AN Alarum against Vsurers Containing tryed experiences against worldly abuses WHEREIN GENTLEMEN may finde good counsells to confirme them and pleasant Histories to delight them and euery thing so interlaced with varietie as the curious may be satisfied with rarenesse and 〈◊〉 curteous with pleasure HEEREUNTO AKE ANnexed the delectable historie of Forbonius and Prisceria with the lamentable Complaint of Truth ouer England Written by Thomas Lodge of Lincolnes Inne Gentleman O Vita misere longa foelice breuis ¶ Imprinted at London by T. Este for Sampson Clarke and are to be sold at his shop by Guyld Hall 1584. ¶ To The Right worshipfull Sir Philip Sidney Knight indued with all perfections of learning and titles of Nobilitie Thomas Lodge Gen. wisheth continuance of honour and the benefits of happie Studie IT is not noble Gentleman the titles of Honour that allureth me nor the nobilitie of your Parents that induceth me but the admiration of your vertues that perswadeth me to publish my pore trauailes vnder your vndoubted protection Whom I most humbly intreate not onely in so iust a cause to protect me but also in these Primordia of my studies after the accustomed prudence of the Philosophers to confirme with fauourable acceptaunce and continuaunce as the equitie of the cause requireth I haue set downe in these fewe lines in my opinion Right Worshipfull the image of a licentious Vsurer and the collusions of diuelish incrochers and herevnto was I led by two reasons First that the offender seeing his owne counterfaite in this Mirrour might amend it and those who are like by ouerlauish profusenesse to become meate for their mouths might be warned by this caueat to shunne the Scorpion ere she deuoureth May it please your Worshippe to fauour my trauailes and to accept my good will who incouraged by the successe of this my firstlings will heereafter in most humble signe of humanitie continue the purpose I haue begunne commending the cause and my seruice to your good liking who no doubt compassed with incomperable vertues will commend when you see occasion not condemne without a cause Your VVorships in all dutie to commaund Thomas Lodge ¶ To The Right worshipfull my cuâ—teous friends the Gentlemen of the Innes of Court Thomas Lodge of Lincolnesâ— Inne Gentleman wisheth prosperous successe in their studies and happie euent in their trauailes CUrteous Gentlemen let it not séeme straunge vnto you that hée which hath long time slept in silence now beginneth publikely to salute you since no doubt my reasons that induce me herevnto be such as both you may allowe of them since they be well meant and account of them since they tend to your profit I haue published héere of set purpose a tried experience of worldly abuses describing héerein not onely those monsters which were banished Athens I meane Usurers but also such deâ—ouring caterpillers who not onely haue fatted their fingers with many rich forfaitures but also spread their venim among some priuate Gentlemen of your profession which considered I thought good in opening the wound to preuent an vlcer and by counselling before escape forewarn before the mischiefe Led then by these perswasions I doubt not but as I haue alwayes found you fauourable so now you will not cease to be friendly both in protecting of this iust cause from vniust slander and my person from that reproch which about two yeares since an iniurious cauiller obiected against me You that knowe me Gentlemen can testifie that neyther my life hath bene so lewd as y â— my companie was edious nor my behauiour so light as that it shuld passe the limits of modestie this notwithstanding a licentious Hipponax neither regarding the asperitie of the lawes touching slaunderous Libellers nor the offyring from whence I came which is not contemptible attemted not only in publike reprochfull terms to condemn me in his writings but also so to slander me as neither iustice shuld wink at so hainous an offeÌ„ce nor I pretermit a commodious reply About thrée yeres ago one Stephen Gosson published a booke intituled The schoole of Abuse in which hauing escaped in many sundry coÌ„clusions I as the occasion theÌ„ fitted me shapt him such an answere as beséemed his discourse which by reason of the slendernes of y â— subiect because it was in defeÌ„ce of plaies play makers y â— godly reuerent y â— had to deale in the cause misliking it forbad y â— publishing notwithstanding he comming by a priuate vnperfect coppye about two yeres since made a reply diuiding it into fiue sectioÌ„s in his Epistle dedicatory to y â— right honorable sir Frances Walsingham he impugneth me with these reproches y â— I am become a vagaraÌ„t person visited by y â— heuy hand of God lighter then libertie looser theÌ„ vanitie At such time as I first came to y â— sight héerof iudge you gentlemen how hardly I could disgest it I bethought my selfe to frame an answere but considering y â— the labour was but lost I gaue way to my misfortune contenting my selfe to wait y â— opportunitie wherein I might not according to the impertinacie of the iniurye but as equitye might countenance mée cast a raine ouer the vntamed curtailes chaps wiping out the suspition of this slander from the remebrance of those y â— knew me not counsell this iniurious Asinius to become more conformable in his reportes and now Gentlemen hauing occasion to passe my trauailes in publike I thought it not amisse somewhat to touch the slaunder prouing it to be most wicked discommendable leaue the rest to the discretion of those in authoritie who if the Gentleman had not plaid bo péep thus long would haue taught him to haue counted his cards a little better and now Stephen Gosson let me but familiarly reason with thée thus Thinkest thou y â— in handling a good cause it is requisite to induce a fals propositioÌ„ although thou wilt say it is a part of Rethorike to argue A Persona yet is it a practise of small honestie to conclude without occasion if thy cause wer good I doubt not but in so large ample a discourse as thou hadst to handle thou mightest had left the honor of a gentleman inuiolate But thy base degrée subiect to seruile attempts measureth all things according to cauelling capacitie thinking because nature hath bestowed vpoÌ„ thee a plausible discourse thou maist in thy swéet termes present the sowrest falsest reports y â— canst imagine but it may be y â— as it fortuned to y â— noble man of Italy it now fareth w t me who as Petarch reported giueÌ„ greatly to y â— intertainmeÌ„t of strangers pleasure of the chase respected not the braue gorgious garments of a courtier but delighted in such clothing as seemed y â— place where he soiourned this noble gentleman returning on a time froÌ„ his game found all his house furnished with strangers on whoÌ„ bestowing his accustomed welcome he bent himself to
y â— ouerseeing of his domestical preparatioÌ„ coÌ„ming to y â— stable among the hors kéepers of his new come guests reprehending one of thâ— for faulting in his office y â— felow impatient of reproofe measuring y â— gentleman by his plaine coat stroke him on the faâ—e turned him out of y â— stable but afterward attending on his master perceiuing him whom he had stroken to be y â— Lord of y â— house he humbly craued pardoÌ„ y â— gentleman as patient as pleasant not only forgaue him y e escape but pretely answered thus I blame not thée good fellow for thy outrage but this companion pointing to his coate which hath made thée mistake my person So at this instant estéeme I M. Gosson hath dealt with me who not mesuring me by my birth but by y e subiect I haÌ„dled like Will Summer striking him y â— stood next him hath vpbraided me in person wheÌ„ he had no quarrell but to my cause therein pleaded his owne indiscretioÌ„ loded me with intollerable iniurie But if with Zoylus hée might kisse the gibet or with Patacion hop headlesse the world shoulde bee ridde of an iniurious slaunderer and that tongue laboured in suppositions might be nailed vp as Tullies was for his Philipicall declamations But good Stephen in like sorte will I deale with thée as Phillip of Macedon with Nicanor who not respecting the maiestie of the king but giuing himselfe ouer to the petulancie of his tongue vainly inueighed against him whom notwithstanding Philip so cunningly handeled that not onely he ceased the rumor of his report but also made him as lauish in commending as once he was profuse in discommending his attempt was thus performed he séeing Nicanor sorely pressed with pouerty reléeued him to his content Wherevpon altering his coppie and breaking out into singular commendation of Philip the king concluded thus Loe curtesie can make of bad good and of Nicanor an enimie Nicanor a friend Whose actions my reprouer I will now fit to thée who hauing slaundered me without cause I will no otherwise reuenge it but by this meanes that now in publike I confesse thou hast a good pen and if thou kéepe thy Methode in discourse and leaue thy slandering without cause there is no doubt but thou shalt bée commended for thy coppie and praised for thy stile And thus desiring thée to measure thy reportes with iustice and you good Gentlemen to answere in my behalfe if you heare me reproched I leaue you to your pleasures and for my selfe I will studie your profit Your louing friend Thomas Lodge BARNABE RICH Gentleman Souldier in praise of the Author IF that which warnes the young beware of vice And schooles the olde to shunne vnlawfull gaine If pleasant stile and method may suffice I thinke thy trauaile merits thanks for paine My simple doome is thus in tearmes as plaine That both the subiect and thy stile is good Thou needs not feare the scoffes of Mâ—â—mus brood If thus it be good Lodge continue still Thou needst not feare Goose sonne or Ganders hisse Whose rude reportes past from a slaundrous quill Will be determind but in reading this Of whom the wiser sort will thinke amis To slaunder him whose birth and life is such As â—alse report his fame can neuer tuch ¶ IOHN IONES GENtleman in praise of the AVTHOR THough not my praise yet let my wish preuaile Who so thou be that list to read this booke I neuer yet by flatterie did assaile To count that good that most did please my looke But alwaies wisht my friends such stile to vse As wise might like though foolish would refuse In opening vice my friend who spends his time May count by priuate good no profit lost What errors scape in young and lustie prime Experience badge of truth may quickly cost Who sets the marke that makes men shunne the sand Deserues good words his proofes for profit stand For common good to crosse a few mens vaines Who like to Midas would that all were golde I count not misse since there vnlawfull gaines Makes some men sink whom birth might well vphold I know the sore the scarre is seene to plaine A blessed state where no such wils doo raine In briefe I praise this booke for pretie stile For pithie matter Gentle be thou iudge O would my wish some fancies might beguile Then faire reuenewes should not fit a snudge A world to see how Asses daunce in golde By wanton wils when Gentles starue for colde Whose errors if it please succeeding age To see with sighs and shun with sad aduice Let him beholde this booke within whose page Experience leaues her chiefest proofes of price And thanke the youth that suffered all these toiles To warne thee shun that rocke which many spoiles FINIS GEntlemen since the presse cannot passe without escape and some things are so mistaken as without coâ—rrection they will be very grose May it please you when you read to correct especially such principall errours as these that followe Folio 30. b. Line 4. For woed Read wonne Folio eod Line 8. For colde Read cloudes Folio eod Line 15. For showde Read shoard Folio eod Line 30. For concluding Read concluded Foli 31. a. Lin. 34. For presents a secrets méete Read wth séemly secret gréete For the rest I referre them to your discretion who can distnguish coulours and either better or fit words to your fantasies Your friend Thomas Lodge AN ALARVM against Vsurers NO maruell though the wise man accompted all things vnder the sun vain since the chéefest creatures be mortall and no wonder though the world runne at randon since iniquitie in these later dayes hath the vpper hand The alteration of states if they be look into and the ouerthrow of houses if they be but easely laid in open viewe what eye would not shed teares to sée things so transitorie and what wisedome woulde not indeauour to dissolue the inconuenience There is a state within this our Common wealth which though it necessarily stand as a piller of defence in this royall Realme yet such are the abuses that are growen in it that not onely the name is become odious by somes errour but also if the thing be not narrowly lookt into the whole lande by that meanes will grow into great inconuenience I meane the state of Merchants who though to publyke commoditie they bring in store of wealth from forein Nations yet such are their domesticall practises that not only they inrich themselues mightelye by others misfortunes but also eate our English Gentrie out of house and hame The generall facultie in it selfe is both auncient and lawdable the professours honest and vertuous their actions full of daunger and therefore worthy gaine and so necessarye this sorte of men be as no well gouerned statâ— may be without them But as among a trée of fruite there bée some withered fallings and as among wholesome hearbes there growes some bitter Colloquintida so it cannot be but
preacht with zealous hart Then learning was the Loadstone of the land Then husbandman was frée from shiftes of lawe Then faithfull promise stoode in stéed of band The Drones from busie Bée no Mel could drawe Then loue not feare did kéepe the state in awe 〈◊〉 then did flourish that renowmed time 〈◊〉 earth and ashes thrusted not to clime Foras the horse well mand abides the bit And 〈◊〉 his stop by raine in riders hand Where mountain calt that was not sadled yet 〈◊〉 headlong on amidst the fallowed land Whose fierce resist scarce bends with anie band So men reclainide by vertue tread aright Where led by follies mischiefes on them light Use masters all vse nurtereth mortall wayes Use vse of good continues happie state Use vse of mée made England then haue praise But since abuse hath banisht me of late Alasse the while there runnes another rate Which while by sad insight I looke into I sée the want of those that haue to doe And yet I sée not Sodome some are good Whose inward bowels dayly melt in mone To see how Britane now is raging wood Hard hearted flintie minded all in one Bent to abuse and leauing me alone Alonely lead with carelesse shew of peace Whereas secure regard doth sinne increase Some some there be whom zeale hath swallowed vp First blessed Prince of whom I finde reléefe Some noble péeres that tast errors cup Some godly Prelates in the Church are chéefe Same Lawiers lead by zeale lament my gréefe Some Merchants follow God not swallow golde Some countrie Swains loue truth you may be bolde Yet as great store of Darnell marres the séed Which else would spring within a fertile field And as the fruitfull bud is choakt by wéede Which otherwise a gladsome grape would yéeld So sometimes wicked men doe ouerwéeld And keepe in couert those who would direct The common state which error doth infect Yet Truth must neuer alter from his name Good Prince sayd I. ye good what of her selfe And that is good for Princes that doe frame Themselues to priuate good doo subiects good Yet that's not that same goodnesse I would name Good Prince good people that's the good I craue Of Princes goods that goodnesse would I haue For as the great commaunder of the tides God Neptune can allay the 〈…〉 And make the billowes mount on either sides When wandering kéeles his cholar would displease So Princes may starre vp and some appease The commons heart to doe and to destroy That which is god 〈◊〉 this which threates anoy For common state can neuer sway amisse When Princes liues doo leuell all a right Be it for Prince that England happie is Yet haplesse England if the fortune light That with the Prince the subiects séeâ—â— not right Unhappie state vnluckie times they bée When Princes liues and subiects disagrée I know not I whence come these wayward woes Whóse sodaine showes portend this sodain change Yet dooth mis doubt such sodaine feares disclose As Truth this present doubts the sequell strange When stable head lets stailesse members range I feare me as the buildings trust to sand So euery blast will stroy with turne of hand When as in Court by proud contempt I sée A fashion feedes the fancies now a dayes When as in Court promotions passed be By selfe opinion oft the wise man sayes The turnes are strange and fauour soone decayes And those whom fortune windeth now a floate By change of fauour soone may change their coate When as election dooth but passe by sence Then must I deeme the world is fed by showes When garish beautie causeth vaine expence It 〈◊〉 the man should sée but little knowes Repentaunce is the fruite by louing growes So when in Court nought but such pleasures be Repentaunce must ensue we well may sée But leauing Court where though the bramble groes Yet zealous care there seÌ„ts her selfe I see I doo in Court but now complaine of those Who practise that that sits not their degrée Whose vaines by powre full oft corrected be But now such colours cloake each bad pretence That showes doo hold the wise in some suspence But I poore I though gréeud at courtlike scapes Lamenting there the lauish vaine expence Haue farther cause abroad to note escapes Where craft dooth kéepe true meaning in suspence And wily worldlings couer their pretence With holy shapes and in a holy coate Dooth flattry praise those men that swim a floate In Nobles traines who sées not strange mis déemes Where each dooth gape and catch at priuate gaine And fleece the Lord who though he blindfold séemes By oft attempts dooth barre them of their vaines The painfull wretch who toiles with often paines He hath faire words when flattrie sucks the sweete Thus showes take place and Troth 's trod vnder féete In England gistes can compasse each reproofe The bad for gold may soone be counted good The wicked gainer for the states behoofe The blindest buzzard to giue heaâ—enly food The faintest heart in warlikst place hath stood And who giues most hath now most store of farmes Rackt rents the Lord with golden fuell warmes And Iustice so I feare by power is led The poore may crie and gladly créepe to crosse The rich with wealth the wealthie now are fed The simple man now onely beâ—â—â—s the losse The Lawier he the golden crownes doth tosse And now hath fées at will with cap and knée And each man cries good sir come plead for me O swéete the time when neither folly might Mislead your hopes nor alter olde decrées O happie Truth when as with swéete delight She laboured still for conscience not for fees O blessed time when zeale with bended knées Gan blesse the heauens that bent their powres diuine The English hearts to wisedome to encline But now refusd disdaind and set at naught Inforst to séeke for rest in place vnknowne I wayle poore wretch that no redresse is sought But well I wot my gréefes are not mine owne Some beare a part and helpe to waite my mone But all in vaine such colours now are made That those would mend the misse doo daunce in shade This said be wetting all the place with teares And from her eyes expelling flouds of mone Her louely lockes bespred about her eares She waude her wings as willing to be gone And after pause she soard away anone And thus she said You Ilanders adieu You banisht me before I fled from you Lenuoy Beléeue me Countrimen this thing is true FINIS
of in fine his absolute answere is this that without a suretie he promised him none he takes witnesse of his friend as he tearmeth him a prety péece of witnesse when he séeth no remedie he demaundeth his bondes he witholdeth theÌ„ he craues his deceasance cannot haue it Thus is y e poore GentlemaÌ„ brought into a notable mischiefe first in being coâ—soned of his mony next deluded by his estatute w tout deceasance for if y â— deceasaÌ„ce be not deliuered y â— same time or daie y â— statute is yet nothing auailable thirdly by his bonds detaining which may be recouered against him continue in full force and the vsurer that playes all this rie will yet be counted an honest and well dealing man But flatter them who so list for me I rather wish their soules health then their good countenances though I knowe they will storme at me for opening their secrets yet truth shall countenaunce mée since I séeke my countries coÌ„moditie Héere you see two houses destroied manifestly y â— one of them from a Gentleman made a craftie cousoner the other of them from a landed man a silly poore wretch And wonderfull it is to sée considering the asperitie of the Penall statutes set downe by her Maiestie and her honourables Péeres in the Parliament How pretie collusions these cunning merchants can â—ind to infringe them One priuate practise they haue in deliuerie of y e commoditie to make the condition of the Obligation thus The condition c. is this that if the within bound T. C. his heires executors or assignes doe well and truely pay or cause to be paide to y â— aboue named M. S. the sum of 40. pounds of lawful mony of England at his own dwelling house scituated being in Colman stréet which he y â— sayd T. C. standeth indebted vnto him for if so be that he the sayd M. S. or S. his wife be in life y â— then Otherwise c. Now in this coÌ„ditioÌ„ y â— casual mart bringeth it out of coÌ„passe of statute thus by collusions M. Scrape-penie gathers vp his money Others worke by statute and recognisaunce making their debter to discharge in their bookes of account the receit of so much money where indéede they had nothing but dead commoditie Other worke by liues as if such a one liue thus long you shall giue mée during his or her life 10. pounds a yeare for 30. pounds and be bound to the performaunce of that by statute Other some deale in this sorte they will picke out among the refuse commoditie some pretie quantitie of ware which they will deliuer out with some money this sum may be 40. pound of which he will haue you receiue 10. pound readie money and 30. pounds in commoditie and all this for a yeare your bonde must be recognisaunce now what thinke you by all computation your commoditie will arâ—se vnto truely I my sâ—lfe knew him that receiued the like and may holdly auouch this that of that thirtie pounds commoditie there coulde by no broker be more made then foure nobles the commoditie was Lute stringes and was not this thinke you more then abhominable vsurie Naie common losses y â— reasonablest is for 36. pound for thrée months accounted a good penie worth if there be made in redie mony 20. pounds naye passing good if they make 25. poundes I haue knowen of fortie but sixtéene pound and tenne shillings These be general payments and receits incident to the most part of the young Gentlemen that I knewe deale that wayes and truely I my selfe knowe within my time no few number of Gentlemen which are vtterly vndone by this meanes and vnlesse this euill be preuented and Gentlemen take not more héede more will followe after But if the punishment of these men were In discretione Iudicis notwithstanding the lawe were couloured with all by them yet the conscience of the iudge woulde cut such ill members off In former ages these things being knowen were lookt vnto and now when most punishment is meanaced vsurie is most practised Well may we now sée that the craftie haue as many cautiles as the discréet cautions If we had as seuere lawes in England as once in Athens Solon set downe wée shoulde then cast a rayne ouer the head strong vnrulynesse of these Caterpillers there it was not lawfull the Father béeing liuing that anye money shoulde bée lent vnto the sonne who béeing vnder his Fathers gouernement was not to bée ordered according to his owne lyking and there whosoeuer did transgresse this lawe it was ordayned that hée might haue no recouerye nor bée reléeued anye waye by iustice for that it was doubted that the sonne hauing no wayes to aunswere that hée did owe should eyther be inforced by practising coniurations in the Citie or exercising priuye thefte in his Fathers house to ridde and discharge himselfe of the burthen of his debte The Aegygtians and Athenians séeing the errour of couetous vsurie to take footing in their prouinces by approued iudgement concluded that by no instrument plea execution or other meanes in lawe a bodie might bée detained the originall béeing for corrupt gaines The Romanes who not onelye inuented but imitated those Lawes which confounded errour by decrée of Senate with the Athenians in the verye same tearmes as they didde sette downe that no money should bee lent to young heyres vppon interest neyther allowing the detinue pleadable nor the vsurie aunswerable hauing a priuate eye into the vnmeasurable and gréedie intents of those couetous carles who compasse the Fathers landes before the Sonne come to it In the Lawe of the twelue Tables orders in this cause were prescribed and directions set downe by the Tribunes among whome a man of rare vertue Lucius Gomatius instituted and made a law where in he enacted that no vsurie nor vsurers shoulde bée allowed Lucius Lucullus séeing this errour alreadye creapt thorough all Asia and lyke a wise gouernour wylling to preuent not onelye made a Law to auoyde all occasion of vnlawfull games but also appoynted punishmentes to those that were subiect to the errour Tiberius Caesar as curious as the rest for common good didde with as greate circumspection as might bée take awaye the cause and displace the effecte of this mischiefe not sufâ—ering that to take heade in his gouernement that was the capytall enimie of a well ordered State Claudius Caesar not yéelding to his Auncestours in honourable actions renewed these Lawes Vespatian continued them and Marcus Antonius Pius with Alexander Seuerus established them with publike instrumentes who to the fore-passed erroures by farther insight ioyned this That by this vnlawfull getting manye of the best and most auncient houses in all Italy were brought to vtter ruyne and confusion The Indians disdayning such seruile attemptes not onely mislikie of lending but also forbad borrowing neither is it lawfull for an Indian to proffer nor agreeable for one of the Nation to suffer iniuryes disdayning among them both
propinquitie of their abode was such as that Priscerias chamber windowe had a prospect into Forbonius garden by which meanes the Gentleman in his meditations might beholde his mistres and Priscerâ—â— beeing by the equitie of the destinies prefigurated to straunge misfortune might haue occasion to looke and séeing might loue but as this conueniencie was fauourable one waie so was the frowarde disposition of the parents vntoward on the other parte for Solduuius whether lead thereto by appointment or driuen to the exigent by some former mallice borne by the progenitors of Forbonius had neither a lyking to the youth nor a longing to haue his daughter marryed eyther lead by couetousnesse for that he woulde not stresse his coffers or by enuie for that he contemned Forbonius yet what is concluded secretly amidst the heauens cannot be circumuented with mans circumspection for Forbonius as one which depended onely on the fauour of Prisceria though fortune had hereft him of occasion to inioy yet would not he be seuered from the benefite to beholde her whom he loued who warmed with the same fire in increasing his flame kindled her owne fancie being as willing as the other to procure remedie to her passion with manye chaunge of coulours and sundrye swéete aspects opened that to her seruant which he wished for in his mistres who with like sorrowes requiting euerie circumstance as one willing and borne to attempt at such time as Prisceria solitarily solaced her selfe at her windowe in mournefull melodye making his Lute tunable to the straine of his voice he recorded this Sonet THE Turtle pleased with his she compeare With sweet aspects and many a turning lure Describes the zeale in tearmes should well appeare If nature were so gratious to assure The silly bird with speech as well as I Who stopt of speech by turnes my woes descrie And though perhaps my tearmes by distance be Seaioynd from thee I wis my mouâ—nfull mone Doth pearce thine eares and Eccho tells for me In sowre reports would she and I were one For whom I liue and whom I onely loue Whose sweet aspects my dying fancies moue And if the aire by yeelding calme consent Make sweet Prisceria priuie to my suite Vouchasafe deere sweet that beautie may relent And graunt him grace whom distance maketh â—uter So either hope shall make me climbe the skie Or rude repulse enforce my fancies flie Prisceria not altogether priuie to the report yet concluding all purposes to hir owne fantasie conceyuing by his manifolde sighes aspectes and motions wherevnto he applyed his actions with a solempne sighe as wishing him present and a séemely bent as requiting his curtesie betooke hir selfe to hir pillowe where comparing euerye accident together both of the zeale shée bare to Forbonius and of the profer he proffered to her she brake out into these spéeches Alasse vnhappie Prisceria what vntoward destinie hath befallen thée That in thy flowring yeares and prime of beautie thou art become a thrall to vncertaine pleasure neyther knowing from whence the errour first sprong nor by what Treacles it may at last bée expelled If it bée that nature enuying my perfections hath allotted mée this purgatorie that hauing at free becke all the benefites of Fortune yet I should with inwarde bondes bée inchained with the holdefast of fancie Alasse that in prefixing the torment shée hath not proffered a remedye or in bestowing an vlcer hath not vouchsafed a corrasiue Howe straungely am I martyred sillye maide that I am That by one onelye looke haue conceyued such an impression as neyther arte can alter with medicine nor time eate out with continuaunce Woe is mee that I loue yet fortunate am I that I hate not for by the one I am depriued of lybertie by the other I shall onerpasse the sorrow by surenesse Yet are thy thoughts more fauorable to thée Prisceria then the successe in thy loue will be fortunate Thou louest Forbonius and why for his vertue yet thy father hateth him vpon olde grudges with whom when rancour preuayleth what may be more lookt for then contempt and denyall But Forbonius séeketh Priscerias fauor not Solduuius friendship but Prisceria cannot enioy Forbonius without Solduuius fauor But Forbonius will by happie marriage conclude all mallice but thy father hauing an enuious mind will haue a suspitious eare Alas why imagine I wonders in my fancy hoping that those destenies which inthralled my affection wil subiect my fathers resolutions since neither reason alloweth me any probablitie to worke vpon neither hath Forbonius any motion as I sée to compasse ought well to the satisfaction of my freend and to the contentment of my sorrowing hart my freend shall know my zeale and I will continue my affection which being begun with so wonderfull causes must néedes finish with a miraculous effect With these conclusions she fell a sléepe leauing me to returne to Forbonius who being tormented with the same furie and troubled with equall fancie séeing his light to be eclipsed I meane his Mistresse vanished began heauely to complaine himselfe in these or such lyke termes Alas you destinies whose courses are ineuitable how fortuneth it that in bestowing casualities in maÌ„s life you prescribe not meanes to preuent misfortunes and onelye beginning to fester the heart prefixe no presidents whereby the humours may be expelled If all things are to be referred vnto an ende what may I wel imagine of my estate who intercepted by all occasions must either finish my misfortunes miserably or desperately O loue iustly maist thou be counted licentious whereas thou neither prescribest limites to thy selfe to inthrall nor meanes to thy subiects to attain libertie But why exclaime I on him that hath blest me with a benefit as though the fate that made Forbonius happie in louing cannot establish his successe as that it shall not be measured by misfortune I glorie in the benefit of my martirdome since a certain inward hope assureth me that diuine beautie cannot be sequested from iust pittie nor a tried seruice in loue requited with a disdainfull hate But foolish man that I am how maye it be that in séeking beautie I labour not to attaine it desiring to enioy a benefit I attempt not to make triall of my Mistresse bountie Why by last nights becke she vouchsafed some shew of acceptaunce and that may as well be of reproofe as lyking O Forbonius it is a silly hope that is conceiued by signes either attempt further or perswade thy selfe of no sauour Her father silly wretch enuieth thée and thinkest thou to compasse his daughter alas faint hope is this when as those that should build vp doo destroy when such as shoulde perswade doo diss wade when as he that dooth commaund most earnestly dooth forbid But loue hath no respect of consanguinitie but hauing onely relation to him which he fauoureth delighteth onely in the possession of his choyce yet is not Forbonius sure she loueth well I sée he that will be fortunate must hazard and that man
that will be gracious in his Mistresse eye must by outward attempts and vnaccustoured purposes séeke to confirme his happinesse Wherevpon vpon sundry conclusions he inserred thus that the next day by certaine rare attemptes hée would either finish that he had so long sought for or perish in the perfourmance of his enterprise and the day seruing to attempt that which he imagined by night he bethought himselfe of the Cymnosophists of y â— countrey among whom remembring one of singular experience and notable lerning he resorted vnto him opening first how he was inthralled by fancie how precluded by all occasions especially by the fathers disdaine next how some opportunitie serued him lastly how the agony tormented him desiring the Philosopher whose wisedome coulde sée into all causes to search out the fatall Exigent of his loue Appollonius for so the Gymnosophist was called hauing calculated the Gentlemans natiuitie and séeing some planets retrogate couering the asperitie of the destenies with the hidden secrecie of an Artist discoursed thus O Forbonius if as Socrates did his golde thou drown thy affections it would follow that with him thou shuldest enioy frée libertie of thy selfe and not suffer thy affects to rule thy reason Art thou bewtiched by Circes of a humane shape hast thou gotten a beastly forme of a man borne to reasonable actions wilt thou now swallow an vnreasonable misfortune If many cares be the decayers of the minde if many sorrowes the consumers of the body better were it by day to studie the lyberall Sciences then at such time as we shoulde imploye our selues to honourable attempts to become vnhonourably licentious Alas Forbonius considering what a louer is what a louer suffereth what a louer séeketh I finde the person idle minded I finde his patience an insupportable sorrow I finde himselfe not himselfe in y â— he is vnreasonable The daily actions of a louer are discommendable the night exclamations so odious as that they in this coÌ„uert nature who shadowing y â— world with darknes limitting each creature his rest yet they euen in y â— time labor in out-cries in which they shuld take conuenient rest My good friend y â— gretest wisdome is to measure euery atteÌ„pt w t his casualties if ought happen y â— may séeme impossible to cast off the rayne and suffer it to passe in that sorme it was concluded in Thou louest Forbonius better wer it thou didst loath for by loathing thou canst but be compâ—ed vnnaturall but by louing thou mayst fortune to be vnfortunate If all thinges be ordered by the higher powers it is vayne you must conclude to infringe what is concluded on if the destenies haue appoynted that Forbonius shall not be happie in inioying Prisceria Forbonius is not reasonable in suing for Prisceria Unhappie Paris in Helen though fortunate in inioying her beautie but when loue begins with a fading benefit it endeth with an euerlasting sorrow The conclusion of a wise man must be to yéelde to the necessitie of Fate and to continue contented with that which cannot be altered by succession Tell me by the immortall Gods my good friend I beséech thée what happines conceiuest thou possible to follow either in enioying thy Lady or finishing thy loue Alas the greatest swéete is a continuall sower and after many vnfortunate repulses a sodain misfortune makes an ende of many a yeares courting I speake all this to this ende my Forbonius because I would preuent that by counsell in thée which otherwise if thou follow thine owne lure will be a confusion to thy selfe Thou comest to me for counsell to compasse loue and I would confirme thée that thou shouldest auoyd the occasions of following loue Thou wouldest by my meanes strayne arte to subdue nature yet I labour both to direct by arte and to suppresse by nature Truly my good friend looking but to the hidden secretes of nature I finde thée subiect to manye misfortunes and no way to be remedied but by one only vertue Thou shalt after long toyles compasse that thou hopest for yet when thy greatest plesures begin to take the originall euen then shall they finde their exigent Since therfore the reuolutions of the heuens conclude that by onely continent forbearaunce thou shalt be disburdened of many misfortunes I beséech thée lette this transitorie pleasure be accompted off as it is and finish vp thy loue with my counsell so shalt thou be fortunate in preuenting destenie and continue in happines wher too much loue may make thee vnluckie Forbonius lead by the inconstant opinion of his young yeares not waying the graue and fatherly councell of Appollonius aunswered him thus O Father when the wound is giuen it is ill counsayling how to auoyd the stripe and when the heart is captiuated there can be but small recouery by counsell how wer it possible for me to restrain that in my selfe which the Gods could not limit in their Deities Easie it is for the whole Phisition to counsell the sick patient but when y â— extremitie wringeth excessiuely none bideth the martirdome but the afflicted O Appollonius my minde measureth not the iniquitie of fate neyther doo I séeke limits for that which by no direction can be exterminated from out my heart So that good father rather respect my present sute then my future discommoditie and by your counsell make ende to my sorrowes whereby it will thus come to passe that enioying the pleasure I long wish for I may more boldlye beare the assault of froward fortune when it commeth If it be onely death that my enemie Fate threteneth me with let me enioye this benefit as for Fortune I will be friende to her enemie the which is the graue and acquaynting my soule but with the onely Idea of my Mistresse thinke my selfe as happie as they that haue walkt the Elisian fieldes a long space to their content Appollonius willing to doo him good yet sorrie hée could not preuaile with his counsaile at length began thus Since my Forbonius thou wilt be ruled by no counsayle thou must be pertaker of thine owne sorrowe As for thy request I will so satisfie thée as not onely thou shalt at thy pleasure conceiue thy Mistresse minde but also open vnto her the secrettes of thy heart by which meanes thou shalt héerein haue accomplishment of thy wish though in so dooing thou shewe but lyttle wisedome Wherevpon resorting to his studdie he brought foorth a mirrour of notable operation a practicke in prospectiue which deliuering to Forbonius he commended it thus O my friend I deliuer thée that héere to féede thy humour which was composed to comprehend Arte. In this myrrour thou maist after thou hast written thy minde taking the Sunne beame send the reflection to thy mistresse eye wherby she may as legeably read thy letters as if they were in her handes and by thy instructions made priuie to the secrets of thy glasse retourne thine aunswere in that very forme in which thou sendest For the rest I leaue it to