ought to be vrged to loose that which is as pretious vnto her as her owne life which is her honour to satisfie and please such who through their owne vainnesse and mecâ—e fondnesse shall worke their owne hurt and decay That desperate wretch that drowneth himselfe is hee to thanke any other then his owneselfe for his drowning And say that Shepheard of whom thou talkest should die through his owne peeuish sollie think you that â— feare least the world would count me to be the cause thereof or that I shall be blamed in that he hath done amisse I warrant you no For I neuer brought him into this narrow straight which if hee follow it is his owne fault and not mine Besides to say I seeke to couet or to be the cause of his death you doe me wrong for I delight not in crueltie the contentment and well fare of another being as deare vnto mee as mine owne health Yet neuerthelesse this I must tell you that I would be verie loth hee should liue to be so hurtfull vnto mee as to destroy the goodly building of mine honor which being once ouerthrowne can neuer be repaired or built new againe That hee liue I most heartilie wish but yet with the conseruation of my good name fame For otherwise I desire vengeance to light vpon him as on my most mortall foe although I will neuer be but a friend vnto his chaste Amitie prouided alwaies that he giue sufficient testimonies it be such by his good carriage modest behauiour For I am not so ignorant but that I knowe pure and chaste Loue to be a most diuine and beautifull Vertue and the honest affection of right generous and Gentlemanlike spirites to be commendable and prasse-worthie seeing they are of power to make famous our memories for euer All Portraitures Tables Counterfaites and Pictures soone loose their colours and decay be they neuer so excellently well drawne quickly are they spoiled and soone doth Time deuour them No Picture of Achilles now remaineth yet his praise doth through Homers Muse None of Alexander the great although both Apelles and Lysippus two exquisite Painters had often drew him And yet although their famous works be consumed and gone the braue writings of Quintus Curtius blazoning forth the life of this mighty Monark liue and flourish Neither is the verse of Virgil dead ringing out the vertues of AEneas although the counterfaites of that Troyan Prince be all turned vnto dust And so if that Arcas be yet aliue I wish he so may still continue thy onely intreaty and request being of force to command more of mee then this seeing it is thy pleasure he should be entertained But if he will so vnaduisedly rashly and so foolishly offend his owne selfe I heere wash my handes as cleare from this matter protesting heere before all that I am innocent of his death because I neuer gaue him any such occasion of discontentment If perchaunce he haue found me that I haue not bene so curteous nor so affable vnto him at one time as I haue bin at an other Or if that I haue looked more heauy sad now and then then I haue vsed to doe heretofore Thinketh he therefore that he hath iust reason to lay all the blame vpon me as if I had bene she that was the Author of his ouerthrow If so he is deceiued For our bodies which are subiect vnto the influences of the celestiall Signes are either ioyfull or sadde according vnto their motions This being the cause that when we meet by fortune with one of our acquaintance and hee is as then troubled with many thoughts in his mind or some bad celestiall Planet is predominate ouer him wee then by his sower countenance would take him for our enemie but no sooner is his humour past and gone from him but hee is our good friend againe
many of them that haue not done good vnto their priuate friends onely but also vnto their whole countrie and common-wealth Besides A praise of Cicero that famous Orator of Rome did he not preserue his citie through his prudent Eloquence from being vtterly spoyled and ouerthrowne when Cateline Cethegus Lentulus with diuers other of their complices had conspired together first to cut the throates of the chiefe Citizens and then to set Rome on fire he alone bringing to passe through his prudent policie that which the brauest Romane Captaine amongst them would neuer haue effected without the effusion of blood of millions of Citizens Therefore did Cicero shew himselfe more stout and more profitable then the greatest Commanders and brauest Souldiours of them all Cicero preserued Rome from the consâ—itacie of Careline and other noble Romanes who with the losse of many a man purchased a Conquest vnto their countrie wheras he without the death of any one ouerthrew his aduersaries who were the more dangerous in that they kept within the citie it selfe Besides this notable exployt of his how often hath he saued many a good Citizen and worthy Gentlemen from death as that Roscius most vniustly accused before the Tyrant Scilly Ligarius and Deioterus with many more all which through his diuine Eloquence he restored vnto life yea he did more then all this for he rather chose to goe into voluntarie exile then to encounter and withstand the force of his vniust enemies although he might very easily haue done the same and so by that meanes saued Rome which otherwise was readie to take his part if so he had pleased he hauing the maior part of the greatest persons and in a manner the whole youth of Rome to be on his side Many other good deeds did this worthy man leauing diuers learned peeces of workes behind him to the no small profite and benefit of that royall citie Where you blame Homer A praise of Homer you doe that which neuer any in the world hath done before for so highly was he accounted of as there were diuers goodly cities which falling at debate and contention amongst themselues committed their whole busines vnto his iudgement they receiuing for an irreuocable Sentence but onely one of his verses and after he was dead they fell out and striued who should haue his bodie to interre the same He is counted the Author of all Arts and Sciences But say he should sometimes spare the truth now and then in his writings as if he seemed to be a little partiall yet was he neuerthelesse to be borne withall and could doe no otherwise then hee did in speaking somewhat in the praise and commendation of his owne Countrey For for our Countrey we are borne and are bound to doe more for it then for our selues Againe you must consider he was a Poet and no Hystoriographer and that Poets haue more libertie to write according vnto their owne fancie or affection then Hystoriographers haue who without great reproach cannot abuse sacred Veritie it selfe But howsoeuer it is the workes of Homer are full of iudgement and Learning from whence as from a deepe Fountaine euery great Scholler draweth forth his learning and without his books grosse Ignorance had darkned the whole world with her blacke gloomie Cloudes As for Virgil how could he doe lesse than what he did seeing he did but praise such from whom hee had receiued so many benefites and good turnes and who had restored him vnto his former liuing and Lands all which he before had lost The vngratefull man is as bad and as worthy to be punished as is the Homicide Besides it is better now and then to straine curtesie with Truth then to murther a man for there may be amends made for a lie but not for ones life when it is gone and taken away And therefore that great Mantua Poet is more to be excused in that he somewhat dissembled the veritie of the storie which he wrote praising his benefactors because he would not be vnthankfull vnto them then if hee had spoken the Truth and so concealed those great kindnesses which hee had receiued whereby hee should be taxed of ingratitude But for all this he is reputed for the Prince of Latin Poets his Aeneidos shewing to be a most learned and beautifull worke in so much as he dying before he had sufficient time to make a finall ende thereof especially of those verses which hee left vnperfect Augustus the Emperour would not permit that anie of his owne Poets should take the same in hand to correct it Being loth that so famous a Poeme should be iniuried any way hee chusing rather to leaue it vnfinished as he found it then that it should be perfected by the hand of any other Not vnlike that picture which excellent Zeuxis beganne to make for Venus no Painter daring after his death to take vpon him to ende the same Cicero before Octanius his raigne comming by chaunce before he dyed to haue a sight of some of Virgils verses cryed out with great admiration Behold another hope of Romeâ— for I knowe not how the witte of man can deuise a greater worke then this Poets then are not so much to be blamed as you imagine for without them wee should be depriued of many goodly Inuentions and graue Moralls â—ca and from many diuine praises which wee attribute vnto God as are the Psalmes of Dauid which are in verse proceeding from that sacred Prince and Poet of the Iewes Contrary vnto your minde was Alexander the great who made so great account of Homers verse as he had alwayes his Iliades vnder the pillow of his bedde lying hard by his sword affirming oftentimes Achilles to be most fortunate because he was renowmed by so famous a Poet wishing that hee had bene as then aliue to the end hee might haue graced him so much as to haue set forth his valiant exploits Where you alledge Demosthenes to haue made the Macedonians and the Athenians to wage battell together I answere you that hee could doe no lesse then perswade his Countrey-men to defend the libertie of their Countrey it beeing the greatest Treasure that free people esteemed especially the Grecians who continually were vp in Armes to conserue their auncient Liberties In so much as it is reported of Demosthenes that if hee had had as much force power and vallour as he had of good affection and true zeale towards his Countrey the Macedonians had neuer conquered Athens But he cannot be blamed who fighteth vntill the last gaspe of life dying with the first and chiefest for the health of his Countrey as did that stout Orator who lost his life for that cause hauing done many good seruices and brought much profite vnto the Athenians before For beeing banished from amongst them hee went presently without loosing anit time at all vp and downe such Citties as belonged vnto the Spartanes who were deadly enemies vnto Athens whom hee perswaded so vehemently
will neuer suffer any iniurie to be done vnto that which it loueth neither can it rightly be termed Loue but rather furious rage if it be cause of any such wrong But I pray thee tell me what is it that thou wouldest haue of me wouldest thou that in sauing thee I should vtterly vndoe my selfe or wouldest thou haue that thy contentment should be built and founded vpon the ruines of my discontentments and dishonour I cannot tell neither know I what thy meaning is and yet this good conceit haue I of thee that I am perswaded thou harborest no such bad thought within thee and therefore let me intreate thee that thou wilt be content since I grieue at thy distresse and that I would most willingly ease thee of thy paine if possible I could so it did not stand with the losse of mine honour Then if thou louest mee I doe not thinke thou wouldest suffer me to endure such an inestimable dammage Consider well of this matter and thou shalt finde that I can no way pleasure thee as thou desirest and as I my selfe couet vnlesse I would ouerthrow my estate for euer Of two euils the least is to be chosen It is farre better to cure a little hurt betimes then standing obstinate therein permit the same to grow to be incurable and so to die Therefore shew now the loyall affection which thou hast alwaies protested to haue borne me insatisfying thy selfe with these mâ—â—e honest reasons without seeking any more by sauing thâ— selfe to be the cause of my fall and vtter ruine but if this will not content thee then must I needs 〈…〉 lust and not modest Loue that is in thee and that as a â—â—orcalleneâ—ne thou â—â—â—est about to vndoe me and therefore haue great cause to feaâ—e thee vnto thy rash 〈…〉 without going about to excuse me vnto thee any way but to flie from then as from a deadly foe Hauing so said she held her peaâ—e seeming to be much troubled in her minde as I might casily gather by her colour which did often goe and come in her face and yet these speeches so much pleased me as I was confounded therewithall as I knew not what to say Neuer was that alluring song of the daughters of Acholous more charming neither the loue potion of subtill Circes more swept and pleasant then that was No heart were it neuer so hard but her tongue was able to mollifie it being of power to take downe and make gentle the proudest minde that euer man bare And now I made account I was sufficiently satisfied for all my trauailes past and that I had a full and large recompence for all my former aflictions in that it had pleased my Ladie to conâ—â—â—â— my meaning with so great fauour whereupon I presumed to replie thus vpon the suddaine Vertuous and peerlesse Diana what testimonie haue I euer giuen you and how haue I euer carried my selfe towards you but that my Loue was alwaies chaste and modest If so why then should you now mistrust me Alas if I be now chaunged my miseries being so wretched as they are and that you thinke I am worse then I haue bene why then doe you not quickly pronounce the sentence of Death against mee without permitting me to liue any longer No no my desires were neuer others then thine Neuer did I thinke to disobey thy commandements nor offer iniurie vnto thine vntainted honour rather shall this bodie of mine be swallowed vp by wilde and sauage beasts and thinke not I beseech you otherwise of me but that I would take reuenge vpon mine owne proper selfe for your honours sake if through my default it should happen to receiue the least hurt or dammage that may be Nay should I goe about but to crosse thee in thy will and not doe as thou biddest I should thinke the worse of my selfe as long as life shall last whilest liuing so I would commit it no life but rather worse then death it selfe Sufficient enough and too much am I pleased for my paines enough am I recompenced for my trauailes and am satisfied at the full for all my labours past seeing thou hast so much vouchsafed to abase thy worthy selfe in striking a Saile so lowe as to speake to me so much thine inferiour Onely this onely small boone let me intreate of thee which by thy facred Vertue by thy rate prudencie by thy excellent wit and by thine exquisite beautie I shall desire thee not to denie that is to giue meleaue to kisse thy faire and victorious hand which shall content me as much as if I were Monarch of the whole vniuersall world the remembrance whereof shall make the rest of my daies to proue most happie and fortunate Aduise you then if this my prayer be iust and ciuill which if it be so then graunt me so much grace But if not thy will be fulfilled thy pleasure be done and thy desire be accomplisht euery way It is the first that euer I begd and it shall be the last that euer I will craue Thus did I boldly put forward my selfe vrging my Mistris with great vehemencie for the same who stood still studying vpon the matter a while whilest she blushed like the damaske Rose in May I in the meane time houered betweene hope and scare halfe dead and halfe aliue to heare what she would answere who in the end replied thus Ah Shepheard how easie a matter is it to finde a small thing that may hurt much and how quickly may we obtaine and purchase that which hapneth most to our displeasures afterward This naturall appetite of ours which inuiteth vs to desire so many things which we imagine to finde sweet and pleasing passeth away as doth a flash of lightning in the aire leauing vs neuer a whit the richer nor the more contented then we were before What profit doth that pleasure bring vnto Louers which they so earnestly couet to enioy but a most heauie and sad repentance when it is once gon and past Things that are vertuous ought to be desired alone because they last and not such as are mortall weake and fraile although they seeme sweet at the first beginning This which thou demandest of me will doe thee no good and though perhaps thou supposest thou shalt feele some shadow thereof yet will it so soone vanish and be gone as thou shalt not haue leisure to haue so much as a true tast thereof Ah Arcas Arcas diddest thou but know how much this honour is recommended vnto vs what great care and heed there is giuen vnto vs to accompanie it and how much we are bound and obliged to looke most narrowly and straightly vnto the same I verily belieue thou wouldest not wish me that I should breake the least duetie belonging vnto the conseruation thereof not for all the liuing in the world But perhaps thou wilt say it is very true and yet I answere that he that offendeth in any small matter is suspected to be culpable of greater
soonest the greatest dangers which neuer offend them whether it be because they are alreadie throughly satisfied and contented with their miseries beeing loth to wrong them any more Or whether it be for that some good Angell doth accompanie and guide these wretches who without diuine helpe and assistance would vtterly damne themselues for euer But now by this time the desolate Ladie had caused a Shippe to be throughly furnished at all points into which as a couragious Medea she entreth cutting and slicing the salt waters so long till at last she happily arriueth at that Citie vnto which her Husband had with-drawne himselfe the better and more safely to liue in his secure and sensuall pleasure When hee hearing of her arriuall being farre more sauage then the bruite beasts themselues who heare the voyces of their little ones and of their companions caused the gates of the Towne to be shut commaunding her vpon paine of his displeasure without vouchsafing so much as once to see her to returne backe againe into her Shippe with all her traine and so to hoyse vp sayle and away to the place from whence she came O farre more cruell then Iason who suffered Medea to be present and to set out the Marriage of his newe wife farre more vnkinde then great Agamemnon An example who permitted his wife to liue and keepe companie with her Louers And more shamelesse then Marke Anthony the Romone who left his vertuous and Princely wife to satisfie himselfe with the embracings of that impudent harlot Cleopatra There is no better vineger then that which is made of good wine when it sowreth Euen so the best Natures commit the grossest faults when they giue themselues ouer vnto euill I knowe not whether it is because they haue the more meanes to doe the same then others or whether it be for that vice waxing proud of so rich a prey will neuer giue them ouer still keeping them to execute her wicked will in euerie thing This pittious newes so appalled the sences of the poore Ladie Izabella as she fell downe into a dead sowne Her vitall spirits faile her and she falls for lorne Like one that is vnto his graue vntimely borne In the ende shee came vnto her selfe againe for an exceeding kinde of griefe driueth away paine from the bodies of women by reason that their sorrow floweth forth with their teares and so waxeth lesse because of the helpe that they haue by sighing which is not so with men who for that they cannot shewe forth eyther by their eyes or by their voyce any part of their griefe are in the ende stiffed and choked with the same Not vnlike vnto an olde Oaken tree that breaketh before it will bowe which by reason it cannot bende according vnto the winde is torne and rent vp vnto the verie rootes Izabella then hardly distressed must needes swallow downe this bitter potion and patience perforce must doe all he hath charged her not being able to contradict him in any thing For the woman by the ciuill Lawe is subiect vnto her husband whose fault neuerthelesse is not in danger of punishment as that of the wife Certainly a most vniust Law which two being culpable of one and the selfe-same offence punisheth the one and permitteth the other to goe scotfree Man by his sword reuengeth the wrong his wife hath done if by chance she breaketh the bands of Marriage whereas the poore woman in steed of vsing the like punishment vpon him is forced to see to suffer yea and to allow and beare with the vnlawfull adulteries of her husband But such men God no doubt will punish as hee did our forgetfull Pertingale not long after Izabella seeing no other remedie putteth her selfe once more to the Seas being often in the minde to throw her selfe therein had it not bene but onely that shee feared the losse of her soule Which custome the Paynims oftentimes vsed to rid themselues from their troubles and for that they respected not the immortalitie of the soule in that they knewe not the true God All day long shee wept but the waters carryed away her teares and all the night shee sighed but the blustring windes whirled away her sighes The Sea storming at the iniurie she had receiued beganne to swell for anger to whistle for rage and to fret and murmure for despite and choller It could not suffer such a great wrong beeing farre more pittifull then her careles and cruell husband And therefore meaneth to bring backe the Shippe once more wherein his saithfull spouse remained driuing it to the selfe-same Hauen where it had bene the day before Horatio not dreaming of anie such matter but still glutting himselfe in his amorous sport with his subtill friend seeking nothing so much as how to please her by all meanes possible Euen as Achilles did himselfe a slaue to Brixis yeeld Although shee was his slaue by law and wonne by him in field But LOVE is saide to be blinde and respecteth not the condition of Creatures neither hath hee anie respect of persons at all Onely hee accounteth of their beautie with which hee oftentimes helpeth himselfe to tyrannize ouer the proudest hearts forcing the Prince sometimes to yeelde vnto the Peasant whereby hee may bring himselfe to be thought to be more admirable in the eyes of mortall men The comfortlesse Ladie seeing her selfe to be brought backe againe by the proud and imperious windes into the same port much against her will wherein she had harboured but a fewe houres before fearing sore to offend her wilfull Husband whose onely pleasure and delight was to worke her iniurie beganne a fresh to renew her former complaints sighing and crying out after this pittifull manner Ah God ah God was it not enough that I had mine husband to my mortall enemie but that I must needs haue the waues of the Sea also to bandie against me for what remaineth to come or what can there be left behinde to make me more miserable and vnfortunate then I am alreadie seeing that he who hath promised me so great loue so great friendship and affection and vowed so much and so many oathes vnto mee is the onely man that persecuteth me as if I were the deadliest foe that he hath vpon the face of the earth Ah hard harted and forgetfull Knight ill wouldst thou passe so many dangers venter through so many perills and hardly wouldest thou endure such a hell of disquietnes for the loue of thy wife as Vlisses did for his seeing when I come vnto thee with so great trouble thou not onely disdainest me but also refusest to admit mee to come into thy presence Ah good and kind Graccus who to prolong the life of thy wife didst shorten thine owne how farre doest thou differ from my iniurious Spouse Such as are guiltie and doe but worthily suffer for the euils they haue done complaine vniustly and without cause but oh how hard and vnsupportable griefe is it to reape iniuries in
steed of reward for doing good turnes and how bitter is the paine which we endure through the malice of those whome wee loue best and of whom we expect the like friendship againe The offence we receiue of our enemie is tollerable because the law permitteth reuenge in that case whereas the law of friendship forbiddeth to reuenge vs on such whom we affect for feare of their displeasures Ah my good God what fault haue I committed against my husband that he should vse mee thus despitefully Haue I as Clitemnestra defiled our Nuptiall bed Haue I as Hellena the Greeke run into the armes of a rauisher of women Or as Semiramis haue I polluted mine honour and chastitie with incestious kind of liuing Oh no I feare no such matter God that seeth the sectets of all hearts knoweth my conscience is free of any such ill What haue I then done Alas I know not Alas for what sinne am I thus seuerely punished But O sweet Lord as thou art diuine in thy miracles and terrible in thy iudgements the exemption of which commeth either soone or at last so I confesse thou now doest punish mee either for some fault of mine that is past or else for the sinnes which my forefathers haue committed against thee And yet this is some comfort vnto me that I am not the first Innocent that hath bene sore afflicted For so was Susanna so was Iob so was Ioseph and so were diuers others farre more godly then my selfe O miserable Dido and yet more happie then I am though thou wert left forsaken by forsworne Eneas for short was thy paines not long was thy griefe and sodaine was thy complaints a gentle death ending with thy life all thy sorrowes and cares together whereas I haue not the selfesame libertie to die as thou hadst an other respect holdeth my hands death being not in my power as it was in thine But now in the meane time what shall I doe whether shall I goe or what shall become of me The Sea will make mee no way to returne from whence I came and the furious rage of my husband will not suffer me to come on land Am I become some Patricide whom the lawes of man depriue of aire of earth and of water O lamentable chaunce of mine pittifull death receiue this my wretched carkasse into thy bosome there to be huried and rather sinke this vessell wherein I now abide before thou carrie me backe vnto that place wherein I haue receiued so great despite and wrong Alas mine eyes what can you see to delight you any longer when he that is most pleasing vnto you debarreth you from his louely presence To whom wilt thou my voyce speake seeing he hath closed thy mouth whose speech before was most agreeable vnto my soule And you my feete whither now will you take your coarse seeing that he who was wont to guide your steps vnto the Lodge of pleasure hath now shut the gate against you Ah gentle death if euer the wailings and lamentings of a most distressed wretch haue euer moued thee to compassion and pittie ah then let me obtaine the same at thy hands Do that which my cruell Husband ere long will put in practise making meas happie as I am now vnfortunate Thrise blessed Portia death came vnto thee to helpe thee at thy need and thou acceptedst of his helpe happie Ariadne for God tooke care of thy life made much of thee and in steed of Theseus accepted of thy companie And O luckie Olimpia though abandoned of Birannos thy forsworne Husband yet a great Prince reuenged thy wrong and tooke thee to wife where thou liuedst afterward in much ioy and delight But alas no man helpeth me none succoureth me neither doth any come to assist me in bewailing my misfortunes Who then hath euer had so strange a mishap as my selfe Ah that the spirit and Quintesence of my griefe could dissolue into teares that it might distill forth from out mine eyes and that I might die like him that hauing his vaines opened in warme water loseth both his life and blood together Or that my sorrowfull heart wearie with ouermuch sighing and sobbing would breake and burst in peeces Might I but die I would not care what kind of death I suffered so that once I were dead for no death be it neuer so monstrous is equall with the least anguish that I sustaine Degenerate knight and voyd of all remorse seeing thou meanest to entertaine all kind of cruelties whatsoeuer that haue bene found in any creature yea cuen worse then the bruite beasts themselues doe vse why doest thou not put in practise the bloodie execution of the same by cutting in twaine my throat as thou hast most irreligious cut in sunder the sacred band of Marriage which should haue bound vs still fast together Thou canst not do me a greater pleasure nor a better satisfaction canst thou make me for so many bad parts as thou hast plaide against me than to make an end of me with that hand which hath so often vowed and sworne in most solemne manner that I onely maintained his Maister aliue But I forget my selfe let God I beseech worke with me as it pleaseth his holie will for iust he is and iust are his iudgements he knoweth the hearts of euerie one and he that is most culpable of vs twaine he will I am assured in the end punish Whilst she was thus bewailing her misfortunes behold newes commeth vnto her that her husband was liuing the Citie to goe forth to the wars through which occasion she might very easilie if she pleased haue accesse and speech vnto him Which when she heard she stood long time doubtfull what to doe for as Loue perswaded her to present her selfe before him so the feare to offend him the iust disdaine for so abusing her with rage iealousie despite did disswade her from the contrarie What should she then doe she both loued feared the presence of her Husband she wonderfully desired to see him yet sore doubted lest in offring to see him she should too much moue and anger him by reason he had giuen commandement she should not as much as once presume to come into his sight But see the sudden changing of mans nature and how God oftentimes putteth men in minde of their owne good and soules health when they are approaching nigh vnto their ends to the intent they vtterly ouerthrow not themselues For Horatio who so mortallie hated his chaste and loyall wife being mounted on horse-backe to encounter with the enemie sodenly began to be touched with a secret aduertisement from God sore longing as then to see her whilst from his soule repenting him for his foule fact his conscience tolde him that the Almightie would punish him for the same as he himselfe thought he deserued no lesse marching thus forward although not with that alacritie of minde nor that braue and stout resolution as he was wont to doe but rather heauily